7 Actions to Take Now with Your One Word
Welcome back, friend! Happy new year! Have you ever wondered what to do with your One Word?
Having a One Word can be intertwined in the stages and seasons in which we walk with God. In this post I’m sharing some practical ways to apply your One Word to your life.

How to Choose a One Word
Before I even knew about selecting a “customized” word, I can remember other words that have been the word of the season that kept time with my heartbeat, and the related transformation only God can produce. A few examples:
- pursue – when I needed to seek God with everything that was in me, and I found Him
- wisdom – when God was showing me that I had some characteristics of a bibilical fool, and it was high time to choose His ways
- friend – when God was enabling me to be fulfilled through choosing Jesus as my best friend, instead of trying to force it through human relationship
- humility – when God uprooted pride
God might drop one in your spirit. Or you might decide to look at life through the lens of a chosen word and ask God to do with you what He wants through it. After being intentional with praying about what one word God wanted for me, the journey was even more obvious:
- strengthen – when I was learning to lean on the Father as my first source of strength in every area…the word ended up changing to diligence
- faith – when I had to believe God for Who He is, instead of allowing circumstances to shake me into doubt
- rest – when I finally chose to quit pushing myself past physical limitations (driven by a superwoman mentality), to truly embrace physical and spiritual rest
- responsive – when God said to be fully and obediently responsive in every area of responsibility
- create – when God allowed me to dream big and have fun with creativity
Each word, each year, each process…was a yielding to the Potter at the wheel.
How Long a One Word Lasts
I’ve noticed my One Word doesn’t always fit neatly into the 365 days of a single year. This year, my One Word started this past fall. The word before that, create, lasted for about a year and a half.
I’ve learned that it’s not necessarily about having a new word each year as it is being
led by the Spirit. (Doing that has helped me actually keep up with my word for the long run.)
I haven’t always gotten a word after asking Him, so I don’t chase it.
But other times He has surprised me with the clear direction of a One Word. Those times have been used by God to do a complete overhaul in my thinking in a given area, or I have found that I had been oblivious to His plans.
I guess as a distracted-at-times-mom, God has hit me upside the head with my word written on a 2×4. 😉
My Current One Word
This past fall I started thinking about next year. I prayed and opened my heart for what God wanted with me. He dropped in my spirit many ideas and laid some tasks on my heart. Much of it is to be able to create with my hands.
Then I asked Him if He had a new word for me.
Trust.
As He peeled back the scales on my eyes I recognized the need
for entrusting
and believing
and faith in
for confidence in
and reliance on
for confiding in
and depending on
God.
And that is trust.
So in this season I want to live with a trusting heart and stay nourished and thriving in Christ.
Having a #OneWord can be intertwined in the stages and seasons in which we walk with God. #ThrivingInChrist
What to Do with Your One Word
I love to have practical actions to follow through with a plan. So here are seven actions you can take now with your One Word!
Pray.
Ask God if He has a word for you during this season. Then simply listen. He may drop a word in your spirit, or bring to your remembrance a word that recently stirred your heart. If nothing comes right away, keep listening. If nothing ever comes, don’t force it. He may not be directing you to have a word right now, and that’s okay.
Research the definition.
Look it up in the dictionary, or even in the Hebrew or Greek lexicon if applicable. Look it up in the thesaurus. Check out the antonym, too. Write down your findings, as the picture of what this word means for you becomes more clear. You might want to write a simple version of your research on an index card or in the front of a dedicated journal used just for your certain word.
Write questions.
You may not have the answers right now, but recording the questions will alert your heart to what God may want to do with you during this season. Some questions you may want to write down: Why do you think this word is for you? How do you think it will apply to your life? What is God saying about it?
Find foundational scriptures.
I did this especially when my word was faith, and saw pertinent truths to help me move forward. Post them on index cards in a place you will see them every day. It will help you memorize them!
Chart some goals.
Is there anything you feel compelled to do because of this choice? What results do you want to see? God will give you practical ways to apply your word. Ask Him. He cares about the details of your life!
Take the first step.
Break down the goals into steps. When my word was create, I selected a specific notebook to jot down ideas, dream, and begin creating. My next step was to choose a time to create regularly.
Record the journey.
As you see how God is moving in your life through your One Word, write it in your spiritual journal. If you ever feel discouraged, reread how God specifically moved in your life.
Your Turn
Do you have a One Word? God wants to do an amazing work in you during this season! Could you share some ideas on what to do with your One Word?
Share your word in the comments to inspire and encourage others! Bloggers, if you’ve written a post about it, add your link as well.
Like this post? Your friends probably would, too! Use the icons below to share it with them. Your friends will be glad you didn’t keep it all to yourself!
Thanks for sharing your ideas for embracing our One Word more thoughly. This is only my second year of One Word, and my prayer is to grow more fully in grace through it. Here’s where I’m starting:
http://www.davidsdaughter.co/blog/arent-you-ready-yet
Blessings from your neighbor at Kelly’s
Hi, Alice! Thanks for stopping by today. That’s a good prayer. Thanks for sharing your link; I’ll be heading over soon. 🙂
Such great suggestions to help us all discover our word more deeply. I especially liked the idea of charting some goals. It will help us to apply our words to our lives in a practical way each day. Glad to have stopped here this morning. Happy New Year!
I’m glad you thought it was helpful, Joanne! It helps to write things out—at least it does for me. 😉 Happy new year! 🙂
These are great recommendations, Kelly! I think it is so wise to know that your one word might not expire after one year. My current word is INVEST. I will call it the 2017 word, but I’ve been bending toward it since the end of September already! Blessings!
Great to see you here again, Liz! That is a great word, and I see it fitting for you! I love how we are walking in seasons with God. Praying you stay nourished and thriving this week, friend!
These are great tips. 2016 was the first time I had a word- surrender- and I was surprised by how powerful it was. This year my word is voice. Looking forward to seeing how it will work out.
Yes, surrender is quite a powerful word. Hmm..voice. Interesting to see how that plays out! That can be a powerful word, too. God is working mightily! Thanks for joining us today, Lesley!
Kelly, somehow I felt relieved by what you said about some words being just for a season or longer than a year. Because last year I chose Wonder, but honestly that only lasted about 4 months. Then God kind of turned my life upside down, so it was harder to hold on to Wonder. 🙂 He was teaching me other things though! I like your suggestions, especially the one about word-related goals. Good ideas.
I’m glad to here that, Betsy! And it’s great to see you here again! Praying you stay nourished and thriving this week. 🙂
THANK YOU! I’m so fond of this!!! So much so that I included a link back to it on my newest post!!! <3 <3 <3
I’m so happy to hear that, Kela! 🙂
I love getting a word from the Lord. It makes me feel special. Funny story.. a couple of years ago I asked the Lord for my word that year. He said manipulation. My mouth dropped… Lord, did I hear you right? I thought I was way off or out on a lost path. So, I asked Him again… God, did you say manipulation? He said Yes!… run from it. Ha ha… I did. That was one year for me to watch how I spoke, take down my face mask, and learn how to deal with others, even when I did not like their answers. Thanks for sharing this, Kelly, in case someone out there has never asked for a Word. I truly find it wonderful. It does make me search my heart all year long.
Wow, thanks for sharing that, Carol. It’s a testimony, too. God will really do a work in our heart if we are only willing.