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Jan
Refine Your Search
Having painted a picture of the person you want to be at the end of 2010, your natural tendency will be to haphazardly hang the still-wet canvas on the wall and start along the path of transformation. Yet, this reaction will have you running in a thousand different directions because numerous godly characteristics make up the person you desire to become. By attempting to instill each virtue all at once, the likelihood is you’ll quickly burnout and be frustrated when all of them do not take root.
Instead of letting the wet paint run and blur your vision for change, you must take the time to narrow your focus. When you invest time and energy into developing a certain aspect of yourself, it will positively effect and spill over to other areas of your character. To help refine your search, examine a few scriptures that speak of virtues that have the potential to become your one word.
- Read the scripture passages found above. What are some words found in these passages that resonate with you? Why do you seem to be drawn to these words?
- Write down the words that, to this point, have stuck with you. Keep these words in highly visible places (bathroom mirror, bible, car dashboard, refrigerator, workspace, etc.) so you will be able to wrestle with them throughout the upcoming days.
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY PICKED THEIR WORD FOR 2010
Your one word provides a lens not only to see your life and what God wants to do through you, but it also allows you to view and respond to your circumstances differently. Rather than just responding to life, you are proactively looking for ways to put your word into action. Keeping your eyes focused on God is the key to being formed into His image, because what you see determines the direction you go.
- In what ways are you going to use your word as a lens through which you will view life, God and your circumstances?
So far, we’ve talked about your hopes as well as the fears you have regarding change. Today we want to confront the hesitation you have towards the person you will become through your one word. We’d love to hear your response to the following question: In regards to your word (or potential word), why do you NOT want to become this type of person?
Jan
Painting A New Picture
Taking the time to reflect on the past year in hopes of carving out a better future has the ability to halt you in your tracks. Coming face to face with the unpleasant gaps in your character and personality is not always a pretty picture. So, why you might ask, did we encourage you to take inventory on where you’ve been and the person you currently are? Quite simply, it begins the process towards change by identifying your starting point.
Today we turn our attention to a different picture. This is a picture that propels you forward. Rather than attempting to avoid the person you were or stopping a negative behavior, we want you to begin painting a picture of the person you want to become. This image must go deeper than outward appearances by focusing on the changes that need to take place deep inside your soul.
- How would you describe the person you want to be at the end of 2010? What are some characteristics that would define this person?
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY PICKED THEIR WORD FOR 2010
This project is not about quick-fixes or putting a band-aid on a bad behavior. It is intended to produce long-term results. We want you to have expectations that your one word will become embedded in your character and begin to flow out of you naturally. For this to take place, it requires putting yourself in a position where God can transform you. People do not grow in the image of Christ by accident or osmosis. When you take the time and intention to focus on your word, change begins to seep into your character.
- What effect do you hope your word will have on your character? How will you have to posture yourself to make that change a reality?
Our last post posed a question regarding the apprehension that we all feel when faced with change. Somehow in the midst of that fear there is a part of hope and excitement that resides within us. We’d love to hear your response to the following question: What excites you the most about the road ahead of you with your One Word?
Jan
Moving Forward By Looking Back
Welcome to a little experiment known as My One Word. The heart behind this project is helping you plot a course for growth by narrowing your focus to a single word that will define you in the upcoming year. Now be honest for a moment…does that last sentence intimidate you and leave you feeling defeated already? After all, in your mind there are numerous bad habits, character flaws and struggles that demand your attention. However, do not be overwhelmed and simply give up. It is better to do something about one thing than nothing about everything.
With these apprehensions in mind, we wanted to spend the first few blog posts calming your nerves by helping you choose your word for 2010. The first step towards growth is to take inventory on the past year and see where God has moved in your life. Before moving forward, one must look backwards. Take a few moments and reflect on the following questions:
- Do you feel that in the past year you have progressed or regressed in your relationship with Christ? What shortcomings have you observed in your character over the past year?
- What emotions and baggage are you bringing into the New Year?
- If someone were to ask what God had taught you this past year, how would you answer them? If you were honest, would your response be just lip service?
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY PICKED THEIR WORD FOR 2010
We know that there will be some of you that have put the wheels in motion towards growth and have already selected your One Word. It encourages us to know that you see the benefit of this experiment and we are excited to see how God will shape you through this experience Utilize these first few blog posts to find your pace. Each post will include an exercise or question to prepare you for the journey.
Today’s exercise is a reminder to anchor your One Word with God’s word. If scripture is not the basis for our change, this experiment will be nothing more than a practice of our fragile human ability to evoke change in our lives apart from God. When times get tough and discouragement sets in, you can keep going back to the truth found in these verses for reassurance and reflection.
- If you haven’t done so already, take a few moments to select a few core verses that inspire and support your word.
Regardless of whether you’ve picked your word or not, the truth is we all have apprehensions about the road the lies ahead of us. We’d love to hear your response to the following question: What are your fears about picking a single word that defines you in 2010?