Reflections on YES

Since I wrote last, this little word has been on the forefront of my mind. I've dwelled on it's importance, significance, and life-altering ability.

I think of the forefathers of faith who jumped on the wagon with a...No or even a Slow Down. Moses felt he was incapable. Sarah laughed in mockery at God's suggestions. Paul watched the order for Stephen's death to be carried out. Jonah ran as far as he could from the one place God told him to go.

I'm learning more and more, my sin nature screams at the very thing my heart cries YES to as I answer the call of Abba Father.

Sometimes this little answer comes to something big, life-shattering, my world-changing. But others times, it's a stepping stone. It's the prompts of the Holy Spirt that could easily go unknown by the world if we quietly say No.

As I was reminded by Lifeline's executive director Herbie Newell's prayer this weekend, I (we) exist to make God famous. This means every day, I'm given opportunity after opportunity to proclaim his name by saying Yes.

From the beginning, Jamie and I have said we are convinced we're called to this life journey of orphan ministry, but we're even more convinced we're not called to this alone. This last week, I've seen so many Yes' in my life.

• A friend said Yes to God's prompting her to take some of the kids for a morning
• My sweet sister said Yes much more than once to coming to my side
• A friend and her husband said Yes to bringing us dinner at the last minute, completely unexpected.
• A man said Yes to praying for me right then, in my presence.
• A high school gal said Yes to holding my hand while I just blubbered. She never even asked why. She just let me cry.
• A Yes to sending an encouraging text, dropping a phone call, hoping with me...

I could go on and on.

Sometimes, when we watch fellow sisters and brothers in Christ take steps of faith, our tendency is to isolate them. We mean it encouraging. But, in truth, the... You're amazing! I could never! How do you do it? They only isolate.

But...

The littlest Yes' to entering in, holding up one another's arms once again, coming alongside each other, gives us the courage to ignore the lies and believe we can say Yes once again as we make our Savior famous in our obedience.