CHOOSE A WORD FOR YOUR YEAR TO REMIND YOU OF GOD
It’s
become common for many Christians to start the year by seeking a word or phrase
that will define their year, an intentional area of growth or focus. Peace.
Letting go. Nourish. I have friends who have actively prayed for a revelation
of these intentional words.
I,
on the other hand, have actively avoided defining the year by one word. Much
like New Year’s resolutions and weekend diet promises, I figured that this goal
of living out one word all year would quickly be lost amid my hectic schedule
and scattered brain. It seemed like just
one more way I could fail. And who
among us needs a reminder of our shortcomings? So I was intentional about not selecting a word for 2014.
But God had other plans. It started
back in October when one of my short stories was included in a collection with
the subtitle Tales of Joy and Wonder for
the Holidays, and I had to ask myself where my wonder had gone.
At
Thanksgiving I got away to a cabin by a lake near my home in Middle Tennessee.
Every morning there I delighted in the crunching leaves and crisp breeze during
my walk. Every night I sat on the porch in absolute awe of the sunsets.
Christmas brought time with my sweet family and a reminder of the joy in the
hearts of children as I spent the week with my precious nieces and nephews.
Shortly
after the New Year, I went to dinner with my best friend, who shared her word
of intention for the year with me and asked if I had one. I opened my mouth to
tell her no but stopped short. Over the previous three months, God had been highlighting—in
little ways—one word. Wonder.
Awe.
Delight.
Astonishment.
Marvel.
This
year I’ve intentionally looked for sweet reminders of who God is.
In
the laughter of a child. In the sublime colors painting an evening sky. In the
whisper of fall leaves. In deep breaths. In unexpected gifts. In kept promises.
In God’s Word.
They’re
not always adorned in bright lights, but they remind me that God deserves my
wonder, that I should stand in awe of Him.
And the funny thing is, the more I set my
heart on just how incredible God is, the less I focus on my own shortcomings.
I don’t know if I’ll have another intentional word for next year, but I think I
could spend the rest of my life marveling at who He is.
STOLEN MEMORIES BY LIZ JOHNSON
IF ONLY SHE COULD REMEMBER…
Attacked and left for dead,
"Julie Thomas" has amnesia, and doesn't know why anyone would want to
hurt her. But when surveillance video of that night shows Julie holding a
baby—a baby nowhere to be found—she panics. Is the child hers? Where is she
now? With no answers and no place to go, Julie accepts Detective Zach Jones's
offer to help her solve both mysteries. The handsome, loyal cop makes her feel
safe. But someone is trying very hard to make sure her memories stay buried
forever.
ABOUT LIZ JOHNSON
By day Liz Johnson is a nonfiction
marketing manager for a Christian publisher. She finds time to write fiction
late at night and is a two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist. Liz makes her home
in Nashville, TN, where she enjoys theater, exploring local music, and making
frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her nieces and nephews. She loves stories
of true love with happy endings.
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