Lovingly Intentional

As we listen and attend to the loving voice of God, He invites us into a relationship of ever-deepening intimacy. That’s the way God has worked in the hearts of His beloved children since the day Adam and Eve walked freely in the garden. His welcome is consistently one of affectionate blessing toward all whom He created…including you and me.

Our best response to His divine invitation is to seek His glory in both private and public worship, solidify our understanding of His call on our life, and then lean fully into a vibrant walk of daily faith. This is where our personal rule of life becomes a central focus…our gracious response to God’s loving initiatives.

Becoming lovingly intentional begins with our roles and relationships with others. What are your roles and with whom are you currently in relationship? For example, your roles may include being a child of God, a mother or father, a sister or brother, a friend, worker, student, etc. Within such roles there exist several relationships…all with names and faces, stories and needs, etc.

Interview the Spirit prayerfully, inquire of others specifically, process with your small group, and reflect personally on questions like the following: what are my primary roles and relationships? Am I seeking a realistic number of roles and relationships? In what ways could I be contributing to the health and/or healing of my primary relationships? With whom shall I reach out today?

Sitting prayerfully with such questions allows us the privilege of serving others in Jesus name, even offering a cup of cold water to refresh their heart with our presence, prayers and provisions of grace. We were meant to exist among others and within community. Renew today the pursuit of your roles and relationships with loving intentionality.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” Phil. 2:3-5.

For more information on crafting a rule of life join the online community at  www.RuleOfLife.com

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Steve Macchia

Founder & President

Steve is a graduate of Northwestern College (IA) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div. and D.Min.). His prior ministry includes serving on the pastoral staff at Grace Chapel (Lexington, MA) and as president of Vision New England. Since July 1, 2003 Steve has served as founder and president of Leadership Transformations, director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building, and adjunct faculty in the Doctor of Ministry department at Gordon-Conwell. He is the author of sixteen books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective),  Baker bestseller Becoming a Healthy Church, and Crafting a Rule of Life (IVP). He lives in the Boston area with his wife Ruth and is the proud father of two grown children, Rebekah and Nathan, daughter in-love Ashley, and papa to his beloved granddaughter, Brenna Lynn and twin grandsons, Aiden Joseph and Carson Stephen. “My soul comes alive singing the great hymns of the church and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I’m in awe of God for fulfilling the dream for LTI that he birthed in my heart, for the team he has assembled, and the transformational impact experienced in the leaders and teams we serve.

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Mitzi Mak

Selah-West Faculty

Mitzi started her professional life as a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband Jerry then served cross-culturally for ten+ years, living abroad first in India and then Kurdistan, N. Iraq. In addition to being a Spiritual Director, she now serves as a Formation and Care pastor in her local church in Houston, TX. She has graduated from LTI’s Selah Spiritual Direction training as well as LTI’s Emmaus Formational Leadership Program.

Mitzi enjoys engaging conversation, reading fiction, doing jigsaw/crossword puzzles, ocean gazing and exploring the world with Jerry through food and travel.

God has two main callings in Mitzi’s life: to care for those who care for others and to be a guide in helping others have a healthy relationship with the Trinity – recognizing God’s loving presence and activity in their lives and how to faithfully respond.

Selah was a transformative experience for me – allowing the contemplative within to emerge and to beautifully co-exist with my extraverted personality.