I pray for a personal word for each new year, usually in December or early January; but with the shmita year (sabbatical year) having started this past September at Rosh HaShanah on the Jewish calendar, I chose my new word much earlier, and have been living with it in mind for a handful of months. My word of the year is: release. The shmita year is a release and restoration season, in general, so I have been intentionally following the refreshing winds of change in the Spirit that I began feeling in September. So much has been happening spiritually and physically that I haven’t (and don’t) have time to record.

With the “double new year” this January, I have been so excited for the new things God is doing. Funny enough, our whole family came down with walking pneumonia in the last days of December (we are now recovered), so this first month of the year has been for resting, developing strategy, and seeking God’s wisdom rather than the jumping into new things that we expected. I have been reminded to release my expectations to God, even as I release myself into His freedom. I have also been purposefully releasing things of the past (both the hurtful memories and expectations of the past, and the good things that have prevented me from necessary change). I feel like this is a time to press into the Lord for spiritual understanding of what He is restoring in our lives this year, and how we can partner with Him to receive those blessings.

A few days ago I began to pray for strategy and insight regarding one of my chronic health conditions, and received an amazing encouraging dream answering my questions, and giving me the endurance to continue trusting God with this area of my health.

God wants to talk to us, to encourage us, and to help us to submit our lives to Him completely. This is a great time to pray about the new year and any desires,  resolutions, or unanswered prayers you might have, and to watch and listen expectantly for the Lord to reveal supernatural understanding into how His Spirit is moving in your life, and how you should respond.

Some years ago, I began the tradition of choosing a word of the year–something I could reflect on or practice throughout the year. Last year, the word that came to me as I was praying was arise. I was immediately reminded of two verses: “arise my darling and come with me…” from the Song of Solomon, and “arise and shine for your light has come” from Isaiah 60. I considered that arise might be a call to intimacy with God through prayer or spiritual adventure; and certainly, my prayer life did deepen throughout the year, especially with some of the physical health struggles I faced that were complicated by my pregnancy. I had also considered that the word might be a physical description of the year, since I had just begun leading a small Bible study of women, and had also just started a business of sorts.

Toward the end of 2012, I felt a tangible shift both spiritually and physically. I fulfilled three of the personal assignments the Lord had given me, gave birth to a healthy son (child number two), started attending seminary, and, even beyond these, have experienced an interesting juxtaposition of the closing of one season, and the opening of a new one. In November, amidst these changes, the word arise began to take on new meaning for me, as I felt the Lord calling me to action–especially to face my life with boldness and vulnerability.

After prayerful consideration, my word for 2013 is engage. I am excited to explore what this will mean for me throughout the year. So far, I desire to engage more deeply in the friendships and relationships I have been building, to engage more purposefully with my family and with our congregation, and to be engaged with the many aspects of my life in spite of my frequent health challenges.

Does anyone else have a word or resolution for the year that they would like to share?