Mindful Prayers for Students

We have a special guest hosting today's episode, Taylor M. Silvestri. Taylor is currently in a Master of Divinity program at seminary. They share a deeply personal reflection on Psalm 139 and the profound impact it has had on their life. Taylor highlights that God's deep knowledge and commitment to be with us always, no matter where we go or what we do.

Taylor discusses the struggles that people may face with imposter syndrome, depression, and the lasting effects of emotional neglect and trauma. They offer a prayer for themselves and listeners, asking God to open us up to the truth of our belovedness, goodness, and the ever-present nature of God's love and care.

Today I talk about imposter syndrome and how it can affect various aspects of our lives, from education to appearance and talent. The feeling of not being good enough or feeling like an imposter can lead to negative self-talk and attacks from the enemy. For this episode, I offer encouragement and remind you that if God has called you to something, it doesn't matter what others have or what you feel you lack.

Today, I address the feeling of being overwhelmed with not just schoolwork, but other responsibilities that we may have in our life such as extracurricular activities, jobs, family responsibilities, health issues, and financial stress. I want to remind you that if God has called you to a particular academic program, then He has also given you the tools you need to succeed. Rest is available to you and God wants to give you rest. We must seek God intentionally and trust in Him to provide for our needs. We thank God for calling us to our academic program and asking for His guidance and support.

Today's episode is hosted by Rev. Ronda Gentry. Join her in prayers for mental health and wellness, and remember God's presence in our life during our lonliest times. Ronda shares a song from her church called, "Oh Love Divine," and we lisen knowing that God gives us strength to fight our inner demons.

It's midterm season, and whether you've already finished your exams and projects or just begun, I pray for God's blessings over you to feel confident and uplifted. The scipture verse for today's episode is Proverb 2:6 For the Lord gives wisdom from his mouth, come knowledge and understanding. We thank God for the widsom and knowledge given to us to accomplish all that we need to accomplish during this time.

Last week we spoke about God's grace and new beginnings, and I want to continue on the theme of grace. Today, I want to discuss about the grace that is tied into self-compassion.

Sometimes we may expect too much of ourself and put so much pressure on our life having to hit 100%. It's okay to have goals, but we have to also remember that it's okay to not be perfect and it's okay to ask for help. A goal is an idea or an opportunity, but it is not a requirement. We are God's works of progress and He has wonderfully made us in His image. We ask God to remind us of that as we go into this year.

Happy New Year, Happy 2023! This is my favorite holiday and I love the sense of new beginnings and turning a new page. Today, I want to start off this year praying for grace and new beginnings I don't know about you, but there are things that happened in 2022 that I'm just not super proud of. However, I also think I did the best I could, and I really want to work on this notion of giving myself grace.

I think it's really easy to set these goals for ourselves, and then when we fall short, we don't give ourselves grace. It's a new season and we ask God to give us grace and release us from holding on to any feelings of disappointment. We ask God to continue to bless us and ask that the seeds that we sowed in 2022 will blossom into a large and bountiful harvest in 2023.

Last year I started having a word for the next year. For 2023, my word is rest. I've learned that sometimes God can't do what he wants to do in us because we are resting. God calls upon us to create, but we need to rest to have that space and ability to create.

The new year is usually about new beginnings and I think in order for us to have that new beginning, in order for us to create what God wants us to create in 2023, in order for us to have that rejuvenation, we need to have rests. Rest may seem impractical with how busy we are, but we ask God to give us a season of self care and allow us to say yes to rest. We ask God that we might need people to come in and support us to give us the time for rest. There is no day that is promised to us and so I ask God to continue to remind us that every day that we have the opportunity to spend resting in His presence and is a blessing.

2020 was a year of uncertainty for everyone, and it really showed in my vocational plans. Today I talk about my journey as a seminarian at Princeton Theological Seminary, and how this journey was a difficult and easy decision for me. My vocational call seemed like two distinct paths: my admissions consulting business and seminary. Was it possible to combine these two? How would that happen? I've learned so much about bringing my full self into every room that I walk into, and I hope you can learn that too.

Although it is exam season, it is also marking new beginnings. It's the beginning of winter break and rest. Today, we'll pray for peace during exams and take the time to remember our worth outside of exams. We ask God to remind us that our worth cannot be determined by external factors like exam grades and test scores because we are so much more than that. There is no single test score or single exam that can rob us of the gift, purpose, and calling that God has on our life. God already knows the plans for us and those plans are to prosper and give us a good future.