saying yes.

Last week in the middle of VBS our high school girl's Bible study started. Officially, though, yesterday was our first day of digging into our book titled, "What Happens When Young Women Say Yes To God" by Lysa TerKeurst. In this first chapter she shared the prayer that she prays every morning before getting out of bed... here it tis:

God, I want to see You.
God, I want to hear You.
God, I want to know You.
God, I want to follow hard after You.

It may seem very vague, but yesterday we talked about those seasons in life where we have to add to that prayer "I WANT TO WANT..." Today, that was my prayer that I wrote in my journal before my day had taken it's course. I've been out of it, especially today, and I have been asking for compassion in the toughest, easiest-to-get-angry areas. Hence, at least for now, I pray that I would want to want those things. It doesn't mean I don't love Jesus, it just means that I need to consistently continue to refocus my eyes.

Lysa had us write down two ways that we were going to practically say yes to God in the next week... & these were mine.

1. Relaxing my to-do list for my glory-to-God list.
2. Encouraging others even when I don't feel encouraged.

So, in my unexplainable unencouraged state, I finished some projects & asked the Lord to lay someone on my heart to serve & encourage somehow. What did I want to do with the house to myself? Continue reading in my room, browsing Pinterest, and take a nap. That's what I wanted, but it wasn't settling well with my heart. I asked the Lord to continue to lay someone on my heart as I finished up my {praise Jesus!} short to-do list for the day and soon came to the conclusion & called her up.

Who was she you ask? Well, she's human & she loves Jesus. I have been so blessed to spend time with that wonderful woman more lately & she couldn't escape my mind this afternoon.

Within an hour I had a date with her sweet kiddos while she cleaned the momentarily quiet house. I spent the afternoon running through sprinklers, giving forgiving hugs, and praying that I was being a blessing.

Your yes might not look the same, but I know that both parties came out for the better after the afternoon I had just because I listened. Maybe she only cleaned, & maybe all I really did wasn't all that great, but maybe, just maybe, we all felt more encouraged afterwards. I did have to come home & unwind due to my physical-cold-staggering self, but I wouldn't have traded even that sweet afternoon for anything.

I don't know what your daily yes looks like, but the possibility of yours & the anticipation of my minute-by-minute continuing saying yes excites me.

Regardless of the truths in the book we're going through, I'm loving spending time with these girls and my mentor whom is leading it. {Oh, did I ever announce my high school youth group incoming? Oops. It's on my writing list, trust me!}

So, dear Peculiar Treasures, learn to listen, because when you say yes nothing can beat following hard after Him in every single tiny way.

In Abba,
Em

Examine carefully every little act of His life, and every trait of His character, and He is as lovely in the minute as in the majestic. --Charles Spurgeon, Morning & Evening.