Hearing From God - #011

Have you ever wondered, "Is God speaking to me...and how do I even know?"

In this episode, we explore the many ways God communicates with His people—through scripture, prayer, the Holy Spirit, wise counsel, circumstances, and even the quiet whispers in our hearts. Whether you feel distant from God or simply want to grow in recognizing His voice, this conversaiton will meet you right where you are. 

We don't just talk about it—we give you practical, real-life tools to help you tune in and respond. From learning how to slow down and listen, to testing what you hear and growing in confidence, this episode is designed to help you build a deeper, more personal connection with God. 

If you've ever longed to hear Him more clearly, this is your invitation to lean in, listen closely, and discover that He may be speaking more than you realize.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Hey guys, welcome back to Pockets of Paradise Podcast. We're so glad you're here. I'm Larson Griffith with Megan Tedder. And we've got some good things this week, I think. I think so too. A little liner, maybe?

SPEAKER_00 0:26

Not as heavy as the last two. This is going to be um coming from questions from people who have told us what they want to hear. Yes. Which I'm excited about. But me and Larson are coming off of the tail end of being host homes for a youth retreat. Yes. So we're a little tired. Yeah, we're caffeinated and we're happy to be here. So but um we were talking and debriefing about the youth retreat, and um we started kind of talking about, you know, what do we want to talk about for this next podcast? And the idea of how to hear God came up. Um and it actually was a really I enjoyed the conversation we had, Larson. I thought it was really interesting because I think each of us as God's children communicate and relate to God very differently. Um, and sometimes in the faith, it's very easy to compare your relationship with God to someone else's and wonder if you're doing it right or wrong. Um I don't have that. Like, what am I doing wrong? Or what do I need to do different? Um, and that's not necessarily the case. And so I was actually sharing with Larson because I had a a vision. Um, and sometimes I hold those very close to my heart because God says don't say anything, and sometimes I share it. But um, when I share those things, I get one of three reactions. The first one is usually um the skeptic who kind of raises an eyebrow like, are you making this up? You need to go to the loony bin, like what's going on? Um and then the second one is usually the critic, and they'll either criticize me and tell me why it's not um right or not how God operates or whatever they think, or they'll criticize themselves and they'll say, Well, I want I must be doing something wrong, and they beat themselves up. And neither one of those things are from God, right? Or what God wants for you in that. And then the third is the person who receives it and realizes that God gave me something to edify you with.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Yeah. Um, yeah, I'll say real quick, like when I first met Megan, she had shared something with me, and I think I was a little bit more of the like the critic of like, I don't know about that, but like, wait, am I just missing something? But then, like, the more I've gotten to know her and the more like I know more of her relationship with the Lord and how the Lord speaks to her, I'm like, is he telling you anything about me? Like, can you tell groom chat? Yeah, like can you share with me what you saw? Like, you know, that kind of stuff. And I think it's so special though, um, because he does use you to speak into other people's lives like that, and where I don't necessarily have visions, but sometimes, you know, I'll hear a voice if I'm quiet enough, or like I'll have a dream that are very vivid, because Megan's always like, it was vivid, wasn't it? And I'm like, Yeah, yeah, when we talk about my dreams, and so like things like that. I just think it's really cool though, how like he does speak to everyone in different ways.

SPEAKER_00 3:35

Yeah, and we're either distracted or we think he's not talking to me like he's talking to Betty Sue, so he must not be talking to me, and that's just not true. Yeah, um, and I I think about my own kids and how like I have a son and a daughter, and I love them both with all of my heart, but my relationship with them is very different, yeah. Um, and they and they have different likes and different desires, and God created them to be different, and and our relationship is different, and that's good. And I think um, like I have different inside jokes with my son than I do with my daughter. And just like God has different special things that are intimate between me and him than he does with you and him and Larson. Yeah. Um, and and when you get to the point where you realize it's not a race or a competition with each other, but we're just one big happy family that gets to be a part of a big happy family, it becomes fun. And you realize how God uses it to interact with other believers and also non-believers. Like it's a it's a gift and it's fun.

SPEAKER_01 4:34

Yeah. Like it's always interesting because I feel like it's like full discovery mode of like learning God more and like getting to know him more. And so I think it's really cool. I do think though, I would say majority of people I've come across like in life, I feel like fall into the skeptic because you know there's so much out there that we we've talked about before that we can't can't believe because it's just propaganda or not real or whatever. Um, but then there's so much truth and hope when when you do encounter someone who's like genuinely heard from the Lord, like yeah in your life, it's it's fulfilling and it's not confusion.

