A few days before Christmas, the five biggest members of our family formed an assembly line around our dining table to fill mason jars with a Nativity Snack Mix that would be delivered to our neighbors later in the week. Nico observed from his high chair as the rest of us filled and sealed sixteen jars, embellishing each one with a tiny sprig of holly. Our table was littered with stray M&Ms and popcorn kernels; Christmas carols played too loudly in the background; the dog raced around the room, waiting for a rogue pretzel to tumble into his mouth. It was a chaotic scene, but a perfect one, and I wholeheartedly agreed with Kali when she exclaimed, “I love days like this, when our whole family is just together doing something fun.” These are the moments that I live for, that I crave above all else. As a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom with a work-from-home husband, I get plenty of moments like these—far more than the average woman. Yet I savor every one . . . or at least I try to.
The life that I have been blessed with is beyond what I could have dreamed for myself. I’m living what will likely be some of the best days of my life. Too often, though, I miss them entirely; my little family goes on living around me while I’m checked out on my phone, zoned out to a podcast, or simply stuck in my head—ruminating over past regrets or fretting about the day’s to-do list, my kids’ future, the plight of people across the world. . . . I’ve been convicted lately of how much time I spend on autopilot, present in body but absent in every way that matters.
Which leads me to my One Word for 2026: Present. It’s the Word God placed on my heart for this year. . . a Word that I wanted to pretend was irrelevant for me but that does, in fact, address a “problem area” in my life. In the past, my Words have been ones I’ve been excited or eager to embrace; this one was chosen with some hesitancy because I know it won’t be an easy one. I also know that saying yes to this Word has the potential to bring about big, important changes in my life.
Present is a unique word with a plethora of definitions: it can be an adjective (in a particular place or existing or occurring right now), a verb (exhibit to others), or a noun (existing or occurring now or a gift). Interestingly, every one of these definitions captures part of what I hope to tap into by embracing PRESENT as my Word this year.
While writing this post, I typed “what does it mean to be present?” into Google and was offered up an AI Overview. As much as I hate relying on AI for anything, I was begrudgingly impressed by the overview’s ability to capture my hopes for Present in 2026: “Being present means fully engaging your attention in the current moment, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, involving focused awareness, sensory engagement, and being fully where your body is to experience life more richly and authentically. It’s about single-tasking, listening deeply, and connecting with your environment and others without distraction, leading to reduced stress, greater appreciation, and better focus.” Yes, and yes please, and yes some more! Yes to all of it!
In embracing Present in 2026, I hope to spend more time being intentional with my husband and my kids, attentive in my interactions with them and noticing their emotions, their words, their needs, and the tiny quirks that would be easy to overlook. I want to be mindful during my conversations with strangers and friends, truly listening to their words, their nuanced inflections, the intent behind what is being spoken. I want to be fully engaged with the books that I read, the art I consume, the scenes flashing before me—taking it all in rather than allowing these things to exist in the periphery of my attention.
This year I want to be less distracted and more present-focused as I participate in daily tasks, even the menial ones, appreciating the sounds and smells and textures within my sphere, acknowledging the good and bad emotions coming up within me as I go about my day, bringing intentionality into jobs that have often been the background of my day but that I’d like to bring to the foreground. As Phylicia Masonheimer writes in Every Home a Foundation, “Like it or not, daily tasks are part of living, evidence of living. I would rather see God in them, a glimpse of eternity in everything I put my hand to, than miss out on wha He might be saying because I thought this work was below my attention.” I do not know what is ahead for me this year, but it will certainly be marked by great joys and deep sorrows, and I want to be genuinely and unequivocally present for all of it.
Embodying Present this year will mean living in the immediate moment—not dwelling on old regrets, or pining over bygone days that I can’t get back, or second-guessing actions of the past. And not worrying obsessively about the hours, days, and years ahead. There is a time and a place for both nostalgia and future preparation, but I want to prioritize the present, the here and now, in 2026.
My Words often have more than one connotation, and that is the case with Present. In addition to being more present within my day-to-day life this year, I also want to practice intentionally recognizing and sitting in the Presence of the Lord. Last year, I was focused on listening for the voice of my Shepherd, and my biggest takeaway from the year is that I can’t hear from God if I’m not giving Him time and space to speak. I believe He is with me, and that He is speaking to me, but His still, small voice can be difficult to discern amid the daily noise pollution I allow to flood my ears and invade my mind. To hear from God, I need to slow down and spend time with Him, sitting in literal and virtual QUIET so that His voice is the only thing I will hear. This year, I want to make more time to be present with my Lord and Savior; I cannot predict what I will hear in those moments, but I know that time with Him—in prayer, in intentionally studying Scripture, in meditating on His Word—is never wasted.
This is my twelfth time choosing One Word to define my year. (Past words have been Shepherd in 2025, Light in 2024, Faithful in 2023, Wholehearted in 2022, Wonder in 2021, Joy in 2020, Abide in 2019 [that was my favorite!], Grace in 2018, Love in 2017, Integrity in 2016, and Open in 2015.) And I know from experience that in order to get the most out of this practice, I need to be both proactive and specific. Beyond just choosing to be more present in 2026, I intend to embrace a few practical strategies. I plan to read at least one book on the subject of Presence each season of the year. I will also engage in seasonal Presence challenges, such as fasting from my phone, engaging in sensory-mindfulness activities, writing gratitude lists, or practicing prayerful meditation. You will undoubtedly be hearing more about these books and these challenges in blog posts throughout the year, so stay tuned!
Have you chosen a Word for 2026? How will you embrace your Word for this year? Whether you choose a single Word, or make New Year’s Resolutions, or just keep doing your best in 2026, my prayer for us all is that this year is one of growth, renewed faith, meaningful relationships, and an overwhelming awareness of God’s goodness and presence in ALL of our lives.
Father God, be present with us this year. We offer 2026 to you, entrusting each moment and each challenge, each triumph and each struggle, each insight and each question into your capable hands.
