I’m super excited about today’s giveaway: DaySpring’s Words Matter – LetterPress Blocks to build your One Word for 2016!
Two Winners will be randomly selected to win $100 worth of Words Matter Letterpress Blocks (U.S. residents only). Enter at the end of today’s post below.
#OneWordCoffee Wednesday
Launches Today!
This new #OneWordCoffee Wednesday series inspires us to create space in a simple way, to be present, hear God’s whispers, to be refreshed & renewed. ?
How it Works:
Every Wednesday, I’ll invite you to stop, pause, & reflect on a One Word prompt.
Then, you share how the One Word speaks to you: 1. simply post a comment (or) 2. write a blog post and link up at the end of wednesday’s post. visit the post before yours to comment. make a friend. place the #OneWordCoffee badge (click here) in your post & link back (or) 3. tag photos #OneWordCoffee on Facebook or Instagram inspired by the one word.
#OneWordCoffee ☕️ A simple invitation to create a new rhythm for your soul. To stop and pause. And enjoy quiet conversations with God and each other.
Experience this journey to be the Beloved. #OneWordCoffee with me.
Today’s 1/6/16 #OneWordCoffee Prompt: What is Your One Word for 2016?
Next week’s 1/13/16 #OneWordCoffee Prompt: rest
My One Word for 2016
:: BELOVED ::
There are some things in life we have to write down, in order for them to become ours.
We have to write them down because writing is prayer.
Writing from the heart is powerful. When we intentionally write with our hearts with Jesus, He meets with us — in the intimacy of our journey.
Writing, we become the Beloved. His Beloved.
Three years ago, I couldn’t breathe. Debilitating, unexpected panic attacks overtook me. To heal, I had to write intentionally with my heart. As is. With you.
Writing healed me. It made me real. And a book was birthed.
Writing is a deeply spiritual act of faith.
Research shows that even 15-20 minutes of expressive writing just three or four times in the course of four months makes a difference in emotional and physical well-being (improving mood, lowering stress levels and depressive symptoms).
Today, I invite you to write as the Beloved in 2016.
What I Honestly Long For
In 2013, God wanted me to heal me, so he said — Write broken. Write as my Beloved.
Then in 2014, God wanted me to set my heart free, so he whispered — Tell your story. You are my Beloved. That was the year Finding Spiritual Whitespace released, chronicling my journey through broken childhood memories to find beauty and rest for the soul.
Last year 2015, God asked me to follow Him — Do what you love. Become my Beloved.
So, I really wanted to have a new One Word this year. I’ve been invited to speak quite a bit, so two words naturally surfaced: soul and rest. My passion to guide others in soul care and creating space rest continues to grow.
But, both soul and rest only have meaning if they are connected to who I am. Not what I do.
Honestly, what I really long for is to be the beloved. God’s beloved.
Today’s One Word Prayer: Beloved
This year, God is calling me deeper — Dare to choose joy. Be the Beloved. My Beloved.
My One Word for 2016 has become my One Word Prayer: Beloved.
Heavenly Father,
Help me. To choose joy.
To choose rest. So I can refresh my soul.
To slow and still. So I can hear your whispers and find my voice.
To let you love me. So I can be made new again.
Help me. To Be the Beloved. Your Beloved.
“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,
for he shields him all day long,
and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.” Deut33:12
~~~~~
What is your One Word for 2016? Could it be your One Word prayer?
Pull up a chair. Click to comment. You’ll be entered to win $100 worth of Words Matter Letterpress Blocks, so you can build your One Word!
* Who can you share today’s encouragement with?
For more encouragement, get a copy of Finding Spiritual Whitespace: Awakening Your Soul to Rest.
#OneWordCoffee GIVEAWAY
Words Matter – LetterPress Blocks
I just made my One Word for 2016 “Beloved”. And you can build yours too! Click here to use Dayspring’s online Words Matter interactive tool.
TO ENTER:
** GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.
Winners were randomly selected. Congratulations to Joni (One Word JOY) and Melissa (One Word: Beloved)! Thank you for sharing and entering!
Enter by next Wednesday 7/13/16 Midnight (U.S. residents only):
2. Extra entry: Link up your One Word blog post (*Important: you must use the #OneWordCoffee Badge in your post.)
3. Extra entry: Share today’s Giveaway on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Leave an extra comment letting me know.
4. Extra entry: Enter by commenting and tagging friends on my Facebook or Instagram #OneWordCoffee posts.
All the extra entries help invite others to join #OneWordCoffee — Thanks for sharing!
#OneWordCoffee Link Up
Soulful Writing With Jesus — Together
{email subscribers, click here to link up your post in the #OneWordsCoffee Linkup.}
167 Comments
Weakness.. When I am Weak, God is my Strength
I really love this word. Not something I would have thought of at first. Your word is really making me think! I think it’s true that when we allow ourselves to see our real weakness, our eyes are opened more to God’s strength. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Very poignant & honest. ♡ Love it.
how bold and beautiful beloved is your one word. intimately on the journey – loved and known. God’s beloved. thanks for sharing Cealia!
My word for 2016 is Joy. The strength of the Lord is my joy.
oh, how joy resonates with the dare to be the beloved. i love your one word vickie!
Good Morning Bonnie! Happy New Year! 🙂
God has truly taken you through a metamorphosis the past few years! By sharing with us, you’ve truly helped me through some anxiety issues of my own. It’s nice to have kindreds who walk a similar path and understand us. 🙂
I honestly don’t have one word for this year. I feel like He is impressing it upon my heart to become more organized and I also feel him pulling me to reach out to others (which I’ve struggled with but I’m trying).
I pray 2016 would be a year of Beloved for you and you would be blessed beyond measure! 🙂
(((HUGS))) my kindred friend!
oh, happy new year, Krista! so sweet to find your welcoming words the first launch for #OneWordCoffee – we’ve been through some journey together, haven’t we? 🙂 maybe your One word, like a beautiful seed planted deep in your heart, may surface later in your journey. Some words are silent, yet God still hears. looking forward to journey this year.. can’t wait to read your words in the link up! and here, sweet friend, you don’t have to do a thing. just rest and be you. beloved, beautiful you. just as is.
