The Call to Intentional Beginnings
As the New Year dawned, my social feeds became a mosaic of aspirations and yearly intentions. The daily scroll revealed friends, family members, and influential peers sharing their guiding words with personal resolutions for 2024. It was a tapestry of ambition and reflection, with each word a beacon for the path ahead. Watching this, I felt an urge to pause and partake in this intentional beginning. I asked myself the question, what’s my word for 2024?
The Quest for a Word That Fits
I toyed with words dressed in the allure of tomorrow, words promising leaps and bounds. But then, I paused, considering words of roots and quiet strength. Close, but no cigar. I needed a word that felt like me, one that stood for my way of life, not just a notion or a nice thought.
“Plow” Breaks the Ground
In search of clarity, I turned to a trusted advisor, a compass of sorts in my life, to discuss the value of this endeavor. Their response was immediate and unanticipated: “Plow.”
Plow? The word struck me with the weight of a yoke of oxen. More than a tool for the fields, it became a metaphor for the work before me. It’s about the true grit behind any achievement. It spoke of my faith journey – the call not to lead unquestioningly but to follow with conviction, to tread a path laid down by a greater force.
The Biblical Roots of “Plow”: A Guiding Scripture for My Year
In the Bible, the word “plow” symbolizes the start of a journey and the commitment required to follow through. Luke 9:62 says, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” This verse reminded me of the focus and dedication needed to make real change – to create straight paths in land and life.
Grounding Achievements in Reality
My professional achievements, as lustrous as they may appear to some, were akin to fields tirelessly tilled – rewarding yet relentlessly demanding. “Plow” whispered the promise of intentionality, the art of steering one’s course with purposeful strokes.
It’s a nod to the hard-earned successes that only comes from rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty. It reflects my Midwest heritage—a testament to authenticity and steadfastness.
It echoed the agricultural rhythms mirrored in life’s harvest cadences – to plow, to sow, to nurture, to harvest, and to do it all over again. It embodied determination, the steadfast march forward, and the wisdom of keeping one’s gaze fixed on the goals ahead. Looking back would only lead to a plowed field of disarray, not the straight lines of progress I yearned to achieve.
“Plow” as My True North
For 2024, “Plow” is my compass. It’s about carving a path forward with intention and precision. It’s about the humility to work the land of opportunity before me and the wisdom to never glance backward with regret. “Plow” is my commitment to the ebb and flow of life – the cycle of preparing, planting, nurturing, and harvesting. It’s the daily grind that turns dreams into reality. It’s about the small, consistent efforts accumulating into a bountiful yield.
Embracing the Seasons of Growth
As I stand ready at the edge of this year’s field, I’m reminded that “Plow” is more than just a word – it’s my mission. It’s a commitment to action, a respect for the cycles of growth, and a nod to the diligent farmer in us all, tending to the crops of our endeavors. Here’s to a year of purposeful action, steadfast growth, and the fruits of a well-tilled life. Standing in my first row in 2024, I hold my plow steady, eyes on the horizon, ready to furrow forward with resilience and hope.
