Word of the Year

I noticed a trend a few years ago when the new year rolled around. Instead of listing several new year’s resolutions, I saw people choosing a “word of the year.” One word they chose to reflect on and focus on the for the upcoming year.

I’m about to reveal my enneagram when I say this, but when I saw my friends do it, I wasn’t quick to jump on board out of fear. Fear of a word? Yes, fear that if I chose a word, I might not live up to it during the year or feel like I “accomplished” the word. (you enneagrammers- you can leave your guess as to my number in the comments…haha!) That was wrong on for many reasons and a blog post for another day. 😉

So, what is the deal with the words? These are not wishes or fortune cookies we claim to take place in our lives, but simply a way to focus. What I have discovered is that having a word on our minds, more than anything, makes us more aware of God working in that area of our lives. These words call our attention to an area we know we need to focus on or can be a resolution to use as our plumb line for the year. These words may be words of anticipation and expectation, but can also come from a place of need in our lives. A place we are asking and seeking God to show up this year.

Last year our family chose a word together, STRETCH, and referred to that word throughout the year. You can read more about it here. (or by clicking on the picture) We were able to take some time at the end of the year to reflect on that word and talk about how God stretched us and our faith over the year. That was a sweet time I look forward to having again at the end of this year.

There are thousands of words we could choose for the year and hundreds of ways to remind yourself of it. We chose a word as a family, but have been inspired to choose individual words as well. The words can remain private, written in a journal, accompanied by a Bible verse for the year, written or painted in your home to keep visible, discussed weekly or monthly, and so many other ways to implement your word into your family.

Our word we have chosen for our family this year is, GATHER. Our prayer is that this word will open our eyes to opportunities throughout the year to gather with purpose. As we read Scripture, we see that Jesus often showed up to places where people gathered. He ate with tax collectors and sinners and always used these gatherings to teach about the Father and his plan to redeem. God has already given us ideas for this word and I can’t wait to share them with you as we go along! Stay tuned!

I have been inspired by my friends and the words they have chosen as well. I wanted to share some of their words and encourage you to choose a word as well. Once you do, share it with us in the comments below!

Kristi K. and her family each chose their own individual words: PRIORITY for one daughter who “wants to make Jesus a priority instead of just something she does.” PRAY is the word for her daughter who said, “all about prayer for her this year in seeking His will for her future. SEEK and FOCUS were her husband and son’s words. Her word is PURPOSED, because she is “so struck with Daniel and his resolve/purpose in his actions. Daniel 1:8 says, ‘Daniel purposed in his heart’ and I knew it was my word. My time is slipping with my oldest and I don’t want to get to the end of school with her, any of my kids, or relationships and have missed an opportunity or not made a difference.” You can see Kristi’s family’s words painted to display this year…

The word for my friend Julie W. is HEAL. She said, “after your heart is broken I need to seek the Lord for healing to be able to use a tragedy for His glory. Healing not just for me, but for my family. Healing is going to require a lot of courage and strength that I can only get through Him. My goal is to work on my relationship with the Lord and seek His healing.”

Last year, Amy O. chose EXPECTANT as her word. “I wanted to be open all year for all that God wanted to do in me, around me and through me. Oh the joy and hope Walker has brought to our lives these past 5 months. But what isn’t on the highlight reel is that 2019 was REALLY HARD! Between miscarriages and the adoption journey I have never known grief and joy to run so parallel.” I love her word for this year as well, RHYTHM. “I felt like I survived most of 2019, not thrived….urgent over important took over. RHYTHM by definition is ‘a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound, a movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions.’ As you can see RHYTHM is not steady all the same…but what I see in that definition is that RHYTHM is about consistent movement…not necessarily the same movement but consistent…not easy movement, still consistent. There sill be ups and downs and highs and lows in 2020 I know, but what I pray I can look back and see to be true was there was a RHYTHM, a consistent movement towards all that God has for me and my family.”

Teresa B. chose PATIENCE simply because “we need it within our family.” (Amen, Teresa! Me too!)

Last year, Kim R. chose ABIDE. She said she “needed to snuggle up close to Jesus and live there through this unknown. I was terrified of this change for the majority of my adult life, but God has been tender toward me here. I have found that His nearness is all I want in my life. To be right where He planned for me to be is the only place I want to be. It’s not always the easiest place to be but it is the best place to be.”

Donna S. chose ABIDE as the perfect word because, “I just need to abide in Christ, and He will give me the peace that I need for each day.”

Jennifer L’s word is RENEW. She said, “it is the beginning of the new year and when looking back and reflecting, I identified several areas for improvement. When I study all of the ways to improve on my areas, it all goes back to renewing. I need to renew myself, my parenting skills, renewing my focus on areas of importance in my world (vs what others think), renewing my friendships. Just a few areas I am working on.”

SEEK is what Annie R. chose from the verse, “if you seek me you shall find me if you seek me with your whole heart.”

