Overview

Teachers need more than words of encouragement. Many teachers feel called to the classroom because of a love for children or subject area. The open secret is that teaching is also loving parents, colleagues, and administrators; meetings, assessments, and class parties. Love of that scope comes from a higher power, but even when teachers turn to God in gratitude or lament, they may not have the words to express what they need in the moment. Suited for gift-giving, This Year, Lord: Teachers' Prayers of Blessing, Liturgy, and Lament is a collection of honest prayers that emerged from two decades of teaching and working beside teachers. The book is divided into six sections. Liturgies for Common Work are for the mundane, the ordinary, and the everyday. The section contains short prayers, meant to focus your mind for the work you must do and do again, such as grading papers or checking your email. Blessings for Seasons are prayers for special events such as field trips and class parties, as well as significant undertakings such as standardized testing. Prayers for Entering the Classroom recognize that we teach who we are. These prayers will guide you as you cross the threshold between the world at large and the work of the classroom. Prayers for the Community give voice to the need to love your neighbors and provide the words to pray for students, parents, and colleagues. Prayers of Lament provide solace on the days that leave you frustrated, angry, and despairing. They are honest about the brokenness of the world and the work, and yet proclaim God's ultimate sovereignty. Breath Prayers can be said in a moment. They can be easily memorized and on your lips when leading your class down the hall, during announcements, or in a fleeting moment of silence.

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9780578982472

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Reviews

"This book truly blessed my soul. Sheila has thought of beautiful details in a teacher's day and provided a humble way to petition our all-knowing God. As I read, I felt as if she took the words out of my heart that I could not compose with my lips. Teaching is quite challenging, and I am convinced that these prayers will be a blessing to so many who are called to do this great work! -Dr. Cicely Woodard, 2017 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Recipient, 2018 Tennessee State Teacher of the Year, and 2019 NEA Member Benefits Award Winner Even the most highly qualified teachers need support and guidance as they impact the lives of their students. God wants to provide just that. The power of prayer transforms classrooms as it transforms our lives. Sheila's heartfelt prayers serve as models for getting through the day-to-day work of educators. They remind us of the blessings of special events we celebrate with our students. They put words to the emotions that sometimes seem too heavy to bear. This book will equip educators with the most powerful tool available, the power of prayer. -Anna Masten Jackson, Executive Director, Leadership and Professional Development, Lubbock Independent School District I have worked in teacher education for 26 years and have looked for a prayer book for teachers to give my students and alumni. I have never found one . . . until now. Sheila Delony has written an incredibly honest and personal spiritual resource for teachers. Her prayers celebrate the hope and success of teachers and acknowledge the struggles. There are prayers for daily tasks that seem mundane to those on the outside, but are deeply significant in the life of a teacher. Sheila provides prayers for ""minor"" challenges like fire drills and picture day without trivializing these human interactions only teachers fully understand. And there are prayers for the hard stories children bring that break our hearts. I read this beautiful book recalling my own time in the classroom, wishing it would have been available for me in those years. You can be sure that I will make sure my teacher candidates will have this book as they leave us to enter their own classrooms. Such a gift! -Dana Kennamer, Ph.D., Associate Dean, College of Education and Human Services, Professor and Chair of Teacher Education Teachers are life-givers and life-changers but their jobs are hard. They need nourishment and support just like the children they teach. This Year, Lord will become a touchstone book for educators who want to keep their spirituality and faith at the center of their work. -Robin Griffith, teacher education professor"

This book truly blessed my soul. Sheila has thought of beautiful details in a teacher's day and provided a humble way to petition our all-knowing God. As I read, I felt as if she took the words out of my heart that I could not compose with my lips. Teaching is quite challenging, and I am convinced that these prayers will be a blessing to so many who are called to do this great work! -Dr. Cicely Woodard, 2017 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Recipient, 2018 Tennessee State Teacher of the Year, and 2019 NEA Member Benefits Award Winner Even the most highly qualified teachers need support and guidance as they impact the lives of their students. God wants to provide just that. The power of prayer transforms classrooms as it transforms our lives. Sheila's heartfelt prayers serve as models for getting through the day-to-day work of educators. They remind us of the blessings of special events we celebrate with our students. They put words to the emotions that sometimes seem too heavy to bear. This book will equip educators with the most powerful tool available, the power of prayer. -Anna Masten Jackson, Executive Director, Leadership and Professional Development, Lubbock Independent School District I have worked in teacher education for 26 years and have looked for a prayer book for teachers to give my students and alumni. I have never found one . . . until now. Sheila Delony has written an incredibly honest and personal spiritual resource for teachers. Her prayers celebrate the hope and success of teachers and acknowledge the struggles. There are prayers for daily tasks that seem mundane to those on the outside, but are deeply significant in the life of a teacher. Sheila provides prayers for minor challenges like fire drills and picture day without trivializing these human interactions only teachers fully understand. And there are prayers for the hard stories children bring that break our hearts. I read this beautiful book recalling my own time in the classroom, wishing it would have been available for me in those years. You can be sure that I will make sure my teacher candidates will have this book as they leave us to enter their own classrooms. Such a gift! -Dana Kennamer, Ph.D., Associate Dean, College of Education and Human Services, Professor and Chair of Teacher Education Teachers are life-givers and life-changers but their jobs are hard. They need nourishment and support just like the children they teach. This Year, Lord will become a touchstone book for educators who want to keep their spirituality and faith at the center of their work. -Robin Griffith, teacher education professor

Author Information

Sheila Quinn Delony is a teacher, writer, and life coach in Franklin, Tennessee. She has twenty years of experience working with public schools and teacher preparation programs, and earned a Master's degree in Language and Literacy Education and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas Tech University. She has published academic articles in the field of education, as well as short stories relating her grandma's childhood stories. She enjoys gardening, hiking, and reading good books with her husband and two children. As a life coach, Sheila works with ambitious women who possess integrity and good humor. Her clients have a habit of accomplishing the things they set out to do, but they may experience frustration or dissatisfaction because their roles and ambitions overlap in challenging ways. Through the process of coaching, they learn to bring their values and priorities into alignment so that they can experience both freedom and fulfillment in each area of their lives. Sheila's spiritual retreats are designed to explore prayer through creativity and imagination. They draw from both liturgical and extemporaneous traditions and include both communal and individual prayer practices. Participants engage in guided and self-directed journaling and mediation, as well as tactile exploration of prayer through the arts. If you are interested in individual coaching or a group retreat with Sheila, visit sheilaquinn.com for more information or email her at sheilaquinnresources@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Instagram @sheilaquinndelony. To sign up for her newsletter and bonus content, including downloads of many of the prayers in this book, visit sheilaquinn.com. A twenty-year independent musician, Eric Peters has released eleven studio albums. In addition to music, Eric is a visual artist, piddler, and bibliomaniac. He lives in east Nashville, Tennessee, with his bride, Danielle, and their two sons. Eric's music and visual artwork can be purchased at www.ericpeters.net.

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