This year I’m seeking to be intentional about choosing joy. I also need to be intentional about moving forward in the necessary sorting, tidying and releasing that the decluttering process brings.
How do we achieve our goals? Only by being single-minded and intentional and having faith in God’s ability to see us through all we long to do.
We could all use a motivating spark, some extra energy, as well as help and support at times. Though what we need most is prayer, God-given discernment and perseverance to see our goals unfolding in the way He intends them to.
Prevarication and fatigue usually win over my best intentions. I often begin strong (in mind if not in body) but soon become wearied, sidetracked by sickness and other demands.
We require heavenly input and support in carrying out our plans, especially when we live with chronic illness, excessive fatigue and pain.
Decluttering our souls can be just as demanding as decluttering our homes. Persistence and perseverance help us move ahead when we get derailed by our circumstances.
If we are truly intentional about changing things in heart or home, then making a commitment before God, and receiving accountability from others, will make the difference between failure and success.
A setback can halt our progress for a while (or several months in my case! 😏) but renewed inspiration, motivation and strength help us to start again.
Starting small is absolutely fine, as is breaking tasks down into bite-size pieces. Being intentional gives us hope of picking ourselves up and carrying on where we left off before.
In our work, blogging and writing pursuits, home or soul improvements, being patient and gentle with ourselves can go hand in hand with pursuing life and faith with quiet determination. We have nothing to lose except the inertia and discouragement we feel when we get stuck or lose our way.
**I was intentional about linking up with the fantastic #FMF writing crew but I didn’t manage to achieve it until today. We need to give ourselves grace when our plans go awry! 🙂 It’s still not too late and you’re welcome to join us here for 5 minutes (ish) of writing inspired by this week’s word ‘intentional’**
Words of Joy 
Dear Joy,
Oh thank you for this confirmation here: “We require heavenly input and support in carrying out our plans, especially when we live with chronic illness, excessive fatigue and pain….Decluttering our souls can be just as demanding as decluttering our homes.” So often in this chronic illness journey, I become impatient with myself over the weariness I feel after I’ve plunged into a soul-decluttering time with the Lord. In the past those times always left me energized, and full of such joy. Now, I come away feeling drained and needing a nap! 🙂 What a sweet thought from Jesus that you’ve given here, to know that HE understands and is pleased with every little effort. And truly, He wants to help us be intentional, with both the efforts and the resting! Much Blessings, love and hugs to you my friend! xoxo
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Dear Bettie, it seems that my plans to write and respond here are in desperate need of God’s strengthening power. Very little can be accomplished without it or we risk overload and overwhelm. How thankful I am for heavenly input in all things, including this! In my experience, soul-decluttering is an exhausting activity that may leave us feeling physically depleted but also lifted and energised on the inside. Take those naps, my friend. Very often it’s the most helpful and holy thing we can do in a day. Though I still tend to resist the need to rest, God frequently speaks to me the most when I am still and quiet. There’s a moral there methinks! 😏 May we continue to be intentional with “both the efforts and the resting”, as you so wisely said. Sending abundant blessings, hugs and much love to you too! xoxo 💜
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Great post! May we all be intentional.
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Amen, Tara! I’m hoping to catch up with your blog post soon, my friend. xo 💜
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Thank you, Joy for these words. Your thoughts go along so well with my one word this year-surrender. In order for me to release the junk I have been holding onto, I need to intentionally surrender over and over. There is a gentleness and patience needed in the process but also allowing God to lead the way. Such beautiful words, love and hugs friend!
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Hi Mary, I’m so pleased these thoughts link well with your word for 2018. Surrender is something we all have to wrestle with “over and over”, hoping and praying it will become easier and more automatic over time. Yes, we can be so hard on ourselves, can’t we? It definitely helps to have gentleness and patience instead of getting upset and frustrated. Thank you so much for stopping by. It’s a joy to see you here, my friend! You always bring a fragrance of Christ and a sweet word of encouragement too. Love and hugs to you! xo 💜
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Joy, this is brilliant. So glad you wrote it. Prevarication and fatigue get me, too. And pain.
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Hello Andrew, it’s lovely of you to stop by! Thank you so much for your beautiful response to my words. Although I haven’t linked up with five-minute-friday for months and rarely comment on your blog, I do try to read most of your posts and keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Therefore I am aware of how much it costs you to write and to engage with blogging friends. I appreciate you being here, my friend. And I hope and pray the excruciating pain you are experiencing will settle down and respond well to medication. You amaze me with your inner strength and resilience. May God bless you as you continue to be a wonderful blessing to others. Sending prayers and gentle hugs. 💜
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Your sweet admonishment is encouraging, my friend. I still struggle to respond gracefully when physical limitations get in the way of the best laid plans and intentions. I believe we too often set ourselves up for failure. So starting small and being gentle with ourselves are hope-filled words to my ears. Blessings on your week, dear one.
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It isn’t easy, is it, June? I have times when I chafe against the restrictions that having chronic illness brings. But after many years of adaptation I am learning to go with the flow more and to accept I need to listen to Holy Spirit’s guidance within. Then I can rest better, become more aware of just when I can manage something, or not, and be more at peace about being interruptible and available to others where possible. It’s a balancing act most days, especially during winter when I seem to catch one virus after another! Listening to our bodies and being sensible also helps a lot, although I tend to plunge into busyness whenever I feel well enough to do a bit more! So don’t be hard on yourself, dear one. Resistance tends to lead to worsening symptoms. May you take all the time out you need and be blessed by the rest, joy and peace God gives us when we still our souls before Him. xo 💜
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