Here’s What I’ve Learned from My Word of the Year

Do you have a word for the year? I know many of you do. After reading Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen’s book My One Word, I’ve been choosing a word for the year for the last four years.

As they write in the book, your one word becomes the “lens through which you examine your heart and life for an entire year.”

This year, my guiding words are “breath” and “breathe.” I’ve been immersing myself in scripture that reflects these themes, like this verse from Psalm 116:2, and I especially love the NLT version:

Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath.

After nearly ten months of reflection, God has revealed much to me about breath/breathe. One lesson is this: when challenges arise, I must slow down and remember to take a deep breath and breathe.

That deep breath brings clarity and oxygen to my mind during those moments of pause. It reminds me that God, not I, holds the reins of control.

Then, the Holy Spirit nudges me to pour out my heart in prayer. Trusting in His sovereignty, I can let go of my worries. With that assurance, I prepare for my next breath, knowing that the Creator of the universe is bending down to listen to my humble prayers.

Do I succeed in pausing and taking a deep breath whenever a worry or stressful situation arises? No, I often fail. Sometimes, I forget to breathe deeply, and problems cloud my mind. Yet, I’m learning, breath by breath.

So I remind myself once again: slow down and breathe. In that stillness, I reconnect with the truth that God is in control, prompting me to seek Him in prayer. When I place my trust in Him, I can face whatever comes next, assured that He is listening and bending down to me.