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 chose me is Transformation. It’s been showing up everywhere but I knew it was mine when it showed up in a dream image. In my dream the gray ashes and bone chips of cremains were changed into a lustrous crystalline raspberry-colored fluid. This mirrors what has been happening in my life. My once-fine forty-year marriage ended in divorce in 2012 but I am in a period of growth and renewal. My word assures me that the path ahead will be full of God and good.
The word COURAGE has selected me for my word of 2013.
Fear has been a familiar “friend and companion” for much of my life. Courage is now making itself known and accessible. The possibility of this new, life-giving and quite unknown path has touched my soul, my heart, and my dreams. COURAGE, welcome!
The word for 2013 that I received is EXPANSE….I am invited to be present to the wide, wide, deep, deep expanse that we all are enveloped, embraced in. This speaks to me of our deep inter connectedness, our being ONE BODY…humans, nature, planet, and beyond.
EMBODY
I am called to embody what I think, sense and feel.
I want to pay attention to my BODY, to be fully present in it, to realize the privilege of being in a body, and to use my time in it to show others who and what I am.
“Eucharisteo” is the word that has come to me. Grace, gratitude and joy as we travel into 2013.
Kathy
My word is RECEPTIVE. God is my ultimate source and I must be open and receptive to notice the good at hand.
I ask the word UNITY to guide me through 2013. When I feel less than, may I remember I am one with all. When I feel better than, may I remember I am one with all. May I remember separation is an illusion….I am you and you are me….together in Divine mystery we are One.
Whole. My word is whole. This is not the word I expected. I have been in the midst of a time of deep brokeness. A time of letting go of everything that was once comfortable; so for the word whole to present itself to me comes as a genuine surprise. It is God’s way of reminding me that God can take the shattered fragments of my life and create something beautifully different, scarred, refined and yet whole…this is a great comfort to me.
Power. My word for this year arises because I know it elicits fear . I want to visit this “dark” place and bring light to it. Also I want to immerse myself in the awareness that I have power….power to decide…to change…to make happen….to wait…and I am NOT Power-less.