A Word for You, 2018.



Hope.


I've never deliberately chosen a word for a new year before. I have heard of a few people doing so. In this first week of 2018, I wondered if I would and, if I did, what it would be.

Hope.

It might be a cliche for someone to choose hope. Why not choose a bigger, more intelligent sounding word like perseverance or efficiency? Both are good words, insinuating awesome goals, but for me, I choose Hope. The Oxford Dictionary defines hope as "a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen". It's an expectancy. I can sense it as 2018 has started. Hope that this year will be better than last, that goals will be met and good things will happen. Hope that we will be better people, better workers, and stewards of our time, better sons and daughters, men and women. Hope that we will heal and laugh and be kind to each other. Hope that winter will turn to spring, that darkness will lessen and light will return.

Hope.

I have a lot coming up this year. The second semester of senior year means taking the SAT, senior trip, and graduation. Turning 18 brings with it the sense of growing up, becoming an adult with more responsibility. Decisions about work and college and life have to be made.

Hope.

It's what I'm learning to cling to when I'm not sure what to choose.
It's what keeps us all going day in and day out.
It's why we keep moving forward in the first place.

I have been studying Romans 5:3-5:

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been  given to us." ESV

As we march on through 2018, there will be sufferings. May we not forget that they teach us endurance which builds our character which leads to hope. Look for that hope, grab it, and hang on with all that is in you. God is in control of the stars and the galaxies...I think He can handle your life. I know He can handle mine.

Hope.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 NIV





Thanks for reading! What are some words that you want to use to describe 2018? Let me know in the comments below! Happy New Year! Until next post☺- Brittney N. Crook






Comments

  1. How encouraging!! You are so right... hope brings joy into our lives and often becomes the rudder that steers our days.... So thrilled that you are studying the Word at such a young age!! It is always our plumb line!! God bless you, dear Brittney!!!

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  2. Little late on reading it but loved it! Decisions & Greatful are words I wanna use in 2018! Like you said a lot of things happening in 2018 & a lot of hard decisions, but just knowing that God has a plan, I am greatful for the decision we’ll have to make, because you never know them decisions can change your life!

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