In a neurotic sort of way, I desire everything to go according to plan. Anytime there is a deviation even in the slightest bit, I tend to freak out. My worst fear is to hear a knock at the front door from a friend just stopping by to say hello – not because our house is a wreck, but because it isn’t completely spotless and looks like a museum. The same worry comes over me when I get lost, a random bill appears in the mail or my heater breaks when the temperature is suppose to be below freezing.

I don’t deal well with the unexpected, which is funny considering I’m part of the My One Word project. Just like me, you probably choose your word at the beginning of the year with a picture of how it was going to transform your character. Take patience for instance. You thought using this word as your lens to view the world would help you while stuck in traffic, dealing with a difficult coworker or enduring a tantrum by your child.

This did occur, but then your word began to do something different, something that was off your radar. God used patience in ways you would never have imagined. The outcome you were expecting as a result of your word was far less than the transformation God had in mind.

Patience no longer became about making your world a little easier to deal with. Instead, this word shaped the way you viewed situations which one appeared hopeless – a lost job, a sick relative, a broken relationship, even victory over a personal struggle. Patience was now interconnected with hope, persistence and fortitude.

What began as a quest to become better equipped at handling inconveniences, ended up becoming a way of seeing situations differently and exposing whom you trust when faced with uncertainty. Even in the midst of all this, you noticed gaps in your character and things you wish you could change. Yet, you also saw how your word allowed change to occur in areas that you had no clue you needed.

It provided a way for you to address the things you where unaware of or largely ignored. Now, don’t ignore this tension. Some of you have begun to contemplate what your One Word will be for the upcoming year. You want to pick a word that will make up for the gaps you discovered in 2011.

Your word is not some promise you will keep for a year to be better. The intent of your word is that it will become a part of you from here on out. Your next word will spring forth from the places where you feel you left off from your first. Each word you choose builds upon each other as God’s heart becomes embedded in your character. So, it appears I was wrong; sometimes the unexpected can be a good thing and bring change you would never have experienced otherwise.

• 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?

• Read Haggai 1:5. 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?

Living five minutes from the beach in southeastern North Carolina, it’s not uncommon to see some people wearing shorts into late fall.  Yet, it has grown increasingly colder over the past few days and the anchor on the Weather Channel informs me the temperature is going to continue to drop. As much as I want to fight it, I realize the time has finally come to drag out the winter clothes from the depths of our closet. While I was searching for sweaters, jackets and scarves, I came across a box on the top shelf.

Inside were pieces of artwork, stories, special projects and school progress reports my wife and I have saved over the years from our two daughters. I carried the box over to the bed and took a moment to go through the contents. It was striking to see the progression of growth that has taken place. In a way, I received the chance to see them grow up again just by looking at each piece.

A report card brought back memories of elementary school when one of my girls struggled in a certain subject. I remember how in frustration she pondered if she’d ever understand. Now, she’s a high schooler who excels in that area. But, there are new subjects that are stretching her and she is wondering again – will I see growth.

Everything in me wanted to grab the box, hop into the car, drive over to the school and take her out of class. She needed to see with her own eyes how far she had come. No longer was she the little girl who couldn’t quite color within the lines, was just learning her multiplication tables or all the state capitals.

Without the opportunity to look back, all she saw was her present circumstances and it made her question will I ever progress. The thing is we all react the way my daughter did. As humans, we are wired this way. Take you for instance. You began this year with the promise of a new start. You were filled with the hope of change.

But, these past ten to eleven months have flown by and for some reason all you can see are the places where you have fallen short of living out your One Word. Old tendencies still rear their ugly head on occasion. Disciplines that you thought would quickly become natural still feel forced from time to time. Granted, you maybe a tad more patient, forgiving or generous. Yet, there are just too many gaps that still exist in your character.

Rather than celebrating growth, the focus is on present day you with all your shortcomings and inconsistencies. My charge for you would be to look backwards. If you are reading this blog entry, it means you are on the verge of making it through your One Word journey. From being intentional about surrender intervals and capturing your thoughts to loving those who get under your skin and impacting those in your sphere of influence, you have almost a years worth of experiences that speak of your growth. Remember, a step, no matter, how small means there is movement in your life. These tangible expressions of growth are reasons to celebrate.

Are you where you want to be? Chances are good, no. Do gaps still exist? Without a doubt. Have you mastered your word completely? No, but like scripture reminds us we are a work in progress. What I hope you are learning from this experience is that you are never done with your Word. It remains with you and becomes embedded in your character. It also leads you to your next word and the word after that. You can have hope that the work that God has been faithful to begin in you, He will be just as faithful to complete. A walk with God means a walk in progress where momentum towards intimacy is taking place. This is the lens I hope through which you now view your life.

