Are you part of the thousands of people that choose a word for the year? What does the process look like as you choose your one word? How do you know the word you come across is THE word for you?
This year as in many years in the past I began to take a look back while looking forward to the new year and my one word.
As December rolled around, I began to see a scattering of people posting their one word for 2019. I believed that while others were hearing from God, my reveal was going to be more difficult.
A few days before Christmas as I was reading and journaling, a word entered my thoughts. “Surely this isn’t my word” I shouted in my head. I spent 2018 actively working on surrendering in all parts of my life. This new word appeared as the antithesis of surrender.
For the next week, until New Year’s Eve, I found as many ways as possible to talk myself out of the word God shared with me. With my energy depleted, I surrendered to my one word on New Year’s Eve.
My one word for 2019 is RECEIVE.
Life is all about seasons – physical changes on the outside and at the same time a heart re-wiring on the inside. Sometimes the seasons involve active participation and other times they are more passive. I am making my way into a season of deep soul work. A chance to let God prune and refine me in ways that are sure to challenge, convict, and reframe me as a Daughter of the King.
I began the search for verses that spoke affirmation over this new season. Psalm 25 popped up immediately and returned several times. The Passion Translation blessed me as I heard God speaking how He desires nothing more than for me to sit next to Him this year. Verse 14 says,
There’s a private place reserved for the lovers of God,
where they sit near him and receive
the revelation-secrets of his promises.
My call, pure and simple, is to recognize who God is in the easy, the hard, the joy, and the sorrow. Last year I embraced my identity as God’s chosen daughter. The process to claiming my identity was challenging as the enemy wormed his way into my heart as much as he could to refute the truth of who I am.
The foundation created last year is the cornerstone for the journey I am about to embark on this year. Psalm 25 points us to knowing and recognizing God in our everyday. But the second part to these words is when we recognize who we are in Christ, the path to God becomes clearer.
My struggle to recognize and accept my one word this year basically was my fight to reverse what God already planned. I told myself I was not hearing my word from God because I believed I was better than what God chose for me.
I know who always win! Do you?
My dear friend, Debbie Kitterman, graciously spent some time with me on New Year’s Eve, speaking the truth of what God was saying to me.
When I shared the word “receive” with Debbie, her first reaction was to immediately remind me of the potential and promises associated with this word. The verse that came to her mind was:
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! Luke 1:45 NIV
I cried as I was texting Debbie my response. You, my friend, are blessed. We all are blessed. God’s promises are for you and me. His love and desire to sit with us is the gift He extends to all of us. Do you feel it and know it?
I’m fully expecting the heart work of learning how to receive to take me places I don’t want to go. The “doer” in me is still mentally fighting the thought of listening and sitting back while others are “doing”. But that’s not really the point is it?
God chose the word “receive” for me to help me deepen my understanding of Him and myself. It is not a punishment, but a time of pruning to bear more fruit. The promise of abundance is on the other side of this season. God’s promises will be fulfilled.
Many of you are sharing your one word for the year. Join me for the one word that almost wasn't! #TellHisStory Share on XThis is just the beginning. If you also feel God has chosen the wrong word or you’re not ready to accept the one He laid out for you, the words in these verses are for you. If you just need a reminder of the goodness of God, then these words are for you.
My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. 1 John 3:18-20 MSG
Blessings,
Newsy Notes
It’s so good to be back and to see you all here today for the #TellHisStory linkup. Did you know that beginning next week we will have a featured writer for the Tell His Story community? Your words matter and there is room for you at the table. Will you prayerfully consider sharing your own story? This once a month opening of the doors for all is to honor God by sharing your stories and how your life is impacted by walking with God. Please let me know via the contact form on this website and all the details will be emailed to you.
Debbie Kitterman wrote The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement, which released this past August. Beginning January 19 she is offering a free online Bible study based on her book. Click HERE to sign up and join her.
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Mary, I am so glad to hear you said YES to the word receive. What a year it’s going to be! Yay, I was so blessed to share my thoughts with you on New Years Eve, it was such a way to celebrate the end of the year. Receive, a word full of promise and potential. YAY! Thanks for sharing, as for my one word – I too have been wrestling with what mine should be, but I think after spending this week caring for my dad, the Lord has solidified which word I need to be my word for 2019. 🙂 Blessings to you my friend, and I am honored that you reached out to me.
Thanks to you I accepted my one word – receive. You affirmed what I knew all along, but since I was fighting God on “receive” being my one word, I didn’t want to hear it. You are such a blessing to me. I pray you and God have your word figured out. I look forward to hearing about it.
