Living Intentionally

My youngest son, Jared, moved away from home last fall.  He has done great, graduating from and receiving his certification as an Emergency Medical Technical as one more step in reaching his goal of becoming a Firefighter in a big city.  We are so proud of him.  He has set goals for himself and kept going until he attained each one of them.  First there was his goal of graduating from high school.....attained.  Next was his goal of obtaining his Fire Science Degree.....attained.  Then came his goal of becoming a certified Emergency Medical Technicial (EMT).....attained.  Jared spent the last 4 years of his life living intentionally to attain the goals that he had set out for himself.  The week after Jared graduated from his EMT class, God blessed our family by sending him back home to us for a 12 day visit.    We all had a wonderful, wonderful time with Him.....meeting him at the airport with signs welcoming him home.

Meeting Jared at the airport was exciting!

We all knew that Jared was coming home for several weeks, so we intentionally made time in our schedules to be together as a family in order to enjoy all the time that we could with him.  We packed the 12 days he was home with lots of different activities.  With 3 little ones age 3 and under, we did lots of activities that they could enjoy; we camped out in our backyard, rode bicycles, walked around the pond in our addition, went to a parade, played in our backyard with the little ones, played basketball, ate together; simplying enjoying being together as a family again.  Our family spent these 12 days that Jared was home living intentionally to attain the goals that we had set out for ourselves this week with him.

Fixing a broken pedal on Ash's bike on our bicycle ride.

Jared playing cars with Layla & Seeley.

Jared, Rick, Travis and a friend, Aaron, enjoy a game of basketball.

Eating together at Chipolte, Jared's favorite restaurant.

Watching the Waynedale Memorial Day Parade together.

In my daily Bible reading this morning I read about Paul, a man who lived intentionally to attain the goals that he had in life.  He expresses his goals in Philippians 3:10 where he says, "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death and to attain to the resurrection of the dead."  and then again in I Corinthians 1:17 where he says, "For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel." 

Paul's goals in life were to know Christ and His power, fellowship in Christ's suffering, preach the gospel, become like Christ in His death and attain the resurrection of the dead.  In II Timothy 4:7-8 Paul said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing."   Paul knew that through his intentional living, he had attained the goals that he had set out for himself.  He knew Christ and His power, he had fellowshiped in Christ's suffering, he had preached the gospel, he had become like Christ in His death. 

What an example Paul is for me in my life.  Paul knew that because of his intentional living for Christ, he was able to face the end of his life with confidence that he would participate in the resurrection of the dead.   I want my goals in life to always be in alignment with God's Word.  I want to live intentionally so that I know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.

 

 

Like Paul, I desire to live intentionally for Chirst.  I want to be able to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, I will share in the resurrection of the dead."  This is my prayer for you as well!

Encouraging You In Christ

All Praise, Honor and Glory to God!