Hello Friends,

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season with family and friends. It’s hard to believe another year is upon us already! Where does the time go?

Our family had a wonderful Christmas season with family. Our son, Daniel, had his third and final heart surgery at the end of November. We were apprehensive about making holiday plans in advance not knowing how his recovery would go. Well, praise the Lord, he did amazing and had a very quick recovery. (Picture for proof!) 😉 We were still able to participate in most of our usual family get-togethers and celebrations. It was a special Christmas season for sure. I am still hanging on and savoring the memories. Our tree is still up but its days are numbered!

It has been refreshing to look back over 2022. It was a hard year in many ways but there were SO many good things as well. I learned a lot and it was a year of growth and refinement for both me and my husband. I am grateful for the lessons and challenges.

My One Word for 2023

This new year holds so much promise… I am excited to see what the Lord brings our way!

For the past 8+ years, I have chosen a word of the year to be my theme and focus for the year.  This book inspired the idea many years ago and I have been choosing a word ever since! Some years, my word falls flat and I forget about it halfway through the year – other times, the word becomes very special to me as the Lord teaches me new things throughout the year.

As I was considering my theme for this new year, some words that came to mind were: peace, quiet, serenity, tranquility… I suppose those are the things I’m craving as we begin this new year!

After some more thought, I settled on the word “quiet.”

Quiet (noun) – absence of noise or bustle; silence; calm.

One of the reasons why I chose “quiet” is because over the past several weeks, the phrase from 2 Timothy 2:2 has been coming to mind over and over again:

“…that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness, and honesty.”

In context, these verses are talking about the importance of praying for those in authority over us, that our lives may be quiet and peaceable. That’s exactly what I am desiring this year… a quiet and peaceable life!

Not only am I desiring a slower, quieter, and more peaceful life… I want to learn how to have a peaceful and quiet HEART even when life feels chaotic around me. (Because let’s face it, life can be anything but quiet.) I am the mama to a busy toddler, I’m married to a visionary preacher (who works from home!) and our lives are very busy with ministry and the responsibilities of life. So, even if my life is anything but quiet this year, I still want the Lord to teach me how to have a quiet heart in spite of that.

Another reason why I decided on the word “quiet” is because our church will soon be starting the DVD series, Quieting a Noisy Soul by Jim Berg. This series has already impacted my life in the past, and I’m excited to go through it alongside our church family!

More Verses from Scripture

I was excited to discover that there are several verses in Scripture that contain the word “quiet.” Beyond that… there are even more verses that talk about the idea of being quiet and still. I look forward to studying those verses in the coming year. In the meantime, here are the Scripture verses I have jotted down in a notebook to go along with my one word:

“…and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (emphasis added)

“It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:26 (emphasis added)

“…that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” 2 Timothy 2:2b (emphasis added)

To go along with my one word, here are a few goals and intentions I have for the coming year…

Re-establish consistent quiet times (in the morning!). This is something that my toddler and I have done together in the past but somewhere between summertime and his last heart surgery, the routine we had together fell by the wayside. We have since re-started our morning quiet times. I read my Bible, journal, and pray and Daniel either sits on the couch and reads books, or plays with toys nearby. I want him to see me reading God’s Word and set an example that he can follow as he grows and eventually begins his own relationship with the Lord.

Embrace slower and quieter living. This means saying “no” to extra stuff. Excess activities, excess stuff, and just embracing a simpler way of living this year. I want to be intentional with my time, but I also want to enjoy myself more and not feel bound and chained to my to-do lists all the time. Our lives will still be busy (that’s a given). However, I want to make a greater effort to NOT overcrowd my schedule and daily to-do lists.

Enjoy reading, journaling, and doing puzzles. These are three relaxing hobbies that I enjoy. Reading inspires me and helps me learn, journaling helps me process  thoughts and feelings, and doing puzzles is just a fun hobby that stretches my brain. Instead of setting numbers and rigid times to fit these hobbies in, I just want to take time to enjoy them with less pressure on the numbers!

I have a few more goals for the year… but everything has been simplified. Less pressure on me to DO and accomplish and a lot more plans to just enjoy life while still being intentional with the things God has given me to do for Him.

I am excited to see how the Lord will use the word “quiet” in my life in the coming year!

I Would Love to Know

• Do you have a word for the New Year?
• What are some of your goals for 2023?

I would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below and share!

Until Next Time,