The Power of Prayer

Author: Dr. Marla J. Lohmann, CEC-FBSO Caucus Chair

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to teach at a faith-based university. In particular, I’ve been thinking about how it changes my role as a teacher educator. Until coming to work at Colorado Christian University last summer, almost all of my experiences had been in public, secular institutions. This year has shown me the change that faith makes in my career.

While faith impacts every aspect of teaching, I am seeing the biggest difference in terms of prayer. About once a week, I receive a phone call or email from a student asking me to pray about a situation in his/her life. The students are not asking for assignment extensions or easier grading, but just for prayer. I’ve even had a student call me to ask if we can pray together for some struggles she was facing in her life. Being a Prayer Warrior for students has changed the way that I interact with them. It has allowed me to know them on a more personal level. It reminds me on a daily basis of their humanity. Teaching fully online can be impersonal for both students and teachers, but prayer changes that. While I love many aspects of teaching at a faith-based university, prayer is my favorite part!

Dr. Marla J. Lohmann is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Colorado Christian University. She can be contacted at MLohmann@ccu.edu.