Have you chosen a word for the year?
While I haven’t yet participated in the practice of choosing a one-word theme to guide my year to come, I feel the draw. Resolutions and goals can feel rigid and restrictive, with a pass or fail element to them. According to bestselling author Gretchen Rubin, “A [one-word] theme is imaginative and adaptable. It’s about direction, rather than success or failure.”
If I were to choose a theme for 2026, I feel I couldn’t go wrong with the word “abide.” I don’t know about you but, to me, the events of 2025 felt tumultuous. And it would seem I’m not alone in this. For example, Pantone chose Cloud Dancer, a shade of white, as their colour of the year for 2026. They describe it as “a whisper of peace and tranquility in a noisy world.”
I don’t know about you but, to me, the events of 2025 felt tumultuous.
And it would seem I’m not alone in this.
In contrast to the noisiness of the world, “abide” conjures images of stability, a feeling of rest, a sense of being anchored in something—Someone—bigger than ourselves. The ESV translation of the Bible uses the word “abide” 36 times, most of which relate to humanity’s connection to God. Perhaps the most familiar reference is John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
As you go through this issue, you may see a theme of abiding in our feature articles. While we may not agree with some elements of fundamentalism, we can see a desire for continued faithfulness to abide in the Word of God. And whether we’re at church, work, or anywhere else, God’s Spirit goes with us in all we do. We can also find ways to “abide in Christ and in the virtual kingdom” (p. 18).
How about you—have you chosen a word for the year? If so, we’d love to hear what it is and your reasons for choosing it. Send us a message at messenger@emconference.ca. Also, check out some of our readership survey results. Thank you to all who participated!
