Word of the Week

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Explore the Word of the Week archives

Looking for some spiritual encouragement to jump start your week and it’s not yet Sunday? Explore past Word of the Week posts based on what insight you need right now.

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Topics
  • Achievement
  • American Dream
  • anger
  • anxiety
  • attachment
  • awareness
  • belonging
  • blessing
  • boundaries
  • bravery
  • brokenness
  • Busyness
  • Capacity
  • charity
  • children
Topics
  • Achievement
  • American Dream
  • anger
  • anxiety
  • attachment
  • awareness
  • belonging
  • blessing
  • boundaries
  • bravery
  • brokenness
  • Busyness
  • Capacity
  • charity
  • children

Openness

If you are located anywhere in the southeast part of the US, as I am, your week was filled with […]
September 29, 2024

Nuance

Life is much easier when we know what is expected of us, and everyone agrees to the same things, right? […]
September 1, 2024

You

As I have been writing word of the week​ for over 5 years now​ (shout out to all ya'll who have been […]
August 25, 2024

Small

I don't know about you, but the American dream (at least how I learned about it in my little corner of the […]
August 18, 2024

Wholeness

How put together are you today? Are you well? Or are somewhere between good and falling a part at the […]
August 11, 2024

Extra

Is your heart heavy this morning with the problems of our world? Are you feeling overwhelmed with despair? Maybe if […]
July 14, 2024

Enough

Good morning friends-- can you remember the last time you were feeling less than? Maybe it was in Algebra class […]
July 7, 2024

Trust

Good morning friends! Can you remember the last time you found yourself trying to make something happen? Like getting someone to […]
June 30, 2024

Slow

In the western hemisphere as I write this, it's almost officially summer.  The daylight hours are longer. The temperature is […]
June 16, 2024

Alive

Can you remember the last time you felt lightness in your steps? Can you remember the last time you felt […]
June 2, 2024

Permission

Good morning friends! Can you remember the last time you got into a squabble with a co-worker or friend? Maybe […]
May 26, 2024

Fire

Good morning, friends!  When I was a little girl, I think around 3rd grade, the house next door erupted in […]
May 19, 2024

See

Have you ever met a person on fire for life and ready to change the world? They'll do anything to […]
May 12, 2024

Sanctuary

Good morning friends, I'm wondering the last time you felt scattered? When is the last time your calendar wasn't really […]
May 5, 2024

Glimmer

Good morning friends! Can you remember the last time a feeling came out of nowhere and shocked you by its […]
April 28, 2024

Boundaries

We all have limits on our days don't we? We can't go to every event we are invited to. We […]
April 21, 2024

Time

Good morning everyone! If you are new, welcome! And, to everyone else, I'm glad to be back after some time […]
April 14, 2024

Evolve

Can you remember something you've done for so long that you can't exactly remember when you started? Maybe it's how […]
March 17, 2024

Oxygen

Can you remember the last time the gas in your emotional tank just felt empty? You were dreading something you'd […]
March 10, 2024

Courage

Do you consider yourself a courageous person? Courage: a word that means the ability to do something that frightens you. […]
March 3, 2024

Sit

Can you remember the last time you made yourself still? I mean really still , . . . Several months […]
February 18, 2024

Loosen

Good morning! Today I'm wondering could you name something that you've believed your whole life? Is there a practice you've […]
February 11, 2024

Beginner

Good morning, friends! Can you remember the last time you tried something that you had no prior experience in? Can […]
February 4, 2024

Grief

Lately when someone asks me how I'm doing, I offer this: in the past 4 months, I've led 6 funerals. […]
January 28, 2024

Peace

How am I finding you this morning? Worried? Stressed? Or somewhere in a place of contentment? I know such is […]
November 21, 2023

Dark

When is the last time you took a walk outside of the city limits at night? Do you remember what […]
November 5, 2023

Release

I don't know if you anything like me, but once I find something good I want to hold on to […]
October 29, 2023

Cracked

There are some words in the English language that are used more often in slang. In the case of our […]
October 22, 2023

Repair

Can you remember the last time you yelled (or spoke in a harsh tone) at a family member? Can you […]
October 8, 2023

Present

I don't know if you are like me, but sometimes I make my life more complicated than it needs to […]
October 1, 2023

Crumbs

Today I'm wondering what did gratitude look like in your household growing up? I can remember once as a kid […]
September 24, 2023

