Summer on Purpose

The school year is over. The calendar breathes a little easier. The sun lingers longer in the sky, and somehow, even dandelions look more optimistic.

It’s summer.

And before you blink and find yourself in mid-August asking, “Where did the time go?” let me offer a challenge: have a summer on purpose.

Don’t Let It Slip Away

Summer has a strange superpower. Without intentionality, it disappears. The days are long, but the season is short. If you’re not careful, you’ll reach the end of it with a vague memory of lawn chairs, random errands, and a few too many hours scrolling on your phone.

We don’t need to schedule every minute. But we do need a plan, even if it’s written in pencil. A vision for the kind of summer we want to have. One with rest and meaning. Fun and growth. Laughter and memories.

So, how do you have a summer on purpose?

1. Plan to Be Present

Time off doesn’t automatically mean connection. Be intentional about who you want to be with, not just what you want to do. Make a list of people you want to spend real, undistracted time with.

• Family movie nights on the calendar.
• Backyard campfires with no phones. (You can do fun things without posting proof on social media!)
• Saturday morning pancakes, just because.
• Lunch with that friend you haven’t seen in too long.

2. Make Space for the Soul

Let’s be honest: spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident. And the slower summer pace is the perfect time to reconnect with God in simple, meaningful ways.

• Start a morning habit of Scripture and silence.
• Take prayer walks in the evening light.
• Go on a mini-retreat, just you and a journal. (Don’t overwhelm yourself – a mini-retreat can be 3 days, or three hours – just be purposeful)
• Join a summer Bible reading challenge (or create one with your kids).

Don’t overcomplicate it. Just ask: What can I do this summer to stay anchored to Jesus?

3. Move Your Body, Not Just the Lawn Mower

We weren’t made for couch potato discipleship. Summer is the season for moving on purpose too.

• Try biking to the farmers market.
• Plan a family hike (with snacks, lots of snacks).
• Get into a weekly walk or pickleball game with a friend.
• Even mowing the lawn can become a liturgy if you see it right.

Activity helps not just your body, but your mood, your clarity, and your relationships.

4. Work on Something That Matters

You don’t need to renovate your whole house, but it’s healthy to have a project, something that gives you a sense of accomplishment.

• Clean the garage. Finally.
• Start that backyard garden.
• Build the bookshelf your wife’s been hinting about since May.
• Write something. Paint something. Finish something.

Projects give us a holy kind of productivity, not rushed or frantic, but meaningful and steady.

5. Actually Rest

Rest isn’t laziness. It’s a spiritual discipline. The Lord who created summer also created Sabbath.

So plan your rest, too:

• Schedule a day with no expectations.
• Put your feet in the lake and let your to-do list float away.
• Go screen-free for a day and just be a human being again.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is nothing.

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Final Thought: Write It Down

Make a simple summer list. Use your Notes app. Use a chalkboard. Use a napkin. But write it down.

• Three things I want to do with my family
• Three ways I’ll feed my soul
• Three people I want to spend time with
• One goal. One project. One big nap.

Don’t just hope for a good summer. Have one on purpose.