Three Times to Say 'Yes"

"I’ve noticed many women, in recent years, mentioning the idea of saying 'yes' to God," says Dawn Wilson. In this Spiritual Growth UPGRADE, she encourages us with three kinds of “yes” responses to the Lord, using words from three special ladies.

It all begins with the heart. First, there is:

1. The Yes of Surrender

James entreats Christians, "Submit yourselves therefore to God" (James 4:7a). In Nancy Leigh DeMoss’s Revive Our Hearts outreaches (True Woman and Revive conferences), one of the interesting facets is a focus on immediate obedience when God speaks to women through His Word or through the Holy Spirit during the messages and prayer times.

In these conferences, women receive gift bags, and in the bag is a white hankie with the words, “Yes, Lord!” embroidered in the corner. Women are encouraged to wave their “white flag” of surrender to the Lord when He speaks, showing their willingness to obey. This idea is spelled out in Nancy’s book, Surrender: The Heart God Controls.

“To call Him Lord means to say Yes—to His will, His Word and His ways,” Nancy wrote. “We cannot call Him Lord and then proceed to run our own lives. . . .

“To some, that type of surrender might seem to be bondage; but those who have bowed the knee—those who have laid down their arms and waved the white flag of surrender—know that it is the only pathway to true freedom. And with that surrender comes a host of blessings . . . I have seen this so many times in my own life that I often look back and wonder, Why did I ever resist the will of God?” (1)

In her book, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, Lysa TerKeurst wrote, “You don’t need perfect circumstances to be a woman who says yes to God. . . . You simply have to surrender all that’s clamoring for attention in your heart with the answer God is longing to hear spill from your lips—‘Yes, God.” (2)

A surrendered heart is the launching pad for a surrendered life.

Then, we have to respond with:

2. The Yes of Action

James reminds us of the importance of being "doers" of the word" (James 1:22). In her book, Following God One Yes at a Time, Connie Cavanaugh wrote about “moving forward” with our yes.

“When God points you in a certain direction, say ‘yes’ with your feet. One simple, immediate, possible yes leads to another, and another, as you obey His directives and attain your dreams.

“Move forward even if it looks like the water won’t hold you (like Peter stepping out of the boat), even if you’re not sure where you’ll end up (like Abraham when he left Ur), and even if it looks like it doesn’t make sense (like Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac).

“When you move, you’ll begin to hear Him more clearly. Why? One simple reason: You have put yourself in a place you can’t make it without Him. You need Him now to pursue and realize His and your dream. This “active need” sharpens your spiritual hearing. The absolutely best place to hear from God is while you’re moving forward to achieve the dream because you are in the center of His will.” (3)

We must not take our “yes” lightly. There are times we need real wisdom to consider the best response. Paul told believers to church show discernment "so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ" (Philippians 1:9-10).

Lysa TerKeurst’s book, The Best Yes, highlights the importance of saying yes to God in order to make wise decisions in the midst of our endless daily demands. I call it:

3. The Yes of Discernment

“I miss Best Yes opportunities sometimes because I simply don’t know they’re part of the equation," Lysa wrote. "I get all twisted up in making the decision to check either the Yes or No box, not realizing there is a third box that reads Best Yes.

“. . . What is a Best Yes, you ask. . . . In God’s plan, you’ve got a part to play. If you know it and believe it, you’ll live it. You’ll live your life making decisions with the Best Yes as your best filter. You’ll be a grand display of God’s Word lived out. Your undistracted love will make your faith ring true. Your wisdom will help you make decisions that will still be good tomorrow.” (4)

There are likely many other times and reasons to say “yes” to God. But do any of these three speak to you today? What will you do to respond to the Lord?

 Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Ministries, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the Director of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in MInistry (NEWIM San Diego). Dawn is the co-author of LOL with God and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Sources:

(1) Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Surrender: the Heart God Controls, (Moody Publishers, 2008), pp. 161, 163.

(2) Lysa TerKeurst, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, (Harvest House, 2007), pp. 13-14)

(3) Connie Cavanaugh, Following God One Yes at a Time, (Harvest House, 2011), pp. 80-81.

(4) Lysa TerKeurst, The Best Yes, (Thomas Nelson, 2014), pp. 5-6.

