G. K. Chesterton Quote

"To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless."

My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His Righteouness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

Hymn by Edward Mote and Wm. B. Bradbury

Knowing Your Source

Original artwork, graphite on paper.
Copyright 1995 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

"Contemplation is the highest expression of man's intellectual and spiritual life. It is that life itself, fully awake, fully active, fully aware that is alive. It is spiritual wonder. It is spontaneous awe at the sacredness of life, of being. It is gratitude for life, for awareness, and for being. It is a vivid realization of the fact that life and being in us proceed from an invisible, transcendent...Source... It is, above all, awareness of the reality of that Source. It knows the Source, obscurely, inexplicably, but with a certitude that goes both beyond reason and beyond simple faith."

--Thomas Merton, Seeds

Laying a Cornerstone

Copyright 1997 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

As a writer and an artist I've learned some valuable lessons about laying life’s foundations. One of those lessons taught me that every good foundation starts with a cornerstone. The lessons I’ve learned about foundations and cornerstones translate easily and naturally into my Christian life and into my personal lifestyle.

Whenever I begin writing an article or a chapter in a book, I create an outline. The outline shows me the beginning, the middle, and the ending of whatever I’m writing. During the writing process that outline keeps me focused on my purpose by always reminding me what the subject matter truly is, in case my mind starts to wander. My outline tells me when to stop in the event I get caught up in the sheer pleasure of writing and keep on long after the story has been told. In other words, the outline sets up the structure of the story, sets up the road marks along the way, and sets my inner clock that chimes, "It is finished."

The same holds true when I wear my artist hat. Whether I am drawing or painting, I start with a sketch. The sketch is vitally important and requires perfection. Because if the sketch is off in any area, if the perspective is wrong, then no matter how many lines I add, no matter how many shadows I paint in, the final effect is never right–a body of water floats in the air, a road goes off to nowhere. When that happens, the only solution is to begin again.

Over and over I find those lessons also apply to my life. "Why didn’t that marriage work out?" I ask myself. I worked so hard on it! What happened to that job I wanted so badly? Nothing seemed to work out there. I thought I had it nailed. Maybe you’ve asked these same questions. But when I take time to pray and listen to God, sooner or later I’ll discover there was a time at the beginning of the process when I was trying to do it by sheer will power and had started the whole endeavor just because it was something I wanted. I had forgotten to get God involved from the very beginning.

If I had taken the time to stop before starting a new stage of my life and asked Christ to be the cornerstone, then the foundations I built would not have later crumbled and fallen. Do you ever wonder why your life seems a "little off?" Or maybe off a lot, and you still don’t know why. We wonder why things continue to go wrong for us. And that leads to a lot of frustration, of tearing down and rebuilding which wastes time and energy. We think, "I should be further down this road at my age." A lot of us keep learning the same lessons over and over again, whether they involve marriages, careers, or relationships. But when we build foundations on ourselves, our talents, or even on our knowledge, it’s just never enough.

Those kinds of foundations will never support our hopes and dreams. For me, every word that is added to a faulty outline, every line drawn on a crooked sketch, ends up in the trash. Similarly, any weak foundation will sooner or later fall. In the face of life's problems, it takes a strong structure built on a rock-solid foundation to withstand hard times. What does it take to build a rock-solid foundation? There is only one thing. A perfect cornerstone on which to build our lives. That rock is Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 28:16 says, "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone, for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.’" If God, who is the Creator, lays a cornerstone for His foundation, then we can trust without a doubt that God’s pattern of building will also work for us.

What was this costly cornerstone Isaiah was prophesying about? It was God’s own son, Jesus Christ. He was the cornerstone for the foundation on whom God would build holy temples in which to house His Holy Spirit. Paul, the apostle, wrote to the saints in Ephesus saying, (Ephesians 2:20-22), "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone; In whom the whole building being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord: In whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit."

