The first word that I picked, three years ago, was humility. At the time, my wife and I had just closed a business, and had a newborn son. There was no work to be found, especially for someone with an advertising background. I eventually found a job as a dishwasher at a cafe and market. Most of my interview was spent convincing my potential employers that I was serious about the job. I was hired but admittedly, it was difficult for me to think about being stuck behind a sink, and up to my elbows in pots and pans. So, I accepted that maybe God was going to use this experience to humble me and it did, but it also did something I wasnt expecting, it had a direct impact on those around me.

As a husband and father, I didnt exactly feel like much of a provider working a part-time job, at a less than desirable hourly rate, but my wife saw things differently. The fact that I would do whatever I could to support our family helped her apply her word at the time, which was release. My humility in taking that job encouraged her to release some of her worry, or need for control in her own life, taking the pressure off of herself and putting her trust in God.

Gods plan is to use the change taking place within you to cultivate change in your family, your neighborhood, your job, and your church. Ephesians chapter 5 talks about different gifts being given to people for the equipping of the church. The Greek word for equipping is katartizo and it means to cause something to function properly. This same principle applies to your word. God wants to use your word to ensure that your church, as a whole, functions properly. What an awesome thought!

When we pick our word we spend a lot of time trying to find that perfect word that defines our lives. I would like to challenge you to think about how your word not only defines your life, but also the lives of those around you, and the church as a whole.
There are words, such as serve, that seem more far-reaching and have an obvious effect on other people. Then there are those words that seemingly only affect the individual such as faith, or persevere. So does that mean that one word carries more significance than the other when it comes to having an impact on your community? Of course not! There is a wide variety of words out there and each one has something unique to contribute to the growth of those around you. You have no idea how your word may overlap with another persons word; there is always going to be someone who will benefit from what God is doing in your life.

• Has your word helped someone else in their walk with God, or given them a new perspective on their word? If so, how has this encouraged growth in your own life?

• Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 Reflect on how your word can be part of Gods plan for your family, friends, work, and church.
  

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!