For those of you who don't know, every year I get a word. It's something God gives me to sit with and grow through during the year. In 2011, I had Fulfillment. 2012, Redefine. 2013 was Behold, and 2014 was Faith. In 2015, I had a first for me, which was two words: Transform and Redeem. 2016 brought me Kneel, and 2017 was Freedom.
I learned so much from this word. I walked through Freedom from things, like uncertainty, the unknown, guilt, and the pressure to be "enough". And through those things, I am walking in freedom towards my word this year.
This year, my word took some time coming. I spent December wrestling with having a concept, but not a word. Every time I asked about my word, all I got was the concept of birth. The idea of something new emerging, being brought about. Coupled with this image was a conviction that this arrival was not something I could bring about. God would bring it forth. I couldn't. It was out of my control (see yesterday's post for more on that).
Then on January 3rd, I finally received my word, and it's a doozy. My word for 2018 is Believe.
I always try not to put too many preconceived notions into the word (I did that with Behold and God turned my world upside down in some big little ways!), but I do know this much: while I do have the freedom and responsibility to choose to believe, the feeling of belief (the reality of belief) isn't something I can bring about. It's something God has to birth in me.
2018 is going to be an interesting year! Thank you for taking this journey with me :)