What exactly is a cornerstone? The dictionary defines it as, "a stone uniting two walls and forming a corner of a building which will determine how true the angles will be that rise from the one stone. The cornerstone is most important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure."

How is your structure? Is your life full of strife and anger? Or does peace reign supreme? Now might be a good time to look back and ask yourself, "What is the cornerstone of my foundation? What are all my hopes and dreams built upon?" If your answer is, "Me" or if your answer is "Tom, Dick, or Harry," then, more than likely, the cornerstone of your foundation is not true and sure. So how can you expect the framework of your life to stand erect and strong?
You may say, "If everything crumbles and falls, I can always start over. I’ve done it before. I can do it again." Yes, you can. But how much time and energy are you willing to waste starting over time and time again? And how will the next time be any different from this time? How many times are you willing to start over?

Perhaps it’s time to reevaluate the foundations of your life. Give yourself some time alone, commit, maybe for the first time, or recommit your life to Christ. Give Him your life, your children, your work, and ask Him to be the cornerstone of your life. Reassure yourself and Him that everything from this moment on will be built on Him. Turn loose and give Him your whole life. Let Him be your cornerstone. When He is, everything you build in your life will be measured from a new viewpoint.

Before you make a life decision you’ll want to know what God says about it. You’ll measure your life according to God’s word. You’ll be praying before you commit to a marriage. You’ll pray before you decide to take that new job. Before, and not after, you start a new business you’ll ask God’s opinion. Every decision will be weighed and measured starting from the cornerstone. Soon you’ll find that you’re making fewer mistakes in your personal decisions. You’ll be walking away from fewer disasters. You’ll be starting over less and less. Success will chase you down. Everything you set your hand to will prosper. Blessings will flow into every area of your life. When Jesus Christ is your cornerstone, everything you build will stand strong, true, and fortified. Your life will be a mighty fortress.

Join in Life's Dance

Original artwork. Graphite on paper.
Copyright 1995 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

I danced in the morning when the world was begun
I danced in the Moon & the Stars & the Sun
I came down from Heaven & I danced on Earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth:


Dance then, wherever you may be
"I am the Lord of the Dance," said He.
"And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance," said He.



"Lord of the Dance." Lyrics by Sydney Carter 1963
Music 19th Century Shaker tune

Renewing Your Mind

"Take time to get away from the world and study God's Word. Meditate on it and let it change you from the inside out. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind and release the beautiful spiritual butterfly that's living in you! (Romans 12:2) --Gloria Copeland, Faith to Faith

God's Handiwork

Original photograph.
Copyright 2006 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

"And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good."

Genesis 1:31

Moving Day

Copyright 1983 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

As good friends often do,
My friend is moving away.
So here I stand a-cryin'
On this his moving day.

Cryin' for the stayers
Missing friends who move along,
Movers to that other home,
Where all of us belong.

I have more friends a-movin' now
Than those who stay behind,
If I should move tomorrow,
I really wouldn't mind.

I'll see you there, dear friend,
In that other home away,
When I'll leave others cryin'
And it's my Moving Day.

Let Me Know

Copyright 1982 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

If I see another, Lord,
Who really needs a friend,
Lord, let me know it's really You
Who's holding out Your hand.

And if I hear another's cry
And see his fears within,
Lord, let me know it's You who cries,
Who dies there once again.

If I see another, Lord,
Who cries in pain and moans,
Don't let me close my eyes to love
And leave You there alone.

Only in God by John Michael Talbot

Sacramental Ownership

Copyright 1995 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

Several years ago God began showing me the practice of recognizing that things in this world have a higher value than simply what we see and enjoy. Some of them have sacramental value.

In religious terms the word “sacrament” generally means “an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.” The implications of such a term is eternally deep and wide, and must be read, heard and meditated upon in order to understand its true significance. Even after meditating upon it, the full meaning of the term sometimes only reveals itself somewhat like an onion, one layer at a time.

