Women Living Well Blog

Friday, January 8, 2010

My Word of The Year

Every year on New Year's Day, I crack open a shiny new prayer journal. Actually - it's nothing fancy - just a simple 5 subject notebook to journal all my confessions, praises and prayers in. On New Year's Day my tradition is to sit and write out my goals on the first page of the journal.

I have seen other women around the blogosphere choosing a theme word for the year. So this year, I centered my 2010 goals around a theme word that ties them all together. My theme word is "connecting".

1. Connecting with God - John 15:5 says "I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Apart from God I can do nothing - I want to remain closely connected to the vine all year long remembering Psalm 84:10"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."

2. Connecting with my husband - I want to stay intimately connected to my husband by listening to his needs and wants, respecting him, submitting to him, and supporting him. I want to smile more, praise him more, and love him even more.

3. Connecting with my children - I want to stay connected to my children by playing with them, reading with them, listening to them when they talk, winning smiles from them, praying with them and training them.

4. Connecting my physical health to my spiritual health - The health of my body effects my spiritual walk with God. I want to take care of my body so I am able to have energy to serve, teach and do the work God has for me.

5. Connecting with my blog readers - Through the message board, I want to connect with my readers in the new year. I have done a lot of "talking" and this year. I want to "listen" more, love more, care more and pray more for you all.

Some of my Good Morning Girls have chosen their own themes such as "Love" and "Peace" and Sarah Mae over at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee has chosen the theme "Discipline" - which is an excellent one. You can read about her theme here.

If you were to choose a one word theme for the new year, what would you choose?

Walk with the King!

Labels: Goals

26 Comments:

Melissa, Multi-Tasking Mama said...: Our theme as a family is grateful and giving back. Personally my theme is sharing. Thanks for sharing yours- connecting is great!; January 8, 2010 at 7:46 AM
Kristi_runwatch said...: Love the "connecting" thoughts, Courtney!! It's a great way to sum up what matters most!!

Thanks for linking up with Fresh Year, Fresh Start! :); January 8, 2010 at 7:57 AM
Teri Lynne @ Pleasing to You said...: My theme for the year is completion ... finishing projects and goals that have remained incomplete as well as being a person who is dependable to do what I say I will do.

Your thoughts on connecting are great, Courtney. And thank you for linking up with Fresh Year, Fresh Start.; January 8, 2010 at 8:06 AM
Rieshy said...: My theme is not one I would have chosen for myself but it seems God has chosen it for me. A compound theme: trusting-patience.

Either I can submit gracefully to that theme, or I can run screaming off into the forest never to be seen again:) It's lonely in the forest, so I guess I work through it.; January 8, 2010 at 8:43 AM
Jennifer said...: I think my theme needs to be change. I've recently found your blog and have been inspired by your words of honesty, wisdom, and faith. Thank you!; January 8, 2010 at 9:40 AM
Sarah Mae said...: I don't think I've yet told you yet how inspiring you are to me.

The way you love your husband spurs me on to be a better wife. Thank you.; January 8, 2010 at 9:59 AM
Loral said...: My word for 2010 is Shelter, I first came across this idea at Ali Ewards' blog. I'm so excited to have a focus for my goals this year, which center on creating a more welcoming home for my family and others :) I so enjoy reading everyone else's words...so much creativity!; January 8, 2010 at 10:03 AM
Clare said...: Hmmmmm....survival? (kidding, well, partially); January 8, 2010 at 10:11 AM
6intow said...: Connecting is a great word. There were so many I went through before settling on "Eternity." The verse I chose to go with that is II Corinthians 4:18, continually bringing my focus back to the story behind the story.

~Erin; January 8, 2010 at 10:13 AM
Courtney said...: Thanks for sharing your goals for the year! I love that you keep it all in a prayer journal that way you can look back over it later on. I look forward to following along with you as you grow this year and 'connecting' via blog. Have a Great Weekend!; January 8, 2010 at 11:11 AM
Anonymous said...: I've just recently found your blog through another.....I was recently wandering through Walmart looking at the left over Christmas stuff when this bright red wooden HOPE caught my attention......this last year was a year full of changes, many not so pleasant and I have felt plenty of hopeless days....I put it in my cart intending to put it away for next year but when I got home put it on my mantle because I needed it there....how amazing it was to find this post on your blog about choosing a word for the year....God's Word is full of hope and I need to be reminded of that daily.....
blessings,
Amy M in SC
homeschoolblogger.com/transformedheart/; January 8, 2010 at 12:36 PM
Michelle said...: I've really been enjoying my recent visits here. If I could choose one word it would be FOCUS.

