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!
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.
804 Responses
“Flourish” chose me today.
As a verb: “thrive / multiply / bear fruit as well as wield / twirl / swing”
As a noun: “bold or extravagant action / a fanfare”
Heartening and a little scary!
My word this year is “fortify” .
So much of what I love seems to be eroding and I want to fortify what I can within my self and my relationships to keep myself positive.
Thanks.
Jan
This year my word came much more easily than it did in the past. This year’s word is RELAX. I stress too much about things and am too perfectionistic in my art. So I need to RELAX more about things
Thank you for the free online mini-retreat “Give Me a Word.” A word has indeed chosen me. The word is BELONG. I am looking forward to the unfolding of this word throughout the new year.
My word is CHOOSE. Choose intention, choose life, choose my responses, choose to pray and embody and step out. Excited!!
My word for 2014 was gratitude and it brought me to a deeper place of thanks for God’s constant grace and love. The word “Trust” has been offered to me by God and I am excited to learn the lessons that will be manifested by this word. I could try to put forth my own ideas about it, but instead I will be open to its deeper meaning for me. Fear has been my companion throughout my life and accompanies me like a lost child wherever I go. Perhaps my companion can finally be absorbed safely into my heart by God’s love.
My word is realize.
This year, I feel called to go beyond recognition and reconciliation (both of which offered themselves to me in my meditations). To realize my place, my purpose, my strengths — to realize where my shadows have held me, often in places of safety — to realize what God is calling me to be.
ACCEPTANCE
Had struggled all month for word until I read a reflection by Thomas Keating in which he used the words “security of acceptance”. Suddenly I had my word–acceptance. I know there will be many changes during the coming year that will call me to acceptance.
Some things can’t be changed
Deliberated or questioned
Fighting is futile.
Accepting brings peace
To constant chaos of change.
My word: acceptance.
Security found
In my soul, thru accepting
My role in God’s plan.
Jan Jett
My word/phrase is The Magic of Maybe – it gives me a new perspective towards change in all its manifestations, always reminding me that there are choices that can be made, while relieving me from a fear of failure.
JOY – this us my word for 2015 and maybe longer. I want to bask in joy, radiate joy, show my joy to others. I would like the statement below to be true – from that time on she (me) expressed joy in every situation.