(continued from yesterday…)

That one yes after the concert led to another yes, and another, and another… and it’s been life-changing.

And the most incredible part about the whole thing is how I’ve seen all of the experiences in my life come together for this exact time…

When I was little, I used to love to write, but as I grew up, I lost sight of that.

When I went to college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to focus on, so I chose business as my major, got my MBA, and ended up working at Hewlett Packard as a manager for about five years.

After Mike and I got married and had our daughter, I quit my corporate job to be a stay-at-home mom—one of the best decisions of my life. Yet there were times I’d look back on my career and degree and wonder if it had all been a waste (I used to joke with Mike that it I got my MBA… to change diapers).

But it was at home with my kids where I not only learned the indescribable joy and privilege of being a mom, I also rediscovered my passion for writing and began to live my dream of becoming an author. And, all these years later, it was writing that brought me to volunteer at Courage to Be You, where I’ve been able to use that, and all the corporate experience I had worried might’ve been a waste, to help fight the trafficking of children.

Everything has come full circle.

Just by saying yes—in spite of fear and uncertainty—I’ve seen how God can use all of our experiences—the good, the bad, and even the times we’ve taken detours—to prepare us for what we are supposed to be doing.

It all matters.

I’m in awe of how nothing was wasted—not one class I took in college, not one experience I had in the corporate world, not one day I spent writing, and especially not one moment of being a mom.

It’s been an amazing adventure to be able to use my experiences and gifts to help change the world, one life at a time.

And it all started just by saying yes.

What about you? Do you feel a nudge to do something in life, but you’ve been holding back?

To find out more about Courage to Be You and how you can help, click here.