WORD OF THE YEAR 2020

I finally have a "word of the year" going into 2020.

Last year I didn't think about one, pray about one, and wasn't even interested in one. Not sure why.

I've been doing this since 2014.  That year my word was "Still" based on Psalm 46:10 ("be still and know that I am God").

The next years brought the words:  Liberty, Simplify, Trust, Savor.

This year my word is THRIVE!  It's also a goal!

The quiz I took via the Dayspring website plugged me into having "bloom".  But to me, that's a noun and as a verb just doesn't resonate with me.  So I thought about my answers to their questions and came up with what I think is a better synonym:  thrive.

You see, sometimes, as we walk this journey called life, we are just surviving. the baby years, the busy preschool and elementary years, then the angst and drama that comes from raising teens; then career, ministries we're involved with, social obligations, friendships, our marriages, our extended families, holidays, shopping, running the house, paying the bills.  You get the idea.

Do we THRIVE at all those things??  No, not all at once. I grew up in the 1960s/1970s, graduating from high school in 1978 where for years all I heard was the feminism chant of "we can have it all".  Well I'm here to tell you that yes, we can, ladies.  BUT....we can't have it all at once and do it well.

But yes, we can have it all and do it all:  marriage, children, careers, ministry.

For me, these things came in seasons.  For two seasons, I even worked jobs that were sort of related to my field (Special Education/Educational Psychology) but weren't really in the field (counseling/teaching parents at a pro-life center, and working as a program aide in a public school district where my children were being educated).  

Now, as I go into 2020, I am once again in the field God led me to: Special education preschool.  And although I chose not to be master teacher, I am teaching daily without all the paper work and meetings to lead.  And I'm thriving!! I thank God for leading me to this amazing role.

The girls are young adults and don't need us like they used to.  The oldest is saving for her own apt and works full time paying all of her loans and bills.  The youngest is in her 3rd year of college and works when home. She also pays most of her own bills.  They both have cars so they don't even need rides from us any longer.  It's definitely a new season as a parent.

So all of these changes led me to think on the word "thrive".

The definition is:  to prosper, flourish, grow vigorously, develop well.  But there's another definition that really stood out to me:

"to progress toward, or realize a goal, despite, or because of, circumstances...."

I love that.  

Because circumstances in our everyday lives are often messy.  Or complicated. Perhaps we crave more time with our husbands in deep, meaningful conversations but it often seems stagnant and mundane.  Perhaps we long for those romantic newlywed days yet don't know how to capture that feeling again.

Maybe we try so hard to develop and keep friendships intact, but everyone is busy or not free on the same day and these friendships begin to just be "likes" on social media photos.

Maybe there are work challenges or difficult work relationships that need a moderator.  

Maybe there are personal issues like past hurts, bitterness, pride, greed.  

there are all kinds of things that Satan can use to keep us from living the abundant life and that keep us from thriving.

But when you are at peace, and have inner joy  even  while undergoing the mundane or difficult days, then you are actually thriving.

I know that I can count on my Father in heaven.

I know I can draw on His strength

There are areas in my life where I need to shine a little brighter...where the seeds need to begin to grow....where I need to thrive.

As I walk into 2020, I am lifting those things up to God who can bear them for me.

and I WILL thrive. 

My verse for this new year is:

I want to be so rooted in Christ that when there are difficult times I will not be shaken.....I want to shine the Light of the Lord so that all the unbelievers around me....including family members....are drawn to Him. May I represent Him well in this coming new year and thrive.