My One Word for 2013

OK. . .confession time.  My one word for 2012 was discipline and I don't know what I was thinking when I picked it.  I was going to be more disciplined in eating healthy. . .that lasted about two weeks.  I was going to be more disciplined in exercising. . .that lasted about a month.  I was going to be more disciplined in drinking water. . .well. . .

But I'm not going to beat myself up.  Some would say I was very disciplined in other areas, so maybe the word was not totally wasted on me.

But I'm going to do better with my next word.  I prayed about it, I wanted it to be something I could be intentional about, I wanted it to be fun and worthy and not so easily given up on. I prayed much and one word kept coming back to me over and over again so I have picked it, or maybe God has "given" it to me.  Here it is. . .

I want to give in many ways. . .

 

of my time

of my possessions,
of my praise,
of my love,

 

of Christ's love

of my energy,
of my words,
of God's words,
of my smiles,
of encouragement
of my. . .whatever God leads me to give.

You may ask. . .don't you already give of these things? Yes, but I want to be more intentional and make it even more of a priority and open the hands as wide as possible. I want to feel more free from things, possessions, from me. I want my heart to be more His.

I want to declutter my thoughts, my emotions, my attic :)


I want to not hold on to anything but be able to open up the hands and let the gift of giving flow out, however that may take place.

1 Chronicles 29:9
Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart. . . 

God gave something most precious. . .His Son.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him wouldn’t perish, but would have eternal life.

How could I ever hold on to something, when giving it could be a greater thing.


Bonhoeffer said. . ."What cost him (God) much must not be cheap in the way we live.

I don't want my life to be cheap when it could be more rich for Him.

I felt in order to give more in whatever way God leads, I needed my husband's blessing so I went to him with my first

"giving" and asked if he was alright with it.

The first words out of his mouth were

"Why don't you give even more?"

 

~The final confirmation that I had picked the right word~

(bless that man! :)

I know God has lessons for me with this word. I don't know what they are just yet, but I'm open to whatever they are and I'm excited to see what's around the corner. I've learned in the last couple of years to be even more grateful than I thought possible, to enjoy and be content even more with the simplicity of life. The word give just seems to fall into place. I'm ready to see how He wants me to do more of this.

Acts 20:35

. . . the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

And that is my one word for the new year.
 

May the year 2013 be a blessed year for you, giving and receiving the giving richly. . .honoring God in both.

 

 

If you would like a beautiful One Word blog button with your own God given word, jump over to Melanie's place.  She will make you one:)

 http://www.onlyabreath.com/2012/12/theyre-here-free-one-word-blog-buttons/

 

 

 Did you pick a One Word for 2013? 

I would love to hear what it is.