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
My word is ‘letting go’. We are downsizing to a smaller house with a bigger studio. So the creativity is promising, but a lot of the house has to go. Not as drastic as you had to do, Christine, but still hard…a lot of heirlooms and memories!
The acrostic:
Live life as simply as I can.
Encourage others.
Telling myself I am where I am supposed to be.
Telling others they are loved.
Inspiring myself with what I have.
Nourishing creativity.
Giving.
Giving again.
Orienting myself in the Love of GOD.
My word is a PEACE acrostic
Pray always
Eat carefully
Act for God’s best
Care for others and self
Ease into peace everlasting
My word is flow.
I am a travel photographer so my word is pilgrimage. Inspired by Christine, my poem is a cross between a haiku and an acrostic poem where, in this case, the first letter of each successive word joins together to spell “pilgrimage”.
Proceed In Loving Guidance Rooted In Motion And Grace Eternal
My word for the year is Receive
An invitation to welcome whatever comes joyful. , challenging, etc
An invitation to reflect daily on that which has come in the day and remember the miraculous in the ordinary
Myword is Fluidity. In February I will celebrate my 70th birthday. I will look back over a life in which the ebb and flow of experience calls me to rejoice in deep gratitude for the directns and changing directios that have made my life fluid with potential and oppoturnity – an extraordinary gift of grace.
My word is persevere. I will hold this word in my heart as I watch God’s plans unfold in my life this year.
A totally ordinary word, a prepstion for heaven’s sake. It is WITH.
And oh, the acrostics are just glorious!
Abundance is my word for 2013.
As my word found me, the following poem from St. Julian of Norwich accompanied it:
“God, for Your goodness, give me Yourself
For You are enough for me and
I may not ask anything that is less
That may be fully worthy of You.
And if I ask anything that is less
I am always wanting.
But only in You I have all.”
Thank you for the opportunity to let a new word find me. I started on 7th January but have had a wonderful adventure discovering what was in store for me. The word joy shimered and sang to me in many ways. Then what a surprise to discover Richard Rohr’s book The Naked Now and his reflection on the joyful mind as a contemplative. The first sentence is enough to live with for a while. A joyful mind occurs when your mind does not need to be right!