I love receive as your one word! That will make for an interesting year for sure. 🙂 I chose hope. I’ve had it on my list almost every year, but something else always pops up higher on the list. But this year, I just felt it was THE time to make it top priority.
I am believing my year is going to be very interesting. It sounds like your year will be interesting too especially after putting off the word God has been laying on your heart for the last few years. Can’t wait to follow your journey!
What a lovely word! I can’t wait to see how it shows up for you and through you this year!
It is a lovely word. Still fighting God a little on the choice He made for me, but only because I know it will be challenging. Praying for you and all you are going through so far in 2019.
Receive. I love the sound of that. We are so blessed when we stop fighting and receive what He has for us. laurensparks.net
Thank you! I am learning to love the sound of “receive” too. I am standing in the truth of how God will use me this year. Blessings!
Mary, thank you for this timely word. Your post spoke to me so much. I love that verse from Psalm 25 in the Passion Translation too, one I hadn’t read before. I also struggled to accept my new word for the year because I felt I hadn’t fully explored the ones before it. Then I realised that “deeper” could be a way of receiving more of those words I had paid less attention to than I ought. It also speaks of receiving whatever comes: deeper insights into my past, deeper joy and love or problems, pain or loss.
So it seems there is courage required for diving into the depths with God, just as there is in being willing to accept and willingly receive all that comes from His hands. May you be blessed in the receiving, especially as a woman who continually pours herself out lavishly for others. May this be a season, a year, perhaps, of awakening, growth and resting in equal measure. Blessings and love to you! xo
I am standing with you as we both learn to accept our words from God. We will gain our courage and strength from God in this process and will come out with abundance on the other side. What I know about the word “receive” is how it actually is the logical choice to my word “surrender” from last year. God knows what He is doing.
Thank you for your kind words and I stand in agreement that this will be a season of awakening, growth, and resting. Blessings and hugs!
Ooh.. I LOVE the Psalm 25 scripture reference! Im going to go underline it in my bible. 🙂
What a blessing to have friends like Debbie in your life!
Praying you receive ALL God has for you in this season!
Happy New Year!
When I was searching for a verse to support my word for the year “receive”, I found Psalm 25 immediately. But when I began to look at the different versions, I could not stop reading the TPT version. It spoke so deeply to me. I am blessed on so many levels, but I agree that having a friend like Debbie is a gift.
What a beautiful story, Mary! Thank you for sharing it. I haven’t had time to think about a word..but Michelle DeRusha’s book keeps making me wonder if my word might be ‘prune.’
Thank you, Anita! I’ve had my eyes on Michelle’s new book, True You. It will definitely be a book I read this year. Can’t wait to hear what your word ends up being.
If my memory serves me your 2018 word was SURRENDER? Makes perfect sense God would place RECEIVE on your heart. He is a God of encouragement, receive ALL He has for you. I was certain GRACE was mine until New Years Eve, Holy Spirit got hold of my pen as I wrote my final letter of December and wrote, 2019 The Year of God’s Favor. FAVOR it is. After 15 months of the oneword REAP? Favor is welcome. With a “wing” of grace. *smile*
My 2018 word was surrender. And God did quite a work in me this past year. I agree that the word “receive” is the perfect follow up to surrender, but knowing my personality it has been hard to embrace. God is working in you to. I saw you announce “grace” as your word, but God had different plans. I look forward to the blessings and words you will share with us this year.
Yes, to open our hearts to “receive” is a challenge, Mary. We all need a deeper understanding of God and of ourselves as He has created us. It all starts with Him, doesn’t it? I love how your photos bring a deeper meaning to this message. It struck me how the trees look like they’re at rest, and yet they are receiving and drinking in nourishment below the soil so they can be stronger and more able to survive in the coming season. Thank you for this inspiring word and message! Love and blessings to you!
I know this year will be challenging but I am imagining the abundance and freedom on the other side. God continues to prune me because even with all the work I did with my identity last year, I know I am nowhere near where God wants me to be. And thank you for your kind words about my photos. I try to intentionally choose photos that will go with my words. I’m blessed you stopped by.
I started with grace but I will use a lot a words, one is never enough for me. So glad you got to visit Debbie Kitterman, she is a blessing.
I hope you will write about how your words from God unfold this year. And yes, Debbie Kitterman is such a beautiful blessing to me.
