I don’t know about each of you, but I feel like 2018 has flown by. We are in the age where time slips away from us faster and faster because we are just so busy living life that we stop and realize time has gone and we aren’t sure where.
Most every year since I was young I had a list of goals I wanted to complete for the upcoming year. In 2018 there was something different for me! I kicked the New Year’s Resolutions and embraced the “One Word.” If you haven’t heard about #OneWord you should check it out!
I love how it was introduced to me on their website: “Choose one word you can focus on every day, all year long...One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. It will take intentionality and commitment, but if you let it, your one word will shape not only your year, but also you.”
It took so much of the pressure off my list of goals - making them realistic enough to reach and then having to remember them. The biggest thing I loved about having a One Word is that I allowed the Lord to speak to me what He wanted our focus to be for the year. This wasn’t something I would be focusing on every day alone, but rather a partnership with Him.
In 2018 I had a list of 11 words I was considering as my choice and narrowed it down to “intentional” and “present”. I looked up the meanings of each word, scriptures that Holy Spirit brought to my remembrance that went along with each word and prayed about them both.
I settled on the word “Intentional” for my One Word. Intentional means to have intent and purpose. Not something that is flippant, but to be diligent, strategic and passionate. Jesus showed me that I am called to birth things with intentional purpose He has asked me to bring into the natural. Now that is exciting!
The verse He gave me to remind myself that He is intentional with me was Jeremiah 29:11-13, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” It spoke great importance and seriousness of what He put on my heart concerning intentionality and how He’s modeled it.
At the end of the year I wanted to look back and see that I have been intentional to live out my marriage, ministry, and all relationships with purpose and intention. To look back and see that I have carried out assignments with His intention rather than flippantly. My goal was to ask the Lord what intentional assignments does He have for me that day to show my husband, Brian, and others He put in my path love and value in a greater measure.
As I look back on these definitions, scriptures and the ending chapter of 2018 I see where there were days that intentionality was definitely my focus and other days I was not as diligent, but either way Holy Spirit showed me there was great growth that I allowed Him to bring me into.
As I type this I am minutes away from a new year. The year 2019 is just seconds away and so is a new adventure with Jesus as we embark on my new One Word of “YES”!!
Yes is a small word, but it’s powerful and I am excitedly anticipating inviting Jesus in as I say “YES” to Him! In John 6:15-21 it lays out a beautiful picture of what happened when the disciples said “Yes” to Jesus and received Him into their situation...they were immediately at the place they were going!
“Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”
I look forward to saying “Yes” while receiving Him into situations in my life, Kingdom ministry and what places He will take me! When I say “Yes” I am immediately on the “land” I am designed to reside in.
So for 2019 I will say yes to many things!
Yes to Jesus!
Yes to Love!
Yes to Fun!
Yes to Alignment in the Spirit!
Yes to Health!
Yes to Joy!
Yes to Building a House!
Yes to New Adventures with Him!
Yes to Spontaneity!
Yes to Transformation!...
Written by Gretchen Cannon