New Year, Same Season

For as long as I can remember, the Holy Spirit has impressed a word or phrase, spoken by man, on my heart every December to guide me in the new year. In 2020, the phrase was “Use time as a resource, spend it wisely.” In 2021, the phrase was “Obey quickly.” In 2022, the word was “Acceleration.” At midnight, December 31, 2022, I didn’t have a word or phrase leading me into the new year.

At first I thought, “I must’ve missed God.” I figured I’d been so consumed with publishing The Church Girl’s Guide to Dating: The Ten Commandments that I’d overlooked the word God had given me for 2023.

So, for the first few days of January, I started looking for a word. Every powerful thing I heard, watched or read, I tried to make it my word for the year. However, nothing fit. Nothing resonated with me. Nothing encouraged me. Nothing compelled me to keep going.

At some point later in the month, I stopped looking for a word for 2023. And one day it finally hit me: I’m in a new year, but the same season.

Now, contrary to how it sounds, “new year, same season” isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It all depends on your outlook. For example, winter is the season with the coldest weather, causing many plants and trees to go into dormancy and bears to hibernate. However, winter is also the season that encourages indoor activities, allowing families and friends to slow down, connect, and make memories, due to outside freezing temperatures.

So, perhaps instead of receiving a word, there’s a lesson I need to learn this year. Perhaps the purpose of this year is to teach me how to be led by the unction of the Holy Spirit versus the encouragement of a word given by man. Perhaps this is the year to increase my sensitivity to the Spirit so I can respond accordingly in the natural. Perhaps this is the year my life, my family, and my ministry have been waiting for…

Happy New Year!