In November 2014, Dan and I decided to pick a word to embrace in 2015. We had never picked a word of the year, but we felt like it would be a fun tradition to start. When we choose the word “Brave” for 2015, I immediately expected that we were going to get pregnant and God was asking us to be brave after our first loss. We were comfortable in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I had no idea, that just a few days after choosing our word, the Lord would open doors for a new job in Springfield, Missouri.

2015: The Year of Being Brave
We choose “You make Me Brave” by Bethel Music as our anthem. We played it while we prayed for wisdom regarding change, as we drove to my interview, as we packed our house and as we drove away from Sioux Falls. I played it loudly when I was by myself in Springfield starting my new job and Dan was still in Sioux Falls finishing strong. It rang in my mind as we went through the roller coaster of selling our house. I prayed it quietly over family members when my youngest niece was born. I listened to it each time I traveled for work. I played it over and over again when I had to have unexpected surgery and as I waited for the test results that summer. I prayed it over Dan each time he went to an interview and when he started his new job. We joked about it as we tried new churches, restaurants, stores and foods. And we finished the year by praying it over our family again as my oldest niece traveled to London. The year was about jumping off the boat and into the waves to walk with Jesus. It wasn’t easy or comfortable… but what a journey!

2016: The Year of Big Faith
When we chose “faith” as our word, I immediately assumed again that it meant we were going to get pregnant. However, the Lord had other plans! In faith, we started collecting baby items. In faith, we bought a house. I started seeing a Doctor who helped me with my hormones. I changed my medications, supplements and work out schedule in faith.  Honestly, when I look back at 2016, it doesn’t feel like much “big” happened, however I believe faith is trusting God when the next step seems uncertain. We learned to be steadfast when we perceived that there wasn’t a lot happening in the natural.

2017: The Year to be Intentional
The definition of intentional is “done on purpose or deliberate”. When we chose the word “intentional” for 2017, I thought the Lord was asking me to be more deliberate in my relationships. So, I started the year by working on being better about reaching out when I was thinking of family and friends. I also tried to work on being intentional in my relationship with the Lord. I focused on being deliberate about getting in the word everyday. I set fitness goals and tried to be intentional about sticking to them.

The word of the year took on new meaning when we got pregnant with baby number two. Our first pregnancy was traumatic, so I had to choose be positive and faith-filled. When the doctors began to give us bad news, Dan and I had to be even more purposeful about choosing faith over fear. After we lost Lil Bit, there were several days that I felt like I was on auto-pilot. I had to make a deliberate decision to turn off auto-pilot and actually face the day.

The year to be intentional wasn’t all doom and gloom. I made the decision to start this blog. I also volunteered to help plan the Moms in the Making conference, and saw God do such big things through that ministry. It was a hard year, but I am so thankful we choose to be deliberate in all things.

So what is the word of the year for 2018?

After thinking about what Dan and I would like 2018 to look like and praying about what God wants 2018 to look like, we have decided that 2018 will be The Year to be Rooted. The word “rooted” is defined “to establish deeply and firmly”. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says:

Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]

In 2018, I believe God is calling us to dive deeper into His word. I believe He is calling us to read more, memorize more and grow deeper in Him. I also believe the Lord is calling Dan and I to get more rooted in our City. I am starting a local Moms in the Making group in our home, and we will get more involved in our church.

However, if there is one thing I have learned about the “word of the year”, it’s that most of the time, what I think God is going to do through the word of the year isn’t exactly what He has planned. No matter what is around the corner, I am so excited to see God carry Dan and I through the year.

Do you have a word for the year for 2018? If so, I’d love to hear about it!