Underneath

If you and I were to sit down and have a conversation, how would you say your week has been? […]
September 17, 2023

Reward

When you were a kid and you did something good, would you ask for extra tv or video game time? […]
September 10, 2023

Rooted

Recently in my porch sitting and children chasing and settling into my new home, I've thought a lot about this […]
September 3, 2023

Thrive

Lately have you felt dragging? Have you simply been putting one foot in front of the other? Without energy to […]
July 16, 2023

Comfort

In hard times, we often crave our word for this week: comfort. Comfort: the easing or alleviation of a person's […]
July 9, 2023

Less

Good morning friends! Have you cleaned anything out lately at your house? Find out that have more than you thought […]
July 2, 2023

Fear

If there is anything I know for sure about the members of my household-- my girl child and my husband […]
June 11, 2023

Start

How many times do you and I have great intentions for a new project around our house or at work […]
May 28, 2023

Mom

Good morning friends. Today is a day full of the complexity of what it means to be human. All the […]
May 14, 2023

Truth

If there's anything I know for sure, few people like to talk about lying. Bad people lie. Criminals lie. You […]
April 30, 2023

Rest

Has there been moment in the past couple of weeks when you've felt beyond exhausted? To our tired bodies and […]
March 19, 2023

Clear

Can you remember the last time you received instructions from someone but didn't fully comprehend what was said? So . […]
March 5, 2023

Capacity

This week, on purpose I have selected a word that you've seen in the lineup before, but I don't think […]
February 12, 2023

Anger

Good morning friends! Today I'm wondering if you can remember the last time you were really really upset about something? […]
January 15, 2023

Quiet

Good Sunday morning, friends! Have you ever just felt like you needed to fade in the background for a bit? […]
January 8, 2023

Human

Happy Sunday, friends! I'm wondering when is the last time you did something just because? Can you remember the last […]
November 20, 2022

Blessed

Good morning! Has this been a good week? Have you felt full of gratitude? Happy? If you answer yes (it's […]
November 13, 2022

Expectation

Worst-case scenarios. Planning for the worst. So many what ifs. Have you felt afraid this week? If so, what about? Maybe someone […]
November 6, 2022

Stuck

I'm wondering this morning, how am I finding you? What's new in your world since we last spoke? Recently I […]
October 30, 2022

Capacity

HI friends! Have you missed me? I'm back! These has been sweet days around our household of adjusting to a […]
October 23, 2022

Pause

Can you remember the last time something big happened to you? Maybe it was a time when you started a […]
July 10, 2022

Absorb

Have you ever found yourself sad, angry or just happy not because of anything that happened to you but because […]
July 3, 2022

Freedom

How many long-term relationships do you have in your life in the present day? Do you still talk to someone […]
June 26, 2022

Talk

In so many communities, there’s a “How are you?” “I am fine” sweetness in the air. We don’t say that […]
June 19, 2022

Whiplash

In the fall of 2021, my family and I were involved in a car accident in one of our first […]
June 12, 2022

Humility

Have you ever found yourself in a place where your own advice or bossiness has come back to annoy you? […]
June 5, 2022

Homesick

Do you remember ever going to summer camp or a school trip as a child and missing home something crazy? […]
May 29, 2022

Surrender

Have you had your plans for the upcoming months change unexpectedly? Have you had to let go of an opportunity […]
May 22, 2022

Stability

Are you looking for a new adventure? Want a better job? A new living situation? Ready to hit the road […]
May 15, 2022

Jealous

When is the last time you heard something from a friend that sounded like this . . . "I have […]
May 8, 2022

Launch

I'm wondering-- what's in your heart that you want to do but haven't yet? Maybe it's a truth-telling conversation. Maybe […]
May 1, 2022

Energy

Good morning friend! Thank you for joining me again (or for the first time!) for this weekly Sunday morning pause. […]
April 24, 2022

Courage

When is the last time you knew you were supposed to do something but were afraid? You felt the nudge. […]
April 3, 2022

Prayer

Do you think words are required to communicate with God? Have you ever stopped talking (or not started) talking to […]
March 27, 2022

Empty

When is the last time you felt overwhelmed? Unable to give something your all? Stressed? Such feelings often mean our […]
March 20, 2022

Listen

Is there quiet in your work/ life/ living space? Or does it feel overcrowded? Last year, our family took on […]
March 13, 2022

