What Are You Curating?

I am God’s Workmanship. I am a writer. I am curating the life of Christ in me.

I have been thinking about my choices lately, and how my one word for 2022 has been quietly working in the background of my life, silently bearing witness to God’s clear direction for my mind, heart, spirit and soul. The word Curate emerged as the direction for my new year somewhere around the same time last year. It is in the season of Autumn, the beautiful expression of dying when each year my word reveals itself, along with the falling of flame-colored leaves, the soon-to-be bared trees, the cooler air. It is birthed in the days just prior to the new year…and in this rhythm of seasonal change, God prepares my heart, faithfully as I commit to listening and accepting the possibility that He might actually have a word to speak to me, even one that would last the year. One word that would shape and undergird the lessons and choices of a whole year? I can hear the chiding remarks from naysayers, but lean in friend…I promise you it has been this way for me. I open my heart and mind to hearing God speak His very breath into my being in a word. You think it’s not possible? Well, I am telling you, it simply is.

I know you are probably thinking, “If God was still speaking to people, wouldn’t we have a little less crazy and a bit more peace in the world?” To which I would say, Friend, let’s start with a little less crazy for you and for me, yes? Let me start by telling you about a journey I’ve been on for many years now.

I think it was my love for words which shaped my love for The Word. I find words to be like jewels. Beautiful, unique, intoxicating, valuable. I’m drawn to letters like a moth to flame. They dazzle me, intrigue me. Or maybe it is my love for The Word which has begun in me an endless story unfolding, authored by grace. I don’t know, but I know this…well two things. I have an equally strong aversion to numbers as I do love for words. But more importantly, I have learned The Word is capable of teaching me, leading me and guiding me into places of discovery, growth and freedom. Each and every year, I am led to new discoveries, new lessons, and increased freedom. By faith I am led into more grace, truth, freedom in the One who freely gives gifts to the children of men, who then grows them into the children of God, fit for a new kingdom. And here some of us stand, anticipating, with hope. Can I ask you this, are you standing? Are you anticipating the return of an unseen King? Are you looking with longing at the horizon for your hope, who will ride in on the clouds in glory?

What does my One Word, Curate, have to do with this? Everything. First of all, We have to choose where to put our hope. This sounds easy, but I have discovered that people can be exceptional at saying the right words. Oh, outwardly we talk the talk. But often our choices and actions betray us. Where are we putting our hope? In our desired outcomes? In our financial security? In another’s response to what we think they should do? In things always staying the same, and never changing, because we are comfortable “the way things are”? Where our hope rests and reality meets is where the rubber hits the road. Where your hope is, will be the courage to do the right thing when the world around you says you should cower in fear. It will define your choices, dictate whether you will show up, or shut up in your own little confined space and watch from a screen the world as it burns.

We are either Jesus or Judas. We are in the camp of hope in the unseen realm, or security in the here and now. I can’t see an in between, can you?

I am either hell bent on my comfort, and it is my comfort, no matter how many excuses I make…or reasons I give, why I can’t show up in real time where God has placed me in community. What keeps me from being available, what keeps you?

I have made some hard choices this year about where I am showing up and where I am not, and curating better what I say yes and no to. These might seem like basic tenets to follow, but if they are, they are pretty simple. They lead me to outwardly live my faith and not cower away. I can’t follow a cowering Jesus. I can’t even imagine a cowering Jesus, can you?

I can’t see Jesus in a lot of the things I have seen over the past few years, but I can see an angry Jesus, overturning the tables of
those profiting from the fear of the masses.

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I have been curating the life of Christ in me, and it has caused me to flip the off switch on many of the things I thought were helpful. I am still working on this but it’s caused me to get back to the place I began with my faith. The early days of simple learning and living and seeking truth, and discovering a beautiful, faithful Savior in the midst of an ever more cruel and calloused world.

One word a year, just one word can be used by the One who is The Word, to lead, guide and teach the one who is submitted, wholeheartedly to Him. When I first began using one specific word instead of a list of resolutions for the new year, I discovered a powerful connection between faith and hope which offered excellent growth opportunities all year long. Maybe we don’t need more faith but to ask ourselves what we are hoping in this side of eternity? Where is our hope? What are we curating, a collection of fears or a gallery of confidence and hope in Christ, the One who commands our courage by His promises and presence? Whose camp are we in ? I recall Judas and Jesus walked together…but only one was true to God. I know I can so easily desire security, comfort and outward peace. Don’t we want the still waters? Yet, when we are truly trusting the Lord, He comes to us in our raging storms, walking on the stormy seas and offers peace, rest, comfort. Maybe curating my faith means, ultimately, recalling all of the ways He has been faithful to me. Maybe I am not supposed to be so comfortable this side of eternity. Maybe I need to be careful for the ways Judas speaks into my life calling me into his camp of fear or unbelief, through media, news, social platforms, or people over share. Perhaps I don’t need to know everything that’s happening everywhere all the time, and maybe even all the whys and whereabouts of another’s business. So many people think knowing all the things is a priority. I have long recognized it is not. Sometimes this frustrates others, but my peace of mind is a priority. Guarding and keeping the gates of my heart, mind, spirit and soul is a priority.

What am I curating with my choices? That’s what I have been asking myself, and maybe you might ponder it for yourself? Meanwhile if you are new to the idea of One Word for your year, I have written about this journey since 2012 when I was first led (kicking and screaming) to the word LESS.

Thank you for being here. Here are a few more posts on my One Word journey:

Journaling My One Word Journey AND Five Quick Tips for Finding Yours

Unhindered 2021 -A Few Words on Picking One Word for Your Year

Listening for My One Word and How Not to Listen for Yours

Dawn Paoletta likes to write, ignore rules, and confess her transgressions while driving. She believes caffeine enhances her personality, and is self -admittedly, the only living expert on the subject of how to conduct one’s vehicle at a 4-way stop sign. Check out more here.