My One Word for 2020

If you've been a long time reader of this blog (even with my sporadic postings) you know that I truly believe in the power of selecting One Word for a year. A single word helps to focus you with your priorities. It is a light in a sometimes dark void of not knowing which decision to make. One word can reveal personal hangups and hiccups. Opting for a word rather than a list of resolutions can bring healing to a hurting heart. 

I've had varying experiences with my words - some more powerful than others. But it's interesting to see the progression over time. Compass, Thrive, Attend. It seems to me that I have alternating years of "going for it" and "being still". This year's word continues that pattern - I'm going for it! 

With that grand introduction...here's this year's word...BUILD. I feel like the last twelve months have been spent laying a foundation for this year. 

I want to BUILD myself and others up as we strive to reach our personal potential. 

I want to BUILD my financial future.

I want to BUILD a healthy body.

I want to BUILD up on my most important relationships. 

When selecting this word, the image of Nehemiah and his urgency to rebuild the walls surrounding Jerusalem came to mind. He was able to recruit helpers to get it done and defeat saboteurs who longed to see his defeat. But he pressed on because he knew that time was of the essence.

Likewise - I have a sense of urgency. I have a very clear vision of what I want my future to look like and in order to make that vision a reality, there are some areas of life that I have to BUILD up now. It's time to be intentional like Nehemiah. It's time to have laser like focus with how I spend my energy, time and other resources. 

I have a plan of action. I have the desire. I have the resources necessary to be successful. It's time to BUILD! 

My One Word - A Review of ATTEND

https://www.needpix.com/photo/262251/blocks-child-toy-education-game-childhood-kid-play-preschool

My mom has told me that when I was a toddler I would take my wooden blocks and walk each one individually from one side of the room to the other carefully stacking them. Then when I had used all the blocks, I would unstack them, one by one, and walk them back to the other side of the room to build them up once again. Apparently, I would let this activity occupy a significant (for a 3 year old) amount of my time. 

I can see how the skills that I was developing back then have transferred themselves into my habits and tendencies as an adult. I tend to be precise. I tend to have concentration and determination with projects when I find them engaging. I prefer working alone than with others. 

As I reflect on My One Word for 2019 - ATTEND - this activity of stacking blocks is what has come to mind. 

In my original blog post about my word for the year, I described my mental state as walking into a room and not quite remembering what I went in there for. So I chose the word ATTEND to help me be more aware of my time, activities, and relationships. And I would say that in a small way, I have accomplished this. For example, I have managed to keep a journal the entire year - a first for me I think. The contents vary, but what has come out of the journaling is a compilation of what I am grateful for on a daily basis. My journal also has my BIG prayer requests and it's awesome to see how those have been answered throughout the course of the last 12 months. 

The journal also includes some goals that I wanted to work on this year. And I wish that I could say that I had achieved more of them, but it's all a work in progress. And I this is why the childhood activity of stacking blocks is a visual that describes the end of 2019.

I now know why I have walked into the room. I have the purpose. I also know which tools to use to accomplish that purpose. Now I just have to build on what I've started. 

I'm thankful for my 2019 word ATTEND. It's given me a way to keep track of my priorities. I'll be able to look back years from now and see how far I've come. I've started habits that are sustainable for the foreseeable future. 

So in 2020 it's time for me to take the blocks I've stacked and move them to the other side of the room. Maybe my new structure will look similar or maybe it'll be radically different. Maybe I'll pick up a couple of new blocks in the process. Maybe I'll have to discard a block or two. 

But for now, I will appreciate what I have constructed. 

Philippians 4:4-9

A few years back, a colleague and I crossed paths to and from the school office, and out of nowhere she commented, "You always seem so calm." I said, "Really? Because there are a million things going on up in here", pointing to my head. "I don't always feel like I have my act together." She replied, "Well you could have fooled me!" 

I think that the reason why this brief interaction has stuck with me is because I only have one possible explanation for her observation - JESUS! 

We all have very busy lives; and if our schedules aren't jammed packed, then certainly our minds are moving a mile a minute, or even faster! 

I love, love, love this passage out of Philippians - it's one of my most marked up pages in my Bible. I've had chapter 4 verses 6-8 memorized for years. These three verses have been an absolute lifeline whenever I find myself wanting to unnecessarily jump into a battlefield of the mind. I rehearse verse 8 over and over until my thoughts start to change.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

Last summer I clung to verses 6 & 7. It was a very stressful ending to a school year and all I prayed for was the Shalom of God. 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

But it wasn't until recently that I added verses 4 and 5 to my memory work in conjunction with the rest of that passage. And I am so glad that I finally did. 

