Author: Paul Silcock

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“I Only Do It Once” – Famous Last Words

I only do it once, but that’s not going to happen this year.

I only do it once - famous last words

I was away for the first four days of the week. And when I returned home there was a beautiful blanket of leaves covering my front lawn. 

It’s that time of year when the leaves on our maple tree turn amazing shades of yellow and orange. It’s also the time when those said leaves start to fall off the tree. 

It was a beautiful sight seeing those leaves when we got home. But I knew I needed to get them into a bag while they were still lying peacefully in one place.

My neighbours would appreciate me cleaning up my leaves so that they don’t have to. Not that they would clean up my lawn for me, but when the wind starts blowing, I lose ownership of those leaves. 

Though they came from my tree, they become the property of my neighbours when they get blown by the wind into their shrubs and back yards. 

… In some ways, the best thing I could do for myself is leave them alone. If I left the leaves long enough, I wouldn’t have any to pick up. 

That thinking, however, wouldn’t make me all that popular on the street. So this afternoon I have to get moving and warm up my leaf blower.

What I use is actually a leaf “mulcher” but that, apparently, is not a word so you just have to picture what I do.

The machine has a wide scoop of a nozzle that sucks up the leaves. They then pass through a series of blades and end up in a bag which collects the fragmented leaves.

Usually I clean up my leaves on one day, just once a year. But this year the front yard is covered and I can’t ignore them, even though there are still plenty more on the tree that I’ll have to deal with another day.

Right now there are so many leaves on the ground that I could gather them up into a high enough pile that I could jump into them.

… I’m not going to do that. You can picture me doing it if you want to, but I’m not going to make up a word for it either. 

Today there is no wind. I’m sure my neighbours are hoping I will take advantage of the stillness to save them from cleaning up after my tree droppings. 

There are a number of things I only like to do once, like swapping out my summer tires for winter ones, or switching out golf clubs for hockey sticks in the truck of my car. 

Another one of those one-and-done things for me is gathering up the leaves off my lawn. It should be a once-a-season chore only. 

But this year, this year it’s going to be a two-day affair for me. 

Here’s the thing: Jesus came to earth, lived, then died for the sins of everyone. It was a one time sacrifice, a one time act. You would think that everyone would eagerly, willingly and immediately get in on Jesus’ sacrifice and all at once the world would be saved. But not everyone is ready to get in on this forgiveness of their sins. Thankfully, God is patient and, although we should immediately receive Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins, God waits for us to be ready. It should be once and done, but our patient God delays Jesus’ return for us. My advice: don’t test His patience. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you need to do right now? Leave your comments and questions below.

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The Honest Truth Versus Truth – There Is A Difference

I think there is a big difference between truth and the honest truth. 

the honest truth verses truth - there is a difference

With so much information at our finger tips, it seems we have a harder time knowing what’s true. We are the most knowledgeable society that has ever lived on earth, yet discerning the honest truth from the truth is not easy.

And it’s our vast knowledge that is partly to blame. 

It is common knowledge now that you should always read the fine print on anything you sign up for or purchase. 

At one time it was the hope that people would not read the fine (small) print. But so many people were deceived about what they were signing or purchasing that measures were brought in to make the small print larger. 

Now the small print is bigger and more available, but it is still hidden in large paragraphs of legalese print. No one wants to read all that information, so we just sign or purchase … just like when we didn’t read the small print.

I think with more knowledge comes more opportunity to reveal truth, but not always the honest truth. 

Honest truth is when all the bias and desire to form another’s thinking is taken away, which leaves you with just the truth, the honest truth. 

We have trouble doing that in our world because we always want to present the truth in a way that favours us, our own opinion, our our bias. 

For example, my church just changed a service contract because we didn’t like the company’s deception. Oh, they told us the truth, they just didn’t present the honest truth. 

Our contract with them was for service, not repairs. Yet when a repair was needed, they still tried to charge us huge fees to make that repair. 

Fortunately we had an expert in our church who told us to get the repair done by another company. The repair ended up being so insignificant that the other company refused to even charge us for it. They just fixed it for free.

