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Our 1 Blessed Mess
Honest conversations about faith, family, life, and business.
Ben and Liz have six kids, even more chickens, and a whole heap of chaos—but they wouldn’t have it any other way. Life is messy, unpredictable, and full of God’s blessings. Liz left a six-figure business to focus on raising their family and building an entrepreneurial home, while Ben, a designer/developer, helps keep their beautifully chaotic world running. With 4 teenagers and countless adventures, they tackle life’s challenges with faith, humor, and grace. On their podcast, they’ll encourage, challenge, inspire, and, most importantly, make you laugh as they share the ups and downs of finding God in the middle of it all.
Learn more at https://www.our1blessedmess.com/
Our 1 Blessed Mess
Ep. 19 - The Shepherd's Voice: Tuning into God
The ability to hear God's voice is a cornerstone of authentic faith, yet many believers struggle to recognize when the Lord is speaking to them. In this heartfelt conversation, Ben and Liz unpack Jesus's powerful metaphor of sheep recognizing their shepherd's voice, revealing how this ancient imagery perfectly illustrates our spiritual relationship with God today.
Drawing from John 10, they explore how sheep know their shepherd through consistent exposure, trust, and relationship—not through inherent knowledge. This same pattern applies to our spiritual lives as we learn to attune our ears to God's guidance through Scripture, the Holy Spirit's promptings, and wisdom from godly community.
The couple shares vulnerable stories from their own faith journey, including a remarkable moment when they both simultaneously felt God directing them to move to Florida during a church service—a prompting they initially resisted but later confirmed through multiple channels. This testimony demonstrates how God often speaks through layered confirmation, giving us assurance in significant life decisions.
For those wanting practical help, Ben and Liz outline four essential tests for discerning God's voice: the Scripture test (alignment with God's Word), the character test (reflection of God's nature), the fruit test (producing love, joy, peace), and the community test (confirmation from mature believers). They complement these with actionable steps including creating regular quiet time, journaling spiritual impressions, and establishing prayer partnerships.
Perhaps most comforting is their reminder that God shows tremendous patience with our learning process. Just as parents delight in a child's wobbly first steps without expecting immediate perfection, our heavenly Father rejoices in our growth as we develop spiritual discernment. The ultimate goal isn't perfect performance but genuine relationship—a connection where we recognize His voice amid life's competing noises.
Ready to develop a more intuitive recognition of God's voice in your life? Listen now, and start your journey toward clearer spiritual discernment and deeper communion with the Shepherd who knows you by name.
Your Listening to our 1 blessed mess, with ben and liz
Welcome to our one blessed mess. This is Ben and Liz, and we're here sharing our story of raising six kids that we had in eight years, managing an entrepreneurial home with two businesses, homeschooling and currently navigating life with four teenagers and we will have our fifth teenager in about six to eight weeks. Oh, my gosh. Plus, we have seven chickens, two dogs and two goats that are overtaking my life Like I don't know how else to say it Like these goats are becoming-.
Speaker 2:They're breaking in our house.
Speaker 1:They're literally-.
Speaker 2:They're breaking, they're fugitives.
Speaker 1:They are fugitives and we oh my gosh, it has been such an adventure with these goats. I mean I never thought that I would ever be talking about goats.
Speaker 2:You talk about them quite a bit.
Speaker 1:I have to because I keep them alive.
Speaker 2:That's what's going on.
Speaker 1:That is what's going on.
Speaker 2:Goat herders.
Speaker 1:We're goat herders. That's right, we're goat herders. And speaking of herders, what's today's conversation topic about? Ben?
Speaker 2:Today's topic is not about goats, nope, it's actually about hearing the shepherd's voice. It is yes, so basically hearing God. We're going to talk about what it's like to listen to the Lord and how that dynamic works in a believer's life, and we're going to share some stories and try to be very practical but also biblical and Holy Spirit centered, and so we're just going to do the whole kit and caboodle with what it's like to listen to the Lord, because I feel like that is a little bit under fire.
Speaker 1:Lately it is, and you and I've been having this dialogue anyway. And so we thought, well, let's just go ahead and bring it to the podcast. Our one blessed mess.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, the goat cast.
Speaker 1:What did you say? The goat cast, the goat cast. Oh my gosh. If you watched my Facebook or Instagram stories today, if you follow me or follow us, then you will see Ben being a goat.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:We have a tower garden tire. Yeah, which is basically what is a tower garden.
