What's Your Word
What’s your word?
For several years now I have prayed and asked God to give me one word to focus on for the year. A word that I can pray about, meditate on, and receive hope from. My words in the past have been Growth, Harvest, and in 2020 it was Redeem.
At the beginning of each year, I was excited, hopeful, and expectant for what my word would mean for that season of my life.
2018 brought Growth, and growing pains, in so many ways. I founded and held my 1st annual event The Brave Gathering for women. 5 speakers, 2 days, and many lives changed. Our family also began growing by leaps and bounds with 2 of our children getting married. We also turned in the completed manuscript for our book.
2019, the Harvest was here! I knew this was a good word, and I was expecting great things, but the harvest time also means work. In 2019 we held our 2nd annual The Brave Gathering, and it was amazing! We had our 3rd of our 4 children to get married, and we welcomed our granddaughter Olivia. My youngest son graduated from high school, got his cosmetology license, and left the country for 6 months to do missions with YWAM. My husband Richard and I also published our first book, The Right Combination – Finding Love and Life after Divorce. The launch brought book signings, T.V appearances, and Podcast. Blessings upon blessings! This was also an exceedingly difficult year as I lost my dad.
In the midst of some of our highest highs, we can still experience our lowest lows. We just must remember that God is with us in all of it. The end of 2019 brought a new chapter for Richard and me as we bought a 1941 fixer upper on the east side of Fort Worth, Texas. Stay tuned for updates and we begin renovation next month!
Then came 2020 and my word was Redeem. I had no idea when God gave me that word what it might mean. I could never had anticipated the year we would collectively have. I believe that God was giving us His 2020 vision. He brought so many things out of the dark and into the light. He stripped away the busyness that had become our normal to show us the things that matter the most. Things were revealed so that we could lean into Him, and each other, and heal. God also grew our family by one more with another sweet granddaughter, Reece. God is redeeming and restoring in so many ways.
Here we are, we made it to 2021! What’s my word? Abundance.
I asked God a few times for confirmation because it is such a good word and if I’m hones, at first glance felt selfish. I’m not sure why, because it makes perfect sense. My life verse has been John 10:10.
“The thief comes to steal, kill, destroy. I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
Many of us felt like satan tried to destroy us in 2020, but here we are, still standing! Gods promises are true and He promises an abundant life! He says he will give us double for our trouble.
God brings beauty from all things and I am believing for favor and abundance. Abundance of peace, Abundance opportunity, and Abundance provision. I am praying this over you!
Stay tuned for ways to join a Brave community of women that are ready to live an abundant life of purpose.
Cheers to favor and abundance in 2021!
Happy New Year!
Barbie
photo by Sara Anna Hanson