Allie Pleiter on 2019 Word--then what?

Many of us mark the dawn of a new year by choosing a word to set the theme for the coming 12 months. I’ve done so for the past several years, and some of our authors have already shared theirs on this blog.

This year, my word is “STEADFAST,” and its sister-word, “STEADY.”

What then? Once a word has found you—for a truly believe the word chooses you as much as you choose the word—what do you do? I’ll share what I do, and hope you’ll share what you do.

First, since I believe God sends me the right word for the year, I ask Him to bless my exploration of it. I pray for eyes to see the lessons it has to teach me, and to see the many places it inevitably shows up in my life once it is chosen.

As a woman of faith, the Bible is my first discovery ground. Steadfast shows up in scores of verses. Here are a few of my favorites:

2 Chronicles 27:6

Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God (emphasis mine)

Psalm 112:7

They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

1 Peter 5:10

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

A dive into the dictionary brought me lots of motivating synonyms: 

• resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering
• even and continuous in development
• moving without deviation from course

And the insightful fact that “steady” is also a verb and an exclamation.

Then I always wander through Pinterest, building a board from the images I collect there. This often unearths new quotes, pictures, and sometimes even products. For example, did you know what there are artisans who will make you jewelry with your word for the year? Or that there is a beloved fairy tale called The Steadfast Tin Soldier?

I wasn’t surprised to discover that the heroine for my upcoming July book, Wander Canyon Courtship, finds the hero particularly steadfast. I always think our creative selves know things before our conscious minds do.

What will make this a “steadfast” year? I don’t yet know. But I’m excited to find out.

Have you chosen a word for 2019? Do you do any of these explorations or have some new ones to suggest?

Peace, Peace, Peace

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”  ~~John 14:27

Deb Kastner here. I have many friends who, as the new year dawns, ask the Lord for a “Word for the Year,” something on which they can focus their lives. I barely held on to 2015 by its coattails, so I wasn’t even in a frame of mind to be able to ask the Lord for a special word.

He gave me one anyway. In church over the past couple of weeks, the word “peace” has stood out to me, almost as if it were being said louder than any other word in the service. In the choir we’re singing, “Still, Still, Still.” The second verse is, “Peace, Peace, Peace.”

And boy, could I use a little bit of that. Though I didn’t ask for a specific word, I did ask--repeatedly--“Just one week, Lord, without any drama? Without anyone getting sick or with car troubles or with major appliances breaking down?”

Peace. Yeah. The Lord knows exactly what I need.

But peace is a two-way street. It’s not just finding peace, it’s giving it away. St. Francis of Assisi is credited with this poem:

And because the Lord tends to speak to me best through music, here’s a beautiful John Angotti song based on St. Francis’s poem. “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace.”

https://youtu.be/Q-gTzbxcUEs

Do you have a “Word for the Year?” Please share below!

Wishing peace to you and yours in this new year and always.

Deb's newest release, A Daddy for Her Triplets, will be available January 20th wherever Harlequin Love Inspired books are sold.