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I'm not sure who originated the idea (anybody know and want to tell me the story?), but many of us who blog have adopted the practice of asking God for a word and a picture to go with it as a theme of focus for the new year. This is my second time joining in--last year my word was ABIDE and I focused on abiding in my Father's love, looking to Him in eager expectation while I learned to settle down and rest in adoring relationship with Him.
Abiding will be a lifelong focus, so I am not dropping last year's theme for a new one, but this is a year of newness for me and that being the case, 2012 needs it's own word. The word I believe God has been repeatedly bringing to my heart the last couple of weeks as I prayed about my One Word is: CHALLENGE.
At 48, I am not at an age that is typically characterized by new beginnings or launching points, however, 48 or not, I am beginning something new. I am picking up the reins of a dream I let go of when I was 18 but a dream that never let go of me. It is a dream that looks like a long climb to reach the summit when you're standing at the very beginning of the trail far below. It will challenge me and take my best stuff to get to where I can breathe the rarefied air of a dream come true. I will need to be disciplined, determined and stubbornly committed for the duration of the climb, f-o-r y-e-a-r-s, if I expect to see the view from the top.
I EXPECT to see the view from the top!!!
This picture of Glacier Lake in Cathedral Lakes Provincial Park is the picture that will be my constant companion this year in learning about challenging myself. In September I told you
the story of what it took for me to get to the spot where I took this picture, and I told you how incredibly strong it made me feel to have pushed myself that hard and to find how much more I was capable of than what I would have thought. I knew that day, coming down that mountain, that I was coming back different than when I left.
Aside from this new thing which I'm sure you'll hear more about as things progress, there are other aspects of my life with their own big goals. I have goals for physical fitness, for managing my home, for writing and creating, and for my faith walk. I am going to CHALLENGE myself in each one of these areas to go for it, to do what it takes, to take the risk, to push through the barriers and scramble over the obstacles.
"I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]." Philippians 4:13 AMP
Don't misunderstand, this is not some new "try hard" effort in my own strength to pursue earthly success. This is a daughter of the King refusing to spend one more day living beneath my privilege, refusing to live like my own strength is all I've got, refusing to be just another also-ran! It's time to stop giving myself excuses like "busy" and "tired." It's time to dig the potential God gave me out of the ground where I buried it for "safe-keeping"(???), and INVEST it for God's glory! It's time to stop playing it safe and calling it wisdom.
Ready or not, HERE I COME!!
Do you ever find yourself living beneath your privilege?
Where would you like to challenge yourself to try something new in 2012?
I can't wait to read the other One Word posts!!
Big thanks to Melanie Moore @ Only A Breath for the beautiful button she made for my one word!!
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and Mary DeMuth
A heartfelt thank you to these generous bloggers
who make these communities available!