SPEAKER_00 5:13

Right. Absolutely. So um, yeah, and when you do hear him or realize he's speaking to you, it's like the biggest high. It's like, oh, I want more, I want more, I want more. And and another thing is like sometimes God is silent on purpose. Like he's always present. We know that the scripture is true and we can trust that. And he says he never leaves us nor forsakes us, but sometimes he can feel far.

SPEAKER_01 5:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

Um, but he's just a little more quiet. Sometimes he can give you a lot more, but um there's purpose in all of them and he's not hurting you or withholding himself from you. That's another thing I wanted to drop in there. Is like if you are trying to connect and you're not hearing anything yet, yeah, um, lean into him and linger because he's he'll speak. You just need to linger.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

Yeah, I think it's I've had some people ask me recently, like, am I like just talking too much? And I think one thing I've learned even in the last year with like even talking to Megan and stuff is like you you also have to be you're intentional about other things that you do. Like, why why are you not intentional about this? And I was like, I thought I was, but then I wasn't because I wasn't listening enough. Yeah, like I was just talking, yeah. I was telling him all that I feel and everything over and over and over again, and she's like, Well, what does he say? I'm like, Well, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 6:35

Yeah, well, I and it's funny because I grew up in a Christian household like you did. Yeah, and so we prayed my whole life. Yeah, never once in my life did someone tell me that I needed to listen. Ever. Until I was like, Um, I don't even remember who it was it was another believer who encouraged me to do it. I'm trying to remember who it was, but thank you if you're listening. Um but I just remember that person was like, Megan, it's a two-way conversation. Like you're literally just word word dumping on him, saying, Amen, peace out, talk to you later. And he's like, uh uh, are you gonna wait for me to talk back? And and it's so true. I'm like, oh yeah, well, I didn't realize he could, you know, and I I don't think a lot of Christians realize that. So we'll get to that in a minute. But um, we kind of wrote out a list of ways that God speaks to all of us, and one that every um Christian has is the Bible.

SPEAKER_01 7:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:33

If you have the Word of God, you cannot say that God is not speaking to you. The only way He's not speaking to you is if you're not reading.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

Um, and the the Word of God, I can go into a whole thing on why it is trustworthy and how much of a miracle the book itself is. But that's for another day. All you need to know is that it's true and that it is God breathed, and that He it is a living word. And that when you get into it, and if you don't know where to start, there are Bible studies you can pick up. I would join a Bible study group at the church, um, come to church on Sundays, get around people who are studying the word. Um, don't do it alone, especially in the beginning, because it can be overwhelming. You're like, this is a huge book, where do I start? What is there's so much richness and depth to it. Um, but it is alive and it can speak to you. And so when I hear people say, Well, God just doesn't speak to me, I'm like, You need to go read. Yeah, because he speaks to everyone who has has a Bible.

SPEAKER_01 8:38

Yeah. Whenever, so whenever um like trauma happened in my life a couple years ago, I I went to like the worst story. I went to Job and I was like, all right, well, we're doing this, we're doing it all in. So I like flipped to Job and start reading. And I think a probably a better place to start would be like the New Testament, like Matthew or something. Yeah. But even then, like once I finished Job, I did go towards New Testament and just read through, and like there are so many things in there, like there's so much good, and it's so rich, and and it is active, like you were saying, like, even something I could have been praying about it like right before I started reading, and then it was just confirmation through the word. And I'm like, I've grown up for me. Part of my story is I've grown up listening to this stuff. But I was like, I didn't realize that was in there, yeah. Or that hit me in such a different way, and and I've read the story a hundred times, right? Like, or I've heard it a hundred times.

SPEAKER_00 9:38

And and you have been on the preaching end too, where or I've told it, yeah. Yeah, you can literally teach a passage, and not only can 45 billion mess messages come out of the passage, but you can teach to a room of people, and the Holy Spirit will drop on different ears in different ways, and he'll speak to different hearts in the different ways that they need to be spoken to. Yeah, it's amazing, it's cool, it's amazing. Yeah, um, so yeah, that's number one. God speaks to you through the Bible. Uh, if you don't, if you're a baby Christian or if you're just stepping out on this journey of connecting with him and speaking with him, that's where I would start. And it's also when you do start to hear and have confirmations and dreams and visions and all the other things we're gonna talk about, that's where you always go back to to test it. Yeah, if it does not align with scripture, it is not from God.

SPEAKER_01 10:26

Yeah, because scripture does not return void, right?

SPEAKER_00 10:28

And then and God is not the author of confusion.

