1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life audio. 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 2: The God of the universe is trying to communicate with you. 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 2: Are you listening? Have you ever felt like God was 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,599 Speaker 2: prompting you to do something, but question whether or not 5 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 2: it was his voice, and instead of acting, maybe maybe 6 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 2: you waited for another sign. What if God has already 7 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 2: given us what we need to know to determine if 8 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 2: a word is from him. Today's guest, Abby MacDonald addresses 9 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 2: a key misperception about God's voice that it will tell 10 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 2: what will happen tomorrow. But we've mistaken God's voice in 11 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 2: our lives for a means of obtaining knowledge, instead of 12 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 2: embracing its power to give us peace for today. Since 13 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 2: the fall of the Garden of Eden, humanity has carried 14 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 2: the same deception that misled Eve. We think more information 15 00:00:57,280 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 2: will give us more freedom. 16 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 3: But what if we looked at Jesus's. 17 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 2: Teachings, we see that his direction was never intended to 18 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 2: give us a roadmap. We can trade the yoke of 19 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 2: uncertainty that we carry for a better one, Jesus's yoke. 20 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 2: By focusing on three promises that Jesus gave us in 21 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 2: John ten ten, Abby addresses a key misperception about God's 22 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 2: voice that it will tell what shows a better way 23 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 2: to live empowered by God's word instead of a false 24 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 2: sense of security. Welcome to your Hope Field Perspective, where 25 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 2: it's always our goal to restore hope, renew minds, and 26 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 2: empower listeners to live in your God given identity. I'm 27 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 2: your host, doctor Michelle Bankson, and I'm delighted you've chosen 28 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 2: to spend a few minutes of your week with us. 29 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 2: In this episode of Your Hope Field Perspective, We're going 30 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 2: to be talking about how to discern God's voice and 31 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 2: find peace without knowing what's next. John ten Verse twenty 32 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 2: seven says, my sheep listen to my voice. I know 33 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 2: them and they will follow me for this commer I've 34 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 2: welcome back to the podcast. Abby MacDonald who's the author 35 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 2: of the book Shift and her most recent book, Surrendering Certainty, 36 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 2: Hearing God Today by letting go of Tomorrow. She's a writer, 37 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,839 Speaker 2: a speaker, a wife, and a mom whose work has 38 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 2: been featured on Encourage for Every Mom, Crosswalk and more. 39 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 3: She writes for the Proverbs. 40 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 2: Thirty one Ministry's daily devotional encouragement for Today, and her 41 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: passion is to empower women to grow in faith and. 42 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 3: Hope even when life is messy. 43 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 2: She earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University 44 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 2: of South Carolina and loves to teach at writing conferences 45 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 2: each year. When she's not reading or writing, you can 46 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 2: find her wrangling her three kids and black lab while 47 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 2: drinking copious amounts of coffee. Abby lives with her husband 48 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 2: and three children in western Maryland. Welcome back to the episode, Appy. 49 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: Thank you, Michelle. It's good to be here. 50 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 2: It's been a long time since we chatted about your 51 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 2: first book, but I'm excited about this new topic and 52 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: want to know after interviewing hundreds of people at this point, 53 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 2: is that frequently our ministries and our books come out 54 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,359 Speaker 2: of our own needs, our own hurts, our own pains. 55 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 3: The books that we wish we had. 56 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 2: So I would love for you to share with us 57 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 2: what prompted you to write Surrendering Certainty. 58 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: This book was born at well out of my own struggle, 59 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,239 Speaker 1: because I think all of our books are born out 60 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: of something we've struggled with ourselves, but also out of 61 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: conversations that I'd had for women over the past year, 62 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: sometimes weekly, sometimes daily, and I kept hearing this question, 63 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: how do I know this is God's voice? How do 64 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: I know this is God's will and not just my desire? 65 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: And I understood that question because, like I said, I 66 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: have wrestled with that question myself, and I have known 67 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: that that angst and that anxiety, and so I started 68 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: praying about it and the scriptures, and what I found 69 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: that is really at the heart of that question is 70 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: this desire for certainty and this desire to know what 71 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: is going to happen on the other side of our yes, 72 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 1: on the other side of our obedience. And I thought, 73 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 1: you know what, that we were never promised that. Jesus 74 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: never promised to give us a guarantee about what's going 75 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: to happen. Now, his presence with us is a guarantee, absolutely, 76 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: but he doesn't promise to show us what's going to happen. 