“Help me through the changing;
You know that sometimes fear takes over,
bring me ever closer, ever closer to you,
bring me closer to the child you want me to be.”
~ Crossbeam. Grace
I walked along a dirt path this morning.
On a winter cloud-puffed day.
The mist had pulled its blanket over the hills.
I don’t mind the cold. A soft-worn scarf, gloves and my robin-egg blue beanie keep me warm. In the winter,the trails are bare except for the occasional walker here or there.
So, I welcomed the stretch of quiet solitude and brisk-chilled air, the way a swimmer welcomes a breath of air between strokes.
The kids returned to school this week so I’ve been stuck in the house cleaning up, trying to clear a space for the new year after the holidays.
It will take more than a few days to put things away.
There are things I want to get rid of. That I’m not quite sure if I can.
I keep saying I might need it.
I might want it.
Later.
But, I know I’m not the same as I have been.
It’s time to change.
To let go of who I’ve been, to discover who I am becoming.
To dare to believe who God says I am today. As is.
Into The Soil
The one word God placed on my heart last year — as He whispered into my anxiety-ridden sobs — has now become the one word He’s gently placing into my hand.
This one word was planted like a spring-blooming flower. In the winter. Down into the soil of my heart. In the dark.
This one word surfaced during my year of panic attacks.
I didn’t understand how it could be true.
I didn’t understand how to live it fully.
And as I made my way towards the close of 2013, I heard it again.
It came audibly to my heart one lonely, dark moment I relived in a memory last month.
How I used to lie on the floor.
Crying as a little girl in the dark. Watching gray silhouettes of dust bunnies blur with tears in the glow of street lights and traffic headlights streaming past our house.
I didn’t understand why I was born.
Why was I here?
In that echo of pain, the little girl in me did not know Jesus was right beside her.
My One Word
This was me in the past. But, the me today saw Jesus kneeling beside her. His arms placed around her.
As the tears flowed and with my hands clenched, I wished — oh I wished Jesus was real in the skin. So, I could open the palms of my hands and grab onto Him.
In this intimate moment, Dr. P asked me to think of a beautiful place I once shared with Jesus.
My rolodex of memories spun and there I was, a twenty-something young woman sitting in the moonlight, snow falling into a canyon and a creek.
It was there, my soul heard God’s Winter Song sing over me.
And it was there — in that moment — as I relived that memory of God’s beauty and comfort, I heard the one word.
It was the one word God the Father said about Jesus — during the only two times His voice was recorded as having spoken in the Scriptures. When Jesus was baptized and when He was transfigured.
Beloved.
You are my daughter.
…Beloved.
This is my One Word for 2014.
Beloved.
Too Beautiful
I’ve been thinking a lot about this one word.
Buried in the winter of my heart.
I picture Jesus kneeling beside that little girl on the floor.
And I imagine Jesus’ kind, gentle hands taking hers into his.
Soothing it.
Warming it.
His teardrops falling to touch it.
Leaving an imprint carved on the palm of His hands.
It’s my name.
Though I’m reluctant to say it.
It’s too beautiful.
It’s too perfect to be true.
But, it’s what I see looking into my trembling hand — as I turn a new chapter along my journey, recovering from post-traumatic stress.
Beloved.
It’s as if Jesus is telling me —
Don’t simply think about this word anymore.
I want you to live it.
The journey isn’t over.
It’s just begun.
A New Prayer
Beloved.
It’s prompting a new prayer in my soul for this year:
Begin a new work of love in me, Jesus.
This is my prayer.
Like the mist rolling across mountain tops this morning, I saw the sun begin to crest. Emerging.
And I saw both mist and sun. I’m in the middle.
You know those spring-blooming flowers buried in the cold of winter?
Its bulb is programmed by nature to not only survive the cold, but to use the period of winter to trigger a biochemical process necessary to bring the bulb to flower in the spring.
Invisible to us, “nestled inside each is a tiny embryonic flower complete with leaves, surrounded by layers of plant food ready to nourish the bulb to bloom” (1)
Spring-blooming flowers must be planted in the fall.
