Making Room for Yes

I actually did it.

"No, I'm sorry," I said over the phone. "but I need to work on my book 

if I ever expect to publish it. I can babysit for a couple of hours 

tomorrow though."

Okay. So it wasn't a clean no. I qualified it with a yes for the next day 

but I said no first, something I rarely do. It felt unusual like a sunny 

morning after a week of rain. It also felt like an opportunity and a 

responsibility.

I said no for a specific purpose and needed to take my work seriously. 

How can I expect anyone else to if I won't? So that day I edited two 

difficult chapters and emailed a publisher asking permission to quote 

one of their books. 

Isn't it amazing that the Creator of heaven and earth invites us to work with Him on projects? It pleases Him when we make those things a 

priority. Saying no to friends, family, and phone calls (sometimes) 

enables us to say yes to God more often. It's one way we can thank 

Him for including us in His plans.

God's thoughts about us outnumber the sand (Ps. 139:17,18). For 

those who rarely walk along the ocean's shores let me remind you, no 

one can count the grains of sand. We can't count God's thoughts about 

us either. So much of His truth exceeds our ability to comprehend. 

  

I recently ordered The Best Yes, wise decisions in the midst of endless demands, a book by Lysa Terkeurst. I have a feeling it's one I seriously 

need to read because most of the demands that keep me from saying 

yes to God come from myself.   

The yellow buses have started circling through our neighborhoods again. 

As kids get back into the school routine, it's a good reminder for us to 
continue learning and growing too.