Diving in Together

As you can probably tell from the title, “Intentionality Part 3”, I am wanting to park on this subject for a little while & really take some time to work through different areas of our lives where intentionality may be less than we hope.

To be honest with you, this is an area that I am currently struggling through & working to improve–Intentionality.

I have, by no means, “arrived” when it comes to this topic. But, I really want this blog to be a space, not where I come to you already perfectly grown in each area, but rather a space where we can grow & learn together.

I will never reach perfection, but I want to always be striving to grow in that direction—Not for bragging rights, but because I know that God has created us with so much untapped potential & I want to put more trust in Him to see that potential come to life.

Diving into Specifics

So, this week I want to start diving into more specifics. Over the next several months, I would like to really take some time looking into what intentionality looks like in different areas of life & some corresponding brainstorming ideas on how we can make it happen.

You may be wondering, “Well, what is the first area of intentionality you plan to talk about?”

Here we go…!

Make the Most Important Thing, The Most Important Thing

I want to start where it really matters. I want to start on an area of intentionality that will actually influence & impact EVERY OTHER area of your life—Our Personal Relationship with God.

Honestly, every single area of our life gains its meaning & purpose from this ONE topic. We may be able to seem successful without it, but nothing without it will truly matter in the long run. Everything comes back to this. Everything flows out of this.

God created us. HE designed us. HE runs this show. So, without gaining & developing a personal relationship with Him first, nothing else will ever completely FIT. (*Read more about my journey to HOPE, Here.*) We will forever be missing the mark without Him guiding us toward the potential & plan He created within us.

When making this area of our lives a priority, there are several things to consider. I will be covering these in more detail, in the coming weeks, but here is a quick overview of each & why it matters so much. Make sure to check back in the coming weeks to read more ideas to implement & grow in each of these areas.

These areas include Prayer, Reading & Studying God’s Word, Fellowship with Others, & Living Love. This is not an exhaustive list, but I just want to focus on some of the key areas.

Making Prayer a Priority

This is so key. God talks about prayer over & over again, in the Bible. He likes to hear from us, but He also knows that we tend to internalize pressures, when He would prefer that we entrust those to His power & plan. Imagine attempting to lift a car off of you, while Superman is standing next to you. That would be silly, right? But so often, that’s how we live our lives.

We often wonder why we get so over-exhausted, stressed, & often feel like a complete mess. But God is waiting right there, lovingly waiting for us to ask for His help. He doesn’t force Himself on us.

So when you are making plans, facing uncertainty, feeling pain, or rejoicing—go to Him!

But also, make it a habit to begin each day talking to Him about your plans, goals, fears, stress, potential, etc. Maybe you start with five minutes each morning or maybe more. Don’t rush yourself. Rest in Him.

More on this topic next Monday.

Reading & Studying the Bible for Yourself

Far too often, we rely completely on church services, books, & Bible Studies to gather our information about God.

What’s the problem with that? It’s all secondhand knowledge.

I am definitely not saying there is no value in secondhand knowledge—in fact, I plan to continue growing my resources tab with even more helpful content—but without your own personal studying, how will you know the difference between opinion & Truth?

It is easy for us to either grow complacent or to trust in ourselves or in half-truths (aka lies), when we don’t know the Truth ourselves. But how will we know the Truth if we don’t know the Truth? Right?

I will be diving into this topic a little more, in relation to intentionality, in a couple weeks, so make sure you check back!

Purposeful Fellowship with Others

Ok, ok, I know I said it all comes down to spending time with God & growing a personal relationship with Him, so why do I mention spending time with other people as a part of this?

Other people matter. Not just in serving others & purposefully loving others, but also spending time with them, living life with them, & helping each other grow.

Good friends are incredibly valuable as you grow in your relationship with God, because they can lift you up, encourage you, inspire you, refresh you, & teach you. They can see things in our life that we might not see—areas we need to grow or areas where we are compromising.

Good friends pray with us when we fall. They point you back to Truth when the world flips upside down. They help you see the wonders that are all around & remind you to be grateful.

Fellowship (getting together & spending time together) is super valuable, so make sure to tune in to read more about this area, in a few weeks!

Living Love

Living Love… This is such an important one! God has given us so much grace when we put our trust in Him & He gives us the ability to extend that love & grace to others as well.

It can be easy to miss the hurting souls around us, but it is so important that we lift them up in prayer, encourage them, & ask God to guide us in blessing them.

God doesn’t expect any sort of “payment” for His grace, but He does offer us everything we need to bless those around us with love, support, & encouragement.

Whether we use our talents, financials, time, or just a listening ear… Be intentional with how you love the people around you each day.

Be kind. Be generous. Be attentive. Be a servant. Live Love Intentionally.

Learning to Grow

I hope that this week’s post has been an encouragement to you & I hope that I can continue to encourage you through this series of intentionality, in the coming months.

I am grateful for you. I am grateful to grow alongside another woman who is looking to live life intentionally & be a blessing to the lives around her—not through her own time or abilities or strength, but through the well of provision given by God Himself.

I am praying for you as you work on this area. I am praying over these coming weeks, that God will inspire me to be open & real about my own shortcomings & struggles, & that He will shine HOPE through my mistakes, so that you can SHINE in your own life.

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!!

Radiant Stud Earrings

(On SALE Now!)

These sparkling studs feature cubic zirconia stones in a modern triangle design.

Artisan Information:

In India, education is not free & is unaffordable for those in poverty. However, every purchase of this piece supports the women who make it, who have worked hard to establish an affordable school for their children. These women can now rise out of poverty while also seeing their children rise with them. Your purchase will empower mothers and their generations to come!

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in India!

Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thanks, Lovely!