one word

i've been challenged by some of the blogs i read (see here for one example) to claim one word for 2012 instead of making new year's resolutions. the idea is that the new year should be focused on becoming a new person instead of just coming up with new things to do (or old things to do in a new way). i decided to take that challenge, and part of that, for me, is this blog.

i thought it would be hard to pick a word. i imagined myself pouring through a dictionary or the concordance in my bible, trying to figure out the perfect word. i pictured words like

peace

joy

amazing--

words that would be talking about a year where everything goes according to plan and i don't have any big, nasty surprises jumping out at me.

in the post that challenged me, the author talks about trying on words like she tries on clothes. i guess my problem, then, is that i don't try on clothes.

or something like that.

when i started thinking about the word i would claim for 2012, there was only one word that came to mind:

faithful.

uh oh.

that was definitely not what i was planning on.

when i think of faithful, the story of Jesus calming the storm comes to mind. i see the waves crashing

         the lightning flashing

                the boat threatening to capsize.

i don't think of peace and quiet, which would be a much better idea for this year, right?

i think of Peter. i think of being called to step out of the boat, with Jesus saying nothing more than, "come."

i see myself being given that same command, but i don't know if i have the faith to be like Peter, 

to step out of the boat 

onto the waves.

at the same time, i see myself being just like Peter, taking that first step only to take my eyes off the One who called me,

sinking

desperate

starting to drown

waiting to the very last moment to reach out to my Savior.

faithful.

ouch.

that is the word i've been given, though, so i guess now is the time to step out of the boat, knowing that

the God who called me is faithful.

He will keep all His promises.

He has the power

      to calm the storm

           to walk on the waves

                 to pull me up out of the water to walk beside Him.

so, here is where you'll be able to see my life, every messy part of it, and see what this year will bring.

faithful.

i think i'm in for quite a year.