Share your Word for 2013
In ancient times, wise men and women fled out into the desert to find a place where they could be fully present to God and to their own inner struggles at work within them. The desert became a place to enter into the refiner’s fire and be stripped down to one’s holy essence. The desert was a threshold place where you emerged different than when you entered.
Many people followed these ammas and abbas, seeking their wisdom and guidance for a meaningful life. One tradition was to ask for a word – this word or phrase would be something on which to ponder for many days, weeks, months, sometimes a whole lifetime. This practice is connected to lectio divina, where we approach the sacred texts with the same request – “give me a word” we ask – something to nourish me, challenge me, a word I can wrestle with and grow into. The word which chooses us has the potential to transform us.
- What is your word for the year ahead? A word which contains within it a seed of invitation to cross a new threshold in your life?
Share your word in the comments section by Tuesday, January 8th and you are automatically entered for the prize drawing (prizes listed below).
A free 12-day online mini-retreat to help your word choose you. . .
This year I am offering all Abbey newsletter subscribers a gift: a free 12-day online mini-retreat with a suggested practice for each day to help your word choose you and to deepen into your word once it has found you.
Sign up here and you can start your mini-retreat today. Once you subscribe you will receive a confirmation email with access to the mini-retreat content (and you are free to unsubscribe at any time). If you are already a subscriber, the invitation will be in this week’s email newsletter.
Win a Prize – Random Drawing Giveaway on January 7th!
Some wonderful friends of the Abbey have offered fabulous prizes to be included in this drawing held from all of the names who participate:
- from Christine Valters Paintner of Abbey of the Arts: a space in the online Lenten retreat with St. Hildegard of Bingen
- from Kayce Stevens Hughlett of Diamonds in the Soul: a signed copy of her book As I Lay Pondering: Daily Invitations to Live a Transformed Life
- from Dana Reynolds at Sacred Life Arts: a space in her online class The Book of Wonderment and a signed copy of her brand new novel Ink and Honey
- from Ronna Detrick: a space in her online class Soulstice: Develop a Meaningful Spiritual Practice
- from Roy DeLeon of Now Praying: a signed copy of his book Praying with the Body and personalized body prayer for your favorite Psalm
- from Tess Giles of Pilgrim’s Moon: a print of the beautiful banner art by Rima Staines
- from Velma Frye: a copy of her CD “Seven Sacred Pauses” and “Take Heart”
- from Richard Bruxvoort Colligan: a copy of each of his Psalm CDs “Sharing the Road” and “Shout for Joy”
- from Trish Bruxvoort Colligan of River’s Voice: a copy of her CDs “Breath” and “Unfolding”
- from Mary Sharratt: a copy of her novel Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard of Bingen
- from Waverly Fitzgerald of Living in Season: a copy of her French Republican Calendar for 2013 and a copy of her New Year Dreams E-book
- from Betsy McCall of the Art Monastery: an original art print
- from Paula Huston: a copy of her latest book Season of Mystery: 10 Spiritual Practies for Embracing a Happier Second Half of Life
Pretty wonderful, isn’t it? Make sure to check out the links to their websites for all kinds of goodness and thank them for supporting the Abbey!
So please share your word (and a sentence about what it means for you) with us below. Subscribe to the Abbey newsletter for your free gift. Share the love with others and invite them to participate. Then stay tuned – on January 7th I will announce the prize winners!
844 Responses
The word that has chosen me is “steps” – at this moment this seems to be speaking to me in a painting I’m working on – and it keeps surfacing in daily life.
The word for me is: “It’s time.” For forty years as a Christ-follower I have kept in the shadows a person, an Eagle woman, with a vision. Yet, I realize now that I was being formed into the shape of the vision and as I waited for the shape to form, I held onto Habakkak 2:2-3. What I hear in this new year: “It’s time.” Now, I own the Eagle woman that He has shaped and come out of the shadows . . . For, I now hear and know: “It’s time.”
Soul.
Go where your soul is leading you! xoxo
A poem inspired by my word, Enclosure~
Enchanted in my enclosure, nature has its way with me.
Close by, always, the keys for letting in and out.
Only noticing when I have let my guard down-
So frightening then, underneath all that I fear, until I remember
Enchantment has returned to my Enclosure.
My word is congruence. That is the way I want to live this year in congruence with my belief’s
This year’s word has been so illusive. I have journaled, scribbled, meditated and struggled. Then today, Epiphany, it came by way of the Henri -Frederic Amiel quote—-MYSTERY. Perfect timing. Thanks, Christine.
Believe.
Believe in the promise God makes to us.
Believe in the ability to
The word that is pregnant with meaning for me is FORGIVENESS. In the last quater (to use a football image) of my life I hope to ask forgiveness and offer forgiveness with abundant love.
For the past three years I’ve attended the Interfaith Community Sanctuary’s (Ballard-Seattle, WA) New Year’s Day Inention setting service. This year I came with three words in mind relating to caring for my health better since I struggle with low immunity issues, accepting and flowing with life, and blooming (where or how I’m planted), as I let go of the first half of my life career and try new meaningful pursuits. We were guided to choose one intention word (which of course I resisted), a word that was a feeling, a gerund-ing word so it’s an active process. Well, the word arrived gently and broke down my stubbornness. We were invited to introduce ourselves to others using our word. Let me introduce myself, I am welcoming. I welcome all this year: the invited, not-so-invited and uninvited (of course, uninvited-intentionally shouldn’t occur) guests whether they are people, challenges, joys, annoyances or anything in my life, including this viral bronchitis I came down with around Christmas. All is gift and I believe all “works together for good.” One gift of the virus, which seemed to lift last night, maybe not coincidentally on the Twelfth Night, was I read Tara Brach’s Radical Acceptance.
Fruition
After decades of meditation, retreat and responding to challenges I’m feeling their cumulative effects coming to fruition.