A Year of Anticipation

Lisa Jordan sharing with you this morning! 

I’ve read different posts on Facebook about how 2017 is going to be somebody’s great year!

I can understand the desire for a fresh start with a clean slate, especially if the previous year stole your joy, your hopes, and caused a lot of pain.

For me, though, January 1^st seemed like any other day. I didn’t have an overwhelming desire to make a long list of resolutions. In fact, I don’t make resolutions at all.

Instead, I chose one word as my key focus for the year. I use this word in my prayers, my journaling, how I approach my relationships, and in my careers—I have a day job in addition to writing novels.

I’ve done this since 2009, and it’s made a difference in how I approach my dreams and the goals I put in place to make those dreams happen.

For 2016, I chose Thrive as my word. I wanted to Thrive in my health, in my relationships, and in my writing. Ironically, my health took a downturn and I spent the summer in crippling pain. My writing didn’t thrive the way I had anticipated and mapped out. However, several relationships strengthened. And God was with me the entire time—during the pain, during the disappointments, during the celebrations.

This year I’ve chosen Anticipation. Originally, I had different words in mind—joy and courage, which I had melded into courageous joy, but during our Christmas Eve service, our pastor spoke about Anticipation. He said, “Turn anticipation into participation to give God the opportunity to move in our lives.”

God whispered, “That’s your word—anticipation.”

At that moment, I felt such peace.

I’ve pondered my dreams and outlined goals for 2017. Moving beyond my comfort zone requires some stretching, but that’s the only way we grow, right? I’ve chosen a new adventure with my writing. I’m facing a fear in my day job and stepping out in faith to achieve a new milestone.

So what does anticipation look like for my year? I have no idea. But I know with God leading the walk, I have nothing to fear. I will go wherever the Lord leads me because that participation, even if I do feel fearful, will give Him the opportunity to move in my life. Since He knows what’s best for me, that’s the ultimate goal for anyone.

Your Turn: Do you make resolutions? Do you choose a word as a focus? Perhaps you create goals? Or maybe you do something completely different? Please share.

What's Your Word for the Year?

It's a New Year...and with it thoughts turn to resolutions and desires to change.


Today the CRAFTIE ladies of historical fiction offer a few thoughts of a different nature. You see, one of the things I (Cara) have done in recent years was to ask God for a word for the year. That then becomes something of a direction for the year. One year that word was TRUST. Boy, did God have some healing He needed to do in my life in that area. Another year it was BELIEVE. 

Now the historical (not hysterical) gals share a few of their words with you. And let us know what your word or verse is! We'd love to know.

My word for this year is "in His time."  I've been too focused on rushing forward without taking time to dwell, to listen, and to hear His voice.  This year, I need to slow down and let go of my time-table so I'm not getting in His way.  

Christine Johnson 

   All Roads Lead Home - Love Inspired Historical (Jan 2012)

   The Matrimony Plan - Love Inspired Historical (Aug 2011)

God has given me the word "connect" this year.  Connecting is a level beyond communicating.  I'm a good communicator, but I could be a better connector.  I could benefit from staying more connected to friends and family.  It's a year to see the connections between each of the things I do--how they could work together, support each other--and to see where connections are broken.  I also need to stay a vine on the branch...connected to my God as the source of strength and purpose.

Allie Pleiter

My word for the year is Relationship. I know God is calling me to focus on a deeper walk/relationship with Him. I also want to deepen my relationship with my spouse and with the people around me. Too many of my close friends are people I only see a couple times a year at most. I feel a challenge from God to maintain those but also add an emphasis to friendships that have depth in my local community.

Cara Putman

"Rejoice! Again I say rejoice!"  REJOICE is my word for the year (x2).  I can't say it just once, and neither did the Apostle Paul when he wrote to the Philipians. I chose "rejoice" when a particular Christmas carol got stuck in my head and wouldn't leave. The peculiar thing about "Rejoice" is that it's just as much of a challenge as a word like "Serve" or "Obey." I don't know what 2012 holds, but it's a safe guess that it will have challenges, losses, and some heartache . . . as well as blessings, adventure and triumphs.  In the midst of it all, I'm going to be saying, "Rejoice! Again I say rejoice!"

Victoria Bylin
Author of "The Women of Swan's Nest" series



My word is Time. God wants more of my time. Time in His word, time in prayer and time focusing on what He wants me to accomplish in this next coming year. I plan to focus on being a better steward of my time this year.

Rhonda Gibson

Ask Elnora--About Starting Over? Lenora Worth

Hello, lovely end-of-the-year friends. Elnora doesn't make New Year's Resolutions. Elnora is resolved on a lot of things already. But I do so believe in starting over. I think the hip term these days is a "do-over." Sometimes, it's the only way to make things right, right?? For example, Elnora loves pie. Chocolate pie, coconut pie, pecan pie, and sweet potato pie. In fact, I've had sweet potato pie for breakfast all week long (and yes, I know it's off the charts on Weight Watchers points.) But ... there is something so comforting about a piece of pie and a good cup of coffee. Comfort food--it wraps us in memories like an old quilt. With each bite I take, I remember my mother making home-made pies. She'd stand at an actual pie safe (does anyone else know what one of those is??) and roll out the pie dough on the big enamel counter. The smell of a home-made sweet potato pie is like nectar from heaven. So I kind of feel that with each bite of that sweet pie, I get a nice do-over of some good childhood memories. Now, Elnora trying to bake her own--that might turn into a nightmare. I attempted gingerbread cookies last week, as some might recall. I have a big container of them sitting on my counter. They turned out pretty good, except one must dip the little brats in coffee in order to soften them for proper eating. I call them my biscotti gingerbread cookies. Not bad with a latte, let me tell you. I might need a do-over on how to bake cookies, too. But I digress. On to the new year and fresh, new perspectives. There is something enchanting and enticing about a blank calendar. There are no mistakes to white out. We have a whole new twelve months to get things right or discover something new and challenging. We'll have plenty of time to explore all the possibilities that stretch over months and months of pure white just begging us to pencil something in. Some people pick a new word for each new year. Some people decide they will finally do that one thing they've secretly wanted to do and oh, joy, they have a whole year to follow their bliss. A new year offers everyone a second chance or a first adventure. So let's discuss. What will you do with the next twelve months? I hope we can all fill that white space with lots of notes and exclamation points so when those twelve months are up, we can look back and nod and say "That was a good day" or "I'm so glad I tried that and succeeded." Are you ready for new beginnings and a few do-overs? After all, it should be as easy as pie, right?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Merrillee here, wishing you all a fabulous new year. Often in a new year, we think about how we can do things better. We want a new beginning, and we can have that new beginning in Christ. I'm going to share a few scriptures that talk about a new life. Let's start the new year with the word of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Epheisians 4:22-24 (NIV)
²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

1 Peter 1:3-5 (NIV)
³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Do you have a favorite scripture or an inspiring thought to start the new year?