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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, Will, Way for 2014 is a play on many W words – (I like a word that unfolds to be a certain way of being each of the 12 months). It is Dubstep? and it shall be about my way of walking lyrically in 2014, with a song in my step. It holds my 12 W intentions for the year: walking, writing, wellness, wander, weightlessness, whit, worth, witness, whisper, whimsy, willful, wonder.

  2. My word for 2013 has been “obedience”. It did not take long for me to discover that another word was hanging on to its coat tails: “humility”.

    Thus, I see that HUMILITY is my 2014 word (but realize that obedience continues to be my word as well). May God teach me what I need to learn.

  4. BLESSING. This word chose me tonight as I sat at a restaurant pouting that I had been seated next to the noisy kitchen. As I was thinking of a nasty comment to make to the hostess on the way out, I heard, “Be a blessing.” So instead, on the way out, I said, “It was lovely. Thank you.” And I have nothing to feel ashamed of, unlike how I would have felt if I had followed my first impulse. I am blessed as well.

  5. I chose “struggle” last year to remind me of my sweetheart and the way he struggled with so many things in his life. As the year progressed, the word “Mercy” chose me and I became aware of God’s mercy in so many situations. I will continue to use “Mercy” this year. There is much work for me as I ponder and explore His mercy and how I must offer it to others and also to myself.

  6. The word ALLOW came to me immediately. The meaning is slowly evolving. Although the word “permission” is frequently inferred and “letting go” is part of it, it seems so much bigger to me right now.
    I feel there is something in my heart that is yearning to emerge. That is what I must discover and allow.

  7. From Mary Lee:

    The word I want to share is Compassion – compassion towards myself, family, wider circle and all I come in contact with. I have more reason than ever to choose this word: recently retired, having spent twenty years as Director of a Family Centre where I always wanted those who use the service to experience compassion. Though I cannot control or predict the future of the Centre my hope is that into the future it will always be a place of compassion. I attach my poem below which I shared with those present for my retirement party.

    The Whole Story
    She dreams that one day
    embers of compassion
    will be kindled in every hearth,
    the look of kindness
    re-assure eyes of fear,
    anguish,
    confusion,
    so they can tell the whole story.
    She dreams that the hand
    of compassion will cradle away
    hasty judgements –
    all judgements
    that grow in the lost and lonely,
    traitors and murderers
    so they can tell the whole story.
    She dreams that one day
    the mirror of compassion will transform
    shame and criticism
    as sure as the sun
    melts packed ice;
    purified by the white light of pain
    so all can tell the whole story.

    —Mary Lee

    1. What a beautiful poem/prayer, Mary Lee. It must have been difficult for you to “relinquish” (my word 2 years ago)your job at the Family Center. God bless you and your word for this year.

  8. Last time, I chose ’emptying’, so it was no surprise to me that the word that’s welled up for 2014 is RECEIVE. The emptying process brought me to a place where I can now be open to receiving. To me, it speaks of allowing the good, surrendering control, softening and not having to ‘earn’ what comes my way. It’s also about receiving / welcoming back the lost parts of myself that have been buried. I’ll be honest, a part of me is quite nervous about what will come back, but I’m going to trust that all will be well.

  9. Shimmering- A word that you used and one that glistens for me. Driving down my road in the fall, the leaves hanging heavy with color, yet so light, the gentlest breeze moves them. As the sun hits them, my heart “hears” them as they shimmer before me. The message is so clear to me. God is quiet. God is colorful. God is present. God is still. God is moving. Where beauty is, God is. that is, God is everywhere. The grace is to notice. The Word shimmers. The Word, it catches my eye, my attention with gentleness and beauty. I am invited to wonder, to consider, to be.

  10. I choose ‘vulnerability’ as a means to learning compassion. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately so when your note came to my inbox, the word was right there waiting. Reading what others have posted is very inspiring. Thank you for prompting this.