Excerpts taken from Every Season Sacred and To Light Their Way by Kayla Craig.

Fall often brings forth an air of new beginnings. School starts; schedules shift. Our children are surrounded by new invitations to independence, and we must accept that as much as we want control, it was never really ours in the first place.

We take photos of our backpack- wearing kids in their freshly laundered clothes (and secretly cry when our teens are over those first-day-of-school pictures). We feel our hearts beating out of our chests, full of worries and wonderings as they embark on new adventures.

But where we cannot go, God already is.

We cannot protect our children from the very real swirl of woundedness in this world. But we also cannot shield them from all that is true and beautiful that God has just for them.

SCRIPTURE

Isaiah 49:16; Joshua 1:9; 2 Timothy 1:7; Psalm 139:16

BREATH PRAYER

Inhale: When fear surrounds me, Exhale: Help me trust in You.

FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Read Joshua 1:9 together.

What’s something you’ve been afraid of this week? How can you let God’s love cover that fear? What does God say about our fear?

What is your fear holding you (or those you love) back from?

Does our family lean toward being overprotective or overpermissive?

What are you having a difficult time releasing control over?

How can you invite Jesus into your need for control?

Why is it important for us to experience both pain and joy in our lives?

How does it change your perspective if you know that wherever you go, God is already there?

FAMILY PRAYER

Dear God, You are good. Thank you for caring for us, even when the world feels dark or scary.

When our family is apart, help us to remember that we are never alone. You are the Maker of all things, and You are with us always.

In all our adventures, help us to be brave, loving, and kind. Because You love us with the most immense love, we can share that love with others, too.

And when we’re scared, help us to remember we can trust You. Amen.

From To Light Their Way

A Prayer for the First Day of School

O God of new beginnings,

As this child begins this new school year,

We are reminded that they are Yours

And Yours alone.

We have filled their backpack,

And we ask You to fill their heart

With the joy of new friends

And their mind

With the wonder of learning new things.

You are the God of science

And the God of art,

The God of equations

And the God of song.

Be with them,

This piece of my heart,

As they embark on this new adventure,

Becoming more themselves

And needing me less

Every day.

Give them courage

To extend kindness to teachers,

Fellow students,

And even themselves.

May they stand tall in who they are,

And may they find friends to sit with.

Ignite passions in them

For Your world and everything in it.

Spark creativity and stoke the fires of imagination.

Give them a heart to see the hurting

And strength to show love in the hallways.

Give them friends,

But help them not to find their worth in others.

Give them concentration

And a holy kind of mischief

That keeps them asking why.

Be with their teachers,

Who give so much of themselves.

May they have eyes to see each student

In their own challenges and victories.

God, we know each body and soul

Has a different way of learning.

Help [child’s name] find

What helps them learn best

In the ways You’ve uniquely wired them.

Thank You for all that awaits,

And thank You for the tug in my heart

As I wave goodbye

And watch them enter the doors,

For those are the heartstrings of love.

May this child feel Your love

As they walk the halls,

And may You keep them safe

And bring them safely home.

---

Every Season Sacred by Kayla Craig

What does it look like to live a flourishing, messy, wonderful life together?

As parents, we’re tasked with nurturing and guiding our children, even as we navigate our own wonderings about faith. In the overwhelm and constant demands of life, is it possible to tend to our own souls and to our family’s flourishing?

With tender curiosity and contemplative wisdom, Every Season Sacred is a weekly invitation to grow spiritually alongside our children. Blending thoughtful musings and practical resources, author Kayla Craig meets parents right where they are, offering

• honest and hopeful reflections for every season of the parenting journey;
• encouragement to parent with intention and imagination, presence and purpose; and
• open-ended discussion prompts and prayers to explore and practice as a family.

Every Season Sacred is an invitation to ask big questions, embrace faithful rhythms, and experience God’s mysterious, loving presence together. You don’t have to have all the answers—and if we’re honest, many answers aren’t ours to have. This is the beauty of faith.

As you parent your children and explore your questions together, may God reveal sacred moments to you—in each season of your life.