Welcome back, friends.
Guess what? We have winners in the house!!
Thank you all for making the first Chasing Community linkup so much fun. I’m honored to share this space with your gifted, inspired words. I look forward to meeting you here every Thursday—at this table set with prayed-over words poured out in service to the One who first gave them.
Okay, so I went all high-tech on us and drew names from a bowl.
I know, call me fancy.
How I wish I had a gift for every one of you! But, good news! No worries if your name wasn’t drawn this week, because every month will have its own drawing for a special gift! Everyone who links up that month will be entered to win! Yippee Skippee!
The $15 Amazon gift card winners are:
Congratulations, ladies!! Be on the lookout for an email with gift-card info!
And y’all—I’m already excited for our February Drawing! Yay! Best of luck to everyone next month!
Words
Do you have a 2017 Word ? If so, I’d love to hear.
Me?–January 12th and I’m still trying to understand my word’s potential impact on the year ahead.
The scary + good news is that—I don’t know. And that’s okay, because the less I know, the less I’ll try to control it!
My 2017 word: Stand.
What about you? Is there a word you’re feeling called to this year? 
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Brenda,
Oh, I love your “high tech” way of drawing names….a woman after my own heart lol. My word for 2017 is “Fire” as in I want to be on fire for the Lord. And, in order to do so, I need to continually be in His word – the source of any flame I might have.
Blessings,
Bev xx
Bev @ Walking Well With God recently posted…Oh To Be On Fire
Oooh, I like “Fire,” Bev. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before. Can’t wait to hear how it impacts your year. 🙂 We need to get together again soon and chat. 🙂 xoxo
I’d have used that same high tech method, Brenda! Congratulations to your winners. I like the word stand. Mine is “Jesus.” Blessings to you this year, friend, as you stand firm in Him! And thanks again for your help the other day. I so appreciated it.
Betsy de Cruz recently posted…What to Do When You Need a Best Friend
Betsy, I am excited to hear about your word as the year progresses. Looking forward to following your January plans for your word. 🙂
(( xoxo ))
I love your low-tech way of drawing names and I still prefer it over all the tech versions out there!
Lisa/Syncopated Mama recently posted…Latticed Learning: Elijah
Glad to know I’m in good company around here with my low-tech ways. 🙂 Great to meet you, Lisa. ((hug))
I am a hand written names on a tiny piece of paper drawn from a bowl kinda girl, too! My word is INVEST… I’m a little scared, but trusting God to walk me through it! Blessings!
Liz recently posted…Word Nerd Wednesday – Proleptic
Invest! Wow, never heard that one before either. Great word, Liz. I look forward to hearing how the Lord calls you to invest in 2017. Love that. 🙂
High tech is certainly overrated…?, paper and pen and a bowl are completely scientific. That’s how I handle many decisions I make.
Stand reminds me of Ephesians 10, and putting on the armor of God, but first we stand firm in His promise.
I have a prayer this year and a Psalm that led me to it. I haven’t shared it yet, cause God’s still
working on me. But it is a prayer of belonging to God alone, of being known and searched by Him. It is probably the prayer I have needed to pray my whole life.
Blessings!
Dawn
I like your Eph. 10 thoughts, Dawn. Thanks for sharing that. 🙂
I *cannot* wait to hear your prayer! I love that. What a sweet idea. Look forward to hearing all about it when you’re able to share. 🙂
Blessings back at ya. ((hug))
I’m with you, Brenda! Name tags in a bowl … or maybe a hat!
;-}
Linda Stoll recently posted…In Praise of the Courageous Venturer . . . and Those Who Welcome Her
We’re just names-in-a-bowl-or-hat kinda gals. 😀 Always love seeing you, Linda. xoxo
WOOHOO!!!! I Can’t believe I won something!!!! Unless there’s another Sherry S.? If there is, I’m cheering for her 🙂 Thanks Brenda!!!!!
As for this year’s word…I feel that I know what the word is but I am spending today praying with one of my prayer partners to cover this new year. I don’t want to say until I have full confirmation from Daddy. I loved Kelly R Baker’s post this week about what to do with your Word of the Year.
Thankful for how you’ve opened up this new community and overjoyed I was chosen! Praying you have a fun day with today’s linkup.
~Sherry Stahl
xoxo
Sherry Stahl recently posted…{New Series} New Strength
yay for you, Sherry! You sound like me, I’m always shocked when I win stuff. I don’t seem to have been born under a lucky star. 🙂 Congrats to you!
Oooh, I hope you’ll share once you have clarity about your word! Would love to hear. Will have to check out the Kelly Baker post, thank you for sharing. 🙂 Will be in touch with an email re: your gift card. 🙂 I’m at chick-fil-a right now as my home internet is playing hide and seek today! ugh. Hopefully it will be fixed by the time I get home this evening. 🙂 Thanks so much for being a part of Chasing Community! ((hug))
Thanks for stopping by, Brenda! Nice to meet you. I’m sorry I’m late to the party. I hope I can stop by again soon. 🙂
Sherry, thanks for mentioning my post here! Congrats on your win!