*Dignity* is my One Word for 2016 ♡
*Dignity* for I must relearn to stand clothed with strength and dignity and to be a godly woman of honor and grace.
you are that godly woman of honor and grace — and now your one word {dignity} echoes to assure you this is true. thnx for sharing tina (love the phrase “fallingblossoms” — be still my soul! i picked lily of the valley for my husband to wear on our wedding day!)
That is so lovely, Bonnie. ♡
Thank you for your beautiful words of encouragement to me. I have had some recent struggles that sort of messed up that view of myself …. the view that God has of me. But He and I are on this journey together and He has filed me with hope of rising up again. Rising from the ashes to walk ever more closely with Him! ♡
My word for 2016 is “passage”. I will be turning 50, my youngest will be heading off to college, I am beginning a new adventure in teaching. It seemed so appropriate to embrace all of the change that is coming as part of my journey and I feel that passage is a great descriptor of adventures to come and change to happen. A going through which may leave some things in the past and bring new things to my future. I want to be ready for this to be wonderful and not focus on the things – younger years, my daughter at home – that I am leaving behind.
Happy New Year
hi valerie – what a soulful one word for the new year you’ve chosen {passage} – it’s beautiful you’re listening and aware of His voice and invitation to you. thanks for being part of this journey and experience of #OneWordCoffee with me and the community here. happy new year!
Bonnie,
Once again your words are God inspired and minister to my heart, soul and spirit. It has been a long, hard battle to realize that I AM HIS beloved. Writing helps to confirm that deep in my soul. It helps to continue the journey of healing from past hurts and non acceptance for who God made me. I write everyday to help strengthen my resolve to choose Joy and Peace in my precious Saviour.
dear chris, isn’t it amazing how writing really does confirm – -it does something to our soul. maybe writing here in community with us can bring healing to you, as it did for me writing here too. i journaled on my own for decades and once i started to share, i was no longer alone, but among kindreds. 😉 thanks for sharing today.
Bonnie, I’ve been writing in a journal since I was eleven. But in the past 4 or 5 years, somehow this very precious thing to me got pushed out. I randomly write now. Oh how I miss it. Because my journal writing was me speaking to God, sharing my day with Him, and so on. I would always feel better after my writing. I don’t now how I lost it. But my one word this year is: DISCIPLINE. I need it in all areas of my life. And following right along with it is JOY. I will have JOY as I allow DISCIPLINE into my life. Not all at once, but gradually. A little here, a little there. Even though I didn’t write as often as I wanted or needed; I did keep up with you and your blog each and every week. Thank you,thank you.
hi valerie, i was the same way. i first began journaling around 11 too. and i actually stopped for nearly a decade. i didn’t even think i missed it. but, deep in my heart, i had put my soul to the side and for me, writing connected me to how i really feel and think. it’s became a way of being with God simply. i hope #OneWordCoffee Wednesdays can be a sweet, warm and kindred spirit to re-fan this flame of writing and joy in your heart. Doing things together helps so much. thank you for sharing today. I love both DISCIPLINE and JOY.
Bonnie, I love your one word ‘beloved’. My heart longs to walk so closely with the Lord. I’ve allowed fear of failure, fear of what others think to rule for too long. I want to be a blessing to others. I’ve had many unique experiences in my life and He has been with me through each one of them. He is so faithful. As 2016 begins, my one word is focus. I am going to write a blog post and link up with you. I love this Wednesday linkup which will help me to focus on my writing.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Oh my goodness…those fears of failure and what others think are a huge struggle for me, too! God has been teaching me that when my identity is in Him (as His beloved child) instead of my own “successes” or the approval of others, I don’t need to fear. But I’m still on that journey. And it is such a tough one. Love the word focus for the year! Blessings!
dear, sweet debbie. love your one word {focus} may the whispers of God’s love for you — that you are beloved — given so many unique experiences echo with continuous assurance to you. We need your voice, Debbie. Your story inspires us to experience God through *you*. i struggle with critical voices too and i would default easily to do what others find acceptable, but God’s voice says different. He says, be you. just as you are. we can write and struggle. write from the journey. as is. so happy to be writing alongside each other. you express your heart so well through words. love, bonnie
What an inspiring post. I just love your word for 2016!
My one word is RECEIVE. I sense God, the Good Father & Greatest Giver, leading me to learn how to fully receive His gift of life and abide in Him this year.
I wrote a blog post about it for this morning as well! I’ll be linking it up once I’m finished with this comment!
Thank you! 🙂
I also shared the giveaway on Twitter! 🙂 (@jordanforty)
hi jordan! thanks so much for sharing about #OneWordCoffee with your friends! I love your One Word {receive} – it’s a daring invitation to be the beloved. looking forward to reading about your One Word. thanks for being here to share the journey! may you be inspired to let your words flow, as you receive all that is beautiful and real in 2016. just for you.
Thank you so much for responding, Bonnie! Your comment made my day! 🙂
[…] This post is part of the #OneWordCoffee challenge with Bonnie Gray. Find out more here: thebonniegray.com […]
My one word for this year is TRUST. I need to trust the Lord in EVERYTHING and for EVERYTHING.
thanks for sharing, nancy. trust is a very soulful word to guide the year.
-Intentional-
The last 4 years have been THE most painful years of my life. My daughter who is now 21, started using drugs. She continues to this day. I am raising my 19 month old grand daughter. She is 21 and is a “broken girl/woman making broken choices”.
I have a 15 & 19 yr old still at home.
Their Dad took his life 2-3-14.
I have been -surviving- grieving-breaking-hiding-raging- etc.- these last 4 years.
I kept feeling/hearing -intentional- for a few days.
