My word of the year is FOCUS. And while I have long-term dreams and aspirations, the things at hand require my focus.
As an editor, it is, of course, vital that I focus on doing my best for each of my clients.
As a writer, I have numerous ideas for books I would like to write. But for now, my focus must be on completing the memoir I'm coauthoring with Paralympian Deb Willows, a follow-up to Living Beyond My Circumstances. I will also focus on the blog posts I've committed to write and my monthly newsletter, as well as social media posts.
And since my hubby will be retiring in March, nine days after his 70th birthday, I will be focusing on helping him prepare our home of over 20 years for sale. Lord willing, either this year or next, we will be moving west to be near our son and his wife.
And most importantly, as a believer, I will be reading less of the Word each day in order to dig deeper and focus on what He's teaching me.
While, in many ways, I won't be "niching down," as it were, I will be quieting my mind and focusing on the task at hand. Not easy for an eclectically interested, eclectically involved "extrovert on steroids," but doable.
So, my fellow InScriber, what is your focus for the new year?
To help you determine where your focus should be, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:
What do I want to accomplish in the first quarter of 2025?
Which of these tasks are important as opposed to urgent, as Stephen Covey says? ("Urgent" being those tasks that distract us from what we truly should be focused on.)
Which tasks can I delete from my list or delegate to someone else?
What tasks that are truly achievable can I add to my current list?
What am I going to set aside in order to achieve my goals? Watching TV in the evening? That extra half hour of sleep in the morning? Doom scrolling?
Which optional tasks get my mojo flowing? What are those tasks I'm driven to accomplish even if it would be easier not to?
And THE question we must ask as believers . . .
How is the Lord leading me this year?
As you look to what you have at hand and how it can glorify the Lord and bless others, may He give you the wherewithal to discern what He has for you this year and all you require to accomplish the good works He has prepared for you.
Rather than make resolutions I allow a word to find me. Yah,
I don’t choose the word, the word chooses me. Steph Nickel writes about that here.
Over the last decade, the word of
the year had prophetic effects. They predicted what I would face and could rely
on during the next 12 months. In late December, the word “breathe” was
continuously on my mind. So, I listened to my soul and embraced the word.
Breathing
Breathing
is a very powerful biblical image. In Genesis God creates humanity from the
clay of the earth. Yet the human being is merely a lifeless work of clay
pottery until God breathes into the nostrils of the human. It is that first
breath that gives life. God’s Spirit is described as breath.
One
incredible thing about breathing is that you don’t have to think about.
The best
part is, even when we are not aware of it, that powerful Spirit fills our lives
in ways we may never fully know or appreciate. One does not have to be a
champion breather to have breath. Neither does one have to be a champion
Christian to have God’s Spirit within. Isn’t that freeing?
When we
are least able to take the time to think of God and God’s presence, just like
breathing, God is still right there. If that is reality when we are not
thinking about it, imagine the power when we take the time to be deliberate and
really give God’s Holy Spirit some serious thought.
Breathe.
Breathe deep. Fill your lungs with the breath that flows from the One who
created you and called you good.
Stressed
Here’s how
my word is helping me. Stress, worry, and fear are triggers that cause us to
either speed up or hold our breath. I tend to hold my breath. This stress
response happens automatically due to our innate fight, flight, or freeze
response.
Numerous
times in January 2023 I have responded to unexpected stress and setbacks with a
simple reminder to breathe.
Just breathe.
Thin Air
Jill was seven years old when we first met. I was her pastor.
Ginger curls reflected the fiery nature within her little girl spirit.
Adventure was her mojo. Mountains became molehills for her. Now a Grade 6
teacher, she realized a lifetime dream of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in 2021.
As you climb the highest mountain in Africa the air gets
thin.Incredibly thin.
The higher you go the less you can talk because you have to focus on your
breathing. It was one shallow breath after the other, one slow step
after the other. She timed her breathing with her steps… a few steps at a time,
then a stop to catch her breathing up. Concentrating only on the air drawing in and
out of her lungs sustained her when the mountain’s terrain felt impossible.
She summited during a blizzard. Oxygen was harder to come by
with each step. Ten minutes from the peak she fainted. With each labored inhale
and exhale, she understood
what it means to just breathe.
Trust
I love the
Message version of Psalm 31:6,7 - “You, God,
I trust. I’m leaping and singing in the circle of your love; you saw my pain,
you disarmed my tormentors. You didn’t leave me in their clutches but gave me room to breathe.”
Breathe.
Breathing in response to life’s pained moments is a reminder to trust God. “I
trust you God. Things don’t look or feel good. But I trust You.”
Breathe.
God doesn’t leave us alone. God doesn’t leave us in the clutches of crisis.
Life’s tormentors are disarmed.
Breathe. The
best room in your life is room to breathe.
“Let
everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150:6
Bob Jones writes
to grow hope, inspire people to be real, forge an authentic faith in Jesus, and
discover their life purpose. You can follow his writing atREVwords.com
"Come, now is the time to worship." This is God's personal invitation to me this year.
