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 words that have chosen me are … be still
I am looking forward to the stillness this year and what I will discover there.
My word for the year chose me today. I realized I need to speak up more in my life, and the word providing the focus for this is “utter”.
Golden-Crowned Kinglets is my “word of the year”. It may sound odd, when we’re talking about ethereal things, but at this season of my life when I am lost in the blackberry thickets, my sweet Savior has sent me four Golden-Crowned Kinglets to twitter in the twigs, just a few feet from my face. It feels like kisses whenever I think about it. I think it will be that little reminder that there is always joys to be found in the moment, any moment, every moment. And what am I, anyway, but a little bird that carries around a crown bestowed by the King of Kings. I am His, and I can’t lose sight of that, no matter how the brambles keep growing. Sing!
Last Thursday, I got together with my prayer/art partner for a little rock-painting session. I decided to paint a Golden-Crowned Kinglet on my rock. Just as I finished the bird and had started painting the twigs I received a call from my sister that my 93 year old mother was in her last hours. I stopped painting, drove by and picked up my brother and drove an hour south to be with her as she crossed the Threshold. As we were driving we received a call that our sweet mother had passed away. Now the little bird I painted will remind me of my Mother and how she lived out her faith and how she impacted me with her love. I am thankful that our abbess invited us to listen for a Word for the year. And even though it seemed a funny word, I am glad it is the “word” I chose. I continue to delight in the wonder of coming face-to-face with such fanciful creatures in the midst of the brambles. A kiss from God remains on my cheek, even though it is mixed with tears.
My word is acceptance. The Serenity Prayer is with me daily as I live with family issues of alcoholism and mental illness, and accepting the things I cannot change is difficult for me. I am keeping this word before me and praying for light to shine through it and bring me the peace it seems to promise.
I have missed the deadline for your contest, and I am fine with that. Felt I might respond anyway, since this is the first year it has actually occurred to me to have a word for the year. The word that chose me is “acceptance”. Acceptance of life, of personal history, of people, of myself.
My word is: “Consolidation”- At first, I struggled with this one! I resisted the slightly too-sensible connotations of solidity, strength, foundation….but it just kept emerging….so I’m running with it! To bring together what I have learned and achieved, and integrate a lived wisdom in my choices. To build on the bedrock of experience and to let go of the many shifting sands that frazzle me. It’s not about always being sure-footed, but rather, allowing something to accumulate, grow and gain strength.
This has been a very powerful and grounding practice for me the last few years. The word that is shimmering for me now is “rose”. I sit in the mystery and await the unfolding. I am grateful for this space to share.
SPEAK is my word for 2013. It is a reminder to “speak up,” to others and to give voice to my creative impulses using pastels and paints or pen and paper. For a while now, I have felt myself muted, unable to fully express my deeper feelings, verbally or visually. This year, I want to hear the inner voice of Spirit and speak my truth in the presence of others.
I waited for a couple days for a word to present itself and then on Epiphany it suddenly came into view – BEHOLD. Not sure what will unfold by living with this word but perhaps something new. Behold, I make all things new.
Much to my surprise, my word is PRESENCE. Several other words have been courting me these past few weeks, but this morning I slipped in to the Presence and the word claimed me. It’s both about being in the Presence and about being Presence, which, of course are the same thing. May I spend more time this year in the place where I and Thou are one. Thank you for the opportunity to be witnessed.