I WANT to be -intentional- with my time-self care- relationships- work-words-play- even cooking. EVERYTHING.
No more -existing-
I truly believe God will meet me in all these things.
<3
God WILL meet you and sustain you. Prayers for you and your family and all that you have been going through.
Thank you Nina 🙂
dear Bonnie, i am so sorry and feel heart-heavy for all you and your family is suffering through. it touches my heart deeply to hear God placing His whispers of {intentional} in your heart – so you can receive all He has for you – to give you comfort and wisdom. dear Jesus, help Bonnie and her children. intervene where your love and power is needed. guide Bonnie to heal. take care of her and her family. in your name we pray. amen.
Thank you *bonnie* 🙂
Persevere. Abide was my one word in 2015, but when circumstances changed, overwhelming me, I struggled. I spent too much time complaining.
In 2016, I hear God calling me to persevere. Continue to abide by staying close to Him. Stand firm in my faith.
I shared today’s give away on Facebook.
Create is my word for the year. Create in me a pure heart, O Lord! Last year my word was cherish and it was the best word for some of my most biggest trials of my life.
Blessings, Rachelle
#onewordcoffee
Be. This year I need to be present daily, to let go of the past and of bitterness. To BE a daughter of the King. There are so many things I need to be doing, but I cannot do or be any of those until I take time to just BE, to bask in my Father’s love.
I also shared on Facebook
This is my third year to have a #oneword. First was Ebenezer, then Abide, and this year, Sabbath. I can guess why He put that word on my heart, but I’m refusing to do that. Instead, I want to come to Him with an open heart to hear anew.
This is my fourth year to focus on one word I would like to have blossom in my life. Four years ago my word was ENGAGE- get outside of myself and connect with others. The next year my word was JOY, then RENEW. This year God has given me the word PEACE, as I am in the transition of moving back to my home state after 17 years but thousands of miles away from my children and only grandchild. In the midst of it all I lost my mom who I was going to be moving close to once again! Bonnie, your one word advent post on peace was one God used to guide me to this word for 2016. Your words pierced my heart – Perfect peace from God isn’t found in forgetting. Shalom peace is a putting back together. God whispers- I love ALL of you. I am your peace. Bonnie, thank you for your beautiful words that God uses to refresh my soul! Love you!
My one word for 2016 is “Deal”. I want to cooperate with Father God and need His help to do it. I m tired of being disappointed in my own failing efforts. God please fulfill Phil.4:13 to help me will and do your good pleasure. Please help me truly realize your promise to never leave nor forsake me. Even when I’m panicked and confused. You are my only source of true peace. Help me finally settle into your arms. Your grace.
This so resonated with me. Beloved. Rest. Breathe. Or really, as I’m hearing it from Him, “Beloved, rest. Be loved. Breathe, beloved.”
My word for 2016 is FAITH. In 2015, the word was FREEDOM. I need to break free from the lies and chains of an eating disorder. I made progress by finally seeing that the lies. And although I tried to break free and have freedom, I’m still bound to it. So this year, I am going to have FAITH that I can recover, that it’s not willpower I need, but GOD that I need and that if I have faith in Him, that is all I need.
My one word for 2016 is REJOICE. Eight years ago we lived in Florida and my husband got a job promotion and we moved away to Minnesota. This happened in December of 2007. For me this was the first time I was away from my family and the longest distance. It was hard and sometimes lonely without family. Both my husband and I thought “Don’t worry family we will be back in 4 years.” Because at that time my husband’s boss we thought was going to retire and we would be back with the family. Well, God had other plans and boy it was hard and lots of tears we had cried. Then we decided OK, God, we will stay here because this is where you want us to be. So we bought a house and I thought that my ministry at that time was to show love and guidance to my son’s teenager friends who do not go to church and did not have a good family base at home. Then suddenly, GOD finally answers your prayer to go home in an unexpected way. My husband had a professional headhunter looking for jobs closer to either side of the family (Ohio or Florida). He called and said a have an opportunity for you in Brunswick, Georgia. Brunswick, Georgia is about 2 hours away from my side of family in Florida. The first time that popped in head was YES, husband apply for this job. We have had other opportunities to move but GOD is NO, stay in Minnesota. The other thing that popped in my head was a secular song that feels it was the right song for opportunity. The song is called “I’m Coming Home” by P. Diddy featuring Skylar Grey. The beginning words are why I picked this song:
I’m coming home
I’m coming home
Tell the world I’m coming home
Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday
I know my kingdom awaits and they’ve forgiven my mistakes
I’m coming home, I’m coming home
Tell the world that I’m coming.
Those words spoke VOLUMES to me. Then the hard part was the WAIT. WAIT to see if he got the job. When the call came we were happy. The transition was not been easy but totally worth it. I picked the word REJOICE. Because I want the WORLD to REJOICE with me and my family that we back together again.
#ONEWORDCOFFEE
I struggled with finding my word this year, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise since I’ve struggled with it each year since I started in 2012. I’ve had FAITHFUL, FOLLOW, “DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR GIFT,” and TRUST. This year, when I was frustrated and trying to figure out why I’m so stressed about figuring out God’s will for my life, I came across Romans 12:1-2 and my word for 2016: RENEWAL. One definition is “the state of being made new, fresh, or strong again.”
Here’s to 2016, and a year of renewal. Hopefully, here’s to being part of your weekly writing community again…I’ve missed it!
I struggled for a few months as well, sister. Renewal is a beautiful word. So full of hope, love, and God’s promise. Here’s to the new year! 🙂
Thank you for encouragement and beauty. I chose my word for 2016. It is whitespace. I wrote a blogpost about it (and linked up!). After much prayer and reading your book as the last one for 2015, it was solidified. Here’s to the new year and the new focus. So far, my family is loving it.
My word for 2016 is STEADFAST. As the big world, and my small one, too, continues to shift and change, I want to stand firm in my God. Everything I need for life is in Him, and He never shifts or changes. I looked up the derivation of my word and it comes from the old English “stedefæst”, a combination of “secure in position,” and “firmly fixed”.
