Yes. Pick me. I’ll Go.

Comments now closed. The lucky winner is Emily! Emily I sent you and email. Send me your address and I will get the book in the mail ASAP. Thanks everyone for entering. Now go buy the book!

I’m currently nearly finished reading Kisses from Katie and I can barely contain the tears that have been flowing since I opened this book. Have you read it?

Why not?

“I fell in love with Uganda as soon as I arrived. After I woke up the first morning of our stay, I looked around and saw glistening bright white smiles against ebony faces; I heard happy voices, lilting language, and gentle laughter. I saw strength and depth of character in people’s eyes. I found Uganda to be a beautiful land filled with beautiful people.” Katie Davis, Kisses from Katie

Change a few adjectives and this is the exact way I would describe my feeling the first time I stepped off the plane in the former Soviet Union. It was as though a part of my soul – a piece of myself I hadn’t known existed until that moment – came alive and I would never be the same.

I am awed by Katie Davie and her willingness to say “Yes, Lord. I’ll go.” As I’ve read, I’ve found myself thinking more than once that somehow the decision she made was easier. She was young – she didn’t have anything tying her down. Of course she could just pick up and go. Of course she could say yes.

This thought is selfish at best and outright offensive at worst.

Katie was an eighteen year old Homecoming Queen with the world at her fingertips and the resources to grasp it. Instead, she “quit her life,” left everything comfortable and known – all her dreams and plans, her parents’ dreams and hopes and desires – and she moved to Uganda. Forever.

Katie Davis said “Yes.” And it was a hard “Yes.”

I am a wife with three young children. My “yes” may look different, but I have the exact same ability to say “Yes, Lord. I’ll go.” But would I mean it? Can I say it? Because honestly, the responsibilities in front of me are real, and necessary and daunting and when I think of saying “Yes, Lord. I’ll go,” my mind automatically thinks so big and so vast and I feel immediately incapable of succeeding.

I wish my “yes” could be in another country where the harsh but beautiful lilt of the Russian language filled my ears and the laughter of children in need quenched the thirst in my soul.

But that’s not where He has me right now. And I sometimes fear that maybe I long ago closed my ears, gave a resounding “No” and relinquished my ability to impact His kingdom.

Then I pull out the Math books and the history book and the Russian books and realize that I already said “Yes, Lord. I’ll go.” Every single day, as I shepherd and mold the small hearts entrusted to me, I say “Yes.” I didn’t want to home school. Honestly, most days I still don’t. But I’m supposed to. I know with all my heart that right now, at this moment, I’m where I’m supposed to be.

“Yes”.

Katie Davis’ “Yes” took her to Uganda. It made her the mother of fourteen children before she could legally drink in America. Her “Yes,” by my standards, is huge. Her “Yes” by any standards, actually, is huge. How many of us were willing to give up everything at eighteen to go serve the poorest of poor on the other wide of the world?

But guess what? We all have the ability and the obligation to say “Yes” to that which is right in front of us. My “Yes” to home schooling is not that big, especially when you take into consideration the reluctance with which I agreed. But still I said, “Yes.” Just thinking about it in these terms has renewed a passion in me for discipling my children this year while I have them home.

Consider Katie’s words: Sometimes, the everyday routine of my life feels so normal to me. At other times the idea of raising all these children seems like quite a daunting task. I realize that since I have chosen an unusual path it is easier for outsiders to look at my life and come to the conclusion that it is something extraordinary. That I am courageous. That I am strong. That I am apecial. But I am just a plain girl from Tennessee. Broken in many ways, sinful, and inadequate. Common and simply with nothing special about me. Nothing special except I chose to say “yes.” “Yes” to the things God asks of me and “yes” to the people He places in front of me. You can too. I am just an ordinary person. An ordinary person serving an extraordinay God.”

We can all say yes. We can say yes to the man on the street corner with a sign for food and a plea for help crying from his desperate eyes. Small? Not to Him and not to God.

The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

We can take food to a neighbor in need, visit someone in a nursing home, hug a hurting friend or give out of the abundance of our resources to those who have little. “Yes” takes many forms, but we have to be willing to say it, then do it.

In the interest of giving everyone the chance to be inspired and encouraged and challenged and convicted, I have purchased a copy of Kisses from Katie to give away to one reader. Simply leave a comment for your entry. I will choose a winner randomly on Wednesday morning, February 1, at 9:00 am EST.

Comments

  1. Oh my!!! I had not heard of this book but I so want to read it. I could not even fathom being that mature at 18 to say that big of a “yes.”. Love it!!!

  2. I would love to read this! I have heard so many awesome things about this book!

  3. I want to say “yes” to whatever God asks of me. So humbling and so hard to put aside all those “things” that I might be doing that are good but weren’t really what He asked ME to do. It’s also hard for me to just listen and not DO all the time. I have not read this book but I have it on hold at the library. I’m really anxious to read it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I love getting a peek at your heart.

  4. I have the book! You are so right. I kicked and screamed and cried because God didn’t send me back to Nicaragua. He outright said no. It was a rough time. Until one day in church, He said “serve your family, like you would serve Nicaragua.” powerful enough that I wrote it down and still have it. Sometimes He sends us or keeps us where we thought we didn’t want to be.

  5. Summer Somers says

    I have heard of this book a lot over the last couple years but haven’t had the chance to read it. To be honest, I’m kinda scared to! God has already burdened our hearts so much for Africa, but seems to be saying “stay” right now. So thankful for the two pieces of Africa he brought to our home! 🙂

  6. Pick me. Pick me. I’ll go!

  7. Pick me! I’m looking for a new book to read.

  8. This is on my reading list for this year. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It is sometimes so hard to remember that we can be doing exactly what God wants us to do in our own homes. I lose sight of this. thank you!

  9. Ooohh I’ve heard good things about this book! Would love to read it…love books about God’s mission!

  10. It was a great and challenging book. I have already bought and read it so don’t pick me! 🙂

    • Ha! I will not pick you then. It’s anamazint story isn’t it? Every time I read it, I find myself shaking my head in disbelief and awe. 🙂

  11. Wow… thanks for this incredibly inspiring post. I’ve been wanting to comment for some time now, and have been reading your blog ever since our coffee night out (where this BOOK actually came up too, didn’t it?). I definitely need to read the book, but for today, I needed to read this POST. Gives me much to consider & pray about. Thank you for sharing what God’s speaking to your heart. It’s really challenged mine.

  12. I have been really inspired by Katie’s story and I would so love to have her book! My friends need to hear about her!

  13. Kelli – Have you thought about writing non-fiction book like this about your travels?

    • You know, I never really have. But that’s an interesting idea. Thanks for giving me something to think about! 😉

  14. Oh dang. I’m 22 minutes late, aren’t I?

  15. Thank you for reviewing this book. Putting on my wish list. Kind of scares me though. What if I’m called to go after I read it?