Happy New Year everyone. Welcome to 2016 and to a more concerted effort on my part to blog, since last year I pretty much abandoned blogging.
The new year is often a time for setting new goals or resolutions, a good time to refocus our lives on what’s really important, though I tend to do this throughout the year as and when my context changes. Being in education means we have a refocus in September as well.
But this year I’ve decided to have a focus word for the year. You can find lots of info on the web about this from both a faith and secular perspective. I did it a couple of years ago when I chose the word ‘being’ – I used it to help me to focus on the importance of just being rather than doing. Being with people and being with God, without the need to have a purpose to the being other than just a presence. I believed it helped me develop tremendously.
This year’s focus word is ‘Sow’. I am anticipating a change in my role this year which has caused me to reflect on what my calling is and who I am. I believe I am a ‘Sower’; I think I’m called to help people develop new things or change things that aren’t working for them. As I go through a process of discernment as to where to go next, my focus word will help me to know whether I’m heading in the right direction.
Here is my page at the beginning of my faith journal…
As you can see I have chosen a verse from Luke 8 which comes from a parable that Jesus shared. The verse reminds me that when God is present in the place that I choose to sow, then the crop that flourishes there will be amazing. It is a reminder to me to discover where God is already working in the world and to join in with the heavenly mission to bring healing and reconciliation, light into darkness and love in abundance.
The words on the left are from Galations 6 and are a reminder that whatever we sow we will reap. So if we sow hate we are likely to reap hate. When we sow fear and close our borders to those in need, we are likely to increase our fear of the stranger, which in turn has many other negative consequences. When we decide to solve problems with violence we are likely to reap more violence. We reap what we sow.
When we sow love, we are likely to see love flourishing.
Our governments, as well as us all as individuals, would do well to heed these words of wisdom in Galations.
The words among the letters of the word SOW are the things I aspire to sow – faith, hope and community. All things I believe God wants for the people of this world.
What would your word for 2016 be and what quote might support that word and inspire your focus for this year?
Share in the comments below, I would love to hear about them.
The Arty stuff:
My journal is a Moleskine notebook with printed grid pages. The pages are quite thin so although I used Crayola twistables coloured pencils, when I outlined in a black fineliner, it showed through on the adjacent pages so I’ve glued them together. It also makes the pages stronger.
This year I want too try to participate in some other online communities as we faith journal together. Here are links to some that I’m joining in with. Go ahead and join us … I look forward to seeing you there.
Logos365 with His Kingdom Come