That’s my word for the year. Here’s the backstory.

When I became a Christian at the ripe old age of six, it was a decision, not an epiphany. I still remember the blue-and-red-checkered pattern of my little corduroy skirt as I bowed my head and prayed in the presence of my mom and our pastor. (I must have been peeking. Oh well…) My point is that it was memorable and meaningful…but cerebral. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But here I am decades later, longing for more. More everyday awareness of God. It’s so easy to get tangled up in myself and the daily stuff of life.

Some people call this experiencing God in the thin places. Some tag it as “God sightings.” I’m choosing to call it awareness of the Divine. I don’t want to miss a single divine encounter or transcendent moment of each day. I want to see God’s image in the face of a stranger. I want to be more sensitive to divine nudges. I want to look forward to answers to my prayers, even if the answer is no, knowing God has something better in mind. I want this to become so habitual I can’t thrive without it, like the air I breathe.

I look forward to what God has up his sleeve for today…