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.

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.

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