My One Word for 2014: Surrender

verb (used with object)

1.

to yield (something) to the possession or power of another; deliver up possession of on demand orunder duress: to surrender the fort to the enemy; to surrender the stolen goods to the police.

2.

to give (oneself) up, as to the police.

3.

to give (oneself) up to some influence, course, emotion, etc.: He surrendered himself to a life of hardship.

4.

to give up, abandon, or relinquish (comfort, hope, etc.).

5.

to yield or resign (an office, privilege, etc.) in favor of another.

verb (used without object)

6.

to give oneself up, as into the power of another; submit or yield.

noun

7.

the act or an instance of surrendering.

8.

Insurance. the voluntary abandonment of a life-insurance policy by the owner for any of its nonforfeiture values.

9.

the deed by which a legal surrendering is made.

I copied and pasted this right from dictionary.com. It almost seems like the very definition leads people to believe that surrender is a bad thing. It is negative. You lose control or lose power in some fashion or other. 

If you assume that all surrender is bad, you're dead wrong. In 2014, I am focusing on the word 'surrender.' I want to give up all of the bad elements in my life. I want to abandon unhealthy habits. I want to relinquish all problems and give them up to God. I hope to surrender my life to God's will and allow him to take control.

I hope that God uses this year to transform me in the best way possible. I know that in 2013, He used my one word, 'trust,' to get me in the exact position I needed to be in to succeed as a teacher, mother, and a person. I'm happy overall with the outcome of 2013 and I expect great things to happen in 2014.

I just need to "let go and let God." 

--A