In this new year, I have been pondering. If you know me at all, you know that involves a cup of coffee while sitting at my sticky kitchen table and reading. {I wish I had time for this to happen more often.}

Reflecting back over the last year is where I keep returning. What happened during these last 12 months and what is happening now. I don’t mean on Wall Street or on the nightly news. The happenings in my life, the healing that has occurred, and how God orchestrates it all.

The good. The bad. And the ugly.

For some, beginning a new year can be a hard step to take even though you ultimately have to. I may be one of those kind. I get so overwhelmed with all the possibilities of the next year. It begins to happen as soon as the Christmas decorations start to come down. There begins a real stirring in my spirit to ask the Lord what does this year hold. How do you want me to set out on this adventure?

Recently, in this beginning season, I have read several blog posts which I want to share on here with you that has impacted where I went in this thinking and sorting process.

I’d recommend you stopping right now, before you begin to read any further and know this blog post reading won’t be one that is done in 3.5 minutes.

Flag it, grab a cup of coffee and settle in because I believe God wanted me to share where I have hopped around on the blogosphere to get my thoughts organized for the last 10 days. {I know, it takes me longer than the first day of the year!}

{If you are reading this from email, you might want to hop on over to HERE to make the reading easier.}

First, I started HERE. This was a place where I immediately felt comfortable because this writer…well, we would be close friends if she was my neighbor. She gets it. {I think she is originally from the south too.}

A NEW YEAR. A NEW WORD.

This was such a revelation to me! I am all into learning to find ONE WORD that could keep me focused on the next year. Not a list. I have tried that and I have felt like moron when I could not jump through those hurdles come December. So this One Word theory stuck with me. It is like a way of getting rid of all the other words {or things, activities, or habits} that don’t need to be there anyway.

This is how they explain it…

One Word is a community and a movement. It’s about forgetting resolutions and scrapping your list of goals that you’ll forget by next week – or be overwhelmed by in the same time frame. One Word 365 says:

Choose just one word. One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. One word that you can focus on every day, all year long.

It will take intentionality and commitment, but if you let it, your one word will shape not only your year, but also you. It will become the compass that directs your decisions and guides your steps.

Discover the big impact one word can make.

One word. 365 days. A changed life.

Intentional.

My one word is Intentional. To live with intention.

Good ole’ Mr. Webster defines it as “An aim that guides action.”

I want to be intentional about hearing the Holy Spirit and being obedient to what He says.

Since coming up with this word, the Lord has not disappointed me. He has confirmed it many times already.

Yes, one of those God moments of confirmation.

I have a friend that mentioned recently through tears that she needed prayer. There were problems with a medical test…and they needed more testing. She was scared of the “what if’s”.

I could see that the breath had been knocked out of her.

I shared with my husband that we needed to pray. Before he shut his eyes to do just that, he said, “So what time are you meeting her at the appointment?”

Before I could even begin to spout off my itinerary for that next day…God spoke my one word.

Intentional.

“aim that guides action”

I showed up and surprised my friend at the appointment. But you know what? I got triple blessed.

You see, I not only got to encourage my friend through my presence of just sitting there along with the prayers we shared and the words we spoke. I received a blessing and shed tears of my own as God reminded me of His intention to stay close to me when I was afraid.

I also had the “God Moment” opportunity to see 2 other women I knew in the waiting room that needed prayers too.

My being intentional to hear God and be obedient went far beyond the initial action. Something I couldn’t have planned if I wanted to.

You want to join me in this endeavor? Come up with your one word? If you need some encouragement in staying close to your new years resolution of choosing one word…then check out these places that might help.

Word Art – these people are coming up with the best ways to be diligent on keeping that one word apart of everything they do. A little reminder always helps.

Incourage Resolutions and Choosing One Word – This woman had the same previous goals as I did. Lose weight, drink more water, eat less fast food. So this one word thing worked for her too. I am beginning to feel this.

If you are needing to have more structure and discipline on making your one word stick? This small e-book for $2.99 might work. It’s called Tell Your Time.

I am sure that your coffee is cold by now and you have been filled to the brim by these encouraging words. I sure have been.

Do you have a one word? Have you found something that refocused you this January with seeking what God wants you to do? Please share in the comments. You never know when others will be impacted by your thoughts.

Blessings in your 2014!