My Word for 2026: Joy

"Joy" was the first word that came to my mind as I was anticipating some focused time of prayer and fasting about my word for 2026. I think I wanted it to be "joy", because I was hoping for something positive to focus on after such a trying year of changes and grief. Though, "joy" comes with its own challenges as well. Just like any other word, it has to be intentional. It's not like it would guarantee a great/better year; nor does it mean that 2026 would be immune from anything less than joyful. It's not as comfortable and cushy as it seems. It's like when I got "hope" back in 2024. I thought it was generic and wishful thinking on my part. I felt the same way this time too. It seemed too simple and run-of-the-mill. I was critical of myself because I thought I hadn't done "enough" work or earned that word. Once again, I was starting to put unnecessary pressure and expectations on myself for this word (and for me to have it/share it before January hit). However, all of this was why I felt that nudge to re-read my 2023 word: "Enough."

Remembering "enough" took the pressure off of giving myself a deadline that I didn't need. As I've been abiding this past year, rest and healing has also been a big part of that. Giving myself the grace to rest and heal involves a lot of things; like saying "no" to people/things (as well as saying "yes" to other things and loving/forgiving others AND myself). I've been reminding myself to "sound like love" and not a clanging symbol. Legalism, perfectionism, and condemnation still likes to creep up on me. However, my peri-menopausal self is getting used to letting go more often (the "we do not care club" has been very helpful in that regard lol). Giving myself permission to matter, and care more about myself and my unmet needs, has been something that I've been growing in. Being in this peri-menopausal phase has emphasized that fact even more because it's literally just me and the Lord having my own back 100% of the time. My relationship with Him is the only one that truly saves, heals, and restores me in every way. There is nothing and no one else that I can count on to do that on a moment's notice. I can't get away from myself, and God is Emmanuel, so there ya go lol. Even when I let myself down, He won't. That's assuring!

Seeing Nehemiah 8:10 show up in my feed recently has been a refreshing confirmation; because I remind myself often that the JOY of the Lord is my STRENGTH. I've been thinking on it a lot (and hearing it a lot as songs have come up: Holy is the Lord, Find My Joy). Bible Hub does a great job of defining what it means, why joy is our strength, and HOW to practice it. When I feel depleted and weak, I think of this verse. I remember who He is and that He's my Joy. If I need more strength, I just keep thinking on all those "whatevers".  Isaiah 40:28 was another verse that came up in my social feed. Isaiah 40 was a previous word for me as well (back in 2020 when I first started doing this, actually). I thought about the strength of the Lord and how He renews me when I put my hope and trust in Him. That whole chapter of Isaiah continues to be a favorite of mine. 

In the final days of December, there were two "Our Daily Bread" devotionals that were too perfect for words. On the 29th, it was "Joyful Resilience" and on the 31st it was "Resolving to Do Less". I was absolutely awed and warmed to my core! You're better off reading them than I would be re-explaining them, so please take a look! Only God could have orchestrated this for me! Not only did he bring "joy" into focus for this new year, but He affirmed to me on the VERY LAST DAY all the growth and blessings that "abide" had brought me in 2025. That devotional used the same verse and word that I had been clinging to all year (it even shared the actual word, Menō, like I had in my own post!). The fact that it talked about rest and doing less was also assuring too. 

Some of the last "winks" in my direction were when I saw ads for my own organization in my feed. What is the tagline right now? "Give with Joy" lol. Ok, ok..... message received! I think it applies just as much to my job at The Salvation Army too. I've had to remind myself to work as unto the Lord; even if it's hard or I'm not in the best mood (because, again, perimenopausal horrendousness!). The last months of the year especially wear me out and I find it hard to find/give joy when I'm in the midst of the Christmas chaos (it's always the time where I most want to quit and never come back). Major Jean has been very helpful in reminding me that rest and balance is important; and that I never have to wear myself out for my job or put it above my own health and wellness. I have to remind her of the same thing as well; because as women, we take better care of each other than ourselves most of the time (and often fail at taking our own advice lol). Both of us will continue finding joy where God has placed us if we continue to prioritize times of rest in His presence (and rest from our labor). We have more joy to GIVE to those we serve when we are being strengthened by that "joy of the Lord."

To affirm it even further, I've been doing a new "Bible in a Year" plan on the Bible app. It's "The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel" (and I highly recommend them). Psalm 4 & 5 came up; and with it, some more "joy." Nicky Gumbel emphasized, "God alone is the true source of joy and peace." Yes, indeed He is! It also seems to me like He's building on "abide" (which is all about love) and that it only makes sense for joy and peace to be what follows. The fruit of the Spirit seems to be what keeps coming up.

Grace and peace (and JOY) to you, my friends! May this year be a blessed and joyful one! Even in times of grief and hardship, I pray that we can all find strength to get through and praise Him....our SOURCE of joy! Amen! God bless you!  