It wasn’t until one evening when a friend visited in my home that I realized there is another layer to the idea of sacrament which I had previously missed. I always thought in such a manner, but had never put a name on it until then. I now call that layer--sacramental ownership.

A friend’s admiration of some household items sparked this new title to an old way of thinking. While we were setting the dinner table, she commented on the china, but she especially admired a beautiful cake plate, which holds a prominent position on our rolling food cart which sits in the bay window. The cake plate is off-white with bouquets of delicate yellow roses winding around the outer edge and trailing down the six-inch pedestal. A tiny line of gold runs all around the edge of the plate. My mother’s name is painted in her unique handwriting in tiny gold letters at the edge of one of the beautiful yellow roses.

To me this plate is precious, and it brings back memories of how Mother’s china painting had helped her cope during a difficult period in her life. I realize when I see this plate that it imparts a much higher significance than a mere piece of china. It has the power to transport me back in time.

After my friend’s visit I began to notice how many of my things possess a sacramental meaning to me, such as the quilt draped over my upstairs hand railing, a thin and frayed red, white, and blue quilt with rows of blue six-pointed stars on a field of white surrounded by a narrow band of red.

To guests who visit in my home the quilt represents family, a return to homemade crafts and even to some, an expensive decorating item. To me it represents the love my grandparents put into it as they planned it on their honeymoon in the 1920's. My grandfather, a carpenter, created the design, but he and my grandmother quilted it together during their first year of married life. To me it is a outward and visible sign of my roots of love.

It evokes the memory of my grandmother folding it up from off her bed when she was 80 and my grandfather had long ago died. She laid it lovingly in my arms, saying, “This should belong to the oldest grandchild.”

Like my grandparents’ quilt, homemade gifts are sometimes the most precious gifts of all. Gifts from friends, loved ones or special previous owners touch our hearts and fill our empty places with love and precious memories.

Some belongings possess an uncanny power, somewhat like a song, that can transport one through time to a certain place with all the same sights, smells, and sounds once known. Just try baking your grandmother’s or mother’s recipe for bread, and you’ll realize quickly that the smell can carry you on delicious wings right back to your childhood.

Nowhere is this power revealed more than in the church. In those churches that possess stained glass windows, brass candle holders, handmade altar linens, ornate crosses, and other religious items sacramental ownership seems evident. From a stained glass window of the Good Shepherd carrying a lamb on his shoulders we get blessed through and through knowing that we are that lamb, and that Shepherd cares for us the same way. Having that reassurance lifts the ownership of the mere glass and window up to a new height of awareness and assurance.

In the Bible the Ark of the Covenant was so much more than a box covered in gold. It was the place where God was present with His people. The ownership of the Ark by the children of Israel was undeniably a sacrament. The Bible is full of things that were owned but were more than just owned. They were transformed from mere objects into righteous sacraments because they represented God, love, kindness, holiness, and other fruits of the Spirit.

Owning things for owning’s sake always lacks something in its effect, but owning something which possesses a higher value brings with it a truer meaning and quality, especially if it evokes pleasant memories, if it teaches, if it imparts love, or if it contains even a sliver of holiness in your life. Then it truly does possess a value higher than itself--an inward and spiritual grace--a sacramental ownership.

Ruth--A Book of Blessings

Copyright 1996 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

Few people realize that the Old Testament book of Ruth is loaded with blessings. It demonstrates for us how to live in a continuous flow of blessings and how to bless our family members and neighbors as naturally as saying hello.

The book of Ruth relates the true story of two strong women, Naomi and Ruth, who loved each other very much, and who also blessed each other not only with their words, but with their very lives.

Naomi was married to a man named Elimelech, and they lived in Bethlehem in Judah. During the time of the judges, there came a famine in Judah, so Elimelech moved his wife and his two sons to the land of Moab in order to provide food for them. While living in Moab, Elimelech died. And after his death Elimelech's two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, married Moabite women.

