Happy New Year! I love the fresh newness that January brings, and I always look forward to creating a list of goals and desires for the year ahead. However, after careful consideration, for 2013 I've decided not to do that.
Goals and resolutions are great to have, but often we write lists of things that are "accomplish-able", and once the tasks are done they're checked off a list and that's that. There's no lasting change, no real growth. Sure, they're noteworthy accomplishments, but I don't just want a checklist of things to get done and move on from. This year, I want real growth and change in my life.
One of my
12 goals for 2012 was to follow a bible reading plan, and I'm proud to say that I've been successful at that. After completing several shorter reading plans, I'm in the middle (day 237, to be exact) of a
365-day bible reading and devotional. Throughout the year as I've read the daily devos, I've kept notes of thoughts and ideas that stood out to me - things that resonated with me, things that challenged me, and things that convicted me.
I spent much of a recent plane trip from New York to California reviewing my devotional notes from 2012 and thinking about what I wanted for the year ahead - for me, for my relationship with God, for my career, and for my family. And from the repeating themes in my notes it was obvious that there are several areas of my life that need attention and change!
So instead of a checklist of tasks for this year, I decided to focus on a word. A word that encompasses my goals, dreams, and desires. A word that will connect me to the changes I want to see in my life. A word that will motivate and inspire.
And that word is INTENTION.
I don't want life to just "happen". I want to live with intention! I want to be intentional about how I spend my time, how I treat my body, how I relate to those around me, how I live out my faith, and how I use the gifts and talents I've been blessed with. I want to be someone who is known for living with purpose and direction. Someone who is intentional with every aspect of her delicate and fragile life.
How do you start your day? Do you hurriedly get out of bed and barely make it out the door on time? Do you turn on the TV? Do you go exercise? Whatever your morning routine may be, the most important question you need to ask yourself is, "What role does God play when I start my day?" It took me a lot of years to figure this out, but I now know that the very best way to start my day is by giving thanks to God for what He's done for me and asking Him how I can be a blessing to other people. I encourage you to spend time each morning focusing on the good things God has done in your life. Think about the dangers and difficulties He's brought you through, the ways He's healed you and changed you, and how good it is to know He cares for you and hears your prayers. When you learn to set your mind on God each morning, He'll give you all the peace and joy you need to live for Him as you go about the rest of your day.
Psalm 119:147 "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word."
Intentionally use free time to grow, develop, and recharge:
One of Satan's more cunning weapons is distraction. He knows if we become sidetracked by the cares of the world that, more than likely, we will begin to neglect our time with God.
Intentionally invest in relationships:
We are to have genuine, pure, fervent love for others above everything else we do. If we can manage only one thing in our lives, it should be to love other people. Many people think great faith is the number one sign of spiritual maturity. But I believe that walking in love is the true test of spiritual maturity, and I know that it energizes our faith walk.
Intentionally seek strength from God to break bad habits:
Whatever your bad habit is, you can break it. I'm not going to say that breaking a bad habit is easy, but it's God's desire for us to take authority over our bad habits. He doesn't want us to be "bossed around" by our emotions, He wants us to have victory. Breaking a bad habit requires making a series of good choices, one after the other. Most of us will try to do that on our own without the help of the Holy Spirit. But eventually we figure out that we can't please God without God helping us.
Mark 10:27 "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it."
Intentionally seek God's will for me, and avoid comparison with others:
Boldness will be impossible as long as you compare yourself to others. Boldness comes from accepting who you are and being the best you can be. We need to refrain from comparing ourselves to anyone else because God doesn't want us to be frustrated and feel unworthy of the blessings He desires to give us.
Galatians 6:4-5 "Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life."
Intentionally seek, obey, and be transformed by God's word:
I want to fully integrate Your Word into my life. I don't just want to hear someone tell me the Word once a week, I want to know it for myself. Lead me and give me ideas to pursue Your Word consistently.
Intentionally exercise 3 times per week to change my body and health for the better:
When you and I say to God, "Change me," we better know what we're saying because we are not just going to wake up different the next morning. Instead, what God is going to do is give us an opportunity, through opposition, to grow as we change. So make a decision to rely on God's strength and live a healthier lifestyle
1 Corinthians 6:19 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;"
Intentionally finish what I start, from art projects to reading books to following through with promises:
I have to be willing to finish what I start. God uses committed people who aren't led by emotion. It's easy to be excited in the beginning when something is new, but the ones who cross the finish line are the ones who hang in there when no one else is excited anymore. Be diligent. Don't leave things undone, but finish what you start to the best of your ability. Set your mind to be steadfast and determined. Commit yourself to excellent results.
Intentionally use our finances to plan for growing our family:
God wants us to make wise decisions. I believe having wisdom is choosing to do now what we will be happy with later. God is the One who supplies our needs. Our jobs are not our source, God is. So when jobs and investments disappear, we don't have to feel hopeless because God is not limited. He can provide for us through other means, in ways we may not have imagined or are able to figure out ahead of time.
So, how about you? What does this new calendar year hold for you?
Here's to a magical, transformative, intentional 2013.
Much love,
PS. How awesome is Erin for her
very intentional change to Design for Mankind in 2013?
Step 4: Choose colors and create the final files! Annette had already decided on light teal as the accent color for her brand, so I presented a few different options as to how the color could be applied. She chose to go with black text, and the wings would be filled in with teal. TA DA! LOGO! EVERYONE'S HAPPY! At this point I went to purchase the stock wing image and prepare the final files for both web and print. 
Step 5: Realize you've made a crucial newbie mistake. Did you think that royalty-free images (like those from Shutterstock) could be used as part of a logo? I sure did! But guess what?
Step 7: Make a plan, and get familiar with my tablet. I have a 
Step 8: Somehow, create this awesome thang. With loads of patience and often working at 400% magnification with a 1px brush to get every edge and detail just right, the wing design started to evolve. I wanted it to have a loose, flowing feel, but it still needed to be crisp and well-executed. Mission accomplished. 
