4 min read
If you are a long-time reader of my blog you know that every year I pick a word to focus on in the coming 12 months. In 2021 my word was JOY.
In some ways, it was very fitting word for 2021. Having a baby! Moving close to family! Maternity leave! Getting vaccinated!
But in other ways it was also challenging. Even though I would say the last year was one of the best years yet – life is never black and white, and there were certainly days were choosing joy did not feel very natural. But it was so good to get back to prioritising practices that I know bring me joy. For example, I challenged myself to do something creative for 100 days (which ended up being only about 50 days!) and it was incredibly fun and life-giving.
Also – we chose JOY to be the middle name of our daughter and it fits her so so well.
My word for the year 2022
So, my word for 2022 is a bit of a weird one. But probably my favourite one so far! For 2022 I chose “WORD” as my word for the year. Yeah, I know, that sentence sounds silly. But let me explain.
In previous years I often thought very long about what word I wanted to focus on for the year. It was quite a rational process. This year, “WORD” felt a bit like a divine inspiration, that came to me whilst not even thinking about this word for the year thing. I love it, because it encompasses so many things.
God’s word
Since being a teenager I have had a passion for reading and understanding the Bible. I want to dig in even deeper in 2022 and immerse myself in God’s truth more and more. The Bible Project have brought out an app at the beginning of the year and it is truly amazing (and completely free!). I would love to follow along with the reading journey on there and hone my skills of understanding the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus.
My words
I am a big words person. Word play jokes make me laugh more than anything and nothing makes me happier than a good anagram. The fact that you are reading my words right now, might have given you a hint that I love writing. I am also very fond of speaking. And I want to do more of both this year.
Motherhood is a pretty busy affair, but I am still hoping to tend to this little blog as often as possible. I am also dreaming of starting a podcast. Who knows if this is realistic right now, but I will keep pondering and praying over this. I listen to podcasts a lot and would love to share my thoughts through this medium and interview some of my friends and role models as well. We shall see!
Further, I want to use my words to intentionally speak encouragement to people, to call them up, tell them all the great things that are true about them and about God. I’d love to grow in preaching and teaching from the Bible.
Finally – words are about communication. Sometimes I am hoping for others to guess what I need or desire. This hope is usually disappointed. (Turns out most people aren’t mind readers!) So, I want to use my words to communicate well – what I want and think. My goal is to be more honest and open with who I am and what I feel.
The words of others
This relates to my desire of starting a podcast – I want to become really good at asking meaningful questions. I am hoping to encourage others to share about themselves and to speak their truth. It brings a fire to my belly when I hear someone tell me about their passions, when a person explains something they are learning or creating. Hearing about other people’s lives and experiences and honouring them in that is something I definitely want to do more.
So, yeah! All of the words.
Have you picked a word for the year? If yes, which one?
No Comments