His Peace for Your Pieces

Yesterday was "one of those days". It was stressful and tiring; combined with the fact that it had been five months since Melissa Coy went home to heaven. The grief can't help but feel heavier on those monthly markers and I posted a short poem to help the grief escape.

To top it all off, something ironic (and maybe even prophetic) happened as I was leaving the office. I happened to notice something lying on the ground. When I knelt down for a closer look, I realized it was part of one of my favorite necklaces. Feeling about as shattered as those beads, I picked up all the pieces I could find; wondering when and how it had fallen off of my neck without me noticing it. I should have known better than to attempt to wear it. I had had some other instances of it coming off due to a worn out clasp. Now, the cheap two dollar vacation souvenir (the one my Aunt Linda had once fixed for me the first time it got broken), had broken again. An auxiliary lady, who was talking to me outside, suggested that it could probably be remade. I told her I didn't think it was likely, but that regardless if it got remade (or made into something completely different), I would still have the memories with me that couldn't be broken. 

I couldn't help but think about how horribly fitting it was for the day. After gathering the pieces, I went to pick up my son. He also had had a day and was telling me his woes. I told him that no matter how broken and shattered we feel, God meets us in our pain. He is there to heal and renew us. It's never the same as it was before, but whatever comes of the remade or brand new thing is all for a very good purpose (Romans 8:28).  

I think 2025 has been a pretty hard year. There has been a lot of tragedies and losses; everything from the personal and local/community losses to more widely known ones like the hurricanes. I've seen a lot of heartache in my feed this year. Maybe it always seems that way, as one stops to reflect back on the past year, or maybe it really has been a bit heavier. I'm sure it's not just me.

I guess I'm just still trying to "abide" and stay anchored in His love. I've needed that word; because who wants to abide (remain, stay) in the hard stuff? Enduring and weathering out the storm can only be accomplished through Christ (John 15:5, Philippians 4:13). I am SO GLAD that I have Jesus! His faithfulness and comfort is EVERYTHING! Every time I get into 1985 mode, I go to Him instead of that time machine. I tell Him what hurts, surrendering the emotions and brokenness, and I receive His presence and peace in the midst of the pain. Thanking, worshiping, and remembering who He is has been a vital key to emptying the grief from my heart (Philippians 4:6-7).

I don't know what brokenness you've been through this year. I don't know what has shattered you and left you picking up the pieces. But, I think the broken necklace illustrates some important things. First, we have to realize something is broken. Many times, we ignore warning signs (like I did with the faulty clasp). We not only fail in the preventative part, but sometimes we are in denial when things finally do breakdown. We are unaware and we don't see it; or sometimes we do see it and don't do anything about it. Secondly, once we do face it, we don't know how to deal with it. Do we pick up the pieces, discard it, and move on? Do we hold onto it; refusing to let go? Or, do we do a bit of both? It doesn't have to be "all or nothing." The one thing that is certain is that it happened and history cannot be changed. There is no "undo" button.

God has a bigger plan in mind for those broken pieces. He can and will redeem anything (and already did through Christ on the cross)! It won't look like what it did before, but it can look like something that honors and preserves the beautiful part of what was lost while still creating something new. Again, think about how the New Covenant didn't destroy the Old Covenant, but fulfilled it (Matthew 5:17). My necklace was destroyed, but its memories and purpose was not. If it hadn't broken again, I wouldn't be writing this blog right now. In that regard, I'm almost glad that it broke. I can also see possibilities for how it "might" be remade or repurposed (if I ever get around to it). Though, if all that ever comes of it is being another one of my unfinished ideas/projects, it's ok. I'm at peace with the journey that this cheap souvenir has been on. I've had it for probably close to 20 years...it really did have a good run and truly served a greater purpose than I ever would have thought when I got it in that little shop in Tennessee all those years ago.

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I pray that you'll trust Jesus with whatever pieces you need to put into His hands. Let go and forgive yourself of any shame or blame. Whether you could have prevented it or not doesn't matter now. What matters is the healing and restoration He wants to give you. Confess and surrender it all. Forgive yourself; and anyone else that may be involved. Invite God into your mess. He is near to you (Psalm 34:18). Ask Him to show you how He wants to heal and restore you for His glory. He'll give you His peace for your pieces! What better time for healing than Christmastime. Peace on Earth and peace in your heart! God bless you!  

Come Near: A Tale of Two Strays

A short time ago, I visited some family in South Carolina. While at my brother's house, I met his dog for the first time. Technically, she's a stray that he has basically claimed as his own; and she has pretty much claimed him as well. He named her "Fallon" The catch is, she still very much acts like a stray. Despite being fed and provided for by my brother, she still has not warmed up to him (or anyone else). She sticks around the property, but keeps her distance from everyone. We all assume that she has probably gone through abuse and trauma early on in life. Whatever the case, she will only get so close to a human before she shies away. 

