A Single Word for 2020

Out with the old and in with the new.

I have always loved the beginning of a new year whether it be a new school year or a new calendar year like today.

I just love a fresh start.

2019 brought a few big accomplishments such as starting grad school and paying off all debts.  It brought a new job and new friends. 

It brought our first RV trip and my first solo trip.

Yet with all of that it somehow feels like it was an uneventful year.

I'm ready to say goodbye to 2019 and jump on into 2020.

Good thing since 2020 is here now.

While I've always loved turning the page to a new year, I've never been big on resolutions.  Some years I make them some years I don't.

This year I have some overarching goals.

And

I have a word for 2020.

I have never had a word for the year.

But this year I kept gravitating to a certain word.

I know you will not be a bit surprised by the fact that my word stems from my journey with infertility.

I believe God can heal me.  I believe He can give me another baby.

Where I struggle is believing He will.

God's love for me is not contingent on whether or not I have a baby.

But man is it easy to believe the lie that God hasn't given me another baby because I haven't earned His love.

So my word for 2020 is LOVE.

I want to be more aware of all the ways God shows His love towards me every single day.  I want to praise Him for loving me for no other reason than He is God.

I want to share His love with those around me.  I want to see others the way He sees them.  I want to love more and judge less.

I want to be so filled with His love that it pours out of me in everything I do.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

The Power of Words

Words.  I was reminded today just how powerful they can be.   Something was said about me today that really hurt my feelings.  Said ABOUT me.  The person couldn't even say it to my face. And yet I let it get me down.

The person was talking without knowing all the facts.  But that doesn't even matter.

The person probably has no idea that I even know something was said.  The person has no idea how these words hurt me.

Words are such a powerful thing.  They can tear us down or build us up.  Once words leave the mouth, they can't be taken back.  They have been said.

Today as I was allowing Satan to use the words that were said about me to bring me down, I kept playing the words over and over in my head.  No matter what I did I couldn't seem to think about anything else.

Words were consuming me.  

I did a little venting on facebook.  I was really wishing I was the kind of person who didn't let words hurt me so much.  I guess by posting on facebook I was hoping to hear that I wasn't alone with this struggle.

I wasn't expecting the huge outpouring of love and wisdom that came from my FB friends.  My friends not only reminded me of my worth and Who my worth comes from, but they made me laugh and forget about the very words that had been eating at me.

New words.  Encouraging words.  Words that built me up.  

The Bible says in Matthew that the words that flow out of our mouth are a direct reflection of what is in our heart.  

I want to surround myself with people who are encouraging and build me up as a person.  I want to be the kind of person who can return that kindness and love to my friends with the words that flow from my mouth.