Friday, August 28, 2009

Listening








I don't know how it is for you, but I find myself amazed repeatedly at how, when and where God finds ways to speak to me when I am listening.

I grew up in a good little box that forbade viewing movies especially at the movie theatre! Eventually I got over it and decided to go to the movies ocassionally. I think that is why it gives me a hearty chuckle that when on the rare ocassions I do go to see a movie God speaks to me from the BIG SCREEN! I do realize most people do not go to the movies to hear God speak to them, but it's a vehicle He uses with me for sure!

I went to see Julie & Julia the other day and you guessed it - there God was speaking to me! Now it's not like I don't attend church so He has to get my attention somehow. I am the wife of a Pastor and a Pastor's daughter, etc. I can say that quite honestly, by the time I was 20 I had attended more church services than most people ever attend in their whole lives! :)

Back to Julie - she was struggling to believe she was a writer, she was struggling to finish what she started and that is where we started to connect and God started nudging me. My husband tells me to write - no, I would have to say, urges me to write. I did start writing a book for women in abuse relationships almost 2 years ago but have stopped. Lately I've been praying that He would help me to finish what I've started and show me how to get myself going again. Well there was the answer in the movie, Julie started a blog and kept it going until she was done. So here I am - I've decided to LISTEN to God's message from the big screen to me. I've started this blog and intend to continue as long as necessary - or at least until I finish that book and maybe beyond!

Hearing from God is not as difficult as we sometimes make it. When we look and listen for His voice, He will speak. Sometimes it's the tiniest whisper in our heart of hearts. Sometimes He's laughing out loud with us from the big screen. Sometimes He's just shining on us through His creation. Sometimes He's singing to us through the song we are listening to. However it comes, when we are listening for Him, God does speak! Even when my life was filled with grief, God found ways to speak to me in the most unlikely ways, but that's another blog. I think too we need to want to hear HIM.

We all have that thing called "selective hearing" - remember when Mom would call us to do some chore that we absolutely did not want to do? We found it easy to tune that right out! Remember how we could hear the things we LIKED to hear, the telephone ring when we were waiting for a call from our sweetheart (could run a marathon to get to that phone) that was before the age of cell phones! :-) Or remember the tune of the ice cream truck on a hot day even when it was still 7 blocks away!? I guess we need to make God's voice one of our "selections" is what I'm trying to say. He loves to be "selected" by us.

I love to listen to people and their stories - I know now that it is a gift I can give others - to LISTEN to them. I do listen and respond to women all over the country who reach out in painful circumstances looking for answers as they struggle with abuse in their relationships. They are looking for someone to listen to them and hear their anguish. God loves to listen to us too. If we desire Him to speak to us - He will - it will not always be what we want to hear but He will speak!

I don't know where this blogging will lead - but now at least I have begun. It is my prayer that you too will hear God speak to you no matter where you are or what is going on in your life, because He does still speak! Are you listening?


"Speak, Lord, your servant is listening." 1 Samuel 3:9
Joyfully,
Joy
http://www.joy-bringer-ministries.org/

2 comments:

  1. Ruth Joy - I really enjoy reading your Blog! This story especially touched me because we saw (and were inspired) by the same movie. You have a gift for writing, so let me encourage you to press on. I'm cheering for you!! Michele

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  2. Thanks so much Michele! Your encouragement touches my heart! I love you and am so glad we are connected once again!
    hugs,
    Ruth Joy

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