In Christ, I have a secure position (His Beloved!) and by the Holy Spirit I am firmly fixed in that position.
Looking forward to making this my One Word Prayer as well….
My word is PAUSE. I found it deliciously ironic to see how many times you used this word in your own post! I’m a jump-in-with-both-feet, leap-before-you-look kinda gal so this word is both an invitation and a challenge for me.
My one word is kindness. It’s what I need to grow in.
[…] Linking up with Bonnie Gray: […]
Dare to be the beloved. Ooh, how I love this, Bonnie! Thanks for sharing your one word with us. Mine this year is Welcome.
lisa! i’m so glad you love it! 😉 i tried to ask for a new One Word, yet *dare* is the operative word this year for {beloved}. i love how we both love words and how they feed us. I love yours {welcome} — i connect to that word too as the beloved… i can’t wait to read your post! happy new year, friend! xo
[…] at #OneWordCoffee, Coffee for Your Heart, #Small Wonder, Playdates with […]
My one word this year is COURA:GE. I really like the idea of choosing a word for the year. What a wonderful way to grow!
Consistent: Like Paul I so often know what to do and yet do not do it. I long, I hope, I know. This year may God strengthen me in this area, that I might live out my faith more consistently, growing more like Him in spirit, mind and body.
My word for 2016 is trust. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Instead of worrying and fretting, I am going to trust. Instead of planning and manipulating, I am going to trust. I will do my very best to submit to him and follow him on the paths he has determined.
My word for 2016 is TRUST. There are many areas of my life I need to let go of control and just trust God. He knows what is best for me and has the best plan for me. I also need to trust Him to take care of my family – my parents, my entire family and especially my niece (she’s leaving for Zimbabwe for a year for missions work).
My word for 2016 is solitude. It is in the place of solitude that I experience the presence of my Lord and where I receive refreshment, body, soul and spirit. It is there that I am enriched so that I am able to enrich others.
My one word is grace – receiving it from the Father and extending it to others.
My word is CONTENT. I want to work toward having a more contented attitude.
My one word is restored. I thought that I was the only one who got words from God. I have been given endure and redeemed previously but restored says to me a new beginning, a new start, a white space to start my love journey with the Father all over again.
Prayer is the word I a want to live by this year. Prayer in all its forms from light and happy conversations with the Lord to serious and earnest prayer for our world!
My one word for 2016 is “embrace.” To feel the Redeemer’s embrace. Embrace where I’ve been planted – a place fought against for 4 years (maybe 55) producing the fruit of emotional paralysis and bitterness. Embrace God’s promises. Embrace God’s word. Allow self to enjoy an embrace, feel it’s warmth, rather than pull away. Yes, “embrace” is my word for 2016. Thank you, Bonnie, for prompting me to decide.
#OneWordCoffee. what a beautiful idea! I encouraged some of my church ladies to pick a word to claim for 2016, and they picked such beautiful words. Mine is #Confidence, always Confidence. 🙂
hi capri, i love your one word “confidence” -resonates with how a beloved lives. i also see you are a faith barista too, inviting your friends to choose a word to claim for 2016. do you think they would enjoy #OneWordCoffee Wednesdays too? if so, please invite them, it would be wonderful to hear their one words added to this community — as I write encouragement to inspire our one word journeys.
My one word is trust – trust in the Lord, for he is good and loving.
My one word is joy. Joy in the midst of any circumstance.
I shared your fb just now and made a comment! have a beloved day!
linked my blog to #onewordcoffee: http://www.welcomeheart.com Winsome for 2016
JOY I really need to use that as a prayer for 2016.
My word for 2016 is PURPOSE…”Daniel purposed in his heart”. I’m wearing a bracelet on the inside of my wrist with my word on it. (made out of a washer and cord) It reminds me to stay focused and draw near to the One Who Loves me Best.?
Shared on Instagram and Facebook! Blog post coming soon!!
yay! i’m so glad your words are brewing, julee! thank you for sharing!
Hi Bonnie,
I guess I picked a bad year to go word-less! But I’m joining the link-up anyway and I’m excited to read everyone else’s word for the year!
Not too late to pause and listen to the Lord, to receive your word. ^_^
So true! 🙂
the word — this is just totally my guess, ‘k Valerie — will come when it comes — like a seed you can’t see it sprout yet,but it is still growing in your heart. the soil of your soul. some words are even silent — but God hears. 🙂 so happy you’re linking up anyway! maybe next week’s prompt {rest} will inspire some words?
My Word is FEARLESS. Can’t wait to see where God leads.
I shared on FB.
1st of all, TY! What a great idea to share will all of us!
Your word Beloved is a beautiful one… To BE LOVED and be Beloved is such a warm and gentle thing to me… I feel special, seen and comforted.
My one word for 2016 is Intentional… To DO something…to bring love, grace and encouragement to others. To show appreciation, to help, teach, share. God gives us SO many opportunities… But, many go by the wayside because we are afraid, “too busy” or a host of other excuses. This is MY year to obey, act and be intentional every day!
Beautiful choice made more beautiful by your honest words. I think underneath it all that is a secondary word for all of us: beloved. We want to be loved and crave His love. Yet sometimes we feel so undeserving and cannot believe we are His beloved. I am really excites about #OneWordCoffee
Like some of your other readers above, my word for this year is Trust. I will be writing a blog post on it soon and will link up with you here. Previous words have been Rest, Peace, and Gratitude. Thank you for encouraging us to continue to seek the word and focus that God has for each of us.
My word is CHOOSE. In so many ways I want to choose well. Choose to love, choose to honor, choose to grow and challenge myself, choose to follow God, the list goes on and on!!
My word is ‘savor’
I want to savor more of Christ…
to savor worship
to savor fellowship with other believers
to savor my kids and their discoveries about life
to savor being loved by God…
#oneword #Joy trying fight back in, with, during,around and of circumstance with Joy. I am new to this so i am trying figure what you do with the word. How do surround yourself with it and immerse yourself in the word. My word is one i am not familiar with personally. This will require a definition, revelation and a word study as well as prayer.