As I was considering a word for 2022, the word 'worship' popped into my mind. I've been wanting to draw closer to God, to deepen my relationship with Him, and I believe the Holy Spirit inspired the realization that worship is the way to do it. He is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24) and I want to be one of those He finds so engaged.
An online friend has shared that she's "spent the last 2 years on my face in worship getting wrecked by the Holy Spirit in my quiet time letting Him transform MY HEART." As she's described her communion with the Lord, stating "His presence changes everything," I have to admit I've felt a little envious. I mean, I know we're not supposed to covet, but I want that. I want the Lord to change my heart as I spend time with Him. I want to meet with Him, have intimacy with Him, become more like Him. I want the Potter to take this clay and form it (Isaiah 64:8). I want the Refiner to take this lump of metal and purify it (Malachi 3:3). He will always make something beautiful.
As I write this (late December 2021), I'm still in the early stages of figuring out how to worship the God of the Universe, the King of Creation, the Lord of Lords. What that might look like. I'm sure in the course of time, He Himself will teach me. For now, on January 1, I plan to start reading a 30-day devotional by Adam Palmer based on the Tim Hughes' song Here I Am to Worship. I plan to start a 7-week workbook by David Sherbino called Reconnect: Spiritual Exercises to Develop Intimacy with God. I plan to start the day with worship music, scripture, and prayer, perhaps even on my face as my friend Jennifer does. Posture is important I've heard.
In whatever ways God is inviting us to share our days and year with Him, may He find us willing to say yes and amen even though we don't (and can't) know where it all might lead. As Mary responded to God's message about bearing the Son, may we answer His bidding with the words "I am the Lord's servant" (Luke 1:38).
In the midst of my personal challenges, the difficulties of life in general, and the current state of the world, now is my time to worship. Lord, I come.
In my January 4th post I shared that my word for 2020 was
"centre." I shared the sentiment that by "[centring] my life and thoughts on Christ, I [would] also
be ready for whatever
comes my way."
I wonder if any of us could really be ready for
what 2020 has brought? A global pandemic, violence and chaos in the streets
(especially in the U.S.), an election year (also in the U.S., but the outcome
of which will ripple around the world). I don't think anything short of a
prophet whose reliability had been tested and proven true could have prepared
us for the waters we've been passing through corporately.
photo by wjstokhof0 (Pixabay)
I recently said to my husband that the only good
thing that has happened this year was our trip at the end of February/beginning
of March, just before the pandemic hit and everything started to shut down.
Although, prior to our coach and cruise vacation, I'd been doing a pretty good
job of centring, starting my day with the songs Turn Your Eyes Upon
Jesusand As the Deer Pants for
the Water, and spending time in God's Word. I'd continued my
practice of scripture writing, using the SOAP method. But as often happens when I am
out of my routine, as the days of our tour passed, my habits were cast off and
set adrift.
I caught a cold in Florida, felt it coming on as we
watched the Toronto Blue Jays lose to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Dunedin
Stadium. Returning to Canada, I called in sick to work and was advised to
contact my Public Health department for instructions. Public Health told me to
self-isolate but that I didn't need a Covid-19 test as I had not travelled to a
high-risk area. By the time my self-isolation period was over, my workplace had
closed.
You would think that with so much spare time now
available, I'd have buckled down on the centring, but no. Like many, I was like
a ship without a sail. The only aspect of focus that continued unabated was the
scripture writing. The rest of my time was consumed with working on my novel,
writing blog posts, staying connected with online prayer groups, participating
in Zoom book club and life group meetings, trying to declutter my home, doing
the usual tasks of dishes, laundry, meals, dusting and vacuuming, walking the
dog, running back and forth to deliver groceries to my mom in Toronto, helping
my young adult children where needed, and repeat.
photo by smaus (Pixabay)
Just before I returned to work in June, my mom
fell. She tore her rotator cuffs and broke a vetebra in her spine. I had to
bring her home with me, take her to physiotherapy appointments, help her work
on her mobility, and all the other things that go along with eldercare. In
September she had a pacemaker insertion, followed by a six week recovery. More
running back and forth to Toronto. All sense of normalcy blown out of the
water.
Somehow, in all of this, I managed to attend to one
verse from that January post, Philippians 4:8, quoting it to those with
sinking, stinking thinking, and in doing so, to myself as well.
Finally, brothers
and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy—think about such things.
At last, toward the end of September, the larger
concept of centring returned. What was the prompt? Looking forward to this
Novemberpost? Beginning a 12-week
spiritual disciplines class? Commencing a 9-month spiritual autobiography
course? I'm not sure, but I'm glad my sails were finally hoisted. I know I need
to be centred on Christ, that if I'm not, my life gets out of control and I
stop relying on His strength, trusting in my own.
I guess in a way I'm back to square one on this,
but that's okay. With the year we've had, we need show ourselves grace and
that's what I'm going to do. For next steps, I'm going to revisit
the different areas I identified in that original post and how I might
centre each of them around the Lord in a way that pleases Him now: family and
friend relationships, church and online activities, writing, work, and
personal.
