I have to admit I don’t do well with process. It’s hard for me to picture the finished project when all I see is blue painter’s tape and the first coat of paint on the walls. My eyes almost instantly go towards the spots that need touching-up or the areas where I got paint on the ceiling. Even though I know that eventually everything will be put back in its place, the “in between” stage is unsettling for me.

Maybe this is the reason why many of the tasks on my ‘honey do’ list remain unchecked. In order to have a finished project one has to be okay with the mess in the middle. Only when we admit our messiness will God be able to work on our hearts. When it comes to the transformation you will see through your One Word, there needs to be a way for you to deal with your unfinishedness.

Yes, unfinished means being incomplete and imperfect but it also entails movement because you have come to grips with being in process. The restoration project of your hearts will expose your flaws, rough edges and touch-up spots. However, by developing measuring sticks to measure growth you will be able to notice how the heart of Christ is beginning to take shape in your life.

Dealing with process comes down to where you place your sights. Do your eyes zero in on the imperfections causing you to be riddled with feelings of guilt and defeat? Or does your gaze go in the direction of your Creator who began a good work in you, is changing you and loves you in the midst of your unfinishedness? As the month of March comes to a close, may the words of Hebrews 12:2 bring you comfort: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith.”

• How are you currently dealing with being a “work in progress?” Are you allowing your unfinishedness to hinder your growth or spur you on towards transformation?

• How has developing measuring sticks enabled you to see the growth that has taken place through your One Word up to this point?

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 2010.  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!

What are you going to do?

Making assessments plays a critical role in one’s spiritual growth. You must have some way to gather information so you can gauge your progress. This month the blog posts have focused on creating measuring sticks so you can track your growth. With a quarter of the year now in the books, it is our hope that you are managing the disciplines you’ve implemented and experiencing change.

As you are learning to measure your growth and track your progress, make sure you are getting good information. Psalm 119:160 says, “The very essence of Your words is truth; all Your just regulations will stand forever” (NLT). The art of making great assessments is not found in getting the right answers, but grounded in asking the right questions.

There are many people who began this experiment with great intentions. They had a clear picture of what kind of person they wanted to become. Yet they couldn’t answer the question “Why?”

Why do you want to become this person? Why do you hope to see change? Why have you struggled with this area in the past? Why are you meeting resistance? These are questions that not only focus on execution, but also cut to the heart of motive.

Growth can be found in the answer to the question “Why?” Keep asking questions and pursing answers as you continue the journey.

The expert informed me how the condition of the soil determined whether a seed would sprout or stay dormant, never to see the light of day. While some elements found in soil provide key nutrients, there are others that can be toxic to plants. Erosion, drought, rocks and other random organisms make it nearly impossible for growth to occur. In essence, the seed never stood a chance to develop deep roots.

Even though Luke 8:4-15 is often referred to as the Parable of the Sower, very little energy is spent focusing on the farmer himself. Instead great detail goes into describing the conditions of the various soils. This does not mean the identity of the Sower is insignificant. In fact, it is just the opposite. Without the Sower (Jesus Christ) taking the time to plant the seeds (word of God), no fruit would be produced from the soil (our hearts).

Yet, we need to ask ourselves: Why is Jesus so concerned over the environment the seed is placed in? What is He ultimately nudging us to do with what we have been told? Like the soil expert at Home Depot, Jesus understood how critical a role the condition of the soil plays in a seed’s development.

If the seed in the parable represents the word of God then it should unsettle us how only one environment provided an ideal setting for the seed to bear fruit. So, what can we do to make the conditions ripe for our spiritual growth? It starts by immersing ourselves in the Word of God. To reflect God’s heart, we have to know God’s heart. We must allow the truth of scripture to define our actions, words and lives; yet at the same time understand how just like a seed our maturity and growth take time to develop. Weeds can pop up overnight, but mature fruit occurs over time.

