Last year, I was listening to a podcast by Craig Groeschel, the senior pastor of Life Church. He shared that he picks one word every year that he prays for throughout that entire year. It was the first time I had heard of that idea. Then in another sermon by Rick Warren, he shared that if we want more of something in our lives, we need to pray and ask God for it. He said that the reason we don’t have many of the things we want in our lives is because we do not pray and simply ask God for it. Like James 4:2 says, “We have not because we ask not…”

The word that I chose last year was “faithfulness.” I prayed for more faithfulness in my life and the Lord taught me so many neat and even unexpected things throughout that journey about faithfulness.

So this year, I have been praying about what my new word should be. Honestly, I am having a hard time giving up “faithfulness.” I just love that word!

This year, my  word is “prayerful.” I say and do so many things without first praying and seeking the Lord. I also want to do a better job of spending more time in prayer with the Lord this year. Sure, I love doing “spiritual” things. I’ll read the Bible, listen to podcasts, or even serve in different capacities. And although all those things are good, I often neglect the most important thing…which is prayer.

I need to spend more time simply sitting at my Savior’s feet in prayer, soaking Him up. 

After all, being in a relationship with Christ is what being a Christian is all about!

I am not a big New Year’s resolution kind of gal…probably because I don’t follow through with them very well. But picking one word to focus on, learn more about, pray over, and hopefully grow in, was very beneficial to me last year.

So if that is something that you want to do, I encourage you to do it. Pray about one word that you could pick this year. Ask God for more of “that word” in your life to help strengthen your walk with Him throughout 2016.

I would love for you to share your word with me too. If you do, I will also pray “that word” for you. And please pray for me too that I will be more “prayerful” this year.

Have a wonderful day!  And, Happy New Year! 🙂