God has been reminding me of truths from His Word:
He is patient and long-suffering. He is good. He is working in this world,
working in me, working in those around me, even when I cannot see or
understand. His plans are not to harm me, but to give me a hope and a future. He's
been teaching me to focus on what is excellent and praiseworthy, and I'm going
to keep turning the prow of my ship to centring on the Lord through song and
scripture, renewing my mind in a way that calibrates my inner compass. Meeting
God in the morning is an important part of that, preventing the day's current
from sweeping me away on its tides.
He's my lighthouse!
photo by mollyroselee (Pixabay)
Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will. ~ St.
Bede
I’ve sometimes
thought I’d like to write a blog at the end of the month, highlighting the
encouragements and insights of our InScribe writers.I’ve decided to begin on a frequent or
occasional basis.
Image from istoci
My theme comes from Tracy's
“2020 Vision—Clarity”, where she wrote, “with God's help I hope to move forward
in 2020 with new vision for what's really important.” My focus is that often clarity
comes in retrospect. Just think of how often we say, “Hindsight is 2020 vision!”
(A side note: A
collective thanks to Tracy who’s been our moderator and has scheduled most daily
slots with new or returning bloggers. And thanks to Brenda Leyland who filled
in when Tracy was in the hospital. I especially thank Tracy for pulling out
from her archives one of Connie Inglis’ Mid Week Moments, now
transformed into Mid Month Moments.)
January: Our Word or Scripture
for the Year.
Thank you for writing such inspiring blogs! Each
day as I read your words, I said, “Yes! Yes! I relate to what you’re writing.”
I pray God will keep these words before you this
year, and that you will ask yourself: “How can I see my relationships, daily experiences,
life challenges, spiritual life, and my writing projects through the lens of my
word or scripture of the year? How can I encourage my readers to press on and
pursue God’s high calling for me (Hebrews 12:2)?”
February: How God Refreshes Us
In February, we
answered the question, “How does God refresh you?” We wrote of our humanness in
its many forms—fatigue, worry, health issues, bad habits and sins—and joy, I
thought of how much we are subject to our human frailties. But God knows our
humanness, and He “remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14 NLT).
In all your
humanness, you brought in a shift in perspective, reframing your issues to see
God at work refreshing you moment-by-moment, throughout the day, in critical
moments and at particular life crossroads. Your diverse perspectives helped us
all to stand in awe at the richness and many nuances of our Creative God.
God’s Refreshment
As you wrote of how
God refreshed you, you spoke of transformative moments: through daily quiet
time where God gives His words of life; through silence, and through prayer
that is “the pause that refreshes”.
Several people
mentioned how important music, photography, writing and other arts are to them.
Just recently I read Bach’s words: “The aim and final reason of all music
should be none else but the glory of God and refreshing the soul.” (That goes
for our writing, too!)
Many of you found God
in nature and relishing God’s creation: walking in the woods near waterfalls
and among birds, and finding companionship with our animal friends.
Health brokenness was another theme. Lynn Dove, who’s
shared her progress through cancer, saw God’s faithfulness in answering her
prayers for health and healing.
Others found hope and refreshment while still
living in brokenness. Katie Gerke discovered “hidden treasures” in fading
flowers in late summer, affirming to her that God still has a purpose in her
disability.
So many said how we need others to refresh us: a
child or grandchild who shows love through their smiles and attention. Others
become our fellow travellers who affirm us and pour into our lives.
Our Responses
Hidden in some messages was that being refreshed
means we need to do our part. Several bloggers wrote that we are transformed through
a “focus shift”, a “new mindset”, thankfulness and rejoicing in hope. “Be ye
transformed by the renewing of your minds,” Paul instructs us (Romans 12:2).
Yet others discovered refreshment in joy and beauty,
in reframing the world as through the eyes of a child, or in consciously
seeking daily “shining moments”. “Sometimes (these moments) surprise me,” Joy Bailey
wrote. “(W)hen they happen I need to stop in my tracks and take them in…Moments
of refreshment sprinkled throughout a day, a week. Strung together they form a
strand of sparkle and shimmer that adorns this ordinary life.” (Joy has
the perfect name for this meditation, too!)
Sharon Heagy reminded us: "Refreshment, true
refreshment, is only found in Him and I need to surrender and let it pour over
me like a healing, restorative balm. This will indeed take practice. To
surrender the moment.”
Our Ultimate Hope
Bruce Atchison
finalized our month by reminding us that our ultimate refreshment and hope
comes from being assured of our citizenship in Heaven. Jesus encourages us with
His promise that He’s preparing a place for us (John 14:2-3).
In all God does for
us, I think of how He wants to make us a people who worship Him and give
honour back to Him. I leave you with two inspirational songs and my prayer for us all: Faithful One, So Unchanging, and What a Faithful God!
“Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on
to acknowledge him.
