From Joy to Freedom: Choosing My Word for 2026

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

2 Corinthians 3:17 

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Every year, I choose a word.

Not a resolution.
Not a long list I’ll abandon by February.
Just one word to come back to when life gets loud, confusing, or quietly heavy.

For 2025, my word was Joy.

Not the loud, bubbly, everything-is-awesome joy.
More like the “choose it even when the house is too quiet” joy.
The “find it in small moments” joy.
The “God, I trust You… even when I don’t love this season” kind of joy.

And honestly?
I didn’t realize how much I needed joy until I started practicing it on purpose.

Joy in ordinary days.
Joy in obedience.
Joy in trusting God when my role as mom shifted and my identity felt a little blurry.

And something unexpected happened.

Joy made room for Freedom.

So for 2026, my word is Freedom.

Because freedom doesn’t just show up one day like a surprise package on your porch.
It grows.

Joy loosens the grip of fear.
Joy quiets comparison.
Joy reminds you that you’re allowed to live fully now — not someday.

And freedom follows.

Freedom from needing to explain my season.
Freedom from guilt over chapters that are already closed.
Freedom from believing I’m behind just because my life doesn’t look like it used to.

This season — empty nesting, going back to college at 57, rebuilding my faith, rediscovering who I am outside of motherhood — has stretched me in ways I didn’t expect.

But it’s also been holy.

God hasn’t just been walking with me.
He’s been gently untying things.

Scripture puts it perfectly:

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
2 Corinthians 3:17

Not freedom as the world defines it.
But freedom to breathe.
Freedom to rest.
Freedom to trust God without controlling the outcome.

Joy taught me how to be present.
Freedom is teaching me how to move forward.

So as I step into 2026, I’m not chasing a feeling — I’m choosing a posture.

Open hands.
Open heart.
No fear of what’s next.

Because freedom doesn’t come from having it all figured out.
It comes from trusting the One who already does.

With love — Kerri

Empty nester • College junior at 57 • Mom of four • MN Goalie Mom
Learning to live the life God is writing in this season

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