Henri Noumen says, "We engage in the spiritual disciplines, in order to prevent the world from filling our lives to such an extent that there is no place left to listen."

Oh Boy. This week my spiritual discipline has been, silence. I will blog more about that in my next blog. But to set the stage we are reading Devotional Classics, a book compiled of many excerpts from well known Christian authors. This week as a class have been diving into "removing the false self." I have learned to take a step back and look at myself as a whole. What is it that defines me? What are things in my life that are preventing me from just listening? It has been a real eye opener to me how much I go through my day to day living by just simply living.

I confess that when I pray, its to say thanks, and then requests to God. There is never a time I just sit in peace, in solitude and am open to just listening. In the book of first kings 19: 9-13 God could have spoken to Elijah in the violent wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but instead chose to speak in a still small voice. I smile to myself when I read these vereses, because I think back to my day, to my week, did I ever give God a chance to even be heard? I learned I need solitude in my life. I need time set aside to sit in utter peace, being willing and open to allow God to speak to me.