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
This is a new experience for me and one that holds much anticpation for the coming year! The word(s) that have come to me are words that create resistance within me, yet in the last few weeks these words have come gently at times…..in prayer and meditation, while at times of crisis they are screaming at me and through the day I find them coming to mind in a variety of situations. The words are……let go. So many thresholds to cross with these words in 2013.
Thank you, Christine for starting me on this new Journey!
ferocity
My word for 2013 is “embrace”
My word this year is SPLENDID. I truly long and desire and believe that I can create HEAVEN on this planet EARTH. Through Christ, the book of Ephesians says we are in heavenly places and I won’t deny myself the work that Christ did for all of mankind…I just have to believe and be open and surrender to the receiving. I want to marry and say at the end of the ceremony…SPLENDID! I want to see the sun and moon rising and setting and say…SPLENDID! I want to make it to the end of the year(no matter what may have not been as favorable) and stand under a blanket of stars and shout to the throne of the Lord and Lady Christ and say thank you, 2013 was SPLENDID!
The word that shimmers for contemplation and remembering this year is “encountering”, that is, encountering, really seeing, The Christ in each person I meet. Of course that is most challenging with persons whom I find it hard to love or by whom I am irritated–the ones from whom I learn the most.
When I can suspend and detach from the part of me that is judgmental towards the other, I can suspend the judgmentalness I turn on myself. We both have the chance to grow, thrive, learn and bless each other when that happens.
So my remembering is connected to deeply encountering the people I meet each day throughout the year. Pray for me!!!
My word this year is SPLENDID. I truly long and desire and believe that I can create HEAVEN on this planet EARTH. Through Christ, the book of Ephesians says we are in heavenly places and I won’t deny myself the work that Christ did for all of mankind…I just have to believe and be open and surrender to the receiving. I want to marry and say at the end of the ceremony…SPLENDID! I want to see the sun rising and setting and say…SPLENDID! I want to make it to the end of the year(no matter what may have not been as favorable) and stand under a blanket of stars and shout to the throne of the Lord and Lady Christ and say thank you, 2013 was SPLENDID!
I’ve been contemplating this for the last 7 weeks, sitting with different words as they come to me. My current challenge is to overcome my increasing agoraphobia, a result of PTSD. The word that resonates the most strongly, that inspires the most fear and motivation, that echoes of growth, liberation, and possibility, is “threshold”. I push past the threshold of my fear, walk over the threshold of my front door into the world beyond myself, and choose to have faith that I will find beauty there, and wonder, and gentle kindness between beings.
Peace to you,
Merys
My word is, “freedom”. Go out onto the highways and byways unhindered
Please like my facebook page: Earthenware Ministry.
My word is zestfulness. I am a (generally) gentle introvert with a strong need for order. My sense is that I don’t need disorder to counter my need for order, I rather need to allow some life into my life and to savor it joyfully, with pleasure & zest.
Blessings,
Meghan
The word given to me for 2013 is “Community”. Living alone, I have both the need and the freedom to deepen friendship with others through welcoming, offering hospitality and creating community. Where two or three are gathered, there is Christ and there is community.