3 Truths to Remember at the Start of a New School Year

I still remember my daughter’s first day of kindergarten. She was excited; I was a mess. 

Up until that day, I had been with her for the majority of the waking hours of her life. While I have always worked, I’ve been able to work part-time, and often from home. Having my daughter out of the house was going to be a huge change for both of us; for the first time, I wasn’t going to be able to keep an eye on what was going on around her—or shape her circumstances. 

Did I trust the Lord with my daughter’s life? Ultimately, yes. But I was also nervous and, to be honest, afraid of all that was ahead—all that I could no longer control.

Since that first day of kindergarten, our family’s educational circumstances have shifted multiple times across different states. We’ve been part of public and private schools, and currently, we homeschool, buoyed by co-ops and extracurricular activities.

Still, no matter what type of schooling our family has chosen, the start of the school year tends to stir up butterflies for me. I worry that we’ve made the wrong decisions for our children (even though I know that no school choice is perfect). I think about all the things that could go wrong in their daily classes and activities. I can get anxious thinking about their safety and well-being.

Maybe you’ve felt something similar. On top of our own maternal concerns, our children are often wrestling with their own questions and anxieties. They wonder if they’ll have friends to sit with at lunch, if their teachers will be kind, or if they’ll make the team. Often, everyone in the family carries multiple emotions that swirl as the school year kicks off. 

As we shepherd the children in our lives as they head back to class, there are truths about the Lord’s character that can help us all lodge our hearts and minds in his peace. Here are three ways that I’ve found to stay centered on Christ as we walk into the school year.

1. Focus on the unchanging nature of Christ. 

No matter how young—or old—our children are, going back to school comes with a heap of changes for them. Whether it’s learning how to sit still and raise their hands before speaking or dealing with a heavy load of college classes, our kids are navigating new shifts in their schedules and daily responsibilities. 

While we can’t—and shouldn’t—shield them from the healthy realities of growing up and the changes that come with that growth, we can encourage our children to cling to the unchanging and consistent nature of Jesus. When their lives feel challenging or unstable, we can help our kids lean into the biblical truth that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8, NIV). So if a friend from last year ignores them this year, or if their new classroom feels different and overwhelming, we can point them to the truth that God is always the same in his love and care for them. He “does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17, NIV) but remains steady—and he can be relied upon. Talk about the fact that the Lord is always with them, ready to help and uphold them in times of change, stress, or trouble.[1]

2. Expect struggles, but don’t pre-fear them. 

I often feel like the Queen of the What-Ifs. What if this school year is a disaster? What if my son doesn’t make any friends in his new program? What if my daughter doesn’t get to play on the team that she loves so much? What if my son never learns to read? The what-ifs can go on and on; I can tell myself that I’m being “realistic” when I’m actually being pessimistic. When we pre-fear what is ahead, we can create more anxiety and stress for ourselves before problems even begin.

On the other hand, we also don’t want to swing the other way and be falsely optimistic about a new school year. Some things will be hard, both for us and for our precious children. Jesus is unflinching in his honesty that we will face trials.[2] But we can “take heart” in the midst of our trials, because the greatest “trouble” of sin and death has already been defeated through Christ. Jesus paid the price for our sin through his death on the cross—and then overcame death through his resurrection![3] This is why we can take heart no matter what we face: our eternity is secure in him. 

So when our children face hard things at school, or when the year doesn’t go as planned, we have a beautiful gospel opportunity to proclaim this truth to our kids: this life is not all there is! Hard and disappointing realities at school (and in all of life) are an opportunity to fix our minds on what is above,[4] rather than focusing solely on what we have (or don’t have) on earth. And what we have—eternally—is a home and future with our Lord where every tear will be wiped away[5] and all will be well. So yes, this school year might be hard, but Christ will ultimately work out everything for his glory and our good[6] as we walk with him.

3. Remember and recount God’s faithfulness to your family.

When we face new stressors and situations—like a new school year—it is easy to focus on what we’re worried about rather than on the Lord. That’s why we need to actively remind ourselves of who he is and all that he has done! 

The Israelites set up stones of remembrance to remind themselves that God had already helped them,[7] and they celebrated feasts to recount God’s faithfulness to them in the past.[8] These stones and celebrations helped them to remember that God had proven himself faithful and trustworthy over many years—and that he would prove himself faithful again.

When we recall what God has already done for us, those memories can give us courage to move forward, knowing that he will go with us again. So if your child is having a hard time remembering that God is always with her, start by helping her to look at her past. Talk about all that the Lord has done for her in previous school years—the hard things he has already carried her through, and the ways that you have seen him at work in her life! Share memories from your own life about how God has helped your family and declare—together—that he will never leave you or forsake you.

The act of remembering helps our forgetful hearts to walk in peace as we choose to trust in God’s character and continued faithfulness.

Much is unknown about the upcoming school year, but what we do know—and what we can cling to—is that Christ remains the same. We don’t have to be afraid, because he is with us and has saved us! And we can rely on his faithfulness to us in the future, just as he has been faithful to us in the past. 

[1] Psalm 46:1

[2] John 16:33

[3] Romans 5:8; Romans 10:9

[4] Colossians 3:2

[5] Revelation 21:4

[6] Romans 8:28

[7] 1 Samuel 7:12

[8] See Joshua 5:10; 2 Chronicles 30:1