2018 the international year of …?

2008 was the International Year of Languages (and the international year of the Potato)

Back in January 2008 I discovered that it was both the International Year of Languages and the International Year of the Potato. (a few of my facebook friends joined the now defunct experimental facebook group celebrating both)

More recently the UN had declared 2016 to be the ‘International Year of Pulses ‘, yet for many it was marked more by being the year of mindfulness colouring books went mainstream and distracted people from paying proper attention to and interesting US election campaigns.

2017 was International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 

2019 will be the International year of Indigenous Languages thanks to a UN resolution (and also the international year of moderation thanks to anther one). The UN hasn’t actually declared 2018 as the year of anything.

Like most years some of the real defining features won’t be clear until the end of the year.

I’m sure 2018 will continue to be a year of suffering, hardship, and persecution for many people, including Christians persecuted for their faith, but like every year it will also be a year of hope and a year of celebration!

Throughout 2018 and 2019 there will be a lot of people who will celebrate the publication of a Bible, New Testament, or portion of scripture in their language for the first time ever. Other will celebrate the launch of reprints, revisions or the launch of new scripture in a new format such as a video, audio recording or Bible app.

There will also be people who simply haven’t known or haven’t cared that the Bible is available in their language, or haven’t known how to access it.

Readers of other posts on this blog will know those are things I focus on quite a bit, but I’ll also be looking out for what other things God will be doing in 2018.

It’s still early enough in the year to make some plans and set some goals. What do you hope to remember 2018 by?