One Word for 2012

There has been a challenge for several years to pray about one word to focus on for the year. This was started by Dan Britton with FCA. I learned about it from a Compassion blog written by Chris Giovagnoni. Below is a comment I left on the blog ... and the word for 2012 that has been laid on my heart. I tried not to commit to doing this. To avoid having a word to commit to for this year. To make the hard choices. But sometimes, the hard choices turn out to be the right ones and actually the easy choices.

No word for 2011. I toyed with the idea, but I was too deeply mired in anger, grief, depression and despair to even try. Everything was so dark. This year, the darkness is still lingering. The pain is still suffocating at times.  

I have spent the past month serving others - working with a local ministry before Christmas and going on a mission trip the week after - distractions from the anger, grief, depression and despair. While in Belize, I was praying for God to continue holding me. Loving me. Showing himself to me clearly. And for a word to help keep me anchored this year. Something to cling to during these seemingly endless dark nights of the soul. 

I met a woodcarver in Belize and asked him to make me a cross necklace with a word carved on it. I have been toying with two different words - similar yet different ... surrender and trust. Trust was the one carved onto my cross. 

I think that is the one the holy spirit is calling me to.

Trust - that the pain will go away. 

Trust - God does love me 

Trust - I have been forgiven 

Trust - the darkness won't last forever 

Trust - God will catch me

In case you didn't figure it out already, my word for 2012 is TRUST.