Vitality. Celebrate. Simplify. Follow-Through. Priorities.

These were my last five choices for “word of the year” and I’m still loving each one of them. Focusing on one word per year really lets it sink in, you know?

The funny thing about my choice for this year is that this word has come up in my mind every other year but has ultimately been replaced by another word. It’s something that used to come a lot more naturally to me. I shouldn’t have to work for it, but it had lost its place of importance in my life over the last few years. And I really missed it.

My word of the year for 2015 is…

Thank you to Traci for this awesome graphic!

Joy. I’ve always loved the word, but it didn’t really mean anything until I knew what it meant through the eyes of faith.

Joy and happiness are not the same thing. The world may define them in a similar way, but joy is set apart in the Bible as completely different. Happiness is dependent on circumstances and feelings. Joy comes only from the Lord. And since the Lord is constant, our joy can be as well.

I want to be so consistently in the presence of my Savior in 2015 that I can’t help but feel joy no matter what comes my way. I want His joy to fill me up and spill out in to my home, on to my family, in my words and actions, in everything.

Living in constant joy doesn’t come easily, especially when you’ve become accustomed to wallowing and complaining. The first day of 2015 found me slipping back in to my old ways when kids were complaining and there was more cleaning than I would have preferred. But my word came back to me and, over the whining of one small child, I started singing at the top of my lungs…

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart…

My husband joined in with an echo and we both laughed and the moment became lighter. Joy was there. It has always been there. It was just waiting for me to find it again.

In 2015, I will sing and laugh and praise and do whatever it takes to remain in the joy of the Lord that is always there! I waited to choose this word and God waited patiently for me to choose joy again. My heart is bursting as I think about living this year in joy!

Tell me about your word of the year! I would love to pray for you + what God will do with that word for you this year!

I’ve also chosen a Bible verse for 2015, but it has nothing to do with this word. I’ll be posting about it separately, but you can get a sneak peek of it over at Naptime Diaries because it is part of her Verse of the Year collection! Can you guess which one? Oh, and use code NEWYEAR2015 to get 20% off your order right now!