One Word in 2014

 

At the beginning of this new year, I’ve seen on many blogs how the writer has chosen One Word to live by this year.  One of our pastors at church also spoke about and challenged us to choose one word to strive to live by in 2014.

In years past, I’ve done some end of year reflections but last year was the first time I chose one word.  It was REACH.

And this year? 

I think it’s kind of a different, well unexpected, word.  I made a list of words that I thought I might choose like prayer, simple, selfless, risk, which are all words I Iike but  over the past 2 weeks, one word kept returning.  Several times a day.  So, I’d ask Him, “God is this the word?  It keeps coming to my mind.  Do you have something to do with this?”

I’m going to trust He does.

Why define?  What does that have to do with me?  What do I need to define? 

I started looking in THE WORD to confirm MY WORD to see if I could find the  word DEFINE and 2 Timothy 2:15  jumped out of the page at me.

Timothy, do everything you can to present yourself to God as a man who is fully genuine, a worker unashamed of your mission, a guide capable of leading others along the correct path defined by the word of truth. (Voice)

Maybe I should put Beth instead of Timothy?

Be fully genuine.

Be a worker unashamed of my mission.

Lead others defined by the word of truth.

Define myself by THE WORD. 

ONE WORD in 2014…define.

Define my dreams.

Define my life mission.

Define my feelings.

Define my faith.

All of which can be a challenge for me.

Make my path…my journey in 2014 right…be defined by the word of truth. 

Be in the Word.

 

I asked myself, “How were others defined as in the Bible?”

Moses was defined as a leader.

Noah was defined by his obedience and total faith by building a big boat when God told him to.

Ruth was defined as having inseparable and respectful relationships with the people in her life.

Esther was defined as being courageous with careful planning.

Mary was defined by her humbleness to accept the role God gave her to give birth to the Son of God, Jesus.

Paul was defined as a preacher of Christ who was unashamed to face issues head-on and deal with them.

And Jesus.  Jesus was defined as LOVE.  Unmeasureable and ultimate love.

Just to name of few.  Because everyone in the Bible was defined as a person with character.

And each of us, whether you like it or not, are defined as a person with some kind of character.

God has given us the gift to define ourselves though.  He allows us to choose the definition we want to live by.

I’ve been guilty of personally defining myself at one point or another as incapable, weak, depressed, insignificant, selfish, stubborn, quiet and being a good hider.

But this year.  This year I want it to be different. This year in my 2014 verse, the Word is repeatedly calling me to be genuine, diligent, and to do my best for God.   It calls for me to be unashamed to live by my personal mission as a Christ follower. It instructs me to lead and teach my children (and possibly other people?) to be defined by the Word of truth.

And then DO.  Don’t just define.  Do what I’m defined to do.

Be defined by the Word. 

 

Do you have a word for the year?  What is it?    Do you have a personal mission?  It’s a goal of mine to discover it this year!

 

May 2014 be a year where you experience God in a new, refreshing way.

 

Thank you Melanie at Only a Breath for the use of the 1 Word template!