What is God whispering to you?

The past couple of weeks our church has been doing a series called Iexperience. The gist of it was to understand the different ways you can experience God. This can happen through scripture, prayer (not just talking...but listening), community (the church, etc), through people.

I LOVED this past weeks message. Our pastor was sick so they streamed a sermon from a pastor in Chicago. Apparently as a church staff they watched it a couple weeks ago and wanted to show the church at some point. Boy am I glad they did.

The sermon was about those little whispers we hear in our head probably on a daily basis if we listened. But so many times we are quick to just ignore that and continue on. It might be something as little as send a text to your best friend to encourage them, write a note to your spouse telling them you appreciate them, send $50 to that family that you recently heard was in need, ask your neighbor how they are doing lately, give that homeless person a hot meal...etc etc. I hear these whispers off and on. There are seasons in my life when I hear whispers a lot and respond. Other season when I hear them and don't respond. And definitely seasons when I don't even take to time to hear ANY whispers...so obviously not responding either.

I truly believe these whispers are the Holy Spirit trying to get us to follow. To listen & follow & be blessed.

I took time to reflect a little after the sermon of the times in my life where there was a whisper that I heard and moved forward with that. Some are pretty dang significant parts of my life and I'm obviously so grateful that I heard and followed.

Walk down this journey with me...

April 2004: I had been wrestling with this unsettled feeling of continuing to play volleyball in college once I graduated from HS in May 2004. I had been pursing that for multiple years with training and such. I received a call after one of my try outs and was offered $$ to go play. But I finally heard God tell me that I was done playing volleyball after that phone call. I needed to say NO to my scholarship offers and go to Texas Tech for college. WHAT?! I heard it clearly and had to tell my parents. Worst night of my life. My heart was breaking because this was my passion. But that's exactly it...Jesus wasn't my passion anymore. God was trying to remove this LARGE idol in my life. Boy am I thankful I listened and went to school at Tech. (lead to lifelong friendships, enormous spiritual growth through Cru, future husband, future career & so much more)

Summer 2006: I went on my first summer project with Cru.  I had just completed my sophomore year of college and thrilled to go on project. It was that summer that I first heard God whisper that I should do ministry as my job when I graduate. (Which ended up happening after I graduated Dec '07) It was also on this project that I heard God whisper that I needed to be honest and vulnerable with my life. I confessed things that I figured I would hide forever. This lead me on a path of vulnerability that has changed my life, friendships, and ministry as a result.

Summer 2008: Well, actually June 17, 2008 to be exact. :) I heard God tell me it was OK for me to let myself fall in love with Teddy. Backstory: I had met Teddy March 2007. He had just moved to Lubbock and happen to be friends with a few guys I had recently become friends with. When we met I was dating someone else and he also began dating another girl shortly after moving to Lubbock. So we were friends and friends only. January 2008 rolls around we were both single and spending a lot of time together. Our friendship was growing very quickly. I can even remember Lori and I hanging out in my apt and her asking me about Teddy. I told her we would never date. :) ha! I watched Teddy grow so much in his walk with the Lord that semester and things started to change. I was scared of that change bc I didn't know if God wanted this to happen. On June 17th we got the chance to ride in a car together (just the 2 of us) for 3 hrs. We talked and talked and talked. When he dropped me off once we got back to LBK I knew things had changed. It was that day that God told me to let down my walls & let Teddy pursue me. Thankful I listened to this whisper...we started officially dating August 14, 2008

So there are three big whispers that occurred in my life.

The list of example (It might be something as little as send a text to your best friend to encourage them, write a note to your spouse telling them you appreciate them, invite that stranger to your Bible study, send $50 to that family that you recently heard was in need, ask your neighbor how they are doing lately, give that homeless person a hot meal) that I listed out are ones that frequent my life. "Little" whispers I guess you could say. I wanna to honor the Lord with my life....so I'm taking note of the "little" whispers too. They strengthen my relationship with people and with God as I trust him as I take steps of faith in some of the challenging things he tells me to do.

The sermon is only 30 minutes. I would HIGHLY recommend you watch it. Then take time to reflect. Where did you follow through with a whisper? Where did you disobey the whispers? What is God whispering to you RIGHT now? Whispers by Bill Hybels

Hope you are challenged and blessed by this sermon. I know I certainly was!
-Kelli