Trying to type this blog post is getting increasingly difficult. This is not due to writers block, but for the simple fact that my eyes are playing tricks on me. The screen to my laptop is one big fuzzy, blurry mess. Each letter glows like a star and I honestly cant make out anything I type. Im just hoping that my fingers are steady and that this entry doesnt come out as complete mish-mash of misspellings.

For the past hour my glasses have been missing in action the latest victim of my youngest daughters grabby hands. What she snatches is never to be seen again. No household item stands a chance. Sometimes it is the television remote. Other times it is mommys cell phone. All of her normal hiding places have been checked and so far no luck. Im sure she had a good chuckle watching me maneuver around the house like a zombie, knocking over anything in my way.

As I scratch my eyes and try to deal with a migraine setting in, I am beginning to realize just how important vision and perspective are to movement.

Without a lens through which to view the world, everything is blurry and we dont know which way to move. This inevitably leads us to falter and stumble. It is only a matter of time before frustration sets in.

With this in mind, spend the month of April exploring the idea of creating a lens through which to view your One Word. We hope you can see your life and each moment that passes by in a different light through the perspective of your word. It is critical to learn how to recognize opportunities that come your way, to see if your word puts you in a position where God will use you.

To develop such a lens, first search out the needs that exist around you on a daily basis. If your word is compassion and you walk into your house, office or neighborhood, your lens forces you to ask yourself, Where is compassion needed? Someone whose word is patience looks for a way to respond with steadiness in the midst of chaos. For someone with a word like consistent, the alarm clock isnt a nuisance its a reminder of their commitment.

Viewing your circumstances through a clarifying lens helps the quality you want to obtain begin to embed itself in your character. In addition, a shift in perspective not only impacts you  it can also touch those around you. Something amazing happens when your eyes focus on living out your One Word. God begins directing more and more people into your path who are desperate to experience the living love of Christ. Through this lens, we should always view change.

• Read Psalm 119:17-18 and Proverbs 4:25-26. How has your One Word begun to influence your perspective? Where have you noticed a change in the way you would normally view a situation?

• How would you describe the current lens you are using? What does your current lens say about what takes priority and importance 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 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!