Word of the year practice can be a driving force in deepening our self-knowledge, in finding clarity and meaning, and in growing closer to God.
Peeling off the layers of our words takes intention, observation, reflection, and maybe some wrestling with our words.
I just spent several hours in my journal and Bible exploring my phrase this year – “Honoring the thirst deep within.” I feel like I am coming up for air after concentrating and listening actively to what the Spirit is teaching me. John O’Donohue wrote, “Longing is the voice of your soul.” I am deeply listening for this voice.
Like peeling an onion, this process comes off one sheer section at a time and perhaps with a few tears. And this is only the start of the unraveling of this adventure into these words. Right now, I hold more questions than answers – and maybe that will stay true throughout this process. Each layer contains lessons.
A few tidbits of what I am noticing:
- What other words describes my primary word of thirst? Hunger? Longing? Craving? Hope? Yearning?
- Is my primary word, thirst, singular or plural? One thirst or many?
- What am I really thirsting for? God? Love? Community? Connection? Completeness?
- Is this an emptiness? – a human need for belonging, success, power, healing of a wound? Could it be spiritual dryness or a sense of worthlessness? Or a Holy Vacuum only filled by God. Like the saying from Pascal: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ.” I certainly hope it is this last one, but I need to unpeel this layer for a clearer understanding of my longing. That is honoring this thirst – observing it, recognizing it, paying attention to its voice.
- Or is this thirst really God within calling me deeper? Then my word changes from thirst to Thirst with a capital “T.”
- Will this thirst/Thirst ever go away? I am beginning to realize this is a lifelong longing – at least during this human adventure on earth.
- What am I learning? One tip to this process I have started in my journal is to highlight in a different shade of marker any writing referring to my phrase. I review my journal periodically marking certain passages in yellow. If I am ever going to be able to grow, notice, learn in this exploration of my phrase, I need to color the words differently, so they stand out more easily for review and prayer.
Dear Friends, I hope this rambling peek into my process doesn’t bore you. It is my hope maybe these words inspire you to pause, peer deeper, listen more acutely, and to be with God with your full attention.
Even if it is only one layer at a time.
Happy Valentine’s Day by the way. May you know God’s love is always with you!
I love how this process works and the similarities and differences that each of us go through. Wishing you a blessed March and more insights into your word, Jean.
Blessings on your March too!!
Thanks for sharing your process. I find it helpful to see how others are processing their word.
Thanks for stopping by, Jodee!!
Jean, I love your analogy of peeling away the letters of our words, it is such a rich picture! But expresses exactly how I feel about my word, Hope; peeling away pre-conceived ideas, to get to what God has for me within.
I know images help me too. exciting isn/t it?
I love your vulnerable ramblings in this month’s post.
Visiting from # 11
Thank you for the encouragement!
Several years ago, I was advised to attend a self-help group fashioned after AA. It was for people who had a co-dependent personality. One of the things the group talked about one night was the peeling of an onion. Strange thing, no one mentioned the tears that a person might shed because of looking at the ‘stuff’ we could uncover.
That is so interesting. Thanks for sharing!
I appreciate your patient unraveling. I’m finding that my own tiny, two-letter word is also requiring some work. And it’s barging into the way I read scripture!
Oh Michele it is hard to be patient! LOL Love how your word is calling you deeper too.
I feel like I have more questions than answers at this stage with my word too. Your phrase is so rich…you’ll have lots to unravel as the year goes on. You definitely don’t bore me with these “ramblings”, Jean! 🙂
I sure do appreciate your leadership in helping us explore our words. Thanks for all you do
I’ve always been a ‘layer’ person, Jean. So much in life is so deep and complex and I can only absorb, well, one layer at a time. As always your questions are soul-deep and wonderfully prompting. I’m blessed to have you in my life. God uses your work to draw me deeper in my relationship with Him.
I’m happy to share your work over at my place this week. Thank you for speaking for the deeper life with Christ.
Bless you, spiritual mentor.
Thank you for sharing Linda. I know sometimes taking off the layers pulls and hurts but ooo whaat treasure we find!
it was fascinating to see some of your process as you dig into your word. I’ll be taking some of these questions as cues for myself over the coming months. Thank you for sharing.
Jean, I like the way you’ve pushed yourself to ask questions related to your word–sure to lead you along new pathways as you meditate on “thirst!” I’ve added this strategy to s list of ponderings on my word for 2023: look.
I find this practice so good t o dig deep into these words of the year. Once I start I really go off on rabbit trails. LOL
I loved this insight into how your phrase of the year is unfolding, Jean. The word/phrase we choose at the beginning of the year can certainly morph and mature as we encounter new experiences with God and in God. I think that’s how it’s supposed to work! If that word or concept doesn’t stretch and grow us in spirituality and understanding of what the Lord expects from us, I would say it is of no benefit to us.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Yes that word is slowly unfolding for me. I wouldn’t have guess this earlier in the year.