(Although Clare's comment was also very funny, and I can completely relate to that as well!); January 8, 2010 at 12:48 PM
Kelly said...: I was one of the GMG's with the word peace for 2010. I was thinking of creating a more peaceful home by being better organized, teaching my children to "as much as it is possible live at peace with one another." I read that one of the things that steals your joy (or peace) is disorganization. For myself, I want to feel at peace w/God, ,my family and my home.
Amy M, I am going to go to Wal-Mart and see if they have any big red letters that say PEACE!; January 8, 2010 at 2:14 PM
Tricia said...: Actually I did choose a them for this year....

AMAZING!

I love your theme; January 8, 2010 at 2:37 PM
Julie@comehaveapeace said...: Great way to sum up your goals. With all that a gal has to consider, it helps so much to have one word to keep at the forefront as a reminder of what direction we are headed in. Will cheer you on, friend!; January 8, 2010 at 4:01 PM
Lysa said...: My theme this year is PERSEVERANCE In James we read:

Consider it pure joy, my "sisters", whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

So since trials and troubles are a "given" in this life, we might as well see them as God's gift to us to develop our faith that we would grow up in him and not lack anything. I'm holding on to that promise, it's what gets me through.

Thanks for your insight through this sight!!; January 8, 2010 at 7:47 PM
Lisa V. said...: Heyyy. Happy New Year. : )

Believe it or not your #1 & #2 resolutions are MINE as well. That's what I want to focus on this year.

I think if I had to pick a word to guide this year, it would be Surrender.; January 8, 2010 at 10:40 PM
Lauren said...: I love your theme of "Connecting."

I already set my goals for 2010, and while I didn't do it with an intentional theme in mind, when I read through them, I can see a common theme of "growth" across them.

And when I look back on 2009, as I did in my final few blog posts, I see a theme of "gratitude."

THANK YOU for helping me look at my goals in this way. It really adds new meaning to them!; January 8, 2010 at 10:58 PM
Cindy Bultema said...: Great post! My theme for the year...Victory!! :)

Have a fun weekend! Many blessings to you and your family!; January 8, 2010 at 11:02 PM
kimmy said...: I had to think about this for a little while and came up with Excellence! I want to do everything with excellence not just doing them as usual but making an extra effort in many areas of my life and being an Excellent woman!; January 9, 2010 at 1:15 PM
Anonymous said...: Great concept and great word. Not sure what mine would be, but I'm going to give it some thought now.; January 9, 2010 at 5:50 PM
Melinda said...: Hi Courtney!
"Connecting" is a great word! Wonderful, worthy goals this year. I feel God has given me a few words this year: "Plan Ahead" and "Do it Now." Simple, but profound. ;0); January 10, 2010 at 3:04 PM
John Finkelde said...: COnnecting is such an intuitive concept - easy to grasp - love it

Interesting idea My Word for the Year - it's like a big idea label

I like it - a question do you find it difficult to maintain momentum thru the year especially in the second half?; January 11, 2010 at 12:01 AM
Christy said...: mine is faithful - similiar to your goals of connecting! :) I posted on my blog about it.; January 11, 2010 at 7:19 AM
Jennifer Thorn said...: I have chosen the word "organized" for my word this year. I want to be more organized in every area of my life, from my spiritual walk to my school time with the kids, to my closets.
God has shown me over the last few months that I need to work on this area.; January 11, 2010 at 2:52 PM
Anonymous said...: Thought provoking post.

I hadn't thought of choosing a personal word of the year before now. I think it might be "friended." Last year's "official" word of the year was "unfriended," according to some news articles I read. (Ah, the social influence of Facebook!) I wrote a blog post about how we tend to unfriend people by never being their friends, never reaching beyond our comfort zone, never bothering to really know them. So in response to that, I think I need to start "friending" more people: the lonely, the misfits, the ones that I'm not naturally comfortable with and have little in common with. So...friended it is!

BTW, found your blog through comments on Michael Hyatt's blog. Looks good, and I'll be following through iGoogle.; January 29, 2010 at 12:19 PM

Women Living Well Blog

: Name: Courtney (Women Living Well); Location: Ohio, United States

I am a stay-at-home home schooling mom of 2, a son (age 8) and a daughter (6). I have been married to Keith, my high school sweet heart, for 13 years. My passion to know God and share him with others led me to the Moody Bible Institute where I graduated with a degree in Evangelism and Discipleship. Last year, I appeared on the Rachael Ray Show as a 1950's Housewife. To learn more about me visit my "About Me" page.

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Friday, January 8, 2010

My Word of The Year

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