77 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: And so the book is exploring that question, exploring that 78 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: need for certainty, and that's where the book was born, 79 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: was out of those conversations. 80 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 2: So in your book, you talk about the yoke of 81 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 2: certainty that we often carry, and you invite readers to 82 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 2: trade this yoke for a better one, for Jesus's yoke. 83 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 2: Can you explain really what this means and why why 84 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 2: is this exchange so critical? If we want to move 85 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 2: forward in our lives with God. 86 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: The yoke of certainty Michelle is really the enemy's yoke, 87 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 1: and it's the yoke that he put on humanity in 88 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: that initial interaction with Eve and the garden. And what 89 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: does he promise evil? He promises her knowledge, and he 90 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 1: promises her that she will be like God. And I 91 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: really believe that in that moment we took on this yoke, 92 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:34,239 Speaker 1: this need to know more than God has chosen to 93 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: give us for today. We chose to go outside of 94 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: the promise of today and try to go into the 95 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: future and obtain more than He chose to give us. 96 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 1: And so when we do that, when we're trying to 97 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: be like God, as the enemy said, then we're taking 98 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: on a yot we were never intended to carry. We 99 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: are not God. We are finite creatures. Yes, our spirits 100 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: will live forever, but our bodies and our minds are finite. 101 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: And so when we try to run into the future 102 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: and just ask these perpetual questions, I need another sign, 103 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: show me what's going to happen. Yes, sometimes God will 104 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: give us a sign because He's merciful and he's faithful. 105 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 1: But eventually we need to act, and we have to 106 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: we have to move forward or otherwise we're just going 107 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 1: to stay suck. And so we can trade that yoke, 108 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 1: that need for certainty, for Jesus yoke. And he tells 109 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: us his yoke is easy and his burden is light. 110 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: And that doesn't promise that our lives are going to 111 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 1: be easy and light. He doesn't promises that, but he 112 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: does promise to give us what we need for today. 113 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,479 Speaker 1: And there's so much more peace living in today, trying 114 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 1: to live in some time and space that hasn't occurred yet. 115 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 2: Isn't it interesting how much of our lives we spend 116 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 2: thinking and worrying about tomorrow when we aren't promised tomorrow. 117 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: Yeah? 118 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, breaking anxiety script. That was one of the things 119 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 2: that I spent a lot of time talking about, is 120 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 2: that God in fact cautions us not to worry about 121 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 2: tomorrow because today has enough problems. 122 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 3: Of its own. 123 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: But we, I think, we become so prone to anxiety, 124 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 2: not just out of our desire to know what tomorrow 125 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 2: is going to bring, but out of our desire to 126 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 2: control it, which to me is being our own little 127 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 2: g God instead of trusting in the God who created 128 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 2: us and gave us a blueprint for how to live. 129 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 2: Why do you think surrendering our questions about tomorrow is 130 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 2: crucial to hearing God's way and actually living a life 131 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 2: of faith. 132 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: Well, Michelle, I think that until we surrender those questions that, 133 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: like you said, we're just going to live in that 134 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: state of anxiety and we're going to be worrying and 135 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: trying to control what is not in our ability to control. 