The Power of Your Yes
Have you ever wondered what, if anything, your "Yes" to God has produced for His kingdom?
She leaned forward, listening intently, hanging on every word I shared. Her shiny blonde hair, framing her beautiful youthful face, would be readily seen by everyone—but I saw much more. I watched as joy spread across her face with the telling of the stories of the Lord’s incredible faithfulness to me as a pro-life missionary. I saw the tears as she listened to the recording of a woman wailing from the deep pain and regret of her abortion. I heard her “awww” and saw her smile in response to the stories of women who chose life, and how their little ones were enriching their lives with their giggles and hugs. As I looked around the room, I wasn’t sure about the level of interest of the others. To encourage me as I spoke, I returned to look at her repeatedly and weighed the effectiveness of my message by this one young woman as she feverishly took notes.
A multitude of concerns swirled around in the back of my mind as I spoke. Pressing ministry concerns and struggles were weighing on me. I was feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. I didn’t have the time, energy or desire to travel and speak. When I had entertained the thought of canceling this engagement, the Lord reminded me of a promise I made to Him that I would go where I was invited. Once again, I had said, “Yes, Lord.”
As I boarded the plane to return home, I quickly asked the Lord to bless my efforts there in Texas, wondering what if any fruit would come from it. My weary mind immediately began working on my pressing to-do list waiting for me. I quickly forgot about the trip.
Twenty-one years later, I received an invitation to a banquet in Washington, DC this past June to celebrate the ending of Roe v. Wade. I was informed that Lauren Muzyka, founder of Sidewalk Advocates for Life had nominated me as her pro-life hero. I was told that she said I had greatly influenced her during her college years when giving a sidewalk training seminar in Texas.
I instantly recalled that enthusiastic young woman and wondered . . . could it be? Is it possible that Lauren Muzyka, the founder and CEO of one of the greatest sidewalk counseling ministries in the nation, could be the same young woman I'd met years ago?
I reached out to Lauren, and received this response to my inquiring email:
"Karen, you are one of my heroes! I looked for you online for years, and I was so excited when one of my team members told me you had written a book and put together a website finally. You are absolutely one of the people the Lord used to change the direction of my life, and I am so grateful! I was a sophomore at Texas A&M University when the Brazo Valley Coalition for Life brought you in to our college town to conduct a sidewalk counseling training. I remember drinking in all of your stories. I was captivated by how docile you were to the Lord – I remember everything from the tape you played of the woman crying (giving me a heart for women who had experienced abortion) to the story of the woman who came by to give you money for a dress to the countless stories of encounters with moms and families on the sidewalk.
I walked away from that day changed forever.
And it gets better! I still didn’t get the memo that perhaps I was called to this full-time – it was something I did on the side as a student for years – and I headed to law school, thinking the Lord wanted me to be a pro-life, pro-family litigator or lobbyist. Of course, I am now super grateful for my law degree, leading a non-profit. After law school, I was quickly swept off into full-time, grassroots pro-life work, accepting a position with 40 Days for Life National, then saw a need and felt the call to start Sidewalk Advocates for Life, which provides a ready-made program for communities who want to build an outreach team in front of the abortion facility. I wake up every day, so excited to “get to work”!
We quote you a few different times throughout the training, and we extrapolated based on your insightful methodology (MOM-BABY-GOD) as well as that of a few other great sidewalk counselors. It developed into a 5-hour training, alongside ready-made tools, and full-time staff support. In 9 years, we’ve seen nearly 21,000 babies saved, 87 workers leave the abortion business to find Christ, and 48 facility closures – God is so good!!
Thank you for your profound YES, Karen.
I truly believe all the fruit we’ve seen in our ministry has a great bit to do with your YES!!”
I share this story, not to bring attention to myself, but to encourage you. Are you weary in well doing? Do you labor and labor and don’t see any tangible fruit? Recently I have had so many people, while evaluating their lives, wonder if they ever impacted anyone’s life for good. I have repeatedly responded by saying, “The Lord may have used you in ways you might not even know about for a very long time, or even until eternity.”
It has been said that the Lord never wastes our time and efforts. Most of us can recall times when we could readily see results of our efforts, but it’s the other times when we feel not much, of anything was accomplished. That’s when the enemy can produce the discouragement that can cause so many to quit.
I encourage you to believe that from a life-altering effort—to a smile you shared when you didn’t feel like it—it will not be wasted. When an opportunity arises, and the Spirit of God tugs on your soul, it may be decades before you see the results. Leave it with Him. Just say YES!
To learn more about the results of Lauren’s “Yes”, please visit
Sidewalk Advocates for Life
(https://sidewalkadvocates.org/)
Therefore, my dearly loved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord—because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Only If God Says So!
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