We can keep focused when we stay close to God, and we will live in His purpose (in His will) when we keep connected to and seek Him first in all things. So my purpose and your purpose is to do just that, to have a vertical relationship before we try to do anything horizontal.
What has helped me stay motivated and focused? Something straightforward, a word for the year. It has been a simple way to filter all the possible opportunities that come my way.
With a clear vision, you will live on purpose and in your purpose. -Deneen
I want to help you find your word of the year to stay focused in 2022. Having a clear vision for how you want to operate throughout the entire year will help you live on purpose and stay in your purpose.
Prefer video check this out:
Asking God for guidance to find your word of the year
I have chosen a word for the year since about 2013. I started in what I call ‘business’ in 2010 after many years of teaching Spanish. Confusing, I know. Teaching was something I knew, and I didn’t see it as a business.
Anyway, I started to ask God for an annual focus and guidance for my business. So prayer and journaling have become a ritual for me at the end of every year. I often get the word early in October, and in other years it takes me a lot more time with God to get my new word.
I know it has made an enormous difference in how I show up in my business and actually in my life. Like I said in the intro, having a word gives me focus authentically and allows me to have a quick filter to evaluate the opportunities that come in front of me during the year.
Word Of The Year Examples
Back when I started, I was in the throws of selling Christian products for the home. After two years of being somewhat successful with home parties, I asked God who had the money to buy my home décor items. The idea came that Christian businesswomen could be my target audience. So I decided to start a networking group for Christian Businesswomen to get my audience in front of me.
GROW
My first word for 2013 was to grow. I wanted to grow my reach in my local area by networking and owning a networking group.
EMBRACE
The following year the word embrace was my guide. I remember that my focus was on creating value for my networking women. I wanted to help them embrace a better relationship with God, but I also wanted to help them embrace their place and purpose in what God was doing through them in the marketplace, connecting faith and business.
COMMIT
In 2015 the word was commit. 2015 was the year I committed to opening a business and educational center in my local area. I wanted a place the networking group could call home. It was a huge commitment on my part and a substantial total step out in faith.
INTENTIONAL
By 2016 I was going strong in the Center, and my word was intentional. During that year, I created my online presence for the first time. As a result, I needed to learn about social media, sales funnels, and leadership. So, every course, workshop, class, and coaching investment went through the filter of being Intentional.
DARING
Sadly, things had changed by the end of 2016, and I had to close my Center. My next word became daring. I didn’t stop. Instead, I chose to shift. During that year, I was writing a book. I used my word to reach out to Podcasts, Magazines, and Influencers to get my name and message out. It was definitely out of my comfort zone, and it took Daring.
MERAKI
By 2018, the 1st book was published, and the word for the year was Meraki. It is a Greek word that means doing something with your creativity, heart, and soul. I looked at opportunities to advance my message and worked on projects where I could honestly leave a piece of myself and feel good about it. It gave me a tremendous focus on what I wanted to do and what I knew God wanted me to do.
IMPACT
2019 was a BIG year. Remember, it was BP the year ‘before the pandemic.’ That year the word was impact. I looked at ways to have more impact on Christian Women. I was now officially calling myself a coach, moving away from workshops and classes and bringing everyone together in the online space and not just locally. So, expanding my reach online was important and I needed to be engaged in activities that grew my tribe. By the end of the year, I was 100 % online with Christian Businesswomen doing masterminds, networking, and creating consistent content on YouTube.
SIMPLIFY
Then hit 2020. I remember thinking this would be such a great year as a Clarity coach since I would give everyone 20/20 vision for the year. But, surprisingly, even before the year had started, I had chosen the word SIMPLIFY. And boy did I ever simplify! We all needed to pivot and get our bearings in a different world. So for me, it was a natural practical step to simplify my business into the online space that I have now with the latest iteration of the Calling Clarity program that started in 2017 while writing my book (you know, the DARING year).
OIKOS
This past year (2021), the word has been Oikos. It means the family, its property, and the house or household in Greek. If you look at the Greek New Testament lexicon, it also includes an inhabited home, a dwelling place, persons forming a family, and a house of God like a tabernacle. In the early church, the word Oikos was also used to mean the family of God.
There are 120 uses of this word in the Bible; 23 of them are in Acts alone as the gospel spread in the early church, and they were making a household for believers. That’s what intrigued me for 2021. I wanted to create a space for Christian Businesswomen to feel in a household. They were a part of a family of other women who understood their struggles and wanted to celebrate their triumphs.
Scripture Memorization Calendar
I knew it was necessary to create ways for Christian Businesswomen to grow their faith, so they understood their unique assignment in the marketplace. And that is what I have for you. This past year it started with the Scripture Memorization Calendar. Although I have to admit, I wanted to get more scripture in me, and God impressed me to bring others along.
God has not let me let go of this word for 2022 either. This is the first time this has happened. AND, I want to tell you what that means for you. I will be continuing building this Oikos, this household of women. So, I want to invite you, Wise Woman, to belong to the Oikos also.
Invitation to Bible Study
This year I am facilitating FOUR different Bible studies throughout the year. They are each six weeks long, one hour a week, AND have no homework (unless you want to read ahead). These are what are called inductive Bible studies. That means we use scripture to back up what scripture is saying.
I am making these available for FREE. You can decide to attend all or just one or two. Click HERE for all the details, dates, and topics. Make sure to register for any that you want to attend. All the instructions will be given when you sign up.
Help To Find Your Word of the year
Here is an exercise to help you find your word of the year for 2022. It will be a more focused year with your WORD leading the way. First, ask God to bring it to your mind through the three questions. Then, ask Him for His guidance as you move forward in your business and life.
Begin by journaling your thoughts and answers to the following three questions. What is your…
- Power? What are you good at doing, your skills, and your talents?
- Passion? What is that idea or thing that motivates, inspires, and energizes you?
- Purpose? What is that pull of your heart, your mission, and those thoughts that you can’t let go of?
Make sure you write it out. It really helps to get it out of your mind and onto paper. Writing it down helps concrete responses about goal setting, action steps, and habits. If I ask myself these questions (and journal the answers.)
Using myself as an example, here is how I would answer the questions:
- First, I am good at being organized and focused.
- Each morning, I get out of bed excited to work on the projects I know will help women grow in God and grow in business.
- I believe God put me on this earth to take away the guilt from Christian Businesswomen and show them how to serve God through their work.
I would LOVE to know your word for 2022.
Let me know in the comments and join us anytime this year (2022) for our no homework inductive Bible study.
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