What's the one word for this year to focus on?

What's that one word or (Bible verse) to focus on for this year? 

This past year, I chose the word LOVE: My prayer was to love God sincerely and to love one another deeply. Loving God came easy. The latter was NOT all that easy, especially, with those dearly close to you and when you know how to find all their quirks and faults. But God in his great mercies came through and strengthened me to love the people who had all the odds at their end (yea thats me "Ms. perfect" speaking lol)

I learned that we simply cannot always know the whole story of anyone in this world. Most times we only guess or assume why people do or say the things they do and say to us. Sometimes nice, sometimes negative or sometimes assuming things against us. And it jerked me into the realization that I too am much too quick to jump to conclusions and pass judgement on others, which, brought me to these two Bible verses last year. We have all heard and know John 3:16 so well, so many times, but not enough to understand the depth of God's love and taking the word for granted. The second verse 1 John 3:16 came in too strongly for me:  

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16 

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." - 1 John 3:16

Yes, we all step on each others toes, intentionally or maybe not. But, another realization hit me hard (from the above verse) that it requires a sacrifice to love one another. This was my sincere Prayer last year that I too should have the grace to slow down, to be kind, love God and to love one another through God. But, putting down my standards, my ego, my personal opinions and to love the other person was not what I had in mind! 

Anyways, before 2017 came to its conclusion for the year, I happen to run into an incident the first week of December. God has His way of teaching me what love means.  I am a homeschooling mom. At one of the homeschooling session at the co-op with my kids, a 9 year old girl, came rushing with tears into the class where her mom was teaching. I happen to hear part of the conversation with her mom that some kid while playing hit her. Her left cheek had a red bruise across her face. That mom left the class to console her and by then it was almost time to go home. I started packing and bundled my kids. I saw that mom and daughter outside and heard the mom saying, "Yes baby I know it hurt, I am sorry, yes i know it wasn't fair but we are here to love."  And the mom kept repeating those words, "we are here to love."

Now, It was very cold outside and I am shivering but those words froze my heart! How could that mom be ok?? Her daughter is hurting and it wasn't the girl's fault! Here I am thinking yea it wasn't fair but then those words kept ringing in my ears and heart: "but we are here to love...." 


After this incident, about the same week, this song comes along my way, one of the members in our church introduced this song and sang - Reckless Love    the song was very timely, God had a special way of answering me. Showering his love through that song, yes, that moment was very divine. <3

Sometimes life is fair but most times it isn't, in spite of all the unfair businesses, God reminded  me of his love for me, a sinner, to send his beloved son, Jesus Christ, to die and to demonstrate His love for me.  So, before the year ended, I came in terms with one factor: We are here to love not much else matters. "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8 

I shared the homeschooling incident with my Husband. He convicted in His heart printed this out and framed it in our living room (the picture below) to remind us the reason as a family why we are here on this earth: no matter how life is, fair or unfair, we simply LOVE through Christ our Savior.

God so Patiently, Gently and Gracefully answered my sincere prayers to love God and to love one another deeply this past year 2017 by HIS amazing sweet Grace. There is no regrets for the past year. Every big and small circumstances was perfectly carved in our lives nothing needs to be changed. Every joy, every trial, every up's and down's was perfectly staged by God. Thanking God for all his mercies, favor and His perfect grace was sufficient for us. He was the perfect potter shaping us this past year. Only a grateful heart remains. 

So, for the coming year my heart is settled on three beautiful words: To keep the Smile, have a Bold confidence in the Lord and to be Joyful. So here I am holding onto love, to forgive and to maintain peace with all the lesson's I have learned from last year and now entering 2018 with new resolutions and determination to thrive through HIS Grace and Truth. :)

For those of you who choose one word for the year to focus on, what word/words/bible verses did you choose for 2018? Would love to hear what the Lord encouraged you. Leave a comment below.

Praying and wishing you well this new year with much Blessings, to Love, to be Bold, Smile often and to be Joyful! God bless. Shalom.