Continuing the “Tradition” that began in 2022 with a Bible Study group of friends, I’m adding my word for 2026 to this list from prior years:
2026 Word: Christ
If you’ve been following my website or my podcast, you’ll know that I’ve been studying and learning from the Bible for the past 7 years. It truly changed my life: it awakened me to the truth and reality we all will face at some point in our lives so I decided to prepare now, not leave it to “chance” or wait until “time was up.” This is too important: it’s where I’ll end up forever, eternally. I’m so glad I became focused now because life is different, more peaceful, anxiety about the future gone, confidence and courage have increased, I’m enjoying and simply content living in the moment, rather than focusing on “what’s the next thing.” Just like anything requiring discipline: “if you don’t use it, you will lose it.” If I don’t intentionally focus on keeping the relationship with God, it will end up going away, and distractions will creep in affecting my priorities. Maintaining any relationship requires intentional focus. The podcast has become “my accountability” to “stay in the word” with the goal of a daily podcast: Link to Podcast My word for 2026 is “Christ.” I want to keep focused on Christ, “remaining in Christ” this year, even more so because of dream I had in 2021 where the year “2026” was shown: (Podcast Episode #88) I’ll reflect and see what happens once we arrive in the year 2027!
Here are some verses from the Bible telling us why it is important to “remain “in Christ:”:
But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ. Hebrews 3:6
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27
And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. 1 John 2:28
These were my words for prior years:
2025 Word: rûaḥ, רוּחַ (Hebrew)
I love what this word represents to me: “wind,” the freedom in Christ, when a person is guided by the Holy Spirit, we truly don’t know what comes next; it is the Holy Spirit who guides us:
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8
I don’t know what lies ahead, but knowing that the Holy Spirit will guide me is a true blessing and also promises somewhat of an adventure: navigating the unknown.
I found this word studying the Old Testament, it’s found (378 times– click this for the definition and all the verses) throughout the Old Testament (From Genesis to Malachi) and is the Breath of Life, the Holy Spirit, the “wind” from God. The New Testament word corresponding to this is pneuma (Strongs G4151). The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead can reside within us, when we surrender our will to God’s will.
This year ahead, I truly want to be led by the Holy Spirit, submitting to God’s will. And starting off this year, as it frequently seems to happen with me: “coincidences occur” – I have been praying for God (the Holy Spirit) to guide me for awhile now, since 2017 and it’s been a slow but steady “spiritually refining” process thinking about this in hindsight and knowing that there’s still more work to be done within me, but progress is happening, thankfully. My life has been changing. I chose this word for 2025 and ironically on New Year’s Eve, someone asked me: “What are your goals for 2025?” My response was “Ruah” and then I had to explain that. I think God makes these things happen! The person who asked me this question was someone I didn’t know, but he told me, he had recently given his life to Christ! Wow was my reaction to finding that out! Then another study group I joined in the Fall of 2024 chose “The Fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5) as the first study for 2025. See what I mean? God makes things happen, it’s not a coincidence and this is just the beginning, the first month of 2025!
2024 Word: Love
What gets thrown at us in life and happens in this world can make “doing everything out of love” challenging, but this is important for those who claim to be Christians. I’ll be honest, I feel like 2024 may be a rough year ahead. It would be wonderful if I’m wrong, and I hope I am! But if these bible prophecy events keep moving forward like they have been, that’s going to be the reality; we’re not going to stop what God has foretold. I also know that what we focus on becomes our reality so my focus this year is love. I wish I could fast forward and get to the end of this year right now, honestly if I could fast forward to 2026 that would be even better!
In hindsight: 2024 was a year of more change (which is rough): letting go of more in my life, turning it over to God and finding joy in new beginnings, evaluating what is “good” and how I need to spend my time and truly focusing on being loving towards others. “Do everything in love.“ 1 Corinthians 16:14.
In regards to Bible prophecy: current events still seem to be lining up with biblical prophecy, but maybe they have for sometime and I simply was unaware prior to 2020? Again, whatever is God’s will, will happen, so the most important part is to be led by the Holy Spirit, which maybe why I chose “Ruah” for 2025?
