Possibilities: 2024 Word for the Year
Each year, I attempt to choose a word that helps shape my year ahead. In 2019, my word was “Thrive” and if you’ve read my book, Dancing in the Valley, you’ll discover that word was like a lemming who jumped off a cliff around November 2019. Needless to say I’ve retired that word. Call me superstitious, which I’m not. As my dad would say, “I’m a little stitious.” There’s a whole story about a black cat crossing my Grandpa Booth’s path while riding a wagon. He told the driver to turn around and not cross the path, but he didn’t. Not far down the road, one of the horses dropped dead. My grandpa shared that story with my dad, so he had a reason to be “a little stitious.”
My word for 2023 was “Focus” and I viewed it as a word that would help get me disciplined in many areas of my life. I really ended the year not feeling very disciplined in many ways, but after pondering upon it, I realized I did develop focus. I read through our church’s Bible reading plan, the F260 plan, and stayed the course the whole year. The last time I read through the Bible was 2019 and due to my “thriving”, I finished that plan in the midst of being bedridden during Covid. In 2023, I published my first book, making a dream a reality. If anything screams “focus”, it’s writing a book.
When thinking about a word for 2024, I wasn’t sure what I wanted that to be. Some years words have come like a floating feather from the sky, landing softly in front of me. Other years I’ve scrambled and struggled to find just the right word. This year I was somewhere in the middle. I battled with the fact that “Thrive” sounded like a good choice and I shivered at that possibility. Then it hit me - possibility. Or Possibilities. As soon as the word plopped in front of me, I began singing - as I do since my life is a musical - this Veggie Tales song…
I am a promise
I am a possibility
I am a promise
With a capital P
I am a great big bundle of potentiality
Looking ahead at the new year, I can see so many possibilities for me. To be honest, it scares me. I lived life from 2019 to 2022 waiting for the next setback. It’s taken me a long time to not spiral out of control at ever turn. I still deal with that issue, but it is getting better over time as I move farther away from those years where setbacks seemed continual. If I take away that sound of a shoe dropping, I see so many possibilities for this year.
After working the majority of the year finishing my draft, editing my manuscript multiple times, and marketing the launch of the book, it didn’t deter me from wanting to write more books; it fueled my passion. I have ideas for more books, but I believe my next book might be a children’s book - Rosie and Her Robot Leg. There is a story behind this motivation. A few second graders at my church have been prayer warriors for me and pray for me and my “robot leg.” I want children to know that even without a limb, God creates everyone with a purpose. I wasn’t sure if this would be my next book until my literary agent, Joy Eggerichs Reed, announced a children’s book workshop with another Punchline Publisher author, Dani Nichols. I had already decided after the first of the year to contact Dani and ask her advice for writing a children’s book. I saw this as a possibility from the Lord.
I’ve begun the process of qualifying for Vocational Rehab assistance to pay for customizations to a vehicle in order for me to drive as a right leg amputee. It’s a bit daunting as I’ll be going through evaluations and the process could take a lot of time. The biggest mountain is to purchase a mini van that I can drive with customizations enabling me to get in the van and drive with hand controls. I simply adore my Honda CRV, Bluebelle. She’s 15 years old and has been with me through so many events in my life. When I bought her I called her the “Rapturemobile” because I planned on keeping her until Jesus returned. But, alas, the time will come when I have to part with her and welcome a new car into my home. The long process will start by being evaluated to ensure I can actually drive with hand controls. But the possibility is there and possibilities make me excited.
Those possibilities are top of mind for me, but only God knows all the possibilities that will come my way in 2024. I feel as though I can take a deep breath again and not smell the hospital or rehab aromas. I capture my thoughts that tell me there is a possibility I could end up back in one of those places, and I leave them at the feet of Jesus. For I have learned that every possibility - good or bad - leads me down another step to His ultimate plan for my life.
Do you have a word for the year? If so, share it in the comments.