Intentionality Spotlight: Naida of Meaningful Word

Readers. I am so excited today to introduce you to Naida, of Meaningful Word! I met her a few years ago at an expo and fell in love with her designs. We even have some of her work on a couple of tees we own! She has a true gift of making words come to life! I won’t say much more other than her story moved me, and I can’t wait to share it will all of you today!

First some easy stuff, tell us a bit about yourself. What is your
work, your passions and interest?

Hello, I’m Naida. I’m a Melbourne based Graphic Designer and Illustrator with a passion to create colourful pieces and experiences. When I’m not drawing or thinking about design concepts, you’ll find me taking photos, finding new brunch locations or exploring nature with like-minded individuals.



I absolutely love your work! How did you get started with art and ultimately Meaningful Word and your shop?

Thank you, I’ve always loved to draw ever since I was young. When I think about my art journey it took me a while to understand that 1 - this ability was a gift from God, and 2 - that it can be use for the church and ultimately for His glory.

The first time I ever thought of God having a part in that area of my life was when I was in high school. It was Friday night during lifegroup when the youth pastor said “Praise God” after I told the group about an award I received. I was brought up in the church, but I didn’t have a relationship with God so I was unsure why she said it. It actually rather annoyed since I did all the work – Silly me.

Fast forward to my final year of University where I focused all my attention on getting a job after I graduate because the design industry can be very competitive. It’s not just about having an amazing folio, but your industry experience and who you know that sets you apart. It’s funny how scripture says ‘Man may plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps’ (Proverbs 16:9) – because this was very much the case for me. I landed an internship with a design studio in the city where I got to work on some exciting projects for clients like Melbourne Fashion Week, Australia’s Next Top Model and for other up-coming fashion designers in Australia – It was a dream!

I had a lot of fun and learnt a whole lot, however, the more projects and more time I surrounded myself in that atmosphere, the more I found myself changing and what little connection I had with God was fading. I was in a dream role, but something wasn’t right and I was watching many things fall apart. But little did I know that God was working on me – out of the mess He was able to make something beautiful. I had to see all my plans crumble, to be at a point where I was left alone crying to God for Him to speak comfort into my life and redirect my path. He was asking me to surrender my career to Him.

Thus then Meaningful Word and a new career path were born as a result of my encounter with God. Meaningful Word started as a small challenge for myself to memorise verses – hoping that if I spent enough time and make it look visually appealing enough, I’d store it somewhere in my mind. It was also a means to create something for God rather than what I was doing in the past (helping the rich get richer, and creating things that looked beautiful, but had no substance to it). God was asking me to trust in Him and to use the gift He had given me back to Him to help others. Ever since then I’ve seen first-hand the fruits of surrendering to God. When you give it to Him, He blesses it, multiplies it and lets it be a blessing to others. I had planned my own way, but God’s plan exceeded it all – far more than I could have hoped for, and for the better.


I love how your art really brings Biblical truths and stories to life. Where do you get the inspiration for it? Is it hard, or does it come easily?

Well I guess it comes naturally. The verses, quotes or stories I post are actual reflections and thoughts from my devotionals that week – the things I’ve read, heard or experienced. I like to post scripture because I truly believe that the messages in it are just as relevant now as they were then. I just love how Hebrews 4:12 describes the word as ‘living, powerful, sharper than any two-edge sword’ and is a ‘discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’ – yep, still relevant!

My process starts with the message/text and then I consider what are the key parts of the text that I what to highlight. Vibrant colour palettes, patterns and nature drive my style and approach on each piece I create.

What is one other specific area in your life you find that intentionality is absolutely critical? How do you exercise mindfulness in it?

Investing my time wisely. This is in the form of time with God, time I spend with others and on my health and wellbeing.

Devotional time is super important for me because I just know I’m going to have a lousy day if my priorities aren’t right. Time with others is investing in solid relationships and to also empower the next generation. I’m a strong advocate that the Creative Arts has a place and can be used for the church – we need to encourage this more!  We all have a talent that can we used for God, we just have to give it back to Him.

And lastly, rest. In the past I used to think that ‘resting’ is for the lazy, but God has shown me that rest is just as important. Our mind, body and soul need to recover, and the best way I like to rest is on the Sabbath in nature with others – far, far away from a computer screen.


If you would give one piece of advice about {this area of intentionality} so someone who struggles with it, what would you tell them?

Ensure that your relationship and time with God is your first priority, because the rest follows. Start small. It’s not always easy to know where to even begin and yea, you may find you don’t want to pray or read your bible, but the beautiful thing about God is He meets you where you are. Start small, and have a conversation. Open your heart and ‘taste and see’ His goodness - you will not be disappointed. Start small & be consistent – After all, habits are formed in 30 days.

