This week on Say Yes with Cali & Jess, we sat down with Amy Canning — wife, mom of four, educator, and Christ follower — to hear the story of a yes she never could have imagined would become her own. What began as an unexpected step of obedience became a journey of adoption, faith, surrender, and learning to trust God in the middle of the unknown.

We talk about the highs and lows of adoption, the unexpected twists along the way, and the moments when God was orchestrating pieces of her story behind the scenes that she couldn't yet see. Amy shares what it looks like to hold onto God's goodness when life doesn't unfold the way we imagined, and how even in the hardest seasons, His plans are still good and His faithfulness never wavers.

We also dive into the importance of finding and being rooted in godly community — the kind of people who show up, pray with you, carry you through difficult seasons, and remind you of truth when you struggle to see it for yourself.

This conversation is such a beautiful reminder that our yes doesn't have to come with a complete picture of what's ahead. Sometimes obedience means taking the next step and trusting that the God who sees the whole story is already working out the details.

Tune in for a conversation about unexpected yeses, God's faithfulness, the beauty of community, and trusting the Author of our story even when we can't see what He's writing next.

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This week, we sat down with LeAnna Surratt for a conversation all about control, surrender, and what it looks like to say yes to God when obedience literally does not make sense.

Sometimes God asks us to take a step that doesn’t fit into our plans, our timeline, or even our pros and cons list. What do we do when the logical answer says “no,” but God is asking us to trust Him anyway? How do we surrender our need to know the how, when, and why? And how do we learn to be still and actually rest when life feels busy, uncertain, and completely out of our control?

In this episode, we talk about what it means to give control back to the One who has always had it, choosing obedience when the path ahead seems impossible, and trusting that God’s timing and plans are better than anything we could come up with ourselves. We dig into the tension between planning and surrender, learning to slow down, and finding peace in knowing that we don't have to have everything figured out.

If you’ve ever found yourself trying to control the outcome, questioning God’s timing, or wondering how you’re supposed to say yes when the next step doesn’t make sense, this conversation is for you.

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WE’RE ONE! In this very special birthday episode, Cali and Jessica are celebrating one whole year of Say Yes with Cali & Jess! 30 episodes, 41 countries, 262 cities, and countless stories of people choosing to say yes to God. It’s hard to believe how much God has done in just one year, and we’re so grateful that we get to be part of it.

We’re getting real about what we’ve learned from starting a podcast, what surprised us, and the lessons God has taught us along the way. Plus, we’re sharing some practical and honest advice for anyone who knows God is calling them to take a step but maybe doesn’t feel ready to take it.

This episode is a little celebration, a little reflection, and a whole lot of gratitude. Thank you for listening, sharing these conversations, and saying yes alongside us. Here’s to one year down and many more years of saying yes to the Say Yes Podcast!

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