As a Latter-day Saint mom, I want more than just good grades and clean lunchboxes. I want a school year that strengthens testimonies, builds spiritual habits, and keeps Christ at the center of it all.
So every year, I choose a scripture theme for our family. One verse to guide our focus, remind us who we are, and help us give “equal time to the Lord,” as Elder Rasband has taught. And yes, we pair this with some practical back-to-school supplies that support both spiritual and academic success.
Here’s how we do it, and how you can too.
How to Choose Your Scripture Theme
We treat the start of the school year like a spiritual reset. Just like we set goals in January, we set a spiritual tone in August. It doesn’t take anything fancy. Just prayer, a little intention, and a desire to invite the Spirit into your school-year routine.
A few weeks before school starts, I begin praying about a verse that fits our family’s current needs. Something that can guide us spiritually, emotionally, and even academically. Then we reveal it during Family Home Evening the week before school begins.
This year, our verse is Matthew 11:19:
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
It’s now our anchor for family study, morning routines, and even conversations around the dinner table.
Want to try this with your own family? Print out your verse. Tape it inside your kids’ showers (yes, really). Talk about it. Refer to it. Make it part of your spiritual rhythm.
It doesn’t have to be Pinterest-worthy, it just has to be intentional. And you’ll be surprised how fast your kids will memorize it and start applying it.
My Favorite Back to School Supplies
Not everything has to be spiritual, but it can all support the spiritual. Here are a few of my favorite school-year tools that help our kids stay organized, grounded, and prepared:
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Academic Planner
- The best pens/pencils/highlighters
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Scripture highlighters (for seminary)
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Backpack-friendly water bottles
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Notebooks for everything
- Get the full list right here!
Back-to-school time can be a little spiritual reset. With your family’s new scripture theme and everyone prepared with everything you need, this school year can be your most grounded, growth-filled year yet.
Let’s not just send our kids off to school. Let’s send them into the world with power, purpose, and a little extra spiritual armor.
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