Note From Me: What Is Yours To Do Right Now?
I can feel it in the air and see it in my substack feed. Moms are nervous. They’re nervous about the school year starting. And especially about homeschooling.
They are making plans and creating schedules and signing up for co-ops and designing curricula and ordering materials, and still they are looking at what someone else is doing and wondering if maybe they are messing everything up after all.
It’s normal to feel like this. I wrote about some of my homeschooling experiences and takeaways here not too long ago:
But this year, with no students of my own to teach and the youngest two in our family making plans for their college fall semesters in Europe, it occurs to me that the anxiety of “getting it right” and “not messing up” is with us always, no matter what stage of family life we’re in. We are always going feel like we’re falling short, and looking around at what others are doing is always going to be a distraction and discouragement.
Because none of us is enough. None of us is perfect. We need grace. We need God.
We mess things up when we start to believe the lie that we have to do it all on our own. But we can’t and we don’t. No matter what lies ahead for you this fall, no matter what anxieties might fill your heart as you prepare for the changes and challenges ahead, my prayer is that you will begin by placing all of it in God’s hands.
Then you can ask Him what is yours to do right now, and go do that thing. That’s it.
Life is messy, but it’s beautful too.
With grace,
The Gospel reflection and discussion questions you’ll find below are open to everyone this week, as a sample of the kind of content paid subscribers receive regularly. My hope is that it supports your prayer, wherever you are today.
Sunday Gospel Reflection: Who Do You Say That I Am?
Gospel for Sunay, August 23, 2026
Matthew 16:13-20
Jesus begins with an easy question. “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
But then He makes it personal: “Who do you say that I am?”
And now, Peter must speak from his own heart.
We may know what the Church teaches about Jesus. We may have learned the right answers and repeated the words of the Creed countless times, but Jesus wants more from us than that. He wants a relationship. With you, with me, with every person you meet.
Though Peter answers Jesus boldly, His faith does not make him a perfect disciple. He will go on to misunderstand Jesus, act impulsively, and even, eventually, deny knowing him. Still, Jesus chooses Peter and entrusts him with a mission. He builds upon Peter’s faith, which is imperfect but sincere.
Jesus still builds his Church through ordinary, imperfect people. If we trust Him, He can do great things with us and through us, despite our weaknesses. Today, can we hear his question as if he is asking it for the first time?
“Who do you say that I am?”
Our answer should come not only from our lips, but from the way we live.
Questions for Journaling or Small Group Discussion
1. Based on the way I live my life, who do I say Jesus is?
2. What does experiencing Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” mean to me personally?
3. Do I rely on what others say about Jesus, or am I working on growing in a relationship with Him myself?
4. What fears and doubts make it hard for me to place my life fully in God’s hands?
5. How does the example of Peter’s imperfect faith encourage me in overcoming my own weaknesses?
6. Do I proclaim my faith in Jesus through the things that I do and say eahc day? If not, how can I improve?
WOW Danielle reverse the letters it is MOM. What an amazing mom home schooling, 8 children plus a career. God is truly with you every step of the way. It shows when we truly put our faith in GOD what we can do.
Thanks for your message. May your 2 youngest have a blessed semester in Europe. It is a great opportunity.