I have a love-hate relationship with this time of year. On the one hand, I cherish the slower summer days with no agenda and fewer responsibilities. On the other hand, I’m a creature of habit. I love schedules and routine. I thrive when life has structure—and my kids do too. Every August, I can see the difference. We go from TV-binging couch slobs to productive members of society again.
But as the hustle and bustle picks up, it becomes far too easy to neglect my time with the Lord. Gone are those summer mornings when I could linger with my Bible and a cup of coffee, with no time clock to punch.
In the weeks leading up to the school year, my husband and I start making plans:
What time does everyone need to wake up? Who’s on morning drop-off? Who’s on afternoon pick-up? When will our oldest have volleyball practice? Which afternoons can we make it to the gym? What will we cook for dinner? When will we pack lunches? By the night before school starts, the backpacks are ready, the lunchboxes are prepped, and the first-day outfits are laid out neatly.
Every year during this time, I start to wonder if I can actually handle “all the things.” Can I do it all—and do it well—this year? Honestly, it’s a lot, y’all. I know you feel it too. I wonder how far I’ll make it before I crash and burn. And as I prayed through those feelings recently, the Lord reminded me of something: I’m not enough. I can’t do it all. It’s too much. On my own strength and willpower, I won’t make it through another year of organized chaos still standing—unless I put the ultimate priority, God, in His rightful place.
So this year, as we organized our schedules, we made sure not to leave out the most important part: a plan for time in the Word and prayer. Without intentionality, it’s far too easy for meditating on His Word to fall by the wayside. And then by October, we’re left wondering why we’re running on empty.
That’s why we’re doing something different this year.
We created a Family Discipleship Plan to keep us grounded in God’s Word all year long. We are convinced this is the only way to stay focused on the mission of Christ and reflect His image to those around us—even when life feels chaotic.
Our main resource is The New City Catechism (adult and kids versions—we’ll link both at the bottom of this post). The plan includes weekly Scripture readings, catechism questions, and memory work. It follows the Greenville County Schools calendar but can be adapted to any schedule.
Psalm 1 reminds us that the person is blessed who meditates on God’s Word day and night:
“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” (Psalm 1:3)
That’s what I want for our family this year—to be like that tree, rooted and nourished by God’s Word, bearing fruit no matter the season, with leaves that do not wither under the demands of life. We believe that begins with a plan—a way to fill our hearts and minds with His truth instead of the world’s noise.
We are so excited to share this new resource with you and your family. Below you’ll find the links to our 2025–2026 Family Discipleship Plan and the New City Catechism resources. We pray it helps keep Jesus at the center of your home this school year. ❤️
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