Elizabeth Estrada looks back on her word for the year, pondering the ways she's been challenged to believe.
This is the second year I have chosen a word of the year. I used a word of the year generator that gives you a word after you have answered some questions. My word for the year is believe.
At first glance, I thought it wasn’t a very interesting word or even a word that I thought would challenge me, help me grow, or anything like that. It seemed like a word that, well, I wasn’t very excited about at all.
The Lord, though, has a sense of humor and as always is the Lord for a reason. Now that June has arrived, I thought it would be a good time to “check in” with my word of the year. I will say that even though I wasn’t excited about it, I think about it or see it often.
One of the definitions Webster's Dictionary uses is: to accept something as true, genuine, or real. The Bible definition is to place one's trust in God's truth.
Sounds easy but it isn’t. The more I thought about it the more I realized I needed to grow in belief of a lot of things: myself, my choices, my strength, my courage, others around me and believing really believing that God knows best.
As I was looking for a new teaching position, boy howdy did I need to believe that I would find the right position. God had a plan and knew exactly where I was going to land. Not only did I have to believe, but I had to wait and practice patience. I started looking and interviewing in mid-March and didn’t get a job until mid-May! For my type-A personality that’s a long time, to say the least.
Also, the challenges that come with raising an almost 15-year-old young man who may be (and is probably) autistic causes me many opportunities to believe that he will overcome his challenges at school, with his father, and his anxiety.
In these first six months of 2021 God has given me many opportunities to believe that He will provide like He does for the birds daily. I had to remind myself daily and tell Him that He needed to help my unbelief when my type “A” personality wanted to take over.
Instead, I have held my Rosary, gone to Adoration, and called on Mother Mary for her patience and courage.
I am sure that I will continue to have opportunities to believe, What is the Lord asking you to do?
Copyright 2021 Elizabeth Estrada
Images (from top): Ethan Air (2020), Unsplash; Mateus Campos Felipe (2019), Unsplash
About the Author
Elizabeth Estrada
Elizabeth Estrada, a public-school teacher, is an avid reader and enjoys crafting. She is in formation to become a Third Order Carmelite soon with her son Agustin.
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