This post is part of Lysa TerKeurst’s “The Best Yes” Blog Tour which I am delighted to be a part of along with many other inspiring bloggers. To learn more and join us, CLICK HERE.
Making choices is an area I struggle with greatly. I either over-analyze the decision to death, altogether paralyzing myself or say yes out of an unnecessary sense of obligation.
When I first became a Christian, not too many years ago, I said yes to everything. I was certain if it came to me, God sent it and I must say yes. This quote from the book really resonated with me:
As my faith grows, my wisdom and ability to discern increases, but I still have a long way to go in this area. Just because something is brought before us, it does not make it our assignment.
We have a choice.
Lysa refers to yes and no as “the two most powerful words.” I must agree. Everything is decided from these two tiny, but incredibly powerful words. Will we love? Will we write? Will we start a ministry? And some days, even the seemingly simple — will we get out of bed?
She teaches how and why not to over-schedule ourselves. I’m an extreme woman. It’s all or nothing for me. Either my schedule is so packed I can’t stop to breath or I completely shut down, unable to carry out the most mundane of tasks.
“The decisions you make determine the schedule you keep. The schedule you keep determines the life you live. And how you live your life determines how you spend your soul.”
The Best Yes, p. 28
Schedule —> Soul. This really makes me want to scrutinize my schedule better.
She also shares how to chase down decisions by evaluating where it will lead us. It’s important to know if it lines up with where we want to be.
I know which path I want to travel.
Lysa has helped me to use those important little words, yes and no, to stay on that path. I don’t need to say yes to everything, but there are places it is necessary.
She shows us how to be brave, but analytical at the same time. I believe this to be an art. One we will never perfect, but something we can eventually get good enough at to find peace and growth together.
Those of you who have been here before know I’m a big fan of Proverbs 31 online bible studies. We will be diving into The Best Yes on September 22. To learn more and sign up, visit Proverbs 31 Ministries.
This wonderful book about finding your Best Yes by New York Times Bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst has been described as “inspiring” and “fabulous.” I completely agree and am excited to share it with you today. You can grab a copy here
Note: I am an Amazon affiliate. If you click through and purchase from the above link, a small amount will go to help support this site, at no additional cost to you.
Good Morning, Candace … I’m hearing you! It sounds like Lysa has been speaking deep to you. For every ‘yes, please’ we say, we need to say a ‘no, thanks’ to something else. And that’s a hard lesson for us to learn. And too often we finally begin to get it after we’ve gotten awfully crispy around the edges. Or have burned out all together.
Sigh.
I know. I’ve been there, done that …
May your weekend be gentle, grace-full, lovely.
“Crispy around the edges,” I love that, Linda! I have felt it many times. Just today, I had to say no to something I hated turning down, but I knew it would cause way too much stress for me. Those are the hardest noes I think, the ones we would love to be able to do, but know we really shouldn’t.
My weekend was all that you wished upon me :). I hope yours was as well!
I’ve learned that lesson (for once, anyway) with the book reviews that I do. I’ve said ‘yes’ to so many that I have to say ‘no’ for a while until things get a little less crazy. Happy ‘first path’ to you. :O)
I have always wondered how you managed to do all those reviews, LuAnn! You must be a much better reader than I am. It takes me a while to get through a book. I love to read, but I usually stick to only a couple of genres. I love the variety of what you review. I’m glad to hear you knew when to say no. I hope things calm down for you :).
This is exactly where God has been speaking to me all summer! This study will be affirmation of all Gid has been comforting me with! So excited! Thank you Candace❤️
I’m so excited too, Amy! Us group 7 girls are going to love this study :). I feel like God has been working with me in this area over the summer too. I really spent a lot of time with my family and let a lot of other stuff go for a while. It was wonderful!
So happy you shared the quote about spending your soul. I have been stressed lately trying to blog, homeschool, and just taking care of my family. So I’m trying to schedule my days so that I have some time to relax each day.
You definitely need some relaxing every day, Sonya! I don’t homeschool, but I know from others how time consuming it is. Adding blogging and other family tasks to your list fills a schedule quickly. I love that quote too. She always has so many great ones in her books.
Wonderful post, as always! I, too, used to think that ANYTHING I was asked to do came from God (why else would it be presented?). But, no. Sometimes the tasks just come from people who either really need the help or, sometimes, just don’t want to do it themselves. But I’ve found that when I limit my activities, I discover what I truly love and what is important to me.
Thank you, Terri! I have found the same blessing from choosing my activities wisely. We really do figure out what is most important to us. I’m so relieved to finally be out of that phase thinking God was sending me every little job that came my way. It was a stressful way to live!
Candace- I am so excited you were on this blog tour for Lysa’s new book!! THIS is going to be our next book for my women’s group!! We are doing Jen Hatmaker’s “7” now- WOW. if you haven’t read that one yet- get it. READ IT! Our group has done two of Lysa’s in the past years….
I am crazy IN LOVE with Lysa and her amazing gift of words!!! I can’t wait to get this book!!!
Hi Chris! I just bought Jen Hatmaker’s Interrupted. I can’t wait to read it. I will have to put 7 on my list. Thanks for the recommendation! You are going to love The Best Yes. I’m a big fan of Lysa’s too. She is an awesome writer. Let me know what you think of it!