Change Your Life with Just One Word

So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. — Psalm 90:12 NASB

Are you ready to change your life with just one word? Let’s get started!

Week One: The Power of Personal Vision

The project you are embarking on is one of choosing just one word to be your single focus for an entire year. Talk briefly as a group about any reservations you may have about setting aside your list of ways you want to change in favor of focusing intently on just one word — just one thing — for an entire year.

VIDEO

Play the video segment for session one. As you watch, you may want to take notes on anything that stands out to you.

Watch the Video: Session 1 My One Word Small Group Bible Study

GROUP DISCUSSION

1.Mike described feeling so busy doing life that he didn’t have time to live it. And more importantly, he didn’t have time to focus on the spiritual condition of his heart. Can you relate to feeling overwhelmed with stuff to do, learn, manage and improve?

What is currently cluttering your “I-should-do” list?

2.Spiritual formation rarely happens in a hurry. As Mike explained, the normal, natural pace of our lives will not push us toward spiritual formation.

Amidst the appointments, the home maintenance tasks, your family responsibilities, the tyranny of technology, and your daily work, how well — on a scale of 1 to 10 — are you monitoring your heart and engaging with Christ in its renewal?

a. What is helping you in that quest?

b. What prevents you from engaging in the process of formation? (Discipline? Time?)

3. According to the BARNA research group, over 90 mil- lion Americans currently make New Year’s resolutions. Given that large number, it’s safe to assume we all have things we’d like to change.

a. Have you made New Year’s resolutions in the past? What were they? As a group, make a list of all the New Year’s resolutions you can remember making.

b. Did you succeed with any of them? Discuss why you failed or succeeded.

4. What characteristics come to mind when you think about someone with “personal vision”?

a. Do you feel you have a strong personal vision for your life? Or specifically for the coming year?

b. How much does your personal vision drive your daily decisions? Discuss what tends to drive you.

5. This week you will start the process of choosing a word to focus on for the coming year. Consider starting a My One Word notebook or journal. Use it as a place to think through the directions in the Pick Your Word chapter; use it to take notes during the video sessions; use it as a place to answer the questions at each chapter’s end throughout the book; and use it to chronicle your year with your one word.

Do you journal? What are your thoughts on or previous experiences with journaling?

CLOSING

Close together in prayer. Be sure to pray for God’s guidance upon all group members as they each seek to choose their one word for the year ahead.

BETWEEN SESSIONS

Read the introduction and chapters 1 – 4 of My One Word. If needed, re-read chapter 3 this week as you narrow down your list to choose your one word.

* * *

Your Turn

What will your one word be for 2023? Remember the aim is for you to use your one word to get into a focused posture and remain there while you depend on Christ. Change is possible. Focus is required. And should you fall off your one-word wagon at some point, you climb back on. Not with renewed willpower so much as renewed commitment to depend on him. Come join the conversation! If you’ve decided what your one word is, we would love to hear about it!