27. Live with Intention

Early on in my young adulthood, I had this magnet with this quote:

“Live with intention, walk to the edge, listen hard, practice wellness, play with abandon, laugh, choose with no regret, continue to learn, appreciate your friends, do what you love, live as if this is all there is” by Mary Anne Radmacher.

That first line, “live with intention” stuck with me. My young adulthood was this new time in life to find myself. It was about making choices that were only my own. Unlike school, there was no grading system for how I would live my life. I think this invitation to live with deep purpose and meaning helped keep me grounded and provided a compass for me. It helped me stick to my values and that ultimately helped guide my choices.

In a world that often pulls us in countless directions, the practice of intentionality has never been more important. To live intentionally means to align our actions, choices, and time with our values and priorities. It’s about living with purpose, rather than simply reacting to what comes our way.

Being intentional helps us focus on what truly matters. Whether it’s spending quality time with loved ones, pursuing a goal, or simply resting, intentional living calls us to pause and ask, “Does this align with who I am and what I care about?”

I think I’ve said this before but our society is noisy - there are constant messages bombarding us telling us what we should do, what we need and how we should be doing more of _____ (fill in the blank). There are a lot of expectations on us and it’s impossible to be allllll of the things. So… living with intention invites us to try to really get at the heart of our values. When we have that list, we can hopefully be more clear about what we can say yes to and what we cannot. We can reclaim our energy and try not to be so stretched thin.

Being intentional doesn’t mean every moment needs to be planned or productive. Intentionality allows room for rest, creativity, and even spontaneity—so long as it reflects the values you hold dear.

A friend and I were talking the other day about how if given the choice between home projects or getting outside with the family, we’re choosing the latter. And yet, we also know that there are going to be days where our homes need attention or we have to the do less-fun thing. So, it’s going to be a balance. It’s finding the times where you need to live into connection and adventure, and when you need to live into the less fun tasks that do ultimately uphold a value that you have (like a comfortable space to be in).

When we live with intention, we create lives that feel more meaningful and authentic. It’s not about perfection, but about presence (read that again if you need to. 10 times if you need to). It’s not about perfection, but about presence. It’s about being fully engaged with the choices we make and the life we build.

This word and this value of intentionality has stuck with me throughout all these years. It’s shown up in big ways like when my husband and I got married, we had a clear value and intention that helped guide the decisions we made for our wedding day. There are a lot of places it shows up in parenting. It shows up in small ways too in just how we balance the family calendar or how we spend our time. Intentionality has shown up deeply in my ministry. It truly is how I try to live my life - with intention, with purpose, and with authenticity.

REFLECTION:

So take a moment today to reflect.

• What matters most to you?

• What would you say your top 3 values are?

• Are there places in your life where you could act with more purpose?

I pray that in embracing intentionality, you’ll find clarity, joy, and a deeper sense of fulfillment in all you do.