The young woman sitting across from me was what my mother called an ‘old soul’; she was wise beyond her years. She possessed a desire to know God’s heart by studying His word. Her heart’s desire was to know His heart’s desire. This appealed to me.
Her strategy was simple; one word, one verse for an entire year. She selected a word and theme verse to study for three hundred and sixty-five days.
Nearly a decade has passed since our first book club meeting. This ‘old soul’ is now a dear friend. Rather than choosing a New Year’s resolution, I explore the dynamic facets of one word and one verse for one year.
TRUST is my word for 2016. My verse for 2016 is:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”(Romans 15:13, NIV)
In the book titled One Perfect Word author, Debbie MaComber, chronicles stories of God’s hand in her life each year when she intentionally focused on one word.Phot
Do you have a word or phrase that keeps coming to mind? Start by searching the Bible for uses of that word. My favorite (free) online sites are
Take your time to investigate your word. Dig deep and examine the root word, native language, and meaning. Buried treasure is bound to be found for anyone willing to participate in an archeological dig in God’s Word.
Exploring one word for an entire year has radically altered the trajectory of my faith. Over the years God has used the words and verses I’ve meditated to serve as a launching pad and stepping stone for my faith. I encourage you to consider a new word for the New Year.
Has there been a time in your life when one word made a difference? If so I’d love to hear from you.
~April Dawn White
Photos courtesy Pixabay.com and Freedigitalimages.net