What’s your word?
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January 6, 2022
What’s an Anchor Word?
Each year, I take a moment to reflect and, in prayer, ask God for a word to define what He wants to do in, and through me, in the new year. And E.V.E.R.Y. single year, without fail, God gives me a word that proves to be just right for how the year turns out.
An anchor word is a word, sometimes a phrase, that helps you live intentionally through the year. For me, as a believer, it is a prophetic word of what I need to be mindful of regardless of challenges, victories, uncertainties, or disappointments. Anchor words help to keep me grounded. My word for 2021 was "faithful." God wanted me to trust Him more, not just for the little things but also for the big things, especially those I couldn't control. And because I had some trust issues, He wanted me to see that He is Faithful.
There were days I almost gave up on projects or promises I felt the Lord led me to do. I would cry, and each time I wanted to throw in the towel, I will remember the word - FAITHFUL. HE IS FAITHFUL. And moments later, I found myself with strength. And each time, God met me and showed up exceedingly, abundantly more than I thought.
Having a word from God for the year anchors our soul in Him. It keeps us from spiraling into anxiety when things don't look like they are supposed to be. It reminds us to pray for the very work God wants to do in and through us. It keeps us grounded in the reality that God would do what He said He would do if we trusted Him. That is why I want to encourage you to ask God for your anchor word or phrase for the year, no matter when it is in the year (it is never too late). Whatever this word is, it will be unique to you and what God wants to do in you.
So how do you figure out your Anchor Word?
Pray and Listen.
It sounds trite and very christianese, but it is true. Pray and ask God for the word, and quiet yourself to see if anything resonates in your heart. Sometimes, the word or phrase may leap out to you as you pray and read your bible. It could be something your friend may say to you, and for some reason, it keeps resurfacing in your heart and mind. Other times, it is a word you keep seeing repeatedly, and you can’t shake it out of your mind. However, it comes; let it be from praying and being attentive to look for it.
How do you stick to your Anchor Word?
Because having it is one thing, being intentional about living it out is another. So here are a couple of tips to help.
Back it up.
Once you identify your word, back it up, and connect it with scripture, okay, I will say this one more time, back up your anchor word with scripture. Why? Because we can always go back to it as a reminder and for a reference. For instance, my word, Faithful, was linked to Lamentations 3: 23. I would pray my word according to this scripture, especially when I felt afraid that God would not come through. Seeing the scripture was a great reminder that God would do what He said He would do; he was Faithful to accomplish it according to Philippians 1:6. Combining your word with a scripture provides reassurance, like having your most precious memories back up in cloud storage just in case your phone dies and you lose all the data. You can always refer back to it, wherever you are and whenever you need it, because you have cloud storage. It also serves as a great prayer point to pray regularly.
2. Brand it.
Proverbs 7:2-3 says,
Obey my commands and live! Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes. Tie them on your fingers as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.
Find something you can do or create to help you remember your word. It can be a framed picture in your bathroom or closet, a customized necklace, bracelet, or a graphic tee you can wear regularly. Or maybe just a plain sticky note on your car dashboard. Whatever helps you, please do it. But makes sure your word from God for the year, connected to scripture, is placed somewhere you will see all the time.
I hope this is helpful. For a more robust and extensive way to determine your word of the year, I recommend listening to, Finding your word for the year, from the podcast, We are going there, Bianca Olthoff. It was a bonus episode released on January 7, 2021.
I hope this has been helpful. Let me know what you think, and if you are comfortable, tell me your word, too.
Be Inspired and Live Empowered.
Bomi