Listening is one of the easiest things you will ever do and one of the hardest. “Tell me more” is a channel through which God’s grace continues to flow and also a way for Him to demonstrate His grace to others through us.
First of all, I want to say “thank you” for signing up for this new project of publishing 30 emails in 30 days without writing them ahead of time. I’m honored by your interest and incredibly excited to see what happens! I decided to launch this adventure for three reasons:
I trust the business coaches, Perry Marshall and John Fancher, who recommended the idea and explained that the process would change the way my brain thinks.
For several months, I have been coaching with Judy Greenman in a course called Body Brain Freedom and have become acutely aware of the ability to change my life regardless of my age.
I love to use writing as a way to share ideas, and my mind is racing with anticipation. So here goes!
For several years I have begun each day in “The Doris Chair,” named by my husband Alfred in honor of my mother, for whom we purchased it, in anticipation of her living with us a few months of the year.
Unfortunately, she died before that happened, and I turned that room into the place I begin my day listening for what God would like me to hear.
My grandfather was a very devout Christian and repeatedly said, “God told me…” As a child going to a one-room school where schoolmates bullied me and I often felt alone and lost, I begged God to speak to me, as well. But all I heard was silence. At one point, Granddad said, “If you don’t hear from God, it’s because you have skeletons in your closet.” I have often joked, “I started an organizing business clearing the clutter from closets in an attempt to hear from God.”
I have since learned that God speaks to me in many ways, none of them in an audible voice, but now I crave hearing more. I titled this post “Tell Me More” because I am confident that we could solve many of the problems in our lives and our world if we used that phrase more often.
I think it was Mark Twain who said, “The older I get, the more I don’t know.” I’ve learned that saying “Tell me more,” whether to God, to a family member, or a colleague, and then genuinely listening can be a profound source of valuable information and greater peace.
So, here’s my thought for today: The next time someone says something you don’t understand or that makes you angry or upset, try saying, “Tell me more,” and see what happens. I welcome your comments.
Blessings,
Barbara
Barbara Hemphill, Founder
Productive Environment Institute
Helping Professionals Accomplish Their Work and Enjoy Their Lives!
