I love the idea of being intentional about who we are and I equally love the notion that our intentionality is born of a desire to live. Intentionality begins with the thought that you should, it moves to the belief that you will and ends with the reality that you are; so be as intentional in your reading of this article, as I’ve been in its writing and if you intend on being the Intentional Church, then remember these 3 things:

1. Don’t chase substitutes to the things your already have.

Think about the things you have that are already adding meaning to your life, because when they go bad, it’s so easy to look for stop gap substitutes. Be intentional about the life enhancing things such as love, friendships, occupations, beliefs believed, future aspirations, present achievements and don’t lessen them by not fighting for them and protecting them. Celebrate their presence and importance to your existence and nurture them. That way, the value that gets lost when indifference sets in, is retained and 2nd best copies will not be your first choice.

2. Care wholeheartedly for the primary things that matter.

There are at least 3 or 4 things in the life of every person, which inspire and move him or her far beyond the reach of most things. The irony is that some never take the time to clearly understand what those things are, while others know what they are and spend most of their time giving attention to secondary things. I have so many students who talk to me about career paths they are pursuing that will make them ‘loads a money’ but their voice is hollow and heart empty while they speak about it, until they begin speaking of the hobby, skill or talent that really fires them up. It may tend to lead in a very different career direction but it fills them with so much enthused satisfaction just speaking about it. We do this on so many different levels in our lives, from our choices in career, to our choices in love. Seek the primary things, because when life writes out a 30-year story for us, it is a soul- wrenching thing to look back across the pages of our life and see that our life was a combination of 2nd choices and uninspiring events.

3. Pursue and fulfill your personal expectations.

Dr Angela Gallimore the Academic Dean of Students at Northern Caribbean University when I was a student was addressing the Freshmen Class of 1993 of which I was one. She said to us, “Nothing in life is free, you get what you pay for”. I’ve never forgot that profound and soul-searching statement, I can’t always say that I lived out its creed but it has never left me, some 19 years later. Our Intentionally intentional living, begins with the forward momentum, that having expectations give us. This coupled with the continued excitement that any new journey brings, is what makes life the trip of all trips. It doesn’t really matter how long it takes to fulfill our dream, nor in the great scheme of things does it matter when we start. The essential thing is that we begin and finish the things we have within us to do.

I’ve learned over the years that while I may not be an authority on many things, I am an expert on my life journey and experiences, as are we all. Our experience is our expertise! Intentionally intentional living begins and ends in with the choice we make on a every day basis, because we are only given one day at a time to live intentionally, though we may dream a million life times into a day. I’m praying that this symposium is the place where we stop talking about being a intentional person and church and begin the journey...