Carol McClain

Years ago I played by bassoon in Oklahoma. My main take-away was the song, “I Can’t Say No”.

Unlike Ado Annie, my fear of no isn’t sexual–but it permeates every part of my life.

I love to please. Like most women, was born to please.

I’d guess the same goes for you.

And it’s the last item that I think we need to overcome the most. Sometimes, God’s will is only accomplished by saying no.

Before I ever published a book, my good friend Linda Rondeau got me a novella deal. Her agent would represent me. I’d be one of three others in the collection centered around another author’s completed novella.

It was my foot in the door to the world of my dreams.

To prepare, I:

• researched–and had a ball doing so
• plotted out the work
• and woke up many a night in panic.

No way could I work an angel in. Not my style, in a work already fast become not my thing.

I couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t eat. I thought of the Scripture to let my yeah be yeah and my no be no. And I’d already said yes.

But I had to be obedient to God once I heard him tell me to say no.

I called Linda and explained how I couldn’t do this novella. To my glee, she was delighted. Linda, too, had misgivings but couldn’t back out on me.

My nights became restful, and my direction became clear.

Shortly after, I received my first contract from Desert Breeze Publishing. DWF: Divorced White Female came out the following year. A comedic women’s fiction, where a ditched woman goes online to fine a man after her husband ditches her, characterized all I was as an author at the time.

No was God’s direction. Matthew 5:37 tells us, no is part of God’s will. We know in prayer, sometimes His answer is no. If God has no qualms saying no–neither should we.

Next week we’ll explore how to follow in God’s footsteps and say no.

Do you have problems with no? How do you overcome them? Do you wish to?

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