Intentional

Intentional.

My word for 2019.

I don’t know that I really believe in New Year’s Resolutions. I think there’s a lot of hype around the new year, when really every single day we wake up is a chance to make a new goal, make a change, or be better. Don’t get me wrong, I have no judgements against people who make resolutions. They just aren’t for me. To me, the New Year is equivalent to the Monday of the week.  “I’ll start my diet on Monday, the weekend doesn’t count”, when, in all reality, the scale on Monday says the weekend DID, in fact, count. I’m not looking to set myself up for failure. I’m looking to make real changes in my life – changes that make me more like Christ. I think it’s because I’m a big picture person, I don’t spend tons of time focusing on the details. In everything I do, I want to leave it better than when I started it.

So, I’m writing this down [for anyone who wants to read], and hopeful that when I read this in 2020, I feel like I did what I wanted to do this year.

First and foremost, I want to be more intentional in my walk with the Lord. Reading my Bible every day, having conversations with the Lord, telling people about Him, and truly knowing Who He is. I want to memorize more of His word. They say you become like the people you spend the most time around. Well, to me, there’s no one I would rather look more like than Jesus.

I want to be more intentional in my time with Josh. I want to put our phones down and really be together. Netflix and chill is great and mind-numbing and sometimes exactly what I need to just reset, but I want to really be with my husband. I want to have conversations that challenge each other in our faith. I want to play more games. I want to go on more walks. I want to have more dinners at the table. I want to pray together more often. But really and truly, I want to love Josh better. And I pray that God opens my eyes every day for new ways to be a better partner to my favorite man on this planet. Life is too short.

I want to be more intentional in praying for our future children. I know, I know, so many people want us to have a baby, and I do, too. BUT we have the rest of our lives for littles. Right now, I so love and enjoy my time and freedom with Josh. Being with him really is the most fun I’ve ever had, and, real talk, sometimes I don’t want to give that up. So, in the meantime, I’ll spend my days praying for our unborn babies, and whenever God calls us to start trying, we will.

I want to run and be more intentional in exercising and challenging myself to do things that are totally out of my comfort zone. This year, I’m running the mini marathon for the first time. I think it’s good to do things that scare you. In my experience, when you’re scared, you’re stretched out of your comfort zone. And that is exactly what the mini is for me this year. I’m looking forward to crossing that one off my list.

I want to be more intentional in my relationships with everyone I know – family, friends, co-workers. I want to be more intentional in loving others more. I want to think of myself less and more about people. I do believe if you are not challenging yourself to be better, you’re not growing and changing. And what’s the point if you’re not evolving? Shouldn’t we all work every day to be better?

I want to be more intentional in paying off our debt. We are so, so close and have worked so hard. This is the year of financial freedom, and I’m really so excited about it.

Here’s some verses that have been on my heart as I was thinking on what I wanted to focus my attention towards this upcoming year.

Colossians 3:22-24 says, “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ”.

2 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether then you eat and drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”.

Hebrews 12:1-2, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”.

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”.

Philippians 4:8-9 says, “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you”.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-3, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

So, here’s to being more intentional, not just in the year of 2019, but every year after that. Happy New Year, all!