peace to you julie. nice topic.
i too have noticed lately that there seems to be alot of new books in many religions on the topics of intentions, sincerity..etc.
i read a book recently titled Purification of the Soul, and there is a chapter in the book titled the Nature of Intention.
i ll type out a few lines of it just to give ya an idea...(but just a few, lol)
The intention of a person is not his utterance of the words, "I intend to do so and so." It is an overflowing from the heart which runs like conquests inspired by God. At times it is made easy, at other times, difficult. A person whose heart is overwhelmingly righteous finds it easy to summon good intentions at most times. Such a person has a heart generally inclined to the roots of goodness which, most of the time, blossom into the manifestation of good actions. As for those whose hearts incline towards and are overwhelmed by wordly matters, they find this difficult to accomplish and even acts of worship may become difficult and tiresome. "Actions are only by intention."