When we tried to end our service contract with the first company, we were informed that it needed to be done in writing six months before the renewal date. Since we were only a month from the renewal date, we were stuck automatically renewed for another seven years.

They had told us the truth – it was there in the small print of the contract. They just didn’t push the honest truth.

It is so easy to tell the truth in the way we want someone to understand it … which means we have to be so much more careful and use all that available information to help us determine the honest truth. 

If we don’t do that, we will actually be living with half truths … and depending on how you look at it, you could consider them half lies.

Here’s the thing: The Bible pulls no punches. It states the honest truth that you must believe in Jesus Christ alone to have your sins forgiven and end up in heaven rather than hell. It’s not a popular truth and it certainly goes against our wants and desires. But the Bible is giving you the honest truth. It’s up to each one of us to believe it or look for something we like that we call truth. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What topic do you need to research more to find the honest truth? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Neglecting Things Is More Than A Time Issue

I’ve been thinking lately that I need to make more time for some things I have been neglecting. 

neglecting things is more that a time issue

… Actually, it would be nice if I could make more time, like take some electricity, insert it into a vacuum and somehow – poof! – have some extra time that no one else had, just personal time for me.

But that wouldn’t work. I’m sure there are a few more ingredients I’d have to add to “make time”.

Even with more personal time, it wouldn’t necessarily mean that I would use it for something I’ve been neglecting. I proved that this weekend. 

I had some time alone because Lily was away. But instead of using some of that time to focus on things I’ve been neglecting, I worked more.

I worked on a few things that I probably wouldn’t have if Lily had been home. I certainly would not have worked as late if she had been here. 

So making time for something I’ve neglected does not move me to action. 

Time is not my only issue. I also need the will to do something. 

I need to be motivated to do the things I’ve neglected. 

Motivation is what gets you off the couch and on your feet. It comes from a vision inside you of what could be. 

Motivation isn’t a pie-in-the-sky kind of vision; it is a realistic vision that you believe can be realized. 

Motivation is not fantasy.

For me, to get to those things I’ve neglected, I need to think about them – even for a brief moment – to get an image in my mind of what could be. 

With time and motivation, I could tackle anything I have been neglecting.  

… Yet I did have time and I did have some motivation this weekend. Still I didn’t get to some things I have been neglecting. So there must be something else that keeps me from getting to my neglected items. 

I think I know what it is. 

There is another element that will take the time I have and the vision in my mind and put them together. It is opportunity. 

Some people say you make your own opportunities, but that is not always correct. Sometimes there are outside forces that either provide opportunities or don’t. 

This weekend I thought about flying my drone. It had been over a month since I had last flown it. I had time and, certainly with Lily away, I could make time to get out and drone. 

Motivation is not usually an issue for me because I can easily envision what kind of video to create from the drone shots I take. 

But there has to be opportunity. Though the time was available and I was motivated, the weather didn’t provide the opportunity. 

I hope it won’t be too long before these three things come together and I can get out there and fly.

Here’s the thing: God has graciously given us time to discover He is worthy of our worship. By sending His Son to die for our sins and forgive us, God has given us opportunity to worship Him, for we cannot really worship God without being forgiven. And what about motivation? When you observe the beauty and intricacies of this created world and realize God’s loving act of forgiveness and sacrifice for us, that should motivate us to worship and love Him in return. … You have the time, motivation and opportunity to know and worship God – it’s time to act.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What’s something you have been neglecting? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Great Intentions Will Get You Nowhere

I had great intentions this morning. I knew what I was going to do first … well, maybe not first. First I take some personal time with God and then I play hockey on Saturday mornings.

great intentions will get you nowhere

It was after that that I intended to write out a list of things I wanted to do today.

That was the catalyst for my great intentions.

Hockey was over at 8:30 am but I just finished writing out my list at 1:15 pm. No, it didn’t take me that long to write out my list. I just didn’t get to it. … So much for great intentions.

Other things consumed my time, like deciding to listen to music while I ate breakfast. 

I had issues trying to connect my phone with the speaker in the kitchen, but rather than just listen to the music from my phone’s speakers, I chose to solve the issue with the speaker in the kitchen.

