Here we go again!

Before 2016, I rolled my eyes at the idea of “one word” for the year. But then some things happened that made me re-think the concept. Almost every year since, while I’ve never deliberately set out to choose a word each year, one gets impressed on me in the first few days or weeks anyway.

2016 = HOME
2017 = (Nothing. Baby #3 was born in February.)
2018 = THRIVE
2019 = BRAVE
2020 = CONNECT

And so we come to the beginning of another year. I see friends and people I follow posting about their word or phrase. Every time I read them I think “Cool. That word doesn’t mean anything special to me, but good for them.”

I don’t remember where exactly I first noticed it, but as usual a word has now been jumping out at me everywhere. I’ve been letting the word simmer, just to see if something else takes its place as the thing that makes my heart beat a little faster this year.

Nope. I think this is the one.

My “word” for 2021 is CREATE.

On January 1, I cracked open my Bible, feeling a bit ashamed that I hadn’t read as often in recent months as I would have liked to. I had no plan, no devotional to start fresh on the first of the year. So I simply opened to Genesis.

And the very first words I read were “In the beginning God created…”

The very first act of God recorded in the Bible is something he made! He created! He imagined, shaped, and brought into being. He got to the end of each day and called it “good.” I imagine he smiled at the beautiful flowers in bloom, the fish jumping around in the water, the constellations in the night sky.

But ultimately it wasn’t for him. In the first few days of creating, he was making a place for people to live. And then he created those people, and he called his creation “very good.”

I’m created in the image of a creative God. And so as I think about myself creating things in this year, yes it will bring me joy just to use my gifts and talents, but I want to create for others.

In a personal sense, I imagine this will be a year of creating good food for my family, creating beautiful spaces for us to live and play, and creating things to make our lives better like a bigger garden.

In a professional sense, I want to create words through blog articles and Instagram posts and even YouTube videos (yes I quietly launched a YT channel last fall! look for new videos starting next week!) that will encourage, inspire, and teach you about living a simple, restful life.

I don’t have all of the answers, I’m just learning as I go and documenting along the way. But will you continue to come on this journey with me? Will you be open to the content that I will create with you in mind? Will you give me grace when I mess up, and celebrate my successes with me?

Do you choose a word each year? What is yours for 2021?