2018: Word of the Year
A few days ago I posted my thoughts on 2017 and my word of the year, transformation. I teased that I knew my word for 2018, but said I’d share it later.
It’s later!
This is a word that came to me in late summer. I usually know it’s meant for me when it comes up again and again. That’s what happened, and I tucked it away, knowing I’d pay more attention as 2018 came into view.
The word?
Most of you know I am terrible at taking each word of the year and trying to guess what it means. Even worse, I will force a definition. I think I know how things are going to go when it comes to that word and the coming year.
Boy, did 2017 teach me to not do that!
I admit I don’t quite know what abide means, so I haven’t had the opportunity to make a mess of it.
Here’s what Webster has to say:
transitive verb
3: to accept without objection
- will abide your decision
intransitive verb
1: to remain stable or fixed in a state
- a love that abode with him all his days
abider
noun
— abide by
- abide by the rules
2: to accept without objection : to acquiesce in
-
will abide by your decision
Wow. There’s a lot to chew on.
It’s tempting to force that definition, but I’ll at least share what’s jumping out at me.
My core might not be made of rock hard abs, but it is chiseled in prayer. It’s not something I wave a flag and announce, but if you ask me to pray, I’m on it. Over the years I’ve watched miraculous things from a healing of a knee to pregnancy. Financial breakthrough. I’ve also lamented when nothing changed, or, it got worse.
So to see this aspect of abide, “to endure without yielding : withstand”
- abide the onrush of the enemy
That’s got the hair on my arm standing straight up. I know enough about 2017 that I felt like I yielded a lot. That I didn’t endure very well. God’s showing me a lot, and as I learn lamentation, I don’t think I was weak or hardened as much as grief-stricken and keeping it inside. As I’m taking baby steps to lament that grief—verbalize it, speak the emotions out to God even if it isn’t all lollipops and rainbows, He is healing me. As I heal, maybe, just maybe, abide in this connotation is going to be a huge thing.
But maybe it won’t have anything to do with that at all. Only God knows, and I will do my best to journal throughout the year here what I’m learning.
Now it’s YOUR turn. What do you think is your word of the year? Share in the comments, or e mail me at juliearduini@juliearduini. As always, I’m on FB, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, G+ and Snapchat as @JulieArduini.
