Share your Word for 2015
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 Tuesday, January 6, 2015 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. . .
As in past years, 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. Even if you participated last year, you are more than welcome to register again.
Sign up here and you can start your mini-retreat today. Once you subscribe you will receive the first email within an hour and then one email each day for 12 days. Your information will never be shared or sold.
Win a Prize – Random Drawing Giveaway on January 6th!
I am delighted to offer some wonderful gifts from the Abbey and friends and supporters of the Abbey’s work:
- One space in the upcoming online Abbey retreat Illuminating the Way: Epiphany and New Year Retreat with Monks, Mystics, & Archetypes (a fabulous way to begin the year!)
- A copy of Dana Reynolds‘ fabulous gold medal winning novel Ink and Honey
- A 6-week self study course from Dana Reynolds: Your Sacred Life Artisan’s Book of Wonderment
- A New Year Sacred Reading from the Ronna Detrick (let a woman from scripture accompany you into the new year!)
- A copy Betsey Beckman’s fabulous dance of The Creation on DVD (be inspired to dance into the new year)
- A copy of As I Lay Pondering from Kayce Hughlett (a wonderful book of daily reflections to accompany you into the new year)
- A 2015 calendar from Stacy Wills featuring her alcohol ink paintings (be blessed with Stacy’s stunning images each month)
- A copy of Richard Bruxvoort Colligan’s new album Love Stands With, with songs based on justice-oriented Psalms (be moved by powerful music to inspire your heart to prophetic action in the coming year)
- 4 people will win a copy of Sick and You Cared for Me: Homilies and Reflections for Cycle B with one reflection by Christine, plus also Richard Rohr, Rob Bell, Jan Richardson, and many more!
- 4 people will win their choice of self-study online classes from the 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 to receive ongoing inspiration in your in-box. 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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804 Responses
“Habitation” i have become desperate for Gods presence. My desire is sometimes for a lack of a better word…groaning. A deep longing. Sometimes i just want to run into a closet and hide away for long periods of time. I want dominion over time so I have concentrated visitation. My hope is to be more intentional towards Him in 2015.
I am late to answer this post, but I still want to do it. Mi word for 2015 is COURAGE. Thinking about the quote from Thomas Merton, I thought of the struggles I have gone through this year and I relate them to the door that suddenly was open in the middle of my being, my heart and my mind; but, as I wanted to step in, I fell into an empty space. I felt desperate and confused. COURAGE, is the word I hear from the Holy Spirit to face the voice of the one that accused me when I know it is not my true self.
“Simplicity”
Living each moment
choosing ease
releasing old patterns to complicate the moment
This word came through loud and clear. Courage. In my head there was another word but my heart shouted Courage.
And the root of courage is coeur or heart. Perfect!
‘Humility’ is the word that keeps coming to me — through my reading (novels & scripture); so humility is the word calling me in 2015. I see power in humility because being humble free you from pride and arrogance. You can walk humbly within the power of the Holy Spirit and not in your own strength. And this strength makes you a strong person who loves others. Humility I see as being comfortable with who you are — gives you balance and makes you grounded with where and who you are in life. I am hoping that I glean the blessings of humility I 2015 and can grow into a better understanding of myself and to become strong in love for self and others.
My phrase is ‘there is a place’.
It has been difficult to choose a word……..I think it is Doorway(s)…..the actual physical acticity of opening a door or pyshing a door open. To reveal what??? I think it has to do with trust. Saying Yes. Something like that.
Terry, you may want to look at this lovely book, Open the Door: A Journey to the True Self, by Joyce Rupp.
Thanks,
Carol
My word for 2015 is “Playful.” Over the years I have grown very serious and I have lost my lightness. I am feeling challenged to loosen up and to allow myself to just revel in joy.
My word is “softness”. In the past two years, inspired by a wonderful Spiritual Director and other wisdom that came my way, I began to see how “trying harder” for God was really much more about me that about God, about achievement rather than love, about gritting my teeth rather than opening my heart. So this year, I will be soft – hands open, heart waiting, expecting only to know more deeply what I already know is true. I will be clay trusting the potter, water moving with the current, a bird soaring on the wind.
My word will be “smile.” This came to me as I realized that I hold a lot of tension from anxiety in my jaws, even in sleep; yet when I am with others, and basking in their warmth, it seems that I smile without even thinking about it, as I am often complimented for this. I think this a way that God is working on me. So this word will be my reminder to relax and flood myself with gratitude for blessings, and open myself t o God in trust.