My Word for 2020

Every year I choose one word as a theme for my year. This year is my TENTH year doing so.

Yesterday I shared a recap of my word for 2019 (which was adventure) and I mentioned how I was really hoping my word for 2020 would (or could) be rest or a similar such word.

Unfortunately, God seemed to have different plans.

I usually start thinking of my word a few weeks before the end of the year and generally there are a few different ones that come to mind. I have come up with a lot of good word options over the years but when the right word comes I always feel certain that it’s the right word.

This year the idea of the word rest came to me really easy. It’s been a particularly exhausting last few months and I could use a year of rest. I wrote it down as an option but I wasn’t feeling like it was the word God was leading me to for the year.

I was right.

About a week ago the word came to me in a flash and I just knew it was the word for 2020.

My word for this year is:
GENEROUS

 

 

There are many different ways to be generous; with our time, our love, our resources, our money, etc. I do want to be generous in all those areas but this year I am specifically focusing on monetary generosity.

The last few months we’ve had a number of different friends go through times of financial hardship, which can be hard at any time, but especially so over the Christmas season and it was such a good reminder how much I appreciate the ability to give to others.

This last year we sort of acquired a new stream of “income” as we began to foster. We’ve been able to use some of this income to bless others, thank you to the government for allowing us to give your money to those who need it!

In 2020 I want to push myself to give more.

One of my financial role models is John Wesley (a preacher in the 18th century). When he was a student he brought in 30 pounds, he lived off of 28 and gave away 2. The next year his income doubled but he still lived off of 28 pounds but then had 32 to give. One year his income was right around 1,400 and he still only lived off of 28 pounds!

 

 

I appreciate Wesley’s ability to live out what he preached. He has a great sermon titled “The Use of Money” (which you can actually read here). In the sermon he gives three main points: 1) gain all you can, 2) save all you can and 3) give all you can.

It’s not exactly like it sounds.

GAIN ALL YOU CAN – for this point he talks about how we should use our gifts to work hard in our industry to make money.

SAVE ALL YOU CAN – he talks here about cutting corners and reducing your spending and way of life so you have more money.

Those two points on their own or together sound pretty normal, mainstream society tends to agree with those ideas (especially the first one), but Wesley doesn’t stop there, he adds another point.

GIVE ALL YOU CAN – the first two ideas are totally useless if you don’t also do this, the whole point here is to give. We are not here on this earth to gain all we can and save all we can so we can live more cushy lives, no, it’s so we have more to give.

I found the sermon both inspiring and challenging and it was great to read before going into a year with a word like generous.

I also plan on kicking off the year by completing the generosity themed Scripture Writing Challenge in January. I plan on taking time to choose one of those verses as my verse for the year.

 

This year was my TENTH year choosing a word for the year! Here’s a little on why I choose a word and how I go about doing so. And, if you are curious, here are some of my words from previous years:

• 2019: adventure
• 2018: gentle
• 2017: discipline
• 2016: encourage
• 2015: hospitality
• 2014: do
• 2013: serve
• 2012: create & celebrate
• 2011: move & pray

 

Do you choose a word for your year? I would love to hear it if you do!