SPEAKER_01 10:31

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 10:31

He's not gonna confuse you, right? And so if it cannot be backed by scripture, um throw it out. Yeah, just crumple it up and say, Okay, we're gonna try again.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

Yeah, someone can have the best intention, but you're like, oh well, that's all. Yeah. So it's like, well, okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:49

Um, so the other one is through the Holy Spirit, obviously. So you have the scripture, which is like the foundation, then you have the Holy Spirit that when you become saved comes and lives within you. And he is the guide. He is a comforter, he's a counselor, he's a friend. Um again, not an author of confusion. Right. Um, he's the one who nudges you to do things and you know you should do them, and you're like, I don't want to do that. And but like I think the other day we were talking about in the grocery store, like, you need to go pray for that woman. And I'm like, ooh, my butt cheeks are glitching, like I don't want to go over there. But I'm like, okay, all right, I'll do it. And and you usually know that it's the Holy Spirit when he's nudging you to step out in faith, or he's comforting you, um, or he's being a friend. But the more I talk and connect with the Holy Spirit, the more sweet that relationship gets. Like it's just it's funny at times. Um but yes, so that is the inner guide. And in John 10, 27, it says, My sheep hear my voice. Um John 16, 13, he will guide you into all truth. And that's the the Holy Spirit's main job is to point you to Jesus in the truth. Um and so yeah. Um, another one is prayer. So this goes back to what we were talking about a second ago of listening. So a lot of times we Christians learn about praying, and then we say amen and boots gooed out of there. God's like, um, actually, you need to sit still and be quiet and linger for a while.

SPEAKER_01 12:22

Um which is so hard like nowadays too, and plus our minds are like, you know, bouncing off the wall 24-7. Yeah. So it's yeah, it's hard to silence that, but he he does it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:35

I remember you were over at my house the other day. Yeah, this was last week. Yeah. And Larson was like wrestling a question, and yeah, and I'm I'm thinking she needs to be asking God this because I don't have the answer to this question. And so she was at my house, and I'm like, okay, Larson, I said, this is what I do. It's not a magical formula, it's just kind of like a structure of how I go into this, yeah, and I set the table for the Lord to come in and speak. But I start with praise and I just thank him. I love him, I adore him, and I just spend time there. Slow down and breathe and just spend time loving him and ushering in his presence and worshiping him from your heart. And then I go to my casting my cares. The Bible says, cast your cares on him before he cares for you. And he doesn't say like, oh, just lob them up here. He says, cast them, like sling them at me. And so I sit there and I'm like, okay, Lord, I give you my family, I give you my job, I give you this meeting I have tomorrow, I give you what I'm cooking for dinner. Like all the thoughts that come into my head, I just dump them out and say, Lord, I give everything and everyone to you.

SPEAKER_01 13:40

It's helpful to write it out.

SPEAKER_00 13:41

I yeah, I write I have to write it.

SPEAKER_01 13:43

Yeah. I'm more squirrely if I don't.

SPEAKER_00 13:45

Yes, I have to write it because I I'm more I'm better at hearing my thoughts when I'm writing. And not everyone's that way, but that's me. Yeah. And so, so you write it all out till nothing comes. And then what usually freaks out my clients is I'll say, especially my ADHD people, there I'm like, you're probably gonna go radio silent and it's gonna freak you out because you're not used to having no thoughts. And they're like, There's no way my brain doesn't do that. I'm like, okay, well, when it happens, just lean in. Don't be scared. Don't be scared. Cause and lean in and listen to the thoughts. Um, and when they come, write them down, right? And I have yet to meet a person who has not had that moment of holy cow, like, and I'm praying for them while they're praying, like, Lord, clear their mind, protect them from spiritual warfare, protect their like declutter and help them hear you, right? And so, and then I coach them, I I just say, write down everything that comes to your mind. And the first time it'll be all over the place, maybe, maybe not.

SPEAKER_01 14:48

Um my first time when when we did it, it was like, I gotta go get groceries, I gotta like it was a little more of like putting all the random stuff down. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:01

