Review of My One Word 2024 and Looking Ahead

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Looking back and Moving Forward - God will always see us through.(Poem written
December 2023. Shown on an art journal page with background from an old calendar)

REVIEW OF MY ONE WORD 2024

My word for 2024 was stillness. For me and maybe for many of you, stillness is probably hard to find in our busy lives. Yet it is so important to help us find time to relax, rest, refresh, and recharge. In her linkup post for #oneword2024, Lisa Burgess gave us questions to help us review our one word. So, I will just use a question/answer format to share my thoughts here. 

Did my word stay relevant? Why or why not?

Though I didn't focus constantly on my word, I believe it did stay relevant. Whenever I remembered it, I found that it refreshed me, giving me time to relax and find rest.

How often did I notice my word this year, and where?

When I chose the word stillness, I wanted to use it to help me remember to carve out time to be still every day. Thinking back over the year, I did not notice my word as often as I would have liked. The times I did were refreshing as I found interesting ways to observe stillness.

Did my word meet my expectations? Why or why not?

I don't think I had any big expectations but when I did focus on the word, it brought me time for reflection, which is what I had hoped it would do.




Did my word surprise me? How?

What surprised me about my word was a new way to look at it as described in my first post. There I expanded the meaning of stillness, indicating that we can observe it without silence and with movement.  On the porch swing, sitting in the rocking chair, or walking in the woods, there is a kind of stillness that brings tranquility and rest even if there is sound and movement.




The next month I shared times of stillness on a beach vacation in Florida with my husband's siblings. Sitting on the condo balcony watching the waves, walking along the beach, taking photos of birds, the sky, and the water glittering as it reflected the sun - all gave me time to practice stillness which included writing poems.

From this post comes the following limerick that describes some of the surprises stillness brought to me:

When searching for stillness I found
That noises and chaos abound
What a joy to find
Stillness of a kind
That didn’t mean absence of sound


How did I grow because of my word?

This is a tough question because I am not sure except that I learned different ways to express and find stillness in my life. In my June post I took interesting photos that reminded me of stillness. These included flowers, cats, and even a game my husband and I play regularly. The expanded definition helped me to be more observant about ways to find stillness that might be out of the ordinary.

Am I glad I chose this word? Why or why not?

Absolutely! I'm still learning to carve out times of stillness and to recognize it even when I'm not completely still.

Would I recommend this word to someone else? Why?

Yes, especially if they feel overwhelmed with a sense of busyness or think there is no time for rest. It can remind us to slow down even if we only take 5 minutes. Any amount of stillness throughout our days is helpful.

How many stars would I give my word? 

Even though I didn't use it as much as I would have liked, it's still a great word. So, I would give it 5 stars.


IN THE STILLNESS

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” (Psalm 46:10)

In the chaos of life, I need times of stillness to focus on God. He is my source of strength, wisdom, hope, peace, and so much more. Without times of stillness in my life, I know I would burn out. As I've shared, stillness can be found in various ways. My times of reading the Bible and praying are important times of stillness. I look forward to the times morning and evening when my husband and I do this together. We are always encouraged and even when things are difficult, we find ourselves wanting to praise God for His work in our lives and in the world.

I love how Michael Card sums up the importance of seeking God in the song, In Stillness and Simplicity.


LOOKING AHEAD

For 2025, I have chosen the word peace. I think it follows well after my previous word. Here is what I wrote in my first post about my 2024 word:

Whether in the house or outdoors, I can benefit from stillness. Though each environment is different, they both offer a place of solace. Even in a crowd filled with noise and chaos, I can have peace inside. Instead of letting anxiety and fear lead, I can give my burdens to the Lord. No one can take away the inner peace that comes from God alone. When I focus on Him instead of my circumstances, His peace will prevail.

You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you. Trust in the Lord forever, because in the Lord, the Lord himself, is an everlasting rock! Isaiah 16:3-4 (CSB)


I'm linking up with #oneword2024


Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 4, 2025 at 10:00 PM

    Dear Gayl, Thank you for sharing your reflections on your past year with the word Stillness. You have given much for us to pause and think over--reasons to find stillness for ourselves. And I do agree that peace is a perfect word to follow after stillness. May the Lord bless your year with much peace from HIM! Love & hugs dear friend! ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gayl WrightJanuary 6, 2025 at 9:31 PM

    Thank you so much, dear sister! You have also been an encouragement to me. I'm glad you agree that peace is perfect to follow stillness. May God also bless you, my dear friend. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lisa BlairJanuary 7, 2025 at 6:29 PM

    Stillness seems like a wonderful WOTY, Gayl.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gayl WrightJanuary 12, 2025 at 10:31 PM

      Thanks, Lisa! I only wish I had spent more time with it. Since my new word is peace, I think I will still be getting the benefits of stillness. :) Blessings to you!

      Delete
  4. Lisa notes...January 15, 2025 at 7:03 PM

    Maybe not observing your word too often in 2024 was a sign that you actually were observing Stillness! :) Which is the whole point anyway. I remember your first post about it too and how insightful it was to think about stillness WITH movement. I love that you've chosen Peace for 2025. Such a great segue from one year to the next!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gayl WrightJanuary 16, 2025 at 11:43 AM

    Thank you, Lisa, for your observations! Yes, I think peace flows naturally from stillness to be my new word. Thank you, too, for all you do for the #oneword group. You are quite an encourager. Blessings and love to you! xo

    ReplyDelete

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