• Read Lamentations 3:40. How would you measure your Word’s effectiveness on your life during the past year?

• Why is the journey more important in the eyes of God then our destination?

Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy once said, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” In your ten months interacting with My One Word, I hope you’ve come to terms with the notion that you can’t do one (impact the world) without the other (personal transformation). You’ve undoubtedly seen and charted your own progress with this experiment and know God is the only one capable of changing the hearts and minds of human beings. Our only job in the process is to surrender to Him and put ourselves in a position where He can use us.

Our journey together has been like the preverbal ripple effect. The first circle that formed in the water was ourselves. By being intentional with our One Word, an aspect of God’s heart began to be rooted in our character. This wave trickled out and caused us to have a better attitude, different perspective and a hope that change was indeed possible. Then in October a change of current took place and created a ripple that at first caught us by surprise. Last month our focus was pouring into the one individual we find most challenging to love.

Now in November it is time to extend our reach even farther. Whether we realize it or not, God has given each one of us a sphere of influence and the capacity to make an impact in these places: your family, your friends, your neighborhood, your work place, your city and the greater community beyond. The question this month is how can My One Word make each of these places a little bit better?

I know that task seems overwhelming and has the ability to take us out of our comfort zones. All of us, to some degree, like to be left alone. After all, it takes enough effort trying to manage ourselves without having to think about the greater good of others. Yet, we know that we can never change the world if we go about life only wondering what is in it for me.

The good news is God has already given you a weapon to use to achieve this goal and its something you already know very well. In fact, you’ve been living with it for the last 11 months. Think about the word you selected and you’ll discover that its’ meaning is really not of this world. Generosity, Gratitude, Hope, Trust, Faithfulness, Honor, Kindness, Compassion, Gentleness. You have already armed yourself with part of God’s character thanks to whatever word you picked.

The great command, to love our neighbors as ourselves, is not just a nice way to live. In fact I think our future depends on it. We are not made to live as individuals or to simply be consumers. God calls us to help create a community of love and hope. My sincere hope is that your one word has changed your life. But now, here in November, it is my hope and prayer that your one word will help change the world.

• Read Ephesians 2:10. What steps are you taking to position yourself for God to use you through your One Word? Would you say that you are being a good steward of your word?

• Based on what God is doing through your word, where can you begin to affect positive change in the places that you have influence? What are some practical actions, which are expressions of your word, that you can take in the upcoming month to make this change a reality?

Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011.  If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!

Up until now, your My One Word experience was progressing quite well. You are probably encouraged to see the growth taking place in your character. Everything has been rosy with the attention on you and the personal benefits of this experiment. However, this may have changed as you read the focus was going to shift to others. Then we took it a step further and you may have halted in your tracks. Not only do you have to devote all of October to others, your entire focus is suppose to be directed to a single individual – the most challenging person in your life.

If you’re like me then chances are good that you’ve tried your hardest to ignore last week’s homework assignment. The reasons why are probably the same as well. It took us no time at all to come up with a name. Instantly this person’s image came to mind and almost simultaneously you cringe.

For me, it’s a guy who has somehow mastered the art of pushing my buttons. He’s no stranger. In fact, he’s a close friend of mine and we actually get along for 90% of the time. It’s the other 10% where we run into trouble. Being a friend, he knows me well. This works to my advantage and disadvantage. Over the years he’s figured out which buttons to push, and the exact sequence of maneuvers to create a variety of emotions inside of me. At the first pushing of a button, I find myself getting frustrated, jealous and angry.

I think what grates my nerves the most is the fact that this guy is a know-it-all. Ask him a question and he’ll give you an answer.  Scratch that. You don’t even need to ask. This “expert of everything” will give you his two cents whether you want the input or not.

It doesn’t seem fair that I’m devoting an entire year to acknowledge my shortcomings, learn from others and transform my character while it seems this guy hasn’t even bothered to change himself. I feel myself getting fired up as I write these words.  Somehow, without even being in the room, he has managed to push my buttons.

Even if he knows the combination to push, in the end they are still my buttons. I own them. They belong to me. Whether I want to acknowledge it or not, I have the ability to control my reaction when buttons are being pushed. This is going to be tough, tougher than you can imagine, but this month I am going to take my one word and apply it to my friend.