And sometimes you have to go back to the casting, right? And then you come back. Yeah, but but yeah, so you write down like random stuff, and sometimes it's your thoughts, sometimes it's God's thoughts, sometimes it's the enemy's thoughts, but it doesn't matter in that moment, just write down what's coming to your head. And then I have them like I coach them and say, Okay, your thoughts have three sources. It's you, and you know what you sound like. Yeah, you talk to yourself more than anyone you know. Uh it's the enemy, and the enemy sounds a lot like you or someone you know. Um sometimes it can sound like an abusive parent from the past. It can sound like a lot of different voices that we've known. Yeah, but it can um it's always the fruit of it is always bad. It's always condemnation, shame, um, lust, envy, uh, hatred, self-harm, um, isolation, uh, shutting you down. Shut up, this is stupid. Like shutting you down. Um Are you sure this is a real are you sure doubt? That's another one. What are you doing? This is so stupid. Like these are the voices that is the enemy. And so, um, and and any thought that brings any of those things or sin, if the fruit of it is sin, it is not of God. And it's most likely not of you. Yeah. Um, and then the third is God, and God is usually a small, still voice. He's he's strong, it's not a wimpy voice, but it's like when he speaks, yeah. He speaks. It's clear, it's clear. And so, and in the beginning, it was like trying to swim with goggles in muddy water. And I'm like, I don't know what I'm hearing, I don't know what's going on. But the more I did that exercise, the more I started to hear and decipher his voice. And now when I go into prayer with him, I know it immediately.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

And it's very easy. It's almost like muscle memory. It like goes to I I feel it and I know it's him.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

Yeah, and the practice of it and the discipline of it is what has refined it.

SPEAKER_00 17:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 17:01

And that's that's what I love about it because I'm like, when she wrote these things down for me to like sit on her back porch and do. Um, at first I was like, I don't know if I'm gonna get anywhere. Like I had done this once before with her, but I was like, I don't know. And so I'm gonna be honest, I was like, I have no idea. We'll find out. Um, and so I just gave it my all, you know, and jumped all in. And sure enough, he spoke. He knew, he spoke. It wasn't an exact answer I wanted, but he answered, but he answered. Yes, that's also something that happens, but it wasn't confusion, it was just clarity and confirmation.

SPEAKER_00 17:37

Yeah, which is what you asked for. Yeah, yeah. And another thing, too, is when I do that exercise, I encourage people to ask one specific question. Yeah. So you praise, you cast, you ask one specific question, and then you sit still and quiet and wait. Yeah. And that's when you write the thoughts that come to your mind. And the like you said, the more you do it, the more refined it becomes because you learn his voice. And now I'll be in the middle of talking to someone else and I'll hear him say something to me, and I'm like, whoop, and it'll completely change the trajec trajectory of my conversation, especially in counseling.

SPEAKER_01 18:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:14

I think it's funny because I feel like he's closer to me in counseling, not always, but I think because I'm loving his kids and it's such a sacred, like gift and opportunity, opportunity, and and and in the presence of transparency, the Holy Spirit is there because it's truth, it's truth telling. Yeah, right. And so sometimes he'll tell me things about my clients, and I'm like, okay. And he won't tell me to ask a question, or he'll say, Hey, that you need to know this about her, but don't say anything, like just know this about her. And it's like so I can be more tender towards them. It's amazing. Like when you learn his voice, it's it's just really cool. Yeah, it's really cool. Um, is there anything you want to add to prayer?

SPEAKER_01 19:01

I don't think so, other than like if you do this one time, if you're listening and you're like, I'm gonna try this, and you don't feel like you get anywhere, like don't give up, don't you? Don't be discouraged. Yeah, like keep keep going, um, be and do it again the next day or the next two days, whatever. Like, I think um sometimes we get in our head, like you were talking about at the beginning, like, well, what about me? And like, you know, how is he speaking to me? And so I just encourage you to to continue. Keep showing up. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

There have been times where I have sat sat with the same specific question for hours. Yeah. Or days. Like, I'm like, all right, I'm going to bed, I'll try again or I'll try again tomorrow. Like, or months. Like, yeah, there are times where he answers right away. There are times where he doesn't, and there's a purpose for all of that. And we don't don't always understand that. Yeah. But the the truth is he is a loving father and he's gonna give you what you need.

SPEAKER_01 19:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

When you need it, when you need it, not what you think. Right. Unfortunately. Right. And and was it you I was talking to, or talking about what would it change if you knew?

SPEAKER_01 20:06

Oh, yeah. Um, it was actually a post uh that Lisa Turkers had posted, and I shared it to my profile, and it basically said like it it wouldn't like if God gave you those answers, then it wouldn't would it change like what you believe or don't believe now? Like just by knowing that answer. And I was like, well, no. That's a good point. Sometimes we don't need to know everything. Yeah, that's a good point.

SPEAKER_00 20:31

Yeah, yeah. There's sometimes it's protection.

SPEAKER_01 20:35

Yes. And oh, that's another thing. Um I was listening to Philip Anthony Michel, Mitchell, yeah. Sorry, I can't say it. Michael. Michael for 2819 Church in Atlanta, and he said, like, the um basically the lack of knowledge you have now um helps determine your faithfulness to God because like I don't have knowledge of what my future looks like. I don't have the answer for everything, but like, am I still gonna remain faithful to God in that or am I not? Wow, and when that dropped, I was like, Yeah, yeah, okay, Lord. And then he goes on, talks about like your distractions. And I was like, can you stop? Like, I'm gonna pause this. It hurts. Yeah, it stings a little. Wow. But yeah, that was a lot, but it was even what God doesn't give you is good for you. Yeah, well, yeah, protection for sure.

