Learning to see God through the fog

Choosing a word for your year

**Welcome to my Glorygram! If you're new around here, welcome to my table! Pull up a chair and join me for a bowl of Soup Joumou (aka Freedom Soup) served in Haiti on New Year’s Day. It’s one of my faves! Each week I write this letter as an arrow pointing you back to God's glory and the ways He is working in our world. I use this space to get to know you better so please introduce yourself and share your stories in the comments too!

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We are driving south on Highway 99, heading through Central California to my mother-in-law’s house in Valencia. Flashing signs warn us there is dense fog ahead. We switch on our fog lights so we can find our way on the road ahead.

When I first moved to California - more than two decades ago now - I was afraid of the fog. It was foreign to me. Raised in Chicago, I was used to snow and ice, but traveling through fog felt scary and disorienting. The challenge with fog is you can generally see just a short distance in front of you. We don’t have the luxury of the long view so we have to trust God and allow the light to guide us.

Today is the midpoint between Christmas and New Year’s Eve when we have time carved out to exhale as a family and remember all God has done in our lives this past year.

The word “remember” appears more than 250 times in the Bible. God continues to invite His people to remember His faithfulness and His grand plan for rescue. We are invited to do the same today.

I find myself meditating on the words of David in Psalm 77:

“But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you? You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations. By your strong arm, you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.’”

‭‭-Psalms‬ ‭77‬:‭10‬-‭15‬, ‭NLT‬‬

One way I take time to remember and marvel at God’s works is by choosing a word theme for each year. Choosing a word for the year has become a spiritual practice for me over these last 13 years. Of course, every year I choose a word and by the end of the year I am surprised at the lessons I’ve learned from following that word. It’s never what I hoped, imagined, or predicted back in January. It always involves surrendering, reckoning and deepening my relationship with the One who was and is the Word from beginning to end (as it says in John 1:1). I have to be willing to step into the fog of the future and adjust my eyes to see God step by step along the way.

My word themes have connected year after year like bright bulbs on a string of twinkly Christmas lights. One year’s lessons flow into the next year and spark another set of lessons. God has taught me so much through these words: joy, grace, mercy, glory, redeem, flourish, behold, wonder, abundance, soar, rejoice, and the Hebrew word hesed.

These words have shaped my life, my learning and even my writing. In 2014, the word glory lifted me day by day, month by month through my husband’s cancer journey and when he soared to heaven that September. The following year I published a Bible study called Glory Chasers, sharing about my journey chasing after God’s glory during the hardest year of my life.

The next year I chose the word flourish in hopes that it would be a year of learning to flourish after loss. I never imagined that God would bring my new husband Shawn and I would publish another Bible study that year on Flourishing Together in community.

In 2020, I chose the word soar for my word theme and during the pandemic wrote and published Walk Run Soar, my first devotional journal for runners and walkers.

This past year, I circled back to the theme of glory and published my children’s book, Chasing God’s Glory, to teach kids about this idea of following God’s glory through our everyday lives.

My Bible study Create in Me a Heart of Mercy also released in 2023 - a full circle moment as I returned to my very first word of the year and shared many stories of how God has cultivated mercy in our family through the years.

My new Bible study Redeemer (details below) releases in February 2025. This study follows the redemption stories of Ruth and Naomi. I did a deep dive into the word “hesed” in Hebrew and explore God’s lovingkindness.

This past year, my theme word was “see.” As I look back over 2024, I see how God has held me through challenges, shifts in our family and fresh grief. I am grateful for the ways He shepherded me through unexpected green pastures. After years of waiting and investing quietly, this was a year full of opportunities to publish, speak, and share the messages He has put on my heart.

I know what it is like to live in the valley of rejections and broken hearts, but this year God lifted my head to see Him miraculously at work. He invited me to walk audaciously in the harvest. He showed me His hidden hand of love is consistent and steadfast in all seasons and just as tender in grief and glory.

Are you interested in following a word for your new year? Let me share five tips for feasting on the glory of God and following a word through your year:

1. Notice – Look around. See where God is leading you. Take notice of the petals, the presents, the pouring rain and the poignant moments. What do you notice?

2. Listen – Make space to listen. The practice of silence is a rare treasure in our crazy-busy world. Set a timer for 5 minutes or 15, and give yourself permission to sit and listen. What do you hear?

