Saying "YES" for a year changed my Life (and how it can change yours too!)

Hey Ladies,

This week I'm coming back with an older post that I believe will be a blessing for you in this time. Where we have many successes, we've had just as many losses. We've experienced joy beyond belief, but tears we could never imagined. With that, I am now comfortable to share my revelation and newfound knowledge with you.

But first, I wanted to pose this question to you.

What would you do if you could say "Yes" for exacly one year?

I know what you're probably thinking, "Isn't that a bit extreme?" and "Why is she asking me this question?" or "How could this possibly be revelant to me?"

Let me explain.

If you didn't already know, there is this movie on Netflix called "Yes Day," which now I can say has inspired me to write this blog post. Full disclaimer, it is categorized as a "family friendly" film. However, looking back I believe that it still carries a lot of meaning for us as believers today. Nonetheless, the movie prefaces itself around a middle class suburban family with three children who feel that they are missing out on some of the same experiences of people their age, mainly because their parents were overprotective and "lame." And as the movie's title suggest these characters go on a very exciting journey of saying yes to their kids for an entire day.

Why I decided to do the "YES" Challenge

I'll quickly introduce myself here, for those who are new. My name is Rebecca and I'm 23 years old and I am not ashamed to admit that I am that person who is almost always overly anxious and worried. So when God established this sudden quickness in my spirit to partake in this challenge, I was a bit apprehensive about what to expect. I knew that I had gotten fed up with waiting and being scared, but that didn't mean that I was prepared for what was going to happen next. I was ready and willing to do whatever it took for me to experience God in a new way. That's when I was reminded me of 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV that says,

"For God had not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of sound mind."

Now, this verse is extra special to me because it's one that has been with me since the very beginning of my walk with Christ. This was a verse that remained imprinted into my heart for the years that followed after I was initally saved. It's been with me through various seasons and stages of my life where I questioned everything. I knew the challenge wouldn't have been easy but it would be impactful because in no way did God say that I would be doing it alone. It was because God gave me access to His Spirit that I had everything I needed to get through it wiser, stronger and more confident than before. Even still, I was in no way prepared for what was going to happen next. Little did I know, the next few months were going to be filled with unexpected choices that would impact me deeply even if I didn't know it then.

Thinking back, I wish I knew then what I know now. That I could get a chance to do certain things over, the right way. The good news is this: God still sees our dreams, desires and plans. He is the one who placed them in our hearts. And He will honor them in spite of our mistakes and our messes if it is in His will. He still chooses us regardless of whether we choose Him. Our value doesn't decrease in His eyes no matter if we do things that disappoint Him. He knows everything about us. He still loves us and He gives us chance after chance to build our lives with integrity and wisdom through Him.

Yet, that's the thing. We unintentionally fall into one of two extremes where we ask God to bless us and gift us with businesses and talents and opportunities to thrive, but we neglect to prepare effectively. Or we can get caught up planning so much, that we miss the real chance to let life happen. We often forget that life doesn't just happen to us, but for us.

Be thankful for the things that God allows and what he doesn't even if what you are experiencing feels difficult. It's about creating spontaneity just as much as it is really having a plan.

The truth is that a plan just acts as a safety net. No amount of planning or not planning can pull you away from the blessings that the Lord has for you when the Lord is your safety net.

You can plan and plan, but the Lord's way will always prevail (Proverbs 16:9). That's what the last year felt like. It was the Lord's way of telling me, it was no longer my job to be in the driving seat, but to understand that He will call and direct me to where I need to go. If I had to explain what the last year was like, I'd definitely say it was as messy and scary and exilaherating all at once. But I would love to experience it all over again.

Post Challenge Revelations

If there was a few things I learned through this season that I would like to share with you below.

1. There is a strong need for wisdom and maturity in this season.

2. Correction doesn't mean automatically equal disqualified.

3. The race isn't over because they claimed a winner; the winner is the one who still trains in and out of season because they know there will be more races to come. (Galatians 6:7-9)

As we enter into the final quarter of the year, I ask that we don't forget to include God as we press in and seek to accomplish our goals and begin to mull over what we desire to see next.

I sincerely pray that this post continues to inspire you to give God your YES. I pray that your YES continues to open the doors that you have been praying so hard for. I pray your YES disqualifies every no you've come across in the past. I pray your YES doesn't come back void, but leads you into even deeper fellowship with who Christ is and what he does. I pray your YES means that you are 100% ready to experience the best, most scariest year of your life. If not your best, then your most fulfilling. But, I guarentee you will not be let down. Your YES is essential to God. Your YES gives God the room to truly move in your life. Most importantly, I pray that in your YES moment, you recognize that when you say YES that it isn't just limited to a single, unrelated moment. But, that your YES is a doorway to unlocking so many other YES moments. As the daughter of the one true King, he would never try to deny you of anything if you position yourself at his feet.

Say it with me: "This is my YES year! I deserve to finally say YES to myself and accomplish my dreams. I can say YES. I don't have to wait for permission. My year of YES."

This is the year your YES causes you to fall foward.

Will you say YES with me? Will this be the year you stop planning and finally start becoming? Have you decided if this is your "YES" year? If you agree, type YES in the comments.