136 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: But if we focus on what God has given us, 137 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: the truth that He has given us, then we can 138 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: live in his peace and we can have joy and 139 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: abundant life. And that doesn't mean that we're not going 140 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,479 Speaker 1: to make plans or we're never going to think about tomorrow, 141 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: But there's a difference between planning and thinking and obsessing 142 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: and just constantly just worrying and having that desire to 143 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: know what's going to happen. And so, yeah, I think 144 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 1: it's just living in his peace and knowing He has 145 00:08:57,559 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: us and He's going to give us what we need. 146 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think if we would spend more time waking 147 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 2: up in the morning and saying, Lord, what do you 148 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 2: have for me today? And starting off our day just 149 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 2: focusing on the here and now, we wouldn't spend so 150 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 2: much time worrying about the certainty of tomorrow. Friends, We're 151 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,199 Speaker 2: going to take a real short break, but I want 152 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 2: you to stick with us to hear Abby share more 153 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 2: about how to discern God's voice and find peace without 154 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 2: knowing what's next. We'll talk about this after a brief 155 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:32,839 Speaker 2: word from our sponsor. Welcome back to your hope filled 156 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 2: perspective or. My guest today is Abbi MacDonald, the author 157 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 2: of the new book Surrendering Certainty. 158 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 3: Abby. In your book, you talk. 159 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 2: About letting your fear propel you towards Jesus instead of 160 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 2: away from him. 161 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 3: So what do you think this looks. 162 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 2: Like in the day to day life and how have 163 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 2: you let your fear propel you towards Jesus. 164 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,719 Speaker 1: One thing that I point out in the book and 165 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: just in day to day conversation is that fear is 166 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: an emotion that God gave us right and so the 167 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: answer is not to just try to sweep it under 168 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: the rug or to pretend like it's not there, because 169 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,559 Speaker 1: fear has a purpose and it can keep us from 170 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: climbing in a car with a stalker or doing something crazy. 171 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: And so I don't think that when we fear that 172 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: God is just barking at us, saying, don't fear. But 173 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: he wants to encourage us, and he wants us to 174 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: come to him with that fear. And so that's what 175 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: I mean by lett it propel you toward Jesus is 176 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 1: come to him and just be honest about your fear. 177 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: Tell him what it is. God, I'm really worried about 178 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 1: my kids in this decision that we're facing, and I 179 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: don't know what to do, or I'm worried about this 180 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: job interview, and can you please give me your peace? 181 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: And so when we let those fears and those worries 182 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: draw us to him and we're honest with him about it, 183 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: he can take that fear and just transform it into 184 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 1: his peace and into desire to move forward. And so 185 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 1: that's what I'm talking about when I say, let your 186 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: fear propel you toward Jesus. 187 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 2: But it begs the question because I can almost hear 188 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 2: the response of some of our listeners and viewers because 189 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 2: this happens for many reasons. So what would you say 190 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,559 Speaker 2: to the listener who's thinking, but I'm actually afraid of God. 191 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:37,559 Speaker 2: I'm actually afraid of God's response. 192 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: Wow, Wow, I have been there too, Michelle. I have 193 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: been there, not necessarily with fear, but just coming to 194 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: God with my desires, my hopes, my dreams. To me, 195 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 1: that felt like putting my hopes and dreams into one 196 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: of those giant flaw machines and just watching the hand 197 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: kind of haphazardly make its way around and then drop 198 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: down and not ever come up with anything. And so 199 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: I get that. I get that I grew up with 200 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,839 Speaker 1: a very unhealthy view of who God was, and I 201 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: saw him as sort of this distant dictator who was 202 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: just waiting for me to mess up. And so I 203 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 1: would say to that person, God wants you to flourish. 204 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: God loves you with a love that we cannot possibly fathom. 205 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: And I know that hearing that somebody else say that 206 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 1: and experiencing it for yourself are two different things. But 207 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: I would encourage you to get to know him, because 208 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: when you get to know him, you see that he 209 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: is not someone who is going to turn away from 210 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: you when you come to him with that honesty. He 211 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:57,839 Speaker 1: longs for that, and he actually says in scripture that 212 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: he no longer calls us sir, but friends, and so 213 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: we can come to him with all of it. 214 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 2: And I think it's important, just as you mentioned before 215 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 2: that the enemy uses fear, but the enemy can also 216 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 2: use our fear of God to keep us from that relationship. 