I have taken on a word of the year each of the past several years. It is a way to focus on life and pay attention to what is happening through a lens. That lens for me is a lens of Christ and the Bible. So, fruitfulness is how I’d like to see my life this year. I hope there will be great fruit in 2025. 2025, a year of fruitfulness:

Working for the glory of God

Living in a Christlike manner

Fulfilling my purpose in Christ

Proclaiming the Gospel

Utilizing my Spirit-given gifts

Fruitfulness is a metaphor for living in Christ and in a way that glorifies God. I want to glorify God all the time and feel that I need practice at it (well, I guess that is the life of a Christian, living to give God the glory). So, perhaps what I mean to say is that I want to focus and intentionally give God the glory in all I do. Maybe I do already, but I have a feeling this is something we work all our lives to perfect, to complete.

Some of the Bible verses that we most frequently consider about fruitfulness are John 15 (the vine) and the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5). Fruit is a pretty big part of Genesis too. I’m looking forward to what else I see in the Bible about fruit and bearing fruit.

Fruitfulness is perhaps an outcome rather than a process or attitude. I may regret that, but I want to make my life better (which may be hard because I think my life is pretty good!), or more Christlike (always something to work on). I want that fruit to then be harvested and impact others, a harvest is rarely only for the one who grows it.

I want to produce fruit in this blog, in publishing, in relationships, in character. Some of this is already a goal (I work well with goals for work), but some relies on others and on my gumption to make changes to relationships. I hope for fruitfulness.

What is your definition of fruitfulness? What challenges do you see ahead in a year of fruitfulness? Drop a note below.