My One Word 2013 REACH

Last night I was reading my Proverbs 31 Ministries magazine and I read an article by Rachel Olsen.  It was about Choosing One Word to focus on for the year rather than tying yourself up with resolutions that, let's face it, most of us never keep anyway.  It was as if a light bulb went off in my head!  This is exactly what I have needed! 

I am going to paraphrase here, but basically the idea is to pick a word that will be your inspiration, your filter for the entire year.  I see it as the way I will approach each and every day.  I really want to draw closer to God.  I want to draw into a deeper relationship with Him and be used to bless others.  I do not know the plans God has for my life, but I do know that I want to walk that walk that He planned for me.  I see this as my start. 

After reading the article, I felt so inspired and excited, I immediately looked up the book that Rachel wrote with her pastor Mike Ashcraft titled "My One Word: Change Your Life With Just One Word."  Only pure will kept me from ordering it last night online.  It isn't that I didn't want to.  I just order a lot through Amazon and if I order through Amazon, I tend to order enough to get free shipping.  As Christmas just went by, that would not be very frugal of me.  So I stepped away from my excitement and decided to pray.

I so admire women like Rachel Olsen, Renee Swope, Tracie Miles, Lysa TerKeurst, Joyce Myers, Candace Cameron-Bure and...well, let's just say the list goes on and on.  These lovely women have such hearts for God.  I am in awe of them really.  Seeing these ladies in action is humbling, and it stirs up a desire in my own heart to be used by God.  First though I want to truly hunger for God, desire His word and His company more than anything else.  I want to live the life He created me to live and discover the gifts that he has given me to bless others.  I don't just want it, I want to want it.  If that makes sense.  I want to desire His will more than my own.  I want to conform my desires to God's plans.  When I think of who I want to be at the end of the year 2013, I'd like to be just remotely like any of these women and others.  I want to love, I want to give, I want to inspire.  I want more than anything to again desire my God and serve my God above all else. 

So I prayed.  God knows my heart.  He knows how I feel.  I told Him that I wanted to find one word for the new year.  I told him that I wanted to pick up the book and learn more, but if I could have that word before I picked up the book, that would be awesome too.  I asked for that word that fit where my heart is and where it longs to be.  Then in my mind was the word ----REACH.  I literally asked out loud "Was that you God?  Did you tell me reach?"  I answered myself.  Of course it was God.  Why would I toss the word REACH out?  I could choose faithful, truth, love, devotion, and go on and on (and there is nothing wrong with any of those words).  But that is not me. Not that I don't feel those things, but I am a quirky gal.  I am going to definitely go a more obscure route.  REACH is my route.  I knew it more and more as I slowly lulled off to sleep.

This morning I woke up a little frazzled.  See I wasn't sure what I was going to talk about on air (I am still so new to this hosting gig), and it still gets me sometimes.  I was in the bathroom stressing a bit and began to brush my teeth.  I then thought "Reach."  I stopped everything and prayed to God for the strength to get through my show and asked Him to lead the way.  I immediately felt better.  When I got into the station the phone rang constantly.  I ran back and forth from my early morning duties to the phone.  I had just made a pot of coffee for the office and poured myself a cup when the phone rang.  The caller on the other end was sobbing.  She asked if there was anyone who could talk with her.  She said she felt so sad, depressed and wanted to take her life.  There were three of us in the studio.  Me, the morning host, and one of our financial personnel.  I gulped.  Then again REACH came to mind.  Again, I reached out to God for help and reached out to this woman not knowing what to say but praying that God would touch her and take away her pain.  Now this isn't some magic word, but it is helping me get my priorities straight.  It is keeping me in check, and I'm pretty psyched about that. 

God is amazing!  He is so good and so faithful.  I called and He answered.  I have no doubt of that.  Sometimes God surprises us.  I feel surprised and joyously so now.  I do not know what the year has in store, but I will be focusing with every part of myself on the word REACH and making it my action.  I will REACH into God's Word, REACH inside myself, and REACH out to God and to others.  I can't wait to see how this year goes! 

Oh!  While I was at work, I called the Family Christian Store in town, and they had the book "My One Word: Change Your Life With Just One Word."  I was so excited!  I told them I would be picking it up after I got out of the station, and they promised to hold it for me.  In the meantime I also discovered the website My One Word.  I signed up there as well.  :)  It is an inspiring place.  There are lots of people who have done this many times.  I can't wait to learn more!