My Word of the Year for 2014

I have found that occasionally I just need to blog.  Today is that day.  Maybe no one is reading my blog anymore after I quit last May and that’s ok.   This though, felt like it needed to be on here, a place to share my heart and what God’s doing, maybe for someone to read and be encouraged, maybe to encourage me,  I don’t really know.

Last Sunday our Pastor talked about his word of the year and also encouraged us to find a word for the year.   You can find out more about how you can pick a word for the year by visiting , they even have a search you can do to connect with other people that have your same word.  Anyways, my husband was new to this whole one word idea.  He’s very much a formal resolutions guy, he loves to write them out and I have signed more than one of his resolutions as a witness to keep him accountable.  I am so not a resolution girl, more of an anti-resolution person actually.  I don’t like to be boxed in, penned in, nailed down, formal, structured, rules or anything resembling the aforementioned.  I am spontaneous, free flying, seat of the pants, spur of the moment, details schmetails, we don’t need a plan kind of girl.  This is why we are so good together, seriously.

This concept of a Word of the Year appeals to me, not sure how or why but it does.  It is probably because choosing ONE thing that affects me spiritually and relationally  and not focusing just on my physical self brings meaning to my year, it’s not something I can fail at like losing weight or eating healthy.  Well maybe I can fail but it seems to carry more grace than resolutions do.  And Lord knows, I need grace and plenty of it.  It grounds me, brings me focus which I struggle with and creates a purpose for my year.

Before I talk about my word for this year, I really want to share where I’m coming from.  Have you ever wanted to just pour out your heart but you know that it probably won’t translate well or people won’t see what you are trying to say?  I’m going to try and hope that people will see my heart here and nothing else, not one is better than the other, just what is better for us personally.

The past two years spiritually were such a struggle for us.  I was so dry, parched, thirsty and longing for rain to fall on my soul.   We were in a church but it just wasn’t fitting us, even after two years.   I was thirsty for God and felt like I was in a desert.  A desert of my own making  but I know now that I needed to walk in the desert to see my need for the water.   This spring, I found the well, I drank the water and it was amazing, just like I remembered it being and at that moment I didn’t even know how thirsty I had been.   The water was washing over my soul, it felt like home.  Where we were was not bad, it is a great place, just not a place for us and when you find the place where you are supposed to be, you know it deep within yourself.  The past few months have been amazing,  growing in Christ, changing us, challenging and convicting us, and reaffirming that we are were we need to be.   Thankful for the past two years and all that we have learned!

A few days ago, Lysa TerKeurst posted a devotional that really spoke to me.  You can find it   The scripture she referenced just rang within me.  A few minutes later I realized I had not liked Beth Moore on facebook so I went and clicked the like button.  While checking out her page I found a post from December 11th with the very same scripture that Lysa had just written about, Jeremiah 17:7-8.   Two references to the same scripture within 5 minutes has my heart at attention, I’m listening Lord.

This scripture just resonated in my heart, in so many ways, the reference to trees, roots, deeper, water, fruit and even fear/worry/anxiety.  This was a home run and led me to my word of the year!

Deeper in my relationship with Christ and submitting my life to Him.

Deeper into his word and his promises.

Deeper in relationship with my husband.

Deeper in relationships with my children.

Deeper into relationships with family and friends.

Deeper into my thinking/thought life.  I really don’t spend a lot of time thinking or examining my thoughts, it’s just kind of free floating in there, distractions and la-la land.  Which is probably why I struggle with anxiety.

Deeper into working through my fears and struggles.

Deeper into our city and life here.  (I have such wanderlust, I really need to just put down some roots, God really spoke to me about that this morning.)

I have so much more to say about this scripture and how it relates to my life right now.

The references to water – quenching my thirst from the past two years with LIVING water (Jesus).

Trees – We’ve just finished going through a sermon series on Abiding and  John 15:5 has been all over my devotions lately.  The Tree and Fruit reference remind me so much of how I need to abide in Jesus (vine/tree) (water) to produce fruit.  I want FRUIT!

Drought – my desert of the past two years.  Next time there is a desert my prayer is my leaves stay green because I’m still drinking the water and my roots are deeper than the last time.

My worry/anxiety – hope and confidence in the Lord will grow and my worry will decrease because of my deep roots.

Today,  God reminded me of a song that I honestly am not that fond of but definitely carries my word/theme throughout it. It is called Oceans, (Where feet may fail) by Hillsong.

So there it is, my word for 2014, DEEPER.  I’m going to be honest, this word scares the bejeebees out of me and I think that’s a good thing.  Do you have a word for the year or maybe you did a word last year?  If so, I’d love to hear about it, drop me a line!