2026 Word of the Year – WORD

Okay, Roseanna. You’re getting a little too literal here. Last year you chose the word choose. And this year, your word is WORD?

Yeah, I know. A little too on the nose, as my husband laughingly said. But bear with me, LOL.

I sat down last Saturday to prayerfully consider my word, and I decided to start the day with the liturgical readings. December 27 is the feast day of St. John the Apostle…as in, the Gospel and Letter writer. John, known for his poetic opening lines that we all know so well:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. … ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Other options on my shortlist were rejoice, peace, light-bearer, and reflect. All things I saw in that scripture reading, all things which resonated with that pivotal word: the Word. The logos, as it is in Greek–a word with so complex a meaning that its entry in the lexicon is pages long.

Word. We might think of it as something simple–but it is far from it. It’s a creative force, the thing by which, the person through which, the entirety of the universe was created.

Words. Those things as critical to me as air. The things through which we communicate not only with each other but with God. The things by which I make my living.

I love words. This is no surprise. I am a self-proclaimed “word nerd.” I love the history of words, those etymologies I bring you every Monday. I love playing with them, finding new turns of phrase, using them to bring people and places and events to life for my readers.

But as I considered choosing such an obvious word as WORD for my “word of the year” (see how many times I had to use it just in that sentence? LOL. RIDICULOUS!), I nearly dismissed it for its lack of subtlety…but couldn’t, because it summed up what I want my focus to be this year.

I plan to write a LOT. I plan to read a lot. This is a given.

But as I’m writing and reading, I don’t want my focus only to be on my words. I want my focus to be on the Word I’m striving to reflect. The Word who shone in the darkness and who made me to be His light-bearer too, casting His light into all the dark places in our own hearts–in my heart. I want to cling to the Word who breathes peace into my heart even through troubles and travails and hard seasons. I want to shout the Word who puts joy in my heart and encourages me to rejoice in all things.

He is the Word of joy, of peace, of light that we are to carry forth and reflect.

So yes, for a writer, choosing WORD as my “word of the year” might seem like overkill. But as I write at least 7 books in the next calendar year (quite likely more), there are going to be a lot of words spilling out of my mind, through my fingers, and onto the page. Words that I hope entertain you, yes. Words that I hope keep you company and make you smile.

But this year, as I’ll yet again be going through cancer treatments, I’m keenly aware of how important each word I speak, write, pray, read, and think really are.

Our words are how the world knows us. Our words are how our thoughts are shaped; and those thoughts become our beliefs and our actions. Our words are forceful, creative things–and they can also be destructive things.

I want to remain aware of how I’m using all of mine. I want to be sure that all my words are worthy of the Word.

I have long claimed as one of my guiding verses 1 Samuel 3:19, where it says that the Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and “none of his words fell to the ground.”

That has always been my prayer as a writer. That none of my words fall to the ground, useless or destructive. I want my words to edify. To glorify Him.

What better word to guide a year that may well rack up more words in my count than any before?

Lord, let my words be a reflection of Your Word (the Bible) and Your Word (Jesus). May this year be one in which I remain always aware of the power you put in each of our hands with this gift of speech, of writing. 

May 2026 be a year of light shining in the darkness. A year in which He speaks peace into our lives and hearts. A year of praises sung to Him, with shouts of the words “Glory!” and “Hallelujah!” May each word we choose to let into our lives be ones of edification…words worthy of the Word.

Have you chosen a Word of the Year for 2026? I’d love for you to share it with me!