One morning, while I was sitting out on the porch, she came up out of nowhere. When she realized that I was sitting there, she stopped at the steps. I was listening to worship music on my phone, and I thought maybe by some supernatural miracle, that was what drew her. However, that is as far as she went. I called her name and assured her it was OK. So often, we see the yearning in her as she whimpers and hesitates. Yet, she always decides to back down. No matter how much we want to show her even more love, she simply will not let her guard down and fully let the love in. It's truly heartbreaking. She won't come near.

For several weeks now, I have continued to think about Fallon. Up until now, I hadn't gotten around to writing about her yet. Recently, it came into focus when I considered our own stray at our house. She is the perfect example of what it means to come near; to love and be loved. 

The stray at my house is a small little kitty (and that's basically what we call her; "little kitty"). She's little, but she loves much. This sweet little baby is frequently waiting on the steps when we get home. She mews and talks to us; yearning to be picked up. She could cuddle with you all day every day and never tire of it. It is the sole reason she comes to our house. We've set out a water dish (and she'll occasionally drink from it), but she turns up her nose any time we take pity on her and want to give her some scraps. I could be cooking some delicious meat, and she won't even want a taste of it. She rather prefers the tiny rodents she stalks and kills; and often brings their headless bodies to us as a "present." 

The neighbor's cat, "Muffins", also likes to visit us (he's a real big, beefy, and exotic looking cat that we usually just call "Fat Boy"). He also loves attention and cuddles; and will gladly take any food scraps that Little Kitty rejects. Little Kitty seems to get annoyed by his presence; often swatting at him so he doesn't interfere with her own cuddle time. Every day, she lets us know when she's at our doorstep. Even if the front door is closed, we can hear her mewing. When the air conditioner was still in the window, she would even hop on top of it so we could hear her even better at the living room window. If we didn't come outside and pay attention to her right away, she would often chill out behind a little bush beside our front door. Usually, there comes a point where we can't stand the pitiful mewing and sad eyes forever. I would feel especially bad for her if it was raining outside. This is what moved me to buy a cheap little "kitty house" on Amazon lol. We put it by her favorite bush so that she would have a waterproof/insulated place to be ("Fat Boy" tried to hone in on it too, but he was too hefty to get in and out of it lol). When I first showed her the kitty house, she was way too happy that I was outside petting her to fully check it out. I had to go indoors before she would actually go all the way inside it. Now, she goes in there a lot; and it makes me so happy to give it to her and that she loves it. Though, she immediately comes right out if any of us walk out the door. She can't help herself. She wants to show her love to us; and to be loved BY us. It's heart-melting. She always comes near. 

By now, you probably know where I'm going with this (and be sure to watch the short video if you want to see Fallon and Little Kitty in action). We have a Father in heaven that loves us SO MUCH!! He is our Good Shepherd; and we are His sheep. We are His, and He calls us by name (Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 45:3, Isaiah 49:1). Like Fallon and Little Kitty, we have all been strays and orphans (Isaiah 53:6, John 14:18). Even when we are accepted into His family, sometimes we struggle to believe we're truly loved and that it's OK to come near. We hesitate to trust and embrace the safety of the One who wants to lavish His love and goodness on us because of past hurts and trauma. Perfect love casts out fear, but we have to be willing to surrender and let go. He is gentle and patient with us. In our "Fallon" moments, He will still love, provide, and pursue us; but He won't force us. It doesn't change how He feels about us if we won't come near, but ohhhhhhhhh how He LONGS for us to do so! What freedom there is in His perfect love! What joy! What peace!

How I wish Fallon would fully let love in! She'll accept the good gifts from the hand that feeds and provides for her, but not the heart behind it. Little Kitty is the opposite. She will petition and ask incessantly like the persistent widow in the Bible who asked for justice. She will not give up until her request is granted! She will accept good things from us, sure, but she most desires the heart and affections of the one she loves and is loved by. Oh my goodness, do we have any idea how THRILLED the Father must be when we hunger and thirst for Him in that same way?! I think about how delighted He must be when His children just want to come near. When we draw near to Him, He draws near to us (James 4:8). He can't possibly refuse! He knows we need and enjoy the blessings from His hand (like food and shelter). Though, how He must love the hearts that say: "even if I didn't have these things, You are enough for me. I just want you!" That's what Little Kitty has demonstrated to me. She just wants to be near us and with us. That's enough for her. That's the kind of heart I want to have too. To love and be loved by God, to be content with Him, that's enough. As Paul says: 

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:12-13.  

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I pray that you'll allow yourself to love and be loved by the Father. Don't miss out on the Father's heart! Don't be afraid to come near! Whatever hurts you have, He wants to heal it. You can trust Him! Love and be loved by Him; you won't regret it! God bless you!