The word that surprised me for 2026

Each year, I pray for a “word for the year.” It’s a way for me to focus and see how God is moving through a specific lens.

Last year, my word was Legacy. It was a grounding anchor as we journeyed through our son Jacob’s cancer battle. I found myself asking: What legacy am I leaving? How does suffering fit into this? I realized that the greatest legacy I could leave my children and community was simply the way I pressed into the Lord over and over—trusting Him even when there were no answers.

For 2026, God surprised me. He gave me a word that forced me right out of my "limiting belief box."

You see, I’m not naturally a dreamer; I’m a maintainer. That’s my comfort zone (and my super power!). But God has been calling me to some big dreams lately, and if I'm honest, He usually has to drag me toward them! So, the word Possibilities has brought a fresh, inspiring perspective.

I’ve started filtering my thoughts through this word. Instead of my natural bend of focusing on the limitations, I’m training myself to ask: 

What are the possibilities here?

And it’s not as scary as it sounds because a possibility is just an option—it’s not a demand. This realization has broken me out of my black-and-white thinking. It’s been freeing. It’s been fun. 

Who knew?

As Doug and I celebrate 40 years of marriage this year, I’m excited to see what God has in store. (We're looking at a fun trans-Pacific cruise from Hawaii to Australia!) What are the possibilities for my business? My relationship with my kids? Our travels?

There is no limit to what God can do when we stop staring at the limiting walls we’ve built for ourselves.