My One Word Journey: April

April 28, 2023

2023 Word of the Year: Intentional

This month I've been meditating on the why behind my intentions. What is my reason for my intentions and why is that important?

Thoughts from my Journal:

Without understanding and embracing the why behind my intentions it is tempting to discard them in favor of comfort at the moment. I don't feel like cleaning today overrides my intentions for a clean house. I can do it tomorrow when the weather is nicer is taking a chance that the weeds will overtake the garden or the seeds won't be planted in time.

So what is my why for my intentions this month?

Spring Cleaning: Ready for visitors
Health
God's glory to be seen

Garden: Enjoy healthier food
Save money (?)
Good exercise
Challenging, learning, creative
Way to give

Projects: Fun
Useful
Creative

Be honest with myself about the why of my intentions. Discover what I am feeling and how I want to feel. Allow the Holy Spirit to show me my true intentions, then work to align them with God's.

Listen to Steve's why. What does he want? What is important to him? How can I help him achieve that? Where do our intentions and why's line up? Where do they diverge?

Quotes:

The evil that is in the world always comes from ignorance and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence, if they lack understanding. — Albert Camus

A good intention with a bad approach often leads to a poor result. — Thomas A. Edison

If you don't set an intention, you let the day determine your mood, rather than taking control and determining how you want the day to be. — Melissa Maxx

Picture It:

April Intentional collage

Action Plan:

Know my why.

Spring cleaning —Glory House Challenge from Jamie Rohrbaugh

From April 10-May 28 focus on making your home a peaceful habitation for the Holy Spirit. Take 10 minutes a day to purposefully clean, declutter, pick up, and purify your home. Journal what you did to make your house a more peaceful tabernacle for the Lord's glory to dwell in.

When setting my intention for the day, examine the why behind it.
Listen and affirm my husband's intentions and whys.

My Celebration:

Buy pretty plants for my garden for no reason other than they are pretty and make me happy to look at!

Discoveries along the way:

The why isn't always a big thing. It can be just because I want to and it's fun.
Sometimes the why is obedience.
God's intention for me is always for my good. His intention is: His kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. God's why: He loves me and wants the best for me. Jesus came that I might have life and life more abundantly. (John 10:10)
Aspire 2023 — Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Highlights & Review:

Knowing the why behind my intentions helps me stay on track. It also enabled me to have a better attitude when doing things I didn't want to do or that were out of my comfort zone.

Here are some of my favorite moments from April!

Highlights from April Word of the Year