1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 2: Teach Us to Praise brought to you by Life Audio 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 2: and is a part of our Faith Toolkit series. For 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 2: more inspirational faith affirming podcasts, visit lifeaudio dot com. 5 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: Before you speak to anyone, you want to ensure that 6 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: you have their attention so that they can actually hear 7 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: what you have to say. In the same way, God 8 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: sends signs to get our attention so that we can 9 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: hear from Him. In today's episode, learn different signs that 10 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: God is trying to get your attention so that you 11 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: don't miss out on his voice. Welcome back, friend. You 12 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: are listening to the Teacher Us to Pray podcast, where 13 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: we teach believers practical and real life tips on how 14 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,279 Speaker 1: to grow your faith and relationship with God through the 15 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: power of prayer. I'm Christina Patterson hopes that they Teach 16 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 1: Us to Pray podcast and founder of Beloved Women, where 17 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: I encourage, equip and empower women in the love of 18 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ and the truth of God's Word. Have you 19 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 1: ever been somewhere like in church or a conference, meeting 20 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: or class and you desire to get your friend's attention. However, 21 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: they were looking straight ahead. They were not paying you 22 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: any attention, and so either you tap them on the shoulder, 23 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: you waved your hands, or you just intently stared at them, 24 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: hoping that they could feel your stare and turn their 25 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 1: heads so that you could finally get their attention. We 26 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: go through all of this to get someone's attention because 27 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: we want them to hear us. And as we've said 28 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: over and over again on this podcast, prayer isn't just 29 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: about us asking God for things. It's Him speaking to us. 30 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: And this is so power powerful because what God has 31 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: to say his word over our lives, well it's life changing. 32 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,679 Speaker 1: So if God is trying to get our attention, we 33 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: certainly want to be aware of it and we want 34 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: to be able to respond. But we can't hear him 35 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: and respond to him when he's trying to get our 36 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: attention if we don't know that he's trying to get 37 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:24,519 Speaker 1: our attention in the first place, often we are distracted. 38 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: We have so many things like social media, Netflix, and 39 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 1: more competing for our attention, and usually these things spend 40 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: a lot of time and billions of dollars to get 41 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: our attention. Because your attention is valuable, so we need 42 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: to ensure that we are giving our attention to God. 43 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 1: So today I want to share with you a few 44 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: ways to know that God is trying to get your attention. 45 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: The first way is through what I call coincidence. The 46 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: Cambridge University definition defines coincidence as an occasion when two 47 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: or more similar things happen at the same time, especially 48 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,639 Speaker 1: in a way that is unlikely and surprising to you. 49 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: So for example, let's say you and your friend both 50 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: wear the exact same dress to a party. You might 51 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: say that is a coincidence. Or you and your husband 52 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: both bring the same type of dinner home that night 53 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: because you both had the similar craving. That would be 54 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: a coincidence. Now, we may see a coincidence as just happenstance, 55 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: But because of God's sovereignty and supreme rule over everything, 56 00:03:56,120 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: God has the ability to cause a co incidents to 57 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: get our attention. Often coincidences surprise us, delight us, and 58 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: even shock us. Sometimes and sometimes God will use this 59 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: to get our attention. So, for example, this month, I 60 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: have been memorizing Philippians Chapter four, verses six and seven, 61 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: just in a heart to overcome just some anxiety in 62 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 1: my life. The verse reads, do not be anxious about anything, 63 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let 64 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:38,799 Speaker 1: your request be made known to God. And the peace 65 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 1: of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts 66 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: and your minds in Christ Jesus. So clearly you can 67 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: see here how this verse is really speaking to me 68 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: about overcoming anxiety and choosing prayer and thanksgiving as opposed 69 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: to worry and stress and anxious thoughts. So it's been 70 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: really helpful for me. At the same time, as I've 71 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,280 Speaker 1: decided to memorize this scripture this month, I've been seeing 72 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: it a lot of other places. I'll open up a 73 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: devotional that I'm reading and see the verse right there, 74 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: or I'll be looking online for something else or a 75 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: past Bible study video that I created, and I'll stumble 76 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: across the verse again. So while some people might view 77 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 1: this as a coincidence, I see it as a sign 78 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: that God is trying to get my attention. He is 79 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: encouraging me to really lean into this verse and see 80 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: what it has to say. The next sign that you 81 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 1: can look for that God is trying to get your 82 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: attention is when you're having dreams. Okay, that is right. 83 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 1: Sometimes God will use dreams to get our attention, not 84 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: just speak to us now. Not every dream that we 85 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: have is God speaking to us and needs to be interpreted. 86 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 1: Sometimes we just ate too many tacos the night before. 87 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:04,160 Speaker 1: But even if that's the case, oftentimes dreams, especially ones 88 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: that we remember when we wake up, they get our attention. 