By: Hannah Dearth
As each year comes to an end, we review it and pray, and we talk about what we want to see in the next one. We pick a word that stems from scripture, and we discuss ways we want to give our lives to God more that year. This is year six or so of this habit, and each year I’m moved by how God weaves this word through our lives. Now, I’ve started adding a piece of decor in our home to look at to remind us of our word. Our focus.
Last year, our word was rooted. To be quite honest, I felt so confused, because I felt more uprooted than anything. I felt distanced from a church, I felt confused about what to do during a pandemic. Friends, sometimes He has to do a little weeding. He has to uproot some things in your life that are smothering out growth in Him in order for you to be more firmly planted.
I thought about writing to share some of these things, ways in which we felt the pains and struggles of the weeding, and ways in which we found ourselves becoming more firmly planted, but I know we all have felt SO much of that this year.
What I really want to do, is challenge you to try this out for a year...by yourself or with your family. See how this one small word connects you so much more to him in ways you cannot imagine, and be blessed to see His presence, His plan, His purpose for your life, in a new way.
***In the past, some of the words that we have chosen are Surrender, Flourish, and Restore.
I would love to hear what you chose, why, and what verses if you would like to share!
Our word for this upcoming year is contentment. Our verses are:
Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
1 Timothy 6:6-12 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Psalm 34:10b Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Below, is the artwork we ordered to frame and remind us of our word and verses that it is rooted in.
Comments