What’s Your Yes?

Some people are defined by “yes”.  They live to fulfill their “yes”.  They dream, plan and act all according to their “yes.”  Everything they do revolves around the “yes” of their own lives.

Their opposites are “no” people.  These are people who don’t live for their “yes.”  Instead, they just try to avoid their own “no.”  They never discover their own potential.

My friend Mike Glenn recently wrote a book called The Gospel of Yes.  I asked him about the title of this book.  He grew up in a way and in a church that defined life with “no.”  (As in no drinking, no smoking, no this and no that.)

But, he later realized that life’s power is in the “yes”:

It’s not what we are against, but what we are for.

It’s not what you’re bad at, but what you’re good at.

It’s not about your limitations, but about your gifts.

By living in your own unique “yes”, you are living in your strength zone.

What’s your purpose? 

What is your value and unique gift?  What if you could live in your strength—in your “yes” instead of being defined by your own “no”?

When I first moved to Nashville over five years ago, I met Pastor Mike Glenn.  He is the senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist, one of the mega-churches here in the Nashville area.  If you are visiting Nashville, it’s hard to miss the church from the road.  It’s massive and every year I’ve been here it seems that they are adding another wing.  Since I’ve lived here, I think they’ve added a chapel, basketball courts, a café, and a new auditorium.  Mike draws crowds of thousands every week and he’s particularly popular with young adults.  Read this book and you will see why so many people want to hear Mike speak.  It’s powerful, uplifting, and will have you saying “yes!”

What about you? Do you know what your “yes” is? Are you living in your own strength zone? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
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  • Rego Bob

    A strong Amen to a message to get the “no” generations to concentrate on the postive “yes” response to how we face life.  Mike is absolutely right in that when you let this be your focus,  your life will change dramatically.  Good book.

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

      Thanks for sharing your perspective.

  • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

    I read Mike’s book not too long ago. A good read that reminds us how to properly frame our thinking and messaging. 

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

      Isn’t framing everything?!

      • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

        It so is. I really liked how Mike turned the supposed NOs of the Bible into Yeses. And it applies to other areas of our lives. 

        You can view a job loss as a tragedy or as a sign to go do what you’ve always wanted to do. A dating breakup as a no to you as a good partner or a yes in the fact that you’re now able to pursue someone who loves you, a rejection letter from your college choice as a no to your smarts or you can see it as a yes for another college to accept you.

        Our nos will put us into a tailspin of despair and frustration. Framing it into yes sets us up for success.

  • Steve Pate

    Although this lesson applies to every activity in life, just within the world of work, this is a great reminder that challenges and roadblocks are only there if you acknowledge a “no” that’s in your way.  If you tackle the situation with a “yes,” then you’ll find a path to the other side of the challenge or roadblock.

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

      Profound

  • Sharon Rogers

    This was a great way to start my day!  I think as we approach different stages in our lives and careers that this is a good reminder to continually focus on the gifts that we have been given.  Sometimes I get overwhelmed with wanting to do everthing and this interview reminded me to focus.  I look forward to reading this book.

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

      I agree–there can be so many things pulling for our attention that we can lose sight of our strengths. I’m a strong believer that we will always have our weaknesses, and concentrating on them doesn’t change us as much as focusing on our areas of strength.