Choose Your One Word Wisely

by Audra Harders

Hello Friends, and Happy New Year!

Many writers have joined the trend to choose a One Word for the year. The One Word represents something they wish to change, accomplish or a multitude of other reasons particular to that person, for the year. 

Instead of talking about my One Word choice for this year, I’d like to share with you my word for last year and how my life surprisingly revolved around it. My One Word for 2022 was:

When I chose the word, I knew I was at a crossroads for many things - family, faith, future. Nothing was meshing together for me any longer so I needed to “defrag” (a button I push on my computer frequently to clean up my harddrive) my brain and my life. I chose this word at the beginning of December 2021 when my local writing friends and I got together to reflect on the year and plan the next.

GENESIS did not wait to step into action!

Over the New Year weekend 21-22, Boulder County experienced a massive wildfire that wiped out two towns almost to entirety. In my office - due to a mass EXODUS of co-workers during 2021 - I was the only person able to update our Extension website for our office with resources to help the multitude of people affected by this disaster. My reasons are many, but this event triggered my decision to retire from the day job a year earlier than planned. I was mentally tired and the thought of doing the job of 2 or 3 people until vacancies could be filled was the impetus for telling my director on January 3, I planned to retire at the end of March.

Without financial income. Without a plan for my future. Without a net.

But I did have the blessing of my husband and kids. And the quiet blessing of my Lord who removed all anxiety over the decision.

My year of GENESIS had begun.

I will not bore you will all the personal blessings I discovered throughout the year - oh my, I think you’d click off this post and go “phew, enough of that!” LOL!! But I would like to describe my writing GENESIS.

As I said, I didn’t have game plan other than enjoying freedom, spending time with my loving aunt (the last of the older generation on both sides of my family), and regrouping to kickstart my writing career.

Well…the first two were accomplished easily enough. The writing? The more I tried, the more confused and frustrated I became.

I wanted GENESIS to cover my writing - a career I’d put on hold for so many reasons.

But, the words and inspiration would not come.

I didn’t fight it, though I was deeply disappointed. Instead, I turned to books written by authors I loved and respected, and discovered works by new authors fed to me through BookBub.

Over the past couple of years, I had created a fictional town in the mountains of Colorado. I had planned to work on that series. Contemporary inspirational romance.

But my tastes in reading had honed in on historical romance - mainly the Victorian era. I gobbled up story after delightful story and discovered a nugget of desire to research the time period.

By the end of summer, I had gathered together the research and works of a series I had created at the start of my writing journey oh so many years ago. Originally, the series was set in the Regency era, but I had a strong desire to set the books in Victorian times. 

Frankly, nothing was making sense about this entire change of heart. Though two of my original books had won numerous unpubbed contests - including the GENESIS (ACFW contest for Unpublished writers) - I couldn’t really figure out what to do with the stories to fit into my new inspiration.

And then I attended the ACFW conference with one of my local writing buddies in St. Louis, MO. That’s where it all changed. I found my direction. 

I had one of the most incredible GENESIS moments of all.

At that conference, we prayed together in the hotel room for wisdom and guidance in writing and all aspects of life. 

The ideas started flowing.

I filled pages of my notebook with handwritten plots and characters.

I mapped how the series would flow together.

I came home with 7 plotted novellas that stemmed from the over-arcing novel that would pull the entire adventure together.

This entire post took you through my year with a One Word I’d hoped to use to renew my spirit. It did that and so much more. 

If you ascribe to the One Word beacon of fulfillment for the year, I recommend you pray over it and choose wisely. Always remember, the Lord has plans for you. Do not disregard His path when you grow weary along the way. He’s chosen you for special things. Accomplishments in His Name so special we’ll be humbled by His faith in us.

He will rejuvenate your spirit as He did mine.

He will lead you.

He will never leave you.

Oh, and by the way, my One Word for 2023 is DISCERNMENT. I’ll let you know how that goes next January!

Do you have a One Word? Share and let’s talk about how it might shape your year! 

We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 RSV

Audra Harders writes "rugged stories with heart" featuring fearless men who haven't a clue about relationships, rescued by ladies who think they have all the answers. In real life, she's married to her own patient hero, has two adult children, and a very strong-willed Corgi. She began writing right after her second kidlet was born and sold her first book to Love Inspired mere months before that same young adult graduated from high school. Surviving those years in between reminds her God does have a plan for her life...and that He has a tremendous sense of humor. You can visit Audra at:

Website: www.audraharders.com