Summer 2014: Listen more, talk less

I'm excited for this summer.

Going to the pool. Heading to Florida for a vacation. Enjoying time with my family and friends. Doing birthday parties, the 4th of July parade, two VBS weeks, and countless weekend services.

But what I'm most excited is living out the things God is teaching me.

One such thing: listen more, talk less.

Did you know I'm a talker? If you don't know me, I am :). As a talker, I must consciously work on listening, all the time. I've been working on this for years, so this isn't new. And I think I've gotten better. I hope so!

But summer is a good time to zoom out, see where you're at, and try to make a leap forward.

You see, there's always room to grow; in everything we do. I can become a better listener. I can work harder on speaking words that give life, encouragement, growth. I can think about what I'm going to say before I say it.

I don't think I'll talk less, or become an introvert, but maybe that's not what God needs (although I'm sure in some situations that will be true!).

Instead, I must continue to grow in the thing I've known for a long time...it's not just listening that matters, it's listening. Really hearing the other person. Listening for God's voice in the wisdom of others. Not just checking my "listen to someone today" box, but really hearing them.

That's my goal. I'm fired up. It gets me pumped for summer.

I hope you're looking forward to this summer too. Maybe God is teaching you about something besides listening. Figure out what it is and take a premeditated leap before September rolls around.