The Best of Intentions

Do you have those moments (or days, weeks and months) where you feel God directly working on your heart...tinkering away...and there are things that come along, those unexpected events, that work to convict your heart. A compilation of conversations, emails, verses from His book, song lyrics, and all of a sudden you feel your heart being overwhelmed by Him, and it is scary, so scary, but exhilarating, full of hope and joy, and transforming. In examining my life...am I striving to glorify our most high God in every situation, words that I speak, attention and intention? I received an email today that had as its subject "intentionality" which was interesting since that is something I've been wrestling with lately, and had wanted to title an entry and speak in terms of how I was desiring to be intentional in my life to show the love of Jesus...Recently I have been led over and over to a verse that has been speaking to me of intention in my life:"Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him" Matthew 4:21-22. I tie this to intention because when I look at the direction my life and actions take, am I willing to lay it down and follow without question and with JOY? Am I willing to be used for the kingdom? What does my heart love and follow? Today at church at the close "It is well with my soul" was sung a capella and the Lord knows that my heart is pricked over and over with music. The story of these lyrics is powerful in itself, but paired with the sermon on knowing that God is working for the good through all events in our lives, my recent conversations with Him, and seeing His intentional love for me, I had tears streaming down my face thinking of the events in my life this past year and how I have not always been intentional to lay it down, follow and give thanks for the hardship that I know He is working for the good.

So, as I start 2006, it is my goal to be intentional, to not let how God has convicted my heart concerning this go to waste. It is to show love, grace, mercy, kindness...to look for areas to serve, to give without expectation or reservation, and to be willing to leave, lay it down, and give it up to follow the One who did that for me.

So, thank-You, Jesus
Even when You see us just as we are
Fragile and frail and so far
From who we want to be

So, thank-You, Jesus
Even when the pieces are broken and small
Dreams shatter and scatter like the wind
Thank-You, even then

~ Nicole Nordeman "Even Then"