Jenny Long, VFM Coach, Nebraska
When I embarked on my very first year with Logos, I plucked a word out of mid-air: DELIGHT, a word that seemed as if it would be fun and happy and easy. And it might’ve been all of those things except for the fact that I was blatantly avoiding a Holy Spirit nudge to select OBEDIENCE as my word. Well, who wants a Logos like that? OBEDIENCE sounded heavy and difficult and full of lessons I really didn’t want to learn. In complete denial, I conducted a search for DELIGHT verses, made a list, and prayed for guidance in choosing a passage that would direct my steps throughout the year. And guess what? My Verse-of-the-Year became Psalm 37:4. Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. God’s sense of humor was on full display, as my DELIGHT verse was all about OBEDIENCE.
The following year, my Logos was JOY. Lest you conclude that I failed to learn my lesson about selecting fluffy words, please know that JOY immediately became an acronym for Jesus, Others, Yourself. JOY became a year-long journey into seeing and serving. My song of the year was “Give me Your Eyes” by Brandon Heath, and my Verse-of-the-Year was the final portion of Nehemiah 8:10. The JOY of the Lord is your strength.
I share these anecdotes because I’ve learned a hard truth: I don’t choose a Logos. My Logos chooses me. It is my belief that you will discover this same truth. God will bend and shape any selected Logos to direct your steps. He will permit that word to take you places you hadn’t anticipated or imagined. Your Logos will inspire, challenge, and stretch you; you will gain a sense of the breadth, depth, height, and depth of His love for you (Eph. 3:19).
Now that I’m a more seasoned Logos traveler, my selection process includes more reflective discernment and less avoidance behavior. For 2023, I noted six words that had been tumbling around in my brain for several months. (See photo.) The word AVAILABLE had actually been on my mind for a few years. I looked at Scripture references. I considered the VFM theme for 2023 (Names of God), with the idea that my Logos could possibly align with one of the twelve names we would be studying. I prayed for God to shine a spotlight on the path to my word. My prayers were met with a sense of unease about all six words.
And then more Heavenly Humor: I realized that I was unable to REST on any option because REST was to become my Logos for 2023!
I learned from previous experience. Due to previous lessons learned the hard way, I’m quite certain that Logos 2023 REST will not involve naps under electric blankets. As my 2023 guiding verse (Exodus 33:14) clearly states, He will give me REST. I’m prepared to learn how to press into Him instead of ontriving/manipulating my own means of finding rest. Sounds a little like OBEDIENCE again, doesn’t it?
In summary, I’d encourage you to follow the steps outlined on page 5 of the VFM Logos packet.
Here is the link to the new Logos365 resource.
Look over the provided word list on page 6 and circle those that resonate with you.
Search Scripture for passages that pertain to each circled word.
Pray over all words with the expectation that God will direct your Logos journey.
Share your word with your accountability partner(s).
Jump in and participate with the VFM community as we journey together in 2023!