Do you choose a Word of the Year each year? It's something I've done for the last five years now and each year, the word that I end up "choosing" ends up applying so perfectly to my year - it's nothing more than the Lord at work in the little things in life - you know?
In 2020 - my word was Intent. In 2021 - my word was Progression. In 2022 - my word was Peace. In 2023 - my word was Confidence. And now - for the year 2024, my word is Trust. I have to say that this word is truly so timely for this time in my life and I was blown away when I took the quiz to generate my word.
That's right - I took an online quiz at Dayspring.com to generate my word. I have used this quiz every year and I am always so amazed by how the word that I arrive to at the end of the quiz always perfectly aligns with my year! And boy has this word already proved timely for the start of my 2024!
I will confess that at the end of the year; the job I was in had become nothing short of a constant stressor, I was coming home multiple times a week in tears, exhausted all the time and after a particularly charged interaction the week before Christmas - Ryan and I knew that a change had to be made. I had contemplated leaving the job on and off for the last year - and it really felt like the Lord had been telling me even more strongly that it was time to move on. My health was beginning to be affected and a job is never worth compromising your health!
The decision really came to a head when; on New Year's Eve, Ryan and I ended up at the emergency room because I was having chest pains. The stress from my job, the decision to leave my job and the very scary proposition of potentially being "jobless" for a time - it was all overwhelming me to the point that I was having physical repercussions! What would follow over the next month would be multiple ER visits that resulted in blood draws, x-rays, a cat scan, a GI cocktail and multiple follow-up appointments with doctors and specialists.
I would like to say that in the midst of all of this - I completely trusted the Lord. I would love to say I knew that no matter what the health outcome was or the job situation, that I was filled with trust. It is literally "my word" and yet - I definitely needed some work where that trust was concerned!
Even in my less than amazing ability to trust - the Lord has shown up and shown out in so many ways! Ryan and I were so concerned about what might be causing my health issues but after all those visits it was determined that my heart is completely healthy, I don't have GERD and I was just dealing with severe anxiety! That anxiety is real y'all and can seriously affect your life - but praise the Lord it was nothing more serious!
Even in my less than amazing ability to trust - Ryan and I ran the numbers and confirmed I could actually be "out of work" for a while with no real impact on our finances (thank the Lord we completed Financial Peace & became debt free in 2023). However; the Lord in His goodness, provided! I began submitting applications, had an initial interview and a second interview and y'all - my last day at my former job was January 10th and I got a call on January 12th that I'd been hired for the new job. What's more - because of the way the pay calendar works - Ryan and I didn't miss a paycheck and I was still able to have 3.5 weeks off to recover and relax! Won't He do it?
I would love to say that with a year that started with so many signs of the Lord's moving and working in our lives, I am just filled to the brim with trust. But - the Lord knew that it was something I needed to work on and so, day by day I am doing that. I am working on myself and working to know that in all things - the Lord is working them for my good. I may not always understand why things happen the way they do, but I am working to be more trusting - because His way is always the best way.
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Do you choose a word of the year? Feel free to share if you do!
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