This is my fifth year picking a word for my year and I am just as excited as that first time to pick a word and a general direction for my year. In today’s episode I am going to share my word for the year, what goals and ideas this will entail, and then I’ll cover a little bit about how you can pick your own word for 2019! 

Here are my past words: 

• 2012: Intentional
• 2016: Joy
• 2017: Create
• 2018: Refresh

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What has gone into choosing this word:  

The past two years have brought with them a lot of exciting things and several really hard things! In the beginning of 2017, we welcomed baby #5. Magnolia was born when our oldest set of twins (yes we have TWO sets of twin boys) had only turned 4 years old 3 weeks before. 

So we were very excited to meet our first little girl and she has since proved to be the very perfect addition to our male heavy family. But having 5 kids in 4 years really takes a tole on one’s body (um…DUH)! So as I weaned Magnolia throughout 2017 and she was sleeping through the night but I was still so exhausted I could barely get out of bed many days…I finally admitted that this was way more than normal baby exhaustion (even for having 5 kids 4 and under)! You can listen about my journey this year with chronic fatigue. 

It took me until a good way into 2018 to finally start to figure out my issues and make progress. It boils down to this: I probably have an auto-immune disease that has been triggered by all these babies and tiring 4 years mixed with a hyperactive thyroid, very imbalanced hormones (testosterone and progesterone) and adrenal fatigue. 

All of this means NO ENERGY for Mama!! Seriously, I couldn’t believe it by my exhaustion had hit new levels of low, even for a mama who birthed two sets of twins. So after alllll the blood tests and results, we start working on supplements and hormones that have finally been helping. It’s a slow road to recovery with these types of issues and I still have to be hyper aware of taking care of myself, but I am happy to report that I am finally doing so much better! 

It’s been about 9 months now of all my new stuff and for the last 3 months or so I’ve really been feeling back to my normal self. The first 6 months saw a dramatic 80% increase in my energy and health, but more recently it’s been incredible once again. 

So my focus for 2018 has been Refresh. I wanted to hit a reset button on our life from a hard 2017 and work on refreshing my health, our family life, and my spiritual disciplines! 

Now that I’ve been feeling better and I am looking forward to a new year with new goals, one word clearly came to mind for me: Discipline. 

But discipline didn’t quite have the right connotation for me. It felt too negative for some reason (even though I know it’s not and it’s a great word)! But there are still so many variables in my day that I can’t control (hello: I have 5 very young kids)! So after a lot of thought and prayer, I landed on my 2019 Word of the Year and I’m very excited….

Faithfulness.

Faithfulness is giving me that same idea that I wanted with discipline, but with a very firm reminder that God is in control of it all!! I can strive and strive and strive…and nothing will come of all my striving. Or I can rest in the Lord, show up and be faithful to what we has called me to that day…and God can make everything happen (all for His Glory)! 

So as I work diligently this year, as I discipline myself to get back into better routines in my spiritual disciplines, homeschooling, homemaking, and my work….I am doing it all in faithfulness knowing that everything I do is NOT in my own strength but rather in God’s strength! 

One thing I’ve had to learn over and over again this year as I struggled with physical health is that my true strength comes from the Lord, not from myself. I’ve been met with that time and again this year as my physical healthy hasn’t been there. And I want to remember this lesson even more as I head into 2019 with hopefully much better health! 

Here’s a few Bible verses I will be focusing on to go along with my word: 

“Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.” – 1 Samuel 12:24

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”. – 2 Corinthians 5:7

“My son, do not forget my teaching,

    but let your heart keep my commandments,
² for length of days and years of life
    and peace they will add to you.

³ Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ So you will find favor and good success^a]
    in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
⁸ It will be healing to your flesh^b]
    and refreshment^c] to your bones.

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled with plenty,
    and your vats will be bursting with wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the Lord‘s discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
¹² for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
    as a father the son in whom he delights.” – Proverbs 3:1-12