How ONE WORD Replaced Every New Year Resolution.
The New Year is upon us, and many of us are busy making resolutions, creating goals and plans, and focusing on making this year better than the last. Perhaps, you are ready to try something different or maybe you are tired of resolutions that don’t stick. Let me share with you how ONE WORD has changed my life!
WHY RESOLUTIONS DON'T WORK.
I used to make resolutions every year. The most frequent were to lose "x" amount of weight in the year. Another was that "I must write in my journal every day." How about "be kind," "read the Bible more," or "exercise every day"? Have you ever made those types of resolutions? Have you kept them?
In 2019, Forbes released an article on why New Year’s resolutions don’t work. They said that “64% of these resolutions will be abandoned after one month.” Why does this happen? Why can’t we keep the resolutions?
Resolutions are well-meaning, but they rarely last. To make anything last, there must be a change of heart, not just a change of season.
After too many years to count, I realized that I wanted the behaviors to change without the heart change. The resolutions never came to anything because my motivation behind doing them never change.
But the one thing that has revolutionized my New Year and that is ONE WORD.
WHAT IS ONE WORD?
The idea behind One Word is to pick one word a year that you can focus on throughout the year. I first heard about One Word from my childhood friend Alece. She is the founder of ONE WORD 365.
Their slogan is: "CHOOSE JUST ONE WORD. GO WHERE IT TAKES YOU. BE WHO IT MAKES YOU." You can visit the site at HERE. One Word says,
"Forget New Year’s Resolutions. Scrap that long list of goals you won’t remember a few weeks from now anyway! Choose just one word. One word you can focus on every day, all year long… One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. It will take intentionality and commitment, but if you let it, your one word will shape not only your year, but also you. It will become the compass that directs your decisions and guides your steps." (source)
I began this practice a few years ago, and Friend, I have seen God move!
MY WORDS OVER THE YEARS.
2015: PERFECTION was my word for 2016. My verse was found in Matthew 5:48, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” As I submitted to His teaching and perfection, the Holy Spirit began illuminating to me areas in my life that didn’t match who God created me to be. He showed me areas in my life that weren’t lining up with His will. Although it was a painful year, He began the process of perfecting me according to His image.
2016: JOY was my word. My verse was Nehemiah 8:10b, “And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 2015 was such a difficult year that in 2016 I wanted to focus on finding joy in all circumstances; even the difficult ones.
2017: PURPOSE was my word for 2017. My verse was found in Habakkuk 2:1-3, “I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” The Lord moved mightily in 2017 as my purpose became very clear. He gave me direction, and He made the vision plain.
2018: HEALING was my word for 2018. My verse is found in Isaiah 61:1-4, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”. This year, I needed God to heal my mind, body, and soul. The last seven years had taken their toll on me, and I stood believing for the Lord’s divine healing on my life. He showed me areas that were buried deep down that needed healing and He showed me areas that needed to be renewed which led me to my word for 2019.
2019: RENEW was my word for 2019 and I clung to Romans 12:2. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The Lord walked me through the beginnings of healing my depression and anxiety during and taught me how to renew my mind to line up to His Word. This process is continual. Renewal isn’t just a 365-day process, but a lifetime of being renewed and transformed into the image of Jesus. 2019 began that process.
2020: FEARLESS is the word the Lord led me to for 2020. My verse of the year is found in 2 Timothy 1:6-7. “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” After working through RENEWAL in 2019, the Lord showed me that I was plagued by fear and anxiety in my mind. So in 2020, I began to learn to live FEARLESS through the power of God and the wisdom of His Word. Little did I know what 2020 would hold and how deeply I would need to step into living FEARLESS and allowing the Lord to teach me how to live with power, love, and a sound-mind.
2021: REST is the word the Lord led me to for 2021. My verse for the year is found in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” I have been involved in ministry for over 25 years and have not once taken time to rest. Why? Fear. As I learned to live fearlessly in 2020, the Lord showed me that fear was keeping me from enjoying His rest. Fear of finances, missing my calling, not living in God’s will for my life, etc. Being bound in fear kept me going, going, going, and leaving no room for rest; that Sabbath rest for which we were created. So 2021 will be a year of REST and I am anxiously excited to see how the Lord will move.
2022: REBUILD is the word The Holy Spirit whispered to my heart for 2022. The verse of the year looks more like an entire passage - Isaiah 58. As I took 2021 to rest in the Lord, He revealed idols and strongholds built on the temple's foundation. (1 Corinthians 6:19) These were things that I pledged allegiance to over the Lord, and they had to come down. And so here I sit, at the dawn of 2022, surrounded by ruins and rubble. It is time to rebuild. But not my way. Not society's way, cultures way, church's way, religions way, family of origin's way. No. It is time to rebuild my life through rest around apprenticeship to Jesus.
2023: CRUCIFIED is the word The Holy Spirit whispered to my heart for 2023. The verse of the year is found in Matthew 16:24-26. I am frankly very nervous to walk through Crucified in 2023. Rebuilding, in community, showed me areas of my life that needed to be crucified so that I look more like my Rabbi, Jesus. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower (disciple, apprentice), you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” As I began to rebuild my life around apprenticeship to Jesus in 2022, I felt the call to take up my cross. I don’t know where this year will take me, but I am grateful that I am connected to the easy yoke of Jesus, and in His rest, He will walk me to my cross.
Choosing ONE WORD has focused me, and changed me more than any resolution ever did. I encourage you to pick your word today. It is never too late to start.
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WORD
Download the FREE Heart Notes Workbook below. I walk you through the entire process.
1. PRAY - I pray that God would speak to my heart a word that He wants me to follow. Prayer is the key to choosing the right word.
2. OPEN EARS. OPEN EYES. Keep your ears and eyes open for the word. During December of 2016,, I was watching a documentary on Netflix, and one of the people being interviewed said, "I would hate to waste my life using my gifts and talents for a purpose God never ordained." BAM! There was my word for the year . . . PURPOSE.
PURPOSE resonated in my spirit and I wasn't able to shake it. God can speak to you through anyone and anything . . . even Netflix! So keep your heart, eyes, and ears open for God to reveal your word.
3. BRAINSTORM. Set your timer to one minute, use the free workbook below, and just write out words that come to you. After the minute is up, re-read the words. Do any stand out to you or touch your heart?
4. SCRIPTURE. Is there a verse you can't shake? Maybe God has given you a verse to pick your word from. I chose REST in 2021 from Matthew 11:28. I just couldn’t shake that verse. What verse has been the verse of the year for you? Pick a word from that.
5. PRAY AGAIN. You've chosen your word. Now, pray over it. Ask the Lord to stir that word in your heart and soul. Ask Him to make it clear how He wants to change you with that word. Ask Him to open your eyes to experiences where you can grow from your word.
KEEP FOCUSED ALL YEAR
It is so important to see God moving in your one word throughout the year. It is so important to stay focused on your word. Here are some things that you can do to help you keep focused all year on my ONE WORD.
Write the word on the printable I included in the workbook below, and attach it to your fridge.
Write the word in the front cover of your journal so that it is constantly with you.
Write out every Scripture you can find relating to your word and keep that in your journal as well.
Each week, notice how the Lord directed you through your word.
Bookmark, or pin, any blog post or Bible Study that relates to your word.
Choose your ONE VERSE for your year.
I pray that this year, God moves mightily in your life through your ONE WORD. I pray that He makes Himself crystal clear through the steps of choosing your word, living your word, and growing from your word.