One Word 2017

by Andrea Renee Cox

For many years now, I’ve seen One Word floating around on various blogs. It’s a movement to focus on one word per year rather than do resolutions. I was not interested in this movement because it seemed restricting. Only one word for an entire year? Wouldn’t that limit what God could do if I only focused on one word?

Well, this year, before seeing anyone’s blog about it, One Word floated through my mind in a new way. I’ve been struggling with focus lately, and the more I thought about One Word, the more it made sense for this particular year. Perhaps that singular focus is exactly what I need in 2017.

So I’ve jumped into One Word. I’m not really sure how to do it, but I trust that, since God’s brought me to it, He will show me the way through it. He has already shown me how to choose my word for the year. I had been praying over a few different words when a completely different one came into my mind. I quickly realized that was the way God was giving me the word He wants me to focus on.

Therefore, my One Word for 2017 is…

Once I had my word, I searched for a Bible verse to be my theme verse for the year. I found many for see, vision, and eyes, but none of them seemed right. Then, when I was least expecting it, this verse popped into my mind:

That verse and the way the servant’s eyes were opened felt right for what I should be focused on. Isn’t it neat the way God works? It gets even better. As I was praying about this whole One Word thing, God whispered into my spirit, “See what I’m doing in your life.”

Talk about chills.

Only a few days later did I realize that He used the present tense rather than future. “See what I’m doing…” not “See what I’ll do…” He’s already working in my life, and I have seen some of the things, but apparently, He wants to show me more. He wants me to see what He’s doing. Truly and honestly see His work in my life. I am terribly excited to see what He will show me, to see what He is already doing in my life.

And I’ve already seen something pretty cool.

A while back, I wrote a TV pilot script in only ten days and then submitted it to two different contests. In the months since then, I’ve worked on other things, including revisions on a novel along with my two day jobs. After I settled on my One Word and began asking God to open my eyes to what He’s doing in my life this year, I finally received the feedback from one of those contests. And I’ve been in shock for two days.

Not only did my script get a really high score (7.8 out of 10), but it was also nominated for an award.

I can hardly believe that a project I wrote in only ten days has been nominated for an award. It’s really amazing but completely humbling. I never expected a nomination. Goodness, I was simply hoping for some good criticism that would help me improve my writing, and maybe to reach the quarterfinals. The quarterfinalists list doesn’t get released for that contest until January 24, so I’m still on pins and needles about that.

It was really exciting to realize that getting a high score and receiving an award nomination were the first two things God wanted to show me He is doing in my life. Those things reminded me that my writing, a gift directly from God, is important to Him. I don’t yet know the impact my writing will have on the world, and maybe I never will know the full extent of it, but God has an incredible plan for it, and I am blessed to be His pen through this journey.

My first year of doing One Word has started off with very good news, but I’m just as thrilled to discover many more things throughout the rest of the months of 2017. How else will God help me see? Stay tuned to find out!

Have you ever tried One Word?

What did you learn from it?

What sort of blessings have you received lately?

Any “praise the Lord” moments you’d like to share today?

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