My Words for 2013

I've sat down many times to write a New Year's post but the words will not come.  I don't know how to translate all the things God has been showing me into sentences and paragraphs as they have been deeply thought-provoking and requiring a life response.  To talk would cheapen His lessons and to share would be premature as He is still chipping away at a few things to make room for a better understanding.

So, simply put, here are my words for 2013--words that answer who God wants me to be this year, words that provide an instant checklist for every choice and decision, and words that push me to action:

a devoted, disciplined, decluttered disciple

It's a lot, but it's doable (yes, the letter "D" has been popping up everywhere to support these words...it's crazy)!

I love how these words give me a way to weed out bad vs. good vs. best and a way to weed out the things that don't create rhythm in my life through asking the following questions (keep in mind that nearly everything can be filled in the blanks below):

    ~  Will _____ help me become more devoted to Christ and fuel a passion for Him or will it distract me or cause me to lose my focus on Him?

    ~  Is ____ helping me be more disciplined?  (Hey, the dishes are actually getting done every night because wasting time on Facebook isn't a picture of discipline.  I'm finally making progress on my stack of books because discipline means being mindful instead of sitting mindless in front of the TV.  And I'm discovering that skipping McDonalds has more than financial benefits as healthier choices are made and I feel better.)

    ~  Do I really need _____?  (from another purse or "thing" to an attitude, emotion, activity or ministry--it makes me question why I'm hanging on to things and what is my motive)?

    ~  What would Jesus do?  As ultra-generic as this question is, if I want to follow Christ and be His disciple as well as disciple others, I want to do what He does and respond as He would out of a genuine desire for Him.

Being a devoted, disciplined, decluttered disciple is a tall order, but this is who God has called me to be this year!  I'm excited about this journey of discovering Him and intentionally making my life a testimony of what He can do when we choose to let Him!

What are your words for 2013?