Macy D. picked INTENTIONAL because “after last year a lot of things fell to the wayside including friendships and relationships because I wasn’t intentional. So this year I am going to work hard to make sure to make people feel loved!”

Bailey N. chose the word RENEW as in “renewed passion, renewed relationships, and a renewed sense of calling!”

This year, Haley N. chose RISE as her word. “Rise to what God is calling of me. Rise and not ask ‘what if’, just say yes to His calling and go.”

Laurie W. is choosing to FOCUS. “Focus on God, my family , and my health.”

INTENTIONAL is the word Staci B. chose for this year. “This year I listed the areas of my life that I want to be intentional. Each day I’m listing those things in my to do list so that I can see them and can remember to do them.”

This year, Jackie B. chose LOVE as her word. She said, “that’s how people will know we are Christ followers, right? Love the ones you don’t WANT to, love those you know and those you don’t know.” Last year her words were GIVE MORE, “give more of my time and talents to others, whether it’s a listening ear or supporting a missionary.” Her favorite was three years ago when she chose INTENTIONAL. She said, “we were intentional in having family devotions, praying together and teaching our kids to be intentional with those at school who didn’t have a friend to sit with at lunch, etc. This was the year that two of our kids gave their heart to Christ. No doubt in my mind that it’s because we were intentional.”

Last year Dena T’s family word was PRESENCE “as a reminder to be in the presence of the Lord daily and focus on being present/not distracted in the relationships with those God has blessed us by allowing in our lives. We always make or find a Christmas ornament with our word of the year.”

Audrey G. never picked a word before until her King gave her the word, INTENTIONAL. “I decided to do something different in order to get a different result…I am looking at specific things in my life that I need to be more intentional about…I have a planner, vision board, the word in front of me daily, a song that is my anthem….looking to see a difference.”

Lindsey S. chose DILIGENT as in “steady, earnest energetic effort.” For example, in her “Bible study, finances, food choices, rest, exercise.”

Danielle B. shared her past few years’ words with me. I loved reading the testimonies she shared with each word from the past years: CONTENTMENT, DISCIPLINE, HUMILITY. This year her word is REBUILD. “We are rebuilding parts of this house we are renovating, rebuilding a business, and building a new home. Lots of rebuilding!”

Melissa W. told me that they choose a theme or character quality every year. They pray about it and look for something their family is needing to grow in that year. In recent years it has been contentment, kindness, and courage. This year they chose FRESH START based on Lamentations 3:22-23. “As we’ve prayed about what we might need as a family, we see how each one of us can hang on to hurts, irritations, same old frustrations, etc. with people in our lives. God reminded us of the passage in Lamentations that we receive new mercies EVERY MORNING- through no merit of our own actions, attitudes, and thoughts. We’re purposing to give each other a “fresh start” moment by moment, day by day. Grace is a more appropriate spiritual term we know, but “fresh start” is a simple, practical way to put that into practice. On the kids’ special day each month (the date of their birthday), if they can recite the passage they get a special reward like late bedtime, choosing a meal, etc. That keeps it in front of us on a regular basis.”

Chase R. chose GRIT and GROW for his words last year and this year. Last year he “felt like giving up on the church plant at the end of 2017. Kept coming across the word and had to bring out the old athletic within.” For this year he said, “(I) need to focus on my personal growth. Using the same theme for the church, growing deep so we can grow out.”

Brian M. chose SERVICE “to help my children focus on others and to make us all more Christlike.”

Rebecca Y. chose RENEWAL and JOY.

Kristen L. chose GRACE with the passage from Titus 3:4-7.

Melanie M. is focusing on the word, RESTORE, “He restores my soul.”

Jessica E. is using INTENTIONAL as her word for the year.

Stefanie P. chose GATHER for her word as she “wants to gather daily at His feet and my goal is to read the Bible through.”

PRESENCE is is the word Kathy D. chose “to grow more in my awareness daily of His presence in every detail of life (Psalm 16:11) and to look others in the eyes and offer my undistracted presence (Phillipians 2:3)”

This year Corie H. is looking at FAITHFULNESS, “just doing the next thing that He tells me to do. That’s starting with reading the Bible through. Secondly, I feel like He’s leading me to the word, INSPIRE, regarding the people in my life. First my immediate family, then those I come in contact with. He’s also asked me to have my kids each pick a fruit of the Spirit to focus on this year. So in being FAITHFUL, we sat down and talked about it last week and encouraged them to pray through what He would have them choose.”

Last year, Kim K. wore a bracelet with her word of the year, MOMENT, stamped on it. Every time she looked at it she was reminded to make the most of each moment that is given to her. “My kids are growing up so fast, I want to make the most of each moment I have with them, and others around me.” This word she chose TRUSTWORTHY. “He is able to be relied on as honest and truthful. I can’t explain the peace that comes over me as I think about that word and how the Lord kept His promises and brought us through some stressful times.”

I have been encouraged and inspired by the words my friends have chosen. We can’t wait to read your words as well! Please share them with us below in the comments! There are also more word from my friends in the comments, check them out. Happy New Year!

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