15 Back to School Bible Verses for the New Year
Daylight met us softly this morning, tenderly folding its arms around us, maternally. It seemed fitting as the kids waved goodbye and headed to school. When they left, I opened my Bible in search of some anchoring back to school Bible verses to help our children navigate the challenges this time of year brings.
15 Back to School Bible Verses
It is a time of transition. Most parts of the transition are positive, but the adjustment is rarely seamless.
When the waves of life threaten to shake us, we need an anchor.
Here are the verses I found to anchor our kids as they settle into the new school year.
Back to School Bible Verses
1. Colossians 3:23, NASB
Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people.
This verse reminds us to put our whole hearts into everything we undertake. This is a good mindset to adopt at the beginning of a new school year. We can remind our kids that they aren’t working for the praise of people, but for the honor of God.
2. James 1:2-4
Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Difficult times are never pleasant when we’re walking through them, but we all face trials and troubled times. We can remind our children that when trials come throughout the school year, God is working to help them grow and become more mature. He won’t waste their struggles, and he is trustworthy.
God wastes nothing, and he is trustworthy. #faith #hope #trustGod Share on X
3. 1 Samuel 16:7
“God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Most of us have heard the adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Our kids need the reminder not to judge others by what they see on the outside. God looks at the heart. Judging others by appearances can lead us to miss some of the most life-changing friendships.
4. Psalm 139:5
You have encircled me behind and in front,
And placed Your hand upon me.
God goes before us into every new situation. This is a great comfort when facing the uncertainty of a new school year. God is already there.
5. Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Before we were born, God planned good works for all of us. These works await the young people in our lives as they begin new school years. God invites them to step into his calling.
6. Deuteronomy 31:8
“And the Lord is the one who is going ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not desert you or abandon you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed.”
Our kids need to be reminded that they are never alone. God is always with them. When nervous and anxious feelings arise, God is there to give them comfort and peace.
7. Isaiah 26:3
The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You.
As we trust God with our circumstances, his peace surrounds us. I’ve learned that when my life lacks peace, it’s time to ask God to help me grow in trust. This is a prayer he answers by leading me into situations in which trusting him feels difficult. Nevertheless, he is faithful to guide me.
8. Matthew 6:34
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Our kids memorized this verse several years ago at the start of a new school year. It became a reminder that worrying wasn’t helpful. God calls us to focus on the day ahead of us while leaving the future in his trustworthy hands.
9. Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
We don’t always understand what God is doing, but we don’t need to understand everything he does. He is faithful. God also calls us to look to him in all situations.
When we put these principles into practice: trusting God, relinquishing the need to understand his ways, and looking to him in all situations, he makes our paths straight and guides us.
10. Psalm 5:12
For You bless the righteous person, Lord,
You surround him with favor as with a shield.
We can remind our kids to do the right thing at all times. In turn, God will give them favor, and it will be like a shield surrounding them.
11. Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
At times, the troubles of life seem to sweep over us like floods or fires. Meanwhile, God is with us to protect us. We can rest in this promise.
12. Psalm 119:11
I have treasured Your word in my heart,
So that I may not sin against You.
When we memorize God’s Word, he uses it to renew our minds. This process helps us stay in step with him, walking in obedience.
13. James 1:5
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
We can remind our kids that God gives wisdom to those who ask for it. When they lack wisdom in various situations, they can find it by turning to the Lord.
14. Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd,
I will not be in need.
The familiar words of this Psalm remind us that God cares for us and guides us as a shepherd guides and cares for his flock of sheep. We can turn to him with our needs and experience his provision.
15. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Our kids might feel weak as they step into a new and uncertain school year. This is a good time to remind them that their weakness is the perfect backdrop for God to reveal his power in and through them.
Calling all moms and daughters—and parents of boys!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 14, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or grandparents to read with the children they care about.
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength is for boys ages 5-13. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to courageously carry God’s love into the world. Written with input from our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven, this book will help the boys you care about find courage and strength in God. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Devotionals for Girls
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
All three books are available in print and eBook form here on Amazon. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
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