My One Word for 2014 is: Blessing

I am a Myers-Briggs INTJ, Enneagram Six, DISC “D”, type “A” personality. I love creating to-do lists. I have multiple paper day timers,  my smartphone has several calendars, to-do list apps and day timers. I can tell you from experience, multiple check lists do not help you in getting more things “done” during the week.

Trying to juggle multiple goals and projects creates a life that is measured by how many check marks and crossed-out words are on your list at the end of the day. As the weeks press on you eventually become controlled by the list, or in my case, multiple lists. You wake up reviewing your lists and go to be reviewing a list. The day is spent looking at and double checking the list to ensure that you don’t forget anything. Eventually you lists become like your right hand and an extension of brain! Sounds strange, but that’s really what it feels like.

At first I was skeptical about having One Word to focus on for an entire year. Having one word did not sound like a concept that would help me achieve my long lists of goals for 2014 or help me clear my to-do lists. I thrive on pressure and urgency. I get that adrenaline rush and I’m somehow able to get a lot accomplished. In 2013 I eventually realised that this constant need for pressure was leaving me drained and unhappy. I cleared my to-do lists, but I was rarely happy with the results. When your goal is always to get things done and do them as fast as you can, you eventually loose that passion for the things you are trying to accomplish. I was constantly fatigued and stomach pains were a regular part of my days.

I sat in silence and asked the Holy Spirit to lead me to the word that would be my guide for 2014. Naturally I would have chosen words that reflected areas that I personally struggle with such as: patience, joy, or trust, but these are not the words that came to me. As I sat silently in front of my computer the word “Blessing” came to me. I was surprised and confused. What would this word mean, what would be involved in focusing on this word? Was I expected to be blessed or am I to be a blessing to others? I panicked and decided to sit still again and wait for a less confusing and more favourable word to come to me. Nothing happened. For two days the word “Blessing” kept appearing all over the place: in my daily devotions, in articles I was reading, in the vocabulary of those I was conversing with and all over Facebook and Pinterest. I finally surrendered and accepted that the word “Blessing” was going to be my word, my focus, my actions, my prayers for 2014.

I’m not sure how this will evolve over the next 50 weeks, but I’m ready and willing to let this word be my guide.

Application:

Once a week I will write a blog post related to my word “blessing” and share with readers how this word is playing out in my life.

• I encourage you to visit the website http://oneword365.com/ and participate. Be brave and open your life and your heart to being transformed in to the person God has designed you to be.
• There is also the following website http://myoneword.org/ . This site has more practical methods and further explanations for the value of having one word to guide you through the year.
• A third resource is the website http://getoneword.com/ . This is also a website with some practical methods for living out your word for the year.

Whatever word you choose, I pray blessings over your life and a deepening in your relationship with God and others.