Yes, I’m late, late, late publishing my word of the year this year! And, the reason is…..I couldn’t decide exactly which word I wanted to focus on. Would it be “submit”, would it be “yield” or would it be “surrender”? Yes, the definintions to all of these are somewhat similar, but which one specifically would be the focus. Uttimately, for my 2023 word of the year I decided to focus on the word submit.
Why have a Word of the Year?
For those of you who wonder what in the world is the point of having a word of the year…..I mean why do it at all….I myself look at it as a tool for self-growth. Self-improvement. And not only self-improvement as a person, but also as a Christian who is always seeking to grow in my walk with Christ. I always gravitate toward words that I can focus on to help improve myself as a Christian. I’ve been doing a Word of the Year since 2014 – so for almost a decade. I’m always looking at ways for self-improvement and this is just one of those tiny little steps in that direction. The more you conscientiously focus and apply your word of the year and it’s meaning to your day to day life the more internal growth and improvement you will see. If you pick a word of the year and never think about it again it really defeats the purpose of having one in the first place. The point is to select a word that depicts an area you’d like to grow in, then focus on that word in your day to day life and how you can better yourself in that area.
Previous Word of the Year posts
Click the links to each word to read each blog post.
This year’s Word of the Year
There is a specific reason I chose this word and why I also considered the words “yield” or “surrender”. I’m at a place in my life where I want so submit my life, my desires, my goals, my will to God. It doesn’t mean I don’t or can’t have decisive goals in my life – I do! What it means is that I want to back up a bit, take my eyes off myself…..and put them on God. I want to stop and yield to what He has to say and submit to his direction and desires for my life. It’s so easy to get so caught up in our own desires and wants that we fail to see what the Lord has in store for us. What his plan and direction might be. As a grandmother who is now in the last third of my life here on this earth I realize more and more everday the brevity of life and the importance of seeking truth, seeking God’s path, seeking His will for my life. Because I feel that is where my ulitimate joy lies. My ultimate contentment with my life lies ultimately in the journey I should be on. I trust that the creator of the universe knows what is best for me….where my energies should lie. Where do I need to be spending my time, my thoughts, my actions? Are my thoughts and goals in alignment with HIs? I don’t fully know. I want them to be.
And, this is why I decided to select “submit” as my word this year. I want to intentionally focus on submission to God. I want to seek and listen to His direction and make sure that my goals align with His. And where they might need to be tweaked I want to be able to recognize this and begin to bend and tweak my will to His. To submit. Having this word whispered in my ear throughout the year will be a constant reminder to work on this area of my life. And, THAT is the reason for selecting a word of the year. Self-growth, self-reflection, self-improvement…..growing as a Christian.
What about you? Are you someone who continually seeks self-improvement? Do you select a word of the year? If not, you might give it some consideration. You might find it a simple step toward your own self-growth. I think seeking self-growth and self-improvement throughout life, no matter our age, is vastly important for improving the quality of life. We should never hunker down and settle for who we are and where we are in life at a given time. There is always, always room for growth and betterment. As a person in general and specifically as a Christian.
I’d love to hear if you’ve chosen a word of the year and why!
Happy Life By Design!