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
my word is “wholehearted”. I’ve been reading a lot of Brené Brown in 2014, and I knew early on that this would be my word for 2015. This year will bring many transitions: new beginnings and also opportunities to come full circle – geographically, vocation-wise, and spiritually. Many opportunities to engage with my whole heart, to become whole, to heal, and to return home both literally and metaphorically. It’s the perfect word for all that.
My word for this year is “Embrace”. I am surprised by this word and where it will take me this year. I just know I want to live more passionately and embrace what comes my way.
My word is “HOME” including (peace and nurture)
Being at peace and home in who I am!
Being at peace and at home in my body (physically, mentally,emotionally, spiritually) in living with fibromyalgia.
Being at peace and home in my spiritual journey including where I worship.
Being at peace and home in my close relationships: especially spouse and adult children
Being at peace and at home in a relatively new house vs leaving a home of 30 years.
Being at peace and at home in our fairly new location and neighborhood.
My word for this year is “Embrace”. I am actually surprised by this word and have no idea where it will take me. I just know I want to live more passionately and be able to “embrace” those things that come my way.
My Word Is: Expanse, Our God’s creativity & Heaven & healing life & faith are eternally expanding!
A few words came to me but I believe I have chosen the word or it has chosen me. The first word was root. As a verb to root. To root out the bitterness I have experienced in the last 5 yrs. then came seed but allow really speaks to me. I must allow disappointment and joy to reside together. Specifically about my disappointment and disillusionment with my church. I have to let things be as they are. To allow for imperfection and disappointment.
My word is malleable. I have a vision of my aging body bending easily, being flexible with a soft line. So too my spirit being adaptable and receptive to change, capable of being stretched. Tender, yielding to the One who has the power to shape me. Having the desire to be transformed.
My word is “birth”–the verb–to birth or to give birth. I have become more aware of the Christ Child within me. He resides deep down in my vulnerabilities, in my fears, in my doubts, in my insecurities. He also lies in my deepest truths, my authentic love. And this Christ Child is pushing and kicking, ready to be born. and I am to birth him, to bring him forth and give him flesh in this world. In doing this, I believe that I will also be birthing myself–the self that God created me to be; the self that is deep down. At my core that’s who I am, even if I can’t see her or know her. I am to birth her–to bring her forth and give her life. Somehow in my mind this inner Christ Child and my true self (the person God created me to be, created in His image) become one. In birthing one I am birthing the other. I’m not sure how to do this. I suspect it’s a process. But that is what I will be pondering this year.
My word is “explore.” On the threshold of becoming 72, I have sought answers for this “third half of life” experience, only to learn that this is a time of exploration for new ways of being and new understanding of my life in the Spirit.
My word is reclaiming..this word actually has been coming to me slowing in the last few months of 2014. It has been dancing around everything I do. For me, reclaiming speaks to my belief that we already have all that we have ever needed and that we are connected to all things in life, its simply opening ourselves up to what we to be part of or connect with.
Reclaim!!
Gemma Benton
Love that word, Gemma! Reclaim! My word is Free, but I’m going to borrow and ‘reclaim’ that one too.
Peace,
Jo-Ellen