Asking the Lord for Wisdom this School Year

Back to school is right around the corner.

Not so long ago… this would be cause for celebration and excitement on behalf of parents and kids alike.

But these days, “back to school” is full of uncertainty, fear, and lots and lots of questions.

Within my pediatric cancer support groups the talk has been heavy and full of worry.

Is the vaccine safe for cancer kids? Is COVID worse for cancer kids compared to the general population? What if my kid is off treatment but their counts aren’t up to normal yet? What if they’ve been off treatment for years but there is still something we don’t know?

Should I send my kid back in person? What about their siblings? What if my school isn’t offering virtual this year? Should I homeschool? How do I homeschool?

We had all hoped that 2020 would be the only year we had to wrestle with these questions… but here we are one year later, and so many of these questions are still unanswered or have re-emerged.

Trying to juggle these questions is hard on anybody, and when you have a child with medical needs it all gets amplified in your head and in your heart and can lead you to feel completely and utterly overwhelmed.

“Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young,

at your altars, O Lord of hosts,

my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house,

ever singing your praise!”

Psalm 84:3-4

The truth is that there are no black and white answers to these questions. Each of our families are different. Each of the needs of our children are different.

As parents we have to show grace to ourselves and to each other.

We need to believe that other parents – who are making different choices than we are – are still making their choices out of deep love and concern for the well being of their families.

We need to stop calling each other names. And assuming the worst about people because they come to different conclusions than we do.

We are all like the sparrow desperately seeking refuge for ourselves and our children. We are all searching for a place to land where we can be at peace. We are all in need of the protection and provision of the Lord.

Today, as you contemplate the upcoming school year for your kids…

As you weigh their medical needs, with their educational needs, and their emotional and spiritual needs…

Remember that the Lord is your shelter. He is your refuge and your hiding place. Blessed are those who dwell with the Lord and sing his praise.

He does indeed provide the sparrow with a place to build her nest – so how much more will he guide you as you care for your children?

I know these choices can weary the strongest of hearts…

So be encouraged!

1. Jesus loves you
2. He will give you the wisdom you need for all the school choices this year
3. And he will give you grace for the other weary parents around you

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

the Lord bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold

from those who walk uprightly.

O Lord of hosts,

blessed is the one who trusts in you!”

Psalm 84:11-12

Grace and Peace to you Friend!