Pause + Pray for Teachers | Recharge With Purpose
Welcome to Pause + Pray for Teachers | Recharge With Purpose.
Each month, we gather to pause in God's presence and pray together. I'm sharing these prayer gatherings here on the podcast so you can return to them anytime you need to reset, refocus, and be strengthened.
This episode is longer than my typical podcast episodes, and it's our very first Pause + Pray Call of the 2026-2027 school year, so we took time to lay a foundation together. You're invited to slow down, take a deep breath, and allow God to meet you right where you are as you step into this new season.
This month, our focus is simple: recharge with purpose. Before you pour out into your students, your classroom, and everyone counting on you this year, God is inviting you to release what's heavy and let Him guide what's ahead.
During this prayer experience, we:
- Release and let go of what's weighing us down
- Renew our minds to see ourselves and our students through God's eyes
- Ask God to guide our plans for the year ahead
- Keep our eyes fixed in the right direction and stand firm
- Walk in good character as we lead our classrooms
- Pray for strength and endurance for the year ahead
Whether you're listening during a quiet moment or returning to this prayer throughout your week, my prayer is that you leave reminded of this:
You are not alone. God is guiding this year.
This call ran a little longer than we could fit into one sitting, so I'll be bringing you the final word of encouragement and commissioning that closes out this season opener in a follow up episode soon.
This Pause + Pray episode is available in both audio and video format. Listen or watch in the way that best supports your time with God.
You'll find the free Prayer & Reflection Guide we talked about on the call inside the Teaching With Jesus Community. https://www.skool.com/teaching-with-jesus-community-3174/about
💜 Stay Connected & Supported
If you're needing prayer, encouragement, or a place to reset, I've created spaces where you can be poured into:
✨ Join the FREE Teaching With Jesus Community: A supportive community for Christian teachers to pray together, stay encouraged, and walk this journey with faith and peace. https://www.skool.com/teaching-with-jesus-community-3174/about
✨ Pause + Pray Call (Live): We gather monthly at 6:30 PM EST for prayer and encouragement. Each month I will share the date it will be held. Replays are also shared inside the community.
📲 Connect with me on Instagram: @thetransformationalteacher
🎧 Subscribe & share this episode with another teacher who may need prayer, peace, and encouragement today.
Transcript
Foreign welcome to Pause and Pray.
Speaker A:Thank you all so much for being here.
Speaker A:Thank you for linking arms with me as we journey throughout this school year.
Speaker A:I am excited about what God is going to do in and through us as we journey throughout this school year.
Speaker A:This month we are going to talk about starting the school year in prayer and praise along with recharging God's way.
Speaker A:Meaning we want to recharge with purpose.
Speaker A:So we don't want to recharge the way the world may say we need to recharge, but we want to recharge with God's word and allow him to empower us and strengthen us as we journey throughout this school year.
Speaker A:We are recording this.
Speaker A:This will be available on YouTube and on my podcast and since we are starting the year we we are going to talk about what prayer is and reasons why we should pray.
Speaker A:You know, as a teacher and we'll talk a little bit about praise.
Speaker A:We will not do that on every time we come together but for this first time of starting a new school year we want to go over those things.
Speaker A:And again, what we're going over.
Speaker A:When I talk about what prayer is, reasons we should pray, what praise is, this is not everything that it is, but this is what God has placed on my heart to share with you.
Speaker A:So what is prayer?
Speaker A:Prayer is communicating with God.
Speaker A:Prayer is praying God's word over life situations.
Speaker A:Prayer is listening to what God has to say to you.
Speaker A:Prayer is when we ask God to intervene in our lives and the lives of those we pray for.
Speaker A:Prayer is showing God that we can't do life on our own and and that we need his help.
Speaker A:So as we journey throughout this school year, we most definitely need to rely on him.
Speaker A:Three Reasons to Pray over yourself As a teacher God instructs you to pray morning, noon and evening.
Speaker A:And as you see, the scripture reference is there.
