Words are an important part of our lives. Some are randomly spoken while others with much more authority and purpose.
If you’ve been around Lingering In The Oasis for awhile you’ll know I often start the new year with a focus word. I believe the word given is provided by God and has a divine purpose in my life.
Many people start the new year with resolutions that become burdensome and fall to the wayside soon after their good intentions. I’ve found for me, if I simplify and focus on one positive word or phrase, I can incorporate many resolutions within itself. This helps me stay on track, accomplish more, and brings encouragement along the journey.
As Annette and I woke from our New Year’s Eve evening nap on the couch just in time to celebrate the final countdown, we decided to do something different that we had not pre-planned.
We chose to take communion.
And as the clock struck 12, we kissed and began to pray.
As I prayed, without having any thought of a word to choose for 2025, a word become the center point of our prayer.
GROW
Grow is a word that can cover so much. It’s a word that has depth and shows results. It can bring about beauty and success.
As we grow older and look through the lens of time to sharpen the pinpoints for the coming days, this midnight prayer was a focus not as much for ourselves, but primarily for our family.
Continue to grow and increase in God’s grace and intimacy with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18
God we ask that our children and their children continue to grow in You. May their spiritual walk become deeper and even greater than they could ever imagine.
May faith swell up and overtake all the obstacles that try to pull them down. May their leadership and maturity as parents and spouses run deeper than expected. Build up their families to flourish in unity and prosperity.
May our grandchildren continue to grow strong and healthy. May they continue to learn about You and desire Your ways. May the fun that they exuberant continue to be contagious.
Your spiritual roots go deeply into His life as you are continually infused with strength, encouraged in every way. For you are established in the faith you have absorbed and enriched by your devotion to Him! Colossians 2:7
May Your peace stretch over all of our circumstances beyond comprehension. May Your hope enlarge like a sequoia tree that will not sway nor bend. May Your love spread like morning glory vines that cover much more than they have in the past. And through each season of this year, may Your joy expand, so we can sow the seeds for others to nurture and multiply along side us.
Once we consumed our grape juice and cracker, we felt a sense of fulfillment.
Not seeking a word for this year, God still drew near.
He draws near because He cares….
because He wants us to learn, gain, and grow.
This will be our year focus.
What about you?
Could one word make a difference for you this year?
Ask Him and see.
Images by Create228studio
