Daughters of Promise November/December 2015 | Page 10

you to focus on for the next 52 weeks. It won’t be something you can simply
check off a to-do list either, as it entails the conforming of our characters and
spirit more fully into the image of God as we allow Him to mold us.
I started practicing this a few years ago when I noticed that there was one
thought, one word, that seemed to follow me everywhere; that word was
Vulnerable. I saw it in the world around me, I wrote about it, other people
talked about it, and I experienced it in ways I never had before. Why this one
word? Because the Lord knew I needed to grow in that area! He pursued me
with this one word until I was able to grasp it and it became a part of me.
Last year, as I faced the prospect of my 25th birthday, (a quarter century,
half way to fifty!) all I could think about was purpose. I needed to know my
purpose and God’s will for me in this new stage of life. With that word in mind,
God took me places and put me in positions that helped reveal the gifts He
has given me, some of which I hadn’t known about before. That one word
was a precursor. The Lord showed me that I was created on purpose, and
the gifts He has given me were meant to be used to accomplish His will and
bring Him glory. What greater purpose could I ask for than that?
Why this “one word” theory? Why focus on one point when there are so many
things to grow in? Because having one word can help you stay focused and
gives you a direction. While there are sure to be many things the Lord wants
to reveal to you in the coming year, I’ve found that having one focused
word can lead me right into those other things, because that “one word”

is exactly where God is
waiting to meet me. You
might end up with several
words, and that’s okay.
This is a method, not a
formula. Sometimes I have
had one word that I began
the year with, but then it
might evolve and adapt
to varying circumstances
that arise during the course
of the year. It’s okay if the
“word” takes on a new
shape. The Potter is simply
molding the clay. As you
grow and develop in one
area, He will lead you
deeper into others.
“So, how do I find the ‘one
word’ for me?”
We start by being still
before the Lord to ask some
questions, and being alert
to what He is saying to us. Is

This “one word” will be unique to you. This
is about discovering what it is that God
wants you to focus on for the next 52 weeks.
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