Revisiting My One Word

In January of this year, I wrote a blog post about a new approach I am taking to the old “New Year’s Resolution” tradition (you can read about it here).

Since we are officially halfway through 2011, I think it’s a good time to check-in and evaluate how the “My One Word” concept is going.

The word I chose to represent what I wanted (and what I think God wants) for my life this year is RELEASE. I remember praying about it, and ever so softly hearing the word being spoken into my soul.

I also remember being excited about it, eager to “let go and let God”, anticipating freely and easily letting go of things that for so long have held me in bondage. I had visions of surrender, freedom, peace.

As time has passed, I have come to find that RELEASE is a hard word. It’s a scary word. And most of all, it’s a necessary word.

RELEASE means

you have to let go of some things that you love,

because you know in your heart of hearts that they are not good for you

RELEASE means

you have to trust that God knows what He’s doing,

even when things seem to be crashing down around you

And ultimately RELEASE means that WHEN you TRUST...

WHEN you LET GO...

You will see it all begin to unfold…

Right when you think your heart is breaking into a million pieces, He is beside you lovingly picking up all the pieces, holding them in His hands, patiently waiting for you to look up and surrender.

And when you look up, you will see Him do something amazing.

He will open His hands that have been holding those shattered pieces, and HE will RELEASE your mended, whole, beautiful heart…free of all those things that once held you back.

So, yes…RELEASE is HARD; RELEASE is SCARY; RELEASE is NECESSARY; and in every sense of the word RELEASE is FREEDOM!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

~~2 Corinthians 3:17

One Word

There’s a lot of talk this time of year about “resolutions”. We make our lists and we resolve to improve our lives in these areas. For some, the list is only a couple of items; for others the list seems endless. It can be overwhelming, and often by February those lists have already been long forgotten in the tangle of daily life.

I have stumbled upon and embraced a new concept recently – an “un-resolution”, if you will. I heard about it from a friend on Facebook first, and then again on a national radio station that I listen to every day. It’s called “My One Word” (click here to go to the website and check it out for yourself).


I realize that not all of my readers are Christians; some of you may not even consider faith to be a part of your life. Don’t let that deter you from thoroughly checking this out (although there’s nothing better, in my opinion, than getting to know our Creator and Savior). The principle of this concept can be used by anyone.


It is going to take some time – a little work – a lot of thinking. Don’t sit down and just pick any old word. Think forward. Think about how you would like to see your life – see yourself – at the end of this year.


I don’t want to give too much more detail here. I really want you to go to the website, read through and follow the instructions.

And then…come back here, share your word in the comments section and how/why you came to choose that word. If you have a scripture verse/quote that goes along with it, please share that as well.

And now, you ask, what is MY word? My word is…

~~~RELEASE~~~

I chose this word because it is time for me to truly release the past – all the hurts, all the mistakes, everything. To release it from my own hands, to toss it all up to the heavens and to let God have it all. I realized that I cannot move forward until I have completely let go of the past. I am hindering myself in the work He has for me by clinging to the past. My ultimate goal by the end of this year is to be a free woman -free from the bondage of my past -so that I can live the life that I was meant to live all along for Him.

My scripture verse:

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
~~Matthew 6:33

Wishing all of you a very happy 2011.  I hope you all find what you are seeking - because we are all seeking - and I pray that by the end of this year (and all throughout) that you will be blessed with the knowing that you are loved.