Your One Word – Why it’s okay to not have one

Your One Word – Why it’s okay to not have one or have more than one. Each year people pick one word that will help them throughout the year.

Your One Word - Why it’s okay to not have one or have more than one. Each year people pick one word that will help them throughout the year.

Your One Word –
Why it’s okay to not have one

Also called One Word for the New Year, One Word Challenge or One-Word Resolutions. Essentially – you pick one word on how you want to approach the New Year.

Sometimes people don’t need a word and other times someone may need more than one word. No matter the word, words or lack of word(s), our focus should and always be on Jesus.

The other point of this one word, is to lose or not set New Years Resolutions. That is because we usually drop or never accomplish them. Instead you focus on the aspect of that one word through the year. It is easier to focus on the one word than a list full of resolutions.

A resolution is something you resolve to do or not do.

I even heard a DJ mention it is okay that you don’t have a one word. I forgot what Christian radio station it was, as I listen to several different ones.

I have never done the one word challenge. I don’t really even set resolutions either. But, in case you wanted to do the one word, here are some people have set.

Some one word words

  • Prayer
  • Listen
  • Serve
  • Disciple
  • Joy
  • Surrender
  • Believe
  • Patient
  • Faith
  • Hope
  • Love
  • Trust
  • Seek
  • Abide
  • Brave
  • Study
  • Learn
  • Read
  • Etc. This list can go on and on. It can depend if you are Born Again or Not as well.

So it is okay that you not set a one word for the year or even future years.

Most people will say this one word will change your life. Well, it could affect your life, but the only person that can change our life completely is Jesus Christ.

We are not defined by that one word or words we set. We are not even defined by what others think about us. We are defined by the precious blood of Christ (For those a Child of God – Born Again). We answer to God not man.

Our purpose is share the Gospel, basically, we are disciples that make other disciples. That also means we share/teach and we also learn. That helps us to grow and mature.

Those are some reasons why I think it is okay to not set a one word or words.

God never tells anyone in the Bible to choose a word, a theme, or even a verse for the year. That doesn’t mean the practice is wrong. It’s just one method of focus and of studying and applying God’s Word.

Barbara Harper of Stray Thoughts

Do you set a one word or more? Or None?

Feel free to share your word or words below &why, if you do. If you don’t why don’t you set a word or more. Maybe you have something that can add to this concept. Feel free to share that as well.


Check out Maybe It’s Okay by We are Messengers.


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About the Author

Author: Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

4 thoughts on “Your One Word – Why it’s okay to not have one

  1. Thanks for the mention. 🙂 Most Christians I’ve known who choose a word for the year do it as a means of growth. As I shared with one commenter, I’ve sometimes had a period of extended focus on a topic. Like when I felt I was not as loving as I should be, I did a study on love in the Bible, loving as Jesus loves, etc., and read some books on the topic. But it didn’t happen on January 1 and last a year — it just came up due to a need I felt in my life. Of course, we could spend years on that particular topic and never master it. But I sometimes go back over the verses I collected during that study and go over them again.

    1. You are most welcome. Thanks for the added comment back. I think at times the word can change through out the year too, based on circumstances and our walk. It could only be for a short season, or a long season too. Thanks again for visiting and commenting.

  2. I love this. My news years resolution is having one phrase I will never utter again when things go wrong, “what am I gonna do?”. I’m replacing it with, “I can’t wait to see what God’s gonna do”.

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