My 2021 Star Word: Some Thoughts for Epiphany

             Every year, my church does “Star Words.” I love this practice. Each year, everyone has a chance to get their own word. In the past, we’ve put the stars with words on them in an offering plate and everyone takes one. Since the pandemic, we’ve switched to a site that automatically generates a yearly word, which serves the same purpose. The idea is that this is the word that will mean something to you this year. It may not mean anything right away, but before the end of the year, God will use this word to shine a light on something in your life. 

            For example: in 2021, my word was “pivot.” 

            I keep my star on my desk in my home office where I see it every day. And every day, I’m reminded of this word when I have to pivot again in something. Plans can change so rapidly. As I said in my annual pastor’s report that will come out this month, most of this past year has been about learning to adapt and roll with it. It’s been incredibly stressful and I’ve had to pivot a lot in how I care for my own wholistic well-being. Not every pivot was comfortable. A few times, I almost sprained my ankle trying to pivot too fast. 

            Someone asked me on Christmas Eve if I was ready for the new year and I said yes, but don’t cut 2021 too short. He asked if I had to say that because it’s what you’re supposed to say. Partly, yes. But 2021 wasn’t all bad, was it? Surely we had some wins. I think every time I was able to pivot and not go completely bonkers, that was a win. 

            I suspect the word “pivot” will continue to be a word that means something to me in the coming year. After Christmas, our household tested positive for covid, which was a huge pivot going into a two-week vacation. With the Omicron surge, the vacation turned into half staycation, half working. I did not unplug as much as I’d anticipated (some of that is my own fault, and I own that. I am addicted to media and it’s a problem). Our church had to pivot back to some earlier mitigation efforts. Christmas plans pivot. My New Year plans pivoted due to forced quarantine. 

            But God didn’t stop being God, and I know that. It has been a very frustrating couple of weeks, but God didn’t stop being God. I had a few melt downs, but God didn’t stop being God. That’s my real encouragement for you today. No matter how many pivots you have to make in life, God never stops being God. If you take a break, God won’t stop being God. If you try something and fail, God won’t stop being God. If you do something crazy amazing and land at the top of the world, God still won’t stop being God. You can scream and shout and sing or sob or spin around in a circle until you throw up but God still won’t stop being God. 

            My Star Word for 2022 is “adventure.” Seems appropriate. 

            Happy Epiphany and let God’s light shine in and through you this year. 

 

Want your own Star Word? Check it out here! 




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