I tried to finish this last Friday, and then the plane wifi I hoped would help didn't work, and honestly – I was tired. And then I had great intentions of getting up this morning and sending this out, and then - I got food poisoning.

So it's a late-night Liveliness List this Friday because I've found that you have to get the reps in when it comes to writing and creating. You just have to send something out. You just have to keep going to help the momentum keep happening - you know? If I wait to send one until next Friday, the LL may never see the light of day again.

Anyways - here are some thoughts on hearing from God. This is a complex gets, but it's also very simple. I want to normalize hearing from God - because I think, in a way, we all are already hearing from Him.

I pray you hear from The Spirit this weekend.

I have a very clear memory of myself in second grade. It was the morning of my First Communion (a sacrament in the Catholic Church), and I was sitting in our living room in my white dress, praying the rosary. I got a little prayer book for the special occasion - and I propped it open for direction as my hands moved along the beads. I was such a young girl - but hungry for The Holy Spirit. I just wanted to pray. I wanted to hear from God.

My relationship with God grew as I grew up, and prayer became part of my day-to-day.

Now, I find myself saying things like "Well God told me …" or "God sent me …" or "In prayer God …."

Somewhere along that way, I started to call these movements of my heart and soul the sound of God's voice. I figured God was good enough to correct my path if I was wrong. As His daughter, I was safe.

Depending on the audience, this boldness can land weird. "What do you mean God told you?"

Valid question.

For me, getting close to The Spirit is a very subtle thing. It's never been a booming voice - but a quiet knowing, a sense of consolation, the wind of conviction, or a gentle insight. It's often very missable and requires a lot of attention, some guessing, lots of humbling, and very active doubt-crushing.

"But how do you know it's God?"

The answer is I don't. I don't know. Does anyone know for sure? I know what typically sounds like Him, but prayer is never a sure thing. I usually take a bet.

When I wonder if It's really God - I try to go with the fact that it is. I like to give the Holy Spirit the benefit of the doubt.

I've been wrong about what I thought God said many times, and these prayer "fails" have only made me feel more loved by Him. He watched out for me.

We're the kids. He's the father. We're safe to fail.

I'd rather be accused of making it up than be told that I missed it. I'd rather find out that I thought God was more vocal than He is rather than learn He was always trying to talk to me.

I want to demystify the prayer life. I want to normalize hearing from God.

This is not reserved for me. This is not an anointing. I didn't get a special lesson. I didn't do something specific right. I don't know anything different than you.

The experience of hearing from God isn't just for someone on a stage or an altar - but for you - in the light of your bedroom or the middle of the night.

I pray that we will hear The Lord respond to us this weekend.

Here are a few things I like to ask Him that might kickstart a conversation:

What do you think?

What do you like about ___?

How do you want to help?

What do I not know about you?

Was this helpful? I hope it was.

Holy Spirit, teach us how to pray.

To pray is to be brave. Follow the mystery this weekend!

XO,

Caroline