Growing

Announcer’s Voice: “This week, on Intentionality…!”

Haha, that’s how I am starting to feel with this series, but to be honest, intentionality is an area where I fail daily, so it’s helpful to flesh it out, see where I could pick up the slack, & also encourage others where I might be getting something right.

So, let’s dive right into our next area of focus with regards to intentionality—”Purposeful Fellowship.”

Making it Matter

How often have I hosted game nights or coffee dates with friends & missed opportunities to reach into their lives to really bless them?

Have you ever had a friend whom every time you met with her, you left feeling refreshed, renewed, inspired, & ready to take on the world?

I have, & what a blessing those friends are!

It always seems like they are so wise & so patient. It is so easy to assume that they are naturally this way (and maybe, to some degree, they are), but it’s also important to realize that ANY of us could have that sort of impact on our friends.

Woah, Woah, Woah

Now, for me, being reminded that ANYONE is capable of having this impact on others, immediately causes me to recoil into defensiveness.

The “lazy me” (& maybe “selfish me”) begins to think:

“I can’t do that.”

“They may be gifted with that, but not me.”

“I can’t put that pressure on myself.”

“When I’m with friends, I don’t want to pressure myself because I need encouragement.”

“I don’t know how to be that kind of friend.”

But really, if I am completely honest with myself, I know that although it may come more naturally to others, we are all capable of being that kind of friend.

How? Start by praying about it.

Pray About It & Have a Plan

Frame it this way… When you make plans with a friend, start praying about that upcoming encounter as you go about your time leading up to it. Pray for that friend & pray about how you can be intentional in loving that friend.

Because really, God knows your friend better than you do! God knows how to kick past all of the pretense to the real needs she might have.

Be intentional about how you spend time with your friends.

When you hang out, try one (or all) of these ideas:

1. Ask your friend if there’s something specific you can be praying for her.
2. Ask your friend how God has been leading or growing her lately.
3. Ask your friend if she has any needs where you can help relieve the burden.
4. Ask to pray with/for your friend before you close out your time together.

Be intentional! You won’t be disappointed!

Reality Check

This does not at all come naturally to me, as you could probably tell from the list of excuses I provided above, but I have never been disappointed when I took the time to do this.

Also, I’m pretty insecure sometimes… which makes me a little nervous stepping out of my comfort zone.

I don’t know why, but since friendly conversation doesn’t always naturally lean in that direction of focusing thoughts back on God & on intentionally encouraging each other beyond the basics, being intentional here makes me feel a bit insecure—like someone is going to think I am self-righteous or something.

But why should that hold me back from being a blessing to my friendships?

And why would I think encouraging & lifting up my friend sounds self-righteous?

My insecurities & fears like to dictate how I interact with others, & that is why it is SO VITAL to make sure we start praying about it beforehand.

Take the time to dig a little deeper than the surface with your friends. Put yourself on a limb to lift them up. Let God guide your thoughts, words, & actions so you are not putting the weight of your insecure thoughts on yourself. He can handle it.

A Tip for the Holidays

Holidays are a great time to be intentional with our interactions, while also putting a theme to it!

Here’s a little something I do, in order to bring focus back to God, when getting together with friends for Thanksgiving:

1. I cut out different large leaves & write verses about thankfulness on each one.
2. I pass them out to our guests.
3. We take time to each read our leaf.
4. Then we go around the room & each pray what we are thankful for. (*We used to just go around saying what we are thankful for, but we realized, “Why not just tell God what we’re thankful to Him for, versus telling each other what we’re thankful to Him for?”)
5. To close, I give them each a cute printout containing all of the verses that were read that day, so they can reflect on it later. (*I will probably add this as a Bonus Downloadable when we get closer to Fall).

Push Through with Prayer

So be creative in how you bring the focus back to what really matters: pointing each other back to the HOPE of Christ & encouraging each other along the way.

It may not come naturally for you, but God is able to cut through the fears & insecurities & bless your time with friends. So always pray about it, friends!

Live intentionally & Shine Hope!

Coming Up

Make sure to tune in next week for “Intentionality-Living Love.” I hope this week has been an encouragement & please be praying for me as I prepare for each week’s post, so that I can clearly present a message that inspires you to live with intentionality. Love you!!

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!!

Western Stud Trio

Representing Women Artisans in India!

These simple yet modern studs come in a set of three pairs: a golden, a silver, and a rose gold pair.

Artisan Information:

The women we partner with in India do so much more than just create beautiful products. With every purchase, another woman is empowered out of poverty to be self-reliant! Women have the opportunity to earn an income, attend financial management classes, and receive education and healthcare. These women are now able to give their family a promising future because of your purchase!

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!