Each January since 2011, I’ve asked God to give me one word for the year, a word that describes a special work He wants to do in and through me. The first year, my word was SATISFIED. Last year, it was PEACE.
For the past few days, I’ve been praying for my 2013 word. I want to share how the Lord revealed and confirmed it, all in one day:
1) When I woke up Thursday morning, I had the word “REJOICE” on my mind. I distinctly remember seeing the word in my dream, although I can’t tell you anything about the context.
2) Thursday afternoon, I sat in the sauna for about 30 minutes after exercising. I had my headphones on, listening to our local Christian music station. One of the commercials was for a clothing store. I wasn’t really paying too much attention to it until the last sentence of the ad. The final word was REJOICE. I laughed, thinking it was odd, but still not really sure that was my word.
3) Later that night, I was scrolling through the hundreds of photos on my iPhone, and I came across this photo of my REJOICE mug. My friend, Bonnie, gave me the mug in September, after I spoke at the women’s retreat she organized. Little did she know that her present would hold much more significance than a simple “thank you.”
After having these three experiences in one day, I am convinced. My one word for 2013 is REJOICE, which means:
- to feel or show great joy or delight.
- to be glad.
- to fill with joy.
I believe God gave me this word because He wants me to experience and express greater joy this year. Following are ways in which I can grow in this area:
1) To choose joy daily, recognizing that each day is a gift from God.
- “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24
2) To be filled with joy at all times, even in difficult circumstances.
- “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again–rejoice!” – Philippians 4:4, NLT
3) To have a glad heart that encourages joy in others, which brings glory to God.
- “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!” – Revelation 19:7a
I encourage you to spend time seeking out a word for 2013 (for more information on the process, see the links above). Ask God to reveal it to you, and then wait patiently on Him. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get your word right away, either! The first year, I waited for more than a month. Remember, God is never late. His timing is always perfect.
2013 is going to be full of miracles and answers to prayer. I’m already rejoicing at the great things God is going to do!