Do you choose a word for your year? I began choosing a word for my year about 5 or 6 years ago. Before that, I never really understood the point. And, honestly, I don’t think it is the most important thing I can do as I prepare for a new year even now. But for the last several years, I have chosen a word, not as a goal for my life like “success” or “wealth,” but as a focus for my year to make sure I’m pursuing things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Phil. 4:8).

For 2021, my word was “bold humility.” I wanted to make sure that, as I shared ideas on social media and in my blog, I was doing it for the right reasons and in the right way. In 2020, my word was “cultivate.” I had just finished reading a book by that title written by Lara Casey and had a strong desire to cultivate relationships and a peaceful atmosphere for my family in our home. Other words I’ve claimed in the past include “undeserving,” “savor,” and “thrive” (this one was chosen our first full year of homeschooling, and I wanted it to be more than surviving).

A couple of important things to point out are 1) I am not trying to “manifest” anything into existence. I’m using the word to make sure I focus on the things I’ve made a priority—my spiritual walk, my family, my relationships. And 2) at any point in the year, my word can change. It is there as a reminder to me, not as a strict, unbending yard stick but as a flexible guideline. 

If you come from a New Age background, and manifestation and the law of attraction are stumbling blocks, this may not be the best practice for you. And if you love this idea, but you can’t decide on one word, feel free to choose as many as you want! Maybe you want a different word for different areas of your life. That’s ok. There are no rules.

My word for 2022 is “dwell.” As I read through the Bible in 2021, the word “dwell” jumped off the page for me time and time again. Even my pastor has focused in on it during his sermons. I want to dwell in Scripture this year. I want to dwell in my prayer time. I want to dwell with my family and not be distracted. I want to dwell with the ladies at my church as we grow in Christ together. I want to dwell with my friends from all different circles in my life. To be present—that’s my desire.

If you decide to pick a word for 2022, I’d love to know what it is.