Release Date: January 2nd, 2026A Word for the Year
- by Jim Loepp Thiessen
The start of the new year, like the start of a new day, is the chance to begin again. It’s an opportunity to hear from the Spirit who has already gone ahead of us into this new start. An exercise I sometimes did in early January, in the various churches I pastored, was to invite folks to take a word, from a basket at the front of the church. In the basket were papers which were blank side up, with words like “peace” “generosity” “perseverance” “hope” “forgiveness” “thanksgiving” “trust” “grace”, all with scripture references on the other side. As people came forward to take a word they were invited to let the word be a guide for the new year, trusting the verse they received was for them. People would often remark during the year how that verse or word guided them at various points. One year, I was conscious, having received the word “generosity,” of how I might be generous in big and small ways in the year.
You can also ask the Holy Spirit if there is a word to guide you, and trust what you receive.
But you don't need to come to the front of the church and take a word from a basket, you can also ask the Holy Spirit if there is a word to guide you, and trust what you receive. One January in my prayers I had the phrase “hope lies still” come to me. Odd as it seemed at the moment, I returned to that phrase many times during the year—a year when I needed to make a ministry transition. Being still when we want to respond, or more often react, can be an act of hope—of patient waiting.
It was a small confirmation of God’s guidance as I walked ahead in faith, hope and joy.
You can also have a verse, or a chapter from the Bible, serve as a guide for your life. It’s a verse or verses that describe your unique calling in life—the ministry God has placed on your heart to do. I’ve met several people who had verses that have encapsulated their life mission. Many years ago, when our children were young, we were at the family cottage in Manitoba, and I woke up early one morning with an unfamiliar Psalm reference in my spirit.
It was Psalm 112 which has been a real guiding light for me since; one I have returned to many times. “They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.” Psalm 112:4 Being gracious, merciful and upright has been not only an invitation at points, but a definite challenge! Likewise, “They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid.” Psalm 112:7,8 invites me to remain secure in God when the world around me seems in chaos.
On a recent milestone birthday, a sibling called and said he was asking the Spirit for a scripture to guide me, and he said, half apologetically, “All that came to me was Psalm 112…” I replied how very significant that Psalm has been for me for many years and how meaningful it was that he received it for me. It was a small confirmation of God’s guidance as I walked ahead in faith, hope and joy.
If you rest in God, is there a word for you? What is a word the Spirit has for you looking ahead to this new year?
- Jim Loepp Thiessen is a retired pastor in MCEC