Rest Before the Rush

The Gift of a Sacred Pause

Back-to-school season brings with it a sense of urgency. Stores line the aisles with notebooks, backpacks, and lunch boxes. Parents dust off routines. Teachers shift into planning mode. Everyone starts moving faster.

But before the first bell rings, there’s an invitation. A sacred pause. A chance to take a deep breath and ask: Am I entering this new season in step with God—or in survival mode?

Finding rest before school starts is more than a nice idea—it’s a necessity for spiritual alignment. And it begins with the courage to slow down when everything around you is speeding up.

This is the heart of R.E.S.T.—Release Everything, Surrender Totally. When we take time to release the pressure, surrender the outcome, and sit with God before the rush begins, we enter the new season with peace instead of panic.

How Pancakes and Prayer Changed Everything

One August, we were the family that had it all prepped. Supplies labeled. Lunchboxes ready. Clothes picked out for the week. But by midweek, we were emotionally exhausted. The kids were anxious. I was snapping. My husband was working late. It felt like we’d already failed before school even started.

The next year, I tried something different. I blocked off the morning before the first day of school and told everyone: “We’re not rushing. We’re going to rest.”

We made pancakes. We stayed in pajamas. And we took time to pray over the year ahead. Each child prayed for their teachers, their fears, and even their lunch buddies. We read Psalm 121 and talked about how God watches over us “both now and forevermore.”

That morning wasn’t productive in the traditional sense. But it was powerful. It set the tone for our entire year.

Now it’s our tradition. Every year, the day before school starts is a day of rest, reflection, and recommitment.

Finding Rest Before School Starts is a Spiritual Strategy

Rest is often seen as optional, but it’s actually essential. Before God sent the Israelites into the Promised Land, He told them in Exodus 33:14:

“My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Before they entered a new chapter, He gave them His peace.

You can do the same.

Finding rest before the rush allows you to:

• Invite God into your routines
• Identify what anxieties need to be released
• Center your family on truth rather than tasks
• Trade the pressure of perfection for the peace of surrender

Something that might help is compiling printable prayers, conversation starters, and verses to read as a family. It’s a simple way to help everyone breathe deeply and step into the school year with peace.

Start With Stillness

Don’t let the back-to-school checklist be your only preparation. Take time to spiritually reset. Block off a day—or even an hour—to simply be with your family and with God.

Finding rest before school starts isn’t about what you accomplish. It’s about who you become. And when you start with rest, you begin in alignment with the One who holds every detail of your new season.