When the Children listen...

Since the beginning of coming to this Church, I have felt the need to encourage and introduce them to the world of listening prayer. Here I come with my head full TRA LA LA! I love kids because they are so challenging.

Some good signs though:

I was reading to my junior youth out of Brad Jersak's "Children, can you hear me?" book. We got to a point about Jesus speaking, and playing games like hide and seek. One of my girls eyes get really wide and she asked in amazement, "Does it really say that?!" They loved the pictures of Jesus booting the evil guys out the door.

I challenged my Senior youth to look for a fresh symbol in their lives...What does God say they look like? What is God like? They were all too nervous to do it, so I listened on their behalf (knowing they wouldn't share themselves what God told them) and every single one of them lit up and paid careful attention to what picture I had received in my head for them...As a whole I saw them as a pinata, that God wanted to burst open because they are so full of good things! I won't be surprised if I get fired once parents hear about this!

Without my youth really knowing about it, they have been listening to God,and hearing from him, every time we do a Lectio Divina. It is kind of like my little secret with God. Here they are, not really "believing" yet reporting what God has said to them all the while! And of course, their discoveries in Bible Passages I have done Lectio's with over twenty times probably, are FRESH INSIGHTFUL and uniquely PERSONAL. So beautiful. so exciting. I personally love that God reveals the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven to children and hides it from the learned. It is truly truly about time that adults started seriously learning and listening to children.

(the picture is of Malakai...a boy who has taught me immeasurably more than I taught him)