217 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 2: And one of the things that I think we can 218 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 2: find comfort in is that God is big enough for 219 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,080 Speaker 2: us to be honest and say I'm really afraid of you. 220 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 2: I'm afraid of how you're going to react. I'm afraid 221 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 2: of how you're going to respond. He can handle it, 222 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 2: and I think you'll find that his response is much 223 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 2: more tender in general than you might anticipate. 224 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: Absolutely. 225 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:42,199 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean your book centers around three truths that 226 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 2: Jesus speaks in John tent I love John Tintin. My 227 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 2: first book, Hope Prevails, was based on John Tinton. The 228 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 2: first one is from John twenty seven, which is the 229 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 2: scripture that I opened up with my sheep hear my voice, 230 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 2: and I know them and they follow me. Why do 231 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 2: you think some believes doubt their ability to hear God's voice? 232 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 2: And have you ever experienced this doubt in your own life? 233 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 2: And if so, how did you move past it? 234 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 1: Absolutely? I think that there's a number of different reasons 235 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: why we can doubt our ability to hear God. I 236 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: think that, especially in the beginning of our faith, we 237 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 1: just have so many questions, and it's natural for us 238 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 1: to just go to somebody else with those questions because 239 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 1: we don't necessarily trust our ability to answer them for ourselves, 240 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: or to go to God with our questions and to 241 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: hear from him. And I think that's natural and that's normal. 242 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 1: But God wants our faith to grow, He wants it 243 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: to mature and develop, and so I think also sometimes 244 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 1: we expect to hear from God in this audible voice, 245 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 1: like Moses in the burning bush or something, and him 246 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: to just come down and say, here I am. And 247 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: that's not usually the case. I mean, absolutely he can 248 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: do that, But most of the time, in my experience, 249 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: hearing from God is more like a gentle nudge. It's 250 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: more like a prompt or just this burning that I 251 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: fell in my heart and I just know that I 252 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: have to do something. And those are the nudges that 253 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: we learn to recognize as we walk more with Him. 254 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 1: And another thing is that we don't learn to recognize 255 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: those nudges until we act on them. And so if 256 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: we feel that nudge and we're just in a state 257 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: of inertia we don't ever respond. Then we're never going 258 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: to see him move, and we're never going to see 259 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: the faithfulness, which is an attribute of his character, because 260 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: we're not giving him an opportunity to do that. But 261 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: as we move with him, we can create this track 262 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 1: record and we look back when we say, oh, when 263 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 1: I moved and I responded to that nudge I felt, 264 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: then there he was, and he was faithful, and he 265 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: created a way where I didn't see that there was 266 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: going to be a way. And so yeah, I think 267 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 1: there's a number of different factors involved. But as we 268 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 1: respond to him, then we create that track record and 269 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: we can see, oh, yeah, that was God, and we 270 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: become more attuned to his voice. 271 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 2: So I can hear the listener now saying, Okay, so 272 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 2: the more I put this into practice, the better I'll 273 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 2: become hearing his voice. But what if I make a mistake, 274 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 2: What if that wasn't really his voice? 275 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 3: How do you respond to that? 276 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: I believe when Paul says in Romans that God works 277 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: all things together for the good of those who love him, 278 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 1: he's not just talking about these struggles and tragedies in 279 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 1: our lives. He's also talking about the times when we 280 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: do mess up and we do falter, and so God 281 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: can use even those things for our good and for 282 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: his glory. But the key is if it's an actual sin, 283 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,199 Speaker 1: which it may not be sin, it may just be 284 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 1: it things don't turn out the way we thought they would. 285 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: But if it's sin, then we come to God and 286 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 1: we repent of that and we say, hey, I messed up. 287 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:24,719 Speaker 1: And God is like I said before, he's faithful, he's loving, 288 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: and he just to forgive that sin and to cleanse 289 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: us from that. But if things just don't work out 290 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 1: the way we thought they would, then that's just life, 291 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: and God can use that. God will create a way 292 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 1: and a path around whatever obstacle it is that we're 293 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: seeing and provide a way forward. 