Getting Intentional With My Life

As a teenager, I remember many times saying to my father that I “intended” to do this or that. His response was always the same, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. It sounds a bit harsh but I believe there is a lot of truth in the statement. All the intentions in the world will not get the work done. There must be something more than intention.

I’m Reminded of Jesus’ Parable of the Two Sons.

Matthew 28

²⁸ “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 
²⁹ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 
³⁰ Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
³¹ “Which of the two obeyed his father?”
They replied, “The first.”
Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.
 ³² For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

Obedience is key to our salvation. If we aren’t following God’s will, we are failing him. God would much rather you obey Him than for you to come running to say, “I’m sorry” or offer sacrifices. His desire is that our sacrifices come from a love of the Father and not guilt from our sin. (Psalm 51:16 & 17)

New Year: New ONEWORD

Many have given up on making a New Year’s Resolution because they seem to fail every year. The OneWord365 system seems a much better fit for me. I have been selecting OneWord for several years now and I am amazed how God has used the word throughout the year to direct my life. It has made me become more intentional in what I do. Every fall, God begins placing a new word on my mind; giving me scriptures and goals that follow along with that ONEWORD. This creates more intentionality in my life.

Even though I had some surprises along the way, such as new diagnoses, this has only caused me to get more intentional about what I need to be doing. Looking back, God has built confidence in me across 2021. My health has caused me to want to be intentional about nutrition and exercise. Confidence in my writing has increased to the point where I want to be more intentional about getting a book of devotions published.

And so these are my intentions. Get Healthy and Get Published. I covet your prayers for my journey. I have already set up a Facebook group for health accountability. Concerning book publishing, I have joined the Flourish Writers Academy for support and direction. I will likely need to set up some kind of accountability and support group among my peers for writing.

What Are Your Intentions This Coming Year?

Will you make a New Year’s Resolution? Will you choose a ONEWORD? Or will you just leave everything to chance and hope things improve over the year? I encourage you to at least set some goals to work toward; spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally. Share your thoughts in the comments.

But as for me…

I will always proclaim what God has done; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

Psalms 75:9 NLT

¹ ALWAYS I will lift up my soul to You, Eternal One,

² BECAUSE You are my God and I put my trust in You.

Psalm 25 The Voice

Mandy

Things I am Focused on

1. Begin my day with Jesus
2. Exercise with Faithful Finishlines
3. Eat more holistically – Learning from Dr. Livingood – Join me at the Immune You Masterclass at the end of January. It’s Free!
4. Read 24 books, mainly Classics & biographies. Beginning with Mother Teresa

Mandy Farmer

Pastor’s Wife (retired) &  Chronic Pain Warrior blogs about how to make it through anything by relating her own life experiences to her writing. She is passionate about her love for the Lord and desires to spread that passion to others. She has a great desire to encourage women who are following behind her.

www.mandyandmichele.com