It was approaching the beginning 2016, and my husband and I decided to do the one word challenge this year. MY ONE WORD website One word. Just one word for the year to strive for, live by. One word to transform your life. I prayed about that one word for 10 days. Nothing. I had ideas. As a matter of fact, I have a full page of words I wrote down, but when I went to implement them as my one word for 2016, it felt like God was saying "Nope, that is not the word." Word after word, each a no. I am not a person who likes to wait, so waiting for 10 days felt like a very long time, and I was at a point of thinking maybe I wasn't supposed to have ONE WORD this year.
Our church is starting a new campus and on day 10 of praying and searching for that word, we were setting up for our second preview service. The day had been so busy with tech set up, I honestly hadn't thought of my word all day. At the end of a very long, but wonderful day, I pulled up the YouVersion Bible app to read a verse our pastor was referencing.
As I went to read the screen of my phone, my eyes went up two verses. I hadn't really read any words, but my eyes went to one word. It was as if God made it bolder and expanded it, and said there it is! Rooted. Rooted? But that isn't the word I had thought. I mean I thought my word would be hope, or be present, or patience....Rooted? I stood and stared at it for a few seconds and said to God, so this is my word? There wasn't any doubt at all. I knew I had my word for the year. Why rooted? I don't know, but there is a reason.
This is the verse:
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:16-19
I was in a study three years back on Colossians, and Colossians 2:6-7 is a key verse, as well.
"And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness."
A couple years ago was the first time I did the One Word challenge. My word was overcome. Overcome I did. I overcame lifetime fears, hang ups, habits, and attitudes that weighed me down. I walked across a swinging bridge which is a couple hundred feet above a roaring river. I do not like heights, particularly above water and roaring water doesn't help! To increase that fear, add in a bridge made of planks, that swings, that is only wide enough for one person. It took awhile, but I made it. Twice. I overcame a huge fear. The fear of that task was just one of many things God had me overcome that year. It was a year of deep transformation and victory over things that had me stuck.
How about you? Do you have a one word? It's not too late to pray about it, and see where that journey takes you over the rest of the year. It's a great way to begin fresh and renew a portion of who you are, how you view life. We all need new beginnings, and they are available to us every day. We just have to take the first step to transform our lives.
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3 comments:
That verse in Ephesians is one of my favorites, Connie. My word for the year? I haven't written about it because....well...it sounds so goody-two-shoes. Just before the end of the year, a friend asked, "What is your hope for the coming year?" The only answer I had was "Jesus." And I sensed the Holy Spirit saying, "And that's your word for 2016." Jesus. I'm not trying to sound more holy, because, clearly, I'm not, but that's my word for the year.
Such a wonderful word, Connie! I love it! So many wonderful visuals come to mind with trees planted by streams of water and Jesus being the vine we must remain in to bear fruit. Sounds like an exciting journey is in store for you this year. :)
May God bless you as you seek to be more grounded and rooted in truth...love...mercy...Him.
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