[Widget_Twitter id=”1″]
I know many people have already shared their #OneWord2016 for the year, and it may look like I am behind. Well, it’s true, and not true. Yes, it’s true that I am behind everyone by a week or two in posting what my one word for 2016 is. But, it’s also not true that I am behind. I mean, how can one be behind on something if they didn’t know it existed?
Am, I am the only person who had never heard of choosing just one word to be my inspiration for an entire year?
I first heard about this #ONEWORD365 movement when I was linking up to my new friend Holly Barrett’s weekly blog link-up party. While I was there I saw several of my new blogging friends. Mary Geisen and Susan Shipe had also written a post on their #ONEWORD2016. (I met all these wonderful ladies at a blogging conference I attended last October, with my fabulous, awesome, multi-talented friend Patti Krank. Patti, – by the way, helped get me started in blogging, and has since moved clear across the country from me 🙁 ). Another new conference friend, Candace Playforth, posted her focus word for 2016, just this week. If you aren’t following my friends’ blogs already, please click on their names and go check out their blogs and be inspired!
While I was looking around at other posts on the link-up, I noticed a theme – One Word 2016. Everywhere I looked, everyone was choosing one word.
What was all the fuss about?
Every year, I too seek God and get a “word” for what He would like to say to the church worldwide about what the year ahead will hold. I shared it last week and you can read it here: 2016 – A Year to Take New Territory. My husband and I co-pastor a church together and we seek God for a word or a theme for our church every year as well. However, I had never-ever heard of choosing just 1 word.
As I was reading everyone’s blog posts that day, my thoughts were racing…
… “How do you boil down everything I feel God is saying into just ONE word?”
I mean, anyone who knows me, knows, I have a lot of words inside just waiting to get out. I mean, I am the queen of run-on sentences and fast-pace talking!
I felt He was asking me to press into Him, seek what He would say, and what He would choose my one word for 2016 to be.
As I was leaving a comment on Holly’s blog that day. My mind was running through the endless possibilities of what my word could be. I noted the Scripture that was at the bottom of her post that day from Proverbs 31:35 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
I thought, maybe my word was fearless. I even mentioned it in my comment, because, this Scripture had been popping up the last few weeks. Then my mind raced to the necklace I was given as a Christmas gift from a staff member. It was a key with the word INSPIRE engraved on it, from The Giving Keys. But, somehow neither of these words seemed what my one word 2016 should be – as I began seeking God over the next few days, He spoke it to my heart. Honestly, I was quite unprepared for it ….. And yet, it seems like I had already begun to walk in it.
God chose my #oneword2016 to be: ADVANCE!
Advance as in: to move forward, to move on, to grow, to improve, to accelerate, to lead others, to be promoted … and there is a whole lot more.
Wow, the word Advance sure had a lot more nuances to it than I even thought possible. It will keep me busy seeking and looking to God the entire year to exhaust the endless possibilities of this one word. I can also see how I will need the word fearless and inspire on my journey to ADVANCE through 2016.
It seems as if my inheritance word for 2016 is Psalms 18 which is also 2 Samuel 22. I will share more next week on what an inheritance word is, but for now, it looks as if I will be studying and focusing on these Scriptures for a season.
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall (Psalm 18:29 also found 2 Samuel 22:30).
I invite you to join me as we each Advance the Kingdom of God.
Do you have a word for 2016?
If so, I would love for you to share it with me in the comments below.
Be Blessed,
Debbie K
[Widget_Twitter id=”1″]
My Post: “Will You Sit with Me?” was featured here:
My Post: “The Journey through Change” was featured here:
I have been know to link to the following Inspirational Parties:
Sunday’s
Monday’s
What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings
Tuesday’s
Wednesday’s
Thursday’s
Friday’s:
Saturday’s:
After choosing one word for the past couple years I can attest to the focus that it gives. Your word sounds just right–it fits with your thoughts, your ministry. I have chosen the word fruitful keeping in mind that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. I need to live in relationship with the Lord in all that I do. I am your neighbor at Word of God speak. Have a blessed weekend.
Carol, thank you for encouragement about Advance fitting both me and my ministry. It is so good to hear that. Fruitful! that is a wonderful word full of promise and harvest too. I love John 15 – The Vine and the branches. It is such a great picture of our relationship with the Lord. IN fact my new book talks about this very concept of having relationship with the Lord being so important so we can have relationship with others. So glad we got to be neighbors over the weekend.
Wow, Advance is a powerful word! I look forward to reading future posts and seeing how God weaves it throughout your everyday life. Blessings!
thanks Carrie – yes, it is a powerful word isn’t it? But I am loving it. At first it was a little intimating to me, but now, I am looking forward to sharing my journey with you throughout the year as well.
