2020 was nearing its end, and I may have forgotten to choose a #oneword for the new year. I was in the thick of Advent, moving through the shadows toward the light of Christmas. Then our family fully embraced celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas which kept us savoring the season up until yesterday.

After Christmas Day I started to get a little more intentional and kept my eyes peeled for the right word. Cadence and calm had been two that I had written down in 2020 to explore more. I added a few more: curate, dream, heart, free. I just wasn’t sure about any of them.

And then I realized… it was trust. It caught my attention in November, and a few more times throughout December. I was hesitant at first. It seemed too generic. Coming off of bloom and savor, it felt a bit plain and boring. Void of beauty and shine.

But the more I brought it to God, the more I knew it was the one.

It started with a sermon that a friend sent to me. In it, the pastor shares this quote from Mother Teresa: “I have never had clarity. What I have always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God.”

Lately, I’ve been craving clarity. I’ve been ‘searching for certainty’ (even reading a book with that title by Shelly Miller, which I highly recommend). She wrote: “Like a child trusting in her father’s judgments, I anticipate the surprise will be good and worth the climb.” Another favorite from Shelly: “Hope was my pathway to trust.”

God has been showing me that He wants me trust Him. To hold tight to hope as I pursue Him over clarity or certainty.

After I had settled on my new word, I finally finished How to Fix a Broken Record by Amena Brown (another amazing book that I’ve slowly been reading over quarantine). I was shocked by how often trust appeared. In one of my favorite quotes, Amena wrote: “Surrendering means I really do trust God to know what’s best for me, more than I trust what I think I know or understand.”

On New Year’s Day I updated my chalkboard banner sign; it has five pendants. As I wrote out “t r u s t” I noticed how the t’s looked like crosses, beginning and end. And how “us” is in the middle.

I also updated my letter board with Psalm 62:8 – “Trust confidently in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

My eyes have been drawn to quotes and verses shared on social media that feature trust.

• “The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.” – Nahum 1:7
• “The storm rolls in above us. The walls climb high around us. But the ground is strong beneath us. And we trust. We trust. We trust.” – Morgan Harper Nichols
• “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal.” – Isaiah 26:3-4
• “God will always take care of you. Trust Him.” – Heather Lindsey
• “Trust [rely on and have confidence] in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and feed [securely] on His faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him also and He will do it.” – Psalm 37:3-5‬
• “If you can trust Jesus with your eternity, why not start by trusting Him with your 2021?” – Christine Caine
• ‬‬”I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust [with great confidence, and on whom I rely]!’ … ‘Because he has set his love on Me, therefore I will save him; I will set him [securely] on high, because he knows My name [he confidently trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never abandon him, no, never.]'” – Psalm 91:2, 14
• “Whatever that thing is you’re too scared to put in His hands? You can trust Him with it.” – Jen Babakhan
• “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember and trust in the name of the LORD our God.” Psalm 20:7‬
• “Father, help me trust in your perfect timing.” – Our Daily Bread

My mind has also been trying to piece together a fun acronym for TRUST: Through Rest & Understanding She Trusts. Or maybe: Through Rest, Understanding, Surrender, Truth. (I think I’ll go with the latter; surrender and truth are crucial to trust.)

I want to trust Him through rest, resting in His love. I want to trust Him through understanding, getting to know His heart and character better. I want to trust Him through surrender, surrendering to His plan. I want to trust Him through truth, relying on the truth of His word and His promises.

This is my journey with trust so far (and it’s only January 6th). I’m excited for what’s in store this year as I walk with Him, holding this theme of trust. He is trustworthy.

Are you tied up in a trial? Tired from testing? Tripped up by trouble? Discouraged by defeat? Weary from wondering/wandering? Challenged by change? Do you have heartache from hardship? Loneliness after loss?

Maybe it’s time to dive deep into trust.

To be found in the Father. Held in His hands. Guarded by grace. Brave in belonging. Loved in His likeness. To find faith in His freedom. Rest in His righteousness. Security in stillness.

A huge thanks to Joanna Busby for creating this wallpaper! Find her on Instagram (@justjoannabusby) and shop her store on Etsy (Digital Ridge Designs)!