I know this friend will always have some of the same attributes, and in part that’s why I love him. He reminds me that we are all in process. But if I change my approach towards him, maybe I can change the way he reacts towards me. At the very least maybe I can disarm some old buttons that far too long held a control over me. Hopefully towards the middle of the month my new approach towards my old friend will have an impact on how we interact with one another, and our friendship can grow stronger.

• Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Which characteristic of love found in this passage do you need to display most to the person you struggle to love? How is this characteristic intertwined with your One Word?

• Read Philippians 2:1-4. How has coming to grips with the fact that you are a work in progress caused you to extend more grace to others? How has your perspective of others changed?

Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011.  If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!

The leaves are starting to change colors. The kids are back at school. Summer has come to an end. Football season has already kicked off. Before you know it, Christmas and New Years will be upon us. With this in mind, I think it’s time for a little straight talk. If you’ve been going through the last nine months looking for the light at the end of the tunnel then unfortunately you are in for a problem. Truth is: there’s no end in sight….the tunnel has no end. Yes, 2011 will soon be over but your word will have to live on long beyond that.

Otherwise this project would be totally pointless.  What good would it do to promise to be “patient,” if in January you returned to your rude and impatient ways? If God spent an entire year trying to mold a more “gentle” being, how much progress has really been made, if moments after the clock passes midnight, you get into a fist fight at a New Year’s party? What’s the point of spending twelve months trying to become a “humble” person, if you only plan on bragging about how well you’ve done once the project is complete?

The goal cannot be a short term character fix. We are interested in long term and permanent change. For that to happen your word must change from being a deliberate act, to something that comes more naturally.

You’ve spent eight months thinking about your word, organizing your life to be successful, embracing the struggle, celebrating the victories, leaning on friends and hopefully noticing change. In September we want you to focus on making that change a real part of your character.

Walk into any bookstore and you’ll see dozens of titles that promise the quick fix. In just thirty days you can master a new language, lose a ton weight, get out debt and become a “better you.” The Bible though teaches us that character building takes time.

God wants to do permanent work inside of you.  This month let’s come to terms with the fact that there’s a long road in front of us, but if we stay the path he will use our word to teach us things like humility, love, compassion and courage. Rather than a quick fix on outward appearance, He’ll transform our heart and motives for the inside.

• How have the thought patterns, actions and disciplines that were awkward and unnatural at the beginning on this process began to seep into your character?

• Read 2 Peter 1:3-10. The passage speaks of qualities that complement your faith (good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, generous love). Which character quality has been most developed in your pursuit of your One Word? How does focusing on one of these qualities help develop the others?

Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011.  If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!

Right now many parents are rejoicing over the fact summer has come to an end and their kids are heading back to school. Some might even do an Irish jig as they watch the school bus pulling away from their house. They are delighted while I’m a wreck. Now, don’t confuse my reaction for me being the ultra parent who loves to spend every waking moment with their children. I love my kids, but time apart can be a good thing for both parties.

The reason why I dread the upcoming school year can be summed up in three words: brand new wardrobes. Thinking of the hit on my wallet makes me cringe. This has nothing to do with being consumed with name brand labels or designer clothes. We are bargain shoppers who head straight to the sale rack. Sadly, thanks to a summer growth spurt, our oldest daughter, Madison, literally has no clothes that fit her. Jeans we used to roll up suddenly look like Capri pants or that an impending flood is coming. Baggy tops now show her mid-drift. The only bright side is her younger sister’s closet just exploded with possibilities.

My wife and I sat baffled as we helped Madison try on her old clothes. We both understood the basics of biology and realized eventually our children would mature. But, someone please tell me…when did our baby girl grow up? When did she sprout up like a tree? How did we not notice this?

The Psalmist says our life is but a breath (Psalm 39:5 and 144:4). Other parts of scripture compare the days we have on earth to a shadow (Psalm 102:11 and Job 8:9) or grass that is here one day and gone the next (1 Peter 1:24 and Psalm 37:2). Coming to grips with the brevity of life should cause two different reactions to erupt within us: reflection and action.

In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” We have been there every step of the way with Madison, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in the moment of the here and now and miss the growth that has taken place along the way. The same principle holds true with our spiritual transformation.

You might look at yourself right now and be confronted with struggles, frustrations and shortcomings. Letting this be your only perspective will inevitably lead to frustration. So, rewind the tape to a few months ago. Where were you back then? Chances are good you’ve grown, yet if you don’t stop and reflect, you’ll never have the opportunity to celebrate transformation and God’s faithfulness.