A heart found in good soil is the place in which the character of God takes root in our lives. This good soil is a byproduct of a heart which is real, submissive, and tenacious in pursuing the qualities of their One Word. The seed that will bear fruit is the one which can withstand the heat, distraction, and everything else working against it. This last point is critical to understand as you begin to ponder your current struggles with your One Word and whether or not you might be good soil. You need to understand how faith doesn’t eliminate the struggle. Rather faith perseveres until the fullness of God is demonstrated and His fruit is born. Good soil is not the finished work. Soil is simply a context for potential. When you cultivate, you dig. You move dirt around to make room. You create an area where you hope what you plant will grow. You create room to grow.

• Read Luke 8:4-15. Which of the four seeds most accurately reflects the condition of your heart right now and your receptiveness to your One Word? How long has your heart been like this? Is this a place that you find yourself often? If so, why? Are you comfortable in this place or is your heart longing for change?

• Read Colossians 2:6-7. How does the imagery found in this passage encourage you and provide comfort that change can occur through your One Word? How can you can begin to “cultivate the soil” to affect positive change in your heart? How will you be able to tell if your heart is softening toward this change?

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 2010.  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’s also a special responsibility all dads share around birthday or Christmas time: being in charge of assembling the latest and greatest toy, bike, or swing set that will bring a smile to your child’s face. My last such task was building a kiddie swing set for my two daughters. Don’t let the word ‘kiddie’ fool you – there were more pieces, nuts and bolts than I could count. I could have built an ark with all the lumber at my disposal. Luckily, the 12 pages of directions were all in English, which unfortunately isn’t always the case.

I used the picture covering the box as a point of reference: a picture of Tommy and Suzie grinning from ear to ear because their daddy was clearly a tool whiz who put the thing together in no time. I, on the other hand, just learned what an Allen wrench was. I felt completely lost. How would all these random pieces and parts eventually end up looking like that picture staring back at me? At times I felt tempted to cut some corners to speed up the process. It was hard to see, in the midst of my assembly, how tightening this little bolt or following each tedious step was critical to the entire structure being sound.

Just like the kids’ swing set, when it comes to our relationship with Christ and the forming of our One Word into our character, ‘some assembly is required.’ The My One Word project is about learning and embracing something new. As you develop measuring sticks to track progress and growth, it is critical to have a point of reference to the person you are trying to become. What does someone who is patient, kind, loving, forgiving, (insert your One Word) look like? What qualities do they possess that you seem to lack? How can you learn more about these character traits? Who in your life most exemplifies the quality of your One Word? Have you ever asked how living out this character trait seems so natural to them?

Being a fool when it comes to tools, I quickly realized the need to call in reinforcements who were more skilled with the hammer, wrench and screwdriver than I. If not for my brother-in-law, the swing set would have been an unstable structure that would inevitably collapse, sending one of my daughters to the hospital. While we assembled the swing set together, I had the opportunity to ask questions, learn some tricks of trade and at times just sit back and watch. Over time, I gained more confidence in what I was doing.

During this upcoming week, we want to encourage you to establish learning goals. Begin this process by asking yourself a question: in order to grow, what do you need to know? As you study your word, you will begin to notice areas where learning needs to take place. These are starting points for your learning goals. Where can you seek out the necessary information to better understand the values and heart behind your word? What books or articles focus on the subject of your one word? What scriptures should you study? Who do you respect who could serve as a mentor?

The point of learning goals is to pursue growth and knowledge of your word. Take the time necessary to become a student of your word.

• Read Colossians 1:9-11.  In order to grow through your One Word, what do you need to know? In what areas do you seem to be lacking knowledge when it comes to the heart behind your One Word?

• What steps do you need to take to gain the knowledge necessary for growth to take root in your life?

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 2010.  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!

But it is not just a goal.  The point of focusing for an entire year is to remind you that it is a process.  It is easy to get overwhelmed by everything that remains unchanged and all the work that needs to be done.  But we shouldn’t forget to celebrate.

Celebrating is an act of faith.  It is a declaration of progress and not simply a destination.  We don’t celebrate our birthday because it is the end—we celebrate it as a point on the journey.  And you should celebrate these points.

The problem is that, too often, we have not identified these points.  We don’t know what to look for, so we wait until the end to celebrate. And that is too late.

Our word reminds us that we are in process.  Each step along the way is an opportunity to celebrate that progress.  We are celebrating what God is doing in us.

