INTENTIONAL

As 2011 closed and 2012 approached, I kept hearing the word "intentional" come up among those around me.  God gives me a word each year that resonates in my soul and teaches me throughout the year.  I have been doing this with God for the past several years and have been amazed to see how powerful a word can be.  Last year my word He gave me was surrender and wow did I ever learn how to surrender all to Him.  I am always excited about the word He gives me; however, it can also be a little challenging and stretching of my comfort zone.  During my year of surrendering last year, Jesus surrounded me with such true and godly friends.  I experienced the outpouring of life from my friends.  They listened to me, prayed for me, and reached out in ways that gave me the strength to keep going.  I was so appreciative of that kind of support that I quickly realized that I need to be that person to others that may be going through a difficult time.  I need to be intentional!  I need to make an extra effort.  I need to back my word with action.  Like it says in the book of James, I need to be a doer!  So Lord give me the motivation and strength to love my neighbor, to love my friends, to love my co-workers, and to love my family.  Of course I love my family... but do I make intentional moves on their behalf that will better their lives?  Do I truly have their best interest at heart?  Am I just sitting back waiting to be used, or am I intentionally wanting to be used and looking for opportunities?  Whoa.  I guess I need to start in my own family.  Like my sister Beth said one time, "good intentions and good deeds are as far apart as heaven is from hell."
Reflecting back... the WORDS God has given me are - Awareness, Transparent, Surrender, and now Intentional.  I obviously do not need to forget about the previous words!

Our shirts say it all..."Speak Up"