ONE WORD

The presents have all been opened.  Precious relatives have returned home.  My excuse for binge eating has disappeared.  It is official...another Christmas has come and gone.  I feel full with contentment.  And yet, uneasiness seems to be standing on the sidelines whispering....work is coming, bills have to be paid, decisions need to be made, weight has to be lost, changes are coming...are you ready?  I am stuck between looking back over the past year with regret OR facing the unknown of the future filled with anxiety.  I stumbled upon a suggestion in a magazine article that has brought me a bit of peace.

In the January issue of Guideposts magazine, author Debbie Macomber reveals a yearly tradition.  She writes:
Every year I choose one word to focus on and live by.  These words have comforted me, challenged me and brought me closer to God.  They have changed me.  I've used them in my prayers, written about them in my journals, and discussed them with my friends. 

One year the author was struggling with her weight and she chose the word HUNGER.  When she was facing marital struggles she chose PRAYER.  She allowed those words to shape her daily walk with God and the lessons she learned touched every area of her life.  By the end of the article, MY WORD washed over me.  My anxiety was quickly replaced with a sense of awe and excitement about what God was going to reveal to me in the days, weeks, and months ahead. 

I began to ask the people in my life to reveal the word they would choose. Each and every one of them instantly shared what I believe was a need from deep inside of them.  The challenge is not coming up with the word, but is refusing to lose our focus when life begins to overwhelm us.  Write the word on paper and post it around your home.  Speak the word in your prayers and meditate on what it would look like if you allowed that word to change you. Open your heart to how God is speaking to you and really listen.

In 2012, whenever I start to lose my way I am certain that one word will put me back on the path of healing and discovery.  I will let you know what I uncover along the way....

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 

WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2012?