But, we can’t stop there. We can’t sit back and be satisfied reveling in the past. Life is short and we only possess a small window to leave an eternal mark. Without an understanding that our days are like a breath, it is easy to just sigh and put off sharing our faith, forgiving someone who hurt us or putting our One Word into action for another day. The reality is tomorrow has never been promised to us. Each day is a gift and the question we must ask ourselves is what are we doing with the moments we’ve been given?

• Coming to grips with the brevity of life should cause two different reactions to erupt within us: reflection and action.  Reflect on the steps you’ve taken throughout the My One Word process. Which step toward growth reminds you that change is indeed possible?

• Without an understanding that our days are like a breath, it is easy to just sigh and put off things for another day. In terms of your walk with God and influencing others, what is one thing you have put off that you know you need to act upon? What is causing you to hesitate from putting your faith into action?

Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011.  If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!

My work week got off to a glorious start. I rolled into work about an hour late today. My tardiness wasn’t due to sleeping in or my children being under the weather. I was late because I couldn’t find my keys. Unfortunately, this is a normal occurrence. The forgetfulness strain is part of my DNA.

If it weren’t for Facebook reminders, I’d forget friend and family member’s birthdays. I’m the guy with the dazed look on his face wandering down the aisles in the grocery store trying to recall what his wife wanted him to pick up for dinner. From phone numbers to important details, my brain is often scattered.

Yet, my forgetfulness impacts me on a much greater scale than I’d like to admit. In these moments, I’m not talking about misplacing an item or forgetting to complete a task on my ‘Honey Do’ list. There are gaps in my memory of God’s faithfulness. I’m speaking of those earth shaking moments when God moved in my life.

For most of us, there was a time in our lives when we thought we could never forget what God has done. The moment we accepted the cross, the redemption of past hurts, how God brought us through situations where all hope seemed lost. But, somehow we did forget. Okay, maybe “forget” is not the right word. After the euphoria passes and life gets back to ‘normal,’ these moments are quickly forgotten. Then when our faith gets stale or we are faced with another challenging situation we find ourselves asking God, “Where are you? Are you going to come through? What have you done for me lately?”

All of humanity suffers from short term memory loss. This is nothing new. It has always been this way and one only need to open up the Old Testament to see this is true. There is a reoccurring theme which threads itself throughout the story of God. It is one of God’s faithfulness and pursuit followed almost instantaneously by our forgetfulness, fear and disobedience. Sadly, sometimes the stories seem like a sequel of disobedience because the events which unfold are almost identical to one another. God does something incredible and the Israelites rejoice in His faithfulness. Things return to normal and they forget.  It sounds horrible.  How could you forget God doing something miraculous in your life?

The sad truth is that it happens all the time.  We forget the miracle of salvation.  We forget the miracle of redemption.  We forget the miracle of provision.  We forget the miracle of the moment.  And if we are not careful and don’t do something to counteract the normal pace of life, we will forget the miracle of the life change we hoped for and in fact, have experienced.

To counteract our tendency to forget, God commands us to grab a few stones. The erecting of altars is a practice seen throughout the pages of the Old Testament. From the Israelites constructing one after crossing the Red Sea to Abraham giving thanks to God for providing another sacrifice and sparing his son Isaac, people placed rocks on top of each other so they would remember that at this point and time they experienced firsthand God’s faithfulness and provision. The altar served as a physical reminder of what God had done in their lives.

The point of the rocks is simple.  They are to take the rocks, stack them up and remember. By making an altar, they will never forget what has happened and what God did. The same holds true with you. You are going to where you have never been before and you need to take some drastic measures to remember your progress.

A few months ago we focused all of our attention on embracing struggle. You’ve learned that God’s work, the growth that He demands of you, will push you to extremes. But now, eight months into the year, you need to give yourself permission to move to stop for a moment and rejoice. Your word must move from conflict to celebration. The struggle may never completely go away, but instead of focusing on the hard moments, this month we want you to acknowledge those times when you got things right and where you lived up to the image behind your word.

This is not just about patting yourself on the back. It’s to make sure these moments don’t disappear into thin air. If you fail to celebrate, it will be easy to fall into the trap of forgetfulness. Your moments of victory, growth and maturity will come and go and when they’re gone they could be lost forever. Instead this month we want you to search for altars and remember God’s faithfulness.

• Read Genesis 22:14 and Joshua 4:1-9. Why are we as humans so prone to forget God’s faithfulness to us? How is the art of remembrance critical for our walk with God?

