STILL UNSURE of my ONE WORD for 2024

* "Trade Your Cares for Calm" (2017)
{... that's what I'd like to do (if it was 2022)}
Instead I'll be
CALM
MORE

in 2024
but also I'm thinking that I'm 
Called to be in His
 PRESENCE
MORE in '24
so it looks like
God would like to CALM me in His PRESENCE
but which One Word should I focus on?
CALM or PRESENCE 
or 
perhaps there's another ONE God's speaking and 
I'm just not HEARING Him right
Anyways, I really do hope to "trade my cares for CALM"

When we love others, we know we belong to the truth, and we feel at ease in the Presence of God. 1 John 3:19 CEV the LORD, your God, is in the midst of you, a Mighty One who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy.  He will CALM you in His love. He will rejoice over you with singing Zephaniah 3:17 WEB

[in Zephaniah 3:17 NLT says "CALM all your fears"]
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I recall when I read the following wordsin "THE CALM" - a short 3 day reading plan,that one word CALM just continued to reverberate in my heart & mind 

"...Can we learn to find calm by faith amidst the waves of sin and the storms of emotion within our hearts? It may seem impossible, but there is hope, and there is comfort to be found. First, know that you are not alone and that this is not any surprise to your Lord. He is with you in it all, and He loves you. Second, know that you are not a failure in His sight because you struggle with this. It is an age-old challenge for all of God's people. Even the great. The Lord told Joshua, a valiant leader in Israel who followed the Lord fully, to not be afraid. Finally, remember that with Christ nothing is impossible. He is able. When we understand that we are weak and learn how to look to Christ and cling to Him, we will begin to experience Christ as our calm." "... We must keep our minds fixed on the truth of God's Word. When we do, we will begin to experience the calm of Christ."~Thistlebend

I thought that I was sure this was the Word for me!
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Earlier in 2023, I had read and participated in the best online Bible study of Wendy Blight's newest book, "Rest for Your Soul" and I benefited greatly from the beginning to the end, but even now I go back and reread so many parts & her prayers, making them mine. Through her writings, we joined in a spiritual journey in learning three holy habits ("spiritual disciplines") of solitude, silence and prayer. Without detailing all the wonderful help this excellent teaching of Wendy's does for the reader (me & others), let me just recommend this book highly! So, I was thinking either Rest or Peace might be possible choices for me, but I already had done Peace for a One Word (in 2013) and Rest is beautiful yet at this point, far from reality in my life (maybe some year soon). However, reading "Rest for Your Soul" certainly did bring my soul some much needed rest. It just didn't seem right for me as my One Word, especially since 2023 was filled with too many "rest in peace" for people close that I knew and loved dearly. So not Rest, & not Peace, but possibly some word that was closely related and meaningful that I truly may need as 2024 will close another decade of life for me, so I began thinking of the word "aging" as a possibility. Then I decided that I wasn't quite ready to deal with either "aging" or "resting in peace" so I placed those words on the back burner & waited for Jesus to impress upon me that One Word for me to focus.

It was in those quiet moments with Jesus (since that was my 2023 One Word) that I realized how important His sweet Presence was & is to me! PRESENCE - maybe I needed to be more aware of His Presence every day around me & "Experiencing God's Presence" and finding more of Him in my "Life in His Presence" - from two devotional books I had set aside to read later. Perhaps 2024 was the time for that 'later'... I began with one of these in January. And I am enjoying every moment & every page of reading this one year devotional. It definitely is bringing me closer to Him and a good follow-up from 2023 with Jesus! Yet I still was (& am) not convinced that THIS would be my One Word for 2024. 

There is a need for me to "experience the CALM of Christ" Jesus in me ... and "experience Christ as my CALM" for so many reasons. Because I know Jesus is my Peace, and I need more Peace & more Rest & more Jesus, so I trust that I'll continue to experience the CALM in His Presence!

There were a few other ebooks or reading plans that spoke the one word CALM to me during last year and the holiday season in particular from Rachel Wojo (The Calming Collection) prayers; and of course, one of my favorites and go-to pastor & author Max Lucado "Calm Moments..." and a few others by him. Max's acronym for C.A.L.M. is what began my peace & rest seeking journey by following this format for Philippians 4:4-8 (a powerful passage from Paul and a pathway of prayer) to follow & find CALM. However, it wasn't until Rachel shared her Calming Prayers & somehow led me to a book by Ruth Schwenk with this title: "Jesus, Calm my Heart" that I was drawn to the CALM that I need and hope to have in 2024. My dearest sister & friend gifted me the ebook of this so I have been reading it prayer by prayer & will every day in 2024, rewording many of the prayers for particular people or myself, and experiencing Christ as my CALM (sleeping better at night hopefully). I've also added a few other books to aide in this endeavor, so my next favorite is from Julie K. Guilles that has been on my wish list since 2020: "Prayers to Calm Your Anxious Heart" (YV has a sample of this in their reading plans) & a new one (2023) from Dayspring "Sleep Psalms..." by pray (dot) com

All of these are great if you need help praying or sleeping 😉 or like me (all of the above) and being CALM - experiencing Christ as my CALM, knowing the sweet CALM in His PRESENCE

As you can see, I have much reading to do again for 2024!

