My one word last year was peace. I knew immediately then what the word would be...just as I immediately knew what 2012's word will be: quiet. Peace and quiet.
First, did I accomplish my one word last year? My gut answer is "kinda." I am more at peace with myself than I have been in several years. For this, I am grateful...and grateful to One Word for disciplining in such a unique way.
As I perused their site, I noted they concluded their most recent blog post with these two questions...to which, I have added my responses:
- Think back to the person you were when you initially picked your One Word and compare it to the individual who’ve become. Did you expect to see the amount of growth you have experienced over the past few months? How did God use your One Word in ways you weren’t expecting?
- As I stated above, I am more at peace than I have been in several years. Choosing this word had such an impact on my life this year, for at various times, yes, those stressful times, I would recall this commitment and change my prayer to this one word: peace. Here's the true testimony: a peer told me near Christmas that she could really tell the change in me, especially in our English Department meetings (one of my greater stresses over the last several years). I want that testimony to continue and to grow even more.
- Read Haggai 1:5 - Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways." What are some lessons you’ve learned over the past year? If you had to sum up your experience in one sentence, how would you do it? Why did you answer in the way that you did?
- One Sentence Summary: I am more at peace than I have been in several years. I know...that is the third time so far that I have stated that. It's true! It's my testimony...maybe it's just finally sinking in!
To accomplish this, I need more quiet time with the Lord, more time to read and study, more time to learn, more time to hopefully affect those with whom I come in contact.
Interestingly enough, the next Bible study I chose for my Sunday evening class focuses on this very topic: "spiritual disciplines such as meditation, silence, and fasting," part of the descriptor for our next discipleship training study entitled Fresh: Revising Stale Faith. Ah, confirmation for my word choice is so comforting....silence...quiet.
Please consider taking the challenge. I so look forward to the difference God will make in my life....my quiet life...in 2012.