Mahlon married Ruth and Kilion married a woman named Orpah. After about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left husbandless and childless but she now had two daughters-in-law. In the middle of her sadness and despair, Naomi made a tough decision. She decided to pack up and leave her home of more than ten years and return to Bethlehem where she had relatives and friends.

But before she left Naomi decided to release her daughters-in-law from further obligation to her so they could return to their homes and find new husbands. In a tearful departure she sent them away with a blessing saying: "May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband."

Orpah soon packed her things, kissed Naomi, and left. But Ruth chose not to leave. She clung to Naomi promising, "Where you go I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

Naomi was very touched by Ruth’s words, and when she was fully convinced that Ruth was not leaving her, she decided to let her stay. And the two women began their long trip back to Bethlehem alone, with no husbands and no children.

Word must have already reached the home town folks because by the time the two women arrived, the whole town was in a stir. And Naomi didn't even try to hide her feelings. There among close relatives and friends, she poured her heart out saying, "The Lord has afflicted me. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty."

Rather than the Lord having afflicted Naomi, it seems that the circumstances of life had taken a toll on her. God had in mind for her blessings that she could not have imagined. First, He truly blessed her by bringing her back to the arms and comfort of her people, where she was surrounded by those who cared for her, and also where Ruth could find a new husband.

It wasn’t a coincidence that their return to Bethlehem coincided with the barley harvest, and there was a man of some standing there named Boaz, who owned some land, and whose workers and maidservants were gathering in the crop. Very often God works "behind the scenes" to bring about His perfect will. And it seems that certainly happened in the situation with Boaz and Ruth.

For when Ruth went out to pick up the leftovers of the barley, she accidentally found herself in the field belonging to Boaz. When he arrived, he called out a blessing to his workers, saying "The Lord be with you." And the workers blessed him back immediately with "The Lord bless you."

And looking across the field, Boaz noticed Ruth and asked who she was. When he learned that she was the Moabite woman who came back with Naomi, he gave strict orders to his harvesters to allow Ruth to stay in his field so that she would be safe. He also told his male workers to leave her alone. Boaz was already blessing Ruth with safety and security.

Boaz evidently had already heard the stories of Ruth and of how she had left her people and her homeland and had moved to be with Naomi. And he was impressed with her loyalty. In speaking with Ruth, Boaz blessed her by saying, "May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly blessed by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."

And that blessing produced fruit immediately. Boaz allowed Ruth to eat with his harvesters, plus he gave instructions to his workers to leave some grain on the ground for Ruth to gather so she wouldn't be embarrassed by having to go home empty-handed.

When Naomi saw all that Ruth had gathered that day, she declared a blessing saying, "Blessed is the man who took notice of you!" And when Ruth told her that the field in which she had worked belonged to Boaz, Naomi reiterated with "The Lord bless him!"

Being a wise woman and also desiring to provide for Ruth, Naomi devised a plan to put Boaz and Ruth together. She recommended that Ruth go down to the threshing floor one night where Boaz would be sleeping. The plan was that Ruth would uncover Boaz's feet and curl up next to them under the covers and then do whatever Boaz told her to do.

However, Boaz awoke startled in the middle of the night to find Ruth at his feet. When she explained why she was there, Boaz felt flattered and said, "The Lord bless you my daughter. This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after younger men, whether rich or poor."

After Ruth explained her situation, Boaz told her that there was a man who was a closer relative than himself, and that the other man would have to be given first chance to purchase Elimelech and his sons' property, which included Ruth. And Boaz also promised her that he would solve the problem that very day.

So Boaz kept his word to Ruth and immediately walked down to the city gate after arising the next morning. He gave the man who was the closer relative ample opportunity to purchase the property belonging to Elimelech and his sons, but the man turned him down saying, "I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself".

