I have never liked making New Year's resolutions. They make me depressed, and the times that I have made them, I went in already accepting defeat in the back of my head. I know. How pathetic!

However, for the past two years, I have not made resolutions and instead have set a focus for the year by choosing a word—an action—to guide my actions, thoughts and goals. I know I'm not perfect, so simply choosing a word to strive toward allows me to set a goal that I can certainly accomplish, even if it is accomplished by learning just how bad I am at it.

In 2015, my word of the year was "wait." When I chose the word, I didn't stop to consider how waiting meant being patient, but I quickly discovered how waiting and patience go hand in hand. I had so many opportunities to wait.

Wait on others.

Wait on God.

Wait to speak.

Wait to react.

Wait to judge.

At the end of 2015, I was not the most patient person on Earth, but with a focus of learning to wait, I discovered many opportunities to honor God by choosing to wait, to have patience, to listen, when I would usually charge full speed ahead.

In 2016 my word was "love."

Love others when they hurt you.

Love others when they don't deserve it.

Love myself because God made me in His image.

Love when it is hard.

Love when it is easy.

Love the people God has placed in your life even if they will not be there forever.

Again, I learned a lot about myself as I approached 2016 through a lens of love. I had the opportunity to love students, friends, peers, family, and even people who did not love me a bit. Have I learned to love perfectly? Nope. But I have learned how to choose love over hate, how to choose love when it would be easier to speak angry words, and I am thankful for that.

In 2017, I encourage you to join this one word journey with me. My word (well, phrase) for 2017 is "be content."

It is really be hard to be content sometimes when I wonder why my life is this way, why an event happened that way or how the future will come together. However, I've been reminded that God is good. Always. Verses 9-11 of Matthew 7 say, “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Now, this is not a promise that God is like a genie in a bottle who makes all our wishes come true--and I am SO glad he is not, because my wishes are often sinful. However, it is a reminder that God has our best interest in mind. If pain comes, it is for a reason. If happiness appears, it is not because of anything wonderful I have done. I can be content because my father will provide what is good for me, and I want to actively remind myself that my interpretation of good will not always align with God's since I am not perfect.

So, for 2017 I want to refocus on being content right where I am...

because God is good,

because I have hope and joy,

because I have a family who loves me,

because I have the opportunity to attend an amazing school,

because I have the best friends on earth,

and because I am exactly where I am supposed to be in 2017.

Join me on this journey! What word will shape your year?