Hi, love your website! My One Word for 2016 is PERSEVERE. I am about to self publish my first book and the temptation to give up arises often!
keep doing, Susie. keep listening to the Voice in you that first began the first words. and don’t turn to the left or right. You are beloved. You are free to love, to write, to tell your story. your book. with Jesus and you.make it your one word prayer. persevere.
I don’t have a blog so this is a bit wordy. Hope that is ok.
Trust.
My word for 2016 is trust.
Other words that I pondered returned me to the word trust each time.
Fearless: I need to trust to remove my fear. I will trust in the work that God has assigned to me. I will press forward and not fear important commitments that I have.
Alive: I will trust that my faith stays alive through all of my days. And I trust God to remind me that I am alive for His purpose. I will trust in His purpose for my life.
Faith: I trust God to walk with me every moment. Even when I am distracted by a troubled world, I will remain faithful to Him.
I trust you Lord, with all of my life.
Trust. 2016. It is going to be a wonderful year!
that’s totally what we want, gail! your words. not wordy at all. this is idea of #OneWordCoffee. thank you for sharing freely in the comments here!
Thank you Bonnie for making this a reality for so many and for encouraging myself and others in the gifted way that you do.
The word the Lord gave me for 2016 is BELIEVE. While many times I find myself saying “I believe”, He is calling me to truly believe, deep in my soul, that I am His beloved and that His plans for me are for good.
” Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief”
My word for the year is “dare.” I wrote about it on my blog. For me, it’s accepting the dare to take back what the enemy stole from me. So this year I will dare to write, dare to dream, and dare to hope.
hi allison – we are kindreds on this journey. i love your One Word {dare} – since my one word is {beloved} and God inviting me to {dare} to be the {beloved}. so happy to know God’s whispers invite you to dare. nothing that has been stolen that God has not kept safe and will redeem for you. you are His beloved. will you be linking up to share? 😉 would love to read your post.
Hi Bonnie~I did link up (thanks for doing that!) I’m going to follow your one word series and hopefully it will encourage me to write the journey of my word. Here’s to daring and being beloved!
“Purposeful.” Every day choosing to follow where God leads seeking his purpose for my day vs. drifting through the days, “putting out fires” or letting one day slip into the next while not really living for Him or accomplishing the work He has for me to do. Verse of the year: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”
I thought that I was the only one to whom God sent words, just words. This has been going on for some time. The first word was endure, then came redeemed, I especially liked that one, but this time it was restored. When I think about being restored, I think about being washed clean, being give a clean slate, a new life in which to fall in love with my creator all over again. It is a do over, a time to go back to how it was when I first believed. How great is that? In Revelation Christ tells the Ephesians to remember the heights from which they had fallen and to remember how it was when they first believed and to go back there. This is where I am right now, in the beginning of this new year and I am glad to be here. I pray that the words you are given are as joyful and as powerful for you.
Participate: To focus on just showing up and taking part; and not focus on performance!
Hi Bonnie 🙂 ,
I don’t have a word alone, but a phrase “Come as you are”. To me it is a phrase from the heart of our Beloved Heavenly Father, an invitation to come and sit with Him, to show myself just as I am, to be real, to be authentic, to be transparent, to come when I am joyful, to come when I have no words to say, to come when I don’t even know how to pray, to come when all I have are tears, to come when I am sad, to come to just be with Him and enjoy His love and presence, to come and worship with the overflow from my heart.
The Lord has given me the word “DREAM” for 2016.
I have forgotten how to dream and have felt lost in moving forward. My heart especially wants to learn the dream that God has for me. His purpose for me in His kingdom. I anxiously press into the Lord in anticipation of the what and why of the word He gave me for this year!
God gave me the word “DWELL” in 2015 and it was a wonderful time of drawing closer to my Lord and Savior. Now it’s time to start moving forward.
I’ve love reading all of your word decisions and stories behind them. Thank you all for sharing.
See. “Taste & see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Ps. 34:8) I want to see God each day, in the ordinary that is happening around me.
My word is also beloved. Cognitively I know I am His beloved, but my desire is for it to settle into my heart. I want to embody the name instead of looking on it longingly. That’s my prayer and request from the Father. Looking forward to following your journey! Xo
exactly how i feel, megan! we know in our heads, but we desire to experience beloved in our hearts. hope we can #OneWordCoffee together on this journey! 😉
My one word for 2016 is “steadfast”. I have been dealing with a lot of very trying circumstances in my life for the past few months and as we enter into the new year, God reminded me that the trials aren’t going to stop. He said that I have to choose to stand firm and remain steadfast on the Rock of my salvation despite the trials because only then will I overcome. So,that’s just what I am doing. It’s not easy but God is faithful. I am a musician so this is the verse to accompany my word : Psalm 57:7- “My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.” I wrote about it on my blog also: https://mywanderingheartsong.wordpress.com/2016/01/01/one-word-for-2016/
I’m so relieved to hear that I’m not the only one who wasn’t super excited when I discovered what my word for 2016 is: “Persevere.”
Yikes! I hope it doesn’t mean I’m in for a tough year– last year was rough enough for my liking. ?
I love how you are reminding us all how very therapeutic it is to write.
I soooooo appreciate that you grabbed your courage and wrote from your brokenness a few years ago. I was blessed and transformed through reading your book. Bless you, Beloved Bonnie. ?
“Abba” I long for child-like faith in my life.
My oneword2016 is DISCIPLINE – there was way around it. I did write about it today!
there was no way around it…omitted a word!