So Boaz removed his sandal, which was the legal formalization of the agreement in that day, and also announced to the elders and to all the people gathered there that he had purchased the property of Elimelech and his sons, which included Ruth, the Moabitess, as his wife.

And all the people at the gate blessed Boaz saying, "May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah."

So Boaz took Ruth as his wife, and she gave birth to a son. And immediately Naomi's women friends, blessed the child by proclaiming, "May he become famous throughout Israel!" And they praised God for Naomi's grandson and said, "Naomi has a son!"

And the son was named Obed. And Obed did become famous throughout Israel, as the women proclaimed in their blessing. He became famous because he had a son named Jesse who had a son named David. And Naomi's great-great-grandson, David, became King David, the famous king of Israel.

No wonder King David was blessed. No wonder he was a man after God's own heart. He came from a people of blessing. His roots were blessed many generations back which surely produced untold numbers of blessings in his life.

The true story of Naomi and Ruth and Boaz tells a story of God's people who possessed a propensity to bless. Blessings seemed to flow from their mouths as naturally as breathing. And the blessings that were pronounced always produced fruit in the lives of the recipients. Immediate fruit. Fruit that could be seen. Fruit that blessed.

Blessing our family members and our friends should become a natural way of speaking, just as it was for Naomi and Boaz. If you aren't sure how to bless someone, pick up your Bible and read the fourteen blessings of Ruth. By using those blessings as patterns, replace your own personal thoughts and ideas for what is written.

Remember: A blessing must be the highest hope and the highest ideal that you can desire for someone. It should be said with enthusiasm and meant with all of your heart. Then stand back and watch the fruit of your blessings grow.

Let us learn a lesson from Naomi and from Ruth and Boaz, and even from Naomi's neighbors. Let us bless our children and our grandchildren--even our daughters-in-law and sons-in-law. You never know what might become of it. You just might have a King David somewhere in your future.

May the Lord bless you and prosper you this day and always!

A Rule of Life

Copyright 2006 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

Some people feel the need to lead a more disciplined prayer and spiritual life than others. For those who need a discipline, a Rule of Life is helpful. A Rule of Life is whatever outward and visible spiritual action you can do on a regular basis that will draw you nearer to God. And it should be an action or actions you can promise yourself and God you will do daily.

The Latin term is regula, which does not have some of the negative connotations of the English word rule. Your own Rule regulates your life the way you want it. It should be something you yearn to do.

A Rule of Life should start out being simple and easy so you won’t become overly burdened by it or overly discouraged if you fail to keep it. A simple Rule of Life might start out with your promising to say The Lord’s Prayer every day. After a few weeks you might add a daily Bible reading. A few weeks after that you might want to add paying your tithe or being certain that you take Communion on a regular basis.

The promise you make to yourself and to God is not to bind you to a Rule. It is simply to keep you focused on your relationship with God and keep you faithful to your spiritual discipline. Through the years your Rule of Life will need to be modified by expanding or contracting. It is not important how much you do. But it is important how faithfully you do what you’ve promised.

A Rule of Life is a reminder of who you are and whose you are. Its purpose is to keep you “on track” and growing spiritually. Every day we tend to our bodies by eating, exercising, resting, etc. It only makes sense to tend also to our spirits by praying, reading scripture, taking communion, reflecting, and doing acts of love. Sometimes we get busy and forget. A Rule of Life keeps us focused. It helps keep us in His presence each and every day, moment by moment.

I Will Walk and Follow Jesus by John Michael Talbot

Waiting--Time to Gather Around a Promise

Copyright 2008 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

Most of us hate to wait. Just ask anyone who has stood in a slow moving line at the bank teller’s window during lunch hour. Or in the express line at the grocery store when some thoughtless person has twenty-five items instead of the required “ten items only.” Waiting can be frustrating and stressful. But what if God asks us to wait. What then?

