My word for 2018 is...

Faith.

The word I picked for 2018 is faith. It is different from past years. Last year was intentional. The year before was trust. But I felt God laying this word on my heart. Through December, I kept hearing the word. We just need enough faith. We need to have faith in others. And ultimately have faith in God. 

My faith in God does not waiver. However, there is always room for more faith. There is room to grow in our faith. I think of the Bible verse where Jesus talks of a mustard seed with His disciples.

“He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.””

Matthew 17:20 ESV

Somedays, I think we have so little faith. It is so small, just like that little mustard seed. If only it was bigger... So that is my goal for this year. To have Faith, Big FAITH! 

I also want to have faith in people. It can be so hard to have faith in people. We are all humans. We let each other down. We fail. We are definitely not perfect, but if we are willing to put our faith in people, in the people God calls us to, we may be the ones to encourage them in their walks of lives. Maybe it is not so much about putting our faith in them, but rather walking out our faith, being real with the people God has placed in our lives. Sharing our faith with them, going the extra mile to support people. 

I think of having faith in people as different from having faith in God. God is the only true source we can put our faith in. When I say that I want to have faith in people, I mean more that I want to believe the best about them and help them strive for the life that God would have for them.

This past week, 1 Timothy 4:7 spoke to me. 

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

2 Timothy 4:7 ESV

When we have finished our earthly race, this is what I want to say, "I have kept the faith."

Finally, I wanted to share with you the best definition I think there is for what faith is:

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

And faith we should move forward to what God is calling us to, even if we can not see what that is yet.