We are nearly halfway through 2024, which means it is the perfect time to reflect on what God has purposed via my One-Word (WOTY) – RENEWAL!!!

Lisa’s latest challenge is below:

You’ve made it to June! Congratulations, you’re halfway through the year with your One Word. Now is a great time to re-motivate yourself by remembering WHY you chose this word in the first place.  REFLECT ON YOUR JOURNEY  Back in January, you chose a word that resonated with your goals for the year. But it’s easy to lose that initial spark as time goes on. That’s why it’s helpful to pause and reflect on your journey so far.  If you filled out the One Word worksheet, wrote a blog post, or talked to someone about your word in January, now is the time to reread those words or rehash that conversation. Let your initial impressions and clarity excite you again.  Ask yourself the following questions to gain deeper insights into your intentions and progress:  1. Why did I choose this word in January? What was happening in my life that led me to this word?  2. Is my word serving its purpose? If not, how can I revamp it to align with my goals for the second half of 2024?  RETURN TO THE ROOTS If you’re unsure, here’s a quick exercise. Dig up your word’s roots to make a deeper connection with your current situation. Look up its etymology in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary or the Online Etymology Dictionary. What is the origin of your word? Has its meaning or use changed over time?  ~ * ~ * ~­ LINKUP MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2024 We’d love to hear updates on your mid-year progress. If you blog, share a post at our blog linkup here. It will open on Monday, June 24, at 4 a.m. CST at Lisanotes.com, and close at midnight on Monday, July 8. You can also share your update in a Facebook post with our One Word group.  Embrace this mid-year check-in to rediscover the strength of your One Word and adjust your path if necessary so it can continue to inspire you through the rest of 2024.

Why did I choose this word in January? What was happening in my life that led me to this word?

I really thought God was leading me to extend my 2023 Word, Teach/Learn, into 2024 but in December, everything changed. My post And Just Like That… describes how I followed the path God laid out for me to “choose” renewal as my 2024 WOTY.

Is my word serving its purpose? If not, how can I revamp it to align with my goals for the second half of 2024? 

I never know quite where God is going when a new WOTY is chosen. Since “discovering renewal,” I have written thirteen posts about my journey.

The questions that I posed at the beginning of the year were:

Will God change my priorities?

The short answer to this is YES!! I have learned that I do not have to have such a tight hold on household organization. The world doesn’t end just because my filing isn’t done. It is okay to eat simpler meals in order to have time for other things. People are far more important than tasks.

I went back to school in January 2023 and have been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA. Will God help me maintain this level of success or will He teach me to relax a bit and to be okay with an occasional B?

With two more sessions complete, I still have a 4.0. There have been weeks when I had very little time for social interaction. However, I took a compressed summer course (3 weeks to complete a class that is normally taught in 16 weeks) so that I have the rest of the summer to spend with those I love.

How will my relationships with difficult people be impacted? Will I learn new ways to bridge the gap, or will they be removed from my life?

I have let some relationships go, and that’s okay. Others will need more work if we are to overcome past hurts. I know that God has a plan; I just need to get on board and row the boat toward renewal.

Will I learn how to better serve those who I see on a regular basis (including my spouse)?

As I have released my hold on some unnecessary habits, I have found space to love on those who are the most important to me. As I write this, I have just returned from a trip to CA to meet my new granddaughter. The memories of this trip are forever etched in my heart.

How will my spiritual life change? Will I pray more?

I start work later than I used to; however, God still wakes me up at 4:00 am to spend time with Him. Consequently, I usually have two cups of coffee before I ever leave the house, and depart with God’s word foremost in my mind.

Will I discover a life-changing Bible Study?

In January, my husband & I decided to find a church that was closer to home. In January 2020, our church merged with another church, and what had been a few blocks away became a 45-minute drive. We loved the church we were attending but the drive made it difficult to participate in many of the activities. God led us to a wonderful, growing, Bible-believing, prayer-focused congregation. We are involved in a couple of small groups and have volunteered for some serving opportunities.

Look up its etymology

From etymology.com:

renewal (n.) – “act of renewing or forming anew,” 1680s, from renew (v.) + -al (2). Specific meaning “urban redevelopment” is attested by 1965, American English. An earlier noun was simply renew (early 15c., reneue).

renew (v.) – late 14c., reneuen, “make (something) like new, refurbish; begin (an activity) again; replenish, replace with a fresh supply; restore (a living thing) to a vigorous or flourishing state,” also figurative, of spiritual states, souls, etc.; from re- “again” + Middle English newen, neuen “resume, revive, renew” (see new). A Latin-Germanic hybrid formed on analogy of Latin renovare. From early 15c. as “be restored, flourish once more.” Related: Renewed; renewing.

-al (2) – suffix forming nouns of action from verbs, mostly from Latin and French, meaning “act of ______ing” (such as survival, referral), Middle English -aille, from French feminine singular -aille, from Latin -alia, neuter plural of adjective suffix -alis, also used in English as a noun suffix. Nativized in English and used with Germanic verbs (as in bestowal, betrothal).

From MerriamWebster.com:

• First Known Use – 1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1
• Time Traveler – The first known use of renewal was in 1603

renewal – noun – re·​new·​al ri-ˈnü-əl  

• the act or process of renewing : REPETITION
• the quality or state of being renewed
• something (such as a subscription to a magazine) renewed
• something used for renewing
• specifically: an expenditure that betters existing fixed assets
• the rebuilding of a large area (as of a city) by a public authority