Something Beautiful and True
My one word for 2014 is moving from my heart into my hands.
Together, let’s become the Beloved God calls us by name.
Let’s take this journey together this year.
I think about you and me.
We are soil for God’s one words.
We are good soil.
He has planted something beautiful and true in you this year.
It doesn’t matter how the journey looks or how it will travel.
The beauty of the faith journey isn’t measured by how far you’ve walked; it lies in who you’ve been walking with.
And the Person we are walking with changes who we are.
Listen this year.
To the one word He’s already planted in your heart.
Look this year.
At the words He’s placing into your hands today.
Draw near this year.
To the One who calls you His.
Becoming The Beloved
And if it’s not clear what you hear or what you see, it’s okay.
Because the One we belong to sees us.
Hears us.
Loves us.
We are His beloved.
Let’s encourage each other on this journey of faith.
Becoming the Beloved.
Let it be our anthem.
Share your voice —
Dare to live —
As the Beloved.
One movement. At a time.
Closer to Him.
“The scribe tells us what he has read
and the prophet tells what he has seen.”
~ A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
“But you, beloved,
building yourselves upon your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Spirit,
keep yourselves in the love of God…”
~Jude 20
~~~~~
What is your One Word for 2014?
What is a new prayer emerging from your heart?
Pull up a chair. I’d love to start the new year hearing from you.Click to comment.
{ Psst… If you’re still reflecting on your One Word for the year, feel free to circle back and comment later. The link-up below will stay open until the end of the month. I’ll be creating a special graphic with all our One Words so we can see our community’s One Word journeys visually. }
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*** NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN — LINK UP IN THE FAITH JAM
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Faith Barista Jam Thursdays
1) I serve up a writing prompt. Let the topic soak in your heart, then publish your post the following Thursday and link up to share it with us. If you don’t have a blog, just write directly in the comments.
TO LINK UP: Click the blue button below: “Add Your Link” and type in the *specific* URL to your blog post (not just the name of your blog). (Subscribers: click here to get there directly).
2) Place the Faith Jam Badge in your post. It’s a welcome sign for our community, inviting others. Grab the HTML Code above. Thank you.
3) Then, pull up a chair. Visit the post before yours and say hi with a comment. Make a faith friend.
*Today’s Thursday 1/9/14 Writing prompt:
What is your One Word for 2014?*Next Thursday’s 1/16/14 Writing prompt :
BelovedApproach it any way you feel inspired! Only required ingredient: keep it real. Click here to learn more.
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1. [A.D.R. Bulbs, “Why Bulbs Don’t Freeze In Winter”, http://www.adrbulbs.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/home.showpage/pageID/141/index.htm]↩
54 Comments
I love your word. Just beautiful how God works in our hearts.
Tammy, I loved reading your soulful reflection on your One Word. SEEKING. Such a journey unfolding, right on the page with us. Amazingly you… Thank you.
Be. Loved. Praying this is the year we can just… be. That we’d just lean into Him, into who He’s made us to be, who He’s making us to be. That we are, indeed, God’s gift. And to grasp how deeply He loves us.
My word? Present/Pre-sent.
Love you, girlfriend. So big.
Love you too, Sandy. Thank you for sharing your voice and your journey with us here with your One Word. I know your time is precious and I feel so touched to be encouraged by you. I like what you said about Be.Loved. That really speaks to me and helps me! 😉
Job 11:18 for me as 2013 turns into 2014. I praise the LORD and thank Him for people like you, Bonnie. Be beloved and blessed in Christ Jesus’ Name.
Sweet Lisa, I typed in Job 11:18 — and wow. That verse just *hit* me — straight in the soul “You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.” My soul really found release in simply reading it. Thank you. I’m tucking this one away in my file. Thank you for sharing your One word.
I so love your One Word, Bonnie. It only requires us receiving. He loves us; we accept it. And in the accepting we discover we love him back.