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Find Naida at her Etsy shop or on Instagram

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Intentionality Spotlight: Blog Love: Azure Farm

This month we are talking with Annette from Azure Farm! I've been following her on her amazing Instagram for a while now, and it is so much fun to see what goes on at the farm! Keep reading - I'll let her tell you more about herself and how she practices intentionality in her life. 

First some easy stuff: Tell us a bit about yourself. What is your work, your passions and interests?

Hi friends! I am Annette and I live on a tiny homestead in Georgia. I am an ICU nurse a few days a week and the rest of the time you can find me on the farm caring for our animals and pulling weeds in the garden. Being a homesteader and taking care of animals is quickly becoming my favorite thing. I am so passionate about gardening, learning to live off the land, and caring for animals. Being in nature and surrounding myself with it has been such an amazing learning experience.

Apart from farming and animals I love photography, traveling, spending time with my family, and eating yummy plant-based food!

I love that your blog is about your exciting farm life! How did starting a blog come about and what were your goals for it? Has that focus shifted at all and where do you see it going?

When we moved to the farm I wanted a way to document what we were doing. I felt like others would benefit from seeing our journey and hopefully learn something along the way. Capturing life and God’s creations has always been my goal. I have been great about documenting our farm journey on Instagram, but when It comes to the blog I have been a tad slow on posting! There is so much more I want to post and do! Coming soon I will have tutorials on how to garden, tips on homesteading and resources for those wanting to learn. I hope for the blog to one day be a true wealth of knowledge for those wanting to live in the country.

As someone who has so much going on, what does your typical day look like? How do you make time for all of your responsibilities?

I definitely have busy days! A typical day involves me spending about an hour or more doing some sort of chore on the farm. Whether its filling water troughs, pulling weeds in the garden or cleaning the chicken coop. I usually plan out my day the night before so I know what to expect. I also have specific chores assigned to different days. That way I’m not scrambling to accomplish certain tasks. For example, On Fridays, it’s clean the chicken coop day! On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I fill the hay bins. And so forth. I have to be intentional and make time for what’s important and matters most.

What is one other specific area in your life you find that intentionality is absolutely critical? How do you exercise mindfulness in it?

Being intentional is so important. The older I get the quicker time passes and I want to hold on to every moment. I have learned to be very intentional with family time and taking one day a week to rest. This day is Saturday for me. It's my family and church day. On Sabbath, I don't do work. On that day I just feed the animals, but I leave all other chores aside. It’s a day to breathe deep and reflect on the week, spend time with God, and family. I have to be mindful and specific on Sabbath and truly live in the moment and not let other things in the world and life take over my thoughts and plans. Being present at the moment so your family has your undivided attention is so crucial. I have come to truly love this day so much and it re-charges me and gets me ready to start another busy week.

If you could give one piece of advice about giving undivided attention to someone who struggles with it, what would you tell them?

Stay off your phone when you’re trying to be intentional and are with others. Don’t let it distract you and interfere with being present and available to others. This is a hard one and I struggle with this myself. Trust me though, you’ll be happy you did. 

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Find Annette on her website and Instagram

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Intentionality Spotlight: Blog Love: Worried Sapling

Today we continue with Intentionality Spotlight! Similar to Women of Intention, different bloggers will be featured in an interview style. Unlike Women of Intention, the focus will be more on their blogs themselves, as well as an area of intentionality in their life.

I am excited to invite Callie of Worried Sapling to talk with us today.

First some easy stuff: Tell us a bit about yourself. What is your work, passions, and interests?

I’m Callie, an English teacher, graduate student, rambler, jogger, and reader. I’m passionate about all things English-related (including English Language Learner education!), learning to be passionate about healthful living, and uh…an overly detailed long list of over things. I’m intensely interested in blessing others in tangible ways, too. I think Jesus has given me gifts in writing, speaking, and teaching, so I try to use those often!

I'm so glad you started a blog so I can enjoy your writing regularly! How did you come to begin Worried Sapling, and what is your goal for it as a blog? Did you always intend this to be your blog’s focus?

Well, thanks! I have General Anxiety Disorder with Panic, and I could never find balanced resources on it—I either needed to meditate and take lots of medication, or I just needed to “pray it away.” Though all three of those options can be part of the answer, I don’t feel like it answers it completely. I believe the Bible holds the answers to many anxieties because I’ve found much of my anxiety is rooted in unhealthy thinking patterns.