When I was a child, my parents owned their own business, which was installing underground lawn sprinkler systems. Once a year they traveled to some large city for the annual convention of all sprinkler business owners across America. It was held in a major hotel ballroom and hosted by the country’s largest distributor of sprinkler parts. For Mother and Dad, it meant a combination vacation/business networking trip.

For my brother and me, it meant time with grandmother and granddaddy which was always fun. At the same time, for me at least, it was also stressful, because my life’s routine became undisciplined and unfamiliar. Life just wasn’t the same without Mother there to do all the things she usually did to make home comfortable and untroubled.

Our parents were smart. In order to keep us from driving our grandparents crazy with questions about how soon they’d return, they always left us with a promise. A promise of a gift. “If you’ll be good while we’re gone,” they’d say, “we’ll bring you something wonderful from our trip!”

The promise of that gift was powerful. The hope of it held in our hearts usually kept us much more well-mannered and patient than we’d have otherwise been left entirely on our own. Our parents’ promise tucked snugly in the backs of our minds kept us company while they were away and gave us hope. Hope that they would indeed return. And hope that there would be a grand reward for our being good and for our waiting.

Perhaps that was similar to what the 120 family members and friends of Jesus were thinking that day as they gathered in the upper room to wait. After all, shortly before he ascended into heaven, he had told them (Acts 1:4), “not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised.”

Like my brother and me, that promise stored in their minds and their hearts must also have been filled with great hope. Expectantly waiting for the fulfillment of the promise. Were they complaining? Probably not, because their approaching reward was much larger than the size of their impatience.

Has God asked you to wait on him? Has He made you a promise? If so, how are you handling it? Are you climbing the walls? Stressed out? Or are you patient and peaceful? Full of hope? Cherishing His promises?

During times of waiting, there are a few things you can do that will aid in maintaining your serenity:
• Remember and meditate on the promise God has made you
• Visualize that promise as larger than your impatience
• Remain active while you wait
• Keep your body healthy and your mind alert
• Keep a prayerful countenance so that you’ll have ears to hear
• Be earnest in your hope
• Never waiver from strong belief in God’s ability to deliver

Remember, waiting is hard work. Nourish and fortify yourself for your efforts with prayers and God’s word. Refresh yourself with fellowship and fun. By keeping yourself gathered around your promise from God, instead of around your impatience, waiting becomes easier than you ever imagined.

Let Me Disappear

Let me disappear, Lord,
And thus be hid from view,
So others cannot see me
But only will see You.

Let them look in Your eyes
To see You really care.
Please, let me disappear, Lord,
So they will see You there.

Let Your hand be touched, Lord,
As they reach out for mine
And feel Your very Presence
In the touch that is Divine.

Let them look on Your sweet face,
When I meet them each day,
Leaving them to meet You, Lord,
As I just fade away.

Copyright 1983 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

Listening--The Other Side of Praying

Copyright 2009 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

It was Thursday at noon, and I was meeting Anna at the local coffee shop. I grabbed a latte and the back booth where it was quiet even during lunchtime. The shop is a local hangout for college kids with laptops and iPods. As I waited quietly for Anna and watched people go by I couldn't help but wonder if any of those kids really know how to listen to God. In fact do any of us?

This first meeting with Anna was a typical one for me. So many times I sit across the table from a teary-eyed prospect who has summoned all the courage they have to pick up the phone and call me. Some of them have never heard of a spiritual director. But they feel a pull or a push from God to make that call.

"You said on the phone you felt an urge to call me, and you're not sure why." Anna nodded. I continued, "I am what is called a Christian spiritual director, and I get calls like yours all the time. My job is to help people hear from God. Most of the time, Anna, God is speaking. We're just not listening. I'm here to help you listen."

You might wonder, "Why is listening so important to my prayer life?" Let's suppose for a moment that praying is like making a phone call to your friend. If you make the call, do all the talking, and hang up, what have you learned from your friend? If we do all the talking and very little listening, how do we know what God wants us to do? We don't. And if we don't know what God wants us to do, very often we end up being frustrated when our own plans don't work out.

