One Word for 2021

It's that time again...time to select a "One Word" for the New Year...a word that will guide me through the year as I seek God's plans for my life in 2021.

Here is a link to the Post written in 2020 for my One Word, which was "JOYFUL". The most notable statement that I made in that post last year was this:  

"So I am going to be watching for those "signposts and landmarks" of joy along life's pathway...opportunities to be joyful even in the face of adversity or difficulties.  No, I'm not looking for those things...they just have a way of happening without our seeking them out...so it is my desire to face each new challenge of life with a joyful heart,  knowing that the Lord, Who made me, is going to take care of all my needs regardless of what the world may say.   We are His sheep,  and we know that the Good Shepherd cares for His sheep.  So we can be joyful and trust Him no matter what.  

There you have it: JOYFUL!  Happy New Year!!! May all our hearts be joyful as we begin this brand new year and brand new decade. God is with us, so we need not be afraid to face whatever lies ahead!"

WOW!!! How little did we know just what was lying ahead for us in 2020...right around the bend from when I so "joyfully" declared my intention to "be joyful even in the face of adversity or difficulties."  I guess God was listening and probably was whispering to me, "Oh, My child, if you only knew just what was ahead...2020 with all of its challenges and "opportunities to be joyful even in the face of adversity or difficulties." He probably was thinking how little did I know just how much our faith would be tested throughout this year...but He knows His children, and He knows how much we can take...and He also knows how to rescue us when we are getting in over our heads.  I must say right now, looking back over 2020, that indeed God was there for me every time I needed Him (many times), and He also helped me to to remain "joyful" in the midst of the journey.  I can also say that God was very gracious to me and to our family, and He brought us through so sweetly, safely, and completely. Truly, I have much to be joyful about.

And so now we come to another new year, 2021. I've been praying about this "One Word" thing for the past couple of weeks, and trusting that when the time is right, God will reveal His word for me. I think I know what it is now. A couple of weeks ago someone at church approached me about taking over the "card ministry" for the church, which is essentially sending out greeting cards to people throughout the year for birthdays, anniversaries, sympathy, get well, congratulations, etc.  The person who has been doing it for the past several years is no longer able to continue, but she had it all very well organized and has done a tremendously wonderful job.

My initial response when asked if I'd be interested in doing this was, "Please let me pray about this, and in the meantime please keep asking others who may not have as much to do already if there is anyone else who may be interested in doing this."  My concern was that I would not keep up with it and get the cards out on time.  I tend to put things off to the last minute and I would hate to be late in getting cards to people in time for their special day.  I was also concerned that it would become something that might become stressful to me and I really don't need anymore stress in my life.  But then again...I'd also been praying about ways to reach out to others in our church and to be a better steward of my time in service to the Lord.  And so once again, I received a phone call asking if I would please consider taking over this ministry, and after praying about it I knew that God was asking me to be obedient to His call.

I was just thinking about the Christmas letter that we sent out to our friends and family this year, and the opening paragraph said the following:

“For with God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1:37

Dear Family and Friends,

I don’t know about you, but the year 2020 is a year that I believe most of us want to get finished with and put it behind us for good! With all the horrid lockdowns, restrictions, mask wearing, and most of all the very sad and heartbreaking loss of loved ones and friends, of which there have been way too many, even if only one person that we know and care about, that’s one too many…we just want this year to be over. We want life to return to pre-Covid 19 normalcy, and yet we fear that may never truly happen again. What we really need in 2021 is to BELIEVE what the Angel Gabriel said to the Virgin Mary in Luke 1:37 above…  "For with God nothing will be impossible.” And to have the kind of faith that Mary had when she responded to the Angel, (vs. 38) “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”  To have that complete trust in God, that no matter what 2021 might bring, we will have faith in God and peace in our hearts that He is in control, and we need not fear."

(A journal book that I had good intentions of writing in last year but didn't get very far)

Matthew 19:26 "But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

So, after thinking about this and working my way through this little story today...actually several words have come to mind:  Believe, Possible, and Obedient.   Like Mary in the Luke passage above, she BELIEVED what the Angel said to her and realized that nothing is impossible with God, indeed, as Matthew 19:26 says, "but with God ALL things are POSSIBLE." And then Mary was OBEDIENT to the Lord and trusted Him completely.  Eenie meenie, miney moe... the One Word that seems to stand out to me most is BELIEVE!

This was actually a new ornament I added to the Christmas tree this year. Perhaps it was one of God's ways of getting my attention...

In 2021 I will believe that God will help me to accomplish the things that He is asking me to do. I will believe that all things are possible with God, and I will be obedient to His calling upon my life to serve Him here in His church and community in whatever way He is asking me to serve.

I pray that God will help me to stay on task and accomplish the things that need to be done...and that I will remain obedient to Him in all ways, and serve the Lord joyfully.

So these boxes of cards are now in my home office, waiting on me to do this work faithfully.

May God help me to do it well and that He will be glorified and others will be blessed.

I BELIEVE He will see me through.

Amen.

*Post written in 2019 for my One Word, which includes a list of all my previous years' choices of "One Words".  *Note: If you tried this link earlier and it didn't work, please try again. I fixed the problem I hope!!

Have you selected a One Word for 2021 yet? I hope you will share it with us.