With the start of a new year comes new beginnings, new goals, and new hopes for what the year ahead can bring. With the past year that we all went through it is refreshing to look to 2021 and see what it could have in store for us all. This year I was asked by a great friend, who also writes on our site, what my word of the year was. What one word or phrase was God pressing on my heart to study, pray and zone in on this year? If you have not done this before I encourage you to also do this. Take time today or later this week and pray about what God is speaking to your heart and what He wants to do in you and through you this next year. Today I will be sharing with you my word of the year and how I see God helping me use this throughout the year. For 2021 the word God gave me was, INTENTIONALITY! When I first heard it, I tried to tell myself, no surely, He meant something else, however the longer I sat and prayed about it this was the only word coming to my heart. I like to know definitions so even though I knew what the word meant I immediately googled the definition to study it more.
In-ten-tion-al-i-ty:
The fact of being deliberate or purposive.
The quality of mental states that consists in their being directed toward some object or state of affairs.
God really opened my eyes and told me that in 2021 everything I do; I need to do it with intentionality. Setting my focus on Him and allowing ever thought, every decision, every action I make to be set on him. My first thoughts were honestly, God this is impossible!! Then of course Philippians 4:13 popped in my head and I heard ever so sweetly, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” Leading with this strong and tough word made me a little apprehensive, because honestly, I just didn’t want to fail! I am a list kind of person so I thought ok, what are some things I can do practically to help myself meet this goal of being intentional in everything I do? I knew for starters I had to get back to putting my quiet time first and being intentional about making it a priority in my life once again. I am a stay-at-home mom of 4 kids with the oldest being 5 and the youngest having just turned 1. So naturally it is extremely easy for me to make excuses or push off that time with God. For this to be done and done well I knew I had to get to bed no later than 10 pm each night and my goal was to get up at 6 am every morning read my Bible and have that quiet solitary time with God before the whole house arose for the day! I am happy to say that thus far I have read my bible each day and had that dedicated alone time with God. I have strayed a few days and not go to bed as early as I would like to, but I am staying intentional about this time with God. The second big thing I am working on with this word is being intentional in my thoughts. WOW! Is this a tough battle! Knowing that the word tells us to, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” 2Corinthians 10:5, and so many powerful versus reminding us that it is thoughts of the mind that we must own and take control of them or else we allow then to spin our whole day upside down. The moment we feel that thought or that lie creeping into our minds we have to stop and say, “No! I will not allow this thought to take over my day. How many of us have turned on the news or allowed scrolling on social media to completely get us heated up inside and before you know it that aimless scrolling has sent you down a rabbit trail of frustration, anger, confusion and even hopelessness! In that moment that you recognize it instead of allowing your joy and peace to be stollen turn off what you arewatching or get off the social media and take a breath and remind yourself that You are a child of God and the moment you received Christ as your savior you received the fruits of the spirit! They live inside of you so tell those negative emotions to leave and recite the word of God saying, “I have…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control!” 2 Corinthians 5:22-23. Then celebrate that victory!! Each victory, small or large when you realize you stopped that negative emotion from building up inside of you and turning to resentment, or unforgiveness is a victory to be celebrated!! With each small victory comes a battle cry of victory in our lives as we begin to take back control of the intentionality of our lives and set ourselves up for the path God has us to lead.
So, maybe intentionality is not your word this year, maybe this spoke to you and it is the word God has for you. Whateverthe word is know that God wants to do a great work in your life and wants to bring you into a deeper more loving and personal relationship with Him!! I hope that as you take time to think and pray about the word God gives you for 2021 that you couldshare it with us! Allows us to agree with you and the word God has on your heart and your life this year. Please share with us or find you a small group of women who can do the same and share with each other and pray over your words for the year! May God guide you and restore you throughout the year ahead!
Written by Justine Garcia
Nesting in his presence 