"What's Your Word?"

A friend of mine shared that this year instead of making a resolution, she had been challenged to choose a word for 2012. The purpose is to pray for God to show you a word to focus on for the year and then you let God shape you by that word.

That idea resonated with me. So, I have been asking God for a word. The word that I have come to is "Rejoice". My verse for 2012 is going to be "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). Each day, with God's help, I will turn my attention to the word "Rejoice" and ask God to teach me anything he wants me to know, see or hear about what it means to rejoice in him always.

I have to admit that I am somewhat intimidated by the word rejoice. Let's face it...if I were in a Winnie the Pooh story (Can you tell I have kids who are 5 and 3?) I would definitely be type-cast as Eor. The word rejoice is not natural to my personality, but I believe that God can so transform us that he can even change the negative points of our personality. I am not saying that by the end of the year God will make me into a Tiger who bounces around all the day, but I do think that God will grow me in the depths of the truth called "rejoice."

Its interesting how God begins to birth a truth in a person. On New Year's Eve I was driving to LH and turned on the radio. I was listening to K-99.1 and they were posing the question about New Year's resolutions. A caller said, "This year I want to stress less and appreciate more. I want to not sweat the little things so that I am less miserable. I fear that I often make it so others do not want to be around me because of the way I let things get to me."

As I heard those words, they might as well have been God's word to me. They rung true. The only difference between me and the guy on the radio was that I know that I can't change myself. I need a Savior to change me. So, this year I am going to the word "rejoice" every day and asking the Lord to change me by whatever he wants to teach me through that small but powerful word.

What's your word for 2012? I would love to hear about your word if you choose one. Happy New Year!