Happy New Year! I’ve been picking a “word” for the year since 2019 and this year brought a surprise and a giggle. When my husband asked me what my word was I said, “present.” But, instead of a smile I got an accusation of stealing! Apparently the word he felt led to was “presence.” Upon further conversation, we learned that while our words are similar, their application is very different.
For my husband, the ever-intentional/vision-casting human being, the word presence feels very outward focused. He felt it as a call to be more present with the people in his life in order to have the most impact. It is word that encourages him to be with others more, to schedule times to talk, walk, connect, and offer inspiration and vision for what God might have for folks. And, for his personality, this idea is very invigorating.
And for mine? It sounds exhausting. But that’s how God is so good to work through different people according to their design, talents, and gifts.
A very similar word and yet, a very different meaning, “present” feels as relevant to me as presence feels to him. Instead of a call for more intention and planning, it feels like a call away from it, to keep my mind where my feet are, looking not behind or before, and to trust God’s moment-to-moment leading.
Of course, I live in the real world with children, work, bills, and doctor’s appointments so it’s not like I can go completely improvisational. So, here’s what “present” seems to look like practically:
- To stop mentally “grading” days by accomplishment. A good/successful/worthwhile day is not one where much was accomplished and a bad/lazy/unproductive day is not one where few things were checked off the list. A day is simply a day lived for the Lord.
- To pause as needed, embracing as my friend Beth Walker says, “holy interruptions.” This may mean pausing to look my children in the eye, giving value to and honoring what they are offering. It means at least a couple of times a day stopping to disconnect from tasks and reconnect to self, to nature, to breath, to God. And it means to close my eyes for a moment, a few minutes, or a nap, as needed.
- To not fall prey to the lie that there is actually a reality where I could have thought through, done, and planned accordingly for everything. In all honesty, this lie is so embedded that it was even hard for me to type that.
- And as a extrapolation upon the word present, it is to keep receiving the most important one. That of grace. Of acceptance. Of reducing striving and instead daily receiving the substitutionary Gift that lets me exist and love folks more freely rather than worrying about the how/what/when of how to get it all done.
Here’s to 2026, taking a (another) whack at destroying the idols of productivity and accomplishment, and humbly, gratefully, peacefully receiving the “present.”
For more of Anne’s mental health and faith content check out her blog, Bible studies, and speaking engagements!
Anne Rulo 