My 2023 Word of the Year + How to choose yours
I love this time of year! It brings a sense of revival or renewal. Something about setting goals and intentions energizes me and keeps me going. The winter blues have been getting to me lately and I could use a push of encouragement these days. The pandemic also did a huge number on my confidence and I’m slowly rebuilding. Setting my goals for the year really helped me get out of that seasonal slump. I also love this time of year when I get to select a word of the year. To help prepare for this season of goal setting and praying for a word of the year. I went to the source, God obviously and the authors of the book “One Word That Will Change Your Life”. In the book, the authors outline a multi-step process to take to uncover your word of the year. It’s an easy read, if you want to read it before you pick your word or phrase of the year. But here’s the Cliff Notes version for you.
How to pick a word of the year
1. Look In-Unplug for a bit and ask yourself what do you need right now, what’s in my way, what needs to go?
2. Look to God to reveal your word. It will appear in books, articles, through prayer, music, TV shows.
3. Jot down a list and walk away from your word for a bit.
4. Ask for discernment.
5. Narrow down the list and select a word.
4. Discover what this word means to you.
5. Visualize it- I usually have my word of the year illustrated and displayed somewhere I’ll see it daily.
6. Also decided on how to share the love with others
I DIDN’T CHOOSE MY WORD, IT CHOSE ME
This year, it was really hard for me to pick a word of the year. I had a small list but my heart wasn’t confident it was the intention God wanted for me. The runner ups were surrender, presence and value.
I honestly didn’t want to write this blog post until I felt 100 percent on board with the word. It wasn’t until yesterday that I decided to move forward with publishing this blog post. I posted on Instagram about building my prayer wall in my home office. And one of my friends from HS messaged me to share this book she just read that she thought I would enjoy. The book is called “Four Minutes to Hear God’s Voice”. So I downloaded the book on my Kindle and started reading. It’s an easy read. I’ll probably finish it before the end of the week. I’m already hooked on this concept that it only takes a few simple minutes to hear God. The book talks about how you only need four minutes with God to hear his voice.
This morning, I got up and decided to try the technique. I prayed to ask God to reveal my word of the year. I sat there in silence and minutes later heard the words uttered in my head “Believe in Me” three times. I had immediate doubt and said to God “ you really want my word of the year to be “Believe in Me”. I also called my Dad and asked him what he thought. He confirmed that he thought I needed to “Believe in Me” and that I needed to stop doubting God and myself. The day went on and it wasn’t until I looked back at the notes of my potential words of the year and saw the word “Believe” included in the list. Tears started flowing because there was another confirmation staring me in the face. So there you have it! “Believe” is my word of the year!
What “Believe” Means to Me
“Believe” means stop doubting what God has planned for me,” Believe” in who I am and all the great things I have to offer, “Believe” in my own potential, and “Believe” in the people in my circle.
Scripture Resources
I Googled scriptures with the words “Believe” in them and put them on my prayer wall.
Here’s what I jotted down.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him believes he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
-Hebrews 11:6
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: To believe in the one he has sent”- John 6:29
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in the darkness. -John 12:46
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an impressionable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. -1 Peter 1:8-9
Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.-Mark 9:23
For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.-John 3:16
Do you select a word of the year? If so, I would love to hear what you choose in a comment below.
Take a look back at my previous words of the year.
2019: Overflow
2020: Bloom
2021: Confidence
2022: Intentional