If you struggle with discipline, celebrate the fact that you sat down and read or exercised or journaled.  Our steps tend to remind us that we do not do enough, so our thoughts become clouded—we feel pressure to continue, or feel regret that comes from thinking, “Why didn’t I do this yesterday?”

If you struggle with your temper, celebrate the fact that what you were able to take a deep breath and deal with something that would have sent you reeling last month. And it was fine.  You didn’t lose anything by not losing your temper.

Patience, kindness, worry, gossip, stress….whatever your struggle, make sure to celebrate your progress.  Celebrate the fact that you believe that God is working in your life. This is faith.  You are declaring that you believe that what He has begun He will complete. And until you are complete, you are in process.  Do not wait until the end to celebrate—that’s too late. Celebrate the steps.

We’d love to hear your response to the following question: Read Philippians 4:4. One way we can encourage each other is by celebrating steps of growth together. As you look back on your My One Word journey to this point, what step do you most need to celebrate?

The same thing sometimes happens spiritually, too. How do we recognize when we’re stuck, and how do we become unstuck? Answering this question is critical in keeping alive the transformation process of My One Word rather than giving in to the rising difficulty and resistance.

According to 2 Peter 1:3-10, when we’re stuck we’re blind to three things: our identity in Christ, God’s provision for our growth and the transformation process. Verse 3 shows us that we possess everything we need for godliness. Christ himself provides a godly life (Galatians 2:20). The Holy Spirit, living within us, guides us in truth. We simply need to remind ourselves of the promises (v.4) that come through the grace of Christ.

Eventually, those initial changes brought by choosing our One Word fade. Struggles arise and many of us grow frustrated. Resistance sometimes leaves us shell-shocked and, in more devastating cases, we lose hope. We lose heart. By taking out our heart, the enemy immobilizes us.

How do we handle this lack of hope and gain traction and, ultimately, momentum with our One Word? The first—and most critical—step is to cling to the truth that in Christ we are whole, made alive and set free. This truth changes everything, including our perspective on feeling stuck. We won’t depend on ourselves to produce change anymore (Galatians 3:2-3). When we understand that true change only occurs within, we’ll resist the urge to fix the external and allow the Holy Spirit to change our hearts. This is never easy.

If we’re honest, we want character without being stretched, growth without risk, and lessons without scars. In a way, we become satisfied with being stuck because we love comfort and security. Something in our heart avoids having to admit that the biggest problem we face isn’t our circumstances, but the person staring back at us in the mirror.

That’s why Peter says in verse 5 that we must make every effort to add to our faith. We need to believe the real challenge of Christian growth is personal ownership. We need vision to create a path out of our rut. We have to identify our desires and figure out why we’re stuck in the first place. We combat getting stuck by protecting our hearts (Proverbs 4:23) and transforming our minds (Romans 12:2). Our thoughts shape our words and actions.

We need to become so aware of our flaws that they can’t hide anymore. Once we identify them, we need to give them to God. When doing so, we begin breaking patterns that put us in positions to make poor decisions. Instead of pursuing something to fulfill a shortsighted desire, we pursue things that produce the internal change we really need. Prayer shifts our focus from what’s directly in front of us onto the actions we need to take for growth to occur.

No matter the struggle, no matter the situation, no matter how stuck we’ve been, if we know Christ, then there’s hope. The hope for us who are stuck is that what God has begun in us He will complete (Philippians 1:6).

• What situations are you feeling “stuck” and meeting resistance in living out the qualities of your One Word? What do you believe is keeping you  “stuck”?

• How have you dealt with times of discouragement or has it gotten the better of you?

• Often times in the midst of being “stuck” we know what the next right steps of faith are, but are unwilling to act.  What do you believe is the next step you need to take in living out your One Word?  What actions or changes do you need to put into place to make this change a reality? How would you measure growth in this area?

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 2010.  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!

A way to understand this principle is to look at how a husband and wife who are house hunting can hold greatly differing perspectives on a potential “fixer upper.”