Hi Bonnie,
Your word is beautiful. I was so blessed to read your book. Yes, you have always been and always will be Jesus’ Beloved! My word this year is FREE! God gave it to me very clearly toward the end of November. I didn’t understand it at the time, but about a week later He showed me why. I went to someone whom I love very, very much, My cousin who I have been estranged from. We grew up together, practically joined at the hip. We have always been inseparable! There has been a horrible rift between us for several years and we haven’t seen or spoken to each other. I asked for forgiveness. I told her how much I missed her and loved her. She responded in kind as she had a gaping hole in her heart without me in her life. You see the loss, the unforgiveness were like shackles. I was bound and didn’t even realize it. And when I let go God set me FREE! He completely restored our relationship! I am excited to see what else He will do this year with my word. Thank you Bonnie for sharing your heart so freely with us all!
Love,
Marsha
As always, Bonnie, your words always bless and inspire and encourage me. How I love that verse: “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,
for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.” Deut33:12
It certainly resonates with God’s word for me for 2016: JOY, choosing it every time, by surrendering, like Mary did: “…may it be done to me according to your word.” Her surrender led to that great song of praise, The Magnificat. And soon the Son she birthed would also surrender to the Father’s will to endure the Cross for the joy set before Him. And yes, that joy is contained in that core place in your soul were the eternal and temporal merge in perfect harmony: a place of sweet contentment. May it be so for all of us.
Hi Bonnie,
This is first time I have thought about having a new word for 2016…
I think it must be JOY…because it is my prayer to get my joy back.
I will fight through, pray, and ask the Lord to give me His joy for 2016!
Thank you for this.
Bless your 2016!
Susan, He did it for me at the end of 2015 after more than 17 years! So my word for 2016 is indeed JOY! It was a process (I wrote about it on my post) which will be different for each of us, but it started with crying out before Him as you are doing! Look out, Susan, He is faithful and the joy already inside you with His indwelling will manifest itself!
This is my fourth year for One word, Bonnie. This year’s word is Receive! I want to be open to receive all the Lord has to offer: those things I appreciate and those whose beauty is hidden from me.
The one word, that has been on the for front of my mind, is GLORY. Over and over, the Holy Spirit has been nudging my thinking, with this question. Does this bring Me glory? Or, does this bring you glory. I am realizing, so much of what I think and do, is more self serving than thinking will this bring glory to God. This has been humbling but an exciting time of growth.
Hi Bonnie,
My word for 2016 is discipline. Can I just say I was not happy with but God wouldn’t let it go. The more he showed me I knew I need to move forward in his direction and allow him to work on my heart.
Hi Bonnie,
My one word for 2016 is Faith.
Thank you for your blog and for your beautiful words. May God continue to bless you, along with everyone reading this.
God Bless and Happy New Year!
My one word for 2016 is SERENITY! I am looking to grow and change in the serenity that my relationship with Jesus Christ and other believers offers. I am so grateful to be clean and sober in the coming year. I look forward to celebrating my 4 year anniversary on April 20. That was the last time that I ever got so clinically depressed that I attempted suicide. Since then I have moved to be closer to my family and to get the help I needed when after a few months of living here I lost my second husband to kidney failure. I have learned to forgive myself for not being able to help him handle his disease because I was having trouble handling my mental illness. THANK GOD FOR MY LIFE TODAY! I can face each day with the help of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It may not always be easy but I know that he is ALWAYS with me! God bless you and thank you for your encouraging words!
This is my first time participating in One Word. I just recently discovered your website, Bonnie and am so inspired by you, your faith, and how much you love Jesus. My One Word for 2016 is “friendship.” I’ve realized in the past few months that I lack a deep friendship with Jesus. I don’t really know him and look forward to building a better personal relationship with him this year.
hi jenn! I’m so glad that you found your way here. can i just say, this is the place for you on your journey to experiencing your friendhips with Jesus. because that is who He is to me. 😉 we can share the journey together. if you like to read books, i think you’ll enjoy my book “Finding Spiritual Whitespace” – i chronicle my journey to experiencing a deeper friendship with Jesus. soul deep! if you get a chance to read it, I’d love to hear how it speaks to your “friendship” journey. how it speaks to you! happy new year, new friend!
I have been prompted to let the word :BE be that one word for 2016. I want to focus my heart this year to BE consciously allowing myself to meet Jesus in His prescence, feeling i am His BEloved, i am important to Him and not one disregarded as i had felt all the time. To BE ready to wait upon Him even when there is silence, to BE still and patient, preparing my mind to set my hope fully on the grace given me through my beloved bosom friend Jesus. I want to deliberately choose to BE willing to let go of any fears that my subconsciousness always tell me that i cannot BE that person whom God can use me. Even for the small little things that i do, like being compassionate and having a pair of listening ears that understands a hurting soul is good enough as God’s gift for me. BE thankful that God gives me trials to enable me to understand the hurts and the healing that only He can minister.
Thank you Bonnie that such simple word BELOVED can set us on our path of rediscovery of the love Jesus is embracing us, calling us His Beloved. BE ready, BE prepared, BE where Jesus is, there our hearts shall BE.
? lovely! Just lovely! May your year BE blessed beyond measure!
I know in this season it is Rekindle. Many relationships I had not been able to pour into God is now opening doors for me to be able to. And he even took away the guilt/burden I used to carry around that I had to change everyone or fix everything, and if they didn’t seem receptive to Jesus I would just be so broken down..but this last year He has freed me from the lie and though I want people to know Him, I can freely and unconditionally love them no matter what they decide or how they are towards me. I just want to love them. And this seems to work best anyways because they see you aren’t trying to “sell” them anything but you are just being real. It has just taken me too long to realize this. So, yes….rekindle. Older relations, newer ones that got put on the back burner due to work and school. Rekindle.
Bonnie, I never really thought about how writing can become like a prayer until I read it the way you wrote it. I’ve experienced that just in my short time of blogging. I’m still working on finding my exact niche, but every time I write, my faith seems to be part of it and some of my posts have felt like a prayer. There’s something about putting words to paper. There really is. My word for the year is “dare.” Dare to hope, to dream, and to write. To take back what I allowed the enemy to steal in 2015. Thanks for your encouragement and for the linkup. Perhaps in daring, I will become His Beloved too.
