December 29, 2015

How WONDER Showed Up and Showed Off this year (and my OneWord365 for 2016!)




For the last several years, I've joined in with the growing community who picks one little word... or actually, allows one little word come and pick us! It's not that I don't still entertain the idea of goal setting and whispering a few New Years' Resolutions... I am still all in for that. 

But the thing is, I want to make changes - to allow changes to come all year long and not just fade away by midJanuary February! What I have come to love about OneWord365 is how by simply inviting one word into your life... it opens you up to find it all year long

As the OneWord365 website says, "Forget New Year's Resolutions.  Scrap that long list of goals you won't remember three weeks from now anyway.  Choose just one word.  One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live.  One word that you can focus on every day, all year long."



My OneWord365 for 2015 was "Wonder" - what a great word, right? (So much better than what I'm hearing for 2016, but I digress! Insert whiny voice there!)

I wrote a bit about Wonder here and here and here --but really, Wonder and how he showed up was sprinkled all over the blog this year! 

In looking back over 2015, I see how Wonder was peeking around every corner and just begging for a little attention! I suspect he had been there all the while, but it took my focusing on Wonder and actually looking for him for me to finally see that truly, He is everywhere! 

When we seek out Wonder, we will find it... Him... everywhere we look!


So, Wonder showed up and showed off and honestly, in most ways - it was so good!  I feared a little of the dark side of Wonder in the beginning of 2015... and a little darkness did come to light. But overall, Wonder was, --well, wonderful! (I know... but I had to do it, y'all!)

So... I've gone from Release, to Surprise, to Vision, to Wonder, to my OneWord for 2016 which I am still arguing over but I believe He will (as usual) win... and it will be"Change" (I know, right? More? Really?)




I love words... and picking just one is always tricky. One thing that helps is looking up the definition of my OneWord because it not only offers more words, but also this: I always think I know what it means, but I am usually pleasantly surprised and even more ready to embrace it after spending some time with Webster...

Here are a few of the definitions that stood out to me for Change:
:to make different in some particular
:alter; to make radically different or to transform
:to give a different position, course, or direction to

:to make a shift from one to another; to switch 
:to become different; to undergo transformation, transition, or substitution 
Whew... I'm tired just thinking about it, y'all! 

As I mentioned, when this word first began to capture my attention, it also caught my breath because - gah? 

Haven't we embraced Change enough already? I mean, for real.  

We have had a lot of Change this year... sure, much of it was wrapped in Wonder - but not all of it and all year long God has been challenging me on my Comfort Zone and my desire to have things remain the same, and I've been stepping out and laying things down and still... He wants to give me "Change"? 

I was telling a friend last week that even though I am pretty sure that "Change" is my word... I really don't want it! I felt like He told me in September and my response was something like, "That's silly, God! I've had enough of that!"  

But every month He confirms it. 

I know, I know... Change is can be good, but I also know it can be bad. And we've had a lot of change already this year. But "Change" is my word for 2016 and I could fight it and it would be bad or I could just embrace it and it could be good. ...which is kind of the whole point of Change anyway, right? We can fight it and it's bad, or we can learn to embrace it and expect it to be good!

I feel like I have learned to hold things with open hands and lean in to change instead of kick against the goads over the past few years, and yet when He whispered "Change" --fear rose up and threatened to get lodged in my throat!

I asked God for a Scripture.  You know, for confirmation... and He gave me 1 Cor 15:51.  I had to go look it up and yep... that's it.  Who ever said God didn't have a sense of humor and knows how to let us know He's speaking to us?
"Listen very carefully, I tell you a mystery [a secret truth decreed by God and previously hidden, but now revealed]; we will not all sleep [in death], but we will all be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed]..." 1Cor15:51 Amplified
Did you catch that? Wondrously transformed... well then, who doesn't want that? And so "Change" on the heels of "Wonder" suddenly makes total sense and I am thinking, "Why yes! Yes, please! Give me some of that!"

So here we go... another New Year... New Opportunities and Fresh Starts and Choices all around us to embrace the New... to let go of the Old and lean in, arms open wide, ready for the Change that will wondrously transform us all!

Are you ready? 
Deep breath, my friend! We can do this!

Happy New Year!



Linking up with these lovely ladies:

Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory












Holly Barrett for #TestimonyTuesday

Kelly Balarie for #RaRaLinkUp


Do you have OneWord this year?  If so, I'd love to know what it is! Share in the Comments below!

18 comments :

  1. That word makes me catch my breath too! Change is not easy. I'm still waiting for God to show me my one word for this year.

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    1. Well... my first response was, "Lucky!" ;) hehe... I know He will show you and it will be great! I can't wait to hear what it is! Happy New Year, my friend!

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  2. Change is hard and routine-jarring, but "wondrously transformed?" I like the sound of that. Thanks so much sharing your one word story, Karrilee.

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    1. I know, right? Funny how tweaking the definition makes it so much better! ;) Happy New Year... may change find us both only and in all the best ways!

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  3. Love this! God has finally revealed my word - courageous. Mother trucking scary!!!!

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    1. Ooooh Courageous! That is so fun though... scary - yes... but also bold and strong and full of adventure! I will be praying with you through out this coming year! I can't wait to see how you grow in and through and with this word! xoxo (And mother trucking... hehe... yep... that's about it right there! That cracked me up girlie!)

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  4. How beautiful that God showed up and showed out this year through your One Word "Wonder." Love that choice! I'm looking forward to new adventures we'll have with him with our 2016 words. Happy New Year, Karrilee!

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    1. Thanks Lisa! Me, too! (You may need to remind me of that in the future though!) ;) Happy New Year!

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  5. Good stuff here, Karrilee! I'll be following you this next year, and as I do so, I'll look forward to seeing how God will use your word for good. Change. It's exciting! Blessings to you, sweet friend!

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    1. Hey my friend! It's good to see you here! Praying for you and all the change that is coming your way as well! Happy New Year, Julie!

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  6. Anonymous4:05 AM

    Well, girl, I applaud you for embracing that word!! LOL Can't wait to see what 2016 holds for you as you continue to be wondrously transformed. xoxo

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    1. Amen! LOL! "Wondrously transformed" sounds so much better than "Change" -right? xoxo Happy New Year, my friend!

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  7. I loved your thoughts on wonder! My word for last year was healing - and I was hoping it would mean that *all the bad stuff went away*. Of course, the Lord had many other lessons to teach me (I blogged about those this week). This is one of my favorite things about the *one word* practice. It means opening the door to the Lord. And He is a God of surprise indeed!

    As for 2016, I have been given a word that I am also struggling with. That's why I really appreciated your thoughts on your word, change. My word is not something that comes naturally to me, but God likes stretching us, doesn't He?!

    Wondrously transformed - yes, I like it!! And I can see where my new word is probably going to make that happen for me, too!!

    GOD BLESS!

    (I'm revealing it next week!)

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    1. Oh friend... I can't wait to find out what your OneWord is for 2016! We can lean in and be brave together! Happy New Year, Sharon!

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  8. Wow! No, change is not easy at times, but it is necessary to grow. What a wonderFUL (see I did it, too!) word God has given you for 2016!

    Blessings to you!

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    1. Ah yes... of course, now that I have decided to give in and embrace Change... well - it's partly because it's New Year season - but it seems everyone is talking about Change! Blessings right back, my friend!

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Thanks so much for stopping by! I always love to hear your thoughts! Remember to: Speak Life - Be Love - Shine On!
~Karrilee~

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