My One Word for 2016

Ever since I saw The War Room movie, there is one thing I have been wanting to do more of. If you have seen The War Room movie, I am sure you can guess what that one thing is:

Photo courtesy of Compassion International

Over the past couple of months, I have read through The Battle Plan for Prayer book and want to work on making prayer a more focused part of my Christian walk, each and every day.

Webster's 1828 dictionary defines 'pray' as:

"In worship, to address the Supreme Being with solemnity and reverence, with adoration, confession of sins, supplication for mercy, and thanksgiving for blessings received."

Today, I was out doing a bit of shopping and saw 1 Thessalonians 5:17 on a plaque and I just knew I needed to choose 'pray' as my One Word for 2016.

Will it be an easy word to focus on?

Probably not...but I know I want a deeper, more intimate relationship with Jesus. What better way to do this than through having conversations with Him all through the day.

Have you chosen One Word for 2016?

My One Word for 2015

Last year was the first year that I choose One Word to define my focus for the year. I have to tell you, that one word was so fitting for those first few months of last year. And has continued to remind me of the many blessings I have in this life.

This year, one word keeps standing out to me...

Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines focus as "In optics, a point in which any number of rays of light meet, after being reflected or refracted; as the focus of a lens."

As a photographer, I know what it takes to focus on the right subject when taking a photo. But as a person, many times, I can get so easily distracted just trying to accomplish the simplest task.

Take today for instance. For weeks, my desk has been haunting me with its clutterness...

Ugh! So today, I took time to plow through a lot of the clutter on this desk. After a couple of hours between working on the desk and doing a few other things around the house, the desk ended up looking like this...

Ah! Perfect? no. Better? yes! In fact, there are a few other areas of my home that could use this kind of attention. But the thing is...I was able to focus (somewhat) on this task until I reached a point of contentment with the results. I don't want to be too focus driven, but I know I can do a better job of focusing on certain areas of my life.

For 2015, I want to focus on a few things:

• my relationship with God
• my relationship with my husband and my children
• my home
• my Compassion children and my Compassion responsibilities
• my photography
• my reading list

And I am going to focus on this Bible verse for the year:

"Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrew 12:2 (Amplified)

Focus on Him. I know in my heart that this is what I need to do each day, each moment...but there are so many distractions in this life.

Will I focus on Him every moment of every day? Probably not. But if I continue to remind myself that He is who I need to focus on, He will help me to do what is pleasing to Him. There is no checklist of goals or resolutions I need to complete each year.

Have you chosen One Word for 2015?

My One Word for 2014: Content

Content - in a state of peaceful happiness; contented, satisfied, pleased, gratified, fulfilled, happy, cheerful, glad, unworried, untroubled, at ease, at peace, tranquil, serene

Philippians 4:11-13 "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

In just a couple of weeks, at the beginning of the new year, I will be going on a trip like no other trip I have ever been on. Preparing for this trip, my emotions have been all over the place. Excited, overwhelmed, anxious, fearful, content.

Content is not usually a word someone would use to describe their feelings about a trip to visit areas of extreme poverty. But it is what I am feeling tonight. Why? Because I know that God has been preparing me for this trip, not just since May when I made the deposit. But He has been preparing me for this trip my whole life.

In an e-mail from our trip leader today, he reminded us that God has been preparing each one of us for this upcoming trip since before each one of us was born! Can you even imagine that?

So it is only fitting that I choose the word 'content' to be my word of the year for 2014. I want to be 'in a state of peaceful happiness', knowing that God is with me at all times and in all circumstances. He will never leave me nor forsake me. At all times, I can be thankful for His presence in my life.