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
Ready – my Word for 2015.
2013 was a year of change and 2014 a year of inward reflection, rest, retreat, rejuvenation and redirection. I am ready to move forward in this new year. The scene from the movie Exodus: Gods and Kings where the people are resting before the Red Sea resonated with me. Moses told them to “ready themselves” and onward they went toward their future. I like this word because it speaks of the present and future. While I am ready for many things, in other areas I still need to get ready. Each morning since receiving this word, I ask myself “what do I need to do today to be ready?” Each day has its own tasks that I do my best to fulfill. In so doing, I know I am getting a step closer to my future while making the most of the present.
My word for 2015 is Create
My word is simply WORD–God’s WORD sustaining me, amazing me, always with wonder and mystery.
Weave into the crevices of faithful heart,
O God, sacred dreams and longings that
Resound with ancient newness, startling stories of
Divine enchantment!
My word for 2015 is “Sacred”. I want to remember this in every choice I make.
Grace. Grace. Grace. Grace. Grace.
My word for the year is “open.” I will remain open to the promptings of the Spirit for the direction my life will move. I will be open to new ways of working, to new friendships, and to new ways of relating in old relationships and friendships.
My word is Resonate. To be the beaming vibration of God’s Holy Name. To elevate and uplift through harmonious re-sounding of God’s joyous praise. To see God in All and to vibrate at the highest frequency of Divine Love.
My word for this year is SMALLER (even though I just used all caps). It is part of a broader phrase for 2015:
SMALLER…MORE EFFICIENT…BETTER QUALITY
It applies to all aspects of my life…eating, writing, business, my body, spiritual inputs, spiritual outputs, social media influences, friendships, landscaping, my house, etc.
May everyone’s WORD come to fruition and be a blessing to all!
The word “Listen” came quite loudly while I was first reading about this retreat. I “listened” for other words throughout these last 5 days, and still Listen is the strongest, so I’m going with it. Letting go of my “knowns” and listening for direction (internal as well as external) is what I’m focusing on for 2015.
My word for 2015 is ‘savor’ – to enjoy to the full. It follows on from last year’s ‘mindful’ and I sense some ease and rest in there – some stopping to relish instead of charging from one thing to another!