5 Steps to Find Your One Little Word

Happy new year everyone! How did last year go by so quickly?! Anyways, I'm sure you've heard of the "One Little Word" fad, but in case you haven't...
There are many people that began choosing one little word for the year in place of new year's resolutions. The key to the word is focusing on it all year. Last year my word was Perspective, the year before was Intentional, this year is a little different for me. It's a verb and it's going to be a challenging one for me:

Pray.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7

How did I find my One Little Word?

1. For myself, I begin by praying about it. There is no better way to begin than asking for the Holy Spirit to guide you in choosing what he wants you to live for in the year ahead.


2. Scour over your year, is there something that it seemed you were continuously being taught or tried in? Is there something that you want to fix about yourself and really focus on for the year? I'm talking more than lose weight or get up earlier - more like, well, for me - I found myself through a lot of trials struggling with prayer. I know that prayer changes things, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that prayer is powerful but it always seems that my prayers are hollow, untouched (not unanswered, mind you), left floating around in the wait spot. So I had an hunch going into this that Prayer would be the word I came out with. So what is it that seemed to repeat itself through your year?


3. Then I open the Bible. Often, I have a word impressed upon my heart before even opening the Book. It's been whispered to me each time I think about what my word will be so I dig into a word search for verses. I grab the one that speaks most loudly and clearly to me and claim that for the year.


4. I take time to pray about it again, asking that I be attentive to a different word, if that's the case, or just for strength to make it through the year facing the challenge of the word.


5. Then I do something artsy with it. I do a little in my Bible Journal, or I blog about it - hey! You could journal it, share it with a friend to keep you accountable, post on social media, whatever it may be for you, something to make it real and connect with you on a "living" level.

My goals for my own word this year begin with digging into prayer deeper. I want to really know God through prayer. I want to conquer (at least mostly) my doubts and hesitations because I see with my own eyes daily through the Lulu Tree how God answers prayer, I have seen firsthand prayers being answered when I finally break down and pray out loud with someone, I need to be able to do it more confidently.

I want to pray more often and consistently and find a really good system that works for me. So far I have not been very successful at this...

There are so many people that I say I'll pray for and after one time, it slips my mind - I want to be a better warrior of prayer on this end.

What is your One Little Word for this year?