My one word is SHALOM. I heard a message about the full meaning of shalom just before the new year, then confirmation upon confirmation began to happen around me telling me this is my word for 2016. I always thought it just meant “peace” but it is so, so, so much more. Hope, health, safety and completeness are the other meanings of this rich, full word. I embrace it all and pray shalom over my life and the lives of those around me.
My word this year is joy. There is so much pain, so much suffering in life. And yet there is joy. I used to think suffering and joy were opposing – like two separate train tracks. Now, though, I’m learning they can be interwoven into one beautiful, somewhat bumpy ride. I don’t think true joy is known until true suffering is experienced. Even so, joy is a choice.
Thanks for the post and reminder for me to choose joy.
Ps – I posted the giveaway in Twitter (@desertmeander) and Instagram (@desertmeanderings). Thanks for the chance to win!
Free. That is my word. I am free from my past, my mistakes. I am HIS and I am free
I picture the way light falls on still water, creating a unique and beautiful rendition of the sky and trees above. God created the earth and the sun, and His hands developed these natural mirrors. God created us to reflect his grace for you and me in just the same way. Our Creator has gifted us with his light, Jesus Christ, come into us to help us reflect grace every day.
Reflection is also stopping, pausing to think, to reconsider. Reflection IS spiritual whitespace, alone time with God. My word for 2016 is Reflect. I feel called to stop, to reflect with God each and every morning, and to go out into the world equipped to reflect His grace to all I encounter.
God bless.
[…] linking with Weekend Whispers and #OneWordCoffee […]
Intentional.
This will be the second year of this word for me….it encompasses so much and I truly feel led to keep it for one more year. At the beginning of 2015 I thought my word was going to be about some specific areas of my life. But as always, God shaped it into something I couldn’t have imagined. It became about Intentionally believing that I am beloved, accepted. Intentionally living from that place of loved and accepted. Intentionally “getting off all my dead horses” (~Christine Cain at IF:Gathering). And its no surprise that God led me to your book, Finding Spiritual Whitespace, to work such healing in my life! Thank you so much for writing it and for being so, so transparent!
I am sensing that ‘Intentional’ this year may come around to be more of what I thought last year was going to be. But with my new and still growing peace and confidence in who I am in Christ, those areas and the growth there will look a whole lot different! However, I will not be surprised if it is complete,y differnt once again. God is good that way!
I will add….i believe journaling has been the BIGGEST thing in my life to facilitate growth in Christ. I have journaled for years and without it, I believe I would not be anywhere near as close to God. I tell people that God speaks through the pen. And I believe that to be true. It slows your thoughts as you have to slow down long enough to write them out, it cements things into your mind and heart and it allows you to go back and remember. Somehow your emotions flow onto the page and allow you to process in a way that you can’t just by thinking or feeling them.
WITH is my word. Learning to be more conscious of being WITH God and not only walking with others but allowing others more to walk with me.
My word is Gratitude.
I posted on Instagram and Twitter: Gratitude
[…] This post is linked up to Bonnie Gray’s #OneWordCoffee: […]
Bonnie, what a wonderful One Word for 2016. I can’t wait to read along as you discover what God has in store for you as His beloved. Words can indeed have a powerful impact. Already, I’m experiencing the power of my One Word “Behold”. I hear it reverberating within me when I lunge into performing, I hear it calling me to His grace, when I turn to hide, I hear it calling me, when my kids tug at my shirt asking me to play. “BEHOLD” my face, Anna…all I want is you, just you. God is good, so very good.
Bonnie I can’t seem to nail down my one word for 2016. Although I know it is between healing-whole-wholeness. I am in another season of healing that God is taking me through and He has pulled out all of the stops to prepare me to be in position to just heal. I’m on chapter five of my book and I have come to the present point of my life in the book and I am wondering where He is going to take me. I know you know what that is like. I love your one word for the year. It is a reminder that we are His beloved no matter what season of life we may find ourselves in. A beautiful reminder at that.
Bonnie, I just did a search for “one word for 2016” on Google (while getting my own blog post ready to publish tomorrow) and your blog popped up. I’ve been here before, but not enough. I love your blog and I’m so happy about this link-up! I’ll be sharing my post tomorrow and subscribing to your blog. Thank you. (Oh, and my one word is “sing”).
[…] Linked up at Testimony Tuesday and Tuesday Talk, and Soul Survival, 100 Happy Day, and Tell His Story, One Word Coffee. […]
My word for 2016 is ADVENTURE
The word for my 2016 path of adventure is LAVISH.
My one word is hope
[…] sharing this post with Bonnie Gray over at Faith Barista for her #OneWordCoffee linkup. Click on over to see others’ words for […]
My word for 2016 is ‘forward’! I have been snarled up in sin and excuses over my goal or getting fit and healthy again. For too long I focus on even when I set goals and commit to making life changes I slip back into hearing voices from my past…that I can’t do anything, I am a failure and deserve nothing! So 2016 word is forward…as I press on for the prize at the end of the goal line…I am choosing to move forward and silence those voices from my past that are lies!
My one word for this year is “awake.” I want to be awake to God’s glory and presence in my life, even during hardships when I tend to go on autopilot. Love your word! Sharing this on Twitter also.
Sanctuary – that is my one word prayer. I pray for a sanctuary to heal my depleted soul, repair my abused body. to stop the torture of guilt, grief and despair.
Yes we are his beloved. Thank you for your beautiful reminder! Hope is my one word for 2016. Hanging onto hope God is my rope our eternal lifeline! Thank you God for saving my life again and again and knowing you as my forever friend. Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in afflictions, and be constant in prayer. Heavenly Father help me to live this way more and more each day! Amen
Dear Bonnie 2015 was sadly not any better than 2015. Both were very hard years for me. My on, not so positive word for how i feel is ,utterly overwhelmed. I wish i could hope that “soon” things will get better but sometimes we dont just have a hard year, but hard yearS. Fortunately His word speaks of being overwhelmed in Ps 61:2
From the ends of the earth will i cry unto you, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock tbat is higher than I.
