A Word for the Year: Listening to God as We Step Forward Together
It has been my experience that a word from the Lord can change everything. It can remind me that I am loved, give hope for what is to come, offer strength to stand in a hard place, or provide wisdom to know how to proceed or respond. In all of it, He gives me the confidence to take another step forward—with or without full understanding.
While I have the freedom and privilege to speak with God any and every day, there are a few moments throughout the year that feel especially set apart.
One of those days is my birthday. Years ago, I was taught that if I asked, God would have a special birthday gift for me. In more recent years of singleness, I have intentionally held my birthday open to Him, allowing Him to love me as He sees fit. He has done so through people, moments of silence, unexpected gifts, and time in nature—each one a reminder of His encompassing love.
Another meaningful moment is the close of the year—and the word.
For me, it is often on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day that the Lord speaks clearly, offering a word for the year ahead. Looking back, I can see how He has refined not only my understanding of that word, but also how He has refined me through it.
I receive the word and journal it, holding it loosely. I may look up definitions—through a dictionary, online, or biblically—but again, I hold all of it with open hands.
Truthfully, I don’t think about the word constantly throughout the year. But there are moments when the Lord brings it back to mind. Especially toward the end of the year, I reflect and begin to see how God has been working in me and through me in ways connected to that word.
It has been absolutely fascinating.
Even in recent years, He has given me confidence, faith, and reassurance. I have walked through challenges and conquered fears I once avoided.
One of my favorite words was ‘Holy Spirit.’ When I first received it, I found it unusual. Through prayer, the Lord revealed that I would be a conduit of the Holy Spirit. In January, I wasn’t sure what that meant—but it didn’t take long to find out.
I began praying in the Spirit for hours each day. I prayed while driving, while cooking, and throughout the ordinary rhythms of life. It was effortless—unceasing prayer flowing naturally. I was laying groundwork for things to come, serving simply as a channel for God.
Biblically, a conduit symbolizes a person through whom God’s life, power, truth, and blessing flow to others (John 7:38). That same year, I surrendered my right to know what I was praying.
So while I prayed for hours a day, I wasn’t striving to understand. I was allowing the Holy Spirit to pray through me—bringing heaven to earth in ways I may never fully see.
There have been other years when I haven’t yet seen the fruit of the word. Perhaps I will in time.
There have also been moments when I have received words for others—words that encouraged bravery, sparked new ministries, initiated projects, or simply allowed God to work in and through them in a fresh way.
Many people ask for a word each year, so I wanted to share a few of their reflections. One friend shared that she approaches her word with anticipation, always hoping for change and something new. Another said, “I love the word for the year. It always feels personal, like it’s truly mine. I see it show up again and again throughout the year.”
For me, this practice is a meaningful way God shows me how He is transforming me and inviting me to participate in what He is doing here on earth. At Umbwella’s Stand, we believe God is deeply personal and also beautifully communal—inviting us not only to be changed ourselves, but to join Him in the work He is doing through His people. These words are one of the ways He speaks to me and gently reminds me that He sees us.
As we step into a new year, I encourage you to take a chance. Ask the Lord if He wants to show you something new—something He desires to do in and through you for the sake of others.
Reflection Prompt
Set aside a few quiet moments as the year begins.
• Invite the Holy Spirit to speak without striving or expectation. • Ask: “Lord, is there a word You want to speak over this coming year?” • Receive whatever comes—whether it is clear or uncertain—and hold it loosely. • Journal what you sense, along with any Scriptures, images, or prayers that follow. • Return to this word throughout the year, not as a goal to achieve, but as an invitation to notice how God is shaping you and working through you.
What might God want to speak over your year?