Speaker A:I'm not going to read the exact scripture, but you will be able to download the PDF that goes with our monthly Pause and Pray Reflection Journal and it'll have all of this information in there for you.
Speaker A:God instructs you to pray so you don't faint or get discouraged.
Speaker A:Luke 18:1 we pray to gain wisdom and insight from God for your teaching journey.
Speaker A:James 1:5 what happens when we pray as a teacher?
Speaker A:Our heart softens towards our students that are challenging.
Speaker A:We start seeing things more from God's perspective and learn how to handle classroom situations in a better way.
Speaker A:We begin to respond God's way.
Speaker A:We start to pause more before responding to a challenging classroom situation.
Speaker A:One Thing that I try my best to go through is take a moment to pause, pray, praise, and then proceed.
Speaker A:Our ears are more in tune with what the Holy Spirit has to say to us about our classroom.
Speaker A:Now, what is praise?
Speaker A:Praise is vocal adoration to God.
Speaker A:Praise is vocal expression of our sincere appreciation for what God has provided.
Speaker A:Praise is acknowledging God for who he is.
Speaker A:Praise is a weapon that guarantees change for those who believe in it.
Speaker A:Now, praise is something that we do at all times.
Speaker A:We won't praise to be a lifestyle that we live.
Speaker A:Just like prayer, we need to make it a lifestyle.
Speaker A:We praise God and we pray when things are going great, but we also do it when we hit some bumps in the road.
Speaker A:We want to continue to pray and praise God through it all.
Speaker A:Because one thing that remains the same, regardless of what we go through, God is still faithful.
Speaker A:God is still right there for us.
Speaker A:He is with us.
Speaker A:He wants to help us.
Speaker A:So we want to praise God.
Speaker A:God through it all.
Speaker A:Three reasons to praise God.
Speaker A:God commands us to give praise.
Speaker A:Psalms 148.
Speaker A:Read that entire chapter.
Speaker A:Psalms 150, verse 6.
Speaker A:Praising God is a good thing.
Speaker A:Psalms 147, verse 1.
Speaker A:Praise God for His word, for who he is and all that he has done.
Speaker A:Psalms 56, verses 4 and 10.
Speaker A:What happens when we praise God?
Speaker A:Again, this is only a few things.
Speaker A:There's more.
Speaker A:God gets involved and helps us to focus on him and not the problem.
Speaker A:We can hear God clearer.
Speaker A:It humiliates and silence the enemy.
Speaker A:All oppositions favor peace, breakthroughs within, joy, and so much more.
Speaker A:God, he reveals the path of life for us.
Speaker A:He raises us up and he lifts us up.
Speaker A:So again, we want to make sure as we journey throughout this school year, that we are continuously praying, praying and praising God through it all.
Speaker A:So again this month, we are recharging with purpose.
Speaker A:But before we do that, we want to release and let go of what's heavy and give all control to God.
Speaker A:Because sometimes we can be carrying things from the past.
Speaker A:So many of us, we were teaching last year and we may have faced some real challenges.
Speaker A:And I will be honest, I. I faced some challenges last year, some tough students, overwhelming things taking place inside the classroom.
Speaker A:You may be experienced overwhelming expectations, moments where you felt like giving up.
Speaker A:But before we go any further, one thing that I want us to do, and if you're listening to the replay, take a moment to pause and just lay everything down that you need to lay at the Father's feet.
Speaker A:Release what is heavy.
Speaker A:Let it go, give it to God.
Speaker A:Give those cares, give those anxieties over to him.
Speaker A:Because here's the thing, he can carry them so much better than we can.
Speaker A:Let's not carry last year's weight into this fresh new season.
Speaker A:Let's surrender.
Speaker A:Let's begin this year open to God, fully surrendered and available for God to use us.
Speaker A:We are his vessel, and we want him to be able to use us as he desires to use us.
Speaker A:We don't want to walk into the classroom expecting the same frustrations.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:This year, again, it's a fresh new start, a new assignment, a new opportunity to walk in faith and not fear.
