It’s that time of year again. In the final week of the current year, people begin to think about…New Year’s resolutions. And, you probably know as well as I do how New Year’s resolutions work.

Has it happened to you, friend? It’s happened to me as well. I’ve even had years where I blogged about those resolutions, determined that if I checked in with readers every week or so with my progress that I would surely stick with them, right? Wrong.
So when I read about the concept of a word for the year a few years ago, I loved the idea.
Why a Word for the Year?
A word for the year provides focus. Instead of a list of things I hope to accomplish, I’m directing my focus toward a specific attitude or idea. Because it isn’t a list of resolutions, I don’t get frustrated and overwhelmed if I have a season in life where I “get behind” or lose focus. Instead, I can think on my word for the year and refocus my priorities and get back on track.
Unlike specific resolutions, the word for the year can encompass an attitude I want to have toward everything in life- not just the things on my resolutions list. The word helps to remind me throughout the year to focus on that attitude or concept in all areas of life, not just a few specific areas for which I’ve made resolutions.
What a Word for Year Is Not
A word for the year is not a way to set goals. And, don’t get me wrong, goals are good. I do set goals for my personal life, for our homeschool, and for my work. I think a goal is different from a resolution because resolutions tend to be broad and unmeasurable. That’s why they are frustrating.
“I’m going to lose weight this year.” That’s a broad resolution that many people make for the New Year. But it’s frustrating because it’s unmeasurable and because it is vague. “I’m going to exercise for ten minutes, three days a week.” That’s a more measurable and specific goal.
Goals can be much less frustrating than resolutions because you have a specific, measurable action that you are working toward either short term or long term. (And ideally you’ll have both, and your short term goals will lead to accomplishment of your long term goals.) I could probably write a whole series of posts about goal setting. But, suffice it to say that choosing a word for the year is not the same as setting goals and doesn’t necessarily need to take the place of goal setting.
My Word for 2017: Renew
I really thought about my word this year and in fact went back and forth with a few possibilities for a while. I like to pray and consider what God is leading me towards, and as I’ve been praying and thinking, the word that keeps coming to mind is “Renew.”
Dictionary.com defines “Renew” as:
1. to begin or take up again, as an acquaintance, a conversation, etc.;resume.
2. to make effective for an additional period
3. to restore or replenish
4. to make, say, or do again.
5. to revive; reestablish.
6. to recover (youth, strength, etc.).
7. to restore to a former state; make new or as if new again.
and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

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