SHARE YOUR WORD FOR 2018
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 5, 2018 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 the Sunday email).
WIN A PRIZE – RANDOM DRAWING GIVEAWAY ON JANUARY 6TH!
We are delighted to offer some wonderful gifts from the Abbey:
- One space in our upcoming New Year’s online retreat – The Wisdom of the Body
- One space in our Lent retreat – Watershed Moments in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures
- One space in our online program Sacred Seasons: A Yearlong Journey through the Celtic Wheel of the Year
- 4 people will win their choice of our self-study online retreats
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!
433 Responses
My word is FORGIVENESS and I really wondered about the meaning for me with this word which chose me. Aside from the usual piece about forgiving myself of whatever imperfections and limitations I imagine I own, I think one of the workings of this word for me is perhaps I can teach people about forgiveness – to lighten their emotional load, to free them up from that which constrains them. One of my fondest wish for this world is that there be much more compassion and forgiveness between people and for ourselves. Undoubtedly, Forgiveness has much to teach ME.
My word for 2018 is EMPTYING . As I start a two year study in spiritual direction here in New Zealand, I have began a process of emptying, making space inside to receive , and give.
I do this mini class each year and am so thankful to Christine for continuing it. The hardest part by far is letting the word choose me. I was considering several words that seems appropriate for next year, when I read Christine’s encouragement to stop thinking so hard about it and let the word “shimmer” to me. Sure enough, it was a word I wasn’t even thinking about. My word is FLOURISH. I am very excited to see how God works through that word in my life in 2018.
Been listening deeply and the word that keeps recurring is ENOUGH. God is enough, I am enough and I have enough.
Devotional is what came and what I resisted, but it keeps coming. So I will claim it and embrace it and be open to what develops in 2018, with my journey into devotional.
APPRENTICESHIP is the word that has been gifted to me. 2017 is the year I retired. I have experienced this year accompanied by the mantram ” EVERYthing is a lesson”. I believe every experience,everyone and everything holds new information that contributes to my evolution…hence, my word is a way of life, an old friend and was just waiting for me to ask it it’s name :)
My word chose me this year! It jumped out twice into my life unexpectedly: mirabilis! It means wonders and miracles :)
I love this word.
Invitation- the word invitation seems to be popping up for the past few months. I would like to see if I can be more aware in the new year of the many invitations I receive from God, from nature, from others to actively engage in the moment. I would also like to be more inviting to situations, people and experiences that are different and unique. The invitation I guess works both ways. Can I invite others in and can I be more open to invitations.
Open.
This word will encourage me to refrain from editing my thoughts which lead me to judgement of myself and others and to be open to whatever presents itself to me in the present moment.
This is my 3rd year doing this and am so grateful as I ‘wait in joyful hope’… Thank you to all who are sharing and to the Abbess et al.