2021: Connect

So I've been tossing a few words around, trying to determine my 2021 Word of the Year. One of those was Connect. It came to me the same way last year's word did - through a quiz on Dayspring.com. But I'll be honest, when the word was first revealed to me after the quiz I thought, "that's boring." I set it aside as I continued to ponder and pray over my 2021 Word of the Year. 

I was very much leaning in another direction when this word came back to me and was placed on my heart. 

You see, the beginning of 2021 has already been filled with hate and division. I don't need to tell you. And while I don't want to make this a political post to discuss current events and what it looks like to move forward, I do have to recognize that there is a need to connect with others more personally. Not just arguing on Facebook, which yes, I admit, I struggle with. 

Recently, I've been having a conversation with a very good friend from college. Our political views have always been different but we've always been able to have really good conversations. While these don't get to happen as much as they did when we were in college, it was this most recent conversation that really brought the word Connect back to the forefront. 

See, chances are, we - as in all people - probably agree with each other more than we think we do. But we don't often realize this because of our social media world and the very loud voices of a few. But taking the time to really connect, to really talk, to really listen - this is when you really start to learn. 

In this particular conversation with my friend, our faith as Christians was also a main point. And so I found myself thinking, am I connecting enough with others as a Christian? As a child of God? Can I be more connected to God in my personal relationship with Him so that others can clearly see His light through me? At the end of 2020, I started Bible Journaling again to reconnect with God and it was amazing how different I felt after spending that intentional time in His word. 

I also feel like 2020 was such a crazy year and because of the pandemic, we didn't get to travel or go out and do things as much as we liked. And this made it harder to connect with our family and friends. I think - I hope, I pray - that in 2021, we'll have more chances to connect with each other. 

I'm also very much still in this place of learning who I am right now and learning to love myself. So continuing to connect with myself is another must for the year. 

So there it is. My 2021 Word of the Year: Connect. I'm excited to see what this year brings, what God has planned for me and how this word will manifest itself in my life.