In the process I listened to a lot of music on my phone before I got my kitchen speaker set up … and burned through a good deal of time. 

Then I checked my email on my phone, which sent me on a rabbit trail, that took me to facebook and a lot of scrolling. 

Before I knew it, I was feeling a little peckish, so I rustled up some lunch, which usually means reheating a leftover meal from earlier in the week. 

We had one meal in the fridge so that worked out for me. I also got wings out of the freezer for my dinner later, so I was all set for meals.

It was time to make that list. 

And when I make a list of things I need or want to get done, there is always more on that list than I had originally thought of in my head. 

Today my list is kind of long … not too long for a 9-in-the-morning list, but rather long for a starting-after-1-pm list.

What really messed me up was that I didn’t make my list until the afternoon. Somehow my brain thinks that when the list is made, then I have my instructions for the day. Until I make that list, I’m free-wheeling on whatever comes into my mind to do that minute. 

That’s just how my mind works. 

I remember years ago taking a Myers Briggs temperament evaluation. Along with the four letters that indicated what each particular temperament was, there was a prayer that went along with it. 

One of the prayers went something like, “God help me to keep my mind on one thi … Oh look, it’s a bird.”

For some reason I need a dock or a post to chain my mind to. For me, a list is that post or dock that keeps me focussed. 

I’m hoping my list will tie down my brain to the things I want to do today.

Here’s the thing: Our great intentions don’t mean anything unless we actually get to them. That is true with God as well. You might have great intentions to follow Him one day, but intentions won’t make that happen. You might have great intentions to forgive a person, or to clean up some part of your life. Great intentions won’t do it for you. You have to get at it and start. What are you waiting for?

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What’s your great intention and what are you going to do about it? Leave your comments and questions below.

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My Fine Motor Skills Are Definitely Lacking

I’ve determined that my fine motor skills are not what they should be.

my fine motor skills are definitely lacking

It’s not as though I can’t work a pen or pencil, although, if you’ve seen some of my writing, you might call that into question. 

When my son was little and watching me journal, he asked me a very thoughtful question. He said, “Daddy why are you scribbling?”  

I told him I wasn’t, that I was writing, to which he rebutted “you are scribbling”. 

So maybe I can’t wield a pen or pencil like other people. 

I get along just fine doing most things. My hands work well: I can type, hold a baseball and catch a ball in my hand. I have no trouble holding or using a hockey stick … though my thumb is a little sore after a collision playing hockey this morning. But when it comes to more intricate moves, maybe I am lacking. 

If you do something enough times you get the hang of it. And that should also be true when using your hands.

For instance, no matter how uncoordinated you are, if you practice tying your shoelaces enough times, you will get pretty good at it. … I’m glad to say that I have mastered that fine motor skill and I don’t think I even needed any remedial help with it. 

But there are a few things that I just can’t seem to master. One of them is a video game joystick. 

Maybe you have to be born after 1980 to use one. I can never get my thumbs and fingers doing the right things at the right time. 

I was not much into video games but when my son was just starting out, we would play hockey on his Nintendo. 

… Well, that lasted about a month. 

We started off about equal but within a matter of weeks he had surpassed my skill level and never looked back. 

Any time after that when he’d challenge me to play with him, I just smiled and said I was not in the mood. It was really because my fingers don’t work that well.

But there is one more thing that really bugs me and that is playing the guitar. I can practice the same thing over and over and never seem to get past a certain stage. 

There is a little lick I’ve been trying to master for literally half a year. It is a couple of chords and then a solo part. I’ve played it over and over but I can’t get it to sound like it fits. 

And my fingers on my right hand refuse to cooperate with my pick in my left hand. 

I’ve practiced that bit way more than I ever practiced learning to tie my shoelaces. But if I had had this much trouble mastering my shoelaces, I would have switched to velcro straps instead.

