One Word

The One Word Challenge is picking a word that you will focus on for a whole year. This one word shapes how you look at your year.

I was recently introduced to the concept of One Word. After looking around a bit on the internet, I see that it has been around for a while. If you are not familiar with it like I was, it is the idea of picking a word to be the focus of your year. It’s meant to be an inspiration for you, not one more thing to do. There is a website and a book all about picking your word.

If I had done this this year, my one word would have been serve. I began my year last year by reading Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker. While reading that, I was also doing a training for selling Young Living. I struggled with bring the two together in my mind. God kept saying that He wanted me to use Young Living as a ministry and to serve people with essential oils. I then read 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess also by Jen Hatmaker. This book reminded me even further that I need to focus on what’s important. Focus, first on God and then the things He has given me to do – serve and love. Through this book and Crazy Love by Francis Chan, God kept saying “Do your one thing.” When things like the Syrian refugee crisis became apparent and I struggled with that I couldn’t do all I wanted, God would say, “Do your one thing.” And then reading For the Love again by Jen Hatmaker cemented my one word for the year – Serve.

For 2016, I keep thinking about what my one word is going to be. I have been listening to some more training for selling Young Living. One of the recordings made me realize that I have so many jobs and they don’t all fall under one focus. I needed a focus and then figure out how these things fall under that focus. I wrote down all the jobs. Most of them seem to fall in the category of ministering to women. So my focus is that. I think it will allow me to do better with this focus. Be a better employee, be a blogger, be a better Young Living distributor and be a better friend.

When I was first introduced to the concept of one word, I thought my word for 2016 would be serve again. But now after thinking and praying about it, I believe my word is minister. The definition of minister is to give service, care, or aid. It goes along well with last years word. I can’t wait to see how this shapes my year.

Here is the challenge:

One Word 2016 Challenge
What’s the One Word 2016 Challenge all about?
One word.
A word that is the underlying theme for your year.
One word to inspire you and guide your choices throughout the year.
A word that has a powerful meaning to you.
One word that describes the picture you have for your year.
Yes, just ONE!!
One simple, powerful word that resonates in your heart.
There are thousands to choose from.
What comes to mind when you picture your year?
What do you want to accomplish?
How many people’s lives do you want to impact?
What do you want to focus on in 2016?
Who do you want to become?