People with mental illnesses are largely overlooked and marginalized within the Christian context, and I think this has a lot to do with ignorance and fear. In Worried Sapling, I try to show the vulnerable side of anxiety while also explaining my experience so people can grasp it. There are a lot of devotionals, too, and principles of healthy relationships; relationships are a huge source of anxiety for me, so it goes along with the overall theme.

I wanted to write a book before a blog occurred to me (still working on that book…). I was actually going to make a teacher blog; but once I started framing my content, I realized it was overwhelmingly anxiety and mental health related. After my initial launch, I was overwhelmed with the positive response I received by both people with anxiety and those without it! I was not expecting that. I thought only my mom would read it (haha!). I’m just thankful that my ramblings have blessed people.

I love how you write so passionately and intentionally about your faith and the lessons you learn from everyday life. How do you draw parallels from your life into spiritual lessons? Does this come easily to you, or did it/does it take practice?

Honestly, it comes pretty easy to me. I see life through a filter of patterns and principles, and the blog posts generally reflect that. I’m a sucker for object lessons, parables, parallels, and “moral of the story.” It’s definitely become easier with practice, though, and I notice that I start to lose the filter when I’m not writing as regularly. But in general, I just live life, talk to Jesus about the life, and principles and patterns emerge through prayerful reflection. The hardest part is writing it down. Anxiety makes it hard to be productive (actually working on a blog post about that right now!)

What is one specific area in your life you find that intentionality is critical? How do you exercise mindfulness in it?

HEALTH. Mental, physical, spiritual, social, emotional…all of it. I exercise intentionality, especially in physical and mental health. When I’m not physically healthy—regularly exercising, eating balanced meals, sleeping 8 hours, and drinking mucha agua—my mental health deteriorates, and then everything is thrown. It’s as predictable as the sunrise. I also need intentional mental space for myself: silent, alone time, time to read, time to write, time to breathe. Without these two, I can get nothing done. Having GAD, I still have anxiety attacks sometimes, but they are largely managed by self-care and prayer.

 

If you could give one piece of advice about this to someone who struggles with it, what would you tell them?

"The reason you feel so awful is because you need to fuel and move your body." I laugh at myself thinking of how terribly I was treating my body and yet wondering why I felt tired, irritable, and just…awful. Oh, man. Praise God for healthy living. But this affected my anxiety so much, too! Everyone’s anxiety is different and requires different solutions, but mine is deeply rooted in intentionally taking care of myself.

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Find Callie at her website, Worried Sapling and on Instagram

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Intentionality Spotlight: Blog Love: Transparency Blog

Today starts a new segment on Maple Alps: Intentionality Spotlight! Similar to Women of Intention, different bloggers will be featured in an interview style. Unlike Women of Intention, the focus will be more on their blogs themselves, as well as an area of intentionality in their life.

I am excited to kick off this series with Hanha of Transparency Blog. It has been a blast getting to know her enthusiastic self (and doing an interview with her over at her blog here too!) and I am excited to introduce her to all of you. Stay until the end to find out how you can follow her amazing blog as well!

First some easy stuff: Tell us a bit about yourself. What is your work, passions, and interests?

Hi, my name is Hanha and I am the writer behind Transparency Blog! To fit everything in one nutshell, I am basically super passionate about encouraging others and sharing the love of Christ - like I met Jesus and now there’s no turning back like the old hymn says haha. I graduated from the University of National Champions—Go Heels!— and I’m currently pursuing plans to become a physician in the near future, either in family medicine or pediatrics.

A few fun facts? I’m addicted to Grey’s Anatomy. I have a special place in my heart for tacos, and podcasts are my present obsession. In my spare time, I daydream about places I can travel and I love connecting with friends on Instagram. Come say hi!

You write a beautiful blog on faith. How did you come to begin Transparency Blog, and what is your goal for it as a blog? Did you always intend this to be your blog’s focus?

Thank you so much! Beginning Transparency Blog was a process. A PROCESS! I started writing when I got to college in 2012, and when I say writing, I signed into my google account and used it as an expressive means to write prayers and talk to God. I would literally throw on some worship music and just write, or should I say complain? Haha (Freshman year was rough, okay?!)

But it wasn’t until I saw a friend share a post from her own blog that I thought about the idea. So then there was the whole battle with whether or not to make my blog public. I fought insecurities like, “What if no one reads it? What if my friends judge me? And how will mine be different since everyone and their mom is blogging nowadays?” You can read more about that here, but somehow I did it, and it took about 2 years to take that leap of faith.

