Thank you, Lord,
for a new semester.
Thank you for providing the means for me to study
in a community of fellow learners.
Sharpen my mind,
so that I can learn to think clearly and critically.
Melt my resistance
to new ideas that are good and right and true.
Calm my anxiety,
as I face an overwhelming list of assignments to complete.
Banish fear
so that I can embrace the task of learning with joy.
Help me to take one day at a time.
Open my heart
to those around me,
so that I can form deeper friendships.
Make me a blessing
to my fellow students
and to the faculty and staff who serve us.
Create here a community
in which transformation can take place
together.
Equip us
to carry out the work you have planned
for us to do.
Above all, may we glorify you
through all we say and do this semester.
For the honor of your name,
Amen.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
a college student's back-to-school prayer
Dr. Carmen Imes is the Associate Professor of Old Testament at Biola University in La Mirada, CA, and serves the broader church through teaching, speaking, writing, and creating YouTube videos. She earned a PhD in Biblical Theology (Old Testament) from Wheaton College under Dr. Daniel Block, an MA in Biblical Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Charlotte), and a BA in Bible and Theology from Multnomah University. She and her husband, Daniel, served as missionaries with SIM 15 years. They have three children: Ana, Emma, and Easton.
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Dear Dr. Imes,
ReplyDeleteRan across this prayer, just this A.M. What a great prayer! I teach/preach at jail, so I "massaged" this prayer for use with those in the jail. It was a blessing.
May God Bless you,
Doug in Ohio
P.S.: I learned of your work when catching up on some (old) Naked Bible podcasts, and I heard you interviewed @SBL. Looking forward to 12/19 and getting a copy of "Bearing God's Name"!!
Doug,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! I'm glad you found this prayer helpful for prison ministry. We deliver Prairie's Certificate in Bible inside the prison system in Alberta. I hadn't thought of adapting the prayer for that context.
If you'd like to be part of my launch team for 'Bearing God's Name,' let me know! You'd get a free digital copy of the book before it releases and we'd simply ask that you leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads to help other readers find the book.
Blessings!
Carmen