One Word

2018: Year of Joy

January 18, 2018 by Ellen 8 Comments

So, I’m probably a little tardy to the party, but – after much thought and prayer – I have decided on my One Word for 2018.

It seems like everybody in the blogging world has posted their goals and their One Word for the year. Well, I’m not everybody, which I am beginning to realize! I have a few notes about what I’d like to accomplish this year, but they aren’t finalized yet. And it’s mid-January. But, as Lara Casey said there is nothing magical about January 1. Not sure about y’all, but that’s a big ol’ “Praise God” from me because I’m SO slow.

As most of you may know, I had a lot of changes going on at the end of 2017. Some of the changes caused a lot of sorrow. Some I’m just not too thrilled about. I’ve been trying to adjust to all my new normals.

One day, as I was walking into work, I realized I was fussing at myself. Not out loud, by the way!

“Don’t scowl. Don’t be scowling when you walk through that door!”

I just can’t walk through life with a mean ol’ look on my face. I just can’t be that woman, especially as I near sixty years old (that’s a whole ‘nother story, coming soon).

Oh! Off track! Back to my word: JOY.

I prayed about it, waited and listened, and I believe the word God has given me for 2018 (or at least the first season of 2018) is JOY.

At first I thought it may be Abide, from John 15:5. The only thing is, every time I read the passage, verse eleven kept stopping me.

“I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete…” John 15:11 (HCSB)

I need the joy of Jesus in me, don’t you? I need His joy, so that my joy may be full or complete. I had to know more!

I did a quick online search, and found this on BibleHub:
#5479 xará (another feminine noun from the root xar-, “extend favor, lean towards, be favorably disposed”) – properly, the awareness (of God’s) grace, favor; joy (“grace recognized”), xará (“joy because of grace“)

I can be aware of God’s grace in my life, and have joy because of it. I won’t have joy in all circumstances. To be totally honest, I flat out won’t be happy about some of them. But I can rejoice, because of God’s grace gift to me.

No matter what my circumstances, I have salvation, this gift given to me through my faith in Jesus. And the grace of God poured out on me, enables me to walk through any circumstance in His strength, not my own. With joy.

Yep, 2018: Year of Joy!

How about you? Have you prayed about having a “One Word” focus this year? I’d love to hear about it! Please share in the comments.

Grace be with you,

What’s Your Word?

January 2, 2015 by Ellen 46 Comments

Are you a part of the One Word Movement? I am. I became a part of this movement even before I knew it was cool! Wa-a-a-a-y back, I would chose one word to live by for the year. In the past, some of my words have been Abide, Ponder, and Prayer.

Back in 2013, I discovered there was a book written about having One Word. Actually, I’ve seen two books. I’m not sure which one began “the movement.” Many writers and bloggers choose their One Word, and write about it each year. Go figure…I was way ahead of my time, and just didn’t know it.

Today, I am praying about and pondering my One Word for 2015. Several are rolling around in my heart.

I originally thought Love should be my word. I know I don’t love like Christ loves. This is something I need more of in my life. I need to learn to love the un-lovely. The sandpaper people. The people that don’t know Christ as their Savior. To love them would show them Christ in me. And out of an abundance of love, compassion would grow. Patience would flourish. Kindness would take over. There can never be too much love. “Love is patient, love is kind…” 1 Corinthians 13:4.

This is a different word, I know. I heard a webcast by Kim Cordes about Mind Mapping. She said that each thought we have makes a path across our brain. If we have the thought over and over, the path gets deeper and deeper. It seems we can get into “thought ruts.” I need to retrain my brain, stop the “have to” thoughts and change them to “get to.” I need to get out of the rut of my old thinking, and begin new thought patterns. “…taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…” 2 Corinthians 10:5.

The more I ponder this word, the more I’m leaning toward it for 2015. It speaks, well, deep into my soul.

I imagine it like this: There’s a storm blowing in the middle of the ocean. I’m out there, in a tiny boat. The massive 20 foot waves are tossing me about, causing chaos in my boat. I finally fall out, and drop deep, deep, to the bottom of the ocean. My movements are slower, deep down in the water. I fall deeper and deeper, until the storm can’t reach me.

That’s how I want my relationship to be with Christ – deep, into the shelter of the Almighty, where storms can’t toss me about. I long to slow down, and learn the deep things of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:10). I desire to plumb the depths of His Word, and know Him ever deeper, every day.

When I know the word, then I know The Word.

“The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” John 1:14.

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Deeper. Deeper knowledge of Him through His word, deeper dependance on Him through surrender, and a deeper relationship with Him the more time I spend with Him.

How about you? Are you choosing One Word for 2015? If so, what is it? Share with me in the comments, I would love to hear from you!

Until next week,

Linking up today with Bonnie at Faith Barista