Family Word of the Year: Choose & Live It Together

One Word to Unite Your Year

Instead of a list of resolutions that fade by February, consider choosing a single word to guide your family through the year. A "word of the year" is a simple but powerful practice that gives your family a shared focus, a common language, and a touchstone to return to again and again.

When the word is chosen prayerfully and lived intentionally, it becomes more than a motto—it becomes a spiritual discipline that shapes how your family thinks, speaks, and acts throughout the year.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom."

— Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

Why a Word Instead of Resolutions?

•Simple to remember: One word is easier to recall than a list of goals
•Flexible application: A word can apply to countless situations throughout the year
•Family unity: Everyone shares the same focus and can encourage each other
•Year-long relevance: Unlike specific goals, a word remains relevant in changing circumstances
•Spiritual depth: Words can be explored through Scripture, prayer, and conversation all year
•No pass/fail: You can't 'fail' a word the way you fail a resolution

How to Choose Your Family Word

Pray first

Before brainstorming, ask God to guide your family to the word He has for you. Sometimes the word finds you more than you find it.

Reflect on the past year

What did your family struggle with? Where do you want to grow? What did you lack that you need more of?

Look ahead

What's coming in the new year? New challenges? Transitions? What word would help you navigate what's ahead?

Brainstorm together

Have each family member suggest words. Write them all down without judgment. Include even young children's suggestions.

Narrow it down

Discuss each word. Which ones resonate most? Which feel like they're from God? Vote or reach consensus.

Test it

Sit with your top choice for a day or two. Does it feel right? Does it keep coming to mind? This is often confirmation.

Commit and display

Once chosen, make it visible. Write it prominently in your home. This is your family's word for the year.

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Let Everyone Participate

Even young children can participate. A 4-year-old might suggest "happy" or "kind"—and that might be exactly the word your family needs. Don't dismiss simple words; sometimes the simplest ones are the most profound.

Word Ideas and Their Meanings

Here are categories of words to consider, with examples and what they might mean for your family:

Character Words

•KINDNESS — Speaking and acting with compassion in all interactions
•PATIENCE — Slowing down, waiting well, extending grace to one another
•COURAGE — Stepping out of comfort zones, standing for what's right
•INTEGRITY — Being the same people at home, school, work, and church
•HUMILITY — Putting others first, admitting wrong, learning from mistakes
•GENEROSITY — Giving freely of time, resources, and love

Action Words

•SERVE — Looking for ways to help others in and outside the home
•LISTEN — Really hearing each other and hearing from God
•REST — Sabbath rhythms, margin, and fighting hustle culture
•GROW — Intentional development in faith, skills, and relationships
•SIMPLIFY — Cutting clutter, busyness, and distractions
•CONNECT — Deepening relationships with God, family, and community

Posture Words

•TRUST — Relying on God in uncertainty, letting go of control
•SURRENDER — Yielding our plans and preferences to God
•ABIDE — Remaining close to Jesus in all circumstances
•RECEIVE — Opening hands to accept God's gifts and grace
•HOPE — Choosing optimism rooted in God's promises
•GRATITUDE — Cultivating thankfulness as a daily practice

Focus Words

•PRESENCE — Being fully present with God and each other (not distracted)
•INTENTIONAL — Making deliberate choices about how we spend our time and energy
•TOGETHER — Prioritizing family unity and shared experiences
•DEPTH — Going deeper in faith rather than wider in activities
•ENOUGH — Contentment with what we have, freedom from comparison
•WONDER — Noticing God's work and marveling at His creation

Making the Word Part of Your Year

Choosing the word is just the beginning. Here's how to keep it alive throughout the year:

Visual Reminders

•Create a large sign or canvas with your word to display prominently
•Make it the family phone lock screen
•Get matching bracelets or keychains with the word
•Start a bullet journal or scrapbook page dedicated to the word
•Put sticky notes with the word in unexpected places

Regular Check-Ins

•Weekly family dinner question: 'How did we live our word this week?'
•Monthly reflection: 'What did we learn about [word] this month?'
•Mid-year assessment: 'Is this word still guiding us? What's changed?'
•End-of-year celebration: 'How did [word] shape our family this year?'

Scripture Connection

Find Bible verses that connect to your word. Study them together and memorize at least one. Examples:

•If your word is TRUST: Proverbs 3:5-6
•If your word is LOVE: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
•If your word is PEACE: Philippians 4:6-7
•If your word is JOY: Nehemiah 8:10
•If your word is COURAGE: Joshua 1:9
•If your word is SERVE: Galatians 5:13

Decision Filter

Use your word as a lens for family decisions throughout the year:

•'Does this commitment align with our word?'
•'How would choosing [word] change how we handle this situation?'
•'What would [word] look like in this moment?'

💡Example in Action

If your family word is PRESENCE, it might shape your year like this:

•You put phones away during dinner to be present with each other
•You say no to an activity that would make you too busy to be present at home
•You practice being present with God through daily quiet time
•When someone is talking, you stop and give full attention
•You choose experiences over things for birthday gifts

Individual Words Too

In addition to a family word, each family member can choose their own personal word. This creates opportunities for:

•Personal ownership of spiritual growth
•Age-appropriate focus (a teen's word might differ from a young child's)
•Mutual encouragement ('How's your word going?')
•Understanding each other's growth areas
•Prayer support for each person's focus

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Word Reveal Night

Make choosing words a family event. Have a special dinner where each person reveals their personal word and explains why they chose it. Pray for each person and their word. Make it a new tradition!

When the Word Gets Hard

Here's what usually happens: you choose a word like PATIENCE, and within the first week, your patience is tested more than ever before. This isn't coincidence—it's growth.

•Expect the word to challenge you. That's how you grow.
•When you fail to live your word, it's an opportunity, not a defeat
•The word isn't about perfection—it's about awareness and intention
•Talk openly about struggles with the word as a family
•Pray for help living into your word
•Remember: God is developing this quality in you. He's at work.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

— Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

At the End of the Year

When December rolls around, take time to reflect on how your word shaped your family:

Gather and remember

Look back at the year. When did your word show up? When did you struggle with it?

Share stories

Each person shares a moment when the word was meaningful to them.

Acknowledge growth

How did your family grow in this area? Celebrate progress, not perfection.

Thank God

Pray together, thanking God for how He used this word in your family.

Begin again

Start the process of choosing next year's word, carrying forward what you learned.

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More Than a Word

A family word of the year is more than a trendy practice—it's an invitation to intentional living. When chosen prayerfully and lived purposefully, one simple word can unite your family, focus your decisions, and create a year of meaningful growth. What word is God calling your family to this year?

💡A Prayer for Your Family Word

Lord, guide us as we choose a word for our family this year. Give us ears to hear what You want to develop in us. Unite our hearts around a common focus. Help us live into this word in big ways and small, in easy times and hard. Use this simple practice to draw us closer to You and to each other. May our word be more than letters on a page—may it become part of who we are. In Jesus' name, Amen.