Female in Motion

James 1:19 (KJV) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: Last Friday, I spoke to a small group of women from my church. My subject was meditating on God's Word and being "still." It is something I have been contemplating recently. How often am I actually quiet? In a conversation, am I listening simply to reply? Or am I taking in the words that someone is speaking to me? If I want to be perceived as a good listener, a confidante, a trusted friend--I must set aside my agenda and take on Christ's servant heart. I strive to improve my conversational skills, including listening, so that others will notice something different about me--the influence of my Savior. *** Notable Quote: "Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk."--Doug Larson

Me and my big mouth. It gets me in trouble sometimes. It gets me noticed sometimes. I usually have a lot to say. Even in prayer, I can get pretty chatty. There are times, though, when it is vital for me to hush and listen carefully to what God is trying to tell me. He's the Teacher, and I need to be quiet in the classroom. I had a teacher in high school that made an important point about listening one day. He distributed a three-page essay-only test, and then proceeded to tell us to ignore all the written instructions and only write our name and the date at the top of the page and hand it in. Some students worked the full hour, sweating over the entire examination, but those of us who were listening to his instructions were done in mere seconds. When I'm having a conversation, am I just waiting for the other person to shut up, so I can say something else, or am I really listening? When my ears are open, my mouth should be closed. I need to be an active listener. Don...