My One Word 2019

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a fun weekend that was equally restful! In case you missed it last week, I shared a recap of my word of the year for 2018. As promised, today I am sharing my one word for 2019. Every year for the past six years, I have chosen a word that I will focus on throughout the year. It's a replacement to the long list of resolutions that will we will all give up on by February. It's one word that is your road map for the year. A word that gives you a vision for your year.

I truly feel like I didn't pick this year's word. I feel like it was chosen for me, by God. Throughout the past few months, my word for 2019 has popped up in songs I was listening to, Bible verses I was reading, and conversations I was having with friends. I have even seen it pop on posts on Instagram. This word has shown up to me as if it was in bright neon lights. Maybe my brain was looking for this word or maybe it was my heart but regardless, I found it. Everywhere.

My one word for this year is...

Since my word for the year last year was joy, I found myself going back to this piece of scripture over and over. I distinctly remember in early September, when I was going through a really hard season of parenting, thinking about this word faithful. I questioned whether I was truly being faithful in prayer, especially in regards to this tough situation that I was currently facing.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12 NIV

But, what does faithful really mean?

F A I T H F U L: faith·ful /ˈfāTHfəl/ adjective: loyal, constant, and steadfast.

But, the ways faithful popped up in my daily life didn't stop there, as soon as the new Elevation Worship album was released (also around this same time), I hurried to Spotify to listen to it. I remember sitting in the YMCA parking lot when the song, Faithful, started to play. Before this moment, I wasn't listening intently because I was too busy paying attention to Instagram. However, this song stopped me in my tracks. I put down my phone and listened to the lyrics. 

The lyrics that stood out the most to me were: 

When I felt like the burden was more than I could hold

When the whispers of worry overwhelmed my soul

You never left me alone

You were there all along

You are faithful
Why should my heart be afraid?
You are faithful
I know You're not gonna change
You are faithful, faithful

Tears were flowing out of my eyes because I needed this reminder of just how faithful our God is. We just have to trust Him. He will never let us down!

Now, fast forward to December. My heart is again at an unstable place, like it was back in September. God faithfully walked me through my parenting struggles and things are much better there but now my heart hurts for something else. I don't want to be vague about this pain but it's not really my story to share but it does involve two people that I love incredibly. I'm at a shaky point of disappointment, sadness, fear, and uncertainty. I am ultimately praying to God for total restoration but I'll take peace. I know God is in control and this is in His hands. 

While I was in South Carolina, I had a really rough day/night. I just felt off and just kind of sad so I deliberately went to the She Reads Truth Instagram page for some encouragement. I went down a rabbit hole reading various verses and kept finding verses that pointed to the word faithful. I don't think this was by accident. This was the day that I knew without a doubt that I needed to focus on the word faithful this year. It was the bright neon lights moment for me.

This year I am going to focus on being faithful in all areas of my life, particularly my prayer life. On the hard days that are filled with struggles and disappointments, I'm going to remind myself of God's never-ending faithfulness because God is good and He is forever faithful.

“He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— 

He remains faithful forever.” 

Psalm‬ ‭146:6‬ ‭NIV

What's your one word for 2019?

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog today! Have a great day!