I used to think all of my problems could be solved by better planning.
If I could just plan better—wake up earlier, time-block tighter, color-code smarter—I could finally feel on top of things. Peace, I believed, was just on the other side of a perfectly executed schedule.
But no matter how many systems I tried, I always ended up in the same place: overwhelmed. Too many good things. Too many people to stay connected to. Too many expectations—both real and imagined—pulling me in a hundred different directions. And beneath it all, a quiet but constant pressure to get it together and get it all done.
This year, something shifted. Not in a dramatic, burnout kind of way, but in the subtle, soul-shaking way only prayer can change us.
Planning or Performing?
Everywhere we look—online, in books, even in well-meaning conversations—we’re told to optimize, to hustle, to achieve, from ministry to motherhood. There’s a whole industry built around productivity and performance. And while those tools can be helpful, they often whisper a dangerous lie: You are what you do.
And while the world might applaud our efficiency, the spiritual toll is undeniable. Prayer becomes another task to check off—something we “fit in” if there’s time. Our days fill up so quickly that we forget to leave any margin: no space to hear His voice, no room for rest, no permission to just be.
We may be able to hustle for a season (or even a decade) but all that business wears down our hearts. We might lose our sense of wonder. We can grow impatient and irritable. We may become resentful of those we love and serve. We look put-together on the outside, but inside we’re running on empty.
When I began to pray with the Litany of Humility as the theme of our new liturgical planner, I sensed the answer to all of my striving. The shift? From achieving to abiding, from pressure to peace. That’s the fruit of humility.
It turns out the answer to my planning problem isn’t another system, or more hours in the day. It’s grace.
Jesus, Grant Me the Grace to Desire It
The Litany of Humility isn’t the kind of prayer you rush through. It slows you down, unsettles you in the best way, and reveals what’s really driving your choices—especially in how you spend your time.
It names desires we don’t like to admit:
- To be preferred . . .
- To be praised . . .
- To be chosen . . .
And it brings to the surface the fears that so often shape our schedules:
- The fear of being despised . . .
- The fear of being suffering rebukes . . .
- The fear of being forgotten . . .
Line by line, the Litany invites us to surrender those burdens—not by trying harder, but by asking for God’s grace. Grace to desire what God desires. Grace to rest in our beloved identity. Grace to say yes in freedom and no without guilt.
Why I’m Using the BIS Planner
If the Litany of Humility is a prayer of surrender, then the Grant Me the Grace Liturgical Planner is a tool for living that surrender out—week by week, day by day.
More than just a calendar, this planner is meant to be a spiritual companion. It helps you not only keep track of life, but also stay rooted in what matters most: your relationship with Jesus and your Catholic faith.
Here’s what you’ll find inside:
- Liturgical feast days and Saint celebrations, to keep your weeks anchored in the rhythms of the Church.
- Monthly invitations to pray with the Litany of Humility, allowing the words to sink deeper over time.
- Space for journaling and reflection, so your planning becomes a conversation with God, not just a checklist.
- Weekly layouts designed for margin and meaning, not just productivity.
- Gentle prompts for daily prayer, gratitude, and surrender, so your days begin in peace, not pressure.
This planner won’t fix your life the way other systems promise. But it is a place to return to, again and again, with open hands and a soft heart—asking not, What do I need to do? but, Lord, what are You doing in me?
Plan Differently This Year
If you’re weary of striving and hungry for peace, you are not alone.
Let this be the year you stop performing and start abiding. Let this be the year you stop white-knuckling your calendar and start living with open hands. Let this be the year you ask Jesus not for more time but for more trust.
Jesus, grant us the grace to desire You.
That’s the prayer. That’s the planner. That’s the invitation—this year and every year.
THE BIS PLANNER
Be intentional in prayer and gratitude as you order your days in His peace. Let's grow in love with the Lord every single day with the BIS Catholic Planner.
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Beth Davis is a lover of Jesus, a retired youth minister, the Director of Formation for Blessed is She. She is passionate about teaching women how to develop an intimate relationship with Jesus in prayer through writing, speaking, and mentorship. Her favorite things include being the favorite aunt to her five niece and nephews, making friends everywhere she goes, and whatever book she’s currently reading.
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