My Word of the Year: ENDURE

A year is almost over check-In Still Standing, Still Trusting, Still Growing 

At the beginning of this year, I chose one word to carry with me through whatever life had in store.

ENDURE.

At the time, I don't think I fully understood just how much that word would come to mean to me.

I knew it was a word about strength, perseverance, faith, and holding on when life gets difficult. But looking back over these past several months, I realize that God may have been preparing my heart for things I couldn't yet see.

And what a journey it has been.

There have been beautiful moments, unexpected blessings, laughter, and reasons to be thankful. But there have also been difficult days, quiet tears, unanswered prayers, and moments when I've questioned everything.

Moments when I've felt strong, and others when I've wondered how much more my heart could carry.

And through it all, one word keeps coming back to me.

Endure.

Enduring Doesn't Mean I'm Always Strong

One of the biggest lessons I've learned this year is that enduring doesn't mean having it all together.

It doesn't mean smiling when my heart is hurting or pretending everything is fine when it isn't.

Sometimes enduring looks like getting out of bed when your heart feels heavy.

Sometimes it's choosing to pray when you don't know what to say.

Sometimes it's allowing yourself to cry, to rest, to feel, and to admit that life is hard.

And sometimes enduring means finding the courage to make changes you never thought you'd have to make.

I've learned that strength isn't always loud. Sometimes it's found in the quietest moments, when nobody sees the battles you're fighting except God.

And those moments matter too.

Learning to Trust God's Timing

If there's one thing this year has reminded me, it's that my plans and God's plans don't always look the same.

I've had moments when I've wanted answers right away. When I've wished I could see what was coming next or understand why certain things were happening.

But faith doesn't mean knowing every detail of the journey.

It means trusting God evn when the road ahead is unclear.

But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Matthew 24:13

That verse reminds me that endurance is more than simply surviving difficult seasons. It's about remaining faithful, even when life tests us.

It's about believing that God is still working, even in the waiting.

Sometimes Enduring Means Letting Go

This has been one of the hardest lessons for me.

For so long, I thought enduring meant holding on no matter what.

Holding on to plans, expectations, relationships, and the way I thought life was supposed to be.

But I'm beginning to understand that endurance doesn't always mean staying where you are.

Sometimes it means having the courage to let go of what no longer brings peace.

Sometimes it means accepting that a chapter has ended, even when you don't fully understand why.

And sometimes it means trusting that God can lead you into something new without knowing exactly what that new beginning will look like.

Enduring isn't about losing yourself trying to hold everything together. It's about holding on to your faith while allowing God to guide your steps.

Giving Myself Grace

Another lesson this year has taught me is the importance of grace.

Grace for the days I don't feel strong.

Grace for the mistakes I've made.

Grace for the times I've overthought, worried, questioned, or struggled to understand my own feelings.

I'm learning that I don't have to have everything figured out.

Healing takes time. Growth takes time. And sometimes finding your way back to peace takes time too.

God isn't asking me to be perfect.

He's asking me to trust Him, one day at a time.

Where Am I at the 3/4 year Mark?

If I'm being truthful, I'm not exactly where I thought I'd be when this year began.

Some things have changed. Some prayers are still unanswered. Some lessons have been harder than I expected.

But I'm still here.

Still learning.

Still growing.

Still finding reasons to be grateful.

Still believing that God has a purpose for every season, even the ones I wouldn't have chosen for myself.

And perhaps that's what my word of the year was meant to teach me all along.

Not that I would escape every storm, but that with God's help, I could walk through them.

Not that I would never feel weak, but that His strength would meet me in my weakness.

Not that I would have all the answers, but that I could find peace without having them.

My Prayer for the Rest of the Year

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for carrying me through every moment of this year so far.

Thank You for the blessings I've recognized and even the lessons I haven't fully understood.

When I grow weary, renew my strength. When my heart feels uncertain, fill me with Your peace. When I need to let go, give me courage. And when I need to keep going, remind me that I never walk alone.

Help me endure with faith, not fear.

With grace, not bitterness.

With hope, not worry.

And with the confidence that whatever lies ahead, You are already there.

Amen. 🤍

My Mid-Year Reflection

As I look toward the rest of the year, I'm carrying my word with me, but I'm beginning to see it differently.

ENDURE doesn't mean I have to carry everything.

It doesn't mean I have to stay strong every second.

It doesn't mean I have to hold on to everything or everyone.

It means I can keep moving forward, even if my steps are small.

It means I can trust God through change, uncertainty, and new beginnings.

And most importantly, it means I can keep my faith even when life doesn't unfold the way I imagined.

So here's to the rest of the year.

To healing, growing, trusting, releasing, and finding peace.

To becoming the person God is calling me to be.

And to remembering that every difficult season has the potential to teach us something beautiful.

My word is ENDURE.

My strength comes from God.

And my story is still being written.

One day at a time. One prayer at a time. One step of faith at a time.