One Bite at a Time

"I wish I’d known, as a small child, the value of time," says Dawn Wilson. "From the very beginning of our days, we have countless daily opportunities to use time efficiently … or waste it, sometimes with incalculable loss. Most of us could use a Time UPGRADE."

The philosopher and American colonist William Penn said, “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.”

Some people are time management experts, but others are “experts” in the haphazard use of time! And even if time is not thrown away, it might not be used wisely or well.

Former UCLA Coach John Wooden explained the value of time and excellence when he said, “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”

I’ve been focusing lately on “recapturing” time that I often let slip through my fingers by redeeming snippets of time for simple tasks, even for things I’ve put off. Sometimes we procrastinate tackling big projects, not realizing how they might be accomplished with bite-size tasks.

The timer has become my new friend.

I set my timer for 10 minutes and tackle timed tasks (lots of “Ts” there!). Some days, I tackle lots of these tasks. In fact, I set aside a chunk of time on Tuesdays to accomplish lots of things—my Tuesday Timer Tasks.

What can you do in 10 minutes?

• Make an appointment on the phone.
• Write a thank you note… or encouragement note.
• Water your garden (unless it’s huge).
• Sew on a button.
• Make a grocery or shopping list.
• Brush your dog’s fur.
• Vacuum under the beds.
• Fold a basket of laundry.
• Clean the bathtub.
• Read a “Golden Book” to a child.

What helps is to make a Tuesday Timer Task list! Think of all the things you can do in 10 minutes and list them – maybe in categories (cleaning, correspondence, personal care, pets, yard/garden, etc.)

The Bible talks about redeeming time (buying up each opportunity), “because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). Verse 15 talks about living in a purposeful, wise way.

The “days are evil” part should remind us to watch our step and use our head because these are desperate times. Some things just aren’t as important or as valuable now as they used to be, in light of all we have to deal with in our culture.

It goes back to priorities, doesn’t it? What is important?

For the Christian, our priorities are: (1) God and our relationship with Him; (2) Family needs and responsibilities; (3) Career and ministry (Kingdom work) – especially in (4) outreach to others, telling them about Jesus.

Try thinking about all the “tasks” in your day and see how they fit in with your God-given priorities. Let some things go that don’t fit in, but plan more time for things that are truly important.

God things. Family things. Ministry things. Eternal things!

What are some Tuesday Timer Tasks you could list?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Ministries, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the President of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in MInistry (NEWIM San Diego). Dawn is the co-author of LOL with God and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Upgrade Your Holiness in 2015

Dawn Wilson writes about agreat opportunity to UPGRADE your walk with God in 2015. It's called New Start 15.

You can learn more about it here, at the Heart Choices Today website. Kathy Howard, the originator of New Start 15, shares her heart about the campaign, which includes:

• a month-long Bible Reading plan,
• more than a dozen bloggers, and
• great resources.

There is also a special Facebook page.

Anyone can pursue something powerful for one month, and this will be a life-changer for those who don't just "sign on" but embrace what God wants to teach us.

Upgrade Your Holiness in 2015. Can  you think of a better goal? Better than a list of New Year's resolutions!

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Ministries, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the President of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in MInistry (NEWIM San Diego). Dawn is the co-author of LOL with God and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Make Loving 'Investments' in Your Spouse

An article by R.C. Sproul, Jr. awakened Dawn Wilson to how much she was taking her husband's presence for granted.

In a poignant post, Sproul wrote of his sorrow after his wife's illness, homegoing and absence.

"I wish I had held her hand more." he said. "That is likely my deepest regret, that I did not hold her hand more."

It's not that Sproul—a brilliant man who is rector and philosophy/theology chairman at Reformation Bible College—never held his wife's hand. But it is likely, he said, "that I didn't as often as she would have liked."

Holding a partner's hand communicates, "in a simple yet profound way," connection. In Christian marriage, it is the "one flesh" connection.

"It would have, even in the midst of a disagreement, or moments of struggle, communicated, 'We're going to go through this together. I will not let go,' he said."

Sproul explained other symbolism inherent in the held hand:  friendship, the leadership/follower pattern, marital love.

"Hand holding is a way to say both, 'You are safe with me' and 'Follow me into the adventure,'" he said.

Sproul concluded:

Holding hands costs nothing "and bears dividends."

Dividends! We need to take seriously this concept of "investing" in our spouse. Just as we invest financially and watch our bank account grow, we can invest in a spouse and watch our marriage grow!

