Show Notes
Welcome to season 18 kickoff with our annual tradition of the Word of the Year episode! Each year, we ask God to give us a theme to focus on for the new year and invite you to do the same. After personal prayer and reflection, we share what our words for 2026 mean to us and chat about the Saints journeying with us this year. We are excited to be back and look forward to what this year will bring!
Heather's One Thing - Big God, Little Devil by Dr. Sean Tobin (listen to Dr. Sean on the Restore the Glory Podcast too!) Heather's Other One Thing - Let There Be by Amanda Cook Sister Miriam's One Thing - Friendship in the Lord by Fr. Paul Hinnebusch, OP (buy on Amazon here) Michelle's One Thing - Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
Other Resources Mentioned: Example of Grafting
Announcement: Our 2026 Lenten book study will be "The Way of Trust and Love" by Fr. Jacques Philippe. Scepter Publishers has offered 15% off with the code ABIDE15. They also offer an ebook version as well. We will announce more information about the study in the coming weeks!
Journal Questions: What was my word for 2025? How did the Lord work in and through me with that word? What is my word for 2026? How does my heart sit with the word revealed to me? How is the Lord inviting me into deeper love & intimacy in this new year? What is the Lord asking me to delight in? Has the Lord entrusted a particular saint to journey with you this year?
Discussion Questions: Reflect on and share about your word for 2025 and the graces you encountered through that word. What images, phrases, artwork, or Scripture verses have been on your mind when praying about your word of the year? What is your word for 2026? How did the Lord reveal it to you? Do you feel surprised, apprehensive, or delighted by your word for 2026? How can you hold onto hope this year? What is the Lord asking you to grow in?
Quotes to Ponder: "For last year's words belong to last year's language, and next year's words await another voice." (T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding")
"Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love." (St. Elizabeth of the Trinity)
Scripture for Lectio: "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary." (Isaiah 40:31)
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Timestamps:
00:00 CORDA 01:38 Intro 02:25 Lent Announcement 03:10 Welcome 06:43 Scripture Verse and Quote to Ponder 08:24 Sister Miriam's Word of the Year 12:28 Heather's Word of the Year 17:16 Michelle's Word of the Year 25:13 Being Honest with Ourselves and with God 29:20 Our Saints of the Year 33:18 What if I don't have a Word of the Year? 34:26 One Things
More from Abiding Together
In this episode, we talk about what it means to live an authentically human life in an increasingly digital world. Technology is reshaping the way we live and it affects more than just how we work and play. We reflect on how our thoughts, relationships, and emotions are being influenced, and why we need to be intentional about making space for real, human connection. We share how beauty, creativity, and wonder draw us out of an artificial reality and remind us of the goodness of being human. We also offer practical ideas for finding balance with technology, learning to savor rather than simply consume, and allowing the Lord to rightly order our lives.
In this episode, we reflect on how to integrate the rhythms of the liturgical year into our everyday lives. We talk about the different graces available to us in each liturgical season, and how by living these seasons year after year, we are slowly being taught how to thrive. We also reflect on the value of our attention, what it means to be human, and how sacramentals can help call our attention back to God. Living liturgically is not simply another thing to do, but an invitation to become the women God created us to be.
In this episode, we continue our reflection on the mysteries of our lives by exploring our luminous and glorious mysteries. We talk about how God has been inviting us to trust His plans, especially when they look different from our own. We also share how God has been restoring relationships in our lives, reminding us that He is faithful even when we cannot see the full picture of what He is doing. Through these reflections, we are reminded that when God brings something to light, He is inviting us into a deeper relationship with Him. And that His glory is often revealed through quiet moments of restoration and redemption.
Welcome to Season 19! In this episode, we continue our tradition of reflecting on the mysteries of our lives through the mysteries of the Rosary. In every season of our lives, God invites us to grow in charity, receive His grace, and allow Him to work more deeply in our hearts. It's important to pause from time to time and reflect on how God has been moving in and through our lives. We model what this reflection can look like and share about our joyful and sorrowful mysteries.
To read Sr. Miriam's Letter, visit the Friends of the Bridegroom's website.