Words tell a story.
Ernest Hemingway was once asked to describe his life in 6 words or less. He accepted the challenge, and some consider his response to be his greatest masterpiece.
"For sale: baby shoes, never worn."
Those words tell a story.
How about you? Could you describe your life in 6 words or less?
Let me take it one step further: Describe 2015 in 6 words or less.
You read it correctly, that's not a typo. I don't mean 2014, not the last decade. 2015. Describe the coming year in 6 words or less.
See if it makes sense another way....When you reach New Year's Day at the end of 2015, if you were asked this same question, how would you want to be able to describe this year?
What would you like to see the story of this year be?
Of course, it's easy for the cynic to discredit this question. "Well, what if I want to get married? That probably won't happen!" Or maybe you're thinking "I'd love to make my Grandpa come back to life, but that won't happen either!"
"For sale: baby shoes, never worn."
How about you? Could you describe your life in 6 words or less?
Let me take it one step further: Describe 2015 in 6 words or less.
See if it makes sense another way....When you reach New Year's Day at the end of 2015, if you were asked this same question, how would you want to be able to describe this year?
Absolutely you can ruin this question and make it meaningless by describing something that likely won't happen.
But what do you long to learn? How do you want to grow? What do you want to change?
Do you want to see God move? I do. Here's mine:
"Learned to love like Jesus loves.”
But what do you long to learn? How do you want to grow? What do you want to change?
"Holy Spirit, Come."
It wasn't 6 words. It was less. Pope Leo XIII only needed 3 words to describe the 20th century.
What followed was the greatest century of revival in the history of the world! In the next 100 years, we saw more revival than we had seen in any 100-year span in history. The Holy Spirit was more worshiped, more loved, and more known than any time since the early Church.
It wasn't 6 words. It was less. Pope Leo XIII only needed 3 words to describe the 20th century.
What followed was the greatest century of revival in the history of the world! In the next 100 years, we saw more revival than we had seen in any 100-year span in history. The Holy Spirit was more worshiped, more loved, and more known than any time since the early Church.
Now, whatever your opinion of the Pentecostal denomination, there is no denying that God has used (and still is!) them to light a fire in all of us for worship, missions, and the Holy Spirit.
Whatever your opinion of the Roman Catholic church is, there is no denying that the worldwide leader of the largest Christian denomination, the Pope himself, changed things when he invited the Holy Spirit into the 20th century.
Doesn't that stir your heart, just a bit? Don't you secretly want to pray a prayer like that, and then see God move in such a dramatic fashion?
Do this: Ponder this question for a while, and then describe 2015 in 6 words or less. Make your final sentence the prayer you pray for this year.
Do this: Ponder this question for a while, and then describe 2015 in 6 words or less. Make your final sentence the prayer you pray for this year.
Do you want to see God move? I do. Here's mine:
"Learned to love like Jesus loves.”
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Evan Smith
“The God who came, still comes. The God who spoke, still speaks.”
Congratulations Evan. I am thrilled on two levels. One is that you found this concept and made it work for you. And second, because this is the format that I used in workshops I taught, teaching people to write their memoirs and books. Most said they didn't know where to start; It would too long and take too much time to write. We always started with "Write your life's memoir in six words." They were unforgettable for the most part. I wrote a couple of different ones for myself (my finished memoir book ended up almost 500 pages with over 100 pictures, 60 in color.) My initial try was: "Little, molested, redeemed; championed the others".
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