If you’ve listened to Fairest Love’s latest podcast: Single, Not Stalled, you’ve probably heard Katie and Monica talking about picking a word and a Saint to set your focus for 2025. This time of year, many of us feel inspired to set goals or resolutions that reflect the changes we hope to see in our lives. While traditional resolutions can be helpful, perhaps a more meaningful way to approach the new year is by choosing a word of the year and a saint of the year. These two choices can guide your thoughts, actions, and prayers, offering spiritual focus and direction for 2025.

Here’s how to pick your word and saint of the year, why they matter, and how they can help you deepen your faith and embrace growth in the year ahead.

What Is a Word of the Year?

A word of the year is a single word or phrase that encapsulates your hopes, goals, or focus for the coming year. Unlike resolutions, which are often task-based, your word serves as a guiding principle—something to anchor you spiritually, mentally, and emotionally as you navigate the ups and downs of the year.

Your word can reflect an area where you hope to grow, a quality you want to cultivate, or a mindset you’d like to adopt. For example:

• Peace if you’re seeking calm and clarity in a chaotic season.
• Trust if you’re learning to rely more on God’s timing and plan.
• Joy if you want to focus on gratitude and finding beauty in the everyday.
• Discipline if you’re striving for greater consistency in prayer or other areas of your life.
• Courage if you’re preparing to step out in faith or face challenges head-on.

Your word serves as a touchstone throughout the year, gently reminding you of your purpose and keeping you aligned with your spiritual and personal goals.

What Is a Saint of the Year?

Choosing a saint of the year adds a deeper spiritual dimension to your journey. The saint you select (or feel called to) can serve as a role model, intercessor, and spiritual companion as you live out your chosen word.

Each saint offers unique virtues and life lessons. For example:

• St. Thérèse of Lisieux (The Little Flower) could inspire you to focus on small acts of love and humility.
• St. Joseph might encourage you to trust in God’s plan, especially in times of uncertainty.
• St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) could guide you to serve others selflessly and with great love.
• St. Ignatius of Loyola might help you discern God’s will and align your choices with His purpose.
• St. Joan of Arc could inspire courage and boldness in facing challenges.

Your saint becomes a source of wisdom and support, offering prayers on your behalf and encouraging you to grow in virtue.

How to Choose Your Word and Saint for 2025

Here are some steps to help you prayerfully select your word and saint:

1. Reflect on the Past Year

Take some time to think about 2024. What were your greatest joys? What challenges did you face? What areas of your life feel most in need of growth or change? Use these reflections to identify a theme or focus for the year ahead.

2. Pray for Guidance

Ask God to help you discern your word and saint. Spend time in prayer, reflecting on Scripture or journaling about your hopes for 2025. Sometimes, a word or saint will come to mind naturally during this process.

3. Consider Your Goals

Think about the habits, mindsets, or virtues you’d like to develop. For example, if you want to grow in patience, you might choose St. Monica as your saint, as her life exemplifies perseverance in prayer and trust in God.

4. Explore Saints’ Lives

If you’re unsure which saint to choose, research the lives of saints who inspire you or are connected to your chosen word. Online resources and “saint of the year” generators can also help you discover a saint that resonates with your spiritual journey.

5. Trust the Process

Your word and saint don’t have to feel “perfect” right away. Trust that God will guide you to the right choices and that they will become meaningful as you live them out throughout the year.

Living Out Your Word and Saint of the Year

Once you’ve chosen your word and saint, the next step is to integrate them into your daily life. Here’s how to stay focused on them throughout the year:

• Reflect Regularly: Keep your word and saint visible by writing them in your planner, placing them on your prayer altar, or creating a visual reminder (like a sticky note or desktop background). Reflect on how your word is shaping your choices and actions.
  
• Pray with Your Saint: Develop a habit of asking your saint for intercession in your daily prayers. Read about their life and look for ways to emulate their virtues in your own journey.
  
• Incorporate Scripture: Find Bible verses that align with your word and meditate on them regularly. For example, if your word is Trust, reflect on Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.”
  
• Journal Your Journey: Use a journal to track your progress and insights throughout the year. Write about how your word is influencing your decisions, how your saint is inspiring you, and any challenges you’re facing.
  
• Celebrate Growth: At the end of each month or quarter, take time to celebrate the ways you’ve grown. Remember that even small steps are meaningful and that God is working in you every day.

A Word and a Saint for a Transformative Year

Choosing a word and a saint for 2025 can set a positive, spiritually grounded tone for the year ahead. Your word serves as a guiding principle, helping you stay focused on growth, while your saint offers inspiration, prayers, and support as you navigate life’s joys and challenges.

As you prepare to welcome the new year, ask God to guide your heart toward the word and saint that will help you grow closer to Him and become the person He created you to be. With His grace and the example of the saints, 2025 can be a year of transformation, faith, and purpose.

What will your word and saint for 2025 be? Let us know in the comments or share your journey with us as we all step into the new year together!