Speaker A:So we want to make sure we are giving it to him, giving him the control.
Speaker A:Take your hands off the wheel.
Speaker A:Philippians 4, verses 6 through 7.
Speaker A:It says, do not be anxious or or worried about anything, but in everything, every circumstance and situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, continue to make your specific request known to God and the peace of God, that peace which reassures the heart, that peace which transcends all understanding, that peace which stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, is yours.
Speaker A:So again, as you go throughout this year, if anything comes up, again, he's telling us this to not be anxious or worried about anything, but in all things, go to him in prayer, make your request known to him.
Speaker A:Go to him, praise him through it all.
Speaker A:So again, we want to make sure we're laying it at his feet and we're giving it to Him.
Speaker A:Take your hand off the wheel.
Speaker A:1 Peter 5:7.
Speaker A:It says, casting all your cares, all your anxieties, all your worries and all your concerns, when once and for all on him.
Speaker A:For he cares about you with deepest affection and watches over you very carefully.
Speaker A:So again, he can carry it so much better than we can.
Speaker A:Philippians 3, 13, 14 it says, Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet.
Speaker A:But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the heavenly prize of the upper call of God in Christ, Christ Jesus.
Speaker A:So again, let's press forward.
Speaker A:Let's walk into this year with expectation, expecting God to do great things, expecting to see signs, wonders, and miracles take place.
Speaker A:So we're walking in expectancy to see his hand at work.
Speaker A:We are not walking in with exhaustion, with frustration.
Speaker A:We are leaving that behind us, and we want to again have our hearts open to whatever God wants to do in and through us.
Speaker A:So now we are going to go into prayer.
Speaker A:We have about six prayer points that we will be praying through again.
Speaker A:You will see scriptures on here if you're watching on YouTube.
Speaker A:I would not actually read the remaining scriptures, but I will be praying some of the scriptures because again, we want to pray God's word.
Speaker A:We want to put him in remembrance of of his word.
Speaker A:So let's pray.
Speaker A:Well, Heavenly Father, we thank you right now.
Speaker A:We thank you Lord, just for who you are.
Speaker A:We thank you for your goodness.
Speaker A:We thank you for your love.
Speaker A:We praise you, Lord God, for your faithfulness.
Speaker A:We praise you, Lord God, for this new school year.
Speaker A:We thank you, Lord God, for this 26 to 27 school year.
Speaker A:We think that this is going to be the best year ever because we are taking our hands off and we're allowing you to have your way in our classrooms.
Speaker A:We thank you, Father, for every teacher, Lord God.
Speaker A:We thank you for every staff member, every bus driver, every custodian, every cafeteria worker, every office worker, every principal, Lord God.
Speaker A:We thank you, Lord God, for everyone that's involved in our schools, Lord God.
Speaker A:We just pray, Lord God, that you take over re release all control, Lord God, and we give it over to you.
Speaker A:We thank you right now, those in authority, Lord God, that they're making sound and wise decisions, Lord God, we think that their hearts are in the hand of the Lord.
Speaker A:He turned whatsoever way that he will.
Speaker A:We thank you Father, anyone that needs to be removed, Lord God, that you will remove them, Lord God.
Speaker A:And we thank you also, Lord God, for placing, Lord God, the students, Lord God, in the right classrooms, placing the teachers, Lord God, in the right classrooms, Lord.
Speaker A:So we thank you, Father, for what you are doing behind the scenes, Lord God.
Speaker A:We thank you Father, that through it all, that we are going to praise you through it all.
Speaker A:We are going to pray as you instruct us to pray.
Speaker A:And we thank you Father for that.
Speaker A:And we thank you right now, Lord God, for renewing our mind.
Speaker A:Lord God, we thank you right now for renewing our mind.
Speaker A:As it says According to Romans 12, verses 1 through to Lord God, that we would not conform to the pattern of this world, Lord God.
Speaker A:We will be transformed by the renewing, Lord God, of our minds, Lord God.
Speaker A:We think we allow your word, Lord God, to renew our minds.
