Pray WITH Us
July 30, 2026
As our school leaders prepared for the upcoming year, one word continued to surface: With. Not alongside. Not in isolation. But with. This simple word reminds us of something foundational about Christian education. Students are shaped not simply through information, but through relationships. God created us to grow with Him and with one another. The deepest learning, the strongest discipleship, and the most lasting spiritual formation happen through faithful presence and shared life.
We invite you to embrace this vision for the 2026-27 school year with us and start by praying. Head of Spiritual Formation Will Weaver developed the following prayer prompts to guide us, and they are focused on WITH: Wholeness, Intention, Time, and Hope.
Wholeness
In scripture, the word most often translated as “peace” (Hebrew shalom) means “fullness” or “wholeness.” Part of God’s plan of redemption and restoration is to give us a foretaste of that wholeness now. But we can only experience that peace by abiding WITH him, and then by extension we will experience it in community with others.
What is missing from our community that abiding WITH God would provide?
“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now abide in my love.” John 15:9
Intention
Our God is primarily concerned with our holiness, our being like him, as individuals and as a community. This process of allowing the Holy Spirit to shape us can happen “accidentally” (from our perspective) as we experience the ups and downs of life. However, it is most often the product of habits and systems – it is intentional.
What deliberate actions, practices, and attitudes would result from our community abiding WITH God?
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17
Time
God has given all of us dominion over very specific domains (Gen. 1:26-28). The first great resource he has given us to steward is ourselves – who He is shaping us to be. The second is time – what we will do, where we will do it, and who we will do it with. As one of my favorite prayers says, “May my presence here daily suggest YOUR presence here.”
What would the way we use our time this year look like if we were abiding WITH God?
“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.”
Ephesians 5:15-16a
Hope
We cannot find peace without hope – they are two sides of the same coin and cannot be separated. When we find ourselves lacking peace, we have to ask where we are placing our hope. Change is the most common human experience that disrupts peace, but it can only do so if we lose sight of the fullness of the hope that we have in Jesus.
What peace can we find in new seasons if we live out of the hope we have from abiding WITH God?
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15