Speaker 2:It's an indoor garden and it's a vertical growing system. And so we have lights and everything. It's got a little water pump. It's pretty ridiculous.
Speaker 1:Yes, it is ridiculous, Our friends who have come over, they're like. That reminds me of the Holy of Holies, because, you have an indoor and an outdoor one.
Speaker 2:The indoor one is like it's like having a sun in your kitchen.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and basically beam me up, scotty, just beam me up. I mean, it's so bright, and so this morning Ben is looking and inspecting all these plants and I just happened to catch it on video. I didn't know you were filming, well, and then I told you I was like you told me you're filming, so then I act even more crazy. Yeah Well, he is like eating these leaves like a goat, I mean just shoving them in his mouth. It's like eight o'clock in the morning. He's like Anyway, apparently he's part of a herd too.
Speaker 2:I am yeah, yeah, he's part of a herd too. This is true.
Speaker 1:This is perfect for talking about hearing the shepherd's voice.
Speaker 2:We don't want to use a goat metaphor, because that's not what jesus used no he used a different metaphor.
Speaker 2:He used sheep and he called himself the good shepherd. And so that's in john um, or at least one place that we know, john yep, and I just want to read that real quick. So john 10, 3 through 5, and then also, uh, summing up in 27, to him, the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all of his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Very key, a stranger. They do not follow Right, but they will flee from him.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:They do not know the voice of the strangers. And at the end conclusion here, my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. It's very concrete, this metaphor.
Speaker 1:Very concrete.
Speaker 2:Very concrete. We should follow the Lord because we should know his voice.
Speaker 1:His voice and that is basically what it is. Sheep recognize their shepherd's voice through consistent exposure and trust. And I'm just thinking about when I lived overseas and I would be on a bus, riding along in the hills and you would see a shepherd going up the hills along a path that's probably thousands and thousands of years old that had been used by their ancestors and ancestors. And as they're going up these paths, the sheep literally would be lined up behind the shepherd. And it was the coolest thing because as the sun was setting or the sun was rising and the silhouette hitting the mountains, it was beautiful. But do you know what was running around and not in line with the sheep?
Speaker 2:Wait, do we have two of them?
Speaker 1:Yes, we do Goats.
Speaker 2:Goats.
Speaker 1:It was the goats they were running. Why did we get sheep in? What were we thinking we should have gotten sheep? We should have gotten sheep and goats. But the truth is is that voice recognition comes from relationship, and so the shepherd has relationship with the sheep and the sheep recognize and hear the shepherd's voice, and it's not just audible sound quality, it's actually they know his voice and it can even be a whisper. Remember that one time we watched a video where someone from our church, from the Philippines, got up and she was sharing about the shepherd. Yeah, and you guys, you can YouTube this, go and look it up. But basically there were all these people, I guess, who came to the farm, I don't know, and there were tons of sheep that were out there and the shepherd was telling the people what to say to try to get the sheep to come, and so they were saying, whatever it is, I don't know, bye-bye no.
Speaker 2:No, what would it be? I don't know what it was. Here's sheep, here's sheep. It was something in English.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was, I don't remember. You guys can look it up. But anyway, all these people are standing there and they're saying it, they're screaming it and not once did the sheep look up they just kept eating their grass, just chewing their breakfast or their lunch. But then when the shepherd came and the shepherd stood there and the shepherd said the exact same calls that all the other people had been doing, it looked like a symphony, because all the sheep lifted up their heads at the same time turned and looked, I mean literally lifted their heads, turned and looked right at the shepherd and started taking off for the shepherd.
Speaker 1:The sheep know the shepherd's voice and it's amazing because, you know, sheep actually are not very intelligent, are they?
Speaker 2:Well, they're not known for their intelligence.
Speaker 1:No, they're not known for their intelligence.
Speaker 2:They kind of get stuck in places and wander off and do silly things.
Speaker 1:Right, we kind of went down this long path one night on like reels of like stupid sheep and they like keep, like they pull them out of this like ditch, and then the sheep goes and like ends up in the ditch again, upside down, and it's like I was thinking, gosh, that's probably me. I wonder if that's what the Lord thinks when he looks at me Like I just't know, we're two-headed sheep. Just kidding, I don't know, maybe they do have that out there. It's so weird. Yeah, let's not go down that list. That's like.
Speaker 2:That's a sheep trail, not a rabbit trail. What is she? Oh boy, I was thinking of what?
