Each year I choose a word that I concentrate on for the year. This word helps me to focus on spiritual development and deepens my relationship with Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year I\u2019ve chosen the word \u201cbe.\u201d Originally I thought this would be a good word because I sometimes tend to get caught up in the prep, the details, the planning of an event or even my day. So this word would help me to take my focus off some of the minute details and focus on being. Right there. Right then. In the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As my thoughts continued down this path, I wondered if I could add a word each week to focus on. After some deeper thinking, I knew this addition would be good for the year. So I set out to come up with 52 words or thoughts to add to the word \u201cbe.\u201d Here are a few of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be inspired<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be content<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be holy<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be alive<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be blessed<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be strengthened<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be hopeful<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be purposeful<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be teachable<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be prayerful<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be grateful<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But then I took it one step further. For each of these I added a verse or passage of Scripture to help me through the week. I read my \u201cbe\u201d word and then the Scripture each morning and throughout my day. For an entire week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This has been such a blessing to me. I didn\u2019t plan out the entire year, just around Christmas and Easter, but what I\u2019ve loved is how God has placed these words exactly when I\u2019ve needed them most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The week a good friend passed away, my word for the week was \u201cbe strong.\u201d The week I struggled with identity, my word for the week was \u201cbe enough.\u201d The week I wanted more, my word for the week was \u201cbe content.\u201d The week I was super busy, my word for the week was \u201cbe patient.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Probably the hardest week to understand my word was when I was in isolation for 10 days. My word for the week was \u201cbe serving.\u201d How could I possibly serve when I was in my bedroom completely isolated from everyone? How could God possibly use me under these circumstances?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That week I learned that there are many ways to serve. Phone calls, Zoom meetings, Facebook live, emails, text messages were all ways I could serve. So I took the verse for the week and did what I could. Ephesians 6:7 tells us to, \u201cServe wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.\u201d<\/em> I was able to do everything that week with a renewed attitude and understanding of serving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps you are struggling today. Maybe you don\u2019t feel useful. Maybe you are lonely. Maybe you feel hopeless. Maybe you aren\u2019t motivated. Whatever is happening in your life, I pray that you will look to the Lord for comfort, peace and purpose. Only Jesus can provide all that you need. 2 Peter 1:3 tells us that, \u201cHis divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lean into God\u2019s Word to find encouragement today. You will find all you need. If you would like a list of my \u201cbe\u201d words with Scripture, just let me know. I\u2019d be happy to share it with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Donna<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Each year I choose a word that I concentrate on for the year. This word helps me to focus on spiritual development and deepens my relationship with Jesus. This year I\u2019ve chosen the word \u201cbe.\u201d Originally I thought this would be a good word because I sometimes tend to get caught up in the prep, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6354,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_s2mail":"","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6030],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-be"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6353"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6353\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6355,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6353\/revisions\/6355"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6353"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}