“To let go of who I’ve been, to discover who I am becoming.
To dare to believe who God says I am today. As is.”
Beautiful, my friend. I look forward to walking this journey together this year.
Sweet Lisa, you helped open up my One Word a little big fuller for me. when I read it, it didn’t occur to me. That living this word involves me receiving. And accepting. Those two words might seem for simple to you/others. But, these two words hold worlds apart from where I’ve been taken back. And now, I understand a little more where God may be taking me. Thank you for helping put some words for me, friend. God is definitely showing me there are friends who can understand me … and offer COMPASSION — you’re one word, which I love because I see it in you.
God had already given me my word for 2014 and it was HOPE but I did not know how that would work. Last year the Word was EMMANUEL and I make a poster for the Word of the Year so I went back to 2013 and realized it was not finished yet. The poster says… EMMANUEL IS OUR HOPE….so it is similar to yours, Faith….Last year is continued in a new dimension. As I write this, my husband is on day 11 in the hospital. 🙂 God sees, God knows, God cares, God has a good and perfect plan and God even paves the way ahead of time. Emmanuel, God with Me IS my Hope for 2014. And forever. Wish I knew how to attach the picture here.
Can hardly WAIT to post on Beloved as that is a life theme of mine.
Becoming His Beloved. In fact that is what Dodi means.
Dear Dodi, what an important one word: HOPE. As you’re going through tough times. Jesus, please take crae of Dodi as she walks with her husband through this time in the hospital. Bring healing and recovery to her husabnd and give him hope for this time.
Yea, glad you’re back, Bonnie, and happy to participate in the Faith Jam again! God has given you a powerful one word for the year. Easy and pleasing to say; life-changing when we walk it.
Julie, felt so good to hear your voice so strong with such clarity in your One Word! You are loved and valued… may you savor. beautiful and life-changing. I want more of it. The Beloved savors, yes?
Beautifully said, Bonnie! I love the metaphor of the flower bulb. I am amazed by them every spring, but I never saw the parallel with the way God grows us.
Sweet Melissa, I read your One Word “peace” and as I read it (before reading this comment), the picture of the flower bulb came to my mind too for you. Peace was planted last year.. and now this year, it will bloom. Keep giving yourself permission to let it bloom – nurture the soil – we’re behind you, taking care of you. Praise God for you, friend. thanks for sharing your soulful journey.
Absolutely beautiful.
Dear Beloved Bonnie,
I love how your word makes a melody of your name. It fits like a hand in a glove!
I came back as promised to share my word with you. It is REST. I get so caught up in all of the business of life and feel like there are days where I am a “fire fighter” putting out one issue or another that I forget what is really important.
Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you REST. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find REST for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
I am not in control and never have been. I need to never forget that my Lord wants to take care of all of that “clutter” for me. He just wants my undivided attention. There is no stress with Him. There is no worry. There is only love, joy, peace, patience, and GRACE. Oh how I love grace – when I deserve a punishment, He gives me a gift. I actually named my car Grace because she was a better gift than I deserved, bought with money from the sale of a family farm from my grandmother Grace.
I am looking forward to see what beautiful tapestry our words make. What a wonderful Creator we have!
Happily His and forever yours,
Jennifer
“Beloved”–what a beautiful word to encapsulate. I can always tell who knows they are beloved, by a radiance that defies description. Knowing you are ‘beloved’ lends a gentle luminescent energy. Knowing you are ‘beloved’ by the great I AM adds a humble aura that softly reflects His image.
My word “fruitful” is contrary to how I see my life. I’ve never felt such barrenness. Yet, you have inspired me to ‘see’ that fruit can be borne in my land of affliction. In faith I shall persevere.
God bless you, Bonnie.
Oh, yes! Beloved is a beautiful and perfect word for you! I am smiling so big to see you lean into this word and embrace it this year.
