One Perfect Word: One Word Can Make All The Difference (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
I've been reading a book that just came out from one of my favorite authors, Debbie Macomber, called One Perfect Word. It's about focusing the entire year on just one word and making that your personal focus for the year. Praying on it, seeking God's will for that in your life and just studying it.The book is really eye opening in that Debbie is very honest and forth coming on her journey to becoming a writer. Prior to having her books published, she wrote in journals a lot about her struggles and thoughts. Looking back at her own writing, she can see where God has taken her through each year and thus the reason why the personal focus on the "one word" has come into play.She shares some of those word years with the reader in the book and encourages us to do the same. Along the way she shares with you how to go about picking your word of the year. Maybe it's something that keeps coming across your prayers, conversations and Bible study. Perhaps you should talk to friends and see what they believe it should be. She offers some interesting ways to go about seeing how that word will play out during the year as well from having it engraved in stone, carrying a reminder with you to pray about it during your days or having it written on a card or plaque.I think the idea is beautiful and can help us to focus on smaller things, not bigger ones like committing a chapter or verse to memory each week but rather learn to see how God is working on your life through one simple word. Along with the fourteen words that Debbie shares with you in this book along with personal stories, are also scriptures, her written prayers from her journals, and even some practical tips on how to make the word come alive in a different mediums. This book is going to be an exciting journey for me this year and one I am so happy to be able to share with my readers.I received this book compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster for my honest review and think it's a must read for anyone looking to enhance their Bible Studies! I rate this one a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and have started my own personal journey this year with the word TRUST! This book both inspired and encouraged me. It was very timely and most of the time while reading, I felt like Debbie was talking right to *me*. Her conversational tone in this book makes it very easy to read and I really enjoyed the personal examples she shared. She is very open in this book about some of her struggles, including her weight and her marriage. I appreciated her vulnerability and transparency very much, because reading how God brought her through those hard times ministered to me.One Perfect Word is about Debbie's practice of choosing one word from the Bible to focus on and dissect for each year. This idea was born from the breakfast group that Debbie attended for over twenty years. These ladies each adopted this practice and this book is about the powerful impact that those *one* words have had on their lives.Debbie shows readers how to quietly pray and "listen" for their perfect word, and how to go about choosing it. Debbie wrote that sometimes the word chooses us. Is there a word that keeps showing up over and over in your daily life? In articles - devotions - blogs? If so, that might just be your word for the year that God would have you focus on. Once you find your word, this book will take you through the steps of exploring it and discovering life lessons all stemming from *one* perfect word.Debbie's words have changed over the years. Surrender, hope, prayer, trust.....these words and more transformed Debbie's life and as she looks back over her prayer journals, she can clearly see God at work. You may not know at first why you feel led to study a particular word but down the road, the purpose becomes clear.I love this idea of choosing a word and even as I was thinking about adopting this practice for myself for 2012, my word jumped out at me. I had struggled with finding it as I was reading the book and begin to feel pressured as the time grew closer to 2012. I didn't want to start the new year and NOT have my word but I knew this couldn't be rushed. Sure enough, on the very first day of the year, my word jumped out at me while reading a bible verse and I knew in my heart, that was the word I was to cling to this year.I highly recommend starting the year off with this book. Debbie makes it fun by offering not only spiritual applications, but very practical applications as well, such as projects you can do with your word.
What do You think about One Perfect Word: One Word Can Make All The Difference (2012)?
I love the idea of choosing a word to focus on for a year and discovering how your life is changed.
—brendalee
I have never received my copy that I won from a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
—chana
Loved this book. Very inspiring and thought-provoking.
—Zoey