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Because I choose to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy, not only do I inwardly experience my Heavenly Father's Shalom, but my testimony to others is my outward ability to Rejoice...in the Lord...ALWAYS! 

As believers, our attitudes, among other qualities, is what catches the eyes of those who have yet to choose to follow Jesus. Our attitudes are our testimonies to those who don't even ask us to tell our stories. Our attitudes are what can give hope to the hopeless. 

May you have a clear sense of the Lord's nearness to you today.

Psalm 119:9-16

The longest Psalm, 119, is loaded with verses that celebrate God's Word. At first it might seem strange to bask in the significance of a bunch of laws and ordinances, but for those of us who are United States citizens, don't we do this with our Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights? 

Having had the opportunity to visit the National Archives in Washington DC, it is quite amazing to take in the security of the actual documents. But then to consider that these documents serve as the blueprints for our government's structure, it cannot be dismissed that we celebrate (and sometimes debate) these man-created laws. 

How much more should we, as Children of God, hold in high esteem God's covenants? 

The last week, I've taken my morning devotion time to dwell among Psalm 119:9-16. What I share below are my unedited thoughts, as they came to me at 5:45am. So forgive me if it doesn't seem to flow as I hope my usual devotions do.

Ps 119:9 - How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

The only way to live according to the Word of God is to know what the Word of God says. And there is a difference between knowing enough to get the gist and really knowing it so that it actually changes the way that we live.

Ps 119:10 - I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

My first-born/Type A personality really resonates with this verse. It is straight forward and coincides with my work-a-holic tendencies. If I simply stick to the well layed out plan that has stood the test of time, since time began, my life will not only be fulfilling to me, but pleasing to God as well - which of course is my heart's ultimate desire.

Ps 119:11 - I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

There are parties of people who think that memorization of anything, not just Scripture, is an outdated practice. However, there is some compelling research that states otherwise. That being said, the reason why Believers should practice memorization of God's Word is that it changes you from the inside out.

Ps 119:12 - Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees

As a teacher it's very gratifying when students are excited about your class. It's incredibly frustrating when students are totally apathetic about learning. And it's humbling when students choose to do what I've asked, not because they think learning is great, but because they want to please me.

Ps 119:13 - With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth

Synonyms of recount - tell, relate, describe, recite, repeat, rehearse
With intention we should be regularly reviewing God's ordinances so that we can check ourselves before we wreck ourselves.

Ps 119:14 - I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

There is something about rules and laws that brings out a person's rebelliousness. But really it's not just about my own safety and well-being. It is so that a community of people can live in harmony and that's something to rejoice about.

Ps 119:15 - I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

Jesus says that He is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me". (John 14) Our meditations and considerations should always begin and focus on the path Jesus has laid out for each of us.

Ps 119:16 - I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your Word.

1 - Delight and neglect are opposite - something you delight in will never be neglected. Something that is left neglected, you do not delight in.
2 - Neglect is the result of putting something off for other priorities. It's why our physical health, our relationships, our financial health, our home environments become in such bad shape. 
***Be diligent about putting First Things, first.

My One Word for 2019

Ever have the experience of walking into a room knowing that you're supposed to remember something, but have no idea what it is? Of course you have, we all have at one point or another. What strategies do you use to recall the thing that you've forgotten? Sometimes I just stand still and mentally retrace my steps. Other times, I will physically go back to the space I was previously in and re-walk my path. I tend to be in a continuous state of conversation with myself and so I will also rehash my self talk to try to bring to mind the thing I thought about as I was in a deep dialog with myself. And then there are times when I just have to stop trying to remember and just move on hoping that sometime in the not too distant future, I'll think of it again. 

The last few months I have had the feeling of being somewhere and not quite sure what I'm supposed to do next, just like walking in a room with a purpose and totally forgetting what that purpose is.  

And so, I'm using the My One Word to try to figure out what my next steps should be. I have gone through the brainstorming and selection process and determined that my word for 2019 is ATTEND. 

I want to ATTEND with more purpose to God's Word. I want to ATTEND with more of my heart to His desires for my current circumstances. I want to ATTEND with more intention to my relationships, personal goals, and use of my time. 

The Bible verse that I landed on is Isaiah 30:21 - Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

So here are some action steps that I've taken since the beginning of January.

1 - Last year I hand copied larger passages of Scripture during my morning quiet time. It's not a bad thing to do, but really, the practice didn't leave a lasting impression on my day. So this year, I have decided to just take a single verse and copy it and write a brief reflection. I like this much better. Now I just have to figure out a way to keep this daily verse in front of me so that it has a chance to make a dent of difference in my day. 

2 - I'm not consistent at it, but I've been trying to get in my bed about 45 minutes early so that I can do some reading that will support my word ATTEND.

3 - Reading non-fiction tends to lull me to sleep easily, so I have a notebook where I can write some reflections of what I'm reading. Journaling is something that I enjoy doing, but just haven't been disciplined enough to do it regularly. (Obviously, otherwise it wouldn't be over a year since I've written a blog post.) My intention is that by recording my thoughts, I'll be more ATTENtive to what I'm reading and consider how it can be used to develop my character or purpose or thinking or whatever. 

4 - I know how powerful goal setting can be. But again, I just haven't been disciplined to sit down and write out a list of goals and action steps. But this year, I'm determined to make 2019 different than 2018, 2017, 2016 - you get the idea...and I know that being purposeful and ATTEND to my goals is the only way that measurable change will take place. 

It's been a month since I selected my word and while I haven't had any epiphanies - there is still time for that - I am still excited about my word and the potential that it has.

1 John 5:14-15

In my 18+ years as a junior high teacher, I've had some version of the following conversation a bucket-load of times:

Student: I didn't know...
Me: Did you ask?
Student: Um, no?
Me: Then how were you supposed to know???
Student: I don't know...
Me: You need to ask, then you would know that you needed to (fill in the blank)

If I got paid a dollar for every time something like this scenario happened, I'd probably have enough money to pay for Christmas gifts one year! Well, maybe not that much, but it sure does seem like this happened all.the.time!

As I rehearsed and practiced the words of 1 John 5:14 and 15, this is what came to mind. 

Verse 14 states that if we ask anything according to God's will, He hears us. 

Lots of people get hung up on how they're supposed to know God's will. How are they supposed to ask according to His will, if they're not even sure what God's will is?

Easy. 
Ask. 

Ask while you pray. Ask while you read your Bible. Ask while you're speaking with other believers who may have walked a similar journey. 

Sometimes God makes His will crystal clear. 
Other times, our hearing God seems a bit...staticky and we have to do our best and make a step forward, trusting that God will provide feedback along the way so that we are able to stay on course. 

Verse 15 states that we can know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that God hears the things that we ask of him. I think that this is amazing because it's not just that God hears us with his auditory system, He hears us and will take action on our behalf. 

So the next time that you have something that you want to ask of our heavenly Father, be assured that He will hear you and He will provide an answer. 

Hebrews 4:16

Have you ever met someone and felt an immediate and unexplained kinship with them? The connection between you and your new friend provides the opportunity to relate in unique ways. 

About a decade ago, I was attending a fairly large church and looking for a small group Bible study to become involved with. The church had an online catalog of all the small groups that met and I chose to visit one that coincided with my demographics - single and thirty-something. 

Within minutes of meeting the existing members of the Bible study group, it felt as if we had known each other for years. We talked about ourselves and eventually our conversation turned to where we had grown up and gone to school. We discovered that two of us had attended the same high school - I was just a few years younger. While we didn't know each other back in the day, we realized that we had a few mutual friends. Our instant familiarity now made sense. 

There's something special about the people that you grow up with - even if you don't know them at the time. You share common experiences, mutual friends, and an general understanding of the community that helped shaped you as an individual. 

For my friends and I, we were able to share more deeply, quickly and our friendships are still some of the most important more than 10 years later. 

Hebrews 4:16 starts off with "Let us THEN approach the throne of grace with confidence..." What allows us to do this? What's the THEN there for? We need to back up and read verses 14 and 15 to be clued in. We can approach the throne of grace with confidence, because the one who sits on the throne is able to sympathize with weaknesses because He had been tempted in every way, we are, yet was without sin. 

Jesus is familiar with what it's like to live on this earth with all of it's guts and glory because He's done it Himself. Jesus is not a high priest who is oblivious to our situations. Our confidence comes from the knowing that He can relate to us. The mercy and grace that we are offered is because Jesus first walked in our shoes. He knows what we need, when we need it, how we need it and why it's needed. 

What an incredible gift this is to us! To know that our Savior is approachable because He can relate to our needs is such a comfort. 

So let this be your reminder that there is nothing too big or too small for you to bring before the Son of God. You will find all that you need to sustain you. Have confidence in this Good News.