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Hello Bonnie,
I think Beloved is a wonderful word. I one time had the experience in the oddest place ever, to feel like the Beloved. I actually felt a love I had never felt in my earthly life radiate in my heart and spread out. I knew exactly where it was coming from…JESUS. This was last year. And…come to think of it, I just remembered having it once before back in 1996. But it was not as nearly as intense as it was last year. Definitely took my breath away. I hope and pray Jesus gives you that experience, too, because then you will truly live it. Be warned, it can come at any time, in any place. But you will know when it happens. (I asked Jesus to let you experience His love; to really feel it.)
Anyway…my word for 2014…Valiant. It is synonymous with Intrepid, which was last year. That was the word that flew into my head and stayed there on the day that I read your Faith Jam email that you would reveal your word to us. So I looked up the definition online to get the entire meaning. I haven’t a clue as to why He is calling me valiant or intrepid. But I am sure Jesus is preparing me for something where I will live up to those words. I will let you know when it happens.
Your word is perfect, Bonnie! Just perfect. I pray the Lord makes it exquisitely real in your experience this year as it is in truth. You are one of “those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1). You are as beloved as the Lord Jesus Christ, because you are in Him. This is not my word for 2014, but I need it desperately too. His love is our sustenance and joy.
Grace, peace, and love to you in our Lord Jesus!
Dear Bonnie, Thank you for bearing you soul with us. Your words have been an inspiration to me. Such pain yet hope and healing from our Almighty God. Love to you, my sister in Christ. My word for 2014: Intentional. I want to be intentional in my marriage. Reach out when it’s easier to leave it be. Give when it’s easier withdraw. God is good and He’s given us wives a gift: our husbands. Yes, we are truly beloved.
Beloved is a wonderful word! My one word for 2014 is NOURISH. At first I thought it was about me nourishing others. As part of my job I am responsible for the pastoral care of a group of people, so at first it seemed like – what nourish even more? Then I heard God say that Nourish was about me letting Him and others nourish me! That feels wonderful.
Beautiful, Vicki! Love, love, love it! Nourish Beloved *you*.
Hi Bonnie,
Thank you for sharing. Here is a gift song from the Lord for you:
http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/16374562/
May the Lord bless you with confidence and boldness, gentleness and meekness, as you serve Him each day.
Best rgds,
Ai Boon
Oh Bonnie, how your gift for crafting words sends The Word swelling within my soul! Praise Him!
My word for 2014 is ‘intentional’. I want to live intentionally; within my home, in my service to Him, in my art – in the whole of my life.
After a miserable hip replacement in December of 2009, I struggled through a year of physical therapy, the necessity of medical disability, the permanency of full disability, the depression of all the changes coupled with an almost total physical dependency on pain medication which resulted in a psychological addiction (read: hiding from the world), only to realize, in early 2013, that I was merely existing and floating through life; missing Him and all He gives. A life filled with blessing upon blessing and I was hiding away from it.
Soul searching and the Grace of God in leading me to the resources I needed, a coming together of many things in my heart and soul, has led me to a place of total dependence on HIM and a resulting peace, joy, love and contentment I have never known. Shameful to say that, having been a Christian for 30 years. But it seems that God had to take me back to my childhood angst and pain, full circle to ‘why had I ever been born’ to bring me out into His loving arms.
This post so resounded with me. I love the line ‘spring flowers must be planted in the fall’ and, I might add, ‘endure the cold and solitude of winter’. I no longer lie in the cold, dark, winter and am filled with gratitude and desire to live with intention, fulfilling all He has for me.
Thank you for living so transparently before us.
Bless you in your journey as Beloved. It is almost too beautiful to believe, yet my soul rests in the ‘yes’ that in Christ is everything.
Tammy
Thank you for opening my eyes to see the importance of the word, your faith inspires me to live one word at a time and to really study the one word and live it daily.
