Intentionally Intentional

I found a post from two years ago talking about the race I will compete in a couple weeks from now.

I have trained harder for my upcoming 100 mile race than for any previous race, ever. In fact, this may go down as the most intentionally pursued goal I have ever chased down.

I am taking it so seriously because it is no joke; 100 miles is not something that I can just muscle my way through. It also has the ability to hurt me in the process. I need to be trained up, have my nutrition in order, and to have all the right gear.

My wife has been my greatest teammate in this journey. She has totally taken over getting my nutrition prepared. She has been making me dense meals to help my body recover from the weekly abuse I have been putting myself through. I have been running so many more miles than I am used to, and she has supported me through it all, making sure I am always ready to go on the next run.

I have to schedule my days in a precise way, so I can do a great job on my work while also getting the miles I need for each day.

This entire process has been extremely intentional. From how much I sleep. How much I eat. How many miles I run. What time I run.

And yet, as I have been so focused and intentional with this running program, I have come to wonder: am I this intentional with any other aspect of my life?

How about you? What takes most of your focus?

For some people, the thing that draws their attention and intentionality is their career.

For others, it could be their house, decorating for every season and making sure everything is clean to the baseboards.

Others, their car, going to car club gatherings and other car things.

For some people they prioritize their pets, or travel, or socializing by going out with friends.

For all of us, it is like we are solar system. We have all of these things that are important to us, and they are like planets. But there is something in every one of our lives that is more like the sun than the planets. It is around this one thing that everything else rotates around. We schedule for it. Spend our resources on it. We think about it. We tell everyone else about it.

What is the “sun” in your life? And is that the thing you actually want in the center of your life?

For me, I do not ever want to be known as a runner first. Or a health nut. Or any other thing than a follower of Jesus Christ. It is the relationship that I have with my faith that needs to direct all other loves or desires.

Something will always position itself at the center of your life. Take time to intentionally place it there. Otherwise, you may wake up one day and realize something that is of lesser importance has taken control of your life.

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