• In the midst of being intentional about your One Word, how have you experienced God’s faithfulness? What moment throughout your One Word experience would you build an altar marking God moving in your life? How has this encouraged you to continue with the process and take deeper steps of faith?

Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011.  If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!

As I write these words, a hot pile of laundry fresh out of the dryer sits next to me. Alright, that last statement is not completely accurate or truthful. Laundry is indeed on the couch, but it is not hot. It isn’t even lukewarm. But it’s still laundry. Granted, I am very loose with my definition of “fresh out of the dryer” because I use hours rather than minutes to serve as my measurement.

This afternoon my wife went out with our girls so I could get some writing done. The sole responsibility she left me with was to fold the laundry. To make my task even easier, she took the clothes out of the laundry for me. However, hours later the clothes sit in the same spot. At least, I can tell her I knocked out a huge chunk of this writing assignment. Now don’t get me wrong; I’ve had every intention of getting my task accomplished. I even pictured the joy that would appear on my wife’s face when she’d come home with the clothes not only folded, but also put back in the drawer (since this is her definition of actually doing laundry). When I’d get stuck on a sentence I’d even go to pick up a shirt. My intentions were good, but so far my execution has stunk.

The problem with intentions, even the good variety, is that without action they are meaningless. This truth isn’t confined to household chores or tasks on my ‘honey do’ list. It serves as a universal truth. Think about it for a moment. Most parents don’t want to be described as absent, abrasive or a failure by their children. Every individual who has held a little one in their arms dreams about being able to earn the title of “Mom of the Year” or “Best Dad on the Planet” and proudly display their accomplishment on a coffee mug or t-shirt.

The majority of parents start out with the good intentions of nurturing their child and raising them to become fully functional members of society. Yet, without taking tangible steps towards that end goal, their dream will never become a reality. You don’t just wake up one morning and instantly become an outstanding parent.

A husband can have ever intention of showing his wife how much he loves her, but all the intention in the world will never make the love magically appear in their relationship. Action is needed. One can dream about crossing the finish line after a grueling 26.2 miles, but unless they lace up their shoes and start running, there is close to a 0% chance of them becoming a marathoner. Action is needed. You can desire to reflect Christ’s heart more profoundly in your actions through your One Word, but unless you are willing to take that first step, your walk will remain in a standstill. Action is needed.

Good intention is not the same thing as actually doing good. True faith always leads to action. Movement and momentum define a relationship with Christ. We must live our beliefs and do something with the intentions we feel. Scripture speaks very clearly about our actions not earning salvation, but rather serving as a response to the hope we have in Christ. If we truly believe that Christ is life, then it would be counter cultural for us to live as if this weren’t true. In Matthew 5:13-16, the imagery of salt and light is used to describe the basic character of a Christian’s life:

13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Captured in this passage is the reason we must make every effort to be great stewards of the influence we’ve been given and not sit on the sideline with just good intentions. The Greek word for salt is ‘halas.’ They used this term to describe a preservative or something which cleanses and purifies. In essence, we have been charged with doing the purifying work of Jesus here on earth. To be like salt means to add something that is beneficial to the earth. By living your life differently and acting on your intentions, you are adding the essential qualities of Jesus to this world.

This leaves us with some pretty challenging questions we must look into ourselves for answers. How can we be a light to the world through acting on our One Word? Where do my intentions and actions not line up? What must the world see? If we don’t live as the salt to this world then what is the point in being salt in the first place? If I am a believer and don’t try to live as a light to those around me, what is the point? Jesus tells us who we are. We are the salt and light. We are called to make a difference and directly impact culture. If our salt doesn’t add flavor to this world and our light fails to illuminate then what is the point?

As the salt and light we are urged to go out in the world. Not Jesus, but you. God is calling each of us to be a light in a darkened world. But, this won’t take place unless we act on our intentions. Our hope is the way we live our lives will lead men and women to glorify God and catch a glimpse of the transformation which occurs when God captures someone’s heart. Being a light is about point others towards God.

• Read Galatians 5:25. When it comes your One Word, in what ways are you actions inconsistent with your good intentions and desires toward change? What action is needed to push you towards movement?

• Why doesn’t intention always lead to action? What has prevented you from making your intentions with your One Word a reality?

Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011.  If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!

There are many projects around the house which demand my attention. I love the thought of finishing these projects, enjoying the extra space and basking in the glow of adding value to my home. Yet, the renovations never seem to get done. My wife thinks I should possess the ability to fix these things with ease like those superstars with a saw she sees on the home improvement shows. This is why I’ve contemplated blocking the Home and Garden Channel from my list of viewing options. Part of me can’t blame her for having this perspective because they make the jobs look so simple on television.

