yes

So I've been reading Ann Voskamp's book 1000 Gifts.  This book is unlike anything I've ever read before!  It is challenging, but not threatening; encouraging but not patronizing.  It is one woman's journey and yet it could be every person's journey if they so chose.

Our Bible study group is supposed to be reading chapter 10 this week, but I've been having a hard time letting go of chapter 8.  (By that I mean I've only read half of chapter 9 and even what I've read I've barely retained because I keep thinking about her words on the previous pages.)

I thought maybe if I shared what the Lord has been whispering to me with YOU, I might be able to move on - and get the rest of my reading done by Wednesday morning!

I'm not going to give any context here - if you want it, go get the book (or put it on your Christmas list, you won't regret it!).  Here is the quote that begins with a verse:

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ"
 (2 Corinthians 1:20)
   Yes in Christ!
   To the Enfleshed Yes [Jesus] who said yes to this moment and yes to last year's illness and yes to the cracks of my childhood and yes to the nail and yes to my name in the Book of Life, hear me say YES!  Not "I'm worried." Not "I'm stressed out."  Not "I'm anxious."  Not "I'm too afraid."  Hear me say thank you.  Hear me say YES!  Watch me live a life of yes.  To all that was and is and is to come.  The power of sin and death and fear-sent-from-the-Enemy are forever ended because we can trust in the bridge even if it's caving, in God even when it's black, in manna-nourishment even when we don't know what it is.  The God whom we thank for fulfilling the promises of the past will fulfill His promises again.  In Christ, the answer to the questions of every moment is always Yes.
  The answer is always YES!

It reminded me of a time when God called our little family to say Yes to the unknown future.  When He asked if we would be obedient to Him even if we didn't know where we would go, what we would do, how we would survive.  It reminded me of the song He used to bring us to our knees in submission to His will for our life.

The song is Yes.

And today I look back and I see that the answers to His promises then were indeed yes - for our good, for His glory.

And today I hear Him ask me again - will you say YES?

Will you let go of yourself and your plans and your idea of what is good and appropriate and deserved and simply say yes to what I have in store for you?  Will you give Me the opportunity to show you all the yes-es to My promises?   I will never leave you.  I will never forsake you.  Do not be afraid.  Just say...YES.

How are you saying YES to God?