How my word for 2024 -- Continue -- will look in my life this year

 

Even though I decided on my word for 2024 fairly quickly, it took me awhile to write about it.  Now, though admittedly still behind, I thought I'd jot down some thoughts about how that word -- continue -- will hopefully play out in my life on an everyday basis.

Recall, here is the definition:

As I mentioned, in choosing the word continue for this year, I was mostly thinking about continuing on faithfully with a number of things, most (but not all) of them related to my spiritual life. Let's look at the various parts of the definition and how they might look in everyday life.

First, "persist in an activity or process".  I'd relate this to Bible study and blogging.   I intend to persist in both of these. 

 Bible study is a given.  There is so much more I want (and need) to learn about God's Word!

Blogging might be considered much more of an option, a personal choice.  But is it really?  I don't think so, at least not for me.  Blogging, I've come to believe, is an integral part of living out God's purposes for me.  It's a way to use the talents, skills, and even some of the spiritual gifts God has given me, to bless others.  So for sure, this is an activity I'll be persisting in.

Then, "carry on with something that one has begun".  I am hoping we can get back to getting together regularly with a younger couple we had been informally mentoring.  I do chat with the wife weekly by phone, and that's wonderful, but in-person time is important as well. 

I'm hoping and planning, too, to get back more faithfully to decluttering and downsizing.  I've started that; have done some closets and dressers and have begun going through our many bookshelves, but oh, there is so much more to do!

In another instance in carrying on with something I've begun -- I had gifted six of my teen grandchildren the Stand Firm Bible study from The Daily Grace Co.  I'm not sure how they are doing with it.  I'm keeping up with my own study of the book, and finding it very much of a blessing.  My intent had been to have a group chat with them weekly via email, but so far that's only happened once. 🙄.   So obviously I want to carry on with this important activity.

Another thing to carry on with (unless or until God shows me differently) is listing and selling small vintage items from my childhood home on Etsy.  There is so much more to go!  I have shelves, a half dozen boxes, and even an entire dresser full of these small treasures.  It could take me years just to list all the paper items, so I'm thinking I may need to zero in on the children's books and see if I can get some of those out of the way.

(Looking for a vintage Little Golden or Junior Elf book?  I might well have it.)

And then, "remain in a specified position or state".  I'll continue teaching Sunday School to ladies, at least for the foreseeable future.  That may change once we've completed this study, but that's months away.

  I'll also continue with writing Sunday Scripture blog posts.  And with other things like writing notes and doing other things to encourage friends and family.

And "carry on traveling in the same direction".  To me this zeroes in on spiritual growth.  I've said before how our former pastor who retired after decades often reminded us that there is no standing still in the Christian life.  If you're not moving forward you're moving backward.  Period.  So very obviously, I am purposing to carry on with traveling forward in my pursuit of spiritual growth.

Finally, "extend farther in the same direction".  For me, this speaks to my prayer life. I hope to update some of my prayer journal pages to make it even more of an effective tool.

This also applies to my memorization of the book of James, which my younger friend Jennifer and I are working on together.  We finished chapter 1 during the last quarter of 2023, and hope to get through chapter 2 by the end of March.  That should give us the remaining three quarters of 2024 to finish memorizing the final 3 chapters (which are shorter than the first two).  We will see!

So there you have it, a little late.  

Jennifer left a sweet comment on my March goals post and noted that these were wise and purposeful goals.  I can't tell you how much that encourages me.  It made me look at my goals with fresh eyes, and I was struck by how many of them involved continuing.   I've been continuing with these things throughout January and February and, Lord willing, will continue on with them through the remaining ten months of 2024.

What about you, friends? If you chose a word for 2024, how is that playing out for you?