For a moment, think back to how you felt after choosing your One Word for 2010. There was the excitement of a fresh start along with a renewed commitment to the things left by the wayside during the past year. The feelings of hope for change consumed you. This was going to be the year when things finally shaped up. Not only that, but in the midst of the spiritual change you found yourself in, you realized that you were not alone. An entire community was embarking on the same mission: to gain a deeper understanding of the heart of God and reflect that characteristic more profoundly in their life.

For some those feelings are matching up with the reality they are facing. Growth is happening and you have witnessed change in your walk with God. Disciplines that once felt awkward and unnatural are starting to be embedded into your character. We are excited that you are experiencing growth and we encourage you to continue with the momentum you are feeling!

Yet, there are others of you who have hit a wall of discouragement and trouble. Having encountered this plateau, change is more of a challenge and is less recognizable. For some difficulty with your word may have come almost instantly the first morning after you got out of bed. While for others it took a week or month before discouragement reared its ugly head in your lives.

If you are feeling discouraged or believe youve already failed and there is no hope for change, there are two things that you must cling to for comfort. First, change cannot and does not occur without struggle. The encouraging thing is that God wants to meet you in the midst of your struggle. If you have exhausted all your human strength, patience, and will and have nothing else to rely on but Him, that is exactly where He wants you to be. Second, one of the most beautiful aspects of grace is that every day is a new day. The moment you wake up is another opportunity for faith in a God who loves a good story of redemption. Although the road may seem long, we encourage you to continue to pursue Gods heart by reflecting His character through your One Word.

We want to echo the words of Paul in Philippians 3:13-14: Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.