Maybe you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Here’s the thing: We all have limitations; there are things we just can’t master or figure out. But there is a God who has created this whole world, who has never fretted one moment about accomplishing any of it. He is worth trusting your life to and depending on when you’ve reached your limitations. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you find hard to master? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Perception Can Either Be Right Or Completely Off

When people have a certain, inaccurate perception of you, it’s really great to prove them wrong. 

perception can either be right or completely off

We form perceptions of people all the time. When we first meet or see someone, we instantly have a perception of them.

We secretly determine what their personality is like or how smart they are. We size them up – are they funny, serious, intriguing or boring? 

And we do all this in a matter of seconds.

Every once in a while my wife, Lily, and I will do some people watching. It makes for some good entertainment, especially if we are just sitting around, like in the food court of a mall.

We might notice a couple talking at the entrance of a store across the way. I’ll give Lily a rundown of their possible conversation. My story will include what the couple are talking about, whether they are arguing or agreeing with each other. 

Sometimes I will provide accents for the two people or what their voices sound like.

Our perceptions are not always right … likely more wrong than right. It doesn’t matter because this all happens before we have met them.

It is one thing to have a perception of someone you are meeting for the first time. It’s a totally different thing to have a perception of someone you have known for years and years … like about 40 years.

That’s what I ran into this weekend. 

Our daughter, Karlie, has just taken training in FST. You probably have no clue what that is – most people don’t. It stands for Fascial Stretch Therapy. 

… And it has nothing to do with the face. 

It does have to do with the most prevalent connective tissue in your body.

Your fascia supports every aspect of movement – muscles, tendons, organs, ligaments and nerves.

FST can increase your flexibility, reduce aches and pains, and improve range of motion. A person trained in FST basically stretches you during a session. 

Well, Karlie has recently started treating clients and loves to improve her skills as much as possible. (You can check out her instagram pics here.)

… So who better to practice on when you are home for Thanksgiving than your family?! 

Let’s just say there was a lot of stretching that happened this past weekend. 

But then there was me – the only one who hadn’t been stretched. 

The perception of the family was that I would be very tight and that my flexibility and range of motion would be dismal. 

I guess all the disparaging talk and the perception of my physical condition got to me. I had Karlie stretch me. 

Ha, turns out their perception was wrong! I am way more flexible and have way more range of motion than both my wife and son. 

So much for perception.

Here’s the thing: Many people have perceptions of God. Their perception is based on things they have heard and people they’ve listened to. Some people form their perception based on something that happened to them. They make up a scenario of God’s involvement in that incident. But these are all perceptions and they may be wrong. To know what God is like, you have to meet Him and have experience with Him. You can start to meet Him by reading the Bible, and have experience with Him by talking with Him (prayer). The more you do these things, the more you will discover what God is really like.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What perception do you have that needs to either be proved true or busted? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Our Memory Can Get Us In And Out Of Trouble
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Our Memory Can Get Us In And Out Of Trouble

Our memory can will us forward but it can also set us back. I learned the latter just the other day.

our memory can get us in and out of trouble

Your memory of what you have done can give you real confidence to attempt to do the same thing again. After all, you know you’ve done it before; why couldn’t you do it again?

Well, sometimes our memory doesn’t take into account the reality of new circumstances.

I kind of faced that this past week when I went golfing with a few buddies from high school.

I had some great memories to bring with me to the game:  We were playing a course I have played literally hundreds of times (the one caveat being that most of those games were over 35 years ago and I haven’t played the course more than a dozen times since). The golfers I was playing with were all high school friends from way back. So I knew the course and I was comfortable with who I was playing with. 

Then there was the game itself. I felt good, my swing was good and I was pretty confident that I wouldn’t have any trouble hitting the ball well. 

… And that is where my memory didn’t help me. 

You see, I do know how to hit a golf ball and most of the time I can hit it well. But I’ve only played four rounds of golf this year and the last time I picked up a club was almost two months ago.

Still, my memory of the game had me convinced that, given all the factors, I would be able to shoot a score that rivalled games I have shot it the past. 

But my memory didn’t account for several things …

The greens on this course were lightning fast and that was not easy to get used to in a short time. The greens were also large so I faced a lot of very long putts.

Then there was the concentration factor.  