SPEAKER_00 21:23

Yeah. I'm so thankful I don't know everything he knows. That's a good thing I'm not God for a lot of reasons, but but I'm really glad that I don't know everything he knows. He's got it figured out. I can trust him. Yeah. Um, okay, another one is through circumstances. So opened and closed doors. Um Revelation says, What he opens, no one can shut. Um, Proverbs says, the Lord establishes their steps. Acts says, Paul was redirected by circumstances. Um, so that's wisdom and discernment, and saying, Okay, Lord, what are you showing me through my circumstances and what's what's going on. On. I have kind of a funny, crazy story. So when I was praying about moving to Honduras, it's a big move. Yeah. I was right out of college and I was like, uh, I don't know if I'm cut out for this. Like, I love it. I love missions. I love Honduras. I don't know if I'm the girl. Um, for a lot of reasons, because I was just thinking of all my shortcomings. And so um, Pastor Bonnie was like, well, just come on, you're coming on the trip this summer, anyways, again. So just come and pray about it and let me know after the trip. And I'm like, okay. So well, I was there for like a week, six or seven days, I don't remember. And um, every day I am pr begging God for confirmation. Like, open the door or shut the door.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:46

Like, give me a sign, hit me upside the head with the two boxes.

SPEAKER_01 22:48

I need the billboard.

SPEAKER_00 22:49

I need the billboard. Like, I don't want to make this decision unless I absolutely know. Because Honduras is a very dangerous place. Yeah. And it's beautiful and I love it, but it's also if that if it's not where God wants me to be, I probably shouldn't be there. Right. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 23:06

I'm only gonna be able to survive it with him.

SPEAKER_00 23:08

Yeah. And so I'm like, okay. Um, and I remember it was the last night of the last day. I was packing my suitcase. Um, we were uh yeah, we were flying out the next morning, and one of the girls came into the house. Um, and I had not seen her the whole time, and I I had been going a lot, so I knew the girls, and she was one of my favorites, not that I had favorites, but she was one of them one of mine that I just really connected with. And um I remember she loved movies, and so we're sitting down, we were watching like a an Avenger movie or something, and um I was braiding her hair, and um I remember I was just sitting there, I'm like, Lord, it's okay if you don't want me to come. Like, I don't I don't think I have what it takes. I don't I need X, Y, and Z to make this happen. And I'm just like laying it all out and I said, It's okay. I understand if you don't want me to come. And then I look down at her arm and she has this verse written on it, and like the most random, like, why did she write this whole verse on her arm? I don't know. But it was Second Corinthians 9 8, and it said, And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work you do.

SPEAKER_01 24:32

All right, Lord.

SPEAKER_00 24:33

I was like, All right, I'm going. I heard you. I hear you. But like how sweet, like playful last God always feels like he's late, but he's always right on time. And um, but just that's just like a funny little Godwink moment in my life where a circumstance kind of it was like a just a moment where God was like, Yeah, I do want you to go. Yeah, and he used scripture to back it up. He used scripture to to tell me like it was just really cool. Um yeah, but circumstances can be all kinds of things, not getting a job and people being upset about that. And I'm like, no, or or a failure, right? People are terrified of failure, and I'm like, no, failure does not exist. Failure is an opportunity to learn and redirect. Like the Lord is pruning or protecting, praise Him for it and keep moving. Like, and it's just it's a mind shift when you're a Christian because you're grounded in truth, and yeah, you can be sad and disappointed and cry, you know. Yeah, but put your big girl panties on and keep going because you know God God has not forsaken you.

SPEAKER_01 25:35

Yeah, there's so many of us that feel like we have to just have it all figured out, yeah. And I don't mean like everything like prim and proper, and you know, the the eyes dotted and the teeth crawl someone said that backwards. Um, you know, that kind of thing, but it's like you don't like you just breathe and and be in his presence and he'll direct it. He directs your steps, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:57

He gives you what you need, it gives you what you need and what you don't. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I another thing too is what were you saying about the cracked door?

SPEAKER_01 26:06

Oh yeah. So I was talking to Megan not long ago. Um she was like, what'd I say? We were discussing it. But like, um, that God either is like he either opens a door or he he closes it. It there's not like a well maybe like a cracked door. Um he's he's clear and it's not confusion.

