2022 Word of the Year- Radiate

Radiate

Verb

•Of a person: clearly emanate (a strong feeling or quality) through their expression or bearing.

•(radiate from) of a feeling or quality. To emanate clearly from.

*definition provided by New Oxford American Dictionary

I had been tossing a couple of words around for 2022 and what I wanted to experience and view in the months ahead.

I love the Christmas season, but I also really look forward to goal setting and dreaming of the future. I romanticize life a bit and it brings me incredible joy to think of all the possibilities a fresh start can provide an individual. We all could use fresh starts from time to time.

These last couple of years have been hard on most of us. I don’t know a single person who has truly walked through 2020 and 2021 unscathed. Pretty sure I wrote these exact words last year. We have all felt it.

This upcoming year, I want people to experiencing something new. There is a running joke happening right now where we don’t talk about 2022 being our year. Just be quiet and let it come. I know it is a joke so I am not taking it that seriously. However, all jokes aside, I do believe in dreaming bigger and hoping for great. Believing in the best. Having complete faith that in the end, everything will work out.

I want to radiate joy this next year.

I want to radiate love.

I want the love of Christ to shine brightly through my person and my words and my actions.

“In the same way, let your light shine  before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Annie Downs posted on her Instagram today, about December 21st being the darkest day of the year. Today is Winter Solstice. The days have been getting darker earlier. The feeling of darkness can be very powerful. You can easily succumb to it if you allow yourself to. She also encouraged us that light was coming. Lighter days were upon us.

Which is why I chose the word Radiate.

I don’t want darkness to envelope me. I want to expel the light. I want to be salt. I want every single person I encounter to be encouraged and moved toward love and hope. I want every person to know Jesus. Every. Single. Person.

It has become far too easy for us as a society to look for the negative and focus on all the scary, unfortunate, ugly parts of the world today. I haven’t watched the news in a long time, and after this last election, I have purposely decided to limit my social Media feed of most of the bs that is out there. I just can’t do it anymore and I want to highlight something very different in my spaces.

I want far more lovely and good things to fill my mind and my soul.

You will find what you look for.

If you are one who is constantly going to look for the negative, you will have no problem finding it.

Call me foolish, naive, or warn me to have my guard up and protect myself……but I will take being called foolish. Naive. Maybe a little too trusting.

I want to radiate all good, joy, peace, hope, love, perseverance and faith.

Here is to 2022, coming upon us shortly…..I am eager.

Let’s be light. Let’s be salt. May we choose to have the Holy Spirit radiate from ourselves in the days that follow.

Tiffany Rhea