Welcome, 2012!

It's a new year and I am excited to see what God has in store.  The year started with a wonderfully blessed trip to Mexico.  I found Him in the beauty all around but mainly in the power of the ocean, the way the current pulled from below and the waves toppled from above guiding the waters in just a whirl of power.  Now, back to reality... my life in 2012.  God has spoken clearly about my making a move back to the Twin Cities area.  He is so good and being this blog is about how He speaks to me, I must share... I have always wanted to move back to the cities, that was never a secret to anyone.  The company I work for opened a office there and they were very excited to move me there, having someone they trust and someone who knows the business in the new location.  It has all just been one open door after another and very exciting.  My next step is finding that location that God would have me reside... another opportunity to follow His lead.  I have 3 places to look at next week and I look forward to watching and following as He leads me to just the perfect place He has for me.  I am reminded of Psalm 32:8 "I will make you wise and show you where to go.  I will guide and watch over you."  Makes me smile knowing I have one so great to guide me.  I love Him!  :)

Hind Sight

My blog name is "Listening for Love" and its' meaning is listening for God's voice in a world that strangles you with what it wants you to hear... not to mention your flesh and what IT wants to hear!  Deception comes in so many ways and it can subtly worm it's way in and appear to be good.  It can look good, feel good, sound good and yet bring so much harm.  There is so much I could say, so many words come to mind... foolish, taken, mislead, hurt, harm, regret, heart ache, etc... all things God tries so desperately to protect us from.  Well, I didn't listen to a dear friend a while back, a friend God used to shout at me (literally).  I thought I knew what was best.  It looked good, felt good, seemed good and yet I believed in something that wasn't true and with it came much regret, confusion and sadness.  He (God/Love) tried to warn me and I just wouldn't listen. 

What appears to be good and right may not be what it appears to be at all.... hind sight.

Following the Head

I don't think there have been too many times I haven't rolled with the heart in decision making.  Well, I am at a crossroads and the heart-following hasn't cut it this time.  Today, I made a conscious decision to go with my head and trust God that maybe there is purpose in this.  I am pressing ahead with what makes sense, taking the male mind-set and going with it.  I am anxious to see how God leads as I take this step of faith in hope that this following will bring me to something new, something exciting and something the heart couldn't have found otherwise!  :)

Self-Centeredness

I was told I was self-centered a week ago... not what I wanted to hear, nor what I expected to hear.  Follow me on this, though.  People who have been placed in unhealthy situations naturally develop insecurity.  We are not comfortable with insecurity so we try to make sure we are in situations we can control or at the very least know what is going to happen (and know it ahead of time) so that we feel... secure.  We do this to settle any fear or distrust that a given situation may bring.  By doing this we become centered on self.  Once explained to me that way, I AM self-centered... I do exactly what I stated above.  Now that I am aware of the issue, the healing begins ... I need to seek the Lord to settle the fear and distrust issues I have in order that I may live life in the fullness He intended for me - as a secure person in Him!  Whew.... such a work in process.  :)

"Priority" vs "Option"

"Don't make somebody a priority if they only make you an option." I have been thinking on this quote a lot over the last couple of weeks. What does one do with a relationship in which you are only a "option" especially... if you would like to be a "priority"? Or better yet... if you were once a "priority" and now you are only a "option"? Oh the questions that must come to mind in such a scenario.

My first thought is that God made us a "priority" when we weren't even considering Him an "option". Where would we be if He hadn't? ... I wonder what a person who considered me an "option" would do if I went above that and made them a "priority"? Would love win out as it did with God and me or how long would it take for my enthusiasm with the relationship to fizzle and for my "priority" to become the "option" I am to them?

I am so glad God's love for us is perfect. We will always be His "priority" no matter if He is only an "option" to us. I praise Him for that perfect love and pray that I see those that put me as a "priority" in the same light they see me and that I continue to love those, with the love God has shown me, that see me as only an "option".

May Love win out in the end. 

The Daily

Every day brings new things, different to each of us.  I want to create a sort of journal about what catches my heart at times and dialogue about it; what God (the author and perfector of Love) may have in it as a message for me.  I want to remember these things, learn from them and grow.