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!
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.
680 Responses
I have three words, brought about by three different processes and all tying together.
Listen
Recognition
and Focus
Behold!
My word is “shed.”
I have accumulated “stuff”, layers, defenses, fears, and worries that all get in the way of being fully present in life and living in ways that are authentic to me. I am looking to shed many of these this year. Thanks for the invitation
My word is “journey.” On January 1st I began an unfunded sabbatical, of undetermined length, so I’m on a journey of which I cannot see the ending. Along the way, I want to rest and be open to all the things God has to share with me.
“Flow” is the word that chose me. It keeps choosing me over and over each day. It seems to be helping me to ” go with the flow,” have gentler edges, etc, etc. I have a feeling that it will teach and guide me a lot over this next year.
My word is “release.” I am letting go of the past, letting go of old, ingrained habits of thought and action, letting go of things and people who once needed or wanted my attention, but now can fly on their own. I am making room for whatever is to come.
My word is “renovate” — I am transitioning and it is time to move the furniture around, break down a few walls, create some new spaces. I want to build upon some foundations, downsize a little. I may have been influenced by the fact that someone is building a new home in fron of ours! I am going to have a little fun with this. I have never had a dollhouse, but have decided, at age 60, to get my first and I plan to use it as a chance to visualize the outer form of my inner life — to play a little! Blessings to you all!!
Unique: To be myself no matter what labels people place on me.
My word for 2014 is ‘meander’ – and is so counter intuitive given all I already know I will need to accomplish this year that God has to be involved in its appearance! I thought it was going to be ‘follow’ and took that word out for a walk; found myself meandering round the puddles, and knew that was actually the word I was being offered.
My word for 2014 is explore. I was sorting through some magazines and the word just jumped out at me. To me explore has aspects of danger and discovery. I am feeling quite excited. Last year my word was wild and I think this year I will explore through the edges of the wild into the vast unexplored love of God.