40 Days of Intentional Living

Today is Ash Wednesday. A new season has begun. It’s the beginning of Lent season: a season of reflection and preparation before the celebration of Easter. The Lent season is approximately 40 days long. I’m starting a 40-day journey during Lent season. I’m calling it 40 Days of Intentional Living. I want to experience something new with God. I want you to join me on this journey, so I’m inviting you to join me. I’m inviting you because I want you to experience something new with God too. I also want to lend my faith to you, encourage your heart, and inspire some grit. Want to know of more what my 40 Days of Intentional Living will include? Then keep reading.

 

Why 40?

In Scripture, the number 40 has significant meaning. Generally, it refers to a period of testing, but I believe the number 40 is also about transformation. I believe God does amazing transformations in people’s lives in as little as 40 days.

Right off the top of my head, I can think of a few stories from Scripture where the number 40 was lived out. For instance, Moses lived his first 40 years in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house learning how to run Egypt. He lived his middle 40 years in Midian learning how to shepherd from Jethro his father-in-law. He lived his last 40 years in the wilderness leading God’s people after helping them escape slavery.

Then there’s the story of Noah’s ark. For 40 days rain fell on the Earth. Meanwhile, Noah and his family were riding the waves. God used this time to transform His world.

For 40 days Jesus Himself fasted. During these 40 days Jesus prepared for the beginning of His ministry on Earth.

Whether 40 years or 40 days, the number 40 has significance. It’s not just about testing, it’s also about transforming.

But transformation can’t take place without some testing. If we want to be transformed, we have to accept we will go through some testing.

I believe our lives are lived in a both/and kind-of-way. I’ve shared about both joy and sorrow. We can’t have one without the other in this world.

I believe the same is true about testing and transforming. You can’t have one without the other.

I believe there are many both/and’s in this world.

True Story Ahead

Back in 2008, I was a busy person. I was a wife, a mom of three highly-active kids ranging in age from 12-18. I led a children’s praise time at our church every Sunday. I was completing my bachelor’s degree, and I started a full-time job after not working full time for 15 years. My life was very full.

One month after I started my job, my husband was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder called Amyloidosis. My “full” life began to bulge.

As we began the journey of learning about Bob’s illness and discovering what treatment he would endure, a stem cell transplant, I began to feel exceedingly overwhelmed. How was I going to handle all of my responsibilities? All of what I was doing was significant to me. All of it!

I’d dreamt of having my bachelor’s degree for years. I tried to figure out how I could continue all of what I was involved in while my husband went to Mayo Clinic for a very long and serious medical treatment. I mean, we’re talking a couple of months at Mayo, and then more months recovering at home from the treatment.

On September 14, 2008, God’s direction came to me from the book of Ecclesiastes. Chapter three begins, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”

I asked myself, “What season are you in, Michelle?”

As I read Ecclesiastes 3 that day, God’s Word spoke directly to me when I got to verse 5…

“There’s a time to embrace and a time to refrain.”

At that moment I knew what season I was in and what I needed to do.

That very day, I sent the following message to a mentor in my life:

“Kim, God’s Word is my guide…I know what season I’m in: a time to refrain from activities and a time to embrace my husband and my family. I just can’t do everything I’ve been doing and still be all I need to be for Bob and my children.”

During that season, I intentionally refrained from leading the children’s praise time at church. I stopped attending college. I couldn’t work 40 hours each week at my job in St. Paul and be in Rochester at the same time, so I worked approximately 24 hours during many weeks and some weeks not at all.

As I refrained from those activities, I also embraced time with my husband and my children. When I was in Rochester, I embraced Bob’s needs. When I was at home, I embraced my children’s needs. When I was at work, I embraced the needs of my job. I also embraced the help of many people for various needs for myself and my family. God provided for all the needs, and God gave me the strength and grace to endure this difficult season of my life.

This was a season of testing for sure, but it was also a season of transformation. I learned a lot about God, myself, my abilities, and lack of abilities. My thinking and my behavior transformed. I won’t go into all those details now, but I will say, my life was transformed by living through the season of refraining and embracing.

40 Days of Intentional Living

My 40 days of intentional living idea came from both these principles and experiences.

I want to be transformed into the person God wants me to become. I already know this includes testing. After all, isn’t Lent season about testing or challenging ourselves by giving up something important to us?

So here’s the twist, I think this season should also be a time to embrace.

The key Scripture for my 40 Days of Intentional Living will be Ecclesiastes 3:5:

a time to embrace and a time to refrain

We’re going to do this intentionally.

Intentional living means we need to think about how we’re going to live our lives.

For the next 40 days, during Lent season, we will live God’s directions intentionally.

Practical application is important, but how do we practically apply this principle of God’s Word in our lives today?

This is where I can help and where God will provide.

For this 40 Days of Intentional Living, I will seek God every morning for His direction. Then I will write a post what the day’s instruction is.

It will be a both/and instruction. We will both refrain from something and embrace something.

Do you want to journey with me for 40 Days of Intentional Living? It will mean you are committing to both testing and transforming?

I’m already praying for those who will join me. I just don’t know who you are, but God does.

I’ll be starting my journey of 40 Days of Intentional Living this coming Sunday. See you then!