294 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 2: You say, our view of who God is will always 295 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 2: affect whether or not we trust Him with our desires. 296 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,119 Speaker 2: Why do you think this is true? Why do you 297 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 2: think that brings our desires to God is crucial for 298 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 2: moving forward in our spiritual lives. 299 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, and so this is something I kind of alluded 300 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: to before when I said that I saw him sort 301 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 1: of as this distant rule enforcer, and I think that 302 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:22,159 Speaker 1: when we see God that way, then we don't feel 303 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: safe coming to him with those desires. We don't feel 304 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:28,440 Speaker 1: safe coming to him with our dreams because we don't 305 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: think that he's going to treat them with a delicate hand, 306 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: and we think it's safer to just keep them to ourselves. 307 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 1: But if we see him as the loving father that 308 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: he is, then we can come to him with all 309 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: of that, and we can trust that he's going to 310 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:49,440 Speaker 1: create something beautiful, and it's probably going to be something 311 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:54,639 Speaker 1: even greater than what we imagined, because he is God. 312 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 1: And my kids have been the greatest teachers to me 313 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,640 Speaker 1: of this because they come to me with all of it. 314 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,680 Speaker 1: They don't hide their desires from me. I remember when 315 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 1: my daughter was for she told me she wanted to 316 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: be a frog, and I just, you know, I was 317 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: making dinner, salte and vegetables, and I just said, okay, 318 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 1: you know, I mean, I don't know if that's humanly possible, 319 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:20,440 Speaker 1: but sure. 320 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:24,120 Speaker 2: Doesn't that make you wonder if sometimes God doesn't just 321 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:27,439 Speaker 2: chuckle at some of our desires. You know, it's not 322 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:32,159 Speaker 2: that he condemns, but I have to think sometimes he's like, oh, sweetheart, 323 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 2: if you only knew what I had for you is 324 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:35,400 Speaker 2: so much better. 325 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 3: Than being a frog. 326 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: Yeah. 327 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, friends, We're going to take a real quick break, 328 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 2: but I want you to stick with us, because when 329 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 2: we come back, I'm going to ask Abby to share 330 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 2: a hope Field perspective for you. Right after this brief 331 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 2: word from our sponsor, Welcome back to your hope Field perspective. 332 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 3: Abby. 333 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 2: In your book Surrendering Certainty, in chapter eight, you say 334 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 2: that what we perceive as a close door can actually 335 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 2: be a distraction. Can you talk about a little bit further. 336 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 2: How do you know the difference between a closed door 337 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:07,320 Speaker 2: and a distraction? 338 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: Yes, and so I think that sometimes we perceive an 339 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: obstacle as a closed door, Michelle, and many times it's 340 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 1: not a closed door. It's just an opportunity for refinement, 341 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: and it's opportunity to grow our faith. But sometimes we 342 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:34,120 Speaker 1: take a step of faith, and when we're starting something new, 343 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: we have that fire and just that fresh energy in us, 344 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 1: and everything is fresh and new. And then we get 345 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:47,679 Speaker 1: to the work or whatever that looks like, and we 346 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: get to the middle and things aren't as fresh and 347 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: new anymore, and we might encounter people who don't understand 348 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 1: our vision or we might encounter such situations that we 349 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: didn't anticipate when we took that step of faith, and 350 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: we can see that as a closed door. And so 351 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: my encouragement is, don't quit when you simply need to 352 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:18,960 Speaker 1: take a nap, or you just need to refresh yourself 353 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 1: and to remember that fire that you had at the 354 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: beginning of the endeavor. And there are some key questions 355 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: that we can ask ourselves. We can ask ourselves, is 356 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 1: this just my discomfort or is this an actual closed door? 357 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:42,199 Speaker 1: We can ask ourselves, what is the benefit of staying 358 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:45,639 Speaker 1: where I am, you know? And a lot of times 359 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 1: that may be comfort, or it may be just familiarity 360 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: with the situation. And so as we ask these questions, 361 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: I think that God will reveal to us whether or 362 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:02,200 