It’s always interesting to read about how God leads people to their words and how it’s often not a word we’d ever have chosen for ourselves. I look forward to seeing what God teaches you about receiving from him this year. My word for 2019 is Truth and I’m not sure exactly what God will do with that either so it will be interesting to find out!
It is interesting especially this year because I really did not want the word “receive”. I am thinking the word “truth” will lead you on quite a journey this year. I can’t wait to hear more. God is on the move, isn’t he? Blessings to you!
I so enjoyed this post, Mary. I have never heard or had one word for a year as so many others, but sensed the Lord nudging me toward “be available” as the old year was ending and with it a sense that I was to “be available” to Him. I am not sure of what that means, but so far my sense is that it has less about doing and more about being sensitive to his leading and growing in Him. We’ll see.
There are many people who do not choose a word for the year. I love how God chose something for you this year. The idea of being available is similar to my word “receive”. Part of my pruning process will be to listen and allow God to work in me to produce more fruit. Thank you for sharing! I will be praying for you.
Receive is a great word for you this year my friend. It’s funny how we do everything to avoid a word and then that turns out that the word we are avoiding is totally our one word for the year. At least, for me, thats often my validation that it is my word. Blessings to you friend! Love you!
Wise words, friend! Receive is perfect for me, but I find myself still fighting it internally. I agree that God pursues us until we give in. For me this is what he continued to do with my word for the year. Thank you for affirming this for me. Blessings to you.
I think ‘receive’ is a beautiful word! I wasn’t going to do one but God put it on my heart and gave me the word ‘rest’. I have anxiety and tend to worry about things so much. I finally end up trying to fix it myself in the midst of worry. God is really teaching me to just learn to rest and give everything over to Him. It will likely take the whole year for me to get it but He is working on me LOL
I understand what it is like to try to to fix things without God’s help. It doesn’t usually work out so well when I do this. I pray the word “rest” leads you to some beautiful one on one moments with God. Thank you for sharing your one word.
Dear Mary,
I too sat with the word that I heard God speaking, back in October, unsure of how to proceed. But like He did with you, He confirmed it to me again and again, so that I knew it fit together as the next step with last year’s word also. His ways are so much higher than ours, aren’t they? I’m glad that I don’t have to figure it all out now, but just trust Him along the way. You are a blessing and encouragement as you open your heart before Him! Blessings to you this New Year!
I needed to read your comment because I want to have everything figured out even before it’s necessary. Thank you for reminding me we don’t need to have it all figured out. God knows exactly what He is doing. Now I need to trust Him that it’s all going to be okay. Blessings to you too my friend!
Mary, “Receive” is a wonderful word to focus on for 2019. I will look forward to reading your thoughts on the subject. My word for this year is “balance”. I wasn’t thrilled when I realized what my word was. I thought it sounded boring. I have since realized that it is something I need to work on, not something I am already good at – duh! Happy New Year and blessings to you!
God doesn’t give us easy, does He? Balance sounds like a great word. I pray you discover how God hopes to grow you in this area. Looks like we both are going to be challenged this year. Thanks for being here.
I wasn’t going to do a “one word” this year, because I felt like I haven’t given the word of the year enough focus. It just seemed like the thing to do because every other blogger does it. And that’s not a good enough reason for me to do something. But God must have had other plans for me as well, Mary! Because I sensed Him telling me to choose “accept,” which is very close to your “receive.” The only difference for me is that mine comes with the idea of accepting others who don’t always accept me, and accepting what seems frustrating or not what I had planned as God’s divine plan for me. I struggle in those two areas. And I can see that “receive” for you will be a great word since you are such a giver. It’s hard for givers to let others minister to them. And I hope you receive every drop of encouragement, help and love given to you, my friend!
Also had a spammy comment on my blog that is showing up as my link. If you could delete my link (maybe I copied the link of my blog and that comment together), Mary, I would appreciate it. Don’t know what it might do to you. Hopefully nothing! And I also hope it won’t mess up my blog either. My spam filter should have caught it but must not have. Thanks!
All taken care of!! 🙂
You know me well. I am a giver and as an Enneagram 2 (The Helper) the thought of “receiving” scares me. I can see how you will be challenged by your word “accept”. You are a planner and God loves to work outside of our plans, doesn’t He? Thank you for speaking truth into who I am and the word God chose for me this year.
I loved reading about how your word for 2019 came to be, Mary. I sort of had a similar reaction when I started to realize what mine was going to be too. (It’s “humble.”) I think “receive” is a wonderful word. The verse we put on our adoption announcement for our younger daughter comes to mind … it was John 1:16, which in the NLT says, “From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.” I’m looking forward to reading about how God uses this word in your life this year, my friend!
