2013 and My One Word

I wasn’t going to do the one word for 2013.  Perhaps it was because I didn’t want to sit down and put effort into finding a word.  Perhaps its because finding one word has become such a popular thing to do, and I have a weird aversion to popular things.  (Simply put, if its popular or trendy at the moment, I want to steer clear of it.  Yes, my name is Jenn, and I’m weird like that.)  Never mind that I had Hope in 2008 and Authenticity in 2010, I had no plans to participate this year.

But here’s the thing. 

God often has other plans, and even when I don’t plan on doing something, He’ll show me over and over again that He intends something different.  Its starts off as a soft nudge, then if I’m not paying attention (and  most times I’m not), it becomes a full-blown shout and I can’t possibly ignore it.

Enter 2013 and my word.  Courage.

I started inserting the word Courage into my prayer.  And it was nice that I was praying for it, even if it terrified me to my soul (still does), but I certainly didn’t expect it to turn into more.

Then Courage kept showing up in other aspects of my life.  In the form of a song, a devotion, a commercial, a book, and this past Sunday, at church.  Courage.  Ok, God, I get it.  There’s going to be a theme this year. 

I don’t know what 2013 holds, I don’t know what He intends to teach me about Courage.  I know I’m scared.  I can only imagine the circumstances in which I need to show Courage.  And since I have an overactive imagination, my mind has already gone to some scary places.  Looking up the word Courage, I found that Fear is one of the autonyms for my word.  Ironic much?

Courage is not a word I would have chosen for myself or this year.  Quite honestly, its not a word I would have picked up once, let alone take a second and third glance at it.  But that’s how I know God has intended this word… for me… this year.  At this point, all I can do is listen and obey, and pray the actual act of Courage will show up in me eventually.