What's the Word? '07 Remix

Well, I hope y'all had a wonderful, blessed Christmas celebration. Though I know that despite my hopes, some of us didn't have the holiday we might have hoped for, I hope still that we were all able to see Jesus afresh. Anew.

That's what I love about the holidays. God always uses that time to slow me down, to tell me a story. Sometimes He even grabs my hand when I'm least prepared and dunks it into the icy depths of all my beliefs and expectations.

He did that this year and I've gotta tell you... It hurt. There's the shock first of all. The water looks warm with the sun (and Son) reflecting off the top of it. It looks easy and slow, a place to roll up you pants legs and skitter across for fun. It's not that way though, really. Not underneath. There are things in me, in us, that run deep and fast and dark. Things that will drown your dreams if God Himself isn't holding your hand. I'm so thankful that He was. That He IS. For without Him, we would not be able to stand.

And so, I come out of a year where God called me to peace having learned that peace isn't what I thought it was at all. I thought it was a stillness, an absence of disturbance, a silencing of questions. It isn't. Peace comes thick and soft to me now in the midst of winds circling, twisting, full of all my best things. Peace bids me sleep when my boat, beautiful but ill-constructed, begins to pull apart.

In 2006, my word was wisdom. In 2007, my word was peace. It was hard work to find peace. I tried to stop everything to find it (including blogging here). Instead I found it in the most difficult and unexpected places (again, often here with you). For the past couple months (yes, months this time) I've been praying for what my word would be for 2008.

It took a while, but I have it:

PRAYER

Yes, prayer. This past year has shown me for sure that it's not if the storm is coming, but when. All too often, the when is when I'm the least prepared: uncovered and uncomfortable. Though I completed Kay Arthur's Lord, Teach me to Pray study many years ago and have taught the ACTS of prayer (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication) what seems a million times just as my preaching mama taught it t me, this year I must go back to join the disciples and ask with an open heart, "Lord, teach me to pray."

In His faithfulness, I know that He has and He will answer, giving me a prayer to get through where I am now - realizing that in many ways I've spent almost a decade dancing at a party I wasn't invited to. And yet, there is a well creased note in my pocket, with gold edges and red letters, one that says I am welcome, that I belong. How it all ends, only prayer and time will tell. This year, I'm only concerned with one beginning and one ending: the Alpha and the Omega.

So that's it for my word for way remix. What about your Happy You Year? What word has God given you for 2008? Do tell. Since we still have books to give away for the 12 Books of Christmas, I'll use the comments too.

:::peace:::

marilynn

Comments

[Cindi Hoppes]

Hello! I am a certified anxious,worrier. God is telling me to give my worries and live over to him. That is not an easy task for me. I was a nervous, scared child! He is saying, "Let go, Let Me!" Thanks,Cindi

[Angie]

Beyond.

That's my word.

[Jasai/Being Mama Daily]

Listen.

That's my word.

I have spent the last year sitting in silence - listening. A blooming lotus on the cushion or an open vessel out in the pouring rain; doing nothing but breathing; watching the cup fill and overflow, fill and overflow. In this process I have managed to see the things that had eluded me daily in the past; leaving only remnant bad behavior and self-defeating tricks as evidence of a storm having passed through. In this new stillness I have seen and heard so many of the things that obstruct the voice of God, which for me speaks softly, sweetly and can only be heard when I bring everything else down to zero.

Once a day for even ten minutes a day I just sit still and Listen.

[Kim]

Trust.

It's hard for me sometimes. Especially when I can't understand what is going on.

Kim

[Heather Diane Tipton]

I never have a word for the upcoming year. but a few words for the last year are change, set-free, surrender and trust.

[Lorin Florence]

BELIEVE.

Deep within my soul I desire to believe God without abandon!! To become so trusting, so confident, so assured in the fact that my God is SO ABLE to love and care for me. In the natural, children who have not be abused, abandoned or neglected have pure and trusting hearts towards their parents. There are never any doubts about Mommy or Daddy!

Our children were toddlers and we took them to the "big pool" for the first time. Both were terrified and it took a bit of coaxing on my husband's part to get them to jump into the water. But when he said, "Jump into my arms I will catch you.", that was entirely different! They could relate to that. Each of them had hurled their bodies into his strong arms from varying heights. He never missed, even if they gave him little or no warning! That was the cue that my kids needed to hear and with big grins each of them belly flopped into the safety of his arms.