Speaker 1: not it is in fact a closed door or if 363 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:05,159 Speaker 1: it's just something that we need to work through and 364 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:08,919 Speaker 1: we need to persevere with him. If it is a 365 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:11,399 Speaker 1: closed door, I think that God will make it clear, 366 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: because he is not a god of confusion, and I 367 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: think that He will make it quite obvious that we're 368 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: not to move forward. And we see him do that 369 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 1: time and time again in scripture. When Paul wants to 370 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: enter asia and act see if this Holy Spirit comes 371 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,919 Speaker 1: down and just makes it very clear, no, you're not 372 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: going to go there. So I think that God still 373 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: does that today and we can have that security knowing 374 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 1: that he'll make it clear. 375 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 2: And it helps so much if we can remember that 376 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,439 Speaker 2: while we can get so focused on a goal or 377 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 2: an achievement or a certain pathway, God is always very 378 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:58,120 Speaker 2: concerned about our growth and progress, and so what can 379 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 2: look like a closed door actually just be a detour 380 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 2: in the path that He has to get us where 381 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 2: he wants us ultimately to go. 382 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:08,360 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. 383 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:12,879 Speaker 2: You talk a lot about how the voices of others 384 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,400 Speaker 2: make it difficult to discern the voice of God. Can 385 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 2: you give examples of this either from scripture or your 386 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 2: own life. 387 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,960 Speaker 1: We live in a day and age, Michelle, where we're 388 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:30,159 Speaker 1: just bombarded by other voices, and sometimes that creates dissonance 389 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,920 Speaker 1: between us and God. And they can be good voices too, 390 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,159 Speaker 1: I mean they can be speaking truth and love and 391 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,439 Speaker 1: all of that. But if we don't get alone with 392 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: God for ourselves, and we're not very intentional about seeking 393 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,439 Speaker 1: Him for ourselves and getting into His word for ourselves, 394 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: then we're missing out. And one example I use or 395 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: it's really a metaphor. Is there was a Pandora commercial 396 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:01,360 Speaker 1: that came out several years ago around Mother's Day. 397 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 3: And it always comes out around Mother's Day. 398 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:08,439 Speaker 1: Yes, exactly, exactly. And so there are about eight kids, 399 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 1: I would say they were probably about seven years old, 400 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: and they were blindfolded in this warehouse and then their 401 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,720 Speaker 1: mothers were on the other side of the room, and 402 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 1: the kids were spun around a few times, and then 403 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: they were released to go find their mothers. And every 404 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: single one of these kids found their mother without fail. 405 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: And they did that just by the way she felt, 406 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 1: the way she smelled. You know, they knew their moms. 407 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: And so the question I ask in the book is 408 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:44,119 Speaker 1: if there were thousands of people in that room shouting 409 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:46,919 Speaker 1: at these kids, do you think they would have been 410 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:51,040 Speaker 1: able to find their mothers? Well, probably not, because it 411 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:53,400 Speaker 1: would have been too chaotic and it would have been 412 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 1: caused confusion. Even though they weren't relying on hearing, they 413 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: were intentional about finding their mothers. And so I think 414 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 1: sometimes we think we can connect with God when we're 415 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 1: just bombarded with all these thousands of voices coming at 416 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:14,159 Speaker 1: us day in and day out, and we just can't. 417 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: We have to get alone with him, and we have 418 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:20,600 Speaker 1: to create that space for us to hear from Him 419 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: for ourselves. And so I would encourage listeners to do 420 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 1: that and you will see from that. 421 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,640 Speaker 2: But that begs the question, because you're right, there are 422 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 2: so many voices and by and largely. 423 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 3: Serve as distraction. 424 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 2: So how do you recommend that we stay firm in 425 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 2: the direction that God gives us even when others are 426 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 2: expressing a different opinion. 427 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:47,719 Speaker 3: You mentioned before. Those opinions can be good, they can 428 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 3: even be godly. 429 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:54,439 Speaker 2: But when we already doubt our ability to hear God's voice, 430 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 2: how do we stand firm in what we think we 431 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 2: heard him say when others might be suggesting a different direction. 