Monday, January 2, 2023

2023 One word, one year.

New Year, New Word. 

Since I began picking words in 2014, the words have drawn me closer to the Lord. They gave me a target for growth in all areas. I wrote this in 2021 “I have learned over the last 7 years that picking a word gives me an anchor. Jesus is my permanent anchor, but these yearly words have proven to be temporary anchors that assist in minimizing my drift from the permanent One and things that matter to me.”

My word for 2022 was hope. I wrote last year “I want to remain rooted in my hope in Him” and “I want to tackle my desires for this year by waiting quietly before G-d” and “I don’t want to stare at the things around me and waver. I want to stare at G-d and hope.” 

Hope was my 8th year of choosing a word. While the words I penned regarding this word were and are true, the word was lost in the shattered pieces of divorce, learning to co-parent. (Thankfully, I have the best ex-husband and we navigated this first year well), and learning to live the life of a single mom. 

Learning to live the life of a single mom after 20 years is no joke. There is no tired like single mom tired. Mom tired is legit when you’re married. It’s not even that you are physically tired, it is emotional, mental, and spiritual too. And I absolutely would not trade it for anything, but take mom tired to single mom tired…. and yes, there is no tired like single mom tired. It’s on a whole other level. 

My hope has remained in Jesus, but my living over the last year has been focused on figuring out the new normal of my life. My tendency to control, have order, routine, and the stress of figuring out all the new hows of my life blurred the target of my word. The planner in me thinks about next week, next month, next school year. I feel like I have been in constant fight or flight mode. This mode has only increased the tired I already feel.

I am still figuring out how to do things, but it is much less survival mode, however I can still feel the fight or flight in me. I don’t want to live my life in this state. Due to this being the way I functioned this last year exercise, eating well, rest, writing, reading, and other things that are important for my mental/physical/spiritual health have been left undone. 

For my health, I have to quit living in a state of fight or flight and rest. I am not talking just physical sleep. One definition of rest is to be free from anxiety or disturbance. Because of my study of Hebrew, I know that the letter that symbolizes rest is a weapon. In Michael Todd’s sermon titled “Cuffed To Constant”  he too says rest is a weapon. He also said “constant worry leads to constant weary” and “the cure is rest”. I need the weapon of rest as I do all the things, but also I need the weapon of rest to take a break from all the things. To be and not do. I need a better balance of work and rest. Therefore, my word for 2023 is rest. 

I want to rest in Jesus. I want to rest in knowing I am taking action to better care for my mental/physical/spiritual health. I want rest from chores and focus on time with G-d, my girls, my friends/family, and myself. I want to get a clue from my Jewish friends and read the books they have written that teach me the weapon of rest, also known as Shabbat. 

Here’s to a year of less fight, less flight, and more rest. 


Rest.

One word. One year.


“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28