As Filipino families prepare Media Noche on New Year’s Eve, I was checking out new devotionals that I could subscribe to for 2015 from my YouVersion, Bible app.
The “One Word That Will Change Your Life: 4-Day Devotional” stands out among the equally inspiring devos available. As I read the sample, it’s not really a daily follow-through plan but more of a guide for those who want to start and end the year productively than just making resolutions.
I, for one, have a problem with making long-term goals. I have visions, yes, but goals for me are done on a day-to-day or weekly basis. As much as I want to plan ahead, it doesn’t work for me. In fact, when I checked my 2014 journal, most of the goals I set last year were not met. The reasons for such are varied and admittedly some of them were due to procrastination or laziness. However, even if I my 2014 goals were not met, the major events that took place or new skills I honed last year where not even part of my list. How did that happen? I have no idea! God made it happen 🙂
So, going back to the devotional. I did subscribe to the plan. Let me share some of the first day’s reading: “If you have the “get-it-done” mindset like we do, you’ve done your fair share of goal-setting at the start of each New Year. However, as time goes by, we felt frustration as we fell short on our ambitious plans. We tried to do too much and as a result, we didn’t do anything very well….
The One Word exercise brings simplicity and focus. It cuts through the distractions and keeps us focused on what really matters. It has stretched us in all areas: spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally and financially. God has transformed us through this exercise; God delights in life change…
As soon as you discover your word, the battle will begin. It will initiate a process of teaching, developing, refining, and molding. God will use your word as a light and a mirror–illuminating your path and revealing things that need to change. It facilitates a great journey of highs and lows all designed to make you into the person you are created to be.”
This got me all fired-up! After subscribing, I downloaded their free action plan guide which can be found at their website, Getoneword.com. It’s an 8-page guide that shows 4 simple steps on how to do it.
Step 1: Prepare Your heart (Look In)
Step 2: Discover Your word (Look Up)
Step 3: Live Your Word (Look Out)
Step 4: Spread the Word
My brain tells me, just think of a “WORD”. But as I contemplated and asked God to help, it was not easy at all! As the guide suggests, you really have to include God in this challenge. Since He knows us more and knows what we need, He will guide us even to the exact word we need.
First word that came to me was Commitment, then came Focus. I was not “feeling” those words until the word DISCIPLINE started ringing in my ear. For about two days, I have been hearing this word in my heart. Hmm discipline? So I inquired of the Lord 🙂
The following night as I was browsing my FB news feed, there was the word again in big, bold letters! D-I-S-C-I-P-L-I-N-E screaming at my face 🙂 It’s from a blog post from The Happy Wahm whom I met last year in a blog workshop. I just had to comment on her post!
According to the online dictionary, Discipline (noun) is training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character. That’s what I REALLY need! I badly need correction, molding and training in all areas of my life. Not satisfied with looking up the meaning, I also sourced synonyms of discipline which are : control, training, regulation, direction, a firm hand, routine, regimen, and strictness. These are pretty scary words but it’s a necessity. It’s exactly what Hebrews 12:11 tells us
“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
At the tail end of 2014, I was finally able to start the upgrade my blog’s overall look and mission. I was blessed to meet an artist/blogger, Rhiza of Chasing Dreams, also in another workshop and I decided to seek her expertise on giving my online space a more professional look. We are at the final steps of the creative process and in just a few hours (nail-biting moment), Inspirited Mom will have a new look for 2015!
Let me share the inspiration board Rhiza has created for me 🙂
But when Rhiza finally completes the makeover and my blog’s theme is spanking new, there has to be some writing there, right? That’s where I badly need DISCIPLINE. To intentionally take notes of my so-called life, to take better photos and putting them all in WRITING.
There are other aspect of my life where I need to be disciplined: my time with God, my health, my words, my attitude, my studying of God’s word, our homeschool, our parenting skills, I can go on and on. I guess you get the picture, right? Think of a word that would best renew your mind, change your perspective and transform you from the inside out.
I challenge you to quit the resolutions and focus on your ONE WORD for the year. What attitude or character do you need improvement on? Is it being committed, so choose COMMITMENT? Is it developing a better PRAYER life? Or maybe LOYALTY, TRUTHFULNESS or INTEGRITY?
So, what’s your word? Let’s take the challenge together and share not only what we have learned but how the word has transformed us wholly.
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