Two weeks ago I did something I typically do not do – went out to eat alone.  I was sitting at Pitza 42 by myself reflecting on the conference I had gone to a week or two before.  I was processing all I had learned on following Christ, loving my wife, leading my family & building into the people who God puts in my life.  I was asking what was the next step.  Quickly it became clear that the word I needed was a word that Dennis Rainey’s son used to sum up Dennis to a friend – INTENTIONAL.

We have taken the past 3-4 months and really looked at our family schedule and realized we were going through months where we very limited nights without any commitments.  Those few nights we decided we were going to protect for the family.  Looking back, we did protect them, but what did we do with them?  Did we spend time talking, praying, playing & treasuring the family God has given us?  Did we build into the boys Godly character?  Or did we just sit in the same room watching TV, playing games on an iPhone, while mom & dad Facebooked?  Was the time intentional?

I wish I could answer that we excelled…but I am not sure.  I hope some of it was intentional, but would guess a lot of the time was just in the same house.  While eating lunch alone, I decided I would be intentional.  Every Tuesday, a different son of mine will be eating with me during lunch.  We will read our Bibles together.  We will pray for the workers of the restaurant.  We will talk about what God is calling us to through Scripture & challenge both of us to follow!

Yesterday, I took my oldest to get a Bible that is not in pieces from misuse to promote actually reading it.  We read 2 Timothy 1 & talked about the key passages.  My goal is to over the three weeks he is not at lunch with me, to memorize the key verses in that chapter. Then read chapter 2 the next time we go.

  We prayed for Austin (the owner of Pitza 42) and what God is doing through them.  Austin shared the story of how God had shown him the spot for the restaurant, but someone already had a contract on it.  They felt this was the place God had given them and continued to pray.  A few days after being joined by family & friends praying in the spot the patio is now, they got a call and the contract with the other business fell through.  What a great story for my young son to hear from a man living for God & to see God’s faithful provision!

This morning on his own my son read an entire chapter in Isaiah…before I got out of bed.  I am not trying to be a super dad that gets praise.  My heart is to be intentional with my family & all those God brings into my life. I will fall, fail & make a mess of things, but I will not stop! I will continue to rely on the Holy Spirit to empower me to pour out what He has filled me with & intentionally choose to do His will. I also desire to be intentional about sharing this journey with you in hopes that the Holy Spirit will use where He takes me to encourage & motivate you.