SPEAKER_00 26:27

Yeah, he's not gonna confuse you.

SPEAKER_01 26:29

Yeah. And I was I was stepping into a well maybe or like I can get it there in that situation, which is so oh, so arrogant of me to think, but like that's kind of how I was thinking. And so then she was like, but there's not cracked doors. And I was like, excuse me. And she was like, God either opens or shuts it. And I was like, Oh, okay, that means release control, Larson.

SPEAKER_00 26:51

Yeah, well, I was thinking my personality is like, I'm gonna bust through the door. Like, I've seen the door, it's I'm gonna bust it down. Same. Um, and then I realized I should have picked door three instead of door two, but um, but yeah, no, so yeah, even even like relationships, like not working out or or yes, you know, that's a big one. Um where people are like, oh my gosh, how can God be in this? And he somehow is. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:22

And so um or the opposite of like, but I can I can make it I can love him better. My parents used to call it missionary dating.

SPEAKER_00 27:32

My dad, my dad, I'll never forget. Um, one time I went through a series of boyfriends in high school, very similar to that, and my dad finally looked at me and he's like, baby, you gotta stop bringing home stray dogs. He's like, it is not your job to fix and feed them. Yeah, yeah, only God. Well, I can love them better. But I see their potential. Yeah, exactly. He's really funny, Dad. And he's like, Okay, well, be his friend. Right. Um, but no, it's it's a real thing. Um okay, another way God speaks is through wise counsel um and other believers.

SPEAKER_01 28:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:12

It's also and really important to have relationships that are consistent because it's really hard to allow someone to speak into your life that doesn't know your life.

SPEAKER_01 28:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:26

Um, because I've had that happen and it hasn't been good.

SPEAKER_01 28:29

Um I think it's interesting. I feel like there's sometimes it's like that where they know just a little bit, you know, to to confuse. But I also know I've seen an experience God move like where they actually didn't know all these details. And as they're praying over me, they're saying details that like I haven't told anyone. And I'm like, okay, like that, that I also tested a you know against scripture, like we talked about, or we're gonna talk about some real. Yeah. Um, but also like that, and then and and he reveals himself through that as well. Like, but yes, I feel like there's some people who, you know, fa are false in what they bring, and it's hard.

SPEAKER_00 29:15

Yeah, it's just asking the Lord for protection. And and those people usually have good intentions and you say thank you, but then you test it. Yes. Right. And so don't yeah, because then yeah, you have people who like I've had moments where I've been at the Lord has asked me to pray for someone, and I'm like, I don't know what I'm gonna say.

SPEAKER_01 29:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:33

And I walk out to this person, I'm like, Can I pray for you? And I just start praying, and then the Holy Spirit just Yeah, and you're like, I didn't even know that before I started praying.

SPEAKER_01 29:41

Yeah. Or like you get up and you're like, What did I just say? Yeah, I know. I black out.

SPEAKER_00 29:44

Yeah, I used to say that all the time. I'm like, I just blacked out, and they're like crying, or like, how did you know that?

SPEAKER_01 29:49

And I'm like, Yeah, wait, what did I say?

SPEAKER_00 29:54

I'm scared.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

Yeah. I'm like, I just said yes, really. Um, did I happen to tell you to give me a million dollars? That's very like, you know, white, but still like really. You really sometimes just don't know. Yeah, and how it aligns with what someone's been praying about or for.

SPEAKER_00 30:12

Yeah. Like sometimes you are the circumstance that God uses, you know, or you're the sign that God uses, which is so fun. Um, another way he can speak is through creation. I won't spend a lot of time on this, but you can look around at creation at the artwork and you learn a lot about the artist.

SPEAKER_01 30:29

That's so beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 30:30

It's so beautiful, so majestic, so powerful, so intricate, so orderly.

SPEAKER_01 30:37

Um there's a purpose for everything. Like Judah and Izzy are like to the point now where they they're like, you know, this bug or whatever bothers them, and they're like, Why did God create that? And I'm like, I'm sure there's a reason. You know, like I'm like, you know, asking AI why this bug is created. Like my search is ridiculous on that. But yeah, I mean, there's a purpose for so much of it.

SPEAKER_00 31:00

Yeah. And some of it I think it was just for fun. Like I look at some of the things he made, I'm like, he was in a humorous manner. Like a flamingo. Yeah. An ostrich. Like, what's that? Um yeah. And then through uh he can also speak through peace or lack of it. Like there have been several we were talking about before we got on here, where we'll make we have a decision to make, yeah, and we do not feel a piece about it. All the all the stars aligned and everything looks good on paper, and then you just have this gut feeling that I should not do this. The perfect example of this. My friends thought I was absolutely crazy when I did this, but I was gonna go to a trip to see the leaves change in Vermont with some of my friends, and I was so excited for this trip. Like, so excited. And my bags were packed, my flight ticket was bought, we were leaving the next morning.

