Now that the dog days of summer are over, it’s time to find a way to help students find time for God amid their time at school and their events-packed lives—time for you to help your students find practical ways to connect with Jesus in fresh ways.

Here are a number of proven ideas you can use with your kids. If you want to make long-range plans, sit down with your kids and discuss where they’d like to be spiritually by Thanksgiving break.

Cell Phone Prayer
Have students use their cell phones to remind them to talk to God by setting an alarm each day. An alternative is to send a text message with a prayer idea and/or a Bible verse to help them connect each week. Encourage them to set up their calendars or scheduling systems to plan time for God each week outside of youth group and church gatherings.

Clean Heart Station
Provide a basket of foam or paper cut-out hearts, and set up a small cross. Explain to the kids that back-to-school time is one of new beginnings, a do over, a clean slate.

Have each student take a heart from the basket and hold it. Tell them to think about all the junk that may be blocking their way, clogging their hearts. Have them ask God to give them clean hearts as the new school year begins. Thank God for His forgiveness and for giving a fresh start. Have the students place their hearts at the foot of the cross to symbolize His forgiveness.

Postcards
Create a beach scene with beach chairs, sand poured out on a tarp, beach towels, inflatable pool toys, floats, etc. Provide summery or travel postcards and pens. They can be “real” postcards or something created on your computer.

Instruct the students to reflect on the past few weeks of the summer, including the events experienced, the people they’ve been with, the places they’ve gone. Ask them how they have seen God and where they noticed Him in their lives this summer. Where is He at work in their lives now?

Have them write a postcard to themselves about how they see God in their lives. Are they noticing His presence? If so, where? (Give examples of possible answers, such as in a sunset, a beautiful view, laughing with their friends, in the joy of a little kids swinging at a playground.)
 
Prayer Pool
Set up a wading pool filled with water. Provide enough small stones for each member of the group. Discuss with the group what ripples they would like to make this year. What impact would they like to have? Drop one rock in the pool and watch the ripples go out from the rock. Discuss how the rock affects the rest of the pool. Provide time for the students to ask God to make ripples in their lives this year and to use their lives to produce ripples in others’ lives. Pray that God will show them how their lives can impact those around them.
 
Prayer Map
Provide a map of the world and display photos from world current events. Discuss the places in the world that are in crisis right now. Pick a place or a photograph and pray for God’s grace and healing for the people there. Write the prayers on sticky notes and place them on each area for which you are praying. Ask God to show your group how to serve and impact others around you.

Praying for Your School
Pray as you walk the halls before school, or take a walk around the school after hours. Make this a weekly practice. An alternative is to create a prayer station with large sheets of butcher paper with the names of the schools represented by your group. Provide markers and have students write their prayers for their schools on the paper.