Every year right before Christmas I start to think about the following new year. I usually spend some time asking the Lord what the next season should look like and literally just ‘daydream’ about all the possibilities that He’s placed on my heart. During this process one thing that’s really important to me is asking the Lord what my ‘word of the year’ will be. I believe that this word helps shape my focus and my attention as I cross into a new season.

This year as I prayed, I felt like He gave me the word ‘intentionality’. He began to show me how everything worth anything requires intentionality and this year, I have to be laser focused on that mission. I spent some time thinking about all the areas of my life and moving parts I have going on and began to pray about what intentionality would look like specifically in those places. 

Intimacy and closeness in my marriage, raising God fearing children, excelling in my new position at work, becoming a better communicator, cultivating the right relationships and maybe even cutting off the wrong ones (just to name a few) – all of which will require tremendous intentionality on my part.

I’ve never been more aware of the fact that the life I have engrained in my heart will not just happen. It must be sought after, fought for and pursued daily. To sit and wait for things to happen, specifically the things that God has placed within my grip and control, would be foolish.

As I sat down to write some more I saw the words ‘2020 Vision’ so, I wrote that down. Waiting for the next portion, assuming this was a title of sorts, I sat and pondered some more. 2020 Vision.  2020 Vision. ‘Ok God, what is it? What’s my 2020 vision?’ as I continued to pray I realized this- 2020 vision wasn’t merely a page title for the overall vision of my upcoming year. It was an area that required my attention and intentionality, it was about the condition of my perspective. 

I felt as though the Lord was asking me to refocus and regain the 20/20 vision He’s given me.

In that moment, God reminded me of a time in my life when I was working 7-8 hours a day behind a computer screen and I began to develop headaches of all sorts. In an effort to figure out what was wrong, I went to an eye doctor to see if my vision had changed and if I needed to get glasses. It had not, yet my doctor still prescribed the lowest prescription for my first ever pair of glasses. He said if I used them, despite my 20/20 vision, it would help me to see more clearly as it elevates the strain from staring at a monitor. It did not. 

What I realized in that time was simple; there would be no substitution for just taking a step back and looking away. Sitting so close, for so long- staring at the same thing for hours a day, wasn’t helping me and there was no solution for that besides; not looking so long and so hard. I needed a break.  

As He reminded me of this time He began to show me that I once again have had my attention and focus out of balance. It wasn’t that I was looking at the wrong thing, it’s just that looking at anything other then Jesus for too long, can effect your vision, and even worse, your perspective. So I decided to step away.

For me personally, that meant signing off social media for some time. I felt as though going into the New Year focused and undistracted would help me to see everything better. Stepping back, taking my focus off this thing that takes up so much of my time and energy has helped me to see so much clearer. I’ve been taking time to write, plan, prepare and most importantly dream about the impending New Year.

I believe that God is very clear in His direction to us, the problem is sometimes we are too distracted to see it or surrounded by too much noise to hear it. What the Lord showed me was that because my life is big, beautiful and oh so blessed, it would require immense intentionality to make sure that I don’t become distracted by those things. Keeping my perspective pure and my vision clear. Always taking two steps back to look at life from a broader perspective. 

I don’t know about you, but as much as I love my kids- sometimes I can get stuck in the rut of coming and going, cooking and cleaning and I need to step back to remind myself of the magic in the mundane. Sometimes I find myself so fixated on something that I literally begin to dread the things I once loved. My perspective often needs some sprucing up and being intentional to do so will make a world of a difference for me!

I’ve realized that your vision and perspective determines everything so before we can set our path to do all the things, we have to make sure our vision is clear enough to see the right things.

So for me, this coming year is about intentionality starting with my perspective. 2020 vision means keeping my heart pure and my mind clear. Being intentional not just about doing the right things, but also seeing the right way.

Do you have a word for 2020? If so, what is it? What are your goals, dreams and plans for this new season? If you don’t yet, I would encourage you to start thinking about it. For me I process through this with God, He’s one of my best friends! But for you, maybe you grab a cup of coffee, a notebook and a good friend to talk it out with. Even vision takes intentionality. So dream big, let your heart leap again! God isn’t done working in you. The best is yet to come.

Xo.. LB