Pearl
Dear Sister in Christ,
You are the beloved. In him you were able to reach out to all of us who suffer from PTSD. I thank you because through your willing to share you cut the bondage that weights our spirits down. We are not alone. Keep writing, its like finally someone gets it. Is it painful yes, but knowing your not alone helps move us beyond isolation into coummunity. And thats where the Lord calls us into community. My word for the year is “Blessing” there is this sense of having the Lord’s favor this year and also showing this blessing to others God places in my life. To him be the Glory now and forever. amen
My one word for 2014 is “Home” – not that I want to stop having adventures, but that I really want to develop deep relationships. I want to be somewhere that I can call home and develop roots, where I can really get to know people, and where I can dive into focusing on things like creative writing. I want to get married too and to be hopeful that could happen. I am presently job searching, and it has been hugely on my heart that I want to stay in the location where I presently am. I wonder what God is up to? He is always full of surprises. I am glad that God is always with me, and like the Dara Maclean song “Home” says:
“I know You’re here with me
You wrap me in Your arms
Like only You can do
I know You’re all I need
With You, I’ll always be
Home” 🙂
And I think your word of Beloved is wonderful, Bonnie 🙂 We are so Loved by God – the Most Wonderful One of All who Loves Truest and Best 🙂 Thanks for letting God speak encouragement through you to me and others 🙂 I so appreciate your words!
My word for this year is “Follow” . .which to me includes: listening. obeying. trusting. seeking. depending. focusing. committing. persisting. believing. Gosh, that’s a lot of verbs! action.
I’m excited to see what more it will mean. and where it leads me. I KNOW it will be closer to Him. which is where I want to be.
This word came to me as I was reading the birth story of Jesus and the wise men “follow”ed the star. they were looking for the Messiah, they saw the sign, they obeyed (even though it wasn’t easy), they trusted God’s leading them . . . and the paths I have been down are difficult and without I wouldn’t have made it without Him.
Dear Bonnie,
Thank you, for sharing your heart! My word for 2014 is MOVE! I will move for the Lord, in every sense of the word. I plan to move forward in my faith, in my family, in my health, and in my work. I will encourage everyone around me to keeping moving and making new memories and creating joy. We must move in order to grow. I plan on moving this year! Blessings and joy!
How lovely! Beloved! Thank you for sharing your heart and God’s heart.
Your obvious love of nature made my cry Bonnie. I am so at peace when I am able to walk and be alone in nature.
I thought my word for the year was Perseverance (even following SO many years of healing!) but I realise its Confidence – Confidence in the LORD.
“See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.” James 5:7
Last year, in addition to Emmanuel…. the lesson/word I had was endure. But to endure in peace and with awareness of God With Us Emmanuel. There are so many examples of people in the Bible who endured. Jesus “endured” the cross. Paul endured with perseverance. God bless you.
Thank you Dodi. God bless you too.
Oh Bonnie, I love that word.
thank you again for sharing your heart. I went back to a place I need to “see” Jesus kneeing with me today as I was reading this. Wow how healing that was. He was there!
My words are “Joy, cheer, and Fun” these are words I am a little scared of… I know how to have fun, to cheer on others, and walk in the joy of the LORD. But I have not been Full of Joy, I am not the “fun” aunt, or mom, and I have never been one to walk with a cheery disposition….
We will see what Papa has for me with those words.
Thanks again, You remain in my prayers!
Danyalle
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I love your word BELOVED . . . what a beautiful word! Know that you are BELOVED by your Abba Father!
My word this year is RENEW . . . as I was writing down my thoughts around the first of this new year on my *word* as I was writing about Believe, everything that kept coming to my mind/heart had to do with renewing – renewing myself daily as I walk out this journey with my Creator.
My word for 2014 is Create. At first I though it was just an encouragement towards the artistic – Create a poem, a painting, a song, a story, but now I think it extends to much more – Create moments, moods, possibilities, opportunities! 2014 is looking pretty amazing and kind of scary at the same time.
Bonnie,
Your blog post and word is amazing as it speaks to my heart and confirms the word God spoke to me just two days ago. I did not think I had a word for the year and was going to just keep with last year’s words: Let God and Trust Me. By the way… I linked over to your birthday post because my birthday celebration helped inspire my one thing for the year.
