ERICA DUNOMES

December is always a special time of the year for me. It’s the time that, after enduring all of the busyness of the previous eleven months, everything comes to a calm. A cease. Why? Undoubtedly, it’s the month that I choose to participate in a NO Social Media Challenge. Today, I share with you my one word for 2022 plus an acronym to help you find yours.

For one thing, I draw away to seek the face of God. It is not that I don’t seek God’s face every day. At this particular time, seeking His face seems to be more special. Even so, I’m not even sure I have the right words to explain it.

I love the pause that it brings as I reflect on everything that has taken place throughout the year. It’s a time that draws me to ask questions. Like a self-examination. What went well? What went wrong? In what ways did I change? It’s the time that I ask God to search me. The No Social Media Challenge is also the time where I ask God for my one word.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

~Psalm 139:23,24

One Word

Have you heard of it? It is kind of like setting New Year’s Resolutions. However, the only thing is that your focus is not so much set on five things that you want to start doing right away in the new year. You focus on one thing. The one thing that you believe God has laid on your heart to focus on. This word becomes the driving force for everything you do within your current year.

As you can see, one word is the word that gets the focus of your attention from the beginning of the year until the end. Firstly, this is the word that the goals of your life soon become set upon. Secondly, it’s the word that as you have prayed unto God for it, He answers your prayer not only with that word, but with a vision for how it will unfold in your life. Thirdly, you soon begin to see the course of your life taking shape to that one word.

Here are some one word focuses that I have had in past years:

• 2021: Restore – This was the year that God assured me that what was lost in a previous season of my life, He planned to restore in that season of my life.
• 2020: Move – This was the year that I declared that I would set goals and reach them. I would start and I would finish what I started. I would move.
• 2019: Unashamed – I was unashamed of the gospel – the Lord’s good news. I was unashamed of the hope that I have in Him (I am still currently unashamed). The hope I have in Him purifies me as He is pure.

My One Word for 2022: GROWTH.

One morning, not too long ago, God had revealed to me that where I thought I had growth, I was in fact, still wandering in the wilderness. Stuck. Stagnant. and not growing.

Since then, I have been going about my business to change that. I now realize that growth is the process through which change happens. For me, the kind of growth that I am referring to is intentional growth.

I’m such a lover of defining words. So, let me define those two for you:

Intentional – done with intention or on purpose. I am determined to mentally act upon desired action and/or result.

Growth – the act or process of developing with gradual increase; completed development. I am determined to grow beyond where I am.

Here’s the Scripture verse that I’m standing on:

And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up.

~Galatians 6:9

Giving up……is such an easy thing to do. It takes no effort at all to do it. But to stay the course, until you have finally reached your goal, that takes time, patience, and work.

All of the latter has always been a challenge for me. Can I get a show of hands for all of my friends who are of the I want to see fast results crew? My hand is definitely in the air.

Thankfully, growth is about recognizing where you’ve fallen short then doing what’s needed to change the outcome for the better.

Have you found your one word for the year? If you answered with a yes, great! I’m happy for you. If not, I have something that I believe will help you.

One simple acronym that can help you discover your one word for the year:

Ask. Seek. Knock.

Ask, and it will be given to you…(Matthew 7:7a);

Discovering your one word starts with you asking God the question as to what that one word is. Here’s a little nugget for you. God already knows the word He wants to give you. He’s just waiting for you to ask Him for it.

Seek, and you will find…(Matthew 7:7b);

Seek the face of God. Search the Word of God. Scripture is the greatest reveler of the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Therefore, pay attention to what word or words tug at your heartstrings as you read. It will be your one word.

Knock, and it will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7c).

Imagine, for example, that you went up to the house of Jesus, and when you reached His door, you knocked on it. You said, “Hello, Jesus, are you home? I came to talk to You about my one worrrd.” In conclusion, He opened the door and let you in. How would you feel about that? That’s exactly what this verse is implying. If you knock for your word, the door to it will open for it to be revealed.

Ha! How ironic that there would also be an a…b…c in relation to the verse that the acronym pertains to as well. It just goes to show that God always has an order to what He’s involved in.

Do you want to know what’s so special about this one-word focus? It is not the fact that you will receive one word. It is that in your hunger and thirst to hear from God, you will feel compelled to seek Him with an expectation that He will answer you. And, Friend, God wants to answer you.

Interested in having this acronym in printable form? Get it as a color page. Simply tell me where to send it.

Do you already have your one word for the year? Tell me in the comments below.

Love ya!