SPEAKER_01 31:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:53

I woke up that morning with an overwhelming sense of dread. And that's not normal for me. Yeah, like because you wouldn't normally be excited. And I just felt like the Lord spoke to me the night before and said, Don't go. Oh wow. And I was like, He didn't say that. And then and I was like, I'm going. And then I woke up the next morning, I'm like, I feel like I'm gonna throw up. Like it was very intense. And so I texted my friends and I was like, hey, I don't know why, but I feel like I need to stay home. Wow. And I something ended up happening in my family that I needed to be home for.

SPEAKER_01 32:28

Oh wow. I was gonna ask and see ever like figure it out why.

SPEAKER_00 32:31

Yeah, and so I found out later, but I I was I wanted to go see the leaves change. Yeah, you were bummed. I was bummed, but the Lord knew. Yeah, and the leaves change every year. So that's that's true. Yeah. So um sometimes he speaks through peace, sometimes he speaks through lack of it. Yeah. Um, and then the last one we'll do before we go is um dreams and visions.

SPEAKER_01 32:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:56

I'll let you start.

SPEAKER_01 32:58

Okay. Um, so Megan asked me if I wanted to share it. And it's it's interesting because we were talking yesterday about what we were gonna talk about today, and I had kind of forgotten that this had happened because it was like middle of the night. But me, Judah, and Izzy were asleep, and Judah often like wakes up in the middle of the night, but this time he woke up and like his hands were like shaking, he was shaking them like back and forth, and he was like antsy, and I was like, hey buddy, what's going on? Because he does like dreaming stuff, and um he said something like, Um, I want to go back, and I was like, I go back where? Like, you're in the bed, like hey, are you awake? kind of thing. But he woke up and he basically ended up saying, after me questioning him a little bit more, like in his sleep, that he was seeing um his father, Rusty, who had passed away, and God. And um, and I was like, uh oh, okay. And so then he was like, I just don't want to miss it. And I was like, okay, well, maybe you can like go back to sleep and maybe like the Lord will take you back there. I don't know. You know, I'm like, I I want to go, like, can you take me? Yeah. Um, and so he just kept like shaking or whatever, and then finally he ended up laying back down and he sat up one more time. Um, and he he said something like, What about Izzy? And I was like, Me and me and Izzy are okay, we're safe, like you can go back. I guess he like didn't want her to miss it either. I don't know. Um, but he finally laid back down and then um he just kept saying, I don't want to miss it. And so I like Judah and I have been having conversations about like, is God real? Um, because he like he just thinks a lot.

SPEAKER_00 34:48

He's so smart.

SPEAKER_01 34:49

He is, and so he he like had a meltdown probably two weeks before that at night of like um asking, what if this whole God thing isn't real? And I'm like, Your sex. Like, yeah, what in the world? Um, and so he was questioning it. And so, like, through those weeks, we're like pointing out how God did this or he directed to this and all that kind of stuff, but then like gave him his own experience um showing that he's real. And I think that's just really cool because I actually talked to Judah yesterday about it after we had talked, and I was like, Judah, do you remember? And he was like, I said, What? And so I like got to, you know, talk to him and Izzy, because Izzy was in the car with us, um, about like how God gave him that experience and like I didn't make it up, you know, and he was like, I did go to the potty during the night, and I was like, Yeah, I was like, this this was a different time, but like he's trying to make sense of it, but it was just so cool, and he was like, Okay, mom, I believe you towards the end of the conversation. But it was just, I don't know, it was just really cool and and you know, confirmation of like again, as I've been praying through, you know, walking this life with being a mom of two of like God, show them you're real. Like, I I can say all that I can say, but like reveal it to them, speak to them because he desperately wants to hear your voice. Um and he did and he did, yeah, he did.

SPEAKER_00 36:18

And not only did he speak to him, he spoke to you.

SPEAKER_01 36:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:20

So Larson like shared that story with me, and I was like, I 1000% believe that that was real.

SPEAKER_01 36:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:26

Um, that was real. And yeah, and the reason I knew it was real, and this is how God works and how he confirms things, right? So he'll confirm through other believers or through other visions or through other experiences and through the word. He's multi-layered. But the same thing happened to my nephew when he lost his dad. And he woke, but he woke up in his underwear and ran out into the living room and was like, Mom, mom, you know, mom, I saw dad and he's healthy, he's good, mom, he's with Jesus, mom. You know, and it was like he was about to shake her, like yeah, like this is I saw him. Yeah, and and it was real. And I I believe that the Lord speaks to children just as well as adults. And even the reason you bought your house was because Judah heard a word from the Lord.

