One Word 2022: The Dawn of a New Year

Several months after my mom died, my sister sent me a “New Dawn” climbing rose from a mail-order nursery.

I’m not a rose expert, so I’m sort of winging it with this plant. It should probably get more sun than it does, and I’m not quite sure how to make it climb the trellis properly.

I’m doing my best, though, which is all any of us can do.

Like so many plants in my flowerbeds, the New Dawn rose reminds me of people I love. I see the blooms—the palest pink—and think of my sister (who is much more of a rosarian than I am), and of my mom.

Now, throughout 2022, the rose also will remind me of my new word of the year: dawn.

Choosing a word like dawn is a bit different for me. My past words of the year have mostly been adjectives—fierce, bold, humble, satisfied—or an occasional noun, like fruit, that carries some sort of practical meaning.

Dawn is a noun too, but so far, I’m in the dark about how it might apply to me practically.

Even so, when this word came to me during my annual what’s-my-new-word-going-to-be ponderings, I knew it was the one. I was as sure of it as the dawn, you might say.

Dawn happens every day. It might be obscured by clouds, but the sun rises each morning, without fail.

Running outside, I’ve seen it many times. The sky gets lighter and lighter. Some days, it’s splashed with such brilliant color I can barely keep from raising my hands in praise mid-stride.

Then, without fanfare, the colors go away and the sun is up. Just like always.

There’s so much uncertainty in the world today. Some people would have us believe that nothing is certain, even foundational biblical truths.

And yet, when I look up the word dawn in scripture, I find that it’s included in powerful descriptions of the certitude of God’s character. Take Amos 4:13, for example:

“He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord God Almighty is his name.” (emphasis mine)

And again in the very next chapter:

“He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land— the Lord is his name.” (Amos 5:8, emphasis mine)

The prophet Amos was a farmer, so it’s not surprising that he would speak of God in this way. But even lifelong suburbanites like me can appreciate how God’s immutable nature is revealed in the daily rising and setting of the sun.

I start every year with a word and some idea of how it might play out in my life. Nearly every year, I end with a completely different story about what actually happened.

This time, I honestly have no idea. But my word gives me hope.

Just like the dawn, God’s mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness is great and unchanging. Uncertain world or not, He didn’t bring us this far to leave us (as the old gospel song says).

My daily assignment, as I seek to follow Him down often-foggy paths, is simple.

“I rise before dawn and cry out for help; I put my hope in Your word.” (Psalm 119:147)

♥ Lois

P.S. I’m linking up this week with #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Recharge Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee, Inspire Me Monday and Grace & Truth.