Linked up for the weekly Five Minute Friday fun with Kate Motaung!
Go!
Oh, quiet.
That's a fun prompt, because it causes my mind to go in the opposite direction. I'm not naturally a soft-spoken quiet person. I'm quite talkative. And yet, I can also tend to be shy in new situations.
I always admired those soft-spoken people who still held authority. I'm still trying to learn their secrets. At some point, however, I recognized that God wanted my voice for His words. That He gave me the confidence to be up in front of others teaching or singing (and I truly ENJOY it!). He did not ask me to be quiet, but to quiet my soul so He would be the one speaking and directing.
Recently, I've been added a new responsibility at work and it's going well. One of the rules, however, is that it must be quiet in my classroom. This is easier to enforce on some days than others. I try to equate quiet with peace. If my soul has peace, my soul is not in turmoil. It is quieted. It is not loud. Loud and angry are often paired in my mind.
When I feel overwhelmed with visual noise as well as obligations of time, it is a refreshing moment to see God's words in an artsy picture on my Facebook or Instagram feed.
Recently, Ann Voskamp began a post with the word "Pause".
That was from the Holy Spirit! It was as if the whole world were controlled by a remote control and I was able to hit the "pause" button and it stood still and I could breathe again and listen in the quiet for God.
When the Psalmist in Psalm 23 states "you lead me beside still waters", other translations say "quiet". Although I love waterfalls, sometimes a small section of quiet waters is also welcome.
God speaks at the same volume all the time, but only when we are quiet enough to listen do we actually hear what He has to say.
~Tammy
Always striving to be transparent and sincere as I learn what the Love of God truly means. "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15)
THIS: "God speaks at the same volume all the time, but only when we are quiet enough to listen do we actually hear what He has to say." I'm not a quiet person either. In fact, I Have a rather loud voice, Yes, water is a place where my soul is restored too.
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteTara, you bring such joy to my life. Thank you for sharing that you're also a "rather loud voice". I imagined you as one of those soft-spoken authorities that I admire.
I still admire you.
Love,
Tammy
Tammy, I love that you are not a quiet person. :) I am sometimes a quiet person, but with a very LOUD laugh. It runs in my family. ;) I love what you talked about with our souls knowing peace when they are quieted.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for water? As breathtaking as waterfalls are, it's the reflective stilled bodies of water that move me the deepest. :)
Have a great weekend, my friend!
Jeanne,
Deletewhat a blessing you are. And I hope that in the quiet of your experience right now, that you hear His voice soothingly telling you how He's got a plan in all of this and you can trust Him. :)
Love,
Tammy
I never thought of that - that God speaks at the same volume always.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was teaching, I would give the kids noise breaks halfway through a class...but if they went past the 'deadline' I was able to get them quiet again, quickly.
Unfortunately, the teachers in the next rooms would also freeze when I called for "Silence!"
Miss that stuff.
#3 at FMF this week
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2016/01/your-dying-spouse-112-loud-fight-fmf.html
Andrew,
Deletethat thought came to me when attending a rather large conference. It's not that God speaks any louder or clearer, but that we're intentionally listening. If we had that same mindset in our daily time or even at our Sunday service, we might get exactly what we're looking for! :D
I had to learn that calling for silence doesn't work with a group of 23 7th graders as well as standing silently and making lots of eye contact. They are better at self-policing and more effective.
Glad for your company on this journey every time!
-Tammy
Interesting thought of quiet and quiet. I guess we're not all called to be quiet people and you should use your gift of speaking! But being quiet as in rested and at peace is definitely something we all need. Hope you find it in little places during the week!
ReplyDeleteSo important to take those moments to pause and be quiet to listen to God and to quiet our soul. Not always easy to do. I love waterfalls or other quiet and beautiful places in God's creation- that's when I find it easier to quiet myself and focus on him. (I'm at #45)
ReplyDeleteGod speaks at the same volume all the time, but only when we are quiet enough to listen do we actually hear what He has to say.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about that. He's had to holler at me more than a few times.
GLad to see you today sweet friend!
Great thoughts once again, Tammy! Thanks for writing and linking up! And yes, God made you exactly how He wanted you to be! Well done for using the unique gifts He's given you.
ReplyDeleteWonderful writing, Tammy! Psalm 23 really spoke to me with our writing topic this week, too. Oh how I am trying to get better at being quiet and listening to God's Voice!
ReplyDeleteAmy @ http://www.livinglifetruth.com/