Love you friend and thank you for the encouragement.
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In December 2013 I began thinking about a “one word” for 2014. I no longer recall if I had selected a word for 2013, but in the perceptive hindsight position I would retroactively select two words: Transition and Peace. The year of 2013 was full of change and most of it was unsought, hard, difficult, traumatic losses and wounding events. However, change is needed for growth, and had some of these areas of my life not undergone the shock of inflicted or forced changes, I would be stuck there in the midst of a different kind of hard, difficult, painful trauma that I had not sought. So I feel compelled to express gratitude – though not necessarily to certain of the human beings who forced some of the changes with evil and ulterior intents; nonetheless, I am grateful to God – for walking with me and bringing me to points of peace in these processes.
I know that my heart is not fully mended, and there seems so much of the journey yet ahead, but I’m more free than I was a year ago and in that I am blessed. God and I have both continued to rake up my heart. I don’t want hardness. I don’t want bitterness. I don’t want fear. I don’t want to be deceived. I do want to grow, and to know. I am an analyst, sometimes by trade and often by instinctive nature. The personal application is at times detrimental; yet it is a part of my natural propeller system. Without the analysis, its as if I’m tied in place and cannot move forward. But just like in aviation, too much of something needed can end up being disastrous. If my analysis of self or situation continues too long, I tend to crash or freeze into place. A pilot may take the plane up higher to get a better perspective on what is below – both behind the current position and ahead on the path. But in certain weather, regions or at specific altitudes if the pilot stays high for too long, the flaps on the wings might just ice over, or other sensors may become inaccurate due to exposure to freezing temperatures in a storm cloud.
At this point of my journey out of 2013 and into 2014, I do not believe that I am frozen or in danger of crashing. But I am a bit trepidatious regarding the next direction. I am also concerned over my personal character and what role it played in some of the past year’s disasters. Are there characteristics lacking that I need? Are my motives truly as pure as I’d like to believe? So I take the rake to my heart and say, “Lord, purify me. Cleanse me. Show me.”
I fear pride. So, there, I said it. More than I fear pride, I hate fear. Even more, I hate fearing that I do not see myself clearly. I bring myself to Him who sees all, in hopes that I am reflecting Him and His light shines through. I bring my heart to Him who will tell me true…if only I’d listen. I know that Pride cannot be a part of the picture if I am to show HIM to others. No room for Pride…Not the “I” kind of Pride. Not the “Devil’s Advocate” type of Pride.
Lust of the eyes, Lust of the flesh, and Pride of Life. God, did I allow that to motivate me? Am I a contributor to the disasters of the year?
How do I get out of your way, Lord? I want to be humble. I fear that I am not. I speak too much. I say what I think. I grew weary of networking and political games and all the “professional skills” required to succeed…and that was fifteen years ago. I’ve walked since then in my choice to be real and to trust God to give me favor, open doors, speak through me even in the workplace, especially in church, life and home relationships. But I fear. Yet I don’t want to fear. Fear brought disaster upon Job, sinking to Peter, shame to a friend I know.
Still, I fear I have not spoken His words. I fear I have chosen my own ways, for life has become so difficult, surely I’m doing something wrong? Catholic-upbringing throwback thoughts…”Nothing is turning out right, it must be my fault!” racing through my consciousness periodically. I must know. I must find out. Determine the causes. If I am the cause, I must know. I want so very much to grow.