I’m so glad you are here Lois. Your comment is such a sweet affirmation for me and sharing John 1:16 shows me how God wants nothing more than to give us His abundance. I am praying for you as you accept how God is going to grow you this year in humility. Blessings!
Mary, I love how God’s been working in your faithful heart, and how He brought Debbie in to help your confirm His pathway that He has for you. I think I can understand too, your hesitation in not ‘doing’ as the world is always influencing us to do this, that, get better, take a course, join this program, read this devotional etc and then you’ll be a success, okay….everything will fall away if you stop. 🙂 When I think about time of pruning, I also see a branch lifting up to receive the sunshine after being buried under a weight of extra. Your words really ministered to me, I realize, as I write this comment! Thank you. I look forward to reading your journey as you grow more and more into the image of God receiving all He has for you.
Your comment ministered to me. As a doer and a person who is willing to give until I have nothing left, I am not good at receiving. There is a sense of humility and allowing God to grow me in this process that I am not used to. The image of a branch lifting to receive the sunshine after being buried under the weight of “too much” truly speaks to me. I pray I continue to open my heart and arms to receiving the pruning that will lead to more fruit.
So far I have never felt led to choose a word for a year, though I have heard many testimonies of people being blessed by doing so. Usually God has much more to say to me than one word, much more in my life in multiple areas that needs work.
“Receive” is a good word. It’s the basis of our Christian lives. We receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, we receive the Word of God as we read the Bible. We don’t have anything to give out to others unless we first receive it from Him. So I wish you a blessed year of receiving from Him all He has for you.
Thank you for sharing your own process of not choosing a word. God has so much to say to each of us if we just take the time to listen. My one word is a way for God to help me focus and grow each year. Thank you for your sweet encouragement.
I think “Receive” is a beautiful word, Mary. I hadn’t chosen a word in years, but this year I felt nudged by the Lord. After praying, I chose “Word.” Because I think God wants me to strengthen my commitment to hearing His voice through His Word.
(I just learned about The Passion translation!)
Thank you, Betsy! It’s definitely not a word I would have chosen to for myself. I love your word too. God is going to challenge you and use you to minister to many through His choice of “word” for you.
Isn’t it amazing how God reveals Himself to us?!
I haven’t found my word for the year. At first I was going to just force it and pick one, but I’ve felt the pulling to let go. Let go of checking it off my list. Let go of my expectations of how things should look and embrace His. Right now that means no official word. Who knows what that will mean tomorrow!
It is amazing how God speaks and reveals Himself. You are right not to force choosing a word. I’ll be interested to see if God ends up choosing a word for you as time goes on.
Awww, Mary. Such an honest post. I’ve had years where I didn’t want the word God pressed upon my heart. My word usually comes to me. I begin asking God for the word in September of the preceding word. Many years, it seems He waits until sometime in December (even at the year’s end!) to reveal my word. This year, He showed me in the midst of the trials I walked through in September. But, He didn’t show me my focus verse until December 31st. I’ve seen that He often uses my one word to conform me more into His image, and some years to strengthen me for hard seasons.
Thank you for your words here today, my friend. They spoke to my heart!
I’m glad to know that I am not alone in trying to fight God over the word He wants for me. But He always knows best. Thank you for sharing a bit of your process. I pray your one word grows and strengthens you this year.
Receive is a brave word, and reminds me of so many of our heroes of the faith: Mary receiving the Messiah into her own body, Jeremiah receiving an impossible assignment from God and performing it for his entire adult life, Paul receiving his thorn in the flesh even after having asked that it be taken away–and then receiving grace to bear it.
Your 2019 is sure to be full of adventure, and I hope to read more about it here!
I hadn’t thought of the word “receive” as being brave, but I appreciate the examples of faith you shared. My first reaction was more annoyance because in my mind I can do more than sit back and receive. I love how you all are affirming the importance of the word “receive”. God is and will continue working on and in me as I accept the pruning He is about to do.
Mary, this post spoke to my heart as my word this year is “fruit”. Indeed, the pruning and discipline God works in our lives is for our good, for our lives to be abundant. To be lived more abundantly. Grateful you, and Debbie, reminded us of this truth. Blessings!
I can see that we will be going through similar processes this year as God works on pruning us to bear more fruit. I pray the abundance is a gift for both of us. Debbie was a blessing as she listened and affirmed for me what I really wanted God to take away! The doer in me has a hard time thinking about becoming more passive in this process.