What I'm Learning from Listening rather than Reading

If you've been by Trish's Dishes a few times lately, you know I'm listening to a lot of inspirational talks these days.  Princess Peach has put the royal kibosh on my quiet morning routines of reading, journaling and praying through things as a means of seeking wisdom...now it's pretty much just snippets of podcasts while attempting to parallel park.

I'm not complaining (even though if you'd told me in advance that this would happen, I'd have panicked).  But I'm learning that listening is different than reading, and has some advantages.  When I listen, it's is as if the ideas go in through the side doors to my brain, rather than through the front.

It's kind of like this: When you enter someone's house through the front door, it tends to be rather formal.  It usually involves some awkward standing around in the foyer while you make small talk and wonder if you should take off your shoes.  It takes awhile to settle in. 

But come in through the side door and you're thrown right into the mix and put to use right away.  Your coat gets tossed over the back of a chair and before long you're stirring the soup or washing some dishes while catching up on all manner of important conversational tidbits.

In similar fashion, the ideas I'm hearing are making their way right into the mix of my life, rather than being piled in my mental foyer in the hopes that I'll consider them later.

Yesterday, for example, I heard this gem:  "Your life purpose is not held hostage by your life circumstances." (Jordan Seng).  I liked it so much that I pulled over to post it on Facebook and Twitter.  And I decided right then that I wasn't going to worry anymore about how or if I'll accomplish the things I believe God wants me to do.  The truth of that statement - that my life purpose is not held hostage by my life circumstances - burst in through the side door of my brain and made itself at home.

This weekend, if you have a chance, listen to someone talk about something wise.  Take note of what makes itself at home, changing you in some way.  (And on a similar note, notice what you hear from people, radio, tv, etc. that pushes you in an unhelpful direction, and remember: doors work both ways!)

If you need a place to start, some speakers I enjoy on the spiritual front include Joyce Meyer, Jordan Seng, Tim Keller, and Mark Driscoll (when he's not ranting and raving).  If you have podcasts you like, drop me a comment below. I'm always looking for new ones to try!

Happy Friday, all :)