PURPOSE



I have been thinking about the word for this year. The first word that came up was excite. Last year was hard as we prepared to sell our home of 25 years. Endurance was my word and it is what I needed and still need. When we got our new little house, I had just turned 60. I had been praying to God to show me my purpose in the senior years of my life. I know that after God, my family comes first. But I also felt it was time to step out. I knew God was calling me to open my home to a women's life group. When my dad passed away in 2013, my being was rocked to the core. I felt lost, and alone. But it was grief and I sought counseling. I had to remember my dad's last words. You will be ok, you have your family and your faith. I knew that was true, but for the first time I was counting the number of years I had left. I was too focused on the what ifs of the future, and not living for today. I thought of how my dad made the most of his last years. When my mom was declining from Alzheimers, he joined a men's Bible study. He loved his band of brothers. They gave him a greater sense of purpose as they shared their lives. Though he was the "new believer" many of the men looked up to him, like a father figure. His faith grew more and he shared how his purpose was to see his family grow closer together. It is also what I want. I know the group will be group for me as we discuss things that pertain to the "senior years" I may be a senior according to my age, but I don't have to let it define my limits. Yes there is the physical age, but then there is the age we feel. I have to stop counting down the years and live each day, one day at a time. It doesn't mean I will not use wisdom but I will be the real me! Only God knows the number of my days.

Then it made me think of one of my favorite sayings.


I found all of Ecc 3 it really spoke to me because key words are highlighted.










Bible verses pertaining to Purpose





About One Word

One small word can make one big difference. You can pack a lot into just one word. No matter how busy or stressed you are, or how many distractions and obligations are fighting for your attention, it's easy to remember one word — and believe it or not, one word has the power to impact your life so much more than a laundry list of resolutions. Research shows that nearly 90 percent of New Year's resolutions fail, 50 percent within the first month, but the right word will drive and motivate you to be your best for the entire year. Different people will pick different words for different reasons, but the key is finding a single word that is meant for you. When you're open to it and reflect on it & pray about it, a word will come to you that is meant to shape you.

Your one word represents the essence of what you want to accomplish during the year, but instead of burdening you with a list of tasks to do, it keeps you focused on an overarching concept of how to be. No matter what slings and arrows life throws your way, your one word can endure and adapt. One word sticks. It's straightforward. It doesn't leave room for confusion or excuses. You don't have an entire list like you do with 'resolutions'.

Want to give it a try again? Here are some tips to find your one word,and put it into action: Ponder the possibilities. Make some time to reflect and pray about it. Think about some positive changes you'd like to see in your life, bad habits you'd like to break, and goals you have for yourself. Look inward and ask important questions like, 'What do I need? What do I want? What is in the way? What do I need to focus on? Then see if any common values or themes or specific words bubble up.
Listen to your gut. Don't over think it. The point isn't to make your word sound impressive. But it should have significance for you.
Visualize it in real life. Consider what it might look like in practice, and visualize it affecting your life. Be open-minded and push yourself to think beyond the word's obvious definition. Chances are its influence will be wider than you first thought.

Create reminders. If you keep your one word in front of you, it will stay at the forefront of your mind where the Lord can use it can guide your attitude and actions. That could be as simple as a sticky note on your bathroom mirror. Or you could get creative. Some have turned their words into jewelry, engraved them into wood displays for their desk at work, or made paintings with them.

Enlist support. Like fitness in general, doing the "One Word" process with others can be fun and raise your odds of following through. Consider brainstorming and sharing your word with your family & friends.

Capture your word in action. Keep a record of how your word influences your life throughout the year. That could be a journal or blog. Look back on those successes when you need a boost. This time next year, that record will be a great tool to take stock.
The bottom line is that you want to pick a word that's going to wake you up every morning and get you moving towards the goals of that word.

The Lord can use your word to change your life in ways you never thought a single word could accomplish.





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