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Give Me a Word 2016: 7th Annual Abbey Giveaway

SHARE YOUR WORD FOR 2016

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 January 6, 2016 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.

Subscribe to our email newsletter and you will receive a link to start your mini-retreat today. Your information will never be shared or sold. (If you are already subscribed to the newsletter, look for the link in today’s email).

WIN A PRIZE – RANDOM DRAWING GIVEAWAY ON JANUARY 6TH!

We are delighted to offer some wonderful gifts from the Abbey:

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 we 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.

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712 Responses

  1. Lover I feel this is my word for 2016. God is calling me into a deeper more intimate relationship with him.

  2. Vigilant – To be vigilant as the Desert Ammas and Abbas where over their spiritual cores.

  3. My word is “believe” – believe in God’s plan, not only for me, but for others too. Believe in myself.

  4. 2016 word….Essence ….spending time this coming year in the core, allowing for true nature of self, others and life’s experiences.

  5. The word that crosses my mental threshold and beckons me into 2016 is

    KAIYROS

    because chronos has become cumbersome and the images that call to me are of a certain textured thyme

  6. This is my third year doing this exercise and each time it has been a rich experience producing just what I needed for the year. I have moved from “root and remain” to “move to wonder” to ‘Wholly Yours” for the coming year.

  7. My word is action. It is time to physically move into real substantial action and stop thinking about it. Health and freedom from pain,weight loss; turning to my spirit to move out of the prison of procrastination.

  8. My word is “seeingly” from Rilke’s ‘Stand more seeingly”. For me it means to be as totally present to the present and allowing the Presence to be experienced.

  9. My word for 2016 is “tenderness”. I’m still developing the “gentleness” of 2015. This new word is a continuation and development of the old.