My One Word is EMBRACE!
This coming year I need to embrace God and His truth. I need to embrace who I am in Christ.
I will admit there was a moment I doubted whether or not I heard God correctly when choosing this word. But then I remembered the opposite of embrace is Let Go. God was telling me to embrace Him and let go of everything holding me back from embracing Him.
Embrace His truth...let go of the worldly lies I've allowed myself to believe.
Even though I have already chosen my word, I'm reading the book My One Word. In addition to choosing one word, the book says choose a verse to go with it.
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made: your works are wonderful, I know that full well." - Psalm 139:13-14
Those words were first shared with me by a woman who has now become very dear to me.
Last year, about this same time, I opened up to my Pastor on my continual battles with an eating disorder. One of the things he suggested was finding a mentor. Someone who would encourage spiritual growth, but also someone to be accountable to as I prayed for recovery from my disorder.
The first time I met with this mentor, and now dear friend, she shared Psalm 139:13-14 with me. She also shared this quote from Philip Yancey, "Grace means there is nothing I can do to make God love me more, and nothing I can do to make God love me less. It means that I, even I who deserve the opposite, am invited to take my place at the table in God's family."
The My One Word book also suggests when choosing your word, to consider what kind of person you most want to become. What are the characteristics of that person you wish to live?
I knew without a doubt I had heard God correctly on my one word. The characteristic I admire most of this dear friend of mine is how she embraces who she is in Christ. She embraces the truth that God created her and His works are wonderful.
My dear friend Michele, thank you for the light of Christ that shines through you. Thank you for your gentle reminders that God loves me. Thank you for being so much more than a mentor...but, a friend.
I'm overwhelmed...thank you Beth! You are a treasure, my life is better now that you are in it! I feel like you, extremely thankful for our friendship.
ReplyDeleteMichele