Our Words of the Year: January Writing Challenge winners

We put a challenge out to our SCWC members for January to submit a poem or prayer based on their word of the year. We love the idea of selecting a word for the year; it's a great way to focus your efforts and dreams for 2024 in a word (or two or three). 

Over time, I've heard a lot of words that people select for their new years. The words capture what they aspire to be in the next twelve months; the words challenge them to be new and bold and laser-focused on how they want their lives to change and grow in the new year.

As writers, words are our business. They are our focus. They are the way we do things.

For writers, a word of the year is a perfect way to put plans into focus. 

Our latest challenge, which we post monthly in the SCWC Facebook group and by email to members, was based on this idea. The challenge? Write a poem or prayer based on your selected word for 2024.

We received so many wonderful submissions, but narrowed them down to these top 3 and 2 honorable mentions.

Congratulations to...

1st place: Frankie Tatum

2nd place: Melanie Milton

3rd place: Vicki Moats

Honorable Mention: Regina Bishop

Honorable Mention: Lori Vober

To those winners--great job! We pray that 2024 will be a productive and meaningful one for our winners, and to all our wonderful Southern Christian Writers Conference members.

And now, enjoy their creations!

"Commitment"

by Frankie Tatum

Holy God, Creator of all good things. You are calling me to step out onto a limb. I hear your voice urging me to move beyond sermon writing and preaching to write something more. Maybe something bigger, which is a little scary.

First your call was a whisper; now it’s a conversation, reminding me of the gifts and graces you’ve freely given, the irrevocable gifts. I hear you call my name.

Proverbs tugs at my hesitation: Commit your work to the Lord; the plan is established. I see the plan: my ministry will be writing, connecting people to God with words. I pray the Holy Spirit will reveal the words; I will write them.

O God, to fulfill your calling my word for strength and guidance is COMMITMENT. Commitment to creativity requires discipline; I pray you will make me accountable for regular writing. Commitment to creativity requires vision; I pray you will reveal to me your vision for your world. Commitment to press on and answer your call requires faith; I pray you will fortify my faith – faith in You and faith in myself.

With humility, I pray my commitment to this call will lead me to a life worthy of the calling, and for any worthy work I create, You shall receive the glory.

This I pray in Jesus’ strong and holy name Amen.

"Intentional"

by Melanie Milton 

Mind over matter

Matters to me,

When met with intention,

Intentional I’ll be!

Whether writing for pleasure

To family or friends,

Or writing on purpose –

Words have no end!

This year I think –

Yes, intentional I’ll be,

In hopes that His light

May shine brighter thru me!

"Inventory"

by Vicki Moats

Time to inventory the attic of the soul -

So much accumulates in the dust of years.

Empty traditions and rituals which serve no purpose

Lie scattered everywhere

         -In the way-

And threaten to trip unwary steps.

Under the eaves

Huddle dark bags of thoughts

left to wander in unholy places,

        -All outgrown-

But never properly disposed of.

Boxes of unhealed wounds

       -Pain and grudges-

Have been left to fester

under the gauze of time

And need to be amputated for good.

Tattered Vanity still hangs

from the same beams as Greed

that whispered “more, more, more…”

         Now unwanted, outdated,

         Dulled, and faded.

And there in the center, the huge war trunk

That once held pride and self

Is empty now:

Musty, moldy,

And unsuitable for use,

But still a heavy load to get rid of.

The rest of the soul has been

Renovated and redone:

          Paint and plaster

          Paper and tile.

Even the foundation has been replaced.

Only this dusty, old attic remains:

          Cobwebs and cartons

          Of a yesterday

Before Grace

Came to live in the house.

"Anchor"

by Regina Bishop

Yes, I’m confident my ANCHOR is with me

In the safe harbor and beyond to the sea

Knowing I should go, but am afraid to fail

I must keep trying, and furl out my sail

If a fierce wind pulls me off course

My ANCHOR will hold, my life, my true source

I’ll sail out of harbor without any fear

Whether the weather is stormy or clear

My ANCHOR is with me, sure and stedfast

JESUS MY ANCHOR, FIRST AND LAST!

"A Prayer on Being Intentional"

by Lori Vober

As Christians, we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our actions, and we should strive to display a Godly spirit in our thoughts and speech. That is easier said than done, especially when things don’t go as planned and good days turn into challenging ones. My word for 2024 is intentional, on the good days, challenging days, and all the time in between.

Dear God,

To be intentional is to be deliberate or to do something on purpose. Please help me to be intentional in all that I do and all my major decisions in 2024.You have asked us as your followers to be an extension of your spirit here on Earth and a teacher to those that don’t know you. Nothing happens by chance, yet we don’t always draw close to you and your master plan as our first choice. Intentionality takes effort and action:

* Help me to make our relationship a priority so that I spend time in your Word daily and you are the first person I turn to.

* Help me to be intentional about my plans and that they line up with your master plan for me.

* Remind me to always be aware of others and be intentional of their needs. My experiences and challenges happened for a reason.

* Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

Thank you for your guidance. Amen.

~~~~~~

Thank you to our winners for sharing their thoughtful words with us, and for allowing us to share their wonderful poems and prayers with our readers. We were inspired and challenged by these creations, and pray that they will do the same for others.

And if you haven't selected a word for the year yet--think about doing so, and then pray for guidance about what the word might be. It's a meaningful exercise that will help you focus your writing journey in 2024.

(Would you like to participate in upcoming monthly challenges, or would you like to know more about the Southern Christian Writers Conference? Read other articles on this blog to learn more about different aspects of the writing process and to find out about upcoming SCWC activities. Join our SCWC Facebook group if you haven't done so already; it's the most timely place to get updates on activities and events. And put June 7-8, 2024 on your calendar; that's when we gather next as a group, at our annual conference in Birmingham. And you can email us at scwritersconference@gmail.com at any time.)