Thank you for your yes.

Yesterday was the Feast of the Annunciation.

Here were some of my thoughts:

For the last 33 days, I have been preparing to give myself more fully to Jesus.

Today we remember and celebrate that scene so beautifully shown in Luke's Gospel. An angel appears to a young woman, she is presented with a choice. She says yes, and the Infinite One steps into time, as the Holy Spirit overshadows Mary and she conceives.

Yes.

Mary didn't have to say yes, but she did. And everything, eternity, changed.

Mary's yes didn't just affect her. It didn't just affect Jesus. It affected (and still does) me. And you.

Mary knew when the angel appeared to her that he was asking something difficult of her. She knew it would be challenging, but she was courageous and gave God everything.

I am amazed by what the Lord has done in my life though my yes.

And I am amazed by what the Lord has done in my life through others' yes.

My life would be different if my friend Pam didn't say yes to Jesus and become a missionary.
My life would be different if the inspiring people who support me through prayer and financial support in the mission didn't say yes.
My life would be different if my teammates didn't say yes to Jesus to serve Him in the mission at Georgia Southern.
My life would be different if my roommates didn't say yes to Jesus in following Him to Statesboro.
My life would be different if my students didn't say yes to serving Jesus.
My life would be different in the women in my Bible Study didn't say yes to learning more.

I am in awe. My life is so different because people said yes. If they didn't, I wouldn't know that the Christian life is possible, or even though it is difficult, it is relevant and fulfilling. I wouldn't know of God's great love for me and willingness to provide for me in incredible ways. I wouldn't know how to talk to new people on campus, I wouldn't know how to be joyful, I wouldn't value my characteristics that make me a "gem". I wouldn't know the joy of living in community, I wouldn't be inspired to grow in virtue in the small things, I wouldn't be so encouraged to follow Jesus anywhere. I wouldn't be humbled by these women's love to follow Jesus and share Him with those who desperately need Him. I wouldn't be so excited to see how the Holy Spirit is working in lives.

This year my team has many goofy phrases we use all the time.

One of them is "thank you for coming" (usually used for mandatory fundatory meetings and fun lunch dates). Another is "thank you for your yes". Which is used in a #jokingnotjoking fashion. My life would be so different if these people didn't say yes. But not only my life, everyone's lives would be different. Our yes to Jesus has huge repercussions, and we will probably never know them all in this life.

But meditating on my yes, on others' yes, has shown me that I am so incredibly blessed. I am so thankful.

I hope that, like Mary, I can continue saying yes to Jesus.