One Word 2013
by Kim
on January 4, 2013

13513727_sAt the beginning of 2012, I posted a new way to look at the new year, based on oneword365.com. (See that post here.)

When I wrote the post, I thought that my word for the year “forward” was only going to be a quarterly word.  I find it amazing that the word really did shape my whole year.

So, as we move into the new year, I am contemplating what this new year might mean. I decided to spend some time in prayer and see if God gave me a new word.

As I woke up this morning, I discovered the word “release” rolling around in my mind.

What might release mean? Here is some of the dictionary definition:

 
1. A deliverance or liberation, as from confinement, restraint, or suffering.
2. An authoritative discharge, as from an obligation or from prison.
3. An unfastening or letting go of something caught or held fast.
4. A device or catch for locking or releasing a mechanism.
a. The act or an instance of issuing something for publication, use, or distribution.
b. Something thus released: a new release of a software program.
c. The condition of being available, in use, or in publication: a movie in wide release.

Interestingly, I find that the noun definitions resonate with me more than the verb.

I anticipate that I will be releasing many of my old works, putting them onto Amazon. I see release, not as a letting go, but as a release of energy – much like a launch of a product. Releasing all that is bottled up in me, being concerned less with how it is accepted than with the fact that I dared to speak up.

So far, I’ve released Walk Away from Fear and How to Gain the New Advantage (leadership paradigms for the church). Interestingly, I discovered the beginnings of a creative force building in me this morning. I suspect that once I’ve gotten these older bible studies out, a new one will emerge – Walk into Joy (a bible study in Philippians).

Last year, the word “forward” took us all the way to the Get Unstuck Bootcamp, which I developed in the Fall (and plan to release the book by March). I wonder what we will discover about Release this year?

Categories:

LeadershipSelf Leadership

2 Responses

  1. How to tackle a big project says:
    07/01 at

    […] My OneWord for this year is Release. Part of releasing is letting all those projects that have been backlogged go.  If this is on your agenda, here are some things that might help: […]

    Reply
  2. rhodalea says:
    05/01 at

    I posted your one word idea for the new year to FaceBook and shared mine, “Brave.” I asked others to share theirs and this is what I got: “Take Risks”, “Grace”, “Hope”, “Forward.” I also got one that was less hopeful but I realized that this came from my only FB friend who I know is an atheist. I couldn’t help thinking that there seems to be a link to having a core belief in something greater than ourselves that gives us the ability to see the great promise in the living of life. It doesn’t seem to matter what you believe, just that you do believe. Here’s my question, can Christianity continue to be effective in our world without us acknowledging the validity of other peoples belief systems?

    Please don’t think that I am advocating a many roads to God philosophy. I do believe that Jesus is the answer, but I believe that the more good is done for the Kingdom in the spirit of cooperation, and from a place of common ground, than in the adversarial manner I see so much in the organized church. In my dealings with others outside of my faith group I have come to take the approach of, “I really don’t care what you believe as long as you believe.” That is something I can work with when discussing my faith.

    Reply

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