Star Word: Beloved

/ December 31, 2019

This weekend in worship, we will be drawing our new star words on Epiphany. You can read more about star words here.

This past year’s word has been beloved. It is a lovely word. In truth, it is the sermon I preach again and again and again.

We are God’s beloved children. So are the people we hate, the people we put in cages, the people we demonize, the people we fear. I believe that if we live as beloved children of a loving God, we will better figure out how to treat other people as also beloved children of a loving God. I also believe if we treat other people as beloved, we may learn to see ourselves as beloved. How else will we get through this thing called life? 

 

This song from Mumford and Sons accompanied me this year of beloved. Be warned, you may need kleenex for this video.

 

Before you leave
You must know you are beloved
And before you leave
Remember I was with you

Are we living so people know they are beloved? Life is too fragile and short to save expressions of love and gratitude.

“Life is short. We don’t have much time to gladden the hearts of those who walk this way with us. So, be swift to love and make haste to be kind.”

― Henri-Frédéric Amiel

May we be swift to love and make haste to be kind in 2020.

What are you carrying with you into the new year? What would you like to leave behind?

I hope I carry the word ‘beloved’ with me into 2020, even as I receive a new word on Sunday. I will try to leave behind what I’ve outgrown, so I can live into what God is yet dreaming for me.

Here’s a poem about living into new beginnings. 

The Beginning by John O’Donohue.

In out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.

It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the gray promises that sameness whispered,
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,
Wondered would you always live like this.

Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And out you stepped onto new ground,
Your eyes young again with energy and dream,
A path of plenitude opening before you.

Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life’s desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

John O’Donohue
To Bless the Space Between Us

 

Happy New Year, everyone. Know you are beloved as you awaken your spirit to adventure and your soul senses the world that awaits you. 

Related posts

18 thoughts on “Star Word: Beloved”

  2. Marci, thank you for your post and for introducing me to star words. I think this is year three for me and I’d like to request a star word from you again.
    Last year’s word was “breathe” and I so needed it for so many reasons not the least of which our pastor left and asked me to fill in and make things run smoothly until and interim was found. I’d never planned worship before so WOW did I need to remember to breathe and let the Spirit lead. The Spirit did and I breathed.
    I introduced star words at our last year’s Epiphany service. This year instead of giving out new ones on Epiphany we will be sharing stories of our words for 2019. We will offer them back to God through the offering and give out new ones on the next Sunday.
    Thank you so much and thank your church too for their medical debt payoff (at least I think it was your church).
    Blessings in the New Year!
    Susan

    Like

    Reply

    • I should also add that the star word I got from church was “festivity” a good reminder to celebrate life and not take myself so seriously when I’m just trying to breathe!

      Like

      Reply

      • I’ve got requests in a lot of places, so if I don’t find this again on Sunday, ask me again. I’d be happy to pick a new word for you. (And yes, we are one of the churches who have done the medical debt. It is exciting to see lots of others doing it too).

        Like

  4. That Prince quote is one of my favorites. Your beautiful words really touch my heart and provide comfort during a personally challenging time. Please choose a StarWord for me. A new year and new decade – looking forward to a new word.

    Like

    Reply

  6. Pingback: Friday Festival: Turning the Corner into a New Year – RevGalBlogPals

  7. I’d like you to pick a Starword for me. Thanks! This is the first I’ve heard of this and when I am in an Intentional Interim position again I will plan to use it. I have two requests. I want to subscribe to your blog but am unsure where to do that. I need a link to the star words list.
    I’ve looked through all the topics on the menu and these are escaping me. Blessings Belived One.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment