“Yeah! Yeah!”

My 15 month old daughter says a lot of words…many of which are hard to figure out. She uses one word of her creation to mean: apple, up, help and probably 2 other things. So when she says a word with full annunciation, clarity and determination I get really excited. For the past 2 months she has started saying “Yeah!”…sometimes it’s one time, other times it’s 3, but all times it’s with a big smile and almost always with a little dance. She usually says it in response to us asking her “Charlotte, do you want…” or “Can you…” or “Do you want to try…” It’s amazing how excited we all get by her eager response and unquestionable faith and trust in us. She hasn’t learned to not trust people yet. She hasn’t really learned the word “no” yet. All she knows is that her parents love her and why wouldn’t she want what they’re offering to her?

And it got me thinking…

If we’re born with that instinct to TRUST and we’re later taught to NOT trust, doesn’t that mean that the bible is right when it says to TRUST God? He created us to trust…so shouldn’t we AT LEAST trust HIM? If we get this excited over a little girl saying “Yeah! Yeah!” How excited must God get when we say “Yeah! Yeah!” to him.

Sunday was my first time teaching Sunday school at my church. It was great. It was fun. It was challenging. And it was exactly what I was supposed to be doing. But do you want to know how long it took me to say “Yeah! Yeah!” to God’s promptings to do it? Months…if not more. I’ve been talking to my pastor for a while about how to get more involved but the truth is, without trusting him and trusting God it was pretty impossible to say yes to anything. I wanted to get more involved but I didn’t trust that it was the right place for me. I’d gotten in the mindset that my involvement in this church was temporary and so it didn’t make any sense to be more than the sometimes Sunday goer. I said no to God’s plan. I didn’t agree. There was a part of me that was so blocked that I didn’t want to put myself in a position where I could get hurt…and without responsibility, commitment or dedication – there was really no chance of getting hurt. But this weekend I discovered what happens when you say “Yeah! Yeah!” with the faith that God will protect you and give you what you need. And I hope to stay in this place that He has put me for a while.

And a last thought. Recently I heard a pastor ask the question “are you growing in God?” and I immediately, out loud, said no. Didn’t even think about it. Just knew the answer. And I’m now realizing that’s what happens when you don’t have “Yeah! Yeah!” in response to “Jessica, do you want…”, “Can you…” and “Do you want to try…”