The year is coming to a close. It’s a good time to look back and think about my One Word 2014.
Faith.
The one word which I felt the Lord had been weaving in and through my thoughts for several days before I settled on it for 2014.
As my husband and I sat reflecting on this past year, the words we kept finding ourselves saying was, “It was a weird year.” And it truly was.
Health issues. Aging problems to contend with. Death. Unemployment. Disappointments. Nursing homes. Hospital stays. Surgeries.
All in one year, the year 2014. The year I wanted to learn and grow and develop faith ….
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrew 11:6, NIV)
My verse for the year. My verse about faith.
What made me think it would be an easy word to focus on?
All I desired this past year was to please God and obviously, faith was needed in order for that to occur in some measure in my life. As the months rolled on and situations unfolded, again and again strong faith was prayed for and leaned upon.
Interesting to me was this story of a time when the people faced a vast army, Jehoshaphat says this to the people … “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld.” (2 Chronicles 20:20, NIV).
That word ‘faith’ in the Hebrew is Aman meaning “to believe, trust; to be reliable; to be firm, to be enduring” (Old Testament Lexical Aids).
Here’s the thing … in that verse, the Hebrew word Aman is used for both the words ‘faith’ and ‘upheld’. Does that blow you away as much as it did me!!!!
Seriously, it is faith – faith in the One who is believable, to be trusted, is reliable, firm and enduring – which will uphold us when the hard times roll in and the winds howl, and the darkness envelops.
Throughout this year, I have often jokingly said, “I want a new word!” I wanted an easier word perhaps like – laughter, or fun, or pizza! Faith was hard.
In looking back over my One Word 2014, Faith, I am grateful for all He has taught me and brought me through. It’s been an exciting journey. The year 2014 – –
My faith has grown a little deeper.
And He has surely upheld me and my family.
When December arrived again this year, I began wondering if I was going to do One Word 365 again. What word would the Lord impress upon my heart? I had just about decided not to do it when I realized there was a word, a single word, one word, in fact, which God was beginning to speak into my heart. My response?
“Lord, it’s only the beginning of December. I’ll wait and give You time to give me a new word.”
I am waiting. Only thing is, He is not changing the word. He knows just how He is going to work in each of our lives. He knows what needs to be molded and transformed and excised and added.
I’ll share my new word for 2015 on Thursday 🙂 In the meantime, you can check out OneWord2015 and perhaps see if there is a word you need to focus on as well this coming year.
Today I am joining … Testimony Tuesday and Unite and Titus 2 Tues. and True Story .
I always get a word from the Lord after Rosh Hashanah, October, and figured He was following the Jewish calendar. LOL. I do love that feast day.
Love this!
🙂 Loved that you figure Jesus follows the Jewish calendar. He did celebrate the feasts 🙂 Many blessings to you & yours in 2015!
Wow. I smiled and I chuckled and I totally related to today’s post. Made me laugh when you said you wanted your word to be PIZZA! Yay! I don’t feel like I have accomplished what I wanted to in my walk with the Lord this year because of STUFF and THINGS and SITUATIONS. But He has been EVER FAITHFUL and I am so glad to find myself enduring here at the end of the year. I know where my strength comes from! ♥
Nannette, I think you make such a key point. No matter what our word or focus or resolutions may have been, at the end of the year we come to realize He has been faithful. May you & yours have a most blessed 2015!
I wrote about my one word today too and felt that the only way to live “delight” was to totally trust God because there was so much that happened this year that was anything but delight. I love your willingness to share “pizza” as a possibility :). I know that 2015 could be just as difficult for me to achieve the word that God is laying on my heart but the beauty is how God is going to be with us to guide us through the new year and that is so good. Happy New Year, Joanne!
Mary, the reality is that no matter our one word, it will be a challenge for us. And that is the very reason He leads us to it. His desire above all else is for us to grow in Him not to have ease of days. May you trust Him & find not only delight in each days but that He alone is your delight. A most blessed 2015 to you & yours!
My word was FAITH too! It was a phrase really, “Forward with Faith.” I felt God calling me to new things. I ended up having kind of a weird year too. But I know I grew in faith. I’ll look forward to seeing what your new word is.
Betsy, I love reading that we had the same word. Grateful that we both can say growth came from our focus on Faith. May He continue to grow us even deeper in 2015!
It really is amazing how God give us a word and then how He uses it throughout the year to grow us in new ways. It’s a total God thing! Happy New Year, Joanne!!
Beth, it really is a God thing. We each have different words which He brings to us. Then to realize how personal & intentional He is in each of our lives is mind boggling. May He grow you as you focus on “Selfless” & thank you for sharing about Traci! She did such a wonderful job on these images! Blessings to you & yours in abundance this year! x0
Keep the FAITH !! Faith is a good word as are any of the FRUIT of the Holy Spirit. The promises of God are yea and amen and He will never leave us even when the year brings us sorrow, pain, and problems we do not enjoy having among us. I am so glad for your word Faith as we can always rely on our FAITHFUL God who places within our heart His faith.
Amen, Hazel! No matter the difficulty, we learn that He is faithful & we are never alone. Blessings to you & yours in 2015!
Thank you for your lovely comment on my site and for sharing with us here at “Tell me a Story.”
Always a joy to join you all!
Happy New Year Joanne! So grateful we share the years together…God is so good!
Lori, I am grateful for the encouragement received from unseen friends like you 🙂 God truly is amazing, weaving people together to bless & encourage but more so for His glory. Looking forward to 2015. May God bless you & Thad & Advent street with an abundance of Him! X0
What a testimony of faith! I’m glad you embraced what God was teaching you. I’m looking forward to hearing what your new word will be. I know God will use it in ways only he can do.
Kristin, it is His testimony of His faithfulness to each one of us. Looking forward to all that He has for us in 2015!