Love the high tech method as it is always fun! My word this year is “Audacious” as my desire is to live more boldly and courageously this year. May this linkup continue to grow and bless many!
Joanne Viola recently posted…Let’s Not Forget
Oh! Audacious — wow, that sounds exciting. How do you see that playing out in your life this year? Love that, Joanne, thanks for sharing.
And, yay you for being one of the winners this month! Will be in touch soon about your gift card. My home internet is being fickle today so I’m at chick-fil-a at the moment. Hope it’ll be back up this evening. Thank you for being a part of Chasing Community! 🙂 ((hug))
The word I keep hearing God put on my heart is “honor.” I haven’t quite committed to it. In all honestly, I am having an internal struggle because I thought I did show honor to God and others. I am sure he has more to show, grow me, and teach me.
Such a sweet word, Maree. It’s always fun to look back on the year and see how God used a simple focus, even when we feel like it’s not a focus we feel connected to at the beginning of the year. That was me a couple of years ago. But, when Dec. came and I had a chance to look backward, I could see what He knew in Jan. 🙂 Thanks for sharing that, Maree. Look forward to hearing what you decide! 🙂 ((hug))
Your word is “stand” and my word is “standing”! I guess the Lord has some twin messages He wants to communicate to us this year. My choice came to me through Romans 5:1,2 in The Message Bible: By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.
Michele Morin recently posted…Till We Have Faces: Longing for the Grey Mountain
Wow, Michele, I love that verse in the Message. Thanks so much for sharing that with me. Ooooh, we’ll have be word-buddies and compare notes throughout the year. How fun that we have the same word! Will pray for you as you stand in the wide open spaces of His grace and glory this year–shouting praise. ((xoxo))
“Stand” ~ what a good word. It’ll be interesting to see how that is threaded through your life this year, Brenda. I don’t really pray about a word, but I do seek the Lord for guidance in the new year. This year I’m hearing to follow “day-by-day”, to trust wholly. I’m breathing deep because it’s already bringing life to a whole new level. Thanks for the reminder to visit here. I plan to come back!
Kristi, I love your day-by-day approach. I know He’ll be sure to meet you in the middle of your days this year, and — bless. Look forward to hearing how this focus makes a difference for you, Kristi, thanks for sharing. 🙂 Nice to see your smiling face. ((hug))
STAND. Wow. Such potential and power and simple authority. It’s a deep inhale and even deeper knowing. So exciting!
And not sure if you have a lot of Becky H’s, but if I won one of the gift cards…thank you!
🙂
Becky Hastings recently posted…When Life Feels Too Hard for Dreams
Yay for you, Becky. 🙂 Congrats! I didn’t put last names so as to not violate anyone’s privacy. 🙂 Next time I’ll email the winner before I post so it won’t be as confusing. 🙂 Live and learn. 🙂 I’ll be in touch soon re: your gift card. My home internet isn’t being friendly today so I’m at chick-fil-a at the moment. Hopefully it’ll be fixed when I get home this evening. Thanks for being a part of Chasing Community, Becky. 🙂 ((Hug))
Brenda, your low-tech methods are endearing and are exactly how I would have done it. I’m happy for the three ladies who won. Congratulations!! I appreciate the friendship and community you are building up here, Brenda. Way to go.
My word is “endure”. A simple, yet profound calling to keep going despite a multitude of obstacles.
Love to you, my friend.
Gleniece Lytle recently posted…The Peaceful Wife {a book review}
Endure — I don’t think I’ve heard that one before, either. Simple and profound, indeed. Thanks for sharing, Gleniece. 🙂 Good to see you. ((hug))
I like your word for the year. I know what you mean about feeling drawn to a word and having no idea where it will take you. I felt like that last year with the word “surrender”- it was a word that scared me but it was exciting to see how God used it. My word this year is “voice”- I’m not sure exactly how it will work out but my initial thoughts are it is to do with recognising and choosing to listen to God’s voice as well as finding my voice to speak out more in sharing what God has done.
Lesley recently posted…She Reads Truth
I love “voice.” 🙂 What an interesting word. Thanks for sharing, Lesley. I look forward to hearing how it impacted your year. 🙂 Great to connect with you, Lesley. ((hug))
My word for this year is BLOOM?. The Lord has been hovering over the seeds He has quietly planted in my heart over the last couple of years.
Jeralyn, how fun is your word?! Love “Bloom.” And, I have a feeling you will do just that. It’s your year! 🙂 Thanks for sharing, so good to see you here, friend. 🙂 ((hug))