SPEAKER_01 37:09

Yeah, and I'll tell you, I told my sister about it, and I was packing, like we were going on a trip. I was packing, and I didn't really think much of it. Judah was like, Yeah, he took God told me to tell you something, and I was like, Oh Lord, sit down. Yeah. But honestly, I was so busy. This is crazy. I was so busy. And and Judah said, Move close to the church, doesn't matter how much it is. Obviously, the Lord knows I'm gonna try and be a good steward with money and all that kind of stuff. And so I was just panicking over like a certain amount of money. I was like, I don't want to spend this much. And like, long story short, he ended up providing like the perfect place. But um, through that, I then me and my sister go on this trip, or we go on as a family, and I tell her about it, and she's like, Larson, I don't hold on. And so she goes to get Judah, and like he comes out on the little deck or whatever, and she's she's asking him, and he he says it verbatim what I told her, and she was like, Okay, I believe you. But like she had to test it. But then she was like, Larson, that's your confirmation. And I was like, confirmation. Oh my goodness, it's my confirmation. Like it was like, I was just so busy, I wasn't paying attention. Yeah, and like not only did she test it herself, but was like, Larson, hello, like this is what I just heard. And I'm like, Oh, yes, yes, so we did. We we bought the house, and it's perfect, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:32

Yeah, it's perfect for y'all, and it's right by the church. It is eight minutes, yeah. Amazing, amazing, yeah. So, all that to say, yeah, the Lord can speak to you in all kinds of ways, and his relationship is different with every child because your every child is different, and that's a beautiful and good thing. Yeah, but a relationship is two ways, and so my encouragement to you is to uh create space in your life where he can speak. Yeah, make that margin, make that margin, and also look for him. Yeah, the Bible says, those who seek me with all their heart will find me. And it's amazing when you wake up expectant to see the Lord. Yes, you see him. Yeah, sometimes it's in the sunrise, sometimes it's in, oh, I see an opportunity to speak and I feel the Holy Spirit nudging me. Sometimes it's um it can be a conversation with a friend. Like yesterday, I was praying. This is another example before we go. I forgot happened until just now. Yesterday I was I'm studying, I'm in Revelation still. And um I thought I read the passage, and obviously it's a good passage, but I'm like, this isn't relevant in my life right now, but I'm gonna still study it. And so, and I was praying to the Lord because I'm meeting with a client uh later this week at my house to pray about some serious strongholds in her life. And I'm like, Lord, I need your guidance. I need to know what is this? Like, what are we dealing with spiritually, emotionally, physically? Give me insight into what to pray and how to pray. And so I listened to the same podcast every Monday, and um the podcast was all about the title of it was spiritual hacking. It was John Eldridge or prayer hacking, that's what it is. And the entire prayer was based on the scripture I had just read, or the entire episode was based on that, and the entire episode was talking about how to break strongholds.

SPEAKER_01 40:28

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 40:29

And pray for people.

SPEAKER_01 40:30

You're like not relevant, so majorly relevant. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 40:33

So I like sit down and I'm taking notes, and like, thank you, Lord. Like that's awesome, but again, he cares about his kids. Yeah. And I'm asking, like, when you pray for the Lord to transform your heart to be more like his, he's always gonna answer that. And he's always gonna answer you when you're praying about how to love his babies. And that was it was an immediate answer. I was not expecting, but it was so cool. And so yeah, God is real, he's alive, and he wants to talk to you, and it's really cool when you get to hear him. So that's our biggest encouragement today. I love it. Is there anything you want to ask? No. Or add? I don't even know what I ask. Do you have a question? Okay.

SPEAKER_01 41:08

Okay. No, I love it. And I think it's I think it's good. I'm excited. I'm excited. I want to we want to hear.

SPEAKER_00 41:15

Like of hearing from God, we want to know. Let us know.

SPEAKER_01 41:19

Tell us your God stories. Yeah, you just never know. You never know what it's the the output. The fruit of this. Yeah, that that the the output. The outpouring. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 41:31

So and and another thing too is it's a relationship, and relationships take time to grow. Facts. So slow down. Yes. Don't beat yourself up and enjoy the journey. Enjoy it. Enjoy it. It's so good. Because it's awesome. All right. Love y'all. Love you. See you next time or hear you next time. Talk to you next time.

unknown 41:51

Bye.