I started thinking about the simple, everyday things a couple might do that communicates connection, friendship, biblical roles and deep love.

Some are simple courtesies that we do for others - why not our spouse?

Some suggestions:

• For the guys, Be a gentleman - like when a man pulls back and scoots in a chair, holds a door for his wife, or comes to her side of the car to help her out.
• For the gals, Be a lady - like when a woman asks for help (especially when it's something her husband would find joy in doing), or allows her man to BE the man of the house.
• Listen without a wandering mind or trying to think of the next thing we will say.
• Praise our spouse in private ... and in public.
• Squash criticism and a judgmental spirit.
• Express gratitude for what our spouse does for us (financially, emotionally, spiritually, etc.)
• Encourage growth. Allow for failures and lessons learned along the way.
• Support dreams. Be ready for a new life "adventure." Don't immediately pour cold water on our partner's ideas—draw them out. Help our spouse think through the pros and cons.
• Meet a practical need: doing laundry; making a healthy-but-yummy smoothie for our partner; dusting their office;  fixing something that's broken (that our partner uses and needs); preparing mentally, emotionally and physically for sex, etc.

The Bible gives us many "one anothers" we're to practice in the body of Christ. They certainly could be practiced in our marriages as well.

Simple things like: Love one another (John 13:34), Forgive one another (Colossians 3:13), Serve one another (Galatians 5:13), Encourage one another (Hebrews 10:25).

A widow expressed regrets for all the things she didn't do for her spouse during their marriage. Although I told her, "No marriage is perfect. He knew you loved him," she would not be consoled.

It made me think:

What might I regret if my life partner died today?

It's not too late to change those things—to do those things—that might make a huge difference in our relationships.

It might be as simple as holding hands.

Can you think of something simple to enhance your marriage today—a way to "invest" in your partner and ultimately, your marriage? 

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Ministries, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the President of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in MInistry (NEWIM San Diego). Dawn is the co-author of LOL with God and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic, adapted, Image courtesy of luigi diamanti at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

When Life Yells 'Boo!'

There are many reactions to the invasion of costumed candy-seekers. Dawn Wilson remembers one year when she opened my door to a teenage boy's loud ...      

I jumped back, my heart racing. I didn't know whether to laugh or slug him! Talk about scared!

I've never been one for horror movies. I don't like things that "go bump in the night" or jump out at me with a bloodcurdling scream! It's enough to make me whimper like a baby.

But life is like that sometimes. And when life says "boo" we need to know how to respond.

I'm talking about dealing with fear. Fear that comes from tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes. Wars and rumors of war. A cancer diagnosis. A desperately-ill child. Unreasonable fears. Everyday fears.

There are many sources of fear. There are always trials and scary circumstances. But it can also come directly from our enemy, Satan, from interactions with others, and from our own sinful hearts.

The source of our fear isn't the biggest issue. Our source for dealing with fear is what's important.

Jesus often told his disciples not to fear; but instead to "take heart" (Matthew 14:27; 28:10; John 16:33); and throughout the Bible we find the Lord's remedy for fears. He tells us how to face every one with His strength and grace.

When God's Children experience fear, they can:

1. Run to the Stronghold! Run to Him in prayer, because no matter what happens, God's child is eternally safe in Jesus and He's always ready to listen (Psalm 27:1; Proverbs 18:10; Isaiah 26:3).

2. Embrace to God's encouraging presence. He will comfort in times of fear (Psalm 23:4).

3. Believe He will help. He will take us by the hand (Isaiah 41:13).

5. Stand firm and watch Him work. He is the Deliverer (Exodus 14:13a).

4. Practice courage. Whether you're a little scared or terrified, you can choose to be bold, knowing God goes with us into every circumstance (Deuteronomy 31:6).

6. Replace ungodly attitudes. God gives power, love, and a sound (disciplined) mind—not fear (2 Timothy 1:7) ... ask the Spirit of God to renew your mind (Romans 12:2).

You cannot imagine the power of God at work, even in scary circumstances. (Need a reminder? Read 2 Kings 6:15-17). I pray our eyes will open to the Lord's power for us.

What is saying "boo!" to you right now? Which of these six points might need some work in your life so you can overcome the fear/s in your life?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Ministries, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the President of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in MInistry (NEWIM San Diego). Dawn is the co-author of LOL with God and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.