432 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 1: That's a good question. I would say that we have 433 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:09,400 Speaker 1: to be rooted in his word. Like I mentioned before, 434 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: we cannot know the voice of God if we do 435 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:16,119 Speaker 1: not know what his word says. And I think that 436 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:19,879 Speaker 1: a lot of times, a lot very well meaning people 437 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:25,479 Speaker 1: can speak those doubts and that negativity into our lives 438 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,160 Speaker 1: and they may not even be aware. I mean sometimes 439 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:30,399 Speaker 1: they are, but they may not be aware of that. 440 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:34,920 Speaker 1: And so one thing I ask myself often and I've 441 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:37,919 Speaker 1: encouraged readers and listeners to do this as well as 442 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:42,679 Speaker 1: I ask myself, does whatever this action is show my 443 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 1: love for God? And does it show my love for others? 444 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 1: And if so, if this person is speaking against that, 445 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:55,679 Speaker 1: then don't listen it. Continue to move forward. And like 446 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 1: I've said before, God is God, and so if that 447 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: is not a that he wants you to go down, 448 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: then he is more than capable of blocking that path. 449 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: But I would say move forward because you will be 450 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 1: empowered by His love. I believe that. 451 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:15,639 Speaker 2: I think it's fair to say that we can pray 452 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,000 Speaker 2: and say, Lord, this is how I think I'm hearing 453 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 2: you direct. If this is not the route I'm supposed 454 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:24,479 Speaker 2: to go down, close those doors, like we just mentioned 455 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 2: a few minutes ago. If I'm not hearing correctly and 456 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:30,959 Speaker 2: I'm not supposed to go down this path, make it 457 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 2: impossible for me to do that, because I want to 458 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 2: be in the center of your will. And at the 459 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,439 Speaker 2: heart of this, that's what God wants. God wants to 460 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 2: teach us and refine us and train us to be 461 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 2: in the center of his will, and the best way 462 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:45,639 Speaker 2: to do that is to be hearing his voice. So 463 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 2: as we wrap up this episode, Abby, if a listener 464 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:51,960 Speaker 2: or viewer is resonating with this conversation today, what hope 465 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:54,120 Speaker 2: filled perspective do you want to leave with them? 466 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:57,240 Speaker 1: I want to leave them with the confidence that they 467 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 1: can hear God's voice like shall refer to at the 468 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 1: beginning of the episode, John ten twenty seven says, my 469 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 1: sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they 470 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:11,440 Speaker 1: follow me, and I believe that will all my heart. 471 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 1: And so keep seeking him and you will hear him. 472 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:16,640 Speaker 1: I can promise you. 473 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 2: That, friends, I agree with Abby, because scripture tells us 474 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:24,240 Speaker 2: that if we will draw near to God, he will 475 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 2: draw it near to us. And if that we will 476 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 2: seek him with our whole heart, we will find him. 477 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 2: But I have to remind myself that he puts the 478 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 2: onus on me to seek him. He's always waiting, he's 479 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 2: always ready, he's always available. In fact, his words says 480 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 2: he bends down his ear to listen to us. So, 481 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:48,400 Speaker 2: if you're in that place where you're just wondering, am 482 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 2: I hearing God's voice? Keep seeking, keep knocking, keep asking, 483 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:58,040 Speaker 2: and keep asking God to confirm it to your spirit. 484 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 3: That is a prayer promise. He wants to answer for you. 485 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 2: Friends, I hope that there was something in today's episode 486 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 2: that has encouraged you to keep seeking after the voice 487 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 2: of God for your own life. And if you know 488 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 2: somebody who's going through a difficult time and they're seeking 489 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 2: the Lord's direction and they need biblically based hope field encouragement, 490 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:20,320 Speaker 2: would you consider sharing a copy of this episode with 491 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 2: them and consider picking up Abby's book? Abby, where can 492 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 2: we find your book? 493 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: You can find it wherever books are sold. Of course, 494 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: the most popular place is Amazon, but they also have 495 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 1: it at all the other places Farms and Noble, BAM 496 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:36,720 Speaker 1: and Leekwood Publishers dot com. 497 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 2: Abby, thank you for coming on and sharing out of 498 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:43,000 Speaker 2: your own experience, your own trials, your own needs to 499 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 2: encourage our listeners. Friend, I really hope today encouraged you. 500 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 2: I'll look forward to being with you again for another 501 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 2: hope filled perspective next week. But until then, it's my 502 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 2: prayer for you that you have a hope filled week. 503 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 4: Doctor Michelle has a prescription for you where you can 504 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 4: trade your worry, fear, and anxiety for God's promised peace. 