I love new things, especially new years. Every 12 months we get to reboot our lives if we want. We get to start out fresh, turn the page. There is something incredibly liberating about a new year, don’t you think? It’s a celebration of optimism and hope, a sense that the world is fresh and its possibilities boundless.
My friend Debbie Macomber has a fascinating practice. Every January she designates a single, special word and uses it to shine a light on the year ahead. The word is her spiritual lens, focusing on how she can grow and deepen her faith and discover greater inspiration in the everyday moments of life. Her past words include Hunger, Trust, Prayer, Hope and they have gotten her over some terribly rough patches.
What about 2012? Well, you’ll have to read her story to find out. And maybe you’ll find your own word too.
Let me tell you about mine.
Every Monday morning at 9:45 we read Prayer Fellowship letters from folks around the country. I’ve always said if you want to know what’s important to people, find out what they pray for. These days they’re praying for jobs, financial security or hope that the future will be better. So many Americans are hurting in these tough times.
Yet we survive, and even thrive in our difficulties. We learn to dig deep into our faith, our spiritual bedrock, to grasp more firmly onto something stronger than our problems. This year our editorial series is called Strength in Tough Times. Every month we’ll bring you a story from someone who is facing adversity with the courage of their spiritual convictions, someone who has found triumph in their struggles. These stories will inspire you and give you hope.
And they’ve given me my word for the year: Strength.