89 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 1: They get our mind wondering, well, why did I have 90 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: that dream? The Bible tells us that it is the 91 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: character of God to conceal a matter, but it's the 92 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: privilege of kings to uncover it. So God likes to 93 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: sometimes allow us to experience things that we're not really 94 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: sure what they mean, so that we will then seek Him. 95 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,040 Speaker 1: The whole purpose is to get our attention, so that 96 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: will lean in, will listen a little bit more intently, 97 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: we'll pray a little bit harder to gain understanding from God. 98 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 1: Whether your dream is a message from God or not, 99 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: I can't tell you that. But oftentimes if it's something 100 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: that shook you either or just made you a little 101 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: bit more interested about what that was about. But it 102 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: turns your heart and your mind towards God, that can 103 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: be God trying to get your attention. The end goal 104 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 1: is to hear from Him, not necessarily to interpret the 105 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: dream moment by moment, but to lean in to say, God, 106 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 1: what's going on in my life that will cause me 107 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 1: to have this particular dream. Now it could be Okay, 108 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: I just ate a little bit too much the night before, 109 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 1: or as the Bible tells us that when you have 110 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: many cares on your heart, you start to dream. And 111 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: the Bible tells us that we should be casting our 112 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: cares on God. And so that dream might just be 113 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: a sign from God getting your attention that, Hey, you 114 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: got a lot weighing on your heart right now, why 115 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: don't you cast that and put it at my feet 116 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: and let me take care of it. The final sign 117 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: that I want to share with you that God might 118 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: be trying to get your attention is confirmation. And this 119 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 1: is when God gives you a message or he shares 120 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: something with you, but then you hear it from someone else, 121 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: and this is just confirming what He's already said to you, 122 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: and He's trying to get your attention so that you 123 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: really take what he's communicating to you seriously. It's kind 124 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: of like adding an exclamation mark at the end of 125 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: a sentence or bolding a paragraph to highlight that, hey, 126 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: this point right here is super important and God is 127 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: trying to get your attention. There was something specific that 128 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: God was leading me to do, and I had a 129 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:44,079 Speaker 1: friend confirm it. She said, Christina, I think you should 130 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: do this. And God had already been speaking to me 131 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: about it. So that was one friend. So that just 132 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: affirms to me, Okay, God's really trying to get my 133 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: attention to go in this direction. But then I briefly 134 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: shared with some friends my thoughts about heading in this 135 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: direction that the Lord was leading me in, and I 136 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: had a friend text me and say, hey, can you 137 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: call me really quick? And I said okay, So I 138 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: called her and she just confirmed, without me even giving 139 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: her all the details everything that God had already been 140 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: speaking to me and she was just saying it. She 141 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: was like, as a matter of fact, God gave me 142 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: this in my morning devotion this morning, and it might 143 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: be for you, and let me tell you it was. 144 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: It was so impactful and it really got my attention 145 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 1: because it just echoed, well, God had already been placing 146 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: on my heart and so now I'm sitting up a 147 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 1: little bit straight, more straight, my ears are perked up, 148 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: and I'm like, okay, God, I see that you're trying 149 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 1: to get my attention. You're making this clear. Let me listen, 150 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: let me follow, let me hear what you have to say. 151 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: It is my hope that today's episode has provided you 152 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: with insightful and helpful tips on how you can pray 153 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: give to you. Be sure to download my free five 154 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 1: day prayer guide and take my prayer personality quiz at 155 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,839 Speaker 1: prayquiz dot com to learn how you best hear from 156 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: God and connect with Him in prayer. You may find 157 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: all links in today's show notes. We have so much 158 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: more to talk about when it comes to prayer, so 159 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: I hope that if you are encouraged by today's episode, 160 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: you will share it with a friend and subscribe so 161 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: that you don't miss any future episodes of the Teach 162 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: Us to Pray Podcast, where we will continue to learn how, 163 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: just like breathing, prayer can become a natural, consistent, and 164 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: life giving part of our everyday lives. Until then, be 165 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 1: sure to connect with me at Belovedwomen dot org and 166 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 1: join me on the Beloved Women app for unlimited and 167 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: add free videos to grow your faith, learn God's word, 168 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,719 Speaker 1: and encourage your soul. Available now in the Apple and 169 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: Google play stores or at Beloved Women dot tv. Thank 170 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: you so much for taking time to listen today. God 171 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: bless you, and I'll talk to you in the next episode. 172 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 1: Teach Us to Pray is a production of Life Audio 173 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: and Say Media. If you like what you heard today, 174 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: please take a second to rate and review this podcast 175 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: in your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like 176 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 1: you can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, 177 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.