505 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 4: Are you ready? An estimated forty million Americans suffer from 506 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:15,000 Speaker 4: anxiety why Because ours is an age of anxiety. It 507 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 4: is rampant in every country and at every age. We 508 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 4: worry about everything in our life, our children, jobs, homes, health, 509 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 4: and especially our finances. The news and social media feed 510 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 4: our fears. More people suffer from worry, fear, and anxiety 511 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 4: than we have ever seen. Even the fear of being 512 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:38,280 Speaker 4: sidelined from life leads to anxiety. The solution isn't to 513 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 4: rid ourselves of the sources of anxiety, a daunting task, 514 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,959 Speaker 4: but to recognize that anxiety originates from a spiritual influence. 515 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 4: How do we fight back by using the weapons of power, love, 516 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 4: and a sound mind, and then living in God's peace. 517 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 4: In doctor Michelle Bankson's newly released book, Breaking Anxiety Script, 518 00:30:57,280 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 4: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises, she uses biblical insights, 519 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:06,280 Speaker 4: personal anecdotes, and practical applications to help you identify where 520 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 4: fear alerks, worry creeps, anxiety seeps into your everyday life. 521 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 4: Learn how to apply what God says about worry, fear, 522 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:18,120 Speaker 4: and anxiety, and follow a biblically based prescription for reclaiming 523 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:21,520 Speaker 4: your power, living in God's perfect love, and using your 524 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 4: sound mind. Break Anxiety Script and find peace as doctor 525 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 4: Michelle shares her own story of emerging from the battle 526 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,800 Speaker 4: with anxiety, as well as the stories of others. She 527 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 4: reminds you of your identity as a follower of Jesus 528 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 4: Christ and of the peace he promised you in spite 529 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 4: of everything. She provides tools to cope with the crushing 530 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 4: emotional burden of anxiety now, and more importantly, she shows 531 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 4: you how to reclaim God's peace as a way of 532 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:52,400 Speaker 4: life so that you can break anxiety script. That truly 533 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 4: is a worthy goal. Let's listen as one of doctor 534 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 4: Michelle's readers shares her story. If you've ever been strangled 535 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,520 Speaker 4: by anxiety, if you've ever awakened at night in a panic, 536 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 4: if worry has become your constant, frustrating companion, then find 537 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 4: the hope, instruction, and wisdom you need in the pages 538 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,640 Speaker 4: of Breaking Anxiety Script by Doctor Michelle Bankson. As a therapist, 539 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 4: she brings astute council. As someone who has endured many, 540 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,880 Speaker 4: many stressors, she brings the wisdom that comes from endurance, 541 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:25,920 Speaker 4: and as fellow struggler, she brings empathy. In these pages 542 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 4: you will find help and hope. You can order your 543 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 4: copy of Breaking Anxiety Script from any major book retailer. 544 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 4: While you're at it, why not order a copy for 545 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 4: a friend or a loved one. Join together pursue freedom 546 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 4: from worry, fear, and anxiety. Thank you for joining doctor 547 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:50,479 Speaker 4: Bankson for your hope build perspective. We hope you are 548 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:55,480 Speaker 4: encouraged by her authenticity, vulnerability, and biblical truths. If you 549 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:58,960 Speaker 4: enjoy today's conversation, when you take a moment right now, 550 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 4: open up your podcast app and look for the subscribe 551 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 4: button right next to our podcast profile image. We think 552 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,240 Speaker 4: this podcast is best enjoyed with friends, so tell a 553 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:11,280 Speaker 4: friend and click share in your podcast app and send 554 00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:14,360 Speaker 4: a friend our link to share Hope with them. If 555 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 4: you have a comment, question, or suggest a topic for 556 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 4: a future show, reach out to our staff at info 557 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 4: at Hope Prevails dot org. For additional resources. Information about 558 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 4: doctor Bankson's books, where free downloads, or to contact her 559 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 4: to speak at your next event, please visit doctor Mishelbe 560 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 4: dot com. Until next time, May you have a hope 561 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 4: filled week. 562 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 2: I'd like to take just a second to thank the 563 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 2: team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on 564 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:48,360 Speaker 2: this podcast. If you go to lifeaudio dot com, you'll 565 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 2: find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. 566 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:55,960 Speaker 2: They've got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.