5 Words to Pray Over Your Teen’s High School Years

At the beginning of every school year, I pick a word and a scripture to pray over my kids. I write the words down on index cards, include a relevant scripture, and tape them right above their bedroom doorknobs. I want them to know that I am praying something specific over them. It’s okay that they don’t fully appreciate this act of faithful mothering any more than they do the boundaries and curfews I set. Maybe they will one day.

The high school years bring about a different level of urgency, don’t they? As parents, we can feel the ache of time slipping away, even as we hold excitement for God’s plans for our kids’ futures. We may not be able to protect them from every disappointment, influence, or hard choice, but we can faithfully cover them in prayer. Here are five words to pray over your teen throughout the high school years.

1. Identity

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” – 1 Peter 2:9

Pray this:

Father, help my teen know who they are in You first and foremost. I know the temptation is to place identity in grades or goals, in appearances, or even in other people’s opinions of who they are or should be. I rebuke those lies. And instead, I speak Your truth over my child’s identity. You call my teen chosen, beloved, and set apart. I pray that the way You identify my child becomes the person my child sees in the mirror. Amen.

Why this matters during the teen years:

The teen years come with questions like, Who am I? and Where do I belong? Praying that their identity takes root in who God says they are gives them solid ground when grades, appearances, accomplishments, and other people’s opinions try to define them.

2. Wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” – James 1:5

Pray this:

Father, thank You for freely giving wisdom whenever we ask. Give my teen wisdom to make choices that honor You and align with our family’s beliefs. And while I’m asking, please give me wisdom, too. I’ve never parented my child through this particular year before. I’m learning on the job, but I’d rather do it under Your wise counsel. Help both of us depend on You, one decision at a time. Amen.

Why this matters during the teen years:
Teens are given more freedom and asked to make increasingly important decisions, without much life experience to draw from. They’re still learning to consider the consequences and look beyond what feels right in the moment. Praying for wisdom asks God to guide them as they make choices that will shape the person they’re becoming.

3. Purpose

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10

Pray this:
Father, thank You for the unique gifts, talents, and personality You have woven into my child. Help my teen recognize the ways You have made them. Show them how they can use what You’ve given them to serve You and others. Place mentors in their life who will encourage them, and open doors for them to learn, try new things, and better understand where You may be leading. Remind my teen that they do not have to figure out their entire future right now. They only need to trust You with the next step. Amen.

Why this matters during the teen years:
As teens begin thinking about college, careers, and life after high school, they may feel pressure to know exactly what they are supposed to do. Praying for purpose reminds them that their future is not something they have to force or figure out all at once. God can use every gift, experience, and faithful next step as He shapes the life ahead of them.

4. Discernment

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best…” – Philippians 1:9-10

Pray this:
Father, my teenager is growing up in a world I could never have imagined. They’re sorting through countless voices from friends, teachers, social media, influencers, and even AI-generated content. Help my teen recognize what lines up with Your truth and what doesn’t. Give them the courage to question what everyone else just accepts as fact. Teach them to pause, seek You, and choose what is best (not simply what is easy). Amen.

Why this matters during the teen years:
During the teen years, kids begin thinking more deeply about what they believe and why. At the same time, they’re surrounded by voices competing for their trust and attention. Praying for discernment asks God to help them recognize what is true and notice what could lead them away from Him.

5. Peace

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God… will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

Pray this:
Father, my kid needs Your peace. There are a lot of moving parts this year, from classes, extracurriculars, and all that “life-after-high-school” talk. I know even the most grounded kid can feel the pressure bearing down. Remind my teen to bring every worry to You. Guard their heart and mind at all times and hold my child steady through every high and low this year will bring. Amen.

Why this matters during the teen years:
With their developing brains, teens are still learning how to handle stress. Praying for peace reminds them that they can bring every worry to God and trust Him to calm those anxious thoughts and replace negative coping patterns.

Bonus Word: Faith

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” – Colossians 2:6-7

Pray this:
Lord, I have spent years planting seeds of faith in my child’s heart and mind. But I know I cannot choose faith for them. I pray that my teen moves closer to You on their own. Help my child seek You, trust You, and grow deep roots in a faith. May they reach for Scripture or turn on worship music when test anxiety rises or friendship drama bubbles up. Surround my child with friends and mentors who will point them toward You. Amen.

Why this matters during the teen years:
The teen years are when young people begin deciding what they believe for themselves. Praying for faith asks God to help what they have been taught take root in a relationship with Him that becomes truly their own.