The “Yes” Snowball

My friend Lori used to challenge me with the statement, you never know what will happen on the other side of “yes” when you give a “Yes!” to God.

My first “yes” during that season was to homeschool Jonah during his PreK year. I prayed so hard about this. I had a passion for early literacy and wanted to be the one to teach him to read.

Days after I made that decision, I was called to a meeting with my Pastor’s wife about her vision for a new program she wanted to start called “Arise to Read” that emphasized helping 2nd graders master their sight words by mobilizing volunteers from churches to assist. I knew right then I wanted to volunteer. “Yes!” Sign me up!

A couple of years later we had a community meeting about getting an Arise to Read program in our local elementary school. For a little bit I was discouraged because it didn’t look like we had the support to make it happen, but my home church FUMC stepped up and stepped in and Arise to Read made its way into CIAA.

For 2 years I volunteered alongside the kindest people to help the students with their reading. I got the biggest blessing meeting them and spending time with them each week. God used their sweet spirits to lead me in a new direction.

One year later I heard there was an opening for a teacher at our preschool. I jumped at the opportunity. By then, all of my kids were in school, I’d helped them with early literacy and I wanted to help more kids.

The “Yes snowball” kept rolling. I taught pre-k for 2 years and then the art teacher position opened up. I said “Yes” to an interview, then “Yes!” to the job and now I’m assured this will be my career…unless God asks of me another “Yes.”

The question I ask myself is would I have had the ability to write and illustrate books for kids if I didn’t first say “yes” to homeschooling which led to volunteering which led to teaching half days which led to teaching art to pre-k through high school which gave me the space in my day and creative spark to write again?

You never know what’s on the other side of “Yes!” Tonight I’ll be reading my book “Eclectic Emily” at 7:00 for Arise to Read on their Facebook page. I hope you’ll be able to join me!