The Foundational Attitude of "YES"

      I awoke this morning saying "Yes" to God. As I prayed, the phrase, "The power of yes," occurred to me. I felt the truth in it, and yes, the power.
      When "Yes" embodies our foundational attitude toward life, even saying "no" when necessary can be a positive statement. In fact, saying "yes" to God often means saying "no" to our felt needs and desires. And though that sounds harsh, it can produce the most positive of outcomes.
      Think of how maintaining a foundational attitude of "yes" toward your children can impact their feeling of wellbeing. Recognizing a conscious "yes" in your love for them shapes the whole relationship into something warm, comforting, and especially, strong. Feeling loved builds around your children's character a bulwark against the enemy's attacks. And until they become mature enough to apply The Whole Armor of God to themselves, that defensive structure is all they have to fend off the peer pressure, intimidation, and cruel name calling other children will most certainly throw at them.
      Of course it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, that consciously recognizing the foundational attitude of "yes" toward ourselves releases the immeasurable power of God's greatest gifts: Belief in God's love for us! Love and deference toward others! Self-control! Divine wisdom! Human creativity! Intellectual curiosity! And old-fashioned, horse sense!