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:
- 4 people will win a signed copy of Eyes of the Heart: Photography as Christian Contemplative Practice (mailed directly from me in Ireland to you, anywhere in the world)
- 4 people will win a copy of Naked and You Clothed Me: Homilies and Reflections for Cycle A with two reflections by Christine, plus also Richard Rohr, Rob Bell, Jan Richardson, Fr. James Martin, SJ, and many more!
- 4 people will win their choice of self-study online classes from following: Creative Flourishing in the Heart of the Desert: A Self-Study Online Retreat with St. Hildegard of Bingen, Soul of a Pilgrim: An Online Art Retreat, Seasons of the Soul, Lectio Divina: The Sacred Art of Reading the World, or Eyes of the Heart: Photography as a Contemplative Practice.
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!
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680 Responses
The word that has chosen me is “nurture”. It has appeared in my dreams, my conversations and in daily synchronicities. A beautifully intact bird’s nest has even found its’ way to my home. I am delighting in these gentle messages to grow and enable growth. “Nurture” feels like a pathway through the coming year.
My word for 2014 is “healing.”
So much grief has surfaced this year – over losses I thought I’d long since accepted and moved past – that it wasn’t really a surprise when this word appeared. I’ve come to terms with things intellectually, but I think my heart is still broken. “Healing” feels like both an invitation and a gift.
My word is “Grace.” God continually gives each of us, especially me an amazing amount of grace on a daily basis. I need to claim this, cling to this, enjoy this, and be thankful for this. I also need to not only bestow grace to others, but I need to encourage that they allow themselves grace as well. Finally, I need to offer myself grace. I’m my worst critic, I need to be able to offer myself the same measure of grace I would encourage others to allow themselves.
My phrase is ‘bringing to birth’. I recently came across Gregory of Nyssa’s comment that “Christmas is the festival of re-creation”. I was thinking about that and the on-going nature of God’s creating, when the realisation that my birthday is within the Octave of Christmas started shimmering. (Funny how things you have been aware of for all your life suddenly become ‘known’ in a new way!) I am content to wait in this knowing/unknowing for the birthing.
The word that shimmers for me and feels most alive as we move towards the New Year is discernment. I will meditate on the word “discernment” and pray for the deep integration of discernment into all aspects of my daily life.
The word conscious has chosen me and captured me! As I continue to journey to the wild edges, I hope to have conscious awareness of all the invitations that the God of the Future is offering to me at the thresholds!
My word is courage. Courage to move from that place where I am to that place that calls me.
My word for this year is “contentment”. After a year that brought major changes to our life, I am seeking to be content with my life as it is rather than what I think it should be.
The word that keeps coming to me is “hope”. I’m not exactly sure why yet. There are several situations currently for which I hold great hope and some others for which I carry I worry and concern. I want to learn to walk through this year with faith and hope that I will realize no matter what the circumstance God’s grace is there and it is sufficient!
My word is “allow.” I deeply cherish the invitation to “let go and let God.” This year as I cross the threshold into 2014 with the intention to let go of worry about situations over which I have no control. I will allow my life to unfold, mindful of opportunities to make meaning in my life by being present for myself and others.