A year of on-and-off posting, and then pride set in. I started to research all the ways that I could make my blog famous, and lost sight of the sole purpose of my why, which was to talk about how great Jesus is. So I stopped - out of nowhere and for awhile. I basically gave up, and decided to just leave it alone.

That was in 2015, but something changed this year. I made it one of my personal goals to get back into blogging, and this time I wanted to be more consistent and have the right intentions. I battled with another round of insecurities, but it only took about 3-4 months because God and some friends basically encouraged me by saying it didn’t matter if my blog grew or not, or if people read it. What mattered is that I was being obedient to what God was telling me to do, which was to write what he placed on my heart.

I originally wanted to focus my time on Instagram - posting consistently and engaging with other people, but 3 weeks in, I felt led to write more. Some captions were just entirely too long to be captioned, and it was difficult to place all the links I wanted to share. So here I am! It’s June 2017, and I finally feel like I’m exactly where God wants me to be. And I also feel like I’m walking boldly in my calling as well.

Transparency Blog has always been about writing about my faith because it’s purpose is to give Jesus all the glory that He righteously deserves. It’s why I chose the name Transparency because I want to be transparent about my life in order to encourage other believers to pursue Christ with their whole heart.

My primary goal is to honestly be obedient to whatever God has for me. But secondary to that, it is my prayer to inspire other Christians by reminding them that they are deeply loved, that they are important, and that someone cares about them. I want them to know that they aren’t alone on this journey, and that there is a community for them if they ever find themselves needing one.

I love how you write so passionately and intentionally about your faith and the lessons you learn from what you read in the Bible and your life. How do you decide on what topics to share about?

Believe it or not, I honestly do not know. HA! Plot twist. Sometimes, I write what God has placed on my heart and other times I share stories and try to figure out how I can connect them back to faith. And I love sharing stories about the lives of other people. I think that we can all learn from each other, because we each have something unique to offer! Even at church, testimonies are some of the most powerful examples of God’s grace and faithfulness.  

Seriously, anything that talks about the power of God and how amazing He is, is fair game. And what’s even better is that God is alive! The lessons keep coming, and the more we seek Him, the more He will transform the renewing of our minds so that we can become more like Him. So being led by the Holy Spirit is the best way I decide on what to write about. But then again, because I’ve just recently started to get back into blogging, I’m beginning to find my niche and figure out what topics my readers want to read more about.

What is one specific area in your life you find that intentionality is critical? How do you exercise mindfulness in it?

PRAYER! Prayer is absolutely huge for me, and I would say worship is too. I truly believe that we are called to have a heart of worship, and I think the best way to worship is through prayer. I think that it is through prayer that God speaks to us, connects with us, and shows us just how much He cares for us.

For me, I make an effort to spend time with the Lord in prayer at least every 2 days. I’m constantly talking with God throughout the day, but I’m talking about truly taking 15-20 minutes to sit, meditate, and worship Him. That has honestly been life-changing for me. I’ve cried my hardest tears sitting at the feet of Jesus, and they are the same moments where I have found restoration and redemption through Him.

We get to witness how sufficient His grace is through prayer, and it reminds me of my favorite quote, “Once a man was asked, ‘What did you gain by regularly praying to God?’ The man replied, ‘Nothing… but let me tell you what I lost: anger, ego, greed, depression, insecurity, and fear of death.’ Sometimes, the answer to our prayers is not gaining but losing, which ultimately is the gain.”

 

If you could give one piece of advice about prayer to someone who struggles with it, what would you tell them?

Get yourself a prayer journal. That has also been completely life-changing for me. In my prayer journal, I write down everything, and I mean EVERYTHING! From sermon notes, to my personal prayer requests, other people’s prayer requests, my dreams, and the visions God has given me for my life.

The best and most humbling part is that God has answered every single one of the prayers that I have wrote down. Even with the specific job that I was looking for, God answered it and I sit in awe of His power. I will note that most of my prayers have dealt with the posture of my heart, but I do believe that God is extremely faithful in all things.

So if you’re struggling with spending time with God everyday and being intentional with your prayer life, then I think a prayer journal is a great incentive to start. It may be difficult at first, but as you look back on the things you’ve wrote, you get to see God’s faithfulness and provision. You also get to see how much you grow over time, even in areas that you forgot you even prayed about.

Everyone always talks about creating a vision board at the beginning of the year, but those visions and dreams do not have to stop after January 1st. Habakkuk 2:2 says, ‘Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.” He says that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23), so why not write what God shares with you each and every day and be a witness to His power?

