Looking Back

Okay, so last week, I introduced the topic of Intentionality—Why it’s important, why it’s hard to live out, & what part God has in all of it.

But this week, I would like to talk to you a little more about HOW we can live intentionally.

Living intentionally is hard! Especially with all of the demands that we are faced with daily. These demands can be work, family time, responsibilities, stressors, & other distractions.

It seems like the list is endless for things that are wanting to steal away our focus & intentions to reach for more out of life.

We may envision life going one way, but without any clear steps to make that happen (or maybe just too much demanding our attention already), it can be hard to sit & think through a clear plan to make those intentions happen–making it sometimes seem impossible to chase our dreams & to reach our goals.

But…

But the good news is, it doesn’t have to be that way!

God has a you-specific plan that He designed for your life—before you were even born!

He knows you inside & out. He knows your responsibilities. He knows about the demands for your attention & time. He knows.

He knows about your hopes, dreams, & goals, too.

He also knows the potential that He created within you, specifically fit for you.

That’s Great, But…

You may be thinking, “That sounds great & all, but I am just too busy!” Or maybe you are thinking, “But I don’t even know what that potential is….”

The good thing is, God knows that, too.

Here’s the cool thing about God. He sees it all. He sees how all the pieces of your life, from beginning to end, big & small, all fit together.

He sees & knows it already.

And He is big enough to work through the mess or confusion, to bring about great things.

Where to Start

So now, maybe you are getting a spark of hope…. But what to do with that spark?

The first, & most important bit of advice that I can give you is to pray about it.

Make it a priority to pray about it.

Let God know your heart & your willingness to see His plans for you spring out of whatever your current situation is.

Put Him FIRST.

What Else?

The next thing you can consider is writing it all out. As I mentioned near the end of last week’s post (Check it out, here), it can be difficult sometimes to even know how to pray or what to pray for.

Sometimes it happens that we are so busy, so distracted, that we are at a loss for where to start or in what direction we want to head or where God is nudging us. At least, that’s the case for me!

Without taking time to think it out, I kept on living life as-is, letting valuable time slip away.

My Free Gift to You!

So, I did something about that. I created a Guide that lists all sorts of topics, where we can take a moment to reflect on & consider where we wish we could grow in those areas. This allows for the chance to really focus on what our desires are in those specific areas & maybe where God is nudging our hearts a little bit.

If you are thinking, “Please let me have this Guide, too,”  you’re in luck! I have uploaded the guide for you to download. It is called the “Realizing Your Dreams” Guide.

((*You can find this Guide in the sidebar, on desktop computers, OR, immediately following the blog posts (it is linked to an aqua banner).*))

If you are having trouble finding it, please feel free to message me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will send you one as soon as I can. Just make sure to include “Realizing Your Dreams” Guide in the subject line, so I can easily get it to you.

Downloading this guide will also allow you access to My Tribe, where you will get some extra encouragement in your inbox each week, along with each post’s new link! What a great way to stay in touch! You can always unsubscribe, but I hope we stay connected!

My goal is to continue to create freebies just like this, to help you along in this journey of life. Solidarity!

Thoughts to Ponder

Basically, everything comes down to entrusting it to God. He knows you. He knows your situation. He knows your dreams.

So let Him in. Let Him take the reigns of your life & let Him guide it to greater things–His purposes.

Life isn’t always shiny & bright, but God can use even those moments. (If that sounds more like life right now for you, read more on that, here.)

Trust Him with it all, Lovelies!

I look forward to the coming months & years, as we continue to grow in HOPE & Shine that HOPE into the world!

*Hugs!*

Shine HOPE, Lovelies!

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox, along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

Each week, I will feature an item that is changing lives. These pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Heading to see Lion King!

Unity Necklace

Upcycled beads made from glass and clay from Haiti’s mountains hang on a silver plated chain.

Artisan Information:

Haiti had this century’s worst natural disaster and is home to almost 500,000 orphans. The majority of the orphans have not been orphaned by parental deaths or natural disasters, but by parents who gave them up simply because they could not feed them. The group we work with is an “un-orphanage” and is helping with the orphan crisis by providing parents with sustainable business through creating products.

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in Haiti!

Shop Here, OR, Send me a message through the “Connect with Me” contact form, for more information!