ONE WORD

ONE WORD.

I am a girl. I like to talk. When I’m passionate about something, I can talk your ear off. I like to use more words than less. So when I heard of "Life Women’s One Word to define your year", I was like yaaaa right, how on earth could one word define my year?  But I prayed about it and ohhh, the sweet, sweet power of prayer. See friends, the Lord answered my prayer. He gave me a word I had been hiding from for a long time. He gave me a word that I knew was hidden deep within the layers of my heart. He gave me a word that needs to be unleashed this year. The word he gave for me was…

BOLD

When I was a young girl, I was never shy. I was that kid with their hand up who the teacher would say to, “You answered the last question, let someone else have a turn.” I was that kid who loved reading in front of the class. I loved acting. One night James and I were going through a box of my old report cards and we stumbled upon a gem note from my grade 3 teacher, Mrs. Samuelson. It read, "Laura loves expressing her creativity through writing stories. She equally loves reading these stories out in front of the whole class." 

Through out high school and my late teen years, I was never one to hold back my opinion. I grew up in a household where having your own opinion was encouraged. In a lot of ways my boldness didn’t work the best for me. I made countless, stupid, “bold" decisions and said a lot of "bold" things, that were hurtful to others and best left unsaid. I "boldly" declared that I was a Christian then lived a "bold" life that was anything but Christ-like.

When I finally let Christ into my heart to begin to fully transform my life, my boldness transferred over. I was so bold those first few years, also very young in my wisdom and understanding. Over the years as I grew “wiser” as a more mature Christian, I felt as if I hid that boldness away. I felt that I didn’t want to offend anyone or embarrass myself. I held back my opinion more and more (which isn’t always a bad thing). I held prayers in my heart instead of boldly expressing them. I kept ideas in my mind instead of casting them out into the open. That little girl who boldly put up her hand to be a part of anything, was shrouded behind a veil of pride.

Well this year things are going to be a bit different around here. The enemy has tried to keep me timid but this lioness is rising to what her Father in Heaven is calling her to. I read this verse a couple days after God gave me the word of Bold for the year.

"God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.” -2 Timothy 7 MESSAGE

I know the gifts that God has given me and I’m ready to be bold in them. I’m ready to pray those bold prayers. I’m ready to speak those bold words. I’m ready to dream those bold dreams. And I’m ready to do boldly whatever the Lord will ask me to do.

Already this year, I’ve been asked to do things which will require some boldness. I know that if I tried on my own, I’d fail terribly. But God is with me, guiding me, strengthening me, filling me with His Spirit that can “accomplish infinitely more than we (I) might ask or think.”-Ephesians 3:20 

Oh hey 2012. This year I’m ready to be BOLD.

Be encouraged friends! I want to know the ONE WORD that God gives for you for 2012. Share on the comments or facebook or email me so i can be praying for you!!

Love you to the moon & back,

s.s.♥.