Reflect 2022

Each year I pick one word to focus on. It becomes the anthem of my year and the guiding force in the character development that God is refining in me.

In 2014 my word was Direction.

2015- Simplify

2016- Freedom

2017- Grace

2018- Courage

2019- Shine

2020- Perseverance

2021- Hope

As I prayed about what 2022 will bring for me and what God wants to do in my life I considered words like Joy and Redemption. In 2022, I will graduate with my Master's degree in Pastoral Counseling. My oldest will graduate high school and continue on to college. The season of waiting for justice is coming to an end as we have achieved victory in our appeal, but must continue to wait for God to redeem and restore what has been taken from us. The more I considered what is known about the coming season and from experiencing much in previous seasons regarding the unknown, I am just not able to call this coming year one of rejoicing, yet.

I do know it will be a better year, not that 2021 was all that bad. We achieved many amazing victories and God has been more then faithful to meet all our needs. I have personally grown exponentially as I embrace who God created me to be and what he has created me to do. For the first time in all my years of ministry, I am a paid staff member at a church. I have my bachelors degree, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Both my bachelors and masters degree's have been fully paid for in cash through scholarships and grants. My husband is coming home after years of fighting the justice system and finally winning the appeal. These are all victories that are only possible through God. We have seen miracles, we are living them! Yet we are still waiting for Jesus to come and make all things new.

So this led me to consider what God wants me to do in 2022. I know I have to continue to hold on to hope, this word has become the foundation of my counseling theory and as I move into practice in the next months, I know it will become all the more important. There have been other elements that I still am holding on to, things like courage and grace which have been focuses before, but other ones that have never made my official word but have been themes I have developed in my life like wisdom, thanksgiving, joy, and being still before the Lord.

What I came to recognize is that I have learned so much. Life experiences, personal study, homeschooling, parenting, ministry, and academically. I just feel like 2022 is going to be a year of reflection. As I work towards a completed degree and manuscript and take everything that I have learned and experienced and begin to share how God has done the miraculous in my own life, it will be a time to reflect.

This was confirmed when I came across these two passages:

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. (Titus 2:7)

As I move forward into this new season, I think it will be challenging to focus on this theme of reflection. It will involve slowing down and spending more time in silence and solitude as I let the Holy Spirit continue this process of sanctification, being changed to be more like Christ. I want to practice what I preach and teach, to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. I want to reflect the glory of God and be used as a vessel for His good works that he has assigned for me. I want people to not see me, but see the reflection of the love Jesus has for them.

So that's my goal. That's my word for 2022, REFLECT.