This week we have remembered and reflected on Christmas memories. I pray you have had a Christ-filled Christmas. Today is the last Friday of 2025 and I share what has become one of my favorite activities to keep me grounded and focused on Christ. Since 2017, Julie and I have transformed the way we end a year and begin a new year. Instead of choosing a New Year’s resolution we chose a word of the year. Ray has also joined us in this practice since he joined our Water Walkers team.

If you have never practiced focusing on a word for a year, I highly encourage you to prayerfully consider it for 2026. A book to get you thinking about it is titled One Word That Will Change Your Life by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton, and Jimmy Page.

Below are some words that Julie and I have used over the years.

Julie: flexibility, rejoice, influence, gifts, refine, serenity, love, seek, humble

Deborah: joy, hospitality, intention, impact, transform, simple, relish, pause, peace & joy

Ray has used the words prayer and faith.

Today I encourage you to reflect on the Christmas memories you have made this year and pray about a word God would have you focus on in 2026. Next week Julie, Ray, and I will share with you the words God has laid on our hearts for the new year.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for the special Christmas memories that were created this year. Open my eyes, ears, and heart to a word to focus on in 2026. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.