Hi Debbie, It can take time for the ‘word’ God lays on our heart for the year ahead to be heard and confirmed, can’t it? And I think it’s good to take a while to be sure we are hearing right.
My word this year is ‘love’ and it’s already challenging as well as encouraging me as I try to mine its depths! It’s good to meet you and I’m blessed to be your neighbour at #WeekendWhispers 🙂
Joy, thank you for your encouraging words, that it is ok and good for some things to take a little while. Love – wow such a fantastic word and filled with lots of emotion. I can see how it could be challenging as well as encouraging all at the same time.
Hi Deb – I received a word several weeks before the year’s end but I haven’t posted about it so I’m more behind than you are. Thanks for the kudos on your page my friend. I’m looking forward to where God will advance you this year!
Patti
Awe Patti – thank you for always asking me feel great! I can’t wait to hear what your 1 word is and I’ve determined, we are not far behind, we just have a lot on our plate and are being obedient to what needs to be accomplished first. Looking forward to advancing with you through 2016!
Powerful word! Praying you will advance in everything the Lord has for you in 2016. (Your neighbor at Weekend Whispers!)
thank you Nannette! So glad we got to be neighbors over the weekend 🙂
Such a great word! Very exciting! Welcome to the one word for a year family! My word for 2016 is boldness. I can’t wait to see what God is doing in/through me this year. Thanks for sharing, neighbor! Abundant blessings!
Thank you Mari-Anna. I am excited to be a part of the family. Boldness is such a great word too, it will be exciting to see all God is going to accomplish through all of us this year with our 1 word. Blessings
I love this, Debbie!Just reading your post about your word, advance, was inspiring to me. I also want to move forward this year in my writing and blogging. My word is open, because I want to be open to whatever God has for me including interruptions that might “spoil” my plans. Because I know that His plans are always best. 🙂 Blessings to you! I’m next to you at Literacy Musing Mondays.
Gayl – thank you so much for stopping by. I am so glad it was inspiring to you!… I love how that word inspire is closely tied to my word Advance for the year – – and I truly desire to inspire others, so that is a huge blessings to hear my post did that for you. Your word Open, is a good and challenging word at the same time isn’t it. Being open no matter what God wants to do — ooooh God is going to do some great things through you this year as you are open to ALL He has for you. Blessings, and thanks for stopping by.
My one word that is resounding in my heart this year of 2016 is – HOPE!! Hope in today, hope in tomorrow, and hope in the forever. My hope lays in a good God who is forever by my side. Now that is hope !!!!
Great post! God certainly has a way of challenging us and He chooses our words for us. I will say that as soon as I knew my word was “hope” I felt a sense of renewal and I was eager to look toward the future. It has been very freeing. Thanks for the mention! Love you friend!
Thank you Mary, and yes, yes, God definitely has a way of challenging us. It’s amazing how 1 little word can have so much in it. I love your word hope! – it brings life, and a newness to things. Also you are most welcome for the mention, it was an honor and pleasure to be able to do so. Excited for the year ahead for both of us.
I love how you took the time to hear your word..God’s timing is always right! Advance is a powerful word!! It has the feeling of leading a team, of plowing ahead against any odds, of creating a movement!! Love it! My word is THRIVE..after I’ve had a fallow two years, I’m excited to see what God has in store! Blessings ! Visiting from next door at #TestimonyTuesday,glad to be here!
Kathy, you are so right -God’s timing is always right, even when we think it isn’t.. It does seem like a powerful word – I love the last part of what you said about advance having the feeling of creating movement – I hadn’t quite thought of it that way! Wow, thank you for that. 🙂 Oh and I love your word THRIVE – – I spoke on thriving not striving at a women’s retreat last October – such a challenge to us all not to strive, but just to BE who God created us to be…. but also a wonderful promise of blooming, growing, blossom, with plenty of the things you need to thrive! May you thrive in area of your life this year!
That’s a great word, Debbie. I love the hope in that verse – “With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.” In His power, we can advance! Thank you for this encouragement. This is the third year I have picked a word for the year. This year’s is “open.” I want to open my heart more to allow God’s healing, to apply His liniment of love and grace to those deep broken places.
Trudy – thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your one word and thoughts with me today. Open is a great word. being open to receive ALL he has in every area – that is such a fantastic word. Wow, 3 years of choosing 1 word – I feel so left out of the loop… hahaha but all is well now, since I am now on my own new adventure with God and my one word. I too love the verse God gave me and I am looking forward to Him unpacking and sharing with me more. Blessings to you
What an awesome and important word for the year, Debbie! I just started the one word theme concept last year and I’m in love with it. No more resolutions for me :). Thank you for including me in your list, my friend. Many blessings as you continue to advance His Kingdom in 2016!
