It’s that time of year again when I throw down my One Word challenge! I encourage one and all — that means you! — to abandon the time-honored tradition of New Year’s resolutions and instead, to focus on One Word for the upcoming year.

This is my eleventh year to focus on one word, and here’s a quick recap of my One Words for years past:

2006: gratitude – I kept a gratitude journal and found my “glass-half-empty” attitude revolutionized.
2007: simplify – A severe illness turned this word into survival. I embraced simpler things in ways I never imagined.
2008: content – as in “be content with such things as you have” (Hebrews 13:5) I bought a lot less that year!
2009 & 2010: forgiveness – I had a lot to learn and unlearn about forgiveness.
2011: hope – A word I clung to when life hurt or when my heart ached for others who were hurting. There were times I could have asked “Why?” Instead, I asked myself, “Are you going to abandon hope?” My answer: No.
2012: trust – During a year of change, I faced doubting versus trusting — and chose to trust. I also began posting trust quotes on my Facebook page to encourage myself and others.
2013: confidence – I feel so much stronger emotionally after keeping my heart and mind set on “not throwing away my confidence.” (Hebrews 10:35-36) And yes, I continued the tradition of posting confidence quotes on my FB page.
2014: think – I tried to anchor my thinking to truth more and more, rather than letting my thoughts go wandering.
2015: collaborate – to work jointly on an activity, especially to produce or create something. Synonyms: co-operate, join forces, team up, band together, work together, participate, combine, ally.

My word for 2016 is: prosper.

I Samuel 18:14 says: David was prospering in all his ways for the LORD was with him.

But here’s what I found interesting: the word “prosper” means acting wisely. So read that as “And David was acting wisely in all his ways for the LORD was with him.”

Changes things, doesn’t it? I like to think of “prosper” as material wealth, or even accolades. It’s not often — if ever — that I think of prospering as acting wisely. The upcoming year is going to be interesting as God teaches me more about the deeper meaning of the word prosper.

So, what about you? Have you chosen One Word in years past? Are you pondering One Word for 2016?