“Our Words for 2012 – a focus on the Future!” (evaluate)

Posted by on Jan 15, 2012 in A Plan, A Tool, Blog | 4 comments

It started a few years ago! At the beginning of that year, Ron and I asked Father for a word with this question: “What is on your mind for the Hagan family for this year?” During our conversations with him, we would listen, attentive to a phrase or a word that he would impress upon our heart and mind. Check out what he said:

2012 – Battle Ready
2011 – Hope
2010 – Harmony
2009 – Chasah

The first year we did it, we actually stumbled upon it. Actually, I don’t know if we actually asked for it that year. I just remember Ron beginning to study “trust” and came upon the word “Chasah” in his studies. We ended up doing some family time on the idea and then went from there, and it actually was at the beginning of the year that this happened. Just like Father to start giving you treasures before you even realize it!

In 2010, we were looking and asking, and in my mornings with him, I just felt like he gave me the word Harmony, because we were struggling. We didn’t have it, and Ron and I wanted it. Our children were fighting and engaged in conflict alot of the time, and it created such a heavy culture in our home. We were desperate for his answers, and as we pressed in to his verses on the topic and many conversations, we came upon this idea: Harmony is not the absence of conflict but embracing it and working through it in a respectful way. I bet I said that phrase a million times that year and even now. In fact, the kids will finish it for me when I get started. Maya just the other day was saying 1 Peter 3:8-9 to Ron and I. So cool!

In 2011, we began our prayers and discussions with the kids that year instead of just giving them the word. We opened it up for some family discussion. They basically stared at us for most of that conversation, but it was important to invite them to the table and empower them to listen. We came upon the word Hope for that year. We had some great times looking up all the verses on hope, telling the stories of some of those verses and deciding upon a few to focus on. This was the year that Ron and I also went to Haiti, and this idea of Hope sprang forth even stronger from this trip.

For this year, we actually started in November. Once again, just asking the questions with our kids – “I wonder what word Father is going to give us this year!” We started anticipating with them, and they started engaging in the conversation. It was incredible. We had some rich conversations that started with one of them saying: “I know what word Father is saying to us this year!” And then they would roll with their thoughts. One moment I will never forget. Carson and I were on a ski lift, a beautiful day in Breckenridge, Colorado! And right in the middle of fixing gloves and enjoying the scene, Carson says: “Mom, I know what our words are for the year, but it isn’t just one. We are supposed to talk about: refuge, compassion, cornerstone and righteousness.” Right there with our legs dangling, Carson rattles off these 4 words. Truly amazing!!!!!! I didn’t even know he knew the meaning of those words much less that we were supposed to focus on them. And perhaps he didn’t really know the meaning, perhaps Father just spoke those words to our son. Whatever the case, we added them to the list.

The progression of this activity still floors me. The first year – we realized that he gave us a word after the fact but nonetheless, it was great to focus on it and press in to the idea of trusting him. The next year, we were a bit more intentional and in our struggle, he gave us a word for focus and remedy – Harmony. The next year, he invited us to invite our children to the activity and together, we agreed on the word Hope. And now this year, we had more words than we knew what to do with. Check out the picture and next blog, and I will tell the story of how Battle Ready came to be.

And if you want to start dabbling with this idea for your own family, here are few simple steps.

1. Read more of our Evaluate stories – “Our Word for 2010 – Harmony,” “Battle Ready – our word for 2012,” and “Our Word for 2013 – confidence.”
2. Begin talking with Father about what is on his mind for your family. Ask him for a word and then watch for it. Maybe it is a verse you have been reading over and over again. Maybe it is something your entire family is struggling to find or answer. Though it may feel a little silly in the beginning, you will be amazed at what he brings to you! Invite your kids on the discovery as well. You can certainly see the evolution of this in the Hagan family!
3. Once a word or verse is found, dig deep to uncover the meaning and breadth of the word. Look it up in the dictionary as well as find verses on that word in your concordance. Write the verses on a piece of paper, read them together as a family and have conversations about them. Like with the Language cards, draw pictures together as well of what you see and hear in that verse or verses.
4. Choose one of the verses to memorize as a family. Post it on your family board.
5. Commit to pray and continue throughout the year drawing back to the word and remembering Father’s heart for your clan this year. You will be amazed at how he will weave the word in your world throughout the year.
6. Email your Evaluate stories or questions to us at info@thewholepeach.com.




4 Comments

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