Melinda Delahoyde

“Say Yes To God!”

“I can’t do that!” Those were the first words that came to my mind. I had been asked to consider becoming the national president of Care Net – the affiliation organization for over! 1,100 pregnancy care centers and 29,000 volunteers across the country. It is a wonderful organization. I had been involved for decades, but I always worked behind the scenes. Now I would be responsible for the entire organization!

“I can’t do that!” was quickly followed by “What if I fail?”. Besides, I had a great life. After all, I told God, I had raised great children (one with Down’s Syndrome). Now I could relax. I had done my part for God. I had it all planned.

But God did not stop tapping me on the shoulder. Finally, with great fear and trembling, I surrendered to His call and said yes. That was five years ago – and how my life has changed! His faithfulness, love and power have enlarged my heart and soul. Yes, I have faced (and still do face) my deep fears of failure and lack of confidence daily. I have been pushed far, far out of my comfort zone into complete dependence and trust in Jesus.

It is scary, demanding and absolutely wonderful. It is a life of faith and closeness with Jesus I never knew I could have. My heart is to encourage women to say yes to God. Surrender to Jesus. It does not matter who you are, what you think you can do or not do, or how afraid you are. He is calling and you cannot trust Him too much!

Here is an overview of what I will share at Ziglar Women:

Say Yes! to God

1. God Has a Plan for Your Life – It is Just Not the Same as Yours

• Surrendering your ideal life is the first step to experiencing God’s plan for you
  Learn to let go of past pains and failure
  Understand the unique calling God has for you now

2. You Cannot Trust Him Too Much

• Develop a faith based on God’s promises, not your feelings
  Learn how to overcome the two faith killers – fear and worry
  Understand how to “grow” your faith in everyday life

3. The Jesus School of Leadership – Superwomen need not apply

• God shows His power through our weakness, not our strength
  “But, God could never use me!” — overcoming this lie we tell ourselves
  How to Become a woman of courage and valor in your family and community

PS:

I am so excited to be a part of Ziglar Women because it is a “full-circle” moment for me.

God has a way of bringing the threads of our life together for good in ways we can never imagine.  Years ago, when we were a young family, Zig Ziglar and my husband, Bill, served on a seminary board together.  Zig was known around the world and we were just an ordinary couple who wanted to serve Jesus.  Every time Zig would come in town for a board meeting, he would call and take us out to dinner.  I thought this was the most amazing thing!  This great man wanted to have dinner with us.

Those dinners were life changing.  We got to be with a man who modeled a life sold out for God.  His sense of purpose, commitment and surrender to God shown through every conversation.  But even greater was his genuine interest in people and in our lives.  He had no reason to care about us, but he was making such an effort to encourage us.  It was one of the most vivid examples of how God wants us to care for others that I have ever experienced.

But that was only the beginning of the story.  My husband’s father had spent his career in sales and Zig was his hero.  He had read his books and practiced the principles he taught.  But Bill’s dad had not come to faith in Christ.  As we talked to Zig about Bill’s dad, he thought that he would like to give him a call.  We thought that would be wonderful. We knew Dad would be thrilled.

What happened on that call was beyond all our expectations.  Zig led Dad to accept Jesus as his Savior!  We had talked to him about our faith for years.  He had watched both of us graduate from seminary.  But it was the call with Zig that brought all of the things he had heard and seen together.  Just a few years later Dad died.

I think of Zig and Dad often.  We never know how God will use us in other people’s lives.  We never know how a word of encouragement or one phone call can literally make a world of difference in a person’s life.  But I know that Zig’s example of loving people and be faithful to make that phone call is something God continually uses to encourage me to do the little things I can do – to just be faithful in the little things.  The little things have eternal consequences.

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