Without breaking a sweat in their flannel shirts, these guys renovate a basement, expand a kitchen and update a bathroom. This, however, is not the reason for my disdain of home improvement shows. I don’t like them because as they walk outside into a tent and use a laser level and compound miter radial arm saw as if it is assumed that an Everyday Joe would have these tools sitting around in his garage. I don’t have a laser level, compound miter radial arm saw or even a tent for that matter. To get started on the project they are describing, it would cost me 10 times the amount of the project. I simply don’t have the right tools for the job.

For many of us, another renovation project remains unfinished. This renovation is an inside job; one which deals with what is taking place deep within the heart. Reasoning we don’t have the right tools, we resign ourselves into believing this is the way I am and always will be. But, this is simply not the case. Most of our problems don’t require therapy. Instead they require we surrender them to the One who invites us to do such. The problem is we tend to forget this is the God we worship and resort to depending on our own strength to get us through. We need a tool which will help us remember to follow the invitation to cast our issues, burdens, cares and concerns to Him.

Without this tool, the normal chain of events will continue to take place. You are confronted with the facts that things need to change in your life. You realize the choices you are making are leading to frustration and pain. Taking it a step further, you even know what things you should change and the different direction you should be heading toward. With all the zeal and motion you can muster, you surrender your issue and concern over to God. There is a freedom you experience from this initial surrender, which leads you to assume the issue is done. Unfortunately, you quickly find out your assumption is wrong.

Surrendering an issue once is never enough. Surrender intervals are defined as the amount of time between points of surrender. Time is measured by our standard units of measure while the points of surrender were defined as those points in time when we muster up the emotion to surrender to God and mean it.

These gaps in surrender describe the pattern of life for many of you. You struggle deeply and consistently. Every week you make it to church and every week you surrender. Your surrender interval is 7 days and still you struggle with issues you thought you surrendered a long time ago. Maybe you have reduced your surrender intervals by attending small groups or Bible studies which cuts your moments of surrender down to ever other day or so. Then there are those of you who have a consistent daily quiet time. You wake up every morning and with all the zeal and meaning you can muster as you surrender your life to God.

What I have begun to realize is twenty-four hours is way too long of a gap. The truth is there are too many things which can happen between those moments of surrender. You surrender first thing in the morning and all seems to be going well until your kids get up, your spouse uses all the hot water or someone cuts you off in traffic. Twenty-four hours is way too long. In order to consistently cast your cares on Him you must position yourself to do so. What I need in my life is a very short surrender interval – a moment-by-moment surrender which comes with every breath.

• How does one measure surrender? How do you know when you have fully given up control of a situation to God?

• Read 1 Peter 5.7. As it relates to your One Word, what is one area where you feel God is calling you to surrender to Him? How often are you faced with the decision to yield to Him?

Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011.  If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!

The idea of relationships is simply about connecting or more importantly finding a connection.  The implication is that we must be proactive—we must find these points of connection and common ground.  Then we need to go a step further and bear with one another instead of checking out or running when things get too personal.  We want so desperately to be known, we say we want to be held accountable for the things we struggle with, yet we set boundaries up in our minds.

When people get to close to those boundaries, we start to backstep and rethink our connections to those people.  When it becomes personal, it becomes dangerous.  People might actually figure out that we don’t have it together.  Living authentically means being vulnerable and transparent.

If someone is taking you seriously and is willing to hold you accountable to your word, it requires willingness on your part to accept responsibility for your own spiritual change.  This means taking on a posture of help and transparency. We must fight our natural inclination to hide from others when we are struggling with something or living in sin.

Entering into a relationship where accountability and spiritual vulnerability are cornerstones requires us to be honest and upfront with our struggles, not sending our friends on a fishing expedition for the truth.  Doing life together requires all to be proactive in their own relationship with Christ. The challenge before us is to step up our walk by examining our heart.

If we are not willing to be vulnerable before God, we will never go deep with others. Our relationships will remain superficial at best and we will continue to use others solely for our own benefit. We have to remember that in Christ we have the fullness of love necessary to live with others without having to get.

• What are the places where you need support, encouragement and accountability? Who knows about these places?  For those that could not come up with a name, we encourage you to tell someone you trust about your experience with my One Word. For those that have a community of supporters, take a moment and reflect on how well these people know about your current progress towards growth. In both cases, be honest about your need for accountability.

Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2011.  If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!