July 2023 is a review and update of some of your favorite posts. Reviewing and remembering is important to our Christian lives.

Have you noticed that all of the 2023 posts on Echoes have related to listening to God?

It started with my word for the year, listen. (original post published 1/5/23)

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The boys were in middle school. The calendar had just turned to 1990. We lived in California. I remember our dinner table conversation that New Year’s night. What were our resolutions for the year? I rebelled. I wasn’t making a resolution. They intimidated me. I knew I was setting myself up for failure.

Several years later I learned about the concept of a word for the year. Since 2017 that has been my habit. Okay, admittedly some years my word didn’t last in my memory much past the end of January — you know, kind of like those resolutions I used to make.

But some years – like this year – they have greatly helped me grow in my faith

Listen is my word for 2023.

It started with a sermon. Our pastor pointed us to Isaiah 11:1-9. Verse 9 reads in part, “… for the earth shall be full of knowledge of the LORD…” The word knowledge stood out. I thought about II Peter 3:18, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Then my husband encouraged our Sunday school class to read through the Bible in 2023.

How can I grow in knowledge if I don’t read?
How can it be more than an academic pursuit if I don’t listen to God while reading?

“… Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourself in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live …”
from Isaiah 55:2 and 3 (emphasis mine)

Listen — my word for 2023.
Isaiah 55:3 — my verse for 2023.

Many times I’ve spoken on listening and shared these verses in retreats that I lead. Now it is time for me to tune in to the whispers of God … Sue, are you listening?

My morning prayers often start with these desires,
God, please grow my knowing.
Help me to listen for your whispers.
Help me to recognize your love.
Help me to lean into your truth.

For Christmas I received a Journaling Bible and Henri J.M. Nouwen’s devo, You Are The Beloved. In the January 1 meditation, Nouwen shared …

“Imagine that we could walk through the new year
always listening to the voice saying to us:
‘I have a gift for you and can’t wait for you to see it!'”
(bolding mine)

To encourage my listening, I’m also using an ESV app that reads the Bible to me. (Thank you, Kristen Getty.) So I’m reading and listening at the same time. And I pause to journal as I hear the whispers of God. This practice has made a big difference for me. Read + Listen + Journal.

Copyright: Sue Tell, May 2023