In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  -Genesis 1:1-3

Something from Nothing

It’s hard for us to imagine – empty, dark, formless. The beginning was nothing. We’ve never known that type of nothing. There was nothing to work with – no elements to create from. Then a word was spoken, “Let there be light.”

From nothing came something.

It’s honestly beyond our comprehension. We talk about it. We wonder in it. We praise God for it. We don’t understand it.

On our own, we are are unable to make something from nothing. On our best days, we are barely able to make something with something else. God with a word (and 6 days later a pile of dust and His breath) creates something…amazing, breath-taking, splendid.

Then the lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.  -Genesis 2:7

A Beautiful Word

Graciously, God creates. He makes things for us, and better yet, He makes things in us. With a word, He creates in me and in you. God is in the business of building and creating, and it only takes a word. From our nothingness, He makes something…amazing, breath-taking, splendid.

With one word, God creates a beautiful thing.

This week, we are focusing on growing our roots deep in Jesus. One way to grow our roots deep is to allow God to speak a beatiful word to us. Specfically, I mean asking God, the Creator, to share One Word to focus on for all of 2016. If you believe and allow it, God will use that word to build in you. He will create a beatiful creation in and through you.

How to find your Beautiful Word

This is my 6th year to participate in a Word of the Year project. Each year it’s looked and felt a little differernt. However, the process to finding my word has been similar in each case. Here are 5 simple steps to help you find your Word of the Year –

1. Ask.

Ask God to give you a Word that He will use to create and build in you during 2016. He really wants to do something in and through you with this process.

2. Wait.

After you ask, take a moment to wait. Don’t rush this, you are going to spend the next year digging into your word, so be sure it’s the right one.

3. Listen.

While you’re waiting, listen for God’s voice. I find a great way to do this is to write down different thoughts that come to mind – a little like brainstorming. After a little while, you’ll hit on the exact word. You’ll know it, when you hear it.

4. Believe.

When you have your Word of the Year, believe God is going to use it. One of the first steps to take in belief is sharing it with a friend. Tell them your word, and even share what you hope to receive from it (though it will end up being way more and way different).

5. Act.

Now act. The key to the Word of the Year is meditating on your word throughout the year. Journal, draw, paint, talk, read, garden, watch – anything that gets you closer to your Word of the Year. Allow God to speak to you any and all of these activities and more.

The Creator & His Creation

I’ll say it again…God is in the business of creating and building in and through us. He does it by speaking His Word, and blowing His breath of the Holy Spirit on us.

I look forward to sharing my 2016 Word of the Year (along with my final thoughts on my 2015 Word of the Year) later this week.

Until then, I pray you allow God to create and build in you through your Word of the Year!