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
My word for 2015 is surrender. I’m entering my 2nd year in a new business and I truly believe 2015 is the year my business will open up and begin to flourish. I pray that I am able to surrender control and allow God to move my business forward, that I stay open to new possibilities, and that I take the time to be still and truly listen. I look forward to beginning a new year, and I wish everyone here abundant blessings in 2015!
My word for the year is Dark. I am reading Barbara Brown Taylor’s marvelous book, Learning to Walk in the Dark. This year I intend to explore and embrace the darkness that terrifies me. It should be an exciting time.
I don’t know the book you mention but will look it up. I strongly recommend Chris Chapman’s ‘seeing in the dark’canterbury press 2013. Have a good walk!
Abundant Simplicity
My word for 2015 is “Fallow.”
After 7 years of busy parish ministry, and having just completed theological studies, the invitation for me is to rest and to be open to whatever might come. I sense that a pause is needed; to deepen and sink into the wisdom of the earth.
This is to be “My Year of Being Fallow.” May it come to pass!
My word for 2015 came to me on the second day of my doing the mini retreat! It is “experience”… experience God. It made me think about how I have experienced God in the past, experience God now, and the different way I can experience God in this new year and beyond. It also made me think about how others experience God – how our church’s ministries could help people share their experiences of God with each other. How we could help others, who have never experienced God do so. How can we provide ways and spaces that are welcoming to all people to learn and share. One way I am hoping to experience God in this new year is through photography – as I mentioned elsewhere, my husband bought me a new camera (a dslr one) for Christmas. I haven’t had one with lens options, etc. since I was a teenager… looking forward to experiencing God’s world through the lens of a camera! Blessings to all the Dancing Monks as we journey with God and each other in 2015! Thank you for such a wonderful community!!
My word is LABYRINTH hoping to use one with small groups – see acrostic.
Labyrinths
Are
Basically
Your
Route
Inwards
Naturally
To
Help
Thank you as always for this invitation, Christine! The phrase that has taken flight from this person’s heart is “sacred fool!” The direction given from the inner chambers is to willingly sacrifice seriousness and what ever pieces of the burden that can be laid down in service to inviting happiness and joy in for myself and those around me. The call is to be willing to be foolish and take risks that I might otherwise shy away from … To take a new way home if you will. It’s through this willingness to be so freshly available and open in the past few weeks that the God of my heart has lead me to take the giant leap from the north east to the Pacific Northwest, where I have been guided for many years, and finally heeded the call! It’s through this total trust that I am finding my own happiness. May it grow!
Wela’lin, thank you!
Joy and sweetness to All!
My word is “Enter”.
My word is Radical Trust
Surrender. Resting in the presence. This word and image came to me at a contemplative prayer retreat. I’ve written about it on my blog. http://soulfullyyou.wordpress.com/2014/11/23/resting-in-the-fullness-a-divine-crescent-moon-experience/