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31 Days: Listen



Since January 1, I have tried to sit on the edge of my bed every morning to say a prayer for the day. I ask God to watch over my parents, to let my sister have a good day at school, and I pray for family and friends going through a difficult time. I say these prayers in a hurry, practically as I head at the door. But I never stop to listen.

I hear God in His actions. In the narrow misses of being hit by someone running a red light. In the overtime money that comes just as I need to put new tires on my car. In the Sunday afternoons spent with my parents, with my Daddy telling us stories of his youth.

When I first thought about writing this post, I thought of this photo, taken in a church in Rome.


But as I looked at it, it seemed as the person praying was stopped mid-sentence, perhaps taking a breath before he started petitioning God for the next thing on his list. He could be praying for his family and friends but he appeared to be doing all the talking.

I want to be more like the woman, sitting quietly, thinking about what God has done for her and waiting to hear what she can do for God. I want to listen to Him for a change instead of asking Him to listen to me. I want to hear what He has to say.

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