The Three-Word Project

One of my favorite parts of writing a blog is interacting with the people who read the blog and comment on it. Most comments are favorable and most are heart-felt. That is the purpose of my blog – to help connect with people in their spiritual journey by sharing thoughts, observations and reflections. Telling and sharing stories is a great way to facilitate that spiritual give-and-take.

A couple of weeks ago I sent an e-mail to people in my electronic address book, asking them to share their thoughts with me about their relationship with God. Here’s what I wrote:

I am reading the book “How Big Is Your God” by the Jesuit priest, Paul Coutinho. In one of the chapters, Fr. Coutinho writes: “My experience of God can be summed up in three words: ‘You are mine.’” Without reading any further, I had a pretty good idea of the type of relationship the author had with God. It got me to thinking …

What three words might I use to describe my relationship with God over the years? I encourage you to take some time and make your own three-word lists to describe your experience of God. If you would, I invite you to send me a copy of your list. I will compile an anonymous list of three-word phrases and will share them in an upcoming blog post.

I was amazed with the response. People submitted hundreds of responses, which are listed below. Some responses are very insightful, a few somewhat humorous, and some a bit disturbing! (Note to self: You might want to exorcise some of the names in your address book.) It was interesting to pick out some of the common themes of the three-word phrases submitted: forgiveness, awe, dependency, love, trust, struggle, etc. I can honestly say that I have experienced most of the phrases on the list at one time or another in my life. For me, that reinforces two important things I have learned so far in life:

We are not alone in our thoughts and desires. After all, we all came from the same mold (the image of God). While we tend to see the world from a limited perspective (our own), many other people are experiencing similar events and feelings in their lives. While we are unique in our God-given gifts, we are all part of the “one body” that St. Paul preaches about.
Our relationship with God changes over time. God never changes, but we do. And, thank heavens, God is always willing to meet us where we are. He is always calling us to him and isn’t opposed to stretching his arms a bit to reach out to us in times of need.

I invite you to take some time to read and reflect on the phrases people have shared with me. Try to identify the times and circumstances when you experienced similar feelings in you relationship with God. Think of all of the times God has reached out to help you, has taken you back when you’ve fallen to sin, and has been there beside you when you didn’t even notice. This type of reflection may lead to a new three-word phrase: Praise The Lord!

Be at peace and know that you are loved!

Deacon Dan

THE THREE-WORD PROJECT:
How Others Have Experienced God in Their Lives:

A Calming Source
A God Nearby
A Servant’s Heart
A Wrestling Match
Abide in Me
All I Need
All In All
Alpha And Omega
Always With Me
Always With You
And You Are?
Are You Kidding?
Be At Peace
Be Lifted High
Be My Desire
Be My Light
Be My Shepherd
Be Not Afraid
Be On Fire
Beginning And End
Behold The Lamb
Believe In Me
Body Of Christ
Breathed His Last
Bring It On
Bring Us Back
By My Side
Child Of God
Christ Be Praised
Christ, Have Mercy
Christ Our Light
Come, Follow Me
Come, Holy Spirit
Come, Lord Jesus
Count Me In
Creation Is Awesome
Daily Prayer Partner
Day By Day
Died. Risen. Saved.
Don’t Give In
Don’t Give Up
Don’t Be Lazy
Dude, You’re Awesome!
Eat And Drink
Ever And Ever
Ever-Living God
Faith. Hope. Charity.
Father. Son. Spirit.
Fear No Evil
Feed God’s Lambs
Flood My Soul
Foolish Little Boy
For Your People
Forgive Our Sins
Give of Self
Give Us Life
Gives Me Patience
Gives Me Strength
Go For It
God Be Glorified
God Carries Me!
God is Great
God Is Love
God’s Gotta Plan
Good Morning, Lord
Good Night, Lord
Grant Me Peace
Happily Ever After
He Is Near
He Loves Me
Help Me See
Here I Am
Hey, You Listening?
Higher And Higher
Holy Spirit, Come
Holy, Holy, Holy
Hope In Me
I Am Forgiven
I AM Here
I Am Here
I Am Not
I Am Saved
I Am With You
I Find Peace
I Love You
I Miss You
I Need You
I Surrender All
I Trust You
I Trust You
I Will Follow
I Will Lead
I Will Listen
I’ll Be There
I’m Always Here
I’ve Missed You
In Christ Alone
In Due Time
In His Care
In His Love
In His Presence
In My Heart
In The Beginning
In The Moment
In Your Grace
In Your Hands
In Every Being
Into Your Hands
Is It I?
It Is Finished
It’s All Right
It’s Just Begun
It’s My Responsibility
Jesus Loves Me
Jesus Loves You
Jesus, Mary, Joseph
Joy. Joy. Joy.
Just Be Patient
Just Let Go
Just Love Me
Keep Me Safe
Keep On Truckin’
Keep The Faith
Kind And Merciful
Lamp Shining Brightly
Lead Me, Lord
Less Of Me
Let God Arise
Let It Be
Let It Flow
Let It Go
Let Me Help
Let’s Start Again
Lift Me Higher
Light of Christ
Light The Fire
Live In Me
Lord, Have Mercy
Lost Without You
Love Came Down
Love is Kind
Love Is Patient
Love Poured Out
Love, Love, Love
Man In Charge
Man Up, Dude
Maybe You’re Right
Me No Understand
Mean Old Man
More Of You
My Beloved Child
My Best Friend
My Everlasting Joy
My Grace’s Enough
My One Desire
My Only One
My Resting Place
My Sacred Space
My Shining Light
Nature Is Amazing!
Never Forsake You
Never Let Go
No You Didn’t
No You Don’t
No, This Way
Not You Again
O Happy Day
Offer It Up
On The Rise
One More Time
Open My Eyes
Open My Heart
Our Dwelling Place
Our God Reigns
Pardon Our Sins
Patience, My Child
Pillar Of Fire
Pour It Out
Pray For Us
Pray With Me
Prayer Life Peace
Priest. Prophet. King.
Protect The Vine
Purify My Heart
Reign In Me
Remember Your People
Rest In Me
Rich In Kindness
Seek His Blessing
Seize The Cross
Sharp Turn Ahead
Show Me Mercy
Snip, Snip, Prune
Stay With Me
Step By Step
Teach Me Love
Tend The Vineyard
Tend This Vine
Thank You, Lord
The Big Guy
The Devil Lost
The Prime Giver
There For Me
There For Me
This Will Pass
Told You So
Trust In Me
United In Christ
Waiting For Me
We Are Saved
What ‘Cha Doing?
Where Are You
Where Are You?
Where You Been?
Why Not Ask?
Will Always Listen!
Will You Follow?
Word Among Us
You Above All
You Are Forgiven
You Are God
You Are Holy
You Are Loved
You Are Mighty
You Are Worthy
You Complete Me
You Did What?
You Lead Me
You Or Me?
Your Love’s Extravagant

Share the Good News!

Like this:

Related