Entry 4: Word of the Year
Hello! I hope you have had a wonderful 2025 so far! In this blog post, I’m excited to tell you about my word of the year!
Now, you’ve probably heard of the “word of the year” trend, or even done it yourself. For those who don’t really understand what I’m talking about, allow me to elaborate. With the start of a new year, it’s a great idea to come up with a word for the year. This can describe what the year is going to look like, your intentions for the year, goals, or any significance this word may hold for you. However, for Christians, finding this word isn’t about our own intentions for the year, but finding God’s will for us. This means that God gives us our word, and we find connection to this word through our trust in God.
On the first Wednesday of the new year, my church hosts a One Word Night centered on hearing from God. The night is all about using intentional activities such as prayer, reflection, and writing to ask God a specific question and wait for an answer. After much prayer and thinking, God gave me a word.
The word that He gave me is “more”. Now, this word has two meanings for me. One applies to my intentions going into the new year, while the other is what God has for me. First of all my intention going into this year is I want to give more to God. I want to give him more of my time, my energy, and my devotion. I want to read more of His word, spend more time in prayer and worship, and express more gratitude. I want to be more like Jesus in how I talk, think, and act.
Secondly, “more” is God’s promise to me. These past few years God has blessed me immensely. He has given me joy, love, understanding, and assurance (my word last year). He has given me wonderful friendships and communities, ones where I belong and feel truly seen. He began to fix the strained relationship I had with my parents. He even answered one of my longest prayers, and I got my first “I love you”. (Although, I’m still not sure what God has for me in that area of my life.) God challenged me, He pushed me to grow, He convicted me, and I can’t even begin to express that gratitude I have for what God has done for me. But this year, God is saying “Abby, I have more for you.” God is going to give me all that, and MORE. But more importantly (no pun intended), He is going to give me more of HIM. His presence, His power, His Spirit, His wisdom. I don’t want more of this world and it’s empty promises. I want more of my God, and all of his wonderful glory.
The reason why I am so excited for this word, is because I have already gotten a glimpse of God. What it feels like to be in his presence, what his spirit can do, his overwhelming peace. I’ve had moments where I heard him clearly or saw Him move. I’ve even experienced what it’s like to lean on him when your heart is broken. Now, God is promising me more. And how can I be anything but excited for what’s to come?
I encourage you, if you haven’t yet, to ask God to give you a word for this year. Take time in prayer, in worship, and in solitude to ask God, “what do you have for me this year"?” If you are patient, and you are open to receiving His answer, He will give you a word.
