My reflections on the year just past has become an annual end-of-December blog post. I always have fun as I look back and make my lists. How about you?
My word for 2013: QUENCHED
John 4:13–14 says:
Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”I had a goal to journal about this word throughout the year. I failed. Badly. I don’t think I failed in all respects regarding my word for the year, but when it came to regular journaling, I definitely flopped. However, one of my favorite reads of 2013 had to do with the idea of my thirst being quenched by the Living Water, and it gave me a great deal to ponder and pursue. (See the title in the list of favorite reads for the year; I’ve marked with **.)
Bible reading & study
I completed the BSF study of Genesis in May. However, I decided to take a year off from BSF as I had already completed the study of Matthew. I’ll get signed back up this spring so that I’m on-board when the next study begins (which I believe will be the Life of Moses). I look forward to it as I love the in-depth method of study that BSF utilizes. For the second year in a row, I was more scatter shot in my approach to Bible reading. This doesn’t seem to work very well for me. It leaves me feeling too unfocused, so next year I’m returning to my Bible reading schedule.
My new 2013 releases
- A Bride for All Seasons (Thomas Nelson, June)
- Beloved (Zondervan, September)
Books I worked on in 2013 (in various stages)
This year was grueling when it came to writing. Often I was working on several at once, writing one, revising another, proofing another, marketing another. I’m hoping 2014 will slow down a bit.
- The Heart’s Pursuit
- A Promise Kept
- A Bride for All Seasons
- Beloved
- Four Weddings & a Kiss
- LWE (I’m not revealing this title as of yet; it’s my work-in-progress)
Favorite movies seen in 2013
This was an unusual year in that I loved so many of the movies I watched. I went to the theater more times than usual, and I’m glad I did. Some movies deserve the big screen for at least the first viewing.
- Oz, the Great and Powerful
- 42
- Quartet
- Gravity
- Captain Phillips
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
- The Book Thief
- Saving Mr. Banks (absolute favorite of the year)
Favorite books read in 2013
This year I participated in the Goodreads Reading Challenge. I’m so glad that I did. Now that I am using that social media site as it should be used, it has become my favorite place for keeping track of the books I’ve read and for saving the books I want to read and for getting new recommendations from friends. And like the movies category, my list of favorites is longer this year.
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- How to Market a Book by Joanna Penn
- Dog on It by Spencer Quinn
- Warrior in Pink by Vivian Mabuni (this book publishes in 2014; I read an advance copy)
- Home Front by Kristin Hannah
- The Well by Mark Hall **
- Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins
- Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas
My word for 2014: MANIFEST
Beginning in 2005, I’ve asked God to give me a word for the new year, and He has always been faithful to show me what I should study and/or embrace in the next twelve months. I am so glad that this became a spiritual practice in my life. I’m also delighted that several of my friends and numerous readers have since joined me in the practice. Here is my list of words for the years up to now:
- 2005: Endurance (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)
- 2006: Victory
- 2007: Peace & Simplicity
- 2008: Intimacy & Devotion (Intimacy with God & Devotion in Prayer)
- 2009: Press in/Press on (Press into Jesus. Press on in faith)
- 2010: Come Away (Mark 6:31a)
- 2011: Rejoice Always (1st Thessalonians 5:16)
- 2012: Fear Not (2 Tim 1:7, NLT)
- 2013: Quenched (John 4:13-14)
For 2014, the word He placed upon my heart is manifest. Merriam-Webster defines the word this way:
adjective
1: readily perceived by the senses and especially by the sense of sight
2: easily understood or recognized by the mind : obvious
transitive verb
: to make evident or certain by showing or displaying
In the Hebrew of the Old Testament, God says that He will manifest His holiness in His people in the sight of the nations. In the new year, I want His holiness to be manifested in me. I want others to readily perceive it with their senses and especially by the sense of sight. I desire the holiness of Jesus to be obvious to others when they look at me. I particularly want that to be true with those people I see in person on a frequent basis.
There’s a Lindell Cooley worship song from years ago, More of Your Glory, that I think I’ll be singing quite a bit this year as I ponder the word manifest. The opening lyrics go like this:
More of Your glory
More of Your power
More of Your Spirit in me
Speak to my heart and change my life
Manifest Yourself in me
Amen.
So that’s it. How does my year in review shape up compared to yours? Do you have a word for the new year? What were your favorite books and/or movies? Please share!
~robin
