Happy New Year! I’m one of those people who spends way too much time looking at memes and there were two that left me speechless.

1. The one that said the 1990’s were 30 years ago. I get my son was born in 1998 and is 21, but to think the cast of Friends are no longer hipsters in their twenties but retirement age? Blows. my. mind.

2. If that didn’t shock me enough, then I read that there will be some babies born this year who will live to see 2100.

Somehow the new year feels like so much pressure. Is it because there’s a new decade, a new zero to write on our checks? Whatever the case, I feel like I need a moment to recover.

Sadly, that’s not quite what God has in mind.

Like Kristin, I have a word of the year (I love hers) and mine is launch.

That sounds busy. Active. Stressful.

Haven’t I had enough of that already?

In terms of writing, launch definitely has significance. I have two books to get out there this year. One is a new contemporary romance series I’m so excited about. The second is the final book in the middle grade/women’s series I co-authored with our teen daughter. I also have marketing goals that hopefully increase readers.

—Julie Arduini

Family wise I’ve prayed a husband into a new decade, a son turned 21, and a daughter is now 16. There have been new positions, college, high school, relationships, friendships and new opportunities for each of them.

Writing, family and keeping a house upright don’t seem that much compared to a NASA launch, but friends, I’m tired. Like can’t I just wear pajamas every day and stay home? Can’t all the dinner plans involve a crockpot? Just thinking about the word launch makes me want to hide under the covers until New Year’s Eve.

Here’s the thing I’m slow to learn. When I pray for a word for the year, it’s not up to me to define what it means or when will it happen. I tend to throw myself into a tizzy every year, and every year, God’s been faithful to reveal His customized plan for me and that word.

Who knows? Maybe launch is something fun and breezy.

This year, I turn 50. I plan to launch into that celebration with laughter. My husband admitted he doesn’t know how to throw a party or entertain, so I announced it’s not his worry. I hope to create a couple simple events where I laugh and surround myself with people who helped me reach the milestone.

It would be great if launch meant start binging a new series on Netflix or Disney Plus.

Maybe I already completed a launch and I can rest? Over the break I was really struggling with my emotions and didn’t want to start the new year feeling toxic. I felt more than just praying that I’d let it go, I felt I was supposed to pray for others. I was nervous, as an introvert the thought of me throwing out an invitation to the masses and asking who’d like prayer felt vulnerable. But I did it. And by only using social media, I had 40 women I prayed for. The experience was glorious. I felt free from my anger and thankful God would let me in on such a precious communication.

If that’s the launch, what a great year 2020 has been!

No matter what your word for the year is, I hope you take a lesson from me and don’t try to figure it all out. God gave you the word, and He will see you through the year in His way and in His time. If you hear a sermon or a song that mentions your word, pay attention. Keep lines of communication open with your Heavenly Father. He longs to share so much with you.

As for me, I’m trying to follow my own advice. Launch isn’t a lazy word, and it holds so much promise. I look forward to launching into this new year with you and discovering all He has in store for all of us.

What’s your word for the year? I’d love for you to share it in the comments.