"... we know we must silence the chatter in our heads

and trust the One who CALMS our hearts" 

from "Be Still..." by Cleere Cherry

{I definitely needed this part in italics as a reminder }

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I guess for now

I will choose to be

CALM

in His

PRESENCE

{with my emphasis on CALM}

for

2024

[image credit: Good News Mediations for Kids]

SIDENOTE: from the first image 

* I added this book too ... to my reading list,

I couldn't resist the "blues" in Max's book cover of "Trade Your Cares for Calm".

I read that the color blue means CALM, trust, serenity ... and it produces a

CALMING effect. No wonder why blue is my favorite color!

I'm so in need of the CALM, so I surround myself in BLUE

I'm trading my ...

Cares for CALM with Jesus

{maybe I've found my One Word after all}

I plan to focus on CALM in everything in 2024

so in the night, I can sleep peacefully

in God's PRESENCE and live

a Life in His Presence

meanwhile 

I continue AGING & maybe next year

I'll have wisdom on that😏👵

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How about you?

What's your One Word?

or

favorite color?

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IMPORTANT NOTE:

I wrote this ahead because the "If I Will ... then He Will" prayers continue until February 20th and I didn't want to wait to publish this until after that - most churches finished their prayer & fasting in January. I miss all my friends online, but 2024 really needs to be saturated in prayer throughout all 50 states for Revival. The Church and our Nation desperately needs to pray!

And also LENT will be starting on February 14th through March 28th, 2024. Valentine's Day is Ash Wednesday ... no greater LOVE than God's! ... but still seems odd. Michele Cushatt shared a Lenten Experience last year - "Lamenting the Unexpected" (Week 1); and Week 2 "The Purpose of Lament", taken from her new book "A Faith that Will Not Fail"...more HERE

"KEEP HOLDING ON..."

Back before the beginning of 2024, I noticed (before I went offline - because I still am until Feb. 20) that First 5 (F5) was/is doing a much needed study plan by many of us on God's Promises ... it starts(ed) on January 8th. Since I knew I was going to be in Prayer (and basically offline for my fast part), I kept this tucked away for a "do-later" moment and I didn't share, but I wish that I would have because perhaps some of you would have been interested in this:

"Keep Holding On:30 Promises From God You Can Cling to Right Now"

I had hopes that 2024 would be a better year if I spent time with God in the first part of the year.
As I gazed through their Study Guide, I was sensing that maybe I should do this one with the F5 Community, even though back in 2020 PROMISES was my One Word, I was feeling drawn.
I definitely had been (or still may be)
HOLDING ON
Clinging to every. single. one. of God's Promises
for me, for you, for our loved ones
(but this study is only six weeks long, so I'll miss it with the group)
[First 5 will be starting their new Study on February 26 on Lamentations for 5 weeks]
LENT starts on February 14th so this could be a season of "lamenting".
Yet, I still find myself trying to HOLD ON & remain CALM as I FOCUS in 2024
in God's PRESENCE
Some of the PROMISES that First 5 chose from many more than 30 are:
Peace
Guidance
Comfort
Strength
Security
Hope

"With so many uncertainties in life, there are still some things you can be sure of When you feel like everything you’ve tried to hold on to has crumbled in your hands, and you’re reaching out for something — anything — sturdy and reliable, it can be hard to know what page to turn to in your Bible or how to personally apply Scripture to what you’re facing. Maybe you’ve heard about the promises of God, but have you ever wondered what they actually are? Whether you know them well or not, they are available for you to cling to in your time of need. If you’ve been in a season of doubt or if things have felt uncertain, unpredictable and unreliable … this 30-day study will be a lifeline that will show you what is always certain, sure and true with God."

After reading the above description of First 5's, I was certain that it was meant for me.
I seem to find myself in a season of so much uncertainty.
My life is unpredictable & unreliable (more & more) especially when you add in the others 
in my life & the current status of 2024.
I was not looking forward to it really at all, but I was clinging to my hope, faith and
as many of God's Promises I could find to cling to & remain in Christ.
I need to HOLD ON to what's promised by God.
"God's Promises are specific or timeless
and guaranteed! 100%"
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Usually I am set on the One Word for the next year by the end (or before) of the previous year (more of that in an upcoming blog post) - however, I found a wonderful book, that I've sent a copy of to a special sister💚 for her special day (even though it will arrive after her day) that will help me to FOCUS and I hope she will consider joining me. Usually we'd do a Word a Day in addition to One Word for the Year for each of us; whereas this one is just One Word a Week (52 in total). So in January the Word for each week are as follows: Diligent, Kindness, Position, Follow and for February: Discipline, Worship, Notice, Invest ... 

And none of those are the One Word(s) that I am pondering about for 2024 (again that blog post will appear soon). I considered making FOCUS my One Word though after I found this book and that would help me with "transforming my life" and it seems to be linked to one I was considering: "AGING"; but at least I have eliminated that one for 2024. I'm just not ready to focus on AGING because it already doesn't let me forget that it's happening quicker than I'd like. Meanwhile, I will center my thoughts on Prayer & the Psalms and have pre-written these blog posts to appear in February, as I keep Holding On, reading God's Word, seeking His Presence, experiencing all Jesus is & leaning into His Holy Spirit to breathe on me each day afresh and thanking God for these moments & promises, because "If We Will...then He Will!" 

And YES, I'm still offline 

(scheduled & written in advance)