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
I thought my word had found me–“embraced.” But upon further reflection and the post the other day on the mini retreat, I realized that my word was a spiritual practice I was being called to make. That spiritual practice is on of surrendering to God’s love and letting myself be embraced. I envision it like a parent chasing a resistant child. Once caught, the child kicks and tries to get out of the hold, but oh how wonderful the feeling of finally surrendering and letting myself be held.
Changing my word to “embrace”, I am giving myself the challenge to hold the word more broadly. What do I want to embrace? How do I embrace others? To embrace something means to accept something gladly and enthusiastically. What is God calling me to embrace?
Compassion – by day 10 it was apparent to me that God has been doing a deep healing within, moving me into a heart space of awareness in responding to the pain in my own life and the lives of others… this awakening to pain that can be felt and not overwhelm me has been a lovely gift for me as a 7 on the Enneagram! And I am aware that I am being invited to walk this out to create a new way of responding that might become habitual. Leading a Retreat on Mary, I was aware afresh of God stepping into a messy, chaotic world with deep love to make His home among us… and therefore I too can do the same… with His help! Thank you, Christine, for the guidance in seeking to know the leading of God into 2018!
Christ comes into the chaos of my life
Offering to make his home in me,
Messy meets mercy and together we make merry!
Perhaps I am learning to love and live into my own pain,
Alive to all that is right and good, which is God with me, Emmanuel!
Surrendered to His way of restoration, coming present,
Sharing sorrow and suffering with others,
I invite Love to manifest itself in and through me,
One day, one encounter, at a time.
Nothing is impossible for God!
TRUST – This word came to me at an unexpected, mundane moment but I knew immedidately it was my word for 2018. I think it will be a healing word. I’m going to focus on it during my quiet times in breath prayer/centering prayer. Thank you Lord for this word!
In the
Light
Let
Us
Move and be
Inspired by the
New and the
Everyday
Genuine. a reminder to be true to myself, my beliefs (as I find them), my friends, my community and to look for the real in all things
pause in all things, Pause to wait, to sing, to pray to dance Pause….to listen, speak…Pause…to reach to receive to give Pause..to move ahead Pause
Reciprocity is my word. It chose me early and I can’t shake it. I tried. I wanted a poetic word, a pretty word, a word I could put my arms around. This word signals something new for me. Yin and Yang. Give and take. Partnership. Giving thanks for new beginnings.
All was revealed whilst walking the dog this morning and listening to the sound of the A55 rumbling busily by and then the soft peaceful breaking of the waves on the beach. This is my life. A mass of contradictions that I have spent too long trying to assimilate.
The word I received was “Accept and nurture the contridictions in myself and my life”
The word that found me is ILLUMINATE. I have been praying much about being planted and rooted. And Rising above the recent challenges of the last couple of years. Yet in reflection the culmination of these prayers and days of reading spoke more of being a light. So I believe that is my inspiration for 2018…to Illuminate.
My word that found me is “exposure.” I’m not sure what to expect, but obviously, some exposure of ME!