Each year, for many years now, I have intentionally taken a word (or a verse) and made it mine for the month, for the season, or for a year.  My first word was real, I longed for realness in my life. I longed for messy friendships that would last a lifetime. I longed for real homes that didn’t look like what we see on restoration shows… I want to know that you have a laundry pile on your couch because so do I.  I want to know that you may always have a sink full of dishes but there will always be a hot pot of coffee ready to go at a moment’s notice for a friend who needs you.  I want to know that your kid’s bathroom has a squished tube of toothpaste on the counter and a mess of toys in the tub and if I come over you might have to use your toilet brush for one quick scrub because sometimes that’s my house.  I cannot even begin to tell you what a blessing that year was.  I made some of the best and closest friendships that year – you know why… because they were REAL.  It was real life, real mess, real struggle, real and honest conversations that grew me physically, spiritually, and mentally. 
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Another time I adopted the word intentional.  I desired to have intentionality with my time, with my friends, with my family. I wanted to make my yes matter and my no firm.  I wanted the value of all the things I did have a lasting impact on those around me… and that was a good season.  It was hard, I realized just how much of a people pleaser I can be, I learned how easy it is to take “that” assignment or fill “that” spot just because someone needs to.  I learned that the most important yes and the most important no is the one for my family – my husband and my kids.  They need me present and actively engaged in their lives. They don’t need me overstressed, overcommitted, or unavailable.  They need me to say NO for them and they need me to say YES to them.  That was a good year. 

Even as I type, as I reflect on those lessons learned, how easy it is to backslide into those bad habits and I can see where I have let the world creep back in.  In case you have no idea what I am talking about, let me share with you the concept of “a word”.
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The first time I heard about this practice it had to have been more than 7 years ago.  I was in the car on my way to work listening to the radio.  It was the beginning of the year and KLOVE was talking about prayerfully asking God for a personal focus area for your life to grow in faith, grow in the word and grow closer to Him.  Taking that word captive and passing it over scripture to find the truth of who God is, what the word might reveal about His character and how He intends to grow you.  That’s when I picked real.  At the time, much around me that wasn’t real, so I prayed about it, meditated on it and adopted it. The process has been the same ever since.
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Last year, I think I have shared, that I picked a full verse…  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, faith, gentleness, self control.  Against such things there is no law.  I concentrated on each word, each specific placement, I looked at who we get those elements from, I looked and all the scripture around Galatians 5:22-23 and I am still learning… December brought Joy… January… well… January has brought quite possibly the stupidest word I have ever picked but you will have to stay tuned for that… 

What about you?  Have you heard of this concept before?  Have you thought about taking a word or a verse and meditating on it, studying it from every angle and growing closer in your walk?  I promise you it will change your life, if you let it…  Do you dare? 

Be Brave… share with me your word and in my next entry I will share with you mine…