It’s that time of year again. Everyone is setting goals and coming up with their word of the year. I usually resist this annual compulsion as I don’t want to set myself up for failure. It’s a weak excuse, I know.
Last year I was challenged to come up with a word and Scripture verse for the year. Per usual, I avoided the heart of the task and sought to come up with a list of things that I wanted to learn for the year. This is not bad in and of itself but it was not what I was tasked with doing. Thankfully, the Lord was in the midst of it, and I felt strongly that He was impressing the word “simple” on my heart and then He highlighted Psalm 18:19.
“He brought me out into a spacious place, he rescued me because he delights in me.”
Looking back on 2018, I see how He simplified my life and brought me into a spacious place. It might not look that way to everyone, but I see it. 🙂
In December, the phrase “intentional connection” started circling around in my heard and heart. Here in the early days of 2019, I’m sensing a stirring in my spirit to be more intentional with the people in my life.
I also realized that in some ways I have had a false sense of intentionality. Specifically in the area of social media. Funny that something that has “social” in the name is actually anti-social for me. I realize that I can sit in the comfort of my living room and see people’s lives, but I never actually engage with them. I’ve realized that I don’t want to just “heart” or “like” what someone is doing; I want to talk with them about it and hear why it’s important.
So here’s a few things I’m trying to do to be more intentional…
1. Shut down some of my social media accounts (not all, just the ones I find more hindering than helpful).
2. Improve my phone skills (I dislike talking on the phone). I’m very visual and struggle to pay attention when I’m on the phone. But as my mom says, I need to grow up! 🙂
3. “Snail mail” with friends who enjoy this form of communication.
4. Come up with a list of friends who live within an hour who I can intentionally reach out to and catch-up with face-to-face.
5. Come up with a list of friends who live farther away and seek out creative ways to connect (one of my friends has crafting pen-pals).
6. Take advantage of living near my family and spend as much time with them as I can (bring on the baseball games, dance recitals, and baking adventures!). I love living within an hour of most of my family! Within the past 5-7, years I’ve lived anywhere from 3.5-15 hours away. So one hour is great!
7. Ask the Lord to be in the midst of all of this and actively listen for the Holy Spirit’s promptings on how to be intentional.
“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 1 Thessalonians 3:12.
Adventures of a Single Pretzel 