Choosing a word of the year

This past Sunday at Conversation Church, we spent time looking ahead into the new year — not by making resolutions or setting rigid goals, but by noticing what we’re carrying with us, what we might be ready to release, and what we hope to make space for.

If you’d like a simple practice to continue that reflection, our Resource of the Week is the practice of choosing a Word for the Year.

Unlike New Year’s resolutions, choosing a word is not about self-improvement or achievement. It’s a gentle, prayerful way of naming a posture, quality, or orientation you want to return to again and again — especially when life gets busy, uncertain, or overwhelming.

Your word might be something like rest, courage, patience, trust, joy, grounded, or open. It could also be a phrase or image rather than a single word. There’s no “right” choice — and it’s okay if your word changes over time.

How to Try It

You might begin by asking yourself:

• What do I notice myself longing for as I look ahead into this year?
• What quality feels life-giving rather than demanding?
• What do I want to be reminded of when things feel hard?

Some people like to sit quietly with these questions, journal about them, or pray with them. Others choose a word intuitively and see what unfolds. You might write your word somewhere visible, return to it during prayer, or simply hold it loosely as a reminder.

This practice isn’t about controlling the year ahead—it’s about staying open to how God might meet you in it.

An Additional Resource: A Scripture to Sit With

As you reflect on the year ahead, you might also find it meaningful to spend time with this passage from the Psalms:

“Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
— Psalm 90:12

This verse doesn’t call us to optimize our time or predict the future. Instead, it invites humility, attentiveness, and wisdom — an awareness that our days are limited and therefore precious.

You might read this verse slowly a few times and ask:

• What does a “heart of wisdom” feel like for me right now?
• How does this verse invite me to live this year more attentively or gently?
• What might God be teaching me as I step into this next season?

You don’t need to arrive at clear answers. Simply letting the question linger can be its own form of prayer.