Unfortunately, a lot of people are addicted to noise. In fact if a moment of silence is asked for in church or in another assembly of people, we can hardly wait until it's over. Being quiet that long is not an easy task. Two minutes can seem like an eternity.

Like you I wonder, "How can I hear God's voice through all the noise that assaults my ears all day long? And how can I quiet the noise inside my head?" I can't help but think of the prophet, Elijah. In 1 Kings 19:11 he was standing on the mountain when God was going to pass by. But God was not in what was loud, not the powerful wind nor the earthquake. Only when Elijah stood at the mouth of the cave and listened did he hear God in the gentle whisper.

Like any other habit we want to change: we must do it one choice at a time. Perhaps one day we choose to eat breakfast in silence instead of listening to the blaring morning news shows. Maybe for a couple of days a week we eat lunch alone in a local park or some other solitary place positioning ourselves like Elijah where God may pass by.

The first time I attended a spiritual retreat at a convent for the weekend I found the imposed silence for part of four days a little hard to get used to. Unaccustomed to being silent from dinner on Thursday night until after lunch on Sunday took quite a bit of self-discipline all at once. But I was determined to hear from God. I had an important decision to make, and I was willing at that point in my life to do whatever it took in order to hear from Him. Too bad that sometimes we have to get desperate enough for God that we are actually willing to suffer a little discomfort in order to seek His face.

At the retreat all meals were eaten in silence. The only time talking occurred was during the church service, corporate prayer, and the talks that were given by the speakers. At all other times the retreatants were silent. Reading was allowed, praying was encouraged, rest was recommended. All of a sudden all I could hear was my brain charging forth like a runaway locomotive. Ridiculous thoughts played out like a movie. Did I turn off the stove before I left home? Was I being selfish for taking time for myself? Just when those thoughts slowed down, all my favorite music began to play involuntarily in my brain. Only after a day and a half did the noise of my mind begin to slow down.

By the second full day of the retreat my whole body began to sink into a restful position. Lines from the 23rd Psalm began to pertain precisely to me, "He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul." That was me! God was restoring my soul. And from that place of restoration and quiet I was at last able to hear Him.

Not everyone has access to a spiritual director or is able to attend a retreat. Yet it is possible to discipline oneself to listen for the voice of God. He speaks to us in many different ways. God loves us so much that He will use whatever means He can to get through to us. Sometimes He speaks through a pastor in a sermon, and we know that word is just for us. Sometimes He speaks through a song in the worship service. Friends have told me stories about how scriptures seem to leap off the pages of their Bibles and go straight to their hearts. They had no doubt that God was speaking directly to them. God will use billboards, bumper stickers, dreams, and blogs in order to get a word to you that you need to hear. But you must be able to hear.

Pray that God will give you ears to hear, and He will. For God is seeking those who would listen and hear His voice. In Psalm 81:11 God complains of just such a problem He was having with Israel. He says, "But my people would not listen to me. Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own devices. If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways...!" How can we follow His ways if we don't first learn to listen?

In my ministry as a spiritual director I talk with many people who pray faithfully. But when I ask them if they listen, they hesitate. God has shown me through the scriptures that He wants a two-way relationship with us, one of praying and also of listening. As a result I slow my own life down at regular intervals just to sit like Mary at the feet of Jesus and listen. I highly recommend this form of meditation. The habit of listening opens our spiritual ears to hear His voice.

Here are some other suggestions for you to try to slow down your life in order to hear from God. 1) Try riding in your car in silence, 2) Give yourself a break from television, 3) Take a long walk alone, 4) Before or after your daily Bible reading close your eyes and stay still, quieting your mind, and 5) After you finish praying, give God a chance to answer you. Don't be quick to jump up and leave. He may have something to say.

Remember: listening is the other side of praying. In this busy world God is looking for someone who cares enough to stop and listen.