You are most welcome Candace! and I love your word on family! thank you for stopping by and thank you for your encouragement and blessings as I move forward advancing His Kingdom in 2016!
This is a great Word for you, Debbie! Isn’t it fun how God takes what we first “think” is our word, and then clearly confirms later it’s something else that totally incorporates the other word(s) into it?! My Word this year is LOVE.
Love God; Love my husband; Love my family & friends; and Love other women. (I’ve been appointed the women’s ministry director for our church.). I am to Lead with Love; Live life with Love; And Follow with Love!
“Love one another as I have Loved you.” John 15:12
Thanks Shelly! It is fun to see how God directs and confirms to us exactly what He want’s for us. I like your word Love and your Scripture too! Congratulations on being appointment women’s directory! That is HUGE and so exciting. what a great year you have ahead as you move and operate in LOVE. So great. Blessings to you.
Advance is such a strong and powerful word. I think of an army advancing towards victory! Thanks for joining us at #LMMLinkup.
Leslie – that is an excellent visual picture! I had the same thoughts as well, but looking forward to the more God will reveal throughout this year. Blessings and thank you for stopping by.
I waited for my word this year. After discipline in 2014 and slow in 2015 I walked toward a word cautiously. Both were extremely hard words to live into. This year God keeps whisperig joy and I’m surprised by my reluctance to claim it. It’s almost as if I’m afraid. I haven’t written about it on my blog and have shared it with only one other person. As January comes to a close, it’s clear it’s time to step into it. Joy, yep, that’s my word. Thanks for inspiring me to share it.
Lisha –
I am so glad you shared your word for 2016 with me. Joy! I look forward to reading on your blog about joy when you decide the time is right to share it there. I can understand the reluctance to claim it, because with God things are never as they seem to us. But God is always good and He loves to bless us and bring us Joy – Joy unspeakable! Blessings to you as you are filled with JOY this year.
I’ve been choosing One Word for a few years now. This year my word is “Commit” Proverbs 16:3.
I hope you can stop by:
http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2016/01/songs-on-sunday-that-was-then-this-is.html
Colletta
Hi Colletta – thanks for sharing your one-word and scripture – its a good one! I did hop on over and see that you like to read and had some great book reviews! I too love to read, but haven’t had the time lately. Blessings,
Debbie, I love this post and your word for the year. It’s amazing what focusing on one thing can do for your life, I wish you all the best and hope that you achieve what you wish for with “Advance”. Last year I chose the word “Breathe” and I have to believe it was sent by God, the year was an extremely rough one and there were moments that all I could do was breathe through it. It helped me to rely on God, to not be as anxious, it changed the way I think and how I live. This year I chose “Transparent” not only because I want to live more authentically, but I want to share our story on the blog, to really let people in, to see what we are going through. I believe God gave us our story to do something with it to help others, and that we have the platform, the blog, to share that to help others on their journey. I also chose transparent because when light refracts off of something transparent, like a diamond, it pushes the light to reflect on things around it. I want to use my light this year to showcase and help others, by reflecting my words, His words, out to the world. Kinda like “just light one little candle”, if I allow the light then it can be passed from one to the other and the darkness will recede. Thanks for sharing your word, I believe what we focus on grows and I love your focus for the year.
Nikki –
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing with me today. I too am praying the word Advance accomplishes all God wants it to in my life this year. I can see how, what we think and what actually happens or God intends our word to be about can change over the course of the year. I am sorry that last year was extremely rough and that breathe was all you could do in some of the moments. I am praying for you this year as you live out the word transparent. It is such a tough thing sometimes to let others see in, but I truly believe it is how Jesus calls us to live. I follow your blog, so I look forward to you sharing your families story this year. Know, that no matter what you share, I am in your corner praying for you and no matter how hard it may be sometimes to write, that it will touch just the right person or people, and that is what it is all about. I love the mental image of the light refracting off something transparent shining on others. That is how I see you. From the first day I stumbled across your blog, your personality came through every post I read – letting your light shine and passing on the joys and the sorrows, the ups and the downs, but all the while allow His light to shine through you. Shine On! I love your focus for the year as well. Blessings 🙂
Great word, Debbie! I like where you mentioned about moving forward. That is so hard sometimes. My word for this year is Focus. I want to focus more on my family, and on being more in the Word. Thanks for sharing with #SocialButterflySunday! Hope to see you link up again this week 🙂
Kelly – Focus is such a great word too! I love how God speaks to each of us and how when I hear other peoples words, I think, oh yes, I need that too. Blessings
Wow! Love that word Advance. Happy 2016 Debbie!
Thank you Barbara!