Comments on: Conversations with God http://www.theroterts.net/blog/2006/09/15/conversations-with-god/ A candid look at the Rotert family as we learn to navigate Italian life. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:31:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Josh Furnal http://www.theroterts.net/blog/2006/09/15/conversations-with-god/#comment-101 Josh Furnal Sat, 16 Sep 2006 12:36:37 +0000 http://www.theroterts.net/blog/?p=127#comment-101 in the narnia books, it gets harder for some of the children, as they grow, to get back into narnia. some of them don't lose their memory of narnia, but others do. in the narnia books, it gets harder for some of the children, as they grow, to get back into narnia. some of them don’t lose their memory of narnia, but others do.

]]> By: Shannon http://www.theroterts.net/blog/2006/09/15/conversations-with-god/#comment-100 Shannon Sat, 16 Sep 2006 01:16:52 +0000 http://www.theroterts.net/blog/?p=127#comment-100 Oh, one more thing. Sometimes we don't ask Him to speak to us, or if we do, we dont fully believe that He will. <br/><br/>I love James 1:5-6 which says <i>"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." </i> Oh, one more thing. Sometimes we don’t ask Him to speak to us, or if we do, we dont fully believe that He will.

I love James 1:5-6 which says “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

]]> By: Shannon http://www.theroterts.net/blog/2006/09/15/conversations-with-god/#comment-99 Shannon Sat, 16 Sep 2006 01:10:15 +0000 http://www.theroterts.net/blog/?p=127#comment-99 I think its definately a self-sufficiency issue. We're adults, we're supposed to be responsible, right? We have places to be and people to see, and distractions crowd in from the world on all sides, and somehow God gets pushed out. We try to find ways to make things happen on our own, like we're the ones in control. I notice that sometimes even in my prayer time when I think I'm concentrating on talking to God and listening, brain chatter still gets in the way of true communication.<br/><br/>But kids... they're so carefree, and they know that they're not in control or responsible for anything. They have such amazing faith, and part of it is their complete surrender. I think that's why Jesus said that unless we come to Him like a child, we can't enter the kingdom of heaven. He desires that full surrender. We try to surrender, but do we ever really fully? Sometimes for a moment, but then we're back to our old stuff as the pressures start to close in.<br/><br/>One thing that's helped in my own prayer life is journaling. If I write what I'm praying, my mind is focused on first the praying, and then the actual getting it on paper, and there's less room for distractions because my brain is multitasking. Also just journaling in general helps me go back and see where God is speaking to me in the smallest stuff that's so easy for me to overlook.<br/><br/>Its when our soul is quiet and uncluttered, He speaks. For me, its in that state of half consciousness when I'm first waking up. But oh to be a child again. I remember God speaking to me when I was young... I think its definately a self-sufficiency issue. We’re adults, we’re supposed to be responsible, right? We have places to be and people to see, and distractions crowd in from the world on all sides, and somehow God gets pushed out. We try to find ways to make things happen on our own, like we’re the ones in control. I notice that sometimes even in my prayer time when I think I’m concentrating on talking to God and listening, brain chatter still gets in the way of true communication.

But kids… they’re so carefree, and they know that they’re not in control or responsible for anything. They have such amazing faith, and part of it is their complete surrender. I think that’s why Jesus said that unless we come to Him like a child, we can’t enter the kingdom of heaven. He desires that full surrender. We try to surrender, but do we ever really fully? Sometimes for a moment, but then we’re back to our old stuff as the pressures start to close in.

One thing that’s helped in my own prayer life is journaling. If I write what I’m praying, my mind is focused on first the praying, and then the actual getting it on paper, and there’s less room for distractions because my brain is multitasking. Also just journaling in general helps me go back and see where God is speaking to me in the smallest stuff that’s so easy for me to overlook.

Its when our soul is quiet and uncluttered, He speaks. For me, its in that state of half consciousness when I’m first waking up. But oh to be a child again. I remember God speaking to me when I was young…

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