Speaker 1:weird stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, that has nothing to do with the Lord, let's not talk about that. No, but while sheep are not known for their intelligence, they do have a strong herd instinct. And I think this is brilliant because even in the past episodes that we've been talking about and being in community, their defense is being in a herd, right yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that part's crazy to to me yes like we, we started looking up some research on okay, well, how do sheep actually defend themselves right and you know, do they have like some ability that you know just stands out? Amongst everything else where they play dead yeah yeah, or something, and what we found is that, like, really their only defense is vigilance.
Speaker 2:It's like they group together right stay together they stay together, they have good eyesight, they have good hearing and they huddle and they flee together, and they also do something else that we found was really interesting.
Speaker 1:They conceal something. They conceal who's hurt.
Speaker 2:They conceal who's hurt Right.
Speaker 1:So that the enemy, whomever it may be a wolf, a bear, a lion cannot pick them off.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that's. One of the known tactics of predators is to go after the weak members of the flock. Right, so sheep have like a really strong ability to hide their pain and injury.
Speaker 1:And we were like man.
Speaker 2:that's kind of crazy that kind of feels like Jesus knew what he was talking about.
Speaker 1:You know, and it's so true, because sometimes when you are hurting, you will isolate and you'll go and not be in communication, not be, in community and the Lord is saying hello sheep, I put you in the community, I put you in the family fold to cover you to protect you Right. And we're going to get into that a little bit more just understanding what it means to hear the shepherd's voice and what that sounds like, and part of that is being in community, and so I just think it's so interesting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a really cool metaphor. There's a lot to unpack there that maybe you wouldn't know unless you studied sheep.
Speaker 1:Well, and there's been people who have gone and lived with shepherds to study sheep, and then actually there's books that are out there which we haven't read any of them yet. But there's books that are out there that you can read and it's amazing because it's showing what it is to be a shepherd and what it is to be in a herd of sheep.
Speaker 2:Profound, it is profound. There's some really cool stuff.
Speaker 1:Well, before we do that, I want everybody to repeat after me. Say I I Am Am A sheep A sheep, so we're sheep A sheep.
Speaker 2:So we're sheep Bye, but this is good. This is a really good because, just summarizing this real quick like we learn to develop an ear to hear our Savior's voice, so I think that to me, that was the most powerful part of this metaphor that Jesus uses.
Speaker 2:It's like we don't just start off and somehow know our shepherd. We have to develop that relationship, just like a sheep would right. There's constant development, there's interaction, there's the shepherd protecting the sheep, feeding the sheep, guiding the sheep, and then that relationship develops and then they're attuned. There's an attunement that happens. And I think that's really like what it's like to follow our shepherd's voice. We have to put the time in, whether that's prayer, scripture, community worship.
Speaker 2:We start to understand that distinct tone of God's guidance in our lives and we start to realize his character and then it's like, oh, I know his voice. I'm starting to get that piece of this relationship where we over time can develop that ear, that listening ear, that we know our shepherd's voice. So that part of it just really speaks to the trustworthiness that we get of the Lord's voice through our experience as we just follow his leadership in our lives.
Speaker 1:That's right, and so if you're following his leadership in his life, your life, what does that look like? Like, how do you do that Practically?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so here's some practicals.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:So we kind of unpack that metaphor, but really the main thing, I think that we can kind of utilize, or sorry, one of the things we can utilize.
Speaker 2:One as we listen to the voice of the Lord in our lives? Is his written word right? So it's through scriptures and that can sound like a cop-out answer like okay, yeah, duh, the Bible. That's kind of a no-brainer. But if you think about it, the experience of the Bible as people were writing it, as the stories tell what was happening, it's literally God speaking to man through prophets, through circumstances, through experiences, through heroes and sometimes villains.
Speaker 2:And yeah, and the apostles and Jesus, and so it's like this is God's word that we can utilize through other people, how he's spoken to other people, and so this is just a way to connect with that shepherd's voice, as we've seen it done through other people, and it's alive, it's active, so it confirms what he's doing in our life, and so in Psalms it talks about your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path, and so scriptures is really just kind of the foundation that we can use to discerning God's voice as it relates to his character, and it's important to like not just cherry pick verses but to really study the scriptures and see what the Lord says about himself.
Speaker 1:Right, which is his character, and I know you drive that home a lot in our family time with our, in our devotions with our kids, because when even questions are coming up or they're seeing certain situations or circumstances with their friends or in their friend's family and we talk about. Well, what is the character of God?
Speaker 2:Right. How do you discern the character of God in that situation?
Speaker 1:Right, and it's so important because if we don't know him, if we don't know his character, we can be taken.
