Monday, January 4, 2016

2016 One Word

New Year’s resolutions never have been my thing. To choose One Word is to have more of a theme for the year than a goal.

This is one reason I love the idea of choosing One Word.

Actually, that isn’t true.

My experience is that the One Word ––tends to choose me.

This year is no different, then here, here or here.

My new word began showing up early last year, while I was still deep into the word, "deeper."

Deeper. That was an uncomfortable word.

It was a year of removing unnecessary things in my life. Some voluntarily and some not.

It was a bit like plowing the ground around my soul. That is never fun. I was a little concerned that I might end up with an equally difficult word for 2016 such as, "obey," "silence," or maybe “move.

I’m happy to announce that while any one of those words would be good for me to do more of, they are not the word that chose me.

These verses ––I fell in love with them.

They are now the first words I see when I open the fresh pages of my new journal.

I'm sure that I want a flourishing finish.

The word flourish has deep, beautiful meaning.

In my 1828 Webster Dictionary, (which is one of the all-time great finds of this one-time homeschool momma) it says; the primary sense is to open, expand, enlarge. To thrive. To grow. To shoot out as in glory. To grow in grace and good works. To make bold strokes in writing. A parade of words..... showy splendor.

Okay. I want some of that.

All I know is that I love this word even though it is kind of fancy.

Last year….deeper…. I spent most of the year ––frustrated.

Especially in the area of writing.

Probably, mostly, because I hate to be a quitter, I was determined to blog to the end of the year and call it good.

Or not good.

Just. Call. It.

Done.

I have nothing more to say.

I hope you know Jesus because I’m here to testify that our God has a sense of humor.

Right before the year was over and I'm writing (in my head) the farewell speech, I read the words from Isaiah 59:2.

"My Spirit, who is on you, 
and my words that I put in your mouth 
will not leave you. 
They will be with your children 
and your grandchildren permanently," 
says the LORD.

(Emphasis mine)

It was as if I'd never read them before. 

That is crazy, especially in light of my family verse.

 I will pour out my Spirit on your children. 
I will pour out my blessing on their children after them.
Isaiah 44:3:

I don't know.

It just seems like I would have noticed those verses before now.

That is how the Word of God is. It's fresh and new every single day.

So there you have it. I guess I'm not going to stop writing.

I have no idea what that looks like.

I'm pretty sure it will look different.

And that's okay.

Because my word for the year is, "flourish."



And this: "So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. "

Who doesn't need a prayer like that to start 2016?

I pray these blessings over you, friends.

May this year be marked by thriving, growing, and expanding what is life and light. May we grow in grace and doing hard things with great love. May we pull the stuff that chokes out real life such as unforgiveness and bitterness and busy-ness and begin to cultivate the things that are important and have an eternal impact.

Do you have a word for 2016?

I would love to hear about it.

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