My ‘One Word’ for 2025: PRAY

by | Jan 14, 2025 | Blog

I love using the One Word method of entering and traveling through a new year. I like because it simplifies the process of making new year commitments. I make one commitment instead of three or four resolutions. Simplicity can mean easy for some people. Easy is generally an easy departure from growth and development. Simplicity, however, can mean undistracted focus. This allows us to direct our energy and time allocation to achieving the goal or purpose of the one word.

I chose PRAY for my 2025 One Word. How did I do that? A typical day begins with an appointment with God. Each day I journal, worship God in song, and read a portion of the Bible. I make notes, write prayers and poems, and make a to do list for the day.

On Saturday December 21 I read Matthew 9:27-38. In verses 37 and 38, Jesus told his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (NIV) This is one of my notes on these verses: “I’ve thought about the time I will need to step away from prison work. Lord, these verses tell me to pray for more workers—at least one to replace me; others to multiply the number of discipleship groups; training/educational groups.”

I volunteer at a local state prison with the Gavel Club (Toastmasters), preach, and lead a small discipleship group. I started my fourth year last October. The above journal note shows that I thought about a day I will stop volunteering at the prison. I don’t know when that will be, and I don’t have plans to do so at this time.

I agree with Jesus’s observation that the harvest is plentiful, but not necessarily in every location. Being a long-term friend to incarcerated men opens my eyes more and more to the opportunities in volunteer prison work. I thank God repeatedly for drawing me to it. I believe I have grown intellectually and spiritually.

On Tuesday December 24, I wrote in my journal, “Thinking about my One Word for 2024. Pray from Matthew 9:38.” I added, “Pray for renewed service for our Lord of the harvest; pray more workers raised up and sent out; pray for strength for workers; and pray to encourage workers.”

I posted on X on January 2 that ‘Pray’ was my One Word for 2025. I am praying for more workers for Jesus Christ and God’s kingdom. Opportunities come my way to speak to people about serving at the prison, at a local food pantry, and in other contexts. God has a special place for each of his workers.

For ‘Pray’ to be my One Word, I also asked myself, have I told the Lord, “Send me?” How can I pray for him to send others if I have not said ‘yes’ to being sent? Please join me in praying to our Lord Jesus to be sent and for him to send more workers into his harvest all over the world.

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