I can’t remember when I started doing this, but I guess several years ago I began asking God to give me a word for each year, something to focus on, something prophetic that He wanted to speak over my life.

In 2016, my word was “family.” That’s when we met Jessica and Stephanie and began to pursue their eventual adoption.

In 2017, my word was “clarity.” I was not sure at the time why that was my word, but I trusted that God knew what He was doing and was about to do. This year has been the most eye-opening year I’ve ever had in my life. It’s been difficult – full of ups and downs – the lowest of lows and some of the highest of highs. But in the midst of all of that, things have become crystal clear, many of which I’ll share later.

Oddly, in the midst of my season of clarity, I could not hear God’s word for me for 2018 until just recently. That word is “faith.” I found out through a series of assessments this year that my greatest spiritual gift is faith. It’s why we do seemingly crazy things like adopt 2 children out of birth order – children who are “too old” to be adopted. (And if you’re wondering, yes, we were called crazy by some really “spiritual people” and were told that we were doing everything backwards. I wrote about that in another post here, I think). But when Jesus says to me, “Jump!” I am naturally going to say, “How high?” Why would I choose to live this way, you ask? Because I literally have no other choice!

John 10:27 says: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

It is really exciting to follow Jesus this way. My personality has always leaned a little more Type A, but Jesus is changing that in me. I used to think I needed to have the next 10 years all planned out, but several years ago, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart very clearly and said that He didn’t call my family to live a comfortable life of safety and security…that following Him would require risk and blind trust.

In this brand new year, I can see clearly that He will be leading us down a very unclear path. I imagine it in my mind like walking out into the fog, not being able to see where your next step will land, but trusting by faith that it will land and that even if it doesn’t, it’s going to be ok. Jesus is leading the way, and we are simply called to follow and lead others down the path of Jesus as well.

Many of my friends have “words of the year.” What are yours?