When you have something to write down, it holds you more accountable to your habit. For me, it’s definitely a little awkward when I notice I’ve missed a few days. And honestly, that feeling of witnessing God provide over and over again becomes addictive. The more He answered my prayers, the more I wanted to write everything down. So I challenge you to activate your faith because God really can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us!

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Find Hanha at her website, Transparency Blog and on Instagram

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Women of Intention Week Fifteen: Biblical Womanhood

Welcome to week fifteen of the series, Women of Intention! This is our final post and I'm so glad you've come along as we interview Women of Intention! For more information, and a list of topics, visit our introduction post HERE. 

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THIS WEEK'S INTENTIONAL WOMAN:

Today, we are going to meet Aiane of Aiane Karla; a blog that inspires the intentional life. Today, she will be talking about Biblical womanhood and intentionality.

This is the very last (but not least!) interview in the Women of Intention series, and I really think it just puts the cherry right on top of the cake. I am thrilled to share this with you today!

After reading this post, be sure to check out Aiane's beautiful blog and share this post :)

Find Aiane on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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Tell us a bit about yourself: What are your passions, work and interests?

Hi! I’m Aiane Karla, a grateful wife, homemaker, prayer warrior, songwriter, and blogger. Most days, I teach piano and help children discover their God-given musical talents. On other days, I design intentional brands for bloggers, creatives, and entrepreneurs. On my blog at aianekarla.com, I share healthy plant-based recipes, as well as tips and resources to inspire women to discover the joy of intentional and Biblical womanhood.

I love how you talk about intentionality and biblical womanhood on your blog. Could you briefly tell us what your views are on this and how it translates into how you live?

As a Christian, I’ve learned that intentionality is impossible without guidance from the inspired Word of God. I’ve also realized that Biblical womanhood requires prayerful intentionality. Without it, my relationship with God becomes an afterthought, rather than a priority. Living God’s way requires conscious effort. It’s not always easy, but God equips and helps those who pray for strength.

My greatest desire is to glorify God in everything I do. This means God and His Word must come first, so I may be a reflection of His love and character.

 Here are some intentions I focus on:

-    Keeping God’s Word as the compass for my life and marriage

-    Making time to actively serve God in my church

-    Seeking ways to affirm my husband and praying for God’s will to be done in his life

-    Establishing boundaries to protect my time with loved ones

-    Seeking God’s guidance in my role as a homemaker 

What is the hardest part of living up to the standard of Biblical Womanhood? The easiest?

The hardest part of living up to the standard of Biblical womanhood is maintaining an attitude of complete surrender. As a detail-oriented perfectionist, I have a tendency to want to fix everything and be in control. I’m guilty of worrying more than I trust, and I struggle with staying out of God’s way so His will may be done in my life.

The easiest part is knowing that when I live up to God’s standard of womanhood, I experience genuine peace and contentment. There’s no room for others’ expectations of who I should be or what I should do. It’s just me, God, and His Word. 

How else does intentional living affect your lifestyle?

I have been inspired to genuinely study the Bible, which is God’s perfect manual on intentional living. It has propelled me toward Christ-centered and prayer-filled relationships, and has given me a desire to serve God in ministry, both personally and together with my husband.

 At home, we use natural remedies and a plant-based diet to heal and prevent sickness. It may not be the fastest method, but it has long-lasting results. Our decision was inspired by the following verses:

 “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which [is] the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” – Genesis 1:29

“He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth.” – Psalm 104:14

God has convicted and led us to take proactive steps to guard the avenues of our hearts, which means eliminating any form of entertainment or activity that does not glorify Him. The entertainment industry shows us counterfeit versions of love, respect and purity. Letting go of secular entertainment has allowed us to stay tuned to God’s Word, and it has also deepened our desire to hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

What would you say to encourage someone who is struggling in this area of their life?

Surrender. Completely and wholeheartedly surrender your hurts, worries, doubts, burdens, pain, insecurities, weaknesses and fears to God. God yearns for us to take Him at His word.

Develop an attitude of prayer and commit to praying through the Bible. Ask God to help you through your struggles by claiming His Promises. When discouragement comes, pray. When you’re tempted to fight on your own, pray. When you would rather be selfish instead of selfless, pray. When it seems like all hope is gone, pray. When you don’t feel like praying, pray. And especially in your rejoicing, pray. Prayer is to our souls what air is to our lungs. Make it a habit and a life discipline to communion with God. You will never regret it!

“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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What about you? Were you inspired by this post on intentionality? This series? Why don't you tell me about it in the comments, and connect with me on social media?

(Don't forget to use the hashtag #WomenOfIntention16 so no one misses it!)