“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27 (NLT)

*My granddaughter, Kate, always asks me what my word is and then creates something for Christmas. This is her latest.

My word for the year 2018 has been faith. Little did I know, as the year began, how important faith would be for the journey ahead. We have endured and encountered a few challenges along the way: Mark’s myriad of health issues, the sale of our house after a year’s wait, packing, selling, and storing our household goods, moving twice and finally settling into an apartment. My son-in-law was without a job for four months. Close friends have suffered from severe health issues. And I have assumed the role of caregiver. Without my faith in God, it would have been impossible to get up every day.

One of the ways that I have received strength and courage has been that early morning discipline of rising early, reading the Bible and praying. Our church offered the challenge to read through the Bible this year with the YouVersion app and I joined in. I journal as both a way to pray and get my thoughts on paper so that I don’t worry over them. A devotional may be added to the mix for variety and encouragement. 

As I have thought and prayed about what my word would be this year, I took the quiz posted by DaySpring resulting in the word peace. Perfect! After a year of upheaval, peace would be welcome. I’m hopeful that our new setting and lifestyle will give me time to encourage others in meaningful ways, even as I care for Mark. This is not what I thought my life would be, but it is the life God has given me to walk…one step at a time…with the peace that only He can give.