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Give Me a Word 2014: Fifth Annual Abbey Giveaway

Share your Word for 2014

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 below by Monday, January 6, 2014 and you are automatically entered for the prize drawing (prizes listed below). Last year we had 840 people share!

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 6th!

I am delighted to offer some wonderful gifts from the Abbey:

So please share your word (and it would be wonderful to include 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 6th I will announce the prize winners!

If this is your first time commenting at the Abbey, or you are including a link, your comment will need to be approved before appearing, which usually takes less than 24 hours.

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October 8, 2025

680 Responses

  1. My word is COURAGE. Courage to be confident in myself to continue living my life on my terms in spirit in my playful, expressive, and creative way.

  2. my word is create. i am a single mom of three and a pastor of five very small churches. i have to be very creative in finding time to “in the Spirit.” But at the same time those arpund me give all sorts of opportunities to be creative.

  3. SPACIOUSNESS: This word chose me last Fall when the new semester began and I was wrestling with a busy schedule, knowing that I need to allow time for artistic activities and contemplative practices. I continue to live into new transformative space as I approach 2014 with awareness that a birthing process is underway.

  4. My word for 2014 is “Be”, as in being versus doing. There is so much this word holds for me and for 2014 I need to make it a practice to “be” more…be present, be still, be me, and on and on.

  5. My word for 2014 is recreation. Doing the things I love to do. The pleasure and joy that comes from being creative, and the inner healing that comes from all forms of creativity. But I am not just looking at it as recreation but re-creation. Using my favourite things to understand my faith and to explore scripture and prayer. And allowing God continue to recreate me into His image.

    There is no doubt that recreation is good for our mind, soul, body and Spirit. So why not use these things to worship, love and learn about ourselves and Abba our Father.

  6. Hold

    I’m still discerning all of the calls of this word to me, but they include “be still,” “hold lightly,” “hold gently,” and “remain present,” and “abide.”

  7. My word is “HOME”. This place or presence called home, where is it, what is it, who is it, when is it, how is it? Like the three wise men, I am watching, listening, following, waiting, searching to find “home”. Most people come home for christmas. Those who dont, feel sad and lonely. Some people have no home, like Jesus. Did he find “home”?. Throughout the scriptures, the prodigal comes home, Joseph takes Mary home, the wise men go home.
    Home is where the heart is. Where all is based on love, not reason! More questions, few answers, the search is on, following the star. Happy Christmas

  8. FLOURISH. I have an excellent education and professional training, and can help people with my skills. I need to find peace and a place in this system and FLOURISH as a person doing good work for good reasons, rather than fighting where I am, who I am, and what I do.

  9. FREEDOM — Freedom to be who God created me to be, freedom to enjoy God’s blessings rather than continually striving to be or do more, freedom to live and love and laugh. For where the Spirit of Christ is, there is freedom.

  10. Started singing what I thought was a hymn one day in process painting (this happens to me a lot) and finally realized it was an aria from an oratorio by Mendelssohn ..
    I was singing Oh trust in the Lord, Wait patiently on Him and He shall give thee thy heart’s desires.
    Learned, thanks to Google, it’s REST in the Lord .. when I saw that word “rest,” my whole body relaxed. I’m using it as my meditation word now and every time I say it, my shoulders descend a couple of inches ..
    It would be amazing to give up trying and to simply rest.