The start of a new year is a perfect time for reflection and renewal. For Christian women, this fresh beginning is an opportunity to grow spiritually and draw closer to God through intentional time spent reading his word. One powerful way to focus your journey is by selecting a “Word of the Year.” Below, you’ll find 200 word of the year ideas for Christian women—to serve as a reminder of the values and aspirations that matter most to you as a follower of Jesus.
Prior to 2023, I had never chosen a word of the year, but that year I deliberately prioritized the topic of prayer in my reading and as a habit. I came to appreciate having this one word, prayer, as a focus to continually come back to throughout the year.
As we approach a new year, I’ve gathered a collection of meaningful word of the year ideas for you to consider as possibilities if you want to create an anchor for your thought life.
How to Choose a Word of the Year
For Christian women, choosing a word of the year should be done in step with what the Holy Spirit reveals to you individually. This is accomplished in two ways.
First, through reading your Bible and asking God to speak to you through his word. And second, spending time in prayer, asking God for direction and guidance and then paying attention to what he communicates via scripture, thoughts, and circumstances.
Questions to Prayerfully Consider
- How is God calling me to take action?
- Is there anything God is asking me to change based on what I read in scripture?
- What is God asking me to let go?
- Is there something that needs to be prioritized in my life right now?
I think of a word of the year as a tool to focus on some aspect of God’s character that is praiseworthy, or an aspect of my character that can be developed through obedience to God’s word.
Word of the Year Suggestion List
abide
able
abundant
acceptable
action
adapt
admirable
adore
affection
alert
anchor
approach
approval
aspire
aware
awe
begin
belong
beloved
bloom
bold
brave
build
calm
captivate
change
cheerful
choose
clarity
comfort
commitment
community
compassion
compel
complete
confidence
connect
consistent
content
conviction
courage
create
cultivate
decide
declare
decrease
dedication
deepen
deliberate
delight
dependence
devotion
dignity
diligent
direction
disciple
discipline
display
dream
dynamic
eager
embrace
empathy
encourage
enduring
enjoy
enough
essential
eternal
expectation
faithful
firm
first
focus
forgiveness
foundation
freedom
friend
fulfillment
generous
gentle
genuine
giving
grace
gracious
grow
habit
hope
humility
identity
ignite
influence
inform
insight
inspire
integrity
intentional
joy
just
kind
know
legacy
less
light
listen
lovely
loyalty
marvel
mission
move
new
nurture
obedience
objective
order
overflow
passion
patience
pause
peace
persistence
perspective
persuasive
play
power
practical
practice
praise
prayer
prepare
presence
proactive
process
promise
protect
pure
purpose
pursue
question
quiet
ready
reason
reconcile
refine
reflect
refresh
rejoice
relate
relax
release
remember
renew
resolve
responsibility
rest
restore
restraint
reverence
revive
satisfaction
savor
seek
self-control
serve
share
shift
shine
simplify
sincere
slow
soft
stand
steadfast
steady
still
strong
submission
support
surrender
teachable
think
train
transform
triumph
trust
trustworthy
truth
unconventional
understanding
unity
unshakeable
value
vision
wait
welcome
wholehearted
will
wonder
worship
worthy
Visit the free resource library to download a printable list of all 200 words.
Word of the Year with Scripture Reference
I’ve created a set of simple word of the year cards containing 120 words from the list above, accompanied by a scripture reference related to that particular word.
Memorize the scripture, write it out and post it in a conspicuous spot to be reminded of it throughout the year.
Check out the Encouraging Words Scripture Cards set in my Etsy shop.
Monthly Focus Words
As an alternative to a word of the year, you may wish to choose a focus word for each month to meditate and reflect on. Any of the 200 words listed could be used as a word of the month.
Visit my homeschool resources page for monthly unit study ideas, projects, and homeschool planning help!
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Word of the Year Ideas for Christian Women