When driving up to the home, the husband first notices the tattered roof and chipped paint on the siding. Inside the house, the issues pile up: shoddy wiring, hardwood floors in need of repair and a yard overgrown with bushes and weeds. As he assesses the amount of work needed to turn this shabby shack into a home for his family, he feels overwhelmed and defeated. The job required seems too great to handle. As they leave,  he feels convinced this could never be their dream home.

On the other hand, all the wife sees is potential. She begins to picture her and her husband swinging on the front porch while their children play hide and seek with the neighborhood kids. As she strolls through the kitchen, she can almost smell future Thanksgiving dinners being prepared. She closes her eyes for a moment and sees their children sliding around the hardwood floors in socked feet, giggling and having fun.  With a little hard work and a lot of elbow grease, this house could become their home.  As she gets back into the car, she feels excited and hopeful – this just may be the house they have been looking for.

The husband and wife drive up to the same house together, see the same necessary repairs, but walk away with two different points of view.  The husband sees the problems while the wife sees the possibilities.  One feels defeated while the other feels hope.  This house’s potential to become a home depends on the buyer’s perspective.

Similarly, the potential your One Word has on your transformation depends on your perspective.

As you develop ways to measure growth through your One Word, take the necessary time to examine your perspective. When you look at your character, what do you see: flaws that leave you hopeless, or gaps where growth can occur? Are you a work in progress, or someone already doomed for failure? Does your perspective on the places where you fall short make you defensive, play the blame game or attempt to escape the transformation process altogether?

Or do you see your problems through the eyes of Christ and your identity in Him? Do you believe the ability for personal transformation lies solely on your shoulders, or through the Holy Spirit working inside of you? Do you hope that your circumstances will change, or that you will change in the midst of your circumstances? Through which lens or perspective do you view yourself? The answer to this question influences everything.

We’d love to hear your response to the following question: Read Philippians 1:3-11. When you look at the progress that has occurred through your One Word journey, do you focus on the places where you fall short or the areas where growth has taken place? Why does this tend to be your default perspective?

Over the years we scribbled in pencil the height of our children. After celebrating with cake and presents, we would line the birthday girl up against the doorframe and mark their height with a pencil. Thanks to this simple tick mark we were able to see our little ones growth. Our girls loved the tradition so much they wanted to be marked at random times throughout the year. There are actually a few jagged lines where our youngest daughter measured her baby dolls.

Eventually, we began etching the heights of other family and friends in the kitchen doorframe whenever they would come to visit. It quickly became a game of seeing who the tallest person was that ever entered the Ashcraft house. Overall, there are about forty names on that trim which now is placed inside our new home. The etched lines represent growth and history.

In almost every arena of life there are ways and means which allow us to track the progress of our growth: family height chart, school report cards, business trends, etc. They enable you to see where you’ve been. Yet, markers or measurements are vague at best when it comes to our own spiritual growth.  Christians set themselves up to be disappointed because they make no room for what a walk of faith actually looks like. Most of us fail to take the time to establish means of measurement and follow up with how we are doing.

Your One Word serves as a way to see contrasts in your character. We all want to move from Point A to Point Z in no time flat. What we fail to realize is there are numerous steps along the way which demand our attention. Setting short-term goals creates opportunities to celebrate the small successes which lay the groundwork for deeper change. A step, no matter how small, is movement and movement is growth. The truth is what gets measured gets done. When you write down these short-term goals and journal your progress, you begin to witness how far you’ve come from where you started.

The idea is that you keep your life heading into the promise of the future.  The place where there is real hope for change instead of being motivated by regret and the fear of making the same mistakes. All of this merely places us in a posture for Christ to form our character. Your One Word provides a lens through which to see your progress.

• How is God moving in your life through your One Word? How will you define progress in the formation of your character going into the future?

• Over the course of the upcoming week, pay attention to how you react in situations where living out your One Word is tested. In those areas where you fall short and fail to live out your One Word, begin to identify different ways you can respond to these circumstances. What would growth look like in these areas where you are tested?

• When it comes to the areas that you have successfully reflected your One Word when you were tested, take time to celebrate your progress. How was your life different as a result of your One Word? What emotions or feelings did you experience?

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 2010.  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!