Believe ~ 2013

Intrigued by the idea of choosing one word as a theme for 2013, I joined the folks at One Word 365.

Forget those New Year’s Resolutions. Scrap that long list of goals you won’t remember three weeks from now anyway. Choose just one word.

One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. One word that you can focus on every day, all year long.

This is about living intentionally.  About letting your one word be a filter, a guide for how you use your decisions, time, resources, purpose, and life so that it impacts your life and spills over onto others.  It might be what steadies you.  It might be what you need.

One word.  365 days.

John Maxwell’s latest book is The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth.  Just six chapters into it and my thinking is already challenged.  I knew instantly what my One Word would be.

What I need is to believe…

… more of Who God says He is, more about my calling and potential, more about the restoration and forward movement of my life for where I am now.

As Christians, we don’t like to have to admit that we don’t always believe what God says.  It can be difficult if physical reality is preaching something other than what you hope will be.  As 2012 was being lived out, I was challenged to change my thinking in many areas, but my problems and over-concern were always to be found in pockets of unbelief.

God is positioning me, and many others, for forward movement and some things promised, prayed for, waited for over years are within reach…and the closer I get to stepping onto that highway, the more challenged I am to actually believe these things can happen.

If all hell seems to be coming against your dreams, then you are in good company.  I believe the Lord wants to do some big restoring in many lives.  We can defeat fear by taking small steps and refusing to put off what we know we were created to do.  It is for now.  I love football and touch downs are made by making progress down the field a few yards at the time. 

For my personal progress, I have a life coach and accountability and wise counsel.  What God calls us to do will always be bigger than we are and will keep us on our knees, but we have to move forward.   It’s always what we really believe, isn’t it?

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.  ~Isaiah 43:10

My friend, Sam Williamson at Beliefs of the Heart, said, “We feel this is a year of breaking out – maybe breaking forth – into something new and delightful.  I sense this is true for you too, a year of breaking forth into life and joy and offering.”  Isn’t it great when others urge you on?  Let these words become yours, too.

There are some moments you know the enemy of your soul is doing his very darndest to sow in seeds of fear and unbelief.  Crazy thoughts seem to come out of nowhere like an attack of killer bees.  And I figure if hell is sending out fear in droves, then they are actually afraid themselves of what we might do.  Now there’s a thought!  Sam says the enemy is terrified of what we will be when we are our true selves.

Believe.  Just one word.

Believe in God’s power, in our potential, in others.  Believe before we see – for His promises are good.  We can take them to the bank.  I am choosing to believe for more.  Asking for increased vision, increased discernment, and increased wisdom.  Expecting all – more than I can imagine.  Focusing on this word, this idea, theme, could be life changing.

It will be a year of stretching, of dreaming big, of gripping God and stepping out.  Nope, still  don’t feel ready, but if I wait until I’m ready, I will never step forward.  It’s time to live a better story.  It’s time to believe.

What would your ONE WORD be?

(c) Robin Lawrimore, January 4, 2012

{Thanks a ton to Melanie at Only A Breath for creating my new free Believe button.  To request a button, please read this post: http://www.onlyabreath.com/2012/12/theyre-here-free-one-word-blog-buttons/ on Melanie’s site.  She’ll even make you one whether you have a blog or not.  Isn’t she so nice?}