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
I think mine is unfold.
My word for 2015 is beauty
My word for 2015 is transforming- from the prophesy in Jeremiah 31:8-9,12-13. I need God’s transforming power in my life to help me to minister to others so that they and this world may be transformed. Lord, take the broken and seperated threads of our experiences and transform them into the beautiful tapestry of your kingdom. Amen.
I realized today that the word has been birthing in me since before Christmas — it is looking or perhaps better, gazing. It speaks of my gazing into the eyes of God, in Jesus, and moreover his returning gaze. That gaze is full of compassion and in it I see all our shared pain and love.
Resilience: having long ago rejected others labels such as victim, survivor, etc I read an article that called some children who had thrived in spite of horrific abuses “the children of resilience.” Now there was a notion I could own! Today, entering the year in which I will turn 65, I claim it once more as I again redefine what it means to be the me I am under the ever faithful care of the Divine.
my word for this year is embodiment. I am going to grad school (counselling) this year so part of what this word means for me is ensuring that all the new ideas and things I learn get to be embodied and not just sit on the surface of my mind. It also means finding regular rhythms of dance, yoga and walking even as the timetable has more geographically disparate things packed into it.
My word this year is sabbath. I want my drive to work, to DO, to be better balanced with time to BE.
My word for 2015 is expectation. My expectations of others, especially my family, has often been a problem for me. I am sure others have expectations of me that I fail to do. I’ve been thinking about expectations. If I can just live in the present and accept what is I will be better off.
I like your word Betty. I too have expectations from others, often family, and am disappointed when they respond differently from what I expect. I find it hard to allow others to be as they are and I am trying to respect their freedom. Growing in respect for others is a challenge for me. I think we are both on the right track if we can live in the present and live each moment. My word is ‘savour’ . I want to savour each moment, each day, each season. Bernadette
My word for 2015 is rainbows….. the promise, the rich fabric of colors, the return to blessing and peace
my word is ‘precious’. Thank you.