Do you have a word for the New Year? I had never even
heard of the idea of having a theme word for the year until the end of 2014 was
nearing. It had been the most difficult year in my life and I was glad to see
it go, although not really looking forward to the new year either.
I felt the Lord placing the word “hope” on my heart.
It was popping up everywhere and was just what I needed. Hope that God was in
control and that things truly would get better. So that became my theme word
for 2015. As I pressed into God as the only source of my hope, He came through.
Hope showed up everywhere, all year long. I found it in so many verses I was
reading in the Bible, in songs, and in inspirational sayings. Hope was the
common thread woven throughout the entire year. I truly learned over the course
of the year how to place my hope in God and not people or circumstances, both
of which had been sorely disappointing. Over the course of the year, God had
done amazing things in me and had truly restored my hope for the future. I was
excited about 2016 and the prospect of a new “word of the year.”
As 2016 neared, I prayerfully considered a new word
for the new year. However, two kept coming up and I found it too hard to
choose. So I had both “future” and “grace” for the next year. Once again, I was
amazed at how often they came up and how God has woven both of them so
beautifully together throughout the year. I sat down the other day to write
down all of the milestones of 2016 and I couldn’t believe it! I never dreamed
so much could happen in just one year and sometimes in the course of one month.
I love how God brought so many beautiful surprises into my life this past year.
It has me truly excited for the future because I know and have seen that He
will do abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagine.
So for the past few weeks, I have been praying about
my new word for 2017. I can’t believe it is already here!!! I have my new word
and am eagerly anticipating the new year and seeing how it unfolds. If you
haven’t ever had a theme word for the year, I encourage you to consider it. It
has been a blessing to me! I look forward to sharing my word for 2017 with you
in just twelve short months.
