In ancient times, wise men and women fled out into the desert to find a place where they could be fully present to the divine 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 3, 2025 and you are automatically entered for the prize drawing (prizes listed below).
Join our Give Me a Word Self-Study Retreat for guidance and inspiration.
This retreat is designed to help you contemplate what holiness is birthing within your soul. Each day there will be a different practice offered to inspire, challenge, and support you in listening for the word that wants to be spoken to your heart.
The practices are not about resolutions or goal setting, they are not about achieving more in the new year or accomplishing tasks or goals. They are about listening for what is calling to you in a particular season of life. They ask us to trust a greater wisdom at work in the world than our own egos.
Through this retreat, you will be invited to release your thinking mind and enter into a space of receiving.
Learn more here. Use code GMAW20 to take 20% off through December 31st.
WIN A PRIZE – RANDOM DRAWING GIVEAWAY ENTER BY JANUARY 5th!
- One person wins a space in the mini-retreat Holding Paradox: A Retreat with St. Brigid led by Simon de Voil
- Two people win a space in our upcoming A Midwinter God retreat
- Two people win a space each in their choice of Self-Study retreats
- Three people win a Dancing Monk Medallion
Please share your word with us in the comments below
(and it would be wonderful if you included a sentence about what it means for you)
Subscribe to the Abbey of the Arts newsletter to receive ongoing inspiration in your in-box. You can choose daily, weekly, or monthly. Share the love with others and invite them to participate. Then stay tuned – on January 12th we will announce the prize winners!
201 Responses
Conocer-I want to know God. In Spanish, to know has two words-Saber and Conocer. Saber is all about facts, where Conocer is more intimately acquainted with. You don’t get that distinction of to know in English. I want to experience God both in Spanish and in English. I want to experience Him with all that I am.
I meant reciprocity 😊
My word is repricocity.
Having been contemplating my word seemingly without response thus far suddenly this morning there were three. As I read the love notes, I remembered that verse about being given a good measure “pressed down and overflowing” (Luke 6:38). Overflowing wasn’t the word but it was in the right ball park. I have spent to many years making myself smaller and less than I need to be, feeling limited by illness and disability and how g’good girls’ should behave. On New Year’s Day I suddenly realised that I don’t want this anymore. Then I read something where a woman apologises because she thinks she may sound as if she is boasting. The response is “Don’t be foolish. God has provided you with a gift. You must own it and use it.” (Ink & Honey by Sybil Dana Reynolds p.91). This made me think of the gifts I have been given and the generosity of God towards me. As I played with the word overflowing this morning, not one but three words came to me: Abundant, but that still wasn’t quite right, then Bounteous and Lavish. Bounteous which comes from the middle French, and has a feminine form, meaning benevolent full of goodness . Lavish coming from the old French Lavasse – a deluge of rain. I love that, God’s generosity like a deluge of rain! That generosity in the very fact that having thought there was no word, I was then given three to play with. I imagine my self standing in a deluge of God’s generosity and I will work to own and use my gifts. Lavish is the word I will begin with, the one that shimmers and challenges the most.
My word is ‘sonas’ – a full, rich holistic kind of happiness. (Gaelic)
My word given to me by the Holy Spirit is “Enough”- after having to recently quit my ministry job due to health issues and put a pause on my 2nd career seminary education I’m trying to remember that I am still “enough” in the eyes of the Divine- even when it feels like I’m not producing anything/ taking any steps forward…What I can do and who I am is still enough!
STRONG. Because that’s how I want to feel. Unstoppable and determined.
My word for 2025 is Transition.
My word is unknowing… I sit every morning thinking on my future as a widow of 5 years and don’t feel I’m moving forward
My word is Easy (“what if this were easy?”, “take it easy”, “easy, girl”) , and if that isn’t relevant to the situation, Savor.