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
Vision is my word. I have been having problems with my eyesight in 2014 which I hope will be corrected in 2015. Along with the problems I have also felt that my perspective on my spiritual life is changing and hope to see more this year.
Hope is the word that finds me again and again. To honor this call, I hope to finish an altered book this year that focuses on Pandora’s Box myth. A tradition at our Christmas table is to create votive candle holders wrapped with quotations centered on a particular theme, share the words and then light each candle one at a time. This year many poets, sages and activists were represented, inspiring hope for each and all of us during a time on the planet when despair is so easily accessed. Emily Dickinson writes, “Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.” The song of hope is what I will be humming during the coming year.
Wow, there are so many different and wonderful words that have been chosen here. It is so inspiring just to read everyone’s comments. I am relatively new to your work – although I purchased the Artists Rule some time ago it is being asked to be read, worked through and savoured now. I love everything that I have seen on this site. It feels like a spiritual home.
My word this year is connection. The call is to a deeper and more authentic connection with self, friends/family/new people entering my life, with earth and with spirit.
My word for 2015 is ‘beauty’
Late last year I wanted to always be aware of ‘being in beauty.
Walking in beauty being with people who were in beauty , always focusing on beauty.
Sometimes I find myself spirally down with the news on TV and with things that happen and then I remind myself
“look for the beauty ”
“Be the beauty”
My word for 2015 is: courage.
My word for the year is shed. It chose me and I feel challenged by it.
My word came in a dream which woke me up. What I heard was “bear with me.” Much to explore here. To bear can mean to endure, to carry, to hold, to give birth to or even to turn and proceed in a specified direction. It feels like an invitation and also an assurance that I am not alone in this journey. I’ve been contemplating these words from William Blake “And we are put on earth a little space
That we might learn to bear the beams of love.”
The word that found me these past few days was ‘Mercy.’ I believe I am being called to offer God’s Mercy to those around me. To refrain from judging…which I claim I don’t do…but in quiet alone moments, I realize I really do. :-/ Closely connected with this is the word ‘Kindness’, which I like better only IN THAT it is a gift I can give, to others and also to myself, whereas Mercy is GOD’S gift that I pass on. Kindness is the word that returned to me as I began reading here tonight, and maybe when I am KIND (especially when it is not coming naturally), I really am offering God’s Mercy. So….there it is. KINDNESS will be my word for the year! PTL! :-)
The word that found me and has stayed is “pondering”. This seems to be an invitation to me for something this year. I have many things to ponder. Pondering warms my insides when I hear it. Gratefyl!
God-pleaser. Seeking God constantly, daily in order to please Him and not to be a people-pleaser