I have a dear friend (originally a high school pen-pal) who wrote a blog post today that describes a tradition she’s had for several years now; she chooses a word and a Bible verse at the beginning of every new year. At the end of her post, she asks the reader what word & verse they have chosen for the year.

I have never had the forethought to think much past the first month or two of a new year & usually my thoughts revolve around travel plans, daily activities to schedule & birthdays to prepare for. The rest of the year gets consumed as each month topples one onto the other.

So I’m taking it to heart that there is something right / healthy / thoughtful to ponder the new year; not just in terms of resolutions but of a purposeful mindset. To attempt to apply one word to the new year in order to provide focus / clarity / purpose.

So with all that said, my one word is CONTENTMENT. There are a multitude of scripture verses to choose from that center around the concept of contentment. Since the Psalms have become a passion for me as of late, I chose Psalm 16:11, specifically the King James Version.

The past year has brought me many, many reasons to be thankful; and I genuinely did feel thankful most of the year. But I also continually found myself with a spirit of discontent on nearly every level of my life. So it wasn’t very difficult for me to desire a resolution that went beyond a weight-loss goal or tackling a new hobby.

I desire to be satsified in the Lord rather than the things of this world. Otherwise I “feel” comfortable but those “things” end up lending me a false & short-lived sense of contentment. I want to truly know that for me, one day in the courts of the Lord is far better than a thousand elsewhere (Psalm 84:10).

And so I leave this first day of January, 2010, asking you the same question that Jane asked of me. What is your word & verse for the year?