Speaker A:We go to your word, Lord God, and find out what your word has to say.
Speaker A:We don't think like the world thinks.
Speaker A:We don't think like the world is telling us to go in that classrooms and do things.
Speaker A:But we are doing it your way, Lord God.
Speaker A:So we thank you, Father, for giving us the wisdom, giving us the Insight, Lord God, that is needed.
Speaker A:We thank you, Father, that we're meditating on your word day and night.
Speaker A:So that we will be careful, Lord God, to do everything that your word is instructing us to do.
Speaker A:We thank you that we are faithful doers, will God of your word, Lord God.
Speaker A:Not just hearers, Lord God, but we do the word of God.
Speaker A:And as we meditate on your word day and night, as we act on your word, we thank you, Lord God, that you will make us prosperous.
Speaker A:You will make us successful, Lord God.
Speaker A:Inside and outside of that classroom, Lord God.
Speaker A:So we thank you, Father, for revealing those things, Lord God, that we need to know in those things, Lord God that we need to do, Lord we thank you, Lord God, as we journey throughout this year, regardless of what we are faced with, Lord God that we will think on those things, Lord God, that are true.
Speaker A:Those things that are honest.
Speaker A:Those things that are just.
Speaker A:Those things that are pure.
Speaker A:Those things that are lovely.
Speaker A:Those things that are a good report.
Speaker A:Those things, Lord God, that are pleasing in your sight, Lord God.
Speaker A:Those are the things, Lord God, that we think on as we think on those things.
Speaker A:We thank you that your peace, Lord God, will be with us.
Speaker A:So we are not moved by what we see with our natural eyes on this year, Lord God.
Speaker A:But we're moved by what your word says.
Speaker A:And we are renewing our mind daily, Lord God, with your word, Lord God.
Speaker A:Before we step foot in that that classroom, we're going to you, Lord God.
Speaker A:We're asking you, Lord God, to help us, Lord God, in the classroom, Lord God, for the classroom it belongs to you.
Speaker A:We give the classroom over to you.
Speaker A:We give our plans, Lord God, over to you.
Speaker A:And we ask, Father, that you will establish, Lord God, our footsteps, Lord God, we thank you that you will guide us, God.
Speaker A:We ask that you guide our plans on this year.
Speaker A:We thank you right now, Lord God, that you have plans, Lord God, to prosper us and not to harm us.
Speaker A:We thank you for Proverbs 3, 5, 6.
Speaker A:We do exactly what it says.
Speaker A:We trust in you, Lord God.
Speaker A:We rely constantly in you, Lord, with all of our heart.
Speaker A:We do not rely on our own insight understanding, Lord God, but in all of our ways.
Speaker A:We acknowledge you, Lord God.
Speaker A:And we recognize you, Lord God.
Speaker A:And we thank you for making the path straight, Lord God.
Speaker A:Making it smooth, Lord God.
Speaker A:We thank you, Father, for removing those obstacles, Lord God.
Speaker A:Out of our way that's trying to block us, Lord God.
Speaker A:And we thank you, Father, that your peace, Lord God will be with us, Lord God as we journey throughout this school year, Lord God, again we give it over to you, Father.
Speaker A:And if we hit any bumps in the road, Lord God, we think that you will help us to navigate, Lord God, through it, Lord.
Speaker A:So we thank you, Father, for that.
Speaker A:We thank for Jeremiah 33 and 3 says, call to me and I will answer you and tell you and even show you great and mighty things.
Speaker A:So, Father, we are coming to you.
Speaker A:We're coming to you daily, Lord God.
Speaker A:We're asking you, Lord God, to help us.
Speaker A:We're asking you to reveal those things to us that we need to know, Lord God.
Speaker A:And as you reveal those things that we need to know.
Speaker A:But God, show us what we need to do with the things that you're revealing to us, Lord, we thank you.
Speaker A:It says in your word, if any of you lack wisdom that you have given unto us without finding any fault within us, Lord God.
Speaker A:So we're asking you for the wisdom of God.