2023 Words: Trust and Obey
Many things in life “don’t make sense” to us, so this is when I need to “Trust and Obey” God. Ironically this was the first faith post I made: Trust and Obey – I struggled/still struggle with this sometimes, but it’s getting easier! I guess God is making sure I comprehend this, because those words came back to me from 2017- 6 years later! Now, I trust God always, despite the circumstances, I know how it all will ultimately end, so I have peace in knowing what life holds in the future. We just need to get through the “tests and trials” until then. Often when I choose to obey (especially when I don’t want to), some “reward” seems to happen afterwards. I thank God for that when it happens because it is encouraging.
2022 Word: Joy
After the experiences of the prior years, I wanted Joy! I chose the word: ”Joy.” Looking back, God brought joy into my life through a supportive, Christ focused group of friends from this new Bible Study group that I unexpectedly joined in October of 2021. I think God may have had something to do with that too. I continued exploring God’s word through scripture and how it relates to living life (posts 39- 66). I often was inspired to write in the morning just as I wake up from a thought that didn’t seem to leave or from a prior conversation I had with someone. As much as I wanted “joy” to be my entire focus, I couldn’t ignore what I found through Bible Prophecy and it, weighed heavily on me. Too many world events were/are lining up with Bible Prophecy and many people (just like me) didn’t even have this “on the radar.” I didn’t come from a religion that focused on this, so this was all new to me, I only discovered it after reading the Bible. This is why it is so important to know what’s in the Bible: so we’re not blindsided by reality when it happens. There is nothing to fear (if we are “spiritually” prepared in advance- meaning “born again”).
2021 Word: Death
Even though I didn’t have a word for this year, in hindsight, this reflected reality: my 14 month old nephew suddenly died, the mother of my son’s best friend died suddenly, and my dog suddenly died within a span of 4 months. Not only that, but the closest person to me unexpectedly rejected me in a humiliating public way at the time when I needed support the most. (When it rains, it pours!) But only days later, I was asked to go with a friend to this Bible Study group (See what I mean? No coincidences, God provides.) It was a tough year. All the death made me question, what happens after death, for real? I realized I didn’t have a clear biblically based understanding- only what I had been told throughout life. I plan to write about this later because I think others might have this question too. Ironically- in hindsight, after all this “death” surrounded me, late summer when I was on my phone an email came through with something to the effect of “last notice to sign up for baptism”- I felt like it was time I committed and did this, so I signed up and was Baptized on September 12, 2021. Baptism is symbolic of the death of our sinful past and rebirth, a new life, “born again”- it was both symbolic and literal for me. I wrote (posts 22 – 38) during this year. I didn’t post about the dreams I started having the night of my Baptism, I was confused by them at the beginning, but the “name of Jesus” was featured heavily and sometimes verses from scripture and the dreams involved various people in my life: friends, family and former business colleagues. I know there is significance to these specific dreams because I would see something specific from my dream, that day, weeks or months later as I was going about the day- completely unexpected when it would occur, but I would immediately recall: I dreamt that! It still continues but I often don’t have the understanding of the symbolism until I see it happen. It’s hard to explain this to anyone, unless you experience this, you won’t understand, but it heavily contributed to the faith and belief I have in Jesus. Even though my word for 2021 would have been Death, it was changed to Life. Death is no longer permanent because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, death is a transition, a going to sleep because those who believe and turn away from sin will be changed and become immortal when Jesus returns. Jesus said that unless we are “born again” we will not see the kingdom of God. (John Chapter 3)
2020 Words: ”Wake Up”
2020 was a year of isolation for most of us in the world, and as a result, I had more time to explore the Bible. I had so many questions about life, I was seeking TRUTH, in January 2020, I wrote about Love, but abruptly by March 2020, I felt we were experiencing a “Wake Up Call” from God, collectively as the world, but also personally in my life, I reflected on many aspects of life this year (Posts #10-21) but what impacted me most was Bible Prophecy: facing judgement and end times/the last days prophecies.
2019 Words: ”Being Called” (Making God my Priority)
2019 was the year I decided to make God my priority (my last summary post for 2019) after reading the Bible for the first time. I didn’t have “a word” for that year but looking back, it would have been: “Being Called” – this was my 3rd “faith” related post on this website: see “Being Called” link in August 2019.
I pray for all who read or share this with someone they care about: May God’s love for you be known and may you be led by the Holy Spirit this year! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
S.A.I.L. 