It takes a lot of concentration to keep hitting the ball well. You don’t have to concentrate the whole time, but you have to be able to really focus for short bursts when you are hitting a ball. That can make you mentally weary. 

And then there was the physical weariness. When you are not used to walking a long, 6000 plus yard course, you tend to get tired. Near the end of the round I noticed that I was not hitting the ball well. I was just tired and out of golf shape. 

What can you expect? … I kept telling myself that after I would hit another shot that missed the target I was aiming for. 

In the end, I didn’t shoot a score that rivalled scores of the past. I shot a score that rivalled one of my worst scores ever on that course … probably the worst score I’ve shot in years – maybe 30.

Next time I’m not going to rely on my memory. I’m going to work on my skills and conditioning before I show up. 

Here’s the thing: Sometimes you can face a spiritual challenge – a struggle with temptation or a battle with emotions. You may be tempted to rely on your memory of how you’ve worked these through in the past. But the best way to deal with these challenges is to keep spiritually fit and engaged so that you are well-equipped to deal with what you face.

That’s Life! 

Paul

Question: What are you relying too much on your memory for? Leave your comments and questions below.

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The Phone Call You Hesitate Returning

I got a phone call from someone who said he knew me but I couldn’t place him. I didn’t even recognize the name. 

the phone call you hesitate returning

So I hesitated making the call, not being sure what this person may want from me.  Instead, I made another call, just to warm up to the idea of returning this message.  

It didn’t help.  

I again looked at the message, to try to figure out who this person might be, and how I might know him. Then I decided to give it a shot; I made the call.   

Some people answer the phone and start talking like you know them, and if you don’t immediately make it clear that you have no clue who they are, the phone call becomes awkward.  

It’s agony when that happens. 

You strain to pick up on any tip the person may drop as they talk.  About a month ago, I was five minutes into a conversation before I figured out who I was talking to.  

During that time I thought it was one person and then I thought it was someone else.

When I eventually figured it out, what the guy was saying finally made sense.  I was sweating on the other end of the line. 

Thankfully, this guy didn’t leave me hanging.  

He could tell I didn’t have the slightest idea who he was and asked, “You don’t know who I am, do you?”  When I said “no”, he gave me some context to place him in.

I had played shinny hockey with him years ago. 

In fact, except for one game of hockey he played with me about a year ago, I probably haven’t seen him in about 5 years.  

Let’s just say he hadn’t been in my circle of associates for a long time, and I had only known him by his first name.  He phoned me because he knew I was a pastor and thought maybe he could talk some things over with me.

The guys I regularly play shinny hockey with all know that I’m a pastor.  Somehow it comes out.  When they find out, their language usually changes for a while, and when they slip up they usually apologize … at first.  

Even though I’ve been playing hockey with some of these guys for years and years, not often am I asked for anything other than a pass on the ice.  

This call was pretty unusual, especially given the fact we had been out of touch for so long. 

We talked about setting up a time to meet and then ended the conversation.  When I hung up the phone, I just sat in my chair for a moment, thinking about how that guy came to call me at this particular time in his life.

Here’s the thing:  What we do today may not seem like it makes much difference.  In fact, one day may not make much difference.  But over a long time, being genuine to those around you may trigger something in someone, years from now, in their time of need.  That’s when being a consistent Christian example before them will make a difference.  God reminded me, through this phone call, that the testimony of my life has no expiry date attached to it.  So, I need to keep living a life God can use.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How has your life, your testimony, your example made a difference years later?  Leave your comment below.

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Writing Things Down Can Ensure Success

Writing things down increases your potential every day. 

writing things down can ensure success

… You might be thinking, “That’s a pretty bold statement. Do you have facts to back it up?” 

Well, no I don’t. 

I suppose I could find some facts that would support my statement at least in part. But I think my own testimony is good enough on this topic.

We rely heavily on our memory and, thankfully, for the most part, our memory is great. 

You don’t have to think about so many things during the day because your memory brings them to the forefront of your mind and you just act on them. 

Your phone number – you don’t have to think about it. Your address – you recite it automatically. You know your co-workers’ names by heart. 

It is amazing how often our memory assists us. 

