Waterproof: 2024 Word of the Year

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

Matthew 14:29

This re-telling of Peter walking on water keeps running through my mind as I think about my "word of the year" for 2024. By the end of 2023, I had totally forgotten my word of the year, so did it even matter if I picked one?

This year -- 2024 -- is particularly impactful for our family as our oldest child graduates from high school, chooses a college, and moves away from home. I'm gonna need a word to hang on to for sure this year. But nothing seemed to fit.

In church this morning, New Year's Eve, we sang the chorus "Good Good Father" and I remembered the first time I heard that song sitting at children's camp with my son. He was in upper elementary school at the time, and we were having the time of our lives at Shocco Springs with the Studen Life 4 Kids summer camp.

Tears sprang to my eyes as I recalled the four days each summer we spent in Alabama worshiping, studying God's word, and playing in the lake. What a joy and privilege it has been to be a parent to these kids. What fun we've had together. What a Good Good Father to grant me this time with these kids.

And how thankful I was in that moment to be wearing waterproof mascara.

Which brought me back to Peter walking on water. Which makes him waterproof, right?

I want that kind of faith in 2024.

I'm going to have to surrender control of people and decisions I've been in charge of for a long time. It's going to take a lot of faith that God is in control, even when I have to let go, to not continually worry about the decisions being made. I want to coach and counsel, but I won't make it very far without wrestling back control unless my eyes are focused on Jesus.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need that waterproof mascara a whole lot in 2024.