I need to CONSISTANTLY shut my eyes and JUMP instead of trembling with my toes gripping the side of the pool. It shouldn't matter what the circumstances are, the fact is Father God has never dropped me or had a near miss! He is faithful. What I need to do is simply relax and be confident; fully at peace ALWAYS ASSURED that he is well able to care for me and WANTS TO, simply because I'm his girl. This year...I will BELIEVE like never before!

[PatriciaW]

The two things swirling around my heart and my head are "hard work" and "believe for real". The first has to do with getting beyond early success and self-sabotage, trudging through the grit and muck to get to the end. The second has to do with believing with my whole heart, not a frosting-on-top kind of belief, but a deep-down-filling kind of belief.

[Marilynn]

Patricia,
Working hard and believing for real will definitely keep you busy for the year. I couldn't think of a better way to spend your time. :) Thanks for sharing,
mary

[Marilynn]

Heather,

Those are all good words and as I like to say, God gives New Year Revolutions, a continuing of what He's doing plus more. So it should be quite interesting... LOL

[Marilynn]

Kim,

TRUST is a great word. Difficult sometimes but always worth it. Thanks for sharing.

blessings,
m

[Marilynn]

Lorin,

BELIEVE!! Oh yes, we all need faith like never before. Go on and be His girl!

[Marilynn]

Listen.

That's my word.

I have spent the last year sitting in silence - listening. A blooming lotus on the cushion or an open vessel out in the pouring rain; doing nothing but breathing; watching the cup fill and overflow, fill and overflow. In this process I have managed to see the things that had eluded me daily in the past; leaving only remnant bad behavior and self-defeating tricks as evidence of a storm having passed through. In this new stillness I have seen and heard so many of the things that obstruct the voice of God, which for me speaks softly, sweetly and can only be heard when I bring everything else down to zero.

Once a day for even ten minutes a day I just sit still and Listen.

Jasai,

There is so much truth and beauty here that I had to post it again. Listening. What a concept. I think your exercise could benefit us all.

:::peace:::
mary

[Marilynn]

Angie,

Now see... How are you going to come in here and drop that bomb and just run off.

BEYOND...

Whew. Y'all already know that's one of my life words so I'm all for it. Right now, I really need to get beyond some stuff so that is right...on...time! (As you always are, Ang).

[Marilynn]

Cindi,

This is great too! Letting go of worry can be hard, especially where kids of concerned. I needed this too. Thanks for sharing.

[Bea]

Transform

My word for the upcoming year is "transform". I am reading Romans 12; but Romans 12:2b..."be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you." (Living Bible) I am asking the Lord to help me "renew" my mind and that I not go into the New Year trying to put new wine into old wine skins.

I appreciate what I have read from you all and your experiences. Your thoughts and words help me to be...afresh, anew, to listen (Wow...what a discipline!), to be at peace, to pray, beyond (now that will preach), to believe, to trust, to use wisdom, and to work hard...wow! What powerful words and images. I look forward to the new year.

Happy New Year!

[LaShaunda]

Hi Mary,

I finally decided to find a word and I came up with two. Trust and Pamper. I blogged about them today.

I also wrote my impossible letter. I'm following your lead and thinking about the impossibles. I will Trust in the Lord.

Have a great 2008, I plan on it :)

[Nedra]

OBEY

I've been thinking hard about this and my word will have to be "obey." Sometimes at church, we sing the hymn, "Trust and Obey," and in the past year and a half I've realized the importance of trusting God, but lately I'm noticing my disobedience. If I claim to love Jesus I need to obey Him and keep His commandments. So, I'm working on obedience, even in this moment.

Peace and blessings to you, and thank you again for making us think.

[Marilynn]

Ohhh! Y'all have come through with more wonderful words. I love it!

Bea,

There ain't nothing like a transformation. Keep me posted on that one.

LaShaunda,

With that new baby (well not-so-new, but still) baby, I can't think of two better words. Whew.

Nedra,

Tell it, now. Just tell it. Umph. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Always. :::sigh:::

Thanks for stopping by everyone. If anyone else has other words, let's hear em!