I’ve found that learning to love this person that God has created me to be has freed me in so many ways. In some aspects I am still taking baby steps and learning to fully embrace who I am and all that I was created to be, but the sense of liberation and joy certainly is evident as I move forward, my confidence growing daily.

It has also allowed me to be more intentional in what I do as well as how I do it. No longer do I simply do something for the sake of it, I have become more selective and specific regarding what I do and how it is done. Knowing who you are makes you realise that you have a purpose and a responsibility to live your life in a way that honours your Creator.

No longer do I strive to please others, my affirmation, my value and my worth only comes from one place. My heavenly Father is the one that is qualified to keep score of my life, after all, He is the only one who knows my true value and potential.

One of the key questions I would ask my clients when putting together marketing strategy is: “What is your objective?” Or “What do you hope to achieve?”

It was such a pivotal question and I found that by asking this question it really helped us develop a very clear and strategic plan with key deliverables. We were also able to look at Return on investment and effectively measure the success of the campaign.

Without a clear objective, it is impossible to measure success. It is actually scary how many initiatives are undertaken with no thought around the “WHY?” Similarly, how do we begin to measure the success of our lives if we are not clear in terms of the “Why?”.

I recently saw a quote that reminded me of this, it said…. 

Get in the habit of asking yourself: “Does this support the life I am trying to create?”

We really need to start doing things with a clear objective, in fact, my personal theme for this year has been to “Be Intentional” in all I do. It wasn’t a random theme that I chose, but rather, it chose me as I became to become more conscious of the choices I made and realised how much of joy it brought me to be consciously and consistently Intentional in all that I do.

Interestingly, with the onset of Covid, we realised that planning suddenly no longer had the power it once did. Yet I discovered a different perspective to this. Planning in accordance with God’s plan and purpose for my life…

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16:9

Here’s one little scenario that has supported my call to intentionality. One of the ways that I realised that I was unconsciously adapting to being more purposeful in my decision making was when I chose to wear flats to church one Sunday. They were just so much more comfy and made serving and worshipping easier. Week after week I began to enjoy wearing flats to church instead of heels.

Now I have always been a person who wore heels, especially to church. They make any outfit look way better, never mind the fact that my kids are growing at such a rapid pace, I am scarily close to becoming the shortest in the family! But the benefit of not wearing them began to outweigh the appearances. I was so much less restricted in my worship, and when my pastor decided to do one more song, my feet would no longer protest in discomfort, instead, I would be delighted at the opportunity to spend more time seeking God.

As I began to truly appreciate the freedom I had gained from simply wearing flats instead of heels, it got me thinking, why did I ever choose to wear heels in the first place if they were so restrictive? Which got me thinking further…

Why do we attend church?

I cannot answer for anyone other than myself, so here’s my response…

The truth is, if you asked me this question over the past 17 or so years, my response would have progressively changed over the years as my relationship with God developed. At twenty one, my only motivation to attend church was the amazing man who would practically drag me there every Sunday. That and the promise of lunch afterwards, his mum is an amazing cook!

After I finally married him a couple years later, it was simply routine. If we didn’t attend, we were sure to get a call from my father in law, enquiring of our whereabouts. So we ensured that the box was ticked week after week.

As we progressed and became more involved, it was out of religious duty combined with my growing faith. Slowly the bar began to shift more toward the personal relationship and attending church was no longer a chore but something I began to anticipate.

Now my intention is clear. I attend church to worship God, to draw from the word and to serve. I go to spend time with my Father, to sit at His feet and be filled with His Holy Spirit. To know this Jesus who died for me and who intercedes on my behalf.

As my intention becomes clearer, I am happy to leave my heels behind and find myself barefoot at His feet, ready to draw from His presence, hands raised in adoration and honour, completely surrendered in His presence.

Having lost so many over the past year, we have become far more conscious of our mortality. The truth is:

Life is momentary, death is eternal.

The questions are:

Where are we going to spend our eternity?

And in the meanwhile, are we fulfilling our purpose?

When preparing His disciples for His departure Jesus said:

I go to prepare a place for you. And when everything is ready, I will come back and take you to myself so that you will be where I am.

John 14:2-3 TPT

He went on to say:

And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like me—and he will never leave you. The world won’t receive him because they can’t see him or know him. But you know him intimately because he remains with you and will live inside you. John 16-17 TPT

Jesus encourages the disciples to remain connected to Him:

I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. If a person is separated from me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned. 

I would encourage you to read John 16 where you will see Jesus warning the disciples of hardships to come in the midst of telling them he is leaving, but reassuring them that it is good that He leave, as The Holy Spirit will come and live in each of them. And in the same manner, In each of us!

You see, as a man, Jesus couldn’t physically be everywhere, with everyone at the same time, but through His Holy Spirit, He is able to be with each of us, every moment, of every day.

Imagine that! You have The Holy Spirit with you, every moment of every day. It’s like having your best friend joined to your hip. Do you talk to Him? Do you ask His help? Do you listen? Thank Him? Honour him? Worship Him?

I guess the point that I am making is that God is real, He is personal and He longs for a relationship with us. A relationship that reciprocates the love He poured out for us as He chose to hang on the cross to redeem us.

He has gone to prepare a place for us, the surest way to know that we are walking in our purpose is to walk towards Him. How? Listen to His voice and follow wherever it may lead, with the faith of knowing that He is our ultimate destination.

All Jesus asks in exchange for our redemption, is that we receive Him as our personal saviour. This answers the question of where we will spend our eternity. By receiving Him, we receive eternal life.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

John 10:27-28

What about fulfilling our purpose? I believe that Matthew says it best in Matthew Chapter 6 where he speaks about how children of God ought to live in contrast with our counterparts. Take a moment to read and appreciate the sentiments expressed. He concludes his discourse so well with these words:

“So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly. Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.”

Matthew 6:33-34 TPT

So this is how I choose to live, being intentional in all that God has called me to do, by hearing Him and following Him daily. Speaking to Him every morning as I rise, at night as I turn in and throughout the day, for He is with me always…

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”

Psalm 27:8