I hold on to a single thread of hope that some day things will get better.
Who knows maybe one day ill write an article about what to do when you hate your life and feel trapped. But then again im sure someone out there already has.
I would like to choose “beloved” or ” hope”. But do not want to hope for either lest this next year is just as difficult as the last two.
Thanks for being a beacon. Cindy
I meant 2014. And “one” sorry for the typos.
Cindy I know not what you’re difficult times have been but God knows. I was able to write those words out of several losses in my life the past 2 years. There are financial, family, health issues still at my table. I know its harder to see God when things are not going as we would like. However, its an opportunity to learn the power and blessing of his presence. I have praised him in many a storm he loves when our love for him is first, Seek ye the kingdom of God and all things will be added onto you. Matthew. I am praying for you to trust in God I know the waiting is hard but I know God desires our eyes to be fixed on him and wants us to be his children. You are loved like know other in him and he wants nothing but the best for his children. I want to remember more than I am a daughter of the King and keep saying, “Jesus I trust you” his love never fails. I will continue to pray for you.
Thank you Julie for the encouraging words. I will lift you up too.
My one word for 2016 is memories. I want to make as many memories with my husband and sons before our sons graduate from high school. The oldest is 15 and youngest is 12, so we still have a few years until they graduate, which I am thankful for. They grow up way to quick and I start to cry when I think about them moving out and being on their own.
This will be my 5th year to do “one word!” Each year is more exciting that the last — but this year is very special. My husband and I had a big ministry change in 2015. In October I began to see God bringing the word “hope” to my attention over and over. So I began to pray about that being my word for 2016. At the same time, my husband began to see the word “wait” repeatedly in scripture and devotionals that he was reading. When we sat together to talk about our 2016 words, we were both convinced that “wait” and “hope” are our new words. In the weeks following, we began to see so many scriptures where “wait” and “hope” go together! How exciting to each have our own words, and yet they go together in His word!
Thank you for the inspiration! It was good to reflect and look forward to a new year!
My 1 word for 2016 is MORE.
Mine is FEARLESS. I want to obey God’s direction with or without fear. More of Him and less of me.
[…] said I’d write about my word for 2016, and this week, Bonnie started her OneWordCoffee series. Similar to OneWordAdvent, it’s an opportunity to focus on a one-word prompt each week, […]
Hi Bonnie! Well, this is it! this is the year God spoke to me “JOY!”. I can’ t tell you how excited that makes me! I know that sometimes we receive this abundant, unabashed JOY through hard trials.. but that’s what the past few years have been… so with those in my rearview window, and Joy in my windshield… here I go.. plunging into 2016. I have begun the writing God has called me to, and I will continue even if it is just ministering to me! He is so gracious and kind! I have not had one full blown panic attack this year!! : )) My story is somewhat similar to yours; and I know that I am healed!! It’s time now as you are doing to go forward, only looking back to see if there is a sister in need of my hand to pull her with me on this journey! Full speed ahead… God’s best in front of me… the horrors of living in PTSD behind! Praise God, and thank you Bonnie for your faithfulness!!! I pray many, many blessings on you!!!
For the first time in forever, I didn’t feel a “one word” for the year, so I’m trusting God as He continually impresses upon me to go smaller and learn contentment, focusing on Him alone.
After making our 5th move in 6 years, abiding in Him has become a daily necessity!!
Thanks for the update and the giveaway opportunity!
My #oneword is “relinquish.” More specifically to throw off everything that’s hindering me from drawing closer to Him.
Bonnie, I almost missed this because I was at an intensive class on Martin Luther’s theology taught by Jim Nestingen. Wow, was that ever soul refreshing and mind expanding! It was refreshing because he told us stories from his ministry as well as explaining Luther’s ideas in broad strokes. One moment he was talking about justification and then he gave two examples. Justify is a button on the computer where you bring the lines to line up to the right or left margin. “Get in line!” would be the justifying cry. But the other example was of a wheel on his bike that gets wobbly and so he brings the bike in and instead of having the owner go at it with his wrench and overcorrect the problem, he makes sure to ask for Angela who finely nudges everything into place. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit: Just so much to make us perfect. Truing us. TRUING! God’s been truing me, and it’s delightful. My heart released tears for my friend struggling with cancer. There had been a block and I hadn’t cried. I’m ready to write again. Other things too, but I’ll quit for now. I like your beloved, and will remember that too. Thank you.
Totally loved today’s message (1/13/16). I just shared on Facebook. Thank you for the inspiring and encouraging words to stop and listen and hear God’s one word to us.
My word for the year is JOY and I anxiously await to see what the Lord has for me. I ended the year with my daughter and 2 young sons living with me, my church disbanding on Dec. 31, a leak in my kitchen and a lot of the floor being torn up and a while till repair as it is hardwood. I too would like to enter into sitting with that word for today, one day at a time.
Bonnie,
Your thoughts today spoke loudly to my soul. I am generally the type of person who has a list that I never could accomplish, who wakes in the night to think about the part of the list that was not completed. I think that rest is something that I need, but never seek. Thanks for the reminder to always have time for the little things that God has for us that when we are so busy, we may miss. My word is wait. Blessings.
My one word is trust. As I am entering into many uncharted waters this upcoming year, I know God is telling me to relax, seek His rest and trust in Him and what He is accomplishing.
My word is Joy!
Hi Faith,
My one word for 2016 is understanding. It is sometimes hard for me to relate to others needs, its not that I don’t want to help and be concerned. It’s that I’ve tried to help through my own knowledge and background, this is not what others need. They need God’s understanding and grace. I pray Father that I may become a conduit of your love to others, help me to quiet my own need to tell people wht they should do and instead send them to a closer relationship with you.