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The Best Yes

By

“We have to slow the rhythm of rush in our lives so the best of who we are can emerge.”
-Lysa TerKeurst

Diamond

I’m reading The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst right now. Kevin found it at Lifeway and surprised me with it for Christmas.

Lysa TerKeurst | The Best Yes | Dayspring

(Dayspring)

It’s about making wise decisions in the midst of endless demands, and I have enjoyed it SO much. Goodness, that woman has such a way with words! I’ve been Instagramming some of my favorites snippets lately:

Lysa TerKeurst | The Best Yes

I picked up an extra copy at the bookstore this week because I thought it would be fun to host a giveaway here today. If you’d like to enter to win it, just leave me a comment below and I’ll (randomly) select a name tomorrow night before I head to bed. 🙂 (I’ll include it at the end of Friday’s post.)

Kevin and I had the pleasure of meeting Lysa in Virginia Beach several years ago, and we guest posted on each other’s blogs shortly thereafter. I went back and read the post Lysa shared here on my blog this morning. I had forgotten how much it gleamed…

Warm Icicles
by Lysa TerKeurst

Last year my husband and I traveled to Vermont where I woke up one morning to stare at what an overnight snow storm brought us. I had never seen such snow in all my live long day. But what really caught my attention were gigantic icicles hanging from the roof line. They were perfect. As I stared out at them, suddenly a memory flashed across the screen of my mind. It was about my Dad. My biological Dad. The one who abandoned me a long time ago and who knows nothing about my life now. I don’t have very many memories of him, and the ones I do have aren’t that great. If I let my mind dwell on the gaping hole he left in my heart, I get sad even to this day. God has been so good to help me see that I am not the child of a broken parent any longer- that I am a child of God. I am loved. I am treasured. I am wanted.

But sometimes, this nagging thought sneaks into the crevices of my heart and I start wondering, why didn’t my Daddy love me? That’s why this icicle memory brought such joy to my heart. It is a good memory of my Dad. It rushed into my mind that morning in a way that brought a fresh, gleaming perspective.

I grew up in Florida which meant no snow- ever. But I remember praying for snow. Praying like a revival preacher at a tent meeting I tell ya. If ever there could be snow in Florida, surely a passionate little girl’s prayers could open up those heavenly snowflake storehouses.

One night, the temperatures dropped surprisingly low, and the weather man called for a freeze. This was a rare thing in our area. How tragic there was no precipitation on this particular cold night. It was the one night that snow might have been possible. It broke my little snow bunny heart. But the next morning I awoke to icicles everywhere. Gleaming, dripping, hanging, light reflecting, glorious icicles were all over the trees in our back yard. It was magical.

icicles-on-tree-branch

We were the only house on the block with this grand winter display because I was the only girl whose Daddy thought to put out sprinklers on the one night it froze.

I don’t know where this memory has been hiding for too many years, but what a gift. Somewhere in the deep, mysterious, broken places of my Dad’s heart, there was an inkling of love. I pray wherever he is today, he too remembers the night of the icicle wonderland. For it is a common thread of hope that ties too very distant hearts together…and that makes me smile.

 

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Comments

  1. Andrea Virnau

    What a timely giveaway. Thank you for posting some of the quotes. So inspiring!

  3. Lacey

    Love hearing yours and Kevin’s adoption adventure and have loved your instas about Lysa’s book. ALL the BEST!

  4. Jennifer G

    I would LOVE to win a copy of this book! I love her quotes and haven’t ever read her words but I would love to get a peek into these thoughts as I work hard to live more intentionally in my marriage and my family this year!

  5. Mandy

    I listened to Lysa talk about this book on Focus on the Family yesterday, while I was in the car. I want to read this soooo badly now! I NEED to read it 🙂

  13. Jenny B.

    I’ve been hearing a lot about this book over the past year, but I haven’t read it yet. I read her book, Unglued, summer-before-last, and absolutely loved it. SO helpful. I would love to win a copy of this one. 🙂

  14. Donna Patterson

    I’ve been following your blog & instagram posting about this book. It sounds very intriguing.

  17. Cathy R

    Oh, how I would love to win this! It sounds like it is a “keeper” book, one you want to keep to refer back to in those hurried and harried moments we all have.

  21. Corinne

    ..would sooooooo love to read this book!
    I need all the help I can get when it comes to slowing down
    and making wise decisions!
    thank you for this opportunity!
    Corinne

  22. Lisa

    Thank you for the opportunity to become a little wiser, hopefully more faithful. As one mom under endless demands to all the other moms now and to come.

  23. Elaine

    I recently started following Lysa on FB and have found her so inspirational. I have a couple of her books on my Goodreads list for 2015.

  24. Kimberly

    LOVE Lysa TerKeurst! I read “Made to Crave” a few years back and it powerfully impacted my life and my choices with food. I would love to get a copy of her newest book 🙂

  25. Kathy Klump

    I have enjoyed reading Lysa TerKeurst books. I would love to read this one as well.
    Kathy

  27. Kristen

    What a wonderful and poignant memory. And such a gift that she is now able to cherish it and not simply have that vacant hole left inside. Thank you for sharing.

  28. Joni Kelley

    Thank you for reshaping warm icicles. Beautiful. I pray I remember something such as this rather than my memories. But God has indeed become my Father, thankfully!

  29. Chelsea

    Looks like a great read! I’d love to get my hands on this! Thanks for the heads up:)

  32. Crystal

    I have been going through so much in my life lately. This book might be just what I need to get my priorities in line!

  33. Charla Morris

    This is so crazy. I have had two other people recommend this book to me in the last week. Clearly God is throwing me a brick wall to make sure I read this 🙂 here’ s hoping

  36. Alane

    Sometimes it’s just hard to decide what should get first priority. Squeaky wheels tend to get the most attention but is it right? Sounds like Lysa has some things to say about it, would love to read. Thanks!

  37. Carly Tatum

    I send out a “quote of the day” to my office every morning. Even if I don’t win, I’m going to get this book and share some of the wisdom with those around me. 🙂 Great words, great inspiration!!

  39. Jeannie P

    Always room for encouragement. And prayers for you and your husband that your “best yes” comes home quickly! God bless!

  41. Cindy W

    Since you shared some great quotes here’s one of my favorites (which is handy to remember when I’m at work!) – “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Teddy Roosevelt It reminds me to do my best in this moment of time.

  42. Kay

    I grew up in Florida, and joined with Lysa’s prayers many a winter for snow! What a special memory her true Father unearthed for her. I appreciate her heart for Jesus and people. I’d love to read The Best Yes!!

  43. Erika

    Ahhh, I LOVE books about slowing down life :). Another great “mommy” book is called Mitten Strings for God. I think the title is a little cheesy but that book is one I return to over and over and over when thinking about time and how I want my family life to look. Thanks for the giveaway – blessings on you, Kevin and Sweet P!