Selecting Your One Word

Last week we started a new series, My One Word. Goals and resolutions overwhelm us. When we don’t keep them we feel like a failure and become more overwhelmed. Words are powerful. You already know the power of a single word. Thanks. Failure. Yes. No. Love. Hate. Recovery. Sin. Grace. Brick by brick words construct. Like an explosion words can destruct. Great power exists in words.

Last week I talked about choosing your word. Hundreds of you have done so already. You have picked some great words. Balance. Gratitude. Strength. Patience. Hope. Less. Near. Now. Pause. Reflect. Forgiven. Give. And so many others. For some it was easy. Others had to work hard. Some are still working and that is good. You will live with this word for a while. Make it meaningful.

My word is abide.

My heart will abide and dwell in God’s love


My mind will abide and remain in God’s Word


I will seek to always abide and be present with God

If you missed last week—this will be new to you. I encourage you to watch last week’s message online, download it and listen to it on your phone, or pick up a CD on Sundays and listen in your car. Below is the resource we used to guide us in selecting our word.

Selecting My One Word

1. What type of person do you want to become? This is one of life’s most important questions and lets you be intentional and proactive in developing a vision for your life. Write down some words.

2. What type of person do you believe God wants you to become? And what are some things God wants you to believe? Another of life’s most important questions. Write down some more words.

3. Consider some of these words: Faith. Bold. Forgive. Forgiven. Integrity. Simplify. Release. Hope. Courage. Discipline. Generosity. Influence. Pray. Purpose. Peace. Blessed. Joy. Grace. Positive. Obedient. Patient. Grateful. Acceptance. Listen. Be. Surrender. Abide. Love. Health. Balance. Focus. Rest. Trust. Present. Depend. Your word doesn’t have to come from this list, but they are some words to get you thinking. Add to #1 and #2 as you feel led.

4. Circle the words that appear in both #1 and #2. Although your word doesn’t have to be one of the words that is circled – if you want to become something and God wants you to become something – the circled words are excellent candidates to become your one word.

5. Describe the characteristics of the kind of person you want to become or the kind of person God wants you to become. Write these words down. More possibilities and more focus.

6. Narrow your list to two to five words. The opposite of vision is not blindness, but being scattered. Focus is essential to getting things done. Spiritual formation requires concentration. Elimination has to come before concentration. You will need to say “no” to some pretty good words.

7. Pray about your focus and word for 2014. Ask for guidance and direction.

8. Choose your one word. For some it will come very easily. For others this will take some work. If one word doesn’t emerge in a day or in a few days. Take a week or a few weeks. We still have lots of living to do in 2014.

This week I’ll begin to talk about how to use our words for character formation and spiritual development.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

My One Word - Sermon and Resources

Here is Sunday's sermon. Below the video is resource to help you determine your word for 2014.

Selecting My One Word 

Respond to the following questions or statements 

1. Write down a number of words that identify the type of person you want to become this year. 

2. Write down some words that identify who you believe God wants you to become or something God wants you to believe. 

3. Read some of the words on the other side of this page. Add to #1 and #2 as you feel led. (see list below)

4. Circle the words that appear in both #1 and #2. 

5. Describe the characteristics of the kind of person you want to become or the kind of person God wants you to become. 

6. Narrow your list to three to five words. 

7. Pray about your focus and word for 2014. Ask for guidance and direction. 

8. Choose your one word.

New Year and New Possibilities - The Water' Edge Minute

My One Word

My One Word starts Sunday. Resolutions don’t always work and when they don’t work we feel like a failure. My One Word replaces broken promises with a vision for change. When we choose a single word we will have clarity and focus. We will move toward the future rather than swearing off our past. 

I’m excited to take this journey of growth with you on Sundays and I’m excited for our small groups to share in this process of transformation together.

Below are some men and women from our church who have already selected their one word. I know you will be just as inspired to read them as I was.

Shellie Gomes 

My one word for 2014 is PATIENCE 

Patience in God's timing (faith) 

Patience with myself 

Patience with my husband, children, family, and friends 

Patience with strangers

Slow down and demonstrate patience.

Imagine the world if everyone was just a bit more patient. 

Chad Schuchmann 

My One Word for 2014 is FOCUS 

I need to avoid distractions from the things that matter: 

Focus on being fully present with family and friends 

Focus on being more engaged when at work and study 

Focus on being consistent in time spent in my relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Jeff Neuhaus 

My one word for 2014 is TRUST 

Trust God when things are easy. Trust God when things are rough. Trust God's plan over my own. 

Instead of taking life into my own hands, I want to trust God more and know that His ways are better than my ways. 

Dionne Mason 

My one word is LOVE 

Love God 

Love Myself 

Love My Husband 

Love My Children 

Love My Family 

Love My Friends / Neighbors / Enemies 

Love unconditionally and expressively and strengthen those relationships further through the love of all people and all that is good. 

Jason Combs 

My one word for 2014 is COMMIT 

Commit to God 

Commit to life 

Commit to growth 

Commit to learn 

Commit to serve 

Commit to experience 

Mike Vaughn 

My one word for 2014 is PEACE 

To find a deeper peace in my heart that is anchored by an even stronger relationship with God. 

Doug Giffin

My one word for 2014 is BELIEVE 

Believe in God. 

Believe in myself, ‘cause God doesn’t make junk. 

Believe that I am God’s idea, that He has a plan and a purpose for me. 

I don’t have to understand it, only seek it; and Him. 

Believe that I am approved by God and that’s all that really matters because whose approval is more important anyway? 

Believe that whatever He asks of me, whichever direction I am nudged or pushed or prodded toward He has equipped me long before I ever started down that path. 

Believe that whatever load I am asked to carry, I can do it because He made me that way. He made me able. 

And finally, believe that whatever I have done or will do; I am forgiven.

It’s really not complicated, I will simply believe.

Erin Sieh 

My one word for 2014 is PURPOSE

Approach every day with purpose.

Approach everything I do with purpose.

If I don't have a purpose in doing something maybe it's not worth doing.

Simplify things on my to-do list by keeping the ones that have a purpose and aren't just cluttering up my life. Look at my busy calendar and ask "what will I gain this week from my busy schedule?" Find my purpose for the day or week and do something great with it.