For the past few years rather than making goals, I’ve been picking a word of the year. I got the idea from my friend, Tabitha, who’s been doing this for quite some time. Some of my words have been faith, brave, believe & shine. It’s funny, I kind of tend to forget my word towards the end of the year, but when I reflect back over the year, I’ve noticed that the word I picked for that year was actually the theme of that year and the way that the Lord chose to grow me during that year. I started praying about what my word should be for this year sometime during December of last year. The word that kept coming to me was ‘surrender’, so knowing that this word will most likely be what the Lord will use to stretch and grow me this year, I kept praying, lest I heard it wrong. lol. See when you have a bit of a control problem… surrendering wasn’t something I wanted to do. Selfish and dumb, I know, but true all the same. Either way, I kept praying, just in case my word would change to something “easier” like abundance or joy, but it didn’t. The word that kept coming to me was surrender.

Finally, I surrendered to it and decided to make that my word for 2019. Well, that’s when I started having a lot of opportunities to start surrendering things and I was reminded once again, just how much I’m not in control. I know we’re barely into February, but the year has been refining for me so far. Does this mean that I’ve learned to let go and surrender and that I now do that with ease? Ummm…. NO…. But what I am learning over and over again is that surrendering to the Lord IS worth it all. To me, it’s surrendering what I know and want and think, all of the what ifs and buts and uncertainties to the One who truly knows the future. To the One who sees the big picture. To the one calling me to trust and surrender. To the One who knows me better than I know myself and loves me more than I could ever imagine.

So, I’m choosing to walk by faith this year. I’m choosing to trust the One who calls me to surrender instead of shrinking back in fear. I’m choosing to obey.

Another thing I usually choose to go along with my word of the year each year is a verse. This year my verse is Proverbs 3:5 ESV “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding”

Do you choose a word or a verse of the year? What is the Lord calling you to surrender? Is there a place in your life where the Lord is asking you to trust Him & to walk by faith vs shrinking back in fear?