A word of thanks to everyone who shared their one word for 2009.

A copy of the 2009 Compassion calendar is being sent to:

• Daryl G. Short, whose word for 2009 is innocence.
• Jolanda, whose word is action.
• Holly Spiotti, who received the word Emmanuel.
• Evelyn, who had on her heart the word nurture.
• Gin, who chose dedication.

I’m not much into New Year’s resolutions. I find it an odd tradition. If you really want to change your life, why wait until January 1 to start? But perhaps it’s a positive thing if it helps us to truly focus on being better human beings — even if our New Year’s resolutions only last a few days or weeks!

Take a look at some of these popular New Year’s resolutions for 2009:

• In 2009, I resolve to eat better.
• In 2009, I resolve to keep my home in better shape.
• In 2009, I resolve to take better care of my body.
• In 2009, I resolve to be better about what I spend my money on.
• In 2009, I resolve to look for a new job.

Any of those look familiar?

Now, go back and read those resolutions again … but this time, from the perspective of a person living in poverty.

Imagine a little boy in Kenya who resolves to eat better because he’s tired of going to bed hungry. Imagine a single mother in Peru who resolves to keep her 6’x6’ shack clean. I’ve seen families that sweep their dirt floors just to try to keep their humble homes presentable.

Imagine a little girl in India who wants to take control of her own body instead of falling prey to the men who abuse it. Imagine the family that scrapes together spare change to eat today. Imagine the father who is desperately searching for a job so he can give his children an education and a shot at life.

This year, I urge you to resolve to do something about global poverty. Get involved. 

Here’s a list of suggested, revised New Year’s resolutions for you:

• In 2009, I resolve to go on a mission trip.
• In 2009, I resolve to help my church start a food pantry — or donate to an existing one on a regular basis.
• In 2009, I resolve to pray for children trapped in poverty.
• In 2009, I resolve to support a ministry that cares for the poor.
• In 2009, I resolve to think beyond myself and truly make a difference in the life of a child living in poverty.

And let’s try to make these New Year’s resolutions last.

On behalf of my sponsored child, I resolve . . .

Happy New Year! We hope as you celebrate the beginning of 2009 you take time to reflect on the grand blessings and immense grace of the Lord . . . and prayerfully consider what the year ahead may have in store.

Here are a few of our highlights from 2008. In fact, they might be some of yours too; after all we could not have reached any of them without you!

• We registered our one millionth child.
• We opened the first Compassion child development center in Togo.
• Compassion Tanzania registered its 50,000 child.

Of course, a year can be marked with trials as well. But through these trials the Lord is faithful to refine us as gold.

Many children and families already struggling to buy food have been, and are still, greatly affected by the Global Food Crisis. Although, with the guidance of God and your heart much has been accomplished:

• 79,016 children have been able to receive immediate food relief because of your Global Food Crisis (GFC) donations.
• In the Dominican Republic your GFC donations provided food certificates to 775 Child Survival Program participants. The main recipients being mothers and infants.
• In Honduras your donations created productive micro projects such as poultry and fish production farms, to fight the crisis long term.
• In Ethiopia, GFC donations helped provide therapeutic supplements, staple food grains and medication to nearly 11,000 families.

Thank you so much for your commitment to children in poverty this past year. They truly are blessed by your passion and faith.

In all things we can be confident that no matter where the Lord takes us, what situations He brings us into, or what blessings He has in store we will honor Him and be filled with His love.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” – Proverbs 16:3, NIV

2009 is upon us. It’s time for some reflection. And some prayer.

“Seven years ago, I started the simple discipline of picking a one-word theme for the upcoming year. That is right — one word. Not a phrase, not a statement, just a single word. And to this point, it has been nothing short of life-changing.”

That’s a quote from Dan Britton, senior vice president of ministry advancement with Fellowship of Christian Athletes. And I can vouch for what he said.

I’ve been part of the annual one word posse for a few years, although I don’t know Dan, and have been amazed by how the Lord has used it in my life.

I surrendered my life to Christ in 2005, and the following year was all about obedience. That was my one word. Take ownership of the commitment I made. Surrender self. Be joyfully obedient and faithful to God’s will and Word. It was, and has been, positively liberating.

2006 was the year I met my birth father and his family — my family — for the first time. So, naturally, 2007 was about relationships. Not just with my birth father, but with Jesus as well — an ever-deepening relationship.

And relationships don’t occur in a vacuum, so as those relationships developed all my other relationships, at all levels, were changed. They are still being affected.

Picking a word for 2008 wasn’t a slam dunk like previous years. Lots of words came to mind, but they all seemed wrong. I prayed for a month and never felt like God helped me out. I felt like I just “picked” a word, instead of just “knowing” my word — just knowing the “rightness” of it.

Ultimately, I chose reconciliation because it speaks of harmony, compatibility, restoration, agreement and consistency — all things that are necessary in successful relationships. And, I have been uh-MAZED at how this word has affected me this year.

It turns out that according to Strengthsfinder 2.0 (a really cool book I highly recommend), my number one strength is . . . harmony.

What’s significant about this is that I wrote the phrase “it speaks of harmony, compatibility, restoration, agreement and consistency” — with the words in that order— last December. I took the Strengthsfinder 2.0 test in June.

In hindsight, I could add another word to that list: balance. As in balancing, or reconciling, the competing demands inherent throughout life and in love.

Another blessing of this practice is that these words build upon one another, allowing me to better see, feel and experience Jesus in my life well beyond the year the one word “applies” to.

For example, 2007 was about relationships. It was the year I started working at Compassion. I left my previous company after working there for 10 years — changing a relationship — and began working here. Now I’m in a position where I’m responsible for helping you feel more connected with your sponsored child, with our ministry and with each other. More relationships.

Picking one word is about picking one thing to focus on during the upcoming year. It’s not a New Year’s resolution. It’s a challenge to surrender control of our goals and ourselves and let the Lord lead.

If you get a chance, read all of Dan’s document. But don’t read it when you’re in a hurry. Read it when you have time to digest it. Then come back here and let me know what word God put on your heart for 2009.

On January 9, I’ll randomly pick five people to receive a free copy of Compassion’s 2009 calendar.

P.S. If you don’t randomly “win” a calendar, you could always consider Compassion’s photo calendar.

Oh yeah! My one word for 2009 is growth. Ugh! It sounds painful.

It was taken in 2004, in Bangladesh, by Tom Kimmell.