ONE WORD 2019

This is the ninth year I have chosen a One Word for my year. The first year, 2011, I don't even remember what my word was. I didn't take it seriously and before we made it to the halfway point of the year, I had completely forgotten the word. Which lead me to my One Word for 2012, intentional.

I love focusing on just one word for the year. And with over 170,000 words in the English language, there are so many to choose from! Over the years I have used the words intentional, heart, pray, water, me, marriage, and joy.

In early December I started praying about what God would want me to focus on in 2019. Did I need to repeat a word for a reminder, was there a new word, what did He want for me? As I prayed and thought over what I wanted to accomplish and where I wanted to be at the end of 2019, I kept hearing one particular word. Before I tell you that word, let me share what lead to it.

It seems as though everything I want to do is just out of reach, which leads to discouragement, which leads to quitting. I give up when I can't see the end result quickly. I don't want to give up so it was time for a shift in my thinking.

I'd like to limit my sugar intake. Cutting sugar out altogether would be ideal, but is not realistic for me right now. But I can limit my sugar intake. Cutting down from two sodas a day to one. Then from seven a week to five a week and so on. Little by little progress.

I'd like to exercise regularly. We have a membership to the Y, paid through my husband's union (a huge blessing). I'd love to go four or five times a week and work out an hour each time. I just don't have the time to do that right now. But I can go twice a week for forty-five minutes. Little by little progress.

I'd like to build up a savings for my husband and I. It'd be great to put a couple hundred dollars a month away. But at this time, we just cannot do that. But I can make progress and just put aside ten dollars a week. Little by little progress.

I'd like to memorize Scripture verses. My hearts desire is to memorize at least one Scripture verse a week. That seems hard to me at this moment. But I can memorize one Scripture a month. Little by little progress.

I'd like to grow my children's ministry. I want to see kids come to the Lord and cultivate a personal relationship with their Savior. I want to see the seats in our room full of kids excited for Jesus. Growing a church or a ministry isn't quick work. But I can invite families and encourage my kids in church to invite friends. Little by little progress.

Did you catch that one word that kept popping up? Progress. My word for 2019 is progress!

When things don't move as quickly as I want, I want to remain steadfast. I want to press on. I want to celebrate progress.

Throughout 2019 I am going to work on progress, not perfection. I am going to work on taking little steps and moving forward. Moving even one step forward is far better than quitting. I've learned so much about little by little progress and progress not perfection through Cultivate What Matters and I am so excited to continue working on progress in these and other areas of my life.

What is your One Word for 2019?