However, when you have work to accomplish, something you want to put into your memory, or just something you don’t want to forget, writing it down is a better option than relying solely on your memory. 

This is what I have found … 

For all the things I need to accomplish in a day, or things I want to accomplish, if I keep them all in my memory I am more likely not to accomplish everything on my mental list. 

But if I write out a to-do list of the things I have in my mind to accomplish, I have a much greater success rate. 

I’m not sure why that is. Maybe, if it’s only in my mind, it’s not prioritized; it’s simply one of many things that needs to be done. 

I am more apt to think, “I’ll get to it sometime today” … but that sometime may never come.

Writing things down keeps you more focussed. There is something about seeing that task in front of you and crossing it off when it is complete that keeps you locked into the things that are a priority. 

Recently I was having a difficult time staying focussed all day long. I knew what I needed to get done, so I didn’t bother to write anything down. 

And every day that week my work ran out of hours in the day. There were times that I wasn’t productive. Basically I wasted time. 

I had things to do but I figured I still had a bit of time to look into something that was not on my mental agenda. … I never got back to the things I wanted to get done in time to actually get them done. 

When Friday came around I was way behind on what I needed to accomplish. 

So I did two things: first I tidied up my desk – I feel better when my desk is clear. Then I wrote out a list of tasks I needed to get done.

One by one I checked them off my list. I didn’t deviate from my list; I wasn’t even tempted. 

Writing things down gave me the focus and motivation I needed to get all my work done. 

Here’s the thing: When you make a commitment to God, or you believe God wants you to do something, if you just keep that in your memory, you may or may not get around to it. But if you write it down, you will be more likely to follow through on what God is asking of you.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What things do you need to write down today, in order to accomplish them? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Good Technical Support People Make Life Easier

Good technical help is not easy to come by … and it’s not because the skill and know-how are hard to find.

good technical support people make life easier

When you visit another country and they speak a language that you do not, there is definitely a communication barrier. I’ve been to several countries where I didn’t speak the language. I could communicate but it was not very easy.

A few times I have preached with an interpreter and that takes a little getting used to. You need to keep your sentences short and only speak a couple of sentences at a time. Then you just hope that the interpreter is telling the people what you said … and not telling them what he thinks of what you said or how you are dressed. When you didn’t tell a joke but the people laugh at what the interpreter says, you get a little suspicious.

My wife, Lily, and I went to Quebec City for a vacation one year. Fortunately, Lily can speak a little French and she understands more than she can speak. For myself, after bonjour, I’m a little thin on my French. 

In grades seven and eight I learned how to say pen and pencil and a few other words. But that will not get you far, especially if you are trying to order a meal. You won’t find pencil lead or ink on the menu.

I also have the ability to  speak words with a French accent so they sound French. … You should hear me say “dessert”.

But you can’t really communicate effectively with what I have to work with. 

In Quebec I would get off to a great start with my “bonjour” but then when they would say something back to me, I would just look at Lily, sort of like,”Okay, take it from here.”

This week I’ve been trying to switch our church website hosting from one company to another. Basically we are creating a brand new website. The new website will be easier to use and update, but it doesn’t seem to be easy to switch it from the old site.

Part of the difficulty in making the switch is that the technical support people, from each company involved, are speaking a different language. 

On the surface it appears they all communicate in English. But that’s misleading because what they say is very difficult to understand. 

Maybe they are too used to talking to computers and they have lost the art of communicating with humans. Maybe they only know certain phrases and words in English so they stick to the phrases they know. 

I had technical help from three companies: my new website host, my old website host, and my URL name registrar. After a day and a half it seemed like none of them could or were willing to help. They knew the solution but they didn’t communicate it to me in terms that were clear to me. 

I just needed to ask the right questions and listen carefully to their answers. 

Here’s the thing: Some people feel like that with God. They ask God questions or for certain things but they don’t get or understand the answers. The thing is God will communicate to us clearly, but often we are not really listening very well. Listen to God with your eyes, your mind, your heart and your ears. He is speaking clearly to you. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: In what way do you need to improve your listening skills with God? Leave your comments and questions below.

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