I pray for a word for 2014, and my mind races through the things I want, crave or need: refresh, restore, peace, grace, favor, persevere, fly, soar, renew, brave, pray… But the word is not there among these good things which I believe God will find ways to give and reveal in the year anyway. And I keep praying. Special? Surely not, that is the word He gave me for life and He already ministered it anew to my heart last month! Oh, I wish I were powerful but not prideful…the thought came as such and stayed to replay, replay, replay. Powerful but not Prideful. Humble but Bold. And finally, the word lit up like the star of David over the manger that night…MEEKNESS. Blessed are the Meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5
“Meekness is not weakness, but rather is power under control” I’ve found this quote in images and articles all over the place in the past week. I no longer think it matters if I ever know for certain the extent of selfish pride in the past year’s events versus the extent of plans of wicked men and women. It’s like God is saying that it doesn’t matter if the relative measure of pride was great or small compared to the evil intentions wrought against me, but it does matter that as I go forward, I do so in power that is not my own and is fully submitted to Him. Even the strengths He has given me are multiplied when submitted to Him in all meekness. So, here I go into 2014, about to grow and discover and study and be led by God into a new understanding of a particular Fruit of the Spirit…Meekness. I will do my best to share what I hear from God and learn in life as I grow. A new year…A new adventure. We’re on our way now!
P.S. Thank you for reading such a long comment and allowing this post! I’m becoming more convinced that I must learn what is needed technically and find out about partner relationships so I can setup my own blog this year!
I’m new to Faith Jam, but have been blessed by your incourage posts for some time now and have finally pulled up a chair to join the party. 🙂 Thanks for your honesty and your invitation.
I love your word “beloved”! My word for 2014 is “awakened,” as in coming out of a spiritual and emotional coma. Over the past few months, God has been revealing just how “automatic-pilot” I had become. (And thank you for your previous post regarding “fight, flight or frozen.” Beautifully written.) God bless.
Oh how this speaks to me. My word is beloved – but expanded a bit to claiming my belovedness. I know in my head God calls me beloved…but I want it so ingrained in my heart that I live from that place…
Thank you for your words!
Harder for guys to understand “beloved” in some ways, but I am so thankful for the reality and this unfolding truth. It’s both personal and corporate because we cannot fully understand Beloved without the rest of the Body of Christ. Great word, Bonnie. My word is “overcome” and I am excited and nervous about what that means for me in the coming year. Yes, I want to overcome, but that costs me and I have to trust Him to a greater degree. Leaves me crying out for more grace though! Thanks so much, Bonnie.
Thank you so much for these beautiful reminders and for sharing so much out of your own life. A verse for you today, from 1 Thessalonians 5:24
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”
Blessings on you and yours!
My one word for 2014: It is hard to find the one word: OVERFLOW: an indescribable fullness describes it best; bubbling up, swelling, surging, overflowing, just exploding and bursting at the seams. My cup overflows with the Lord’s goodness and lovingkindness. 2013 was for me a time of testing and shifting, the year of betrayals by people close to us, the year we moved house twice, the year I was diagnosed as having breast cancer, had two surgeries, went places I had never been to before on the journey to healing, at the end of which I just came to rest in the everlasting arms of Jesus, shepherd of my soul, like a little lamb, like a child once again, just basking in His love and care for me, knowing everything will be all right, that He would and has made me whole, restored everything that had been lost, healed and continues to heal all of my woundedness, both visible and hidden, and pour out so much of His love, presence, comfort, peace, hope, and joy! There is so much to be thankful for, so much to look forward to, so much He has placed in my heart I cannot contain it! So much beauty, so much love. So much to live for. This is what it is to be BELOVED, BELOVED of GOD, as His very own precious child. No matter how much I have struggled, failed, stumbled, faltered, been battered, wounded, afflicted; this love — unalterable, unchangeable, unfathomable, unquestionable –has seen me through, the One Sure thing I can count on to carry me right through the very end of this journey.
I love your one word for 2014 Bonnie. And it is similar to mine, which is LOVE. How I pray that we both will learn to walk in our word this year. That it will truly change how we see ourselves and others. And that will change how we relate to one another.
I am a bit late in linking up but I didn’t want to miss this one.
Happy New Year Bonnie!
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Daughter! The Lords spoke this to me while I was just waking up and I wasn’t even looking for it :). He is good!!
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Darn! I missed the link up time period and just finished my post for One Word for 2014. My word this year is ‘Trust.’
http://cindyinpa.blogspot.com/2014/01/one-word-for-2014.html