Speaker 2:And we can maybe miss his voice.
Speaker 1:Absolutely and.
Speaker 2:I don't want to miss his voice.
Speaker 1:I want to stay right there with the shepherd, and that's. And how do you learn the shepherd's voice except for hearing it?
Speaker 2:learning it, that experience and that experience.
Speaker 1:So the scripture is a great way.
Speaker 2:It is yeah. And lastly, just a part about the scripture. We don't want to just relegate it to Bible knowledge. Our relationship with the Lord shouldn't just be how much Bible knowledge you know, and we're not going to find salvation in our Bible knowledge, right? In fact, jesus even references that with the Pharisees in John 5, 37. I'll just read it real quick, because it's super powerful. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen and you do not have his words abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life and it is they that bear witness about me. Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. That's a super powerful verse to unpack. I think you got to be really nuanced with it. But essentially, jesus is like blasting the Pharisees because their knowledge of the Bible is what they trusted in, not forming a relationship with God and through Jesus.
Speaker 2:So we don't want to fall into that same trap. We don't want to just think that having Bible knowledge is the same thing as having a relationship with God.
Speaker 1:No, because he is actually somebody you have relationship with and you can commune with him. And how does that happen? How do we have that? What is the what's the primary way? One of my favorites, the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 2:The Holy Spirit the.
Speaker 1:Holy Spirit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's dive in, let's dive into the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1:So I have been studying for a couple of weeks now on the Holy Spirit and it's just like every sermon that I can find I've been listening to on YouTube and books and scriptures. And so when Ben and I were discussing all this and he says, hey, I want to talk about the Holy Spirit, I was like, oh, you do, Okay, Because I've just, I've just been in the midst of this. And, and John 16, 13, it says when the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.
Speaker 2:And so you know, ask a question there.
Speaker 1:Yes, I know what you're going to ask.
Speaker 2:So I, I personally believe, and I think you would say too, that the Holy Spirit is the primary way that we communicate with God.
Speaker 1:I think so. He's the comforter.
Speaker 2:I think that the Bible might be the most practical way, but the Holy Spirit is the primary way.
Speaker 1:Well, the Lord sent him and Jesus even said that I'm leaving because I'm sending another, which is the primary way.
Speaker 2:Well, the Lord sent him and Jesus even said that I'm leaving because I'm sending another which is the Holy Spirit, and if Jesus had to leave for the Holy Spirit to come, like we know that, that's gotta be super important, right.
Speaker 1:And he's part of the Trinity.
Speaker 2:Yes, of course.
Speaker 1:Like. He's the person, the Holy.
Speaker 2:Spirit.
Speaker 1:Like it's when you start getting into studying it'll blow your hair back. Yeah, it'll blow your hair back.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's really amazing and in the midst of it, like as I've been studying the last couple of weeks, it's so right, like it's almost like the glove just fits. Yeah, it's right, and I'm not having to like and I've always known Holy Spirit. I should say that, but it's been neat to study about him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's almost like we were made for communion with him.
Speaker 1:Well, we were made for communion with him. In fact, your body is the temple for the Holy Spirit. That's what it says in first Corinthians six. But it's also Holy. Spirit is awful often described as the inner witness or spiritual nudging, and I know sometimes in my study that I've been, you know, these last couple of weeks. It's like you have people who are like they just know things, they feel things, they may see things, they may hear things. But that's Holy Spirit and he is bearing witness in that person. And it's so neat because the body of Christ is very vast and it's not like a one size fits all and Holy Spirit knows that. So he's communing with us.
Speaker 2:I would venture to guess that we actually have more Holy Spirit encounters than we realize.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. That's why it's that glove that fits.
Speaker 2:I think so too, and I think, even like the leading of the Holy Spirit and the guiding it manifests in different ways, right, like it could be that still small voice, it could be something more grandiose, right, some people actually have just they hear a voice like a literal voice.
Speaker 1:Some people do Some people do and that's amazing or dreams and their dream life. You know there's lots, lots of biblical references of dreams lots and that hasn't stopped. No, and the Lord is speaking.
Speaker 2:He is speaking through dreams, yeah, yeah, for sure, and I think we just a lot of times. It's easy to try to explain it away, or why do I have this feeling on you? Know something I ate, or whatever, but man, you, more than anybody else, I think in my life.
Speaker 1:I'm sorry to put you on a pedestal. I know I'm like wait. What are you saying? You?
