My Word of the Year: Fearless

[all photos by Jennifer Calderon]

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – Peter 5:7

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own.” – Matthew 6:34

It’s so funny how one little word, when spoken out loud can hold more meaning than when you keep it to yourself. Last year I felt like it took me weeks for my word to find me and when it did, I wrote it down, but never hit publish. Funny how life moves forward so quick and now I’m sitting here sharing my word for 2018 and had to go in search of last years unpublished post. This year, I felt this word hit me before the year started, before I was ready, before I had time to even argue within my soul that another one would be better.

FEARLESS

A word that holds so much, means so much, yet has been all-encompassing in my life since the year has begun. Without going into detail I feel this space has felt like it’s been in a season of transition. I often sit down to write and no words flow onto the page. Where life once was so colorful, it had slightly dimmed. Not for lack of love, but due to fear. Fear of comparison, not being enough for you to stay and read along with my journey, becoming invisible, irrelevant. I could go on. Lies the circled my mind for way too long that I forgot that this space is mine. In the midst of it all, I forgot why I started this blog…. to have a space where our children can one day come back to this journal and see all the adventures our family had created from the moment they were just a thought on our hearts, a whisper desire to be part of God’s bigger plan for our life.

So much of the online world leaves you feeling as though you need to have a photographer following you around, showing only the pretty corners, perfect angles, latest outfits and I’ve allowed that to leave me fearful of posting and being judged for all my ragged edges. But in fear we lose ourselves, who we are, who we’re meant to be. I hate that I allowed myself to feel that. I hate that some of you might feel that also.

So this year I’m taking this space back. I’m going to catch up on all our road trip adventures, slowly, but surely, and share all the adventures we had last year and where we will fearlessly be going this year. I’m excited for all that 2018 holds. The shifts, changes, adventures, joy, sorrow, challenges, failures and successes. My arms are open and I’m embracing it all and I’m giving it all back to Jesus.

This year we also challenged our children to have a word for the year. I want to share it here so they can look back on this year and see all that God has done. Katelyn’s word for this year is GLORY that all she does would glorify Jesus and Brayden’s was HOPE, that he would always remember his hope is in the Lord.

Lord, my prayer is that you will cover this space, I give it back to you that a beautiful community of people will be built up from it. That we would be fearless, casting all our cares upon you. That we would be people who would strive to be your people, living for your glory. Amen

Here are my words from previous years. It’s crazy to think this is year 7 I’ve been sharing my word for the year.

2017: Adventure

This year I want to take the bull by the horns, sort to speak.
Focus less on the material and more on the once in a lifetime
Go explore new places and meet new people wherever we travel
Show our children more than just the “OC Bubble”
Be willing to let go of control and be spontaneous
and be open to how spontaneous looks for our family.

2016: Laugh

Taylor Swift knew what she was talking about when she sang, “Shake it off.”
What if we all were to really just let it go, shake it off
Better yet…
LAUGH it off.
Sometimes things are out of our control and we just need to chill out.
I’m sure I could’ve easily picked FLEXIBLE as my word for this year,
but what would be the fun in that?

So this year, I’m going to Laugh more.
Find the Joy in every situation
Not take myself so seriously.

I’m going to live my life this year in Laughter
and maybe, just maybe
it’ll stick
and continue to guide me in the years to come.

2015: Stretch

I want to challenge myself this year to spread my wings and allow God to use the gifts and talents He’s given me. I want to be a better leader in my business, a better wife, mother, friend, daughter, sister, chef, more health conscious, better problem solver. I want to be stretched to learn new things, do things I wouldn’t do, even if I’m not good at it, take more risks, listen more, find ways to be the best version of myself I can be.

Will I be perfect? Gosh I hope not! But I hope that I give myself the opportunity for success within each new thing I try. I’m learning a positive outlook can go a long way. Often times I enjoy being in my “box.” Doing things in my everyday routine and I don’t like that routine to get ruffled. But part of being stretched is being willing to approach each new day and each new thing as it comes. And instead of allowing myself to get frustrated, accept life as it comes.

2014: Roar

So as I go back and take another look at these words we’ve picked for 2014, I truly believe that they weren’t picked out of a need to break through some insecurities, although that could be the case and that’s ok too, but we picked them because we’re picking up where we left off in 2013.

We realized that we could do more
accomplish more
love more
laugh more
sing at the top of our lungs more
eat better
workout more
give more
share more

and we want that to happen again in 2014.
We’re not going to take a back seat.
I’m not going to take a back seat.

2013: Purposeful

I want everything I do or say to have purpose.

Whether it is to teach, learn, travel, do, work, blog…. I want it to all be with purpose.

I want to be more purposeful in my friendships. To not all allow being busy to be an excuse.

I want to be more purposeful with my children. To anticipate their needs and meet them.

I want to be more purposeful with my husband. To find things that are completely non-work related to do and talk about.

Most of all I want to be more purposeful with my relationship with my Abba Father. To spend time and meditate on His word and hide it in my heart.

2012: Simplify

I’m working on de-cluttering my heart and my life.

It’s funny I was watching a preview for the show Hoarders.

And all I could think about was how our lives and our hearts get so full of meaningless junk like that.

It make not be materialistic things that grow into piles around our rooms, but there are plenty of other life struggles and distractions that can being to hoard our lives.

And I’m sure if I’m not careful to allow Him to clean me up, I could end up getting drawn back into a lot of those “distractions” of 2011 that I’m clearing out to make room for 2012.

Would you share your word with me, I’d love to hear it.

xo, Alissa