In September of 2015, I came across an article that spoke about choosing a WORD for the year. I had never really given this idea much thought before in the past; we all hear about New Year Resolutions and such, but this was a different concept altogether.
The first year I did this, my word was PRACTICE, and I linked it to the 3 key words in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. So my challenge was to: PRACTICE being joyful, praying continually, and giving thanks! The following year my word was INTENTIONAL! So I looked up the definition, wrote it down, and journaled a bit about how I could BE more intentional in my everyday life. Did you know that intentional means: done deliberately, something done on purpose, and knowing. So for 2016 I worked on living a more intentional life.
In 2016 my word was EMBRACE; oh, how I loved that word! Embrace is both a noun and a verb; it means to hold someone closely in one's arms, to include something, to accept or support a belief, theory or change and this last one really hit me later on that year. The word was perfect for me, as I was forced to face many big changes in my life and I was called and challenged by God to embrace many new things, as well as people.
The first year I did this, my word was PRACTICE, and I linked it to the 3 key words in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. So my challenge was to: PRACTICE being joyful, praying continually, and giving thanks! The following year my word was INTENTIONAL! So I looked up the definition, wrote it down, and journaled a bit about how I could BE more intentional in my everyday life. Did you know that intentional means: done deliberately, something done on purpose, and knowing. So for 2016 I worked on living a more intentional life.
In 2016 my word was EMBRACE; oh, how I loved that word! Embrace is both a noun and a verb; it means to hold someone closely in one's arms, to include something, to accept or support a belief, theory or change and this last one really hit me later on that year. The word was perfect for me, as I was forced to face many big changes in my life and I was called and challenged by God to embrace many new things, as well as people.
Then came 2017…from the very first days of January I kept coming across the phrase “Be Strong and Courageous,” and I just knew it was from God. I clearly remember talking with a friend about the fact that I did not like this phrase for my WORD, it made me a bit fearful of the upcoming year, but she kindly reminded me that I was not going to be alone in whatever the year ahead had in store for me, but that my strength and courage would come from God and that He was going to be with me no matter what. Well sure enough, 2017 was a year filled with moments when I was called to be Strong and Courageous, and I can truly say that my strength came from God. It was He who reached out his right hand to hold and pull me through many hard times. He helped me face many situations that were completely out of my hands and gave me the strength to face them. It was the perfect phrase for 2017 and I am so glad he prepared me for what was in store by sending me that WORD.
So here we are: January 2018, and I have already started praying and asking God what my WORD for this year will be.
In part 2, I will share a bit more of the process of choosing or better yet, finding my word, and maybe by then I will even be able to share it with you.
Michelle
So here we are: January 2018, and I have already started praying and asking God what my WORD for this year will be.
In part 2, I will share a bit more of the process of choosing or better yet, finding my word, and maybe by then I will even be able to share it with you.
Michelle
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