3. Pray – Take a prayer walk and pray over your word. See what God reveals while you are moving your body. Move deliberately. Let your mind wander. Cry out to God. What are you praying about?

4. Study – Open your Bible. Read a psalm or a story. See what pricks your curiosity. Highlight these words or journal about the themes that energize you. Are there words that are repeated or keep jumping out at you?

5. Follow – Keep a notebook or use a special highlighter in your Bible and follow your word. Jot down ways you see God at work through that specific word. At the end of the year, you can look back and see where the Holy Spirit led and what you learned.

Sometimes God uses foggy and uncertain times in our lives to draw us to Himself so we can learn to trust Him. When we keep our eyes focused on Him in the midst of uncertainty, He can be like a good set of fog lights penetrating the darkness for us.

I’ve lived in Central California for more than twenty years now. My attitude about fog has somewhat shifted. Fog no longer represents fear to me. The fog ushers in our winter and cozying up at home with my people. When I see the tule fog weaving its way through our hills and streets, I think of Christmas and the new year.

Fog is a fresh reminder that God meets with us in our uncertainty and our longing. He is faithful to us even in the winter seasons of the soul.

Friend, I’m eager to hear what God has been teaching you this year. Did you choose a word of the year in 2024? Even if you didn’t, let’s remember together how we were able to see God working this past year. Share in the comments.

Photos by Brett Jordan and Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash.

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Glory recommendations

Each week I like to share links to some of my own work or resources that are inspiring me and my family to chase after God’s glory! Here are five for you to check out this week:

1. SoCal friends, I’ll be reading my new kids book, Kailani’s Gift, and serving up Filipino pancit at Untold Story bookstore 1-4 pm Saturday, January 4 at a joint event with my author friend Marie Chan. She will be sharing from her inspiring non-fiction picture book, Mamie Takes a Stand. I’d love to hug your neck in person and meet your kids if you’re in the area!

   

2. Are you looking for a Bible study for your small group, women’s Bible study, or for personal use in the new year? My new study, Redeemer, releases on February 11. I’m so excited to put this resource into your hands. In this six-week Bible study, I invite you to view the book of Ruth as more than a Hallmark-tinted story, but rather as a story that proclaims God’s heart for the vulnerable, including widows, orphans, immigrants, refugees, and the poor. As Ruth’s story unfolds, we discover that God is the main character and that he is the true Redeemer, for Ruth and for us today. The workbook includes links to weekly video teachings, a music playlist, and visio divina art practice. I’m also booking speaking events and retreats on this theme. Let’s connect if you’re interested!

   

3. Looking for a fun way to spend those Christmas gift cards from Target, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or the local bookstore? How about getting your kids or your class a copy my new children’s book, Chasing God’s Glory? I’ve developed this free curriculum if you want to share this book with your church, a teacher, or a homeschool group. I’m also booking class visits online and in person for the new year! Please reach out if your school might be interested!

   

4. My fave skin care and makeup brand is having a major sale right now! I especially love that these BeautyCounter products are non-toxic, paraben-free and gentle for my sensitive skin. My daughter uses the CounterControl line, and it’s reversed her acne problems! I personally love their statement red lipstick! Use my link and check them out here. Let me know if you have questions about these products.

   

5. Sometimes grief creeps in after the holidays. If you are navigating grief and loss, my book Breathing Through Grief is a compassionate, giftable resource for those who are processing their own loss, whether of a loved one, a season of life, or a dream. In addition to the twenty-five short devotions that each focus on a different aspect of grief from my personal experience, the journal includes special resources such as:

• breathing exercises

• reflection questions

• soul care tips

• ample writing space

• advice on how to talk to children about death

• suggestions on how to approach triggers

• creative ways to honor a loved one’s memory

  Faithful readers, can you help me out? If you have my book, please share a few sentences on Amazon to review the book. This helps other people and bookstores find it! If you already have a copy, snag my bonus resource e-book for free here as a special thank you for your support!

  

  Friend, I’m so grateful you are a part of my Glorygram tribe! For the past ten years, I've been sharing reflections and resources on grief, running, leadership, food, family, and faith. I count it an incredible privilege to connect with each of you through this Glorygram. I offer a paid subscription to this newsletter with all the bells and whistles! I’ve got some exciting features planned for the new year!

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