My Word for 2024

Over the years, you may have seen this trend on social media where people choose a “word” for the coming year. This word helps them shape their vision, define their goals, and supports the overall theme that they want for that coming year.

My word for 2023 was Faith.

Closing out 2022, I was left bruised, and exhausted. My dad had just started chemotherapy, and my mom had just gone through surgery. I sent Madison and Ben to Tallahassee and spent all of my winter break taking care of them both. 2022 was bad enough, and I was riddled with anxiety and fear for whatever 2023 would bring.

At the time, what Faith meant for me in 2023 was the belief that even though things were scary and uncertain right now, everything was going to be okay in the end. Believing that my dad would be healed and healthy again. Having Faith in the treatment plan his care team put together for him. Believing that we were going to get to the other side, and all of this would be a bad dream.

Of course, we know that isn’t what happened.

After the pomp and the circumstance of the funeral was over and life around me went “back to normal,” I took a good hard look at the word “Faith.” At first, I was mad. From my perspective at the time, Faith had not served me well in this situation. It only made the inevitable ending that much more painful.

Finding a New Definition for Faith

I began an internal struggle with the word Faith. Honestly, in my thirty-one years of life, I had never once questioned my Faith. I had always believed in God and in the power of prayer. Now, things were different. What does it mean to have faith when you have so many doubts and questions?

Now, standing at the end of 2023, what I’ve come to understand is this: Faith isn’t blind belief. Having Faith isn’t the absence of all questions, doubts, and fears. Faith is actually having all the questions, doubts, and fears in the world… and still believing anyway.

It’s raising your hands to the Lord, stained with dirt, sweat, and tears, and saying, “Okay God… I don’t understand what is happening here, but I’m going to trust You anyway.” That is Faith.

Look for Where the Light Pours In

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what my word will be for 2024. I feel like setting the right intention for this coming year is really important. After a worse-case scenario happened in 2023, I’m going into 2024 as a clean, blank slate, stepping forward without fear.

One of my favorite moder poets and artists, Morgan Haper Nichols, has a short stanza that says, “I don’t know how this will end, but look for where the light pours in.” I’ve actually had this line on a poster in my office for years. For me, it’s a great short line to help ground myself when things seem to be spinning out of control.

My word for 2024 is Light.

The darkness of 2023 – of Year Thirty-One – the pain, the sorrow, the fear is far from over. No, this healing journey has only just begun. As I stand and look at 2024, there are already new challenges I can see ahead of me – a possible surgery for Endometriosis, addressing infertility issues, and fighting like Hell to repair relationships that were damaged in the wreckage of my grief.

Yet, there is so much light. Watching my daughter grow into a little person. Spending time with wonderful friends and family. Making a difference in our community. Maybe adding another child to our family – I still have faith!

And you, dear reader! I cannot forget you. How much light and joy this community has poured into my life. There are so many amazing things coming for Year Thirty-One in 2024. I am so grateful I get to bring you all with me.

And so, dear reader, as we step into 2024, with trembling hands and tear-stained cheeks – I don’t know how this will end, but look for where the light pours in.