The Intentional Life

For the last 8 years we have taken the money that we would have used to pay for Christmas cards, pictures, and postage and put that money towards supporting a mission organization. We've given to a few different places:  World Vision to buy a goat and a few chickens, and even a cow for a family in poverty,  Lifesong for Orphans to help buy tin roofs for single mothers' homes in Zambia, and  Voice of the Martyrs to send Christmas gifts and bring encouragement to our fellow Christian brothers and sisters who live under persecution in the 10/40 window. We aren't telling you all this so that the light can shine on us. Rather, we share this with you so that others may see the Light that inspires us to give of ourselves. We can only give because He first gave to us. "Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify YOUR FATHER in heaven." Summary of Matthew 5:16     As my friend Carey says, "Our arro...

Home. It can take on so many names. Sanctuary, castle, dwelling, landing place, residence, abode, hideout, hangout, digs, shelter, address. My guess is that each one of those words brought a different image or feeling to mind. And some of those you would never have thought to call your home. If your word isn't on that list, what word would you use to call it by another name? In order to get where you are going, you have to have a plan, a goal, and you kinda need to know your destination.  It may change along the way, but you need to start with a destination to even know which direction to begin. I'm drawing the parallel between that and having an idea of what you want your home to be.  It doesn't just happen. To set up your home to be _________ (fill in the blank), then you need to start out with a goal, a destination.  I'm not saying it may not change along the way, but you need to at least have a place to start. About a year ago I began hosti...

It makes me kinda sad that I've fallen off with posting my monthly lookbacks. Now that I don't have any for the last several months (eep! maybe a year!?) I'm realizing how much I enjoy having these to look back through and remember where we were, how we've grown, and what things we continue to have to work on. So, instead of sitting here beating myself up, which I am prone to do, I will choose instead to just start again.  And here we are with March 2019. It was the month of basketball if there ever was one. Between College March Madness, Owen's basketball practice and games, and our high school winning (WINNING!) the State Championship, the whole month felt like it revolved around b-ball. Like true Hoosiers. Quite a few other things were done in the midst of it and we all looked forward to the end of the month where Spring Break was patiently waiting for us. There are days I'm digging my heels in, trying to slow down time, and others I...

  Thoughts. That inner critic. Some of you may know who I am talking about.  That voice that continues to bring up the things that you could be doing better. That you failed at. It seems to follow you around relentlessly.  If you don't have that inner critic berating you on a daily basis, I'm guessing you have a close friend or family member who does.  It's seems to be louder in some types of personalities versus others. I'm one of those people. In every circumstance. In every event. In every situation. There is this inner critic that points out how I could have done it better.  If you struggle with this voice, you can attest to the truth that this can be exhausting. And defeating. So what do we do?  And if we don't struggle with this, how can we help those who do? You'll see this many times woven throughout these Intentional Living posts:  fight it with Truth. This verse was running through my head this morning and I felt it ...

  Heart. For those who celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, this is a very special week. And I love how God orchestrated that this was the week that "Heart" was scheduled to be discussed. I just go down the list each week, and Heart was up next and so here we are. Easter. We can show up on Sunday, dressed in our Easter finest, ready to celebrate Jesus and his Resurrection. But we will get so much more out of it if we are intentionally preparing our hearts as we walk through this week. One thing we do in our house is prepare and celebrate the Passover, or Seder meal, on the Thursday of Easter week. However, it's done a little differently than the Passover of the Old Testament, because we now KNOW the Passover Lamb and the Reason that the whole meal was pointing to. We started doing this a few years back with our kids and it has made the Easter week even more meaningful and real in our lives.  I'll give a quick synopsis if you would like to incor...

  Money. Show me your back account and I'll show you your heart. "Every person’s checkbook is a theological document. It tells you who and what they worship." -Billy Graham Show me your back account and I'll show you your heart. "Every person’s checkbook is a theological document. It tells you who and what they worship." -Billy Graham "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Jesus Said in different ways, but all pointing back to the same idea.  We can talk about what is important to us, but what we truly care about - our money follows quickly after. This week's topic of money always seems like such a tricky topic to broach. It can be a sensitive thing to discuss, each person in a different financial state than the other. But regardless of the state of your checkbook, this one thing remains.  We put our money where our priorities are. In America, we have the luxury of disposable income. We are jus...

  Time. Breaks. Something we can all appreciate. Though, for some of us, it may be harder to take than others. For myself, resting is difficult.  My personality doesn't feel like I can truly rest until all. of. the. things. are done. I have a running list in my head of what needs to get done and I have to fight against the voice telling me I cannot rest until everything is done and in it's place. This can be exhausting, and something, the chance for a break completely passes me by. Or, maybe you are cut from a different cloth. You are always looking for the next break, the next fun thing, something to help you escape the reality that you are in. Or, you are one that the phrase "an object that stays at rest, remains at rest" Once you start taking that break, it can be hard to get going again. None of these personality "pulls" is terribly wrong in it's own right. But each one has something that we need to fight against, something...