Star Word 2025 - This time for real.

Today I was going through things in preparation for a trip to Seattle tomorrow, and lo and behold I found my actual 2025 star word: enthusiasm. I haven't posted about this word until now, but I did talk about it in a sermon in January.  Here's what I said:

Last Sunday we got star words...

My word for this year is "enthusiasm." As I’ve said before, I often don’t like my word at first, but this year's word felt particularly inappropriate for someone like me who has been dealing with depression over the last couple of years. Enthusiasm is too much to ask.

But then I did some digging, and it turns out that "enthusiasm" comes from the Greek word Enthousiazein which means “be inspired or possessed by God." The root of this word is “en theos.” In God.

Enthusiasm is not something I need to try to manufacture. It is the Spirit of God in me. It brings me right back to my frogs. Fully Rely on God. Trusting that God is with me, loves me, wants the best for me.

What if God is doing something new, something greater in us?

To turn water into wine, Jesus asked that they fill the jars with water, then draw some water out of the jar and take it to the wine steward. Jesus used what they had and turned it into

something better.

What are we holding back out of fear that needs to fill the jars and become wine?

Are we willing to be enthused?

Enthusiasm is challenging.  But passion and whole hearted trust in God will carry us beyond our expectations because God will carry us beyond our expectations. 

Thanks, God.