If you struggle to choose a word for the year, let the word choose you. That’s how I chose my word this year.

In the prior post I talked about how you lose if you don’t choose a word for the year.

With the new home that Robert and I purchased, I immediately thought my word would be Hospitality. Owning this home was such a God thing that we are so grateful for. You can watch, read or listen.

Watch, read or listen.

We both are looking forward to getting settled so that we can share our home with others. Family are coming into town in a few months. There are plans for three retreats. We wanted this home to be a home of Hospitality.

How A Word Can Choose You

But another word was put on my heart.

By the way, it’s okay to choose another word. The word you choose, ideally, needs to be a word that will result in some kind of transformation that you wish.

The new word came to me after I was asked to be the liturgist at church Sunday.

The scripture passage that day was taken from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in I Corinthians 12:1-12.

In it he talks about spiritual gifts that we are given. Each of us are given unique gifts.

In the prayer of confession, there was a line that said:

Help us to share our time, energy and gifts with willing hearts and a commitment to help bring about your kingdom here on earth.

The Word that Chose Me Was Willing

I believe that one of my gifts is to encourage people to become all that God created them to be. I do that primarily through my writing.

It’s so easy to get discouraged, first by our own limiting thoughts and beliefs, and second, by all the distractions and pressure of competition and performance within our society.

That’s why one of my favorite prayers is, “God, help me to get out of my own way.”

How A Word Will Make You Stretch and Grow

But the reality is, in the work that God has called me to do, no one will receive this encouragement if I am not “willing” to put this encouragement out into the world.

I am quite content to hunker down in my little office sanctuary and crank out more books. I still want to believe in the romantic notion that that’s all writers do and that their books just magically sell by themselves.

But the rude reality is that if I don’t share the message of encouragement I’ve written by posting on this blog or on social media channels, I might as well just write in my journal!

Because of the heart-felt reviews for my books and the many emails I receive from readers who are encouraged by the words God has put on my heart, I know that I have to be willing to ask people to share this blog post, for instance, or reach out to ask those who follow my work to share with others who could use it.

Otherwise, these resources will just sit on the Internet with no one knowing they exist. The result will be that people who need encouragement won’t receive it!

I have resisted this necessary posting regularly and asking because I have not been willing.

How a Word Translates to Many Opportunities

It’s not just this sharing, posting, and asking where I want to be willing. I want to be open and willing to accept opportunities that present themselves, realizing that I don’t know what those will be.

In my book God Notes – Daily Doses of Divine Encouragement is the word Willing under the chapter called Guidance. I thought it was appropriate to share:

I seek hearts that are willing.

Are you willing to risk?

Are you willing to love?

Are you willing to take the first step?

Are you willing to try?

I am always ready and willing to guide you and help you when you are willing to trust in Me.

Be Open and Attentive for Your Word

Take some time to connect with the desires of your heart. Is there resistance like my being unwilling? Or a problem like I had over complicating things where I needed to simplify? What would you like to change?

Maybe you find yourself being afraid to take the first step or the next step, so you need to choose the word Courage.

Maybe you tend to worry or get anxious and your word needs to be Peace.

Be attentive to songs, movies, books, and literal signs on the street! Your word can speak to you through any number of ways. You’ll feel it in the depths of your being.

A Word resource to help you is my book God Notes – Daily Doses of Divine Encouragement. There are 365 words. Most readers tell me that they just randomly open the book to see what word God has for them.

I hope these posts have inspired you to choose a word for the year.  If you have, please let me know what your word is in the comments below.

If you think this post would benefit someone or the people in your network, then share this link with them, if you are willing. ; ) Thank you!

 

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