Speaker A:You know, the students that are in our classroom.
Speaker A:You know the things that we have on our plate, Lord God, this year, inside the classroom and outside the classroom.
Speaker A:So we're asking you, Father, for the wisdom of God to navigate through it all, Lord God.
Speaker A:We're asking you to give us those creative ideas, insights and concepts, Lord God, show us what's best for our classrooms.
Speaker A:Help us not to compare ourselves, Lord God, with people, those other teachers, Lord God, that are staying in their lane.
Speaker A:Help us to stay in our lane just as they're in their lane.
Speaker A:Help us to see that just because we see somebody doing something else over here, it doesn't mean we have to do it if you're not instructing us to do it.
Speaker A:So again, help us to stay in the lane that you paved out for us.
Speaker A:We thank you.
Speaker A:It says in Psalms 32:8 that you would instruct us and you would teach us in the way that we should go.
Speaker A:You will counsel us and we are willing to learn.
Speaker A:Lord God, we thank you that your eye is upon us.
Speaker A:Your eye is upon our classrooms.
Speaker A:So we thank you for, Father, for that.
Speaker A:We thank, as we journey throughout this school year, that we will keep our eyes, that we ask that you help to keep our eyes in the right direction.
Speaker A:That we stand firm in the things of you we thank.
Speaker A:As it says in your Word, we will lift up our eyes to the heel from where our help comes from.
Speaker A:I pray that throughout this year, Lord God, that we remember where our help comes from.
Speaker A:That again, regardless of what we see, we're not moved by it, Lord God, because we're moved by your word, Lord God.
Speaker A:And we remember that we can look to the heel and where our help comes from.
Speaker A:And our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
Speaker A:And we thank you, oh God, that you would not allow our foot to be moved, that you would keep us, that we would not slumber.
Speaker A:Lord God, we thank you Father, that although things might happen, opposition may come, you will keep us, we will stand firm in the things of you.
Speaker A:We will not be shaken, we will not be moved.
Speaker A:We are staying connected, Lord God, to you throughout this school year, Lord God, as it says in John 15:5, I am divine, you are the branches, the one who remains in me, I in him bears much fruit.
Speaker A:But otherwise, apart from me, that is cut off from the vital union with me, you can do nothing.
Speaker A:So I pray that we remain connected to you throughout this school year.
Speaker A:That you are the person that we turn to first.
Speaker A:And we thank you Father, for placing people in our lives to help us, Lord God, navigate throughout this year.
Speaker A:We thank you, Lord God, that we are sober minded, we are well balanced, we are self disciplined, we are alert, we are cautious at all times.
Speaker A:We know the enemy.
Speaker A:He's looking to see whom he can devour.
Speaker A:But he will not devour us because we're standing firm in the things of you.
Speaker A:We are resisting him.
Speaker A:And we affirm in our faith against the attack, rooted, established, immovable, knowing that the same experience of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world where we do not suffer alone, that we do not go through things alone, that all things are common to you and that you are the God that can do the impossible.
Speaker A:So regardless of what we face, we know that you got us us.
Speaker A:So we thank you Father for that.
Speaker A:And we submit to the authority of God.
Speaker A:We resist the devil, we stand firm against him and he will flee from us.
Speaker A:So enemy, you must get your hands off of our classroom.
Speaker A:You must get your hands off of the thing that you that God has called us to do in this season.
Speaker A:We will run the race that God has set before us with our eyes focused.
Speaker A:Zone in on him.
Speaker A:We will not give up.
Speaker A:We will not stop praying.
Speaker A:We will not stop.
Speaker A:We will confessing God's word.
Speaker A:We will continue to praise him through it all.
Speaker A:And I thank you Lord God for showing us how to walk in good character.
Speaker A:I pray Lord God for our emotional responses.
Speaker A:Lord God, on this year, Lord God, we thank you for the wisdom how to handle challenging situations that arise, Lord God on this year, Lord God, I pray that we don't react out of the flesh, Lord God, but we will respond out of the spirit.
