From Tots to Teens ~ I Said YES!

To Jesus entering my heart 5 yrs ago.

To Jesus ruling our home and lives.

To God who called us to adopt two sweet boys.

To God who called again to adopt a 4 yr old littler girl.

To God who called again to adopt a newborn baby boy.

To God who called again to adopt his baby sister.

To God who called only two months after she was ours to adopt a 4 yr old boy.

I said yes, over and over again. Even when at times I wanted to say no.

Saying yes meant I would enter into a deep relationship with God – doing things His way and NOT mine.

Saying yes meant I would learn to trust God like I have never trusted anyone or anything.

Saying yes meant I would learn the spiritual law personally that you reap what you sow – sometimes quickly but always in abundance.

Saying yes meant I would learn what it means to die to self (selfishness) and become the new creation He made me the moment I became His.

Saying yes meant I would no longer live for me but for Him.

Saying yes meant that when I forgot about what it meant to say yes, He would remind me.

Saying yes meant that I would learn all about mercy, grace, healing and love!

Saying yes also meant that I would learn how and when to say no.

I said yes once again last year when God called to say another child was waiting to me ours.

I said yes when God showed me the deepest and darkest places of my heart that He wanted to shine His light into before she came home.

I said yes when God used my trip to the distant land where she was waiting to bring me to my knees for His children and people that are rejected by their country.

A mother and her child lay naked in only a blanket sleeping on the street.

I said yes when God asked me to be a voice for the voiceless and walk silently by their side from my home daily in prayer

Today I praise God as He is moving mountains for these precious people, and bringing others alongside whose voices would be heard across this land.

Check out Project 61 and Help 4 Korah.

Saying yes sometimes hurts.

Saying yes can be very scary.

Saying yes caused me to look at myself in a way I never have before.

Saying yes brought healing that I have longed to receive and never found.

Saying yes taught me what faith really looks like and what it doesn’t.

Saying yes taught me about humility.

Saying yes taught me about strength – not in myself but in HIM ALONE!

Saying yes taught me to let go of everything I once held dear and thank God for what He calls priceless – loving me and me loving Him!

Saying yes taught me that I need Him for everything and without Him being the mother He called me to be is impossible!

Saying yes has taught me the greatest lessons in life about love, marriage, give and take, respect and honor.

Saying yes has taught me to listen – not to what I want to hear – but what He wants to say and teach me.

Saying yes taught me that first time obedience to God is a must or I will reap the consequence of my choice to disobey Him.

And that is where I am today.

I have learned to say yes to God when He is telling me it is time to say no.

For the last month I have felt God ask me to let go of some things so that I would have room for the things He wanted me to be focusing on more.

I couldn’t seem to find the time to have my posts ready for the schedule here on Totally Tots. I didn’t even know what I would write about until sometimes two days before because that is how it works for me when I am waiting to hear from God on topics to share here or on our family blog.

Our family is walking on a new journey, one that is drawing us ever so close to God and each other. This journey needs my focus and time. I am being called to a new level of helpmate (wife) and mother. I am being refined in ways that nothing else could. I am being washed by the power of His love, His word and truth! I am learning to live under His grace, powered by His love and walk step by step in faith wherever this journey leads us.

My hope in sharing this with you is this:

#1 That you will desire to say yes to God no matter what He is asking you. He is faithful. He will get you through it. He will sustain you, strengthen you and empower you for every detail along the way.

#2 That you too will learn that saying no to the world and everything it says is important, is actually saying YES TO GOD being the LORD of your life.

#3 That you will teach your children to listen for God’s still soft voice and obey whatever He asks of you. They learn by what is caught more than what is taught. Let your words be few and your actions speak volumes!

#4 That you don’t have to be a yes person to everyone and every ministry – nor should we be yes parents all of the time (if we do, it stops God from being able to provide what He desires to give us and knows is best!). That you only need be a YES person to GOD. The Author and Finisher of our faith.

#5 That you will desire to walk worthy of His love for us and grace that He pours out – which I stand in awe over, because truly none of us are worthy.

#6 That you will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior so deeply your life will become a living testimony of His faithfulness, and love for you.

I am thankful for the time I spent preparing each post for Totally Tots and blessed by this group of godly women. I look forward to following along here and will guest post as the Lord leads and tells me yes.

Until then friends – shine on and I pray you will continue to follow along our journey walking on the good path, the lighted road ahead and the place I love to call home – His loving arms which hold me up every single day!