Story is the Word

Skyping across the world with one of our young-adult colleagues last month, the word came out of her mouth, just like that!

Story. Your word should be story! 

As she was telling me about her word for the year,  I told her I hadn't come up with one yet.

I'm calling 2015, The Year of the Book, I explained to her, incorporating a bit of my own story in the idea of the book. I've got that down, but not a word for the year. My colleague quickly interjected her aha! moment for my word and I immediately resonated with it.

So, story it will be. I love that I discovered my word in community!

Story makes sense for several reasons:

• I have a story. You have a story. Shared stories let others into the heart and soul of our lives–values, beliefs, passions, joys and heartaches. Life is connected from one season or stage to another, like a connect-the-dots puzzle when all the dots eventually make an image, something we can make sense of. So the dots tell the story of our lives.

• So many stories in the Bible. So much to learn. I've been reading Paul's letters with new interest this year, considering the context and the characters in the stories. William Barclay's commentary along side my Bible reading has brought new life to words I've read time and time again.

• And then my book. Stories and ideas to be shared so that others can relate, learn, and grow.

Story. Watching with anticipation to see how this word plays out in 2015. 

Have you chosen a word for 2015?