After hearing about the concept of choosing one word to focus on for the year, this one has remained uppermost in my mind:
As I reflected on this word, and how it might serve as a guiding light as well as a challenge, these thoughts arrived – and this is my prayer:
...that I will receive what God wants me to know, with an open mind and heart
…that I will receive each day and its happenings with gratitude – as a gift from Him
…that I will fully receive others, making an effort to see into their hearts as well as hear their words
For me, this receiving naturally evolves into reflection. The awarenesses and blessings that God gives deserve contemplation, and a spirit of thankfulness. Quiet time spent with the Lord is welcomed joyfully by Him.
Openly receiving others in the spirit of Christ gives us the ability to reflect His love to them, as He has asked us to do.
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. ~Philippians 4:9
I am excited at the prospect of seeing how God will use this word throughout the year!
So…have you chosen your Word yet?
And, if you have, we would love for you to share.
Thanks again to Julie Voorhees for graciously sharing her idea with us. (see previous post) In a recent email, she wrote:
beWARM 
What a wonderful idea – a word to focus on. I closed my eyes and the word God has picked for me just jumped out. It’s “listen”. I wrote it down and have it taped to my monitor. I wonder if the hidden message behind the word is to not talk so much. :-)
Thank you for sharing, Marta! Amazing how quickly the word can come, isn’t it?
Oh my…I forgot to choose a word. So I love ‘receive’ as well as ‘listen’ and will ponder these amongst other words He might give me. Tx for the reminder to get on this. We are still in holiday guest and family mode!
Showering love on your fellowship as well as ‘Marta’ whom I don’t know.
xoxo
mj
And sending love back to both you and Marta ( whom you need to meet!)
…ahhhh, you wrote and shared yet another ‘jewel’…for all of us to add to our treasure…hmmmm?…I have been given a ‘verse’ a year..for many years, as some of you must of done…yet, ‘one word’…hmmmm….for me, ‘glory’…it was given at the the end of last year..and it still is coming up, to my mind, heart…so, there is will be…my word for 2013!….XO you Toni, girl
Wishing you a glory-full year, Frannie!!!!
Toni, leave it to you to get us sisters moving ahead in our sometimes fractured ans scattered walk with Him! Thank you for this – after days of not thinking about Him at all (holidays DO that for me…), I am delighted to get your gentle “how about if we…” suggestion. So………I asked, waited, got a flood of words, waited, considered, waited, reflected – maybe I’ve moved too fast with this (Julia seems to counsel ‘slow-and-care-filled’), but I do believe that the word He has for me (and definitely the challenge) is Abide. Ahhhhhh….
Glad you arrived at a Word, Betty – and what a wonderful one it is! I share your Ahhhhhhhh………..
May our words guide, inspire, and comfort us throughout the year. It will be fun to compare notes on what God is doing with them!