Alright, so here we are. I’m doing it. Starting early. A whole month ahead of schedule, no less. You know that "One Word" challenge everyone does at the start of the year? Well, I didn’t join in. I scoffed at the idea, thinking, “I don’t need a word to define my year.” But now, as 2024 wraps up, I’ve realized – with a bit of surprise – that the word found me. And I can’t help but laugh. It’s a little embarrassing, honestly.
I didn’t pick it. It picked me.
That word? Abide.
Let’s be honest: Abide isn’t exactly the most glamorous or trendy word out there. It doesn’t have the sparkle of “shine” or the punch of “growth.” It’s just... stay. But somehow, in its simplicity, it’s exactly what I needed.
Resting Under God’s Wings
The word came to me when I least expected it, during a season of church wounds, navigating the painful aftermath of my hyper-Calvinistic upbringing. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this word, abide, was exactly what I needed. It gave me permission to take a step back, to rest under God’s wings, and to stop rushing. I didn’t have to fix everything right away. I didn’t have to know what was coming next. It was about staying in His presence, trusting that He had me, and that would be enough.
Funny enough, abide became my anchor, pulling me back whenever my mind started wandering into the dark corners of past hurts, intellectual doubts, or, let’s be real, a bit too much enthusiasm that would occasionally lead me to lose my way. Whenever I started veering off track, abide whispered, “No, stay. Rest. You don’t have to figure everything out right now.”
Taking Time with My Story
And then, the cherry on top: abide helped me finally start writing a memoir. I’ve been wanting to share my story for years – a story of growing up in a church where it wasn’t always safe to “just be”. But now, with abide, I can take my time. I don’t need to rush through the healing process or force the creative journey. I can stay in the process and trust that it’ll unfold at the right pace.
Link to Aritha's Dutch Writing Journey Blog
A Word That Moves Into 2025
So here I am, at the end of 2024, realizing that I didn’t join the “One Word” challenge, but I’ve already been living out my word in a way I didn’t expect. And that’s okay. In fact, it feels like the perfect timing. I’m starting early, yes, but it’s because God has already started this work in me. Abide is the word that has been with me all along, and now it gets to move into 2025.
While I’m embracing this word, I’m also fully aware that it’s His timing that truly matters. It’s about trusting that He will lead me where I need to go, in His time, not mine.
Linked to: Give Thanks to Your One Word of the Year
