As I anticipate my fourth anniversary of living in Denver on January 28, the word I relate to most for 2026 is BLOOM.
Bloom, to me, represents the willingness to wait and wonder before something is completed or achieved. It requires surrendering to the process. There are many behind-the-scenes events leading up to the big reveal. I sense the Holy Spirit transforming me into something more seasoned, wiser, and resilient.
However, sometimes it seems as if nothing new is happening.
But every uneventful day, failure, setback, and season of waiting need not be wasted if I don’t let them be. Blooming starts in the mud. With no fanfare. Nothing in sight.
To bloom is to open oneself to change and then experience the results of that surrender. When a flower opens, it is at the most vulnerable stage of its life cycle, displaying its reproductive parts to attract bees for pollination. Pollination is necessary for seeding.
I find it interesting that everything that leads up to a flower blooming is mostly hidden, and it isn’t until the flower reveals its delicate petals that we know that something miraculous has been at work.
I consider my life a Holy Spirit, God-working-behind-the scenes buildup to my blossoming as a woman now in her sixties, semi-retired, and looking for a way to thrive in the encore years of my life.
Nothing is wasted on our path to becoming.
I finally realized this truth. Oh, I can certainly look back at my life and have tons of regrets. And I have wallowed in them for quite some time. But something has shifted in me as I end my fourth year in Denver. I’m hearing the voice of God differently. One that is kind, soft, forgiving, and mostly encouraging.
I’ve come to understand that much of my life has been spent fixating on how things should turn out, usually seeking validation or acknowledgment from others. However, I’m beginning to realize that sometimes true blossoming is something only I notice—it’s not always apparent to anyone else.
Blooming doesn’t care how many people see your petals.
The grand reveal is not for me but for the glory of God. So, for today, I don’t want to imagine the finished product because I want to get out of the way so God can do this:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
And I hope you embrace this generous promise from God, too! And when we finally bloom, it is a witness to God, ourselves, and others that we’ve accepted the challenges of winter. We are resilient—we didn’t give up; instead, we kept hoping and believing that God is at work every step of the way.
So here are the ways I will give myself freely to the process of blooming in 2026:
- Publishing my second book. I am currently working with my fabulous book coach, Sandra Byrd, on my second book. She provides guidance and developmental edit suggestions as I write my book. When it is published at the end of 2026, I will consider it a full flower bloom, exposing its stamen and pistil for bee pollination to produce more seeds and flowers. It is called “Defined By Love,” and it is my coming-of-age understanding of how the gospel of Christ is truly the best news a person could ever receive.
- Stewarding my book message well. I am taking steps to choose the formats and channels through which to steward the message of my new book in a way that honors God. I will be creating an Author page with links to my books, Dying to Belong and Defined by Love. On this website, I’ll include links to my legacy blog, Feet on Ground Heart in Heaven, and will be using new channels for email distribution and communication.
- Staying at a healthy weight is paramount to me this year. It took me seven months starting in August 2024 to lose 25 pounds, and I have kept it off since then. My right knee is riddled with arthritis, but now that I am sustaining my goal weight, I can walk briskly on the trails behind my house without pain. To keep my weight down, I focus on eating whole foods and not eating past 5:00 p.m. every night, with exceptions for special occasions. And walking every day.
- Nurturing my friendships. What is life without good friends? But friendships require watering and sunlight, just like plants. My local friend pool comes from my beautiful daughter, Lian, and her partner, Cameron; from a wonderful church community; from women in the neighborhood; and from the Re-fined organization, where I volunteer to serve women in recovery homes. Furthermore, I keep in touch with many friends scattered across the United States.
- Staying rooted in the Bible and Christian Community. I love my church, Lifegate Denver. Nirup Alphonse and the other pastors provide rich, thoughtful, well-researched lessons from the Bible. Nirup has challenged us to read the entire bible in three months by giving a Bible plan we can follow. As a fast reader, I will need one hour a day to read the Bible. And I can genuinely say that the quality of Lifegate’s music team helps us praise God together in a way that heightens our appreciation of our loving Savior.
- Continuing to work remotely for the Banc of California for 24 hours a week in 2026. Last year, I transitioned from building reporting solutions using SQL Server Reporting Services to Power BI. I love SQL coding and data visualizations!!
- Enjoying Nature in Colorado. I don’t have trips planned yet, but I want to see more of Colorado’s natural beauty. And now that my passport is renewed, I am praying about a trip to Europe.
2026 is going to be the year of blooming, and I hope it will be that kind of year for you too.
Below is a poem I wrote about my word for 2026.
Bloom
Who am I?
I am rooted and dormant in the ground
Insulated by my snowy, protective covering
Until I feel the warmth of the sun, I accept the cold—it’s a necessary part of my re-emergence
With the arrival of spring, my stems appear, breaking through the gradually softening earth.
The curtain call has arrived. I have bloomed!
My colors are vibrant, and I am grateful
Another year of vulnerability, of exposing my inner beauty to the world
And I surrender to the cycle—knowing my delicate petals will fall to the ground, and I’ll go back to my dormant state again, entering the waiting period.
I am sustained by knowing I will bloom again.
Who am I?
I am the perennial.
Below is the artist’s website link for the image featured in this blog.
KIM ROBBINS | ARTIST & PHOTOGRAPHER
Here is a link to my first published book on Amazon. Amazon.com : Dying to belong
Link to the website of my book coach: Sandra Byrd
