listening | SingleRoots

01 Dec 2011

No Such Thing as Random

guy with hat © by pupismyname

{Editor’s Note: Today’s post was written by Trae Thompson. You can learn more about Trae at the end of the post.}

It seemed like such a random moment.

One of those things you don’t think much about really.

I’d just arrived at one of my Bible studies and happened to run into an athlete I knew. We’d been introduced by a mutual friend, and I really enjoyed talking to him.

He was super-friendly and down to earth–two things I wasn’t used to among professional athletes during my 14 years as a sports writer. We made small talk, and I told him he could sit with me if he wanted.

We walked in, worship began and later the pastor had us pair up and pray together with someone nearby. He then led us through a series of topics to pray about. [Read more...]

Categories: Relationships Tags: encouragement, listening

29 Nov 2011

The Pity Party from Hell (Literally)

By W. Brandon Howard 7 Comments

confetti © by Looking Glass

My college experience was one best characterized by all the fun I had. By senior year, I was extremely pleased with my long list of friends and was typically in the know about all the best parties. Most importantly, the majority of cute girls on campus were at least familiar with whom Brandon Howard was and in this, I was well pleased. From time to time I managed to sneak in a little studying as well.

After graduation, I fully expected that, while the setting might change, the party would certainly not end. I pitied friends who were jumping into post-grad life feet first by adding a wife, a mortgage, grad school loans, or jobs working long hours. Some were even crazy enough to complicate life with babies. Those seemed like such “grown-up” decisions and I resisted them.

“Why rush into so much responsibility with so much youth left?” I asked myself. [Read more...]

Categories: Relationships, Spiritual Growth Tags: discouragement, expectations, listening, Spiritual warfare

16 Nov 2011

Distracting Ourselves to Death, Part 3

By Ryan S. 9 Comments

Holy Spirit dove window © by hickory hardscrabble

In the church where I grew up, the phrase “hearing the Holy Spirit” was never really uttered. Well, maybe someone in a back hall said it, but it sure didn’t get mentioned enough where I could hear it. Therefore, I never really connected it in my young mind as being a “normal” part of the Christian life. For almost two decades as a Christian (ages 10-29), I did not pursue a relationship with the personhood of the Holy Spirit. Sure, He was with me at all times, and led and protected my steps in countless ways I’ll never know, but I never actively pursued to hear His voice or call Him by name.

I was 29 when I went on my first sabbatical, and in the couple of years leading up to that time I kept thinking that there had to be more to the Christian life than what my life had become. I had allowed myself to fall into the greatest trap in western Christianity: to become comfortable. To achieve “nice guy” status rather than becoming a reckless follower of Jesus Christ. [Read more...]

Categories: Spiritual Growth, Stewardship Tags: distractions, expectations, Holy Spirit, listening, Resistance, sabbatical

15 Nov 2011

The Art of Listening to God

By Guest Writer 1 Comment

{Editor’s Note: Today’s post was written by James Lee. You can learn more about James at the end of the post.}

As a child, I wasn’t much of a talker. I just didn’t have much to say. And I noticed that what I wanted to say wasn’t always the same as what I actually said. Sometimes it would come out as a stutter. Other times it would come out as an unintelligible word. Occasionally, it was a combination of two words. And every now and then, a completely different word altogether.

Perhaps it’s just a mild speech impediment. But to me it was a big deal.

A really big deal.

A self-consciously big deal.

So instead of talking, I started listening. Even today, I’m a man of few words. I prefer to hear what other people have to say. What I’ve heard over the years has been fascinating and intriguing at times while drab and long-winded at other times. But I still listen. It has helped me to learn about people. What makes them tick. Why they think and act the way they do. What they like and dislike. Where they are in life and where they want to be. [Read more...]

Categories: Spiritual Growth Tags: listening, Resistance