Intuition

I'm wondering in your experience, how do you know that you know something? Is it a feeling you get? Is […]
March 6, 2022

Essential

I am wondering what have you learned in covid times that was really important to you, but maybe you took […]
February 27, 2022

Openness

Do you have a word for the year? Last year on Epiphany Sunday (early in January) I drew this week's […]
February 20, 2022

Tired

How much sleep did you get this week? How early have you set your alarm? How late did you stay […]
February 13, 2022

Seen

Can you remember the last time you felt unnoticed? Accomplished something big at work and no one said thank you […]
February 6, 2022

Interruption

Good Sunday morning to you, my friend! Today, I'm thinking about how our recent experience of a global pandemic has […]
January 30, 2022

Create

When's the last time you did something just because you enjoyed it? When's the last time you made something or […]
January 23, 2022

Nimble

The past week, how many times have you had to change your plans? Or put a hope for the future […]
January 16, 2022

Body

How are you feeling right now? Would you say something aches in you? Is something sprained or broken? Or are […]
January 9, 2022

Middle

Did a big life change recently happen to you and now you're on an unfamiliar path? Do you feel stuck […]
November 21, 2021

Worry

When is the last time you fretted about something? If you're anything like me you just did that right before […]
November 14, 2021

Honesty

Do you remember a time when you had a conversation with someone whose life seemed 10x better than yours? For […]
November 7, 2021

Selfish

I'm wondering when is the last time that someone has referred to you as this week's word: selfish? Maybe you […]
October 24, 2021

Trust

How hard is it for you to open up and be yourself around new people? Or does it take many, […]
October 17, 2021

Know

Have you ever had a feeling in your gut that you couldn't explain but was STRONG? To this situation enter our word […]
October 10, 2021

Preparation

Can you remember the last time you were getting ready for some event of importance? Planning a long vacation. Making […]
October 3, 2021

Unraveled

Is there anything that you've been holding on to for dear life? It could be an emotional state (like trying […]
September 26, 2021

Wait

Are you yearning for something that is not yet? I know I am. How do you feel? Are you hopeful? […]
September 19, 2021

Intention

This week I'm wondering this: how often do you stop and think about WHYs of your actions? I have to […]
September 12, 2021

Friendship

"Tell me about your friends." Such is a question we often ask each other if we're trying to really get […]
September 5, 2021

Discernment

How do I know what God wants me to do in _____ situation? In my day job as a pastor, […]
August 29, 2021

Wisdom

Have you been in a hard space in your life lately? Have you felt confused or conflicted about a decision? […]
August 22, 2021

Geography

Have you lived in one place your whole life or have you moved around a lot or somewhere in between? […]
August 15, 2021

Sabbath

Have you taken a break lately from your normal routine? Sabbath, as I define it is time set apart for […]
August 8, 2021

Help

How many times have you thought to yourself, "What a stupid idea it was to do this task alone!" Or, […]
August 1, 2021

Presence

How many times have you seen a loved one walk through a hard season and feel helpless? (Maybe that's this week!) […]
July 25, 2021

Aware

Do you have a bucket list? Working on completing it? Or do you just put thoughts like that out of […]
July 18, 2021

Unresolved

How often do you not sleep well because you've got something on your mind? I am known to work out whatever is […]
July 4, 2021

Miracle

I've heard it said that people of faith sure do love the impossible. Cancer. Infertility. A freak accident. A family […]
June 27, 2021

No

Have you had a busy week? I know I have. Parenting. Plans to be made for the future. Phone calls. […]
June 20, 2021

Space

I’ve been thinking a lot about the silence spaces that fill so many of our day-to-day conversations and relationships. A friend’s flippant […]
June 13, 2021

Joy

It’s all the craze thanks to this Netflix show and I have to admit that I have joined the bandwagon. I recently […]
June 6, 2021

Limitations

Soulmate? Or Best friend forever? Or in the words of Jerry Maguire, "You complete me!" Language like this runs deep […]
May 30, 2021

Discipline

How regimented are you about getting things done? This week's word is one that addresses just this: discipline. Discipline when […]
May 23, 2021

Advocate

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the problems in this world? Do you ever wonder, what's the point? I'm just […]
May 16, 2021

Mother

Now, I know if you opened this email with the title in the subject line: you are brave. Today is […]
May 9, 2021

Desire

Welcome to your first Word of the Week Sunday email! I'd love to introduce myself to you here. I am currently […]
April 25, 2021