have you got a word?

New Year springs out from beneath the cellophane of the 2013 calendar. It is right here and will be here for whole year!

And with the arrival of a new year comes the arrival of that annual tradition...

The New Year's Resolution.

Except that this year people (lots of whom like Jesus) are subverting this cultural behemoth.

I keep hearing of different approaches people take. In 2012 a number of folk know had a hashtag #yearofthankfulness

And this was great.
People uploading photos everyday, of something they were thankful for.

Really loved that.

But then read I @sarahbessey 's blog. I'm not even sure how I came to know aout her.

But her blog had a great suggestion. One which there is a whole online movement about.

There's a website dedicated to this idea.

Rather than choosing a resolution. The principle is to choose a word.

It could be a word you know you struggle with. Or something you lack.

But you choose the word and go with it.

Bessey chose "fearless" and for a year whenever she encountered her fears, she faced up to them.

I like the sound of this way of doing things.

So I have chosen my word.

And when you hear my word you may think it is a cop-out.

But it isn't.

My word is "prayer".

Because realise that I have in the last 18 months lost my hunger for prayer.

I have lost the emphasis of prayer in my life.

For too many reasons I have let my relationship with God fizzle out.

But this word "prayer" is my way of claiming it back.

I will seek to pray everyday. And I mean really pray.

Talk and listen.

I will write "prayer" on my heart and on my hands.

I will turn to prayer before I turn to moaning and before I head towards

Anger and
Frustration and
Sadness.

Instead will pray.

Do you have a word?

What might your word be?