I read a quote by Louie Giglio recently that said "Whatever you say yes to in life means less for something already there. Make sure the yes is worth the less." This quote got me thinking about the race and what saying yes actually means. Was I ready for such dramatic change in my life? There was no way I could come back the same, so was I ready for a completely different Jessica? There would be less of the current me, and more of a girl I wouldn’t even recognize. The girl that starts the race will not be the same girl that finishes. All of the change is due to one journey, one answer of “yes, I’m committed.” The yes that I heard coming out of my mouth before I had time to think about it holds a new start for me. It also means missing out on “my” life, the things I’m used to. It means less, and complete trust in God that He knows what’s best for me. All I was left wondering is will it be worth it?
Saying yes, means less:
–time with friends and family; I will be making new friends with people all over the world and building a new family
–time alone; constant community and feedback will help shape me into a better person and help me grow
–rights; I will have none, I will learn that I am not entitled to anything and everything I have is a blessing
–material possessions; I will learn that I am not defined by the things I own and will learn to live a life of simplicity
–time for social media; I will get to spend more time with God, talking to and listening to His voice
–church events; I will be reminded that God is everywhere and see first hand that His Spirit is moving all over the world
–"Americanized" things; I will learn to appreciate all that I am blessed with here, but also see and appreciate new cultures for their differences
–celebration days: holidays/birthdays; I will have new days to celebrate as i watch people walk into freedom, and I will experience new things as I celebrate different cultures and their holidays
–ability to schedule or have things scheduled for me; I will learn how to go with them flow and be available to serve in any way needed and remember that in those times of waiting, God is still moving
–independence; I will learn to trust and rely on God fully and give up my ways of taking things in my own hands
–comfort; in those moments where I'm super uncomfortable, I will remember what it's for
Saying yes was scary, hard, and will be life changing, but looking at the other side of my yes, there is so much for me. There is so much reward in my sacrifice that I have a hard time calling it that. I'm not giving up anything. I’m not missing out, I'm trading the experiences i would of had here at home, for ones all over the world. I will have less, but there is so much more for me in the less that I’ve committed too. I’ve decided to trust all that God has for me on this journey, and let Him take me where he wants. I’m ready for the journey that comes along with saying yes, and I can confidently say it will be worth it, that saying yes is worth less.
