Just One Yes
A Step of Faith, an Unexpected Calling
By Monica Salisbury, LPCC
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”— Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
I did a thing—not something I thought I would ever do and not a topic I thought I would ever address, but a thing. I have learned that when I say something like, “I would never do that” or “I never want to go there,” God always challenges me and usually sends me on the adventure.
As a therapist, I see people every day who deal with fear, anxiety, depression, and challenges in their lives that they think they can never get past. My goal is to help them find ways of seeing life and those challenges differently. It can be hard, but the first step is saying “yes.” Yes to treatment, yes to admitting you’re struggling, yes to your health, yes to getting better.
So, what’s the thing I did? I said “yes” to writing a book. You might think of a book about counseling or psychology, considering what I do for a living. However, God had a different plan. He sent me to a continent I never wanted to go to, specifically South Africa. On that trip, I met a young lady barely in her 30s whom God has used mightily in helping over 2,000 children and elderly people five days a week for the past 10 years. I was in awe seeing this ministry run like a finely oiled machine at the hands of this woman who left her comfy home in the Dayton, Ohio, area to go to the other side of the world to help people she didn’t know.
As a 50ish person, I thought to myself, there is no way I would have done something so bold at her age. But she said “yes” to God, and He made a way for her to build Lydia’s Mission into a Kingdom-producing ministry.
So why did I say yes? Because I’ve never seen God not take my yes and turn it into something amazing. I had never written a book, but I figured if there’s a will, there is a way, and He would bring the right people along my path to help me figure it out—and He did.
I’ve stumbled along the way these past few years. The process was slow, and sometimes I didn’t think I would finish it, but I did. I published It Takes Just One: One Yes, One Tree, One Savior on my 55th birthday this year!
My question for you is, “What is the one yes God is asking from you?” I can’t answer that for you, but I feel that if we learn to just say yes to God, He brings healing, forgiveness, and miracles in ways that we can’t even imagine.
If you would like to learn more about Lydia’s Mission, you can find the book on Amazon. All proceeds from the sale of the book are going toward the mission.
About the Author: Monica Salisbury is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), veteran, author, former missionary, wife, mother, grandmother, and follower of Jesus Christ. She believes life can be messy, relationships can be hard, and sometimes we all need a safe place to work through it. Monica brings warmth, humor, compassion, and real-life experience into the counseling room, creating a space where clients can feel heard, challenged, and supported. Her heart is to walk alongside people as they heal from the past, navigate the present, and move toward a healthier and more hopeful future.
Disclaimer:
This article and material is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized mental health assessment, diagnosis, treatment, or professional advice. The therapeutic relationship and appropriate treatment approach will vary based on each person's needs and circumstances. Reading the article or using the worksheet does not create a therapist-client relationship.