Speaker A:We will respond with wisdom, grace, and we will receive, respond with compassion.
Speaker A:We will respond your way.
Speaker A:Father, I thank you that we read ourselves completely of all things, all these things of anger, rage, malice, slander.
Speaker A:Those things, Lord God, that are not pleasing, Lord God, in your eye.
Speaker A:We ask, Lord God, that those things be removed, Lord God, from us.
Speaker A:Those things be stripped away, Lord God.
Speaker A:And we put on the new spiritual stuff that's being continually renewed and true knowledge in the image of who create him, who created us.
Speaker A:So we thank you, Father, for that.
Speaker A:We thank you that we are your chosen people, Lord God.
Speaker A:We are holy, we are set apart, sanctified to do your will, Lord God.
Speaker A:We put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, Lord God.
Speaker A:And we do your will, Lord God.
Speaker A:We respond and we act the way that you call for.
Speaker A:For us to act inside that classroom.
Speaker A:We model for our students on how to respond to things that may not go their way.
Speaker A:We thank you right now that on this year that we are quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger at all times.
Speaker A:We are being mindful of the things that we say, mindful of the way that we respond.
Speaker A:We are taking time out, even the midst of a difficult situation.
Speaker A:We are allowing your peace to rise up.
Speaker A:We're allowing the word of God that's on the inside of us to rise up and to come out.
Speaker A:We thank you right now that we walk by the spirit and we will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Speaker A:So we thank you, Father, for that.
Speaker A:We thank you right now that we operate, Lord God, in the fruit of the spirit.
Speaker A:We stay connected, Lord God, to you.
Speaker A:And we thank you that the fruit of the Spirit, the result of his presence within us.
Speaker A:It is love, unselfish concern for others, joy, inner peace, patience.
Speaker A:Not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting.
Speaker A:Kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control.
Speaker A:Against such things there is no law.
Speaker A:So we respond out of the fruit of the spirit.
Speaker A:And we're spending time in your presence.
Speaker A:We're filling ourselves up daily.
Speaker A:We see the need, Lord God, to pray.
Speaker A:We see the need to praise you.
Speaker A:We see the need to just sit and just read your word.
Speaker A:We see the need to allow you to minister to us.
Speaker A:We see the need to have our ears to open to hear what you have to say to us.
Speaker A:Again, we fill ourselves up daily with your word.
Speaker A:We thank you for strength.
Speaker A:We thank you for endurance as we go throughout this year we pray that we do not become weary Lord God are discouraged in doing good.
Speaker A:For the things that you instruct us to do we would do for the proper time we will reap if we do not give up.
Speaker A:We thank you Lord God that you strengthen us Lord God we thank you right now that you're energizing us Lord God, you're creating us the long and the ability to fulfill your purpose for your good pleasure.
Speaker A:So all that we do, we don't do it for our own glory, but we do it for your glory.
Speaker A:So we want to bring glory and honor to you.
Speaker A:We want people to see you in us.
Speaker A:Lord we thank you right now that we can do all things to Jesus Christ who strengthens us.
Speaker A:We thank you Lord God for giving us the strength, Lord God that is needed for each and every day.
Speaker A:We thank you Lord God for provisional God for this year we thank you Lord God that every needle God that we have is met with heaven's best.
Speaker A:We think it says in Philippians 4:19 and my God will liberally supply fill into full your every need according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus.
Speaker A:So we thank you Father for fulfilling Lord God every need that we have on this year.
Speaker A:We give you glory and we give you honor.
Speaker A:In Jesus name we pray.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Well thank you all so much for joining me in this month of August for our pause and pray call.
Speaker A:We're going to wrap it up here and again if you have any prayer requests, please make sure you reach out to me.
Speaker A:I would love for you to join me inside of the community teaching with Jesus community.
Speaker A:I will link that in the show notes and everything that you need will be right there.
Speaker A:Again, be sure to download the prayer and reflection PDF that I have made available for you.
Speaker A:Again, thank you all so much.
Speaker A:I will speak with you all later.
