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I was going to post about something else today, but I felt I needed to write about this instead.

NO.

It's a word. Did you know that? I don't like it all that well myself, and I'm discovering it's a greatly under-used word in the world at large.

As you know, I work on a college campus, and there are times when it's necessary for me to use this word when talking to a student or parent. And I've learned it's not a popular word to deliver.

No...you missed the deadline. You can extend the deadline.

No...I don't have permission to speak to you about these details. Tell me anyway.

No...the money can't arrive any faster than that. You can expedite it.

No...we can't accept this form because it's incomplete. I listed two out of three. That's not good enough?

No...we aren't open on weekends. No one can come in at all?

It's just not fun to hear. I get that. I haven't dealt with it all that gracefully myself throughout the course of my life. (Some of you need to stop nodding.)

My motto at work is always, "People are going to be in for a big surprise when they arrive at the judgment day and find out there's not an appeal committee."

But let me also say this.

God and I, as you also know, have been conversing frequently in these last few months. And we've worked on a long string of issues in my heart. One thing He's been prodding me to do is ask. Ask about anything. Ask about everything. I'll admit, I don't like to ask because I don't like rejection. (Rejection, of course, being another word for NO.) But He's been pushing me to ask.

After my relationship with Isaac ended (which is another form of the word NO), I shied away from asking God for anything new for weeks. I'd asked...begged God to restore our love and did not have the fortitude to ask for anything else for quite a while. But one night God really pressed me to ask for something that had been welling up in my heart for some time. So in a burst of courage, I asked.

On paper.

(Asking on paper is the ultimate for me.)

And pretty promptly, God said no.

Shortly after that, He prompted me to ask for something else. At last I squeaked out a request.

And immediately He said no.

And I said to Him (with much more respect in my heart than this is probably going to show), "What are You doing to me? Is this fun for You? Do You just like saying no to everything I ask?"

The immediate answer was, "Baby Girl, you went so long without hearing Me at all. At least now you're HEARING. Even if it's a no. Be thankful for every no in your life. It means I'm protecting you from something and it means you're hearing My Voice."

I'm not scared to ask Him now. Because you know what? No isn't as devastating as it used to be.