Speaker 2:have a special relationship with the Lord. I'm not saying you're his favorite, or anything like that. But I just know that I've seen it, I've witnessed it as your husband. I've witnessed that the Lord speaks to you and I think the Holy Spirit is the one that's doing it.
Speaker 1:Oh, I know it is.
Speaker 2:And you've just like you've been able to just pinpoint something or tell me something in the right season or the right time, and I'm just like man. That was the Lord.
Speaker 1:Well, and just to kind of. You know, it's not like Liz is super spiritual or anything like that. No, no, come on. Anything like that, I mean I think they're super special, no, no, come on. But I think what it is is just going. Okay, what if this is the Lord?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, and that's why counsel is important. Communication, you and I communicate about it. I think journaling we're. We're going to get into a lot of this. I know I'm kind of skipping ahead. But you're right on time Okay but like writing it down and spending time with the lord. I think in the morning. Or, and I just want to say, not everybody can get up in the morning. I understand there's seasons of life where maybe you've been up all night with a baby and you're just like I, just want to sleep.
Speaker 1:And then as soon as you wake up, it's like your feet hit the ground running, and so maybe your quiet time with the Lord may only be in the shower or late at night, once all the kids are to bed. But depending on your season of life and you may not be a morning person, you might be a night person, but the Lord meets you where you are. But if you are journaling and you spend time in worship, and then even reading your word, and as you're doing something that's standing out to you, you just start writing that down. Or if you have a thought that comes to your mind, write it down, even if you're thinking I don't know if this is the Lord, write it down, because what I have noticed is that when I've worked with people and learning to hear the voice of God, if they're writing that down, they'll go back to it and be like whoa the Lord was speaking to me.
Speaker 1:Yes, he was, and so I think that doubt that comes in it's like a. It's a thief and we need to be childlike. That's what I'm trying to say If we're childlike. And what is he saying, what is he speaking? You know, and it's sometimes like you, and it's sometimes like that can be like a little system to help you get to a place to be able to hear the Lord, but then also too, I think, being in nature getting into beauty watching children play, silence, beautiful music and just he comes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, creating space, like you're creating space, creating space and you're knowing what to look for, I think is important too. Yeah, and.
Speaker 1:I was just thinking too in the beginning of this when we are believers, what is the difference between a believer and a non-believer?
Speaker 2:Now.
Speaker 1:I get to ask you the question, Ben.
Speaker 2:Okay, is this a test? Because I hope I'm going to pass. I think the difference is relationship.
Speaker 1:It is.
Speaker 1:And so somebody who is a believer has a relationship with the living God, the creator. Somebody who is not doesn't have relationship. So if you have two different people believer and non-believer and they are looking at a job and they're considering this job opportunity, well, the non-believer is probably looking at it logical, trying to see what it's going to look like. But the believer is going before the creator and saying what is your will? What do you want, father? If this isn't, your will shut the door. If it is, your will open the door.
Speaker 1:And then they're gathering friends in their community their pastors or their spouse or never and they're praying Lord, help us. And so the difference is is that when you are a believer and you have relationship with the Lord, help us? And so the difference is is that when you are a believer and you have relationship with the Lord, he knows the future, and so he knows that that company is going to close its doors in a year or it's going to pick up and move somewhere else go to Alaska or something you have to uproot your whole family.
Speaker 1:But when you are listening to the shepherd and you have that relationship with a shepherd, it is a benefit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's more than just the logical what's on the outside. There's an extra dimension to it. Right, and you touched on the godly counsel part, and that's the third kind of practical way that we can hear God. So we talked about through the word through the. Holy Spirit, which we believe is the primary way, and maybe the Bible is the most practical way, but through the godly counsel. I think is something that maybe sometimes doesn't get utilized enough.
Speaker 1:I agree.
Speaker 2:I feel like if we can be open and vulnerable before people and even come with a spirit of humility, God really smiles on that.
Speaker 1:He does, and it's cornenea. Yeah, it's smiles on that he does. And it's cornenea? Yeah, it's relationship.
Speaker 2:It is Right and God's about that.
Speaker 1:He is about that, and I think some of the reason why people do not utilize it is because of fear, and they're afraid of being exposed.
Speaker 2:And hurt too, and hurt.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and maybe along the way you did that, and you felt you know, misunderstood or misheard, and it's so healthy to be in a healthy community where there can be transparency and doing life together. And we've moved. Um, we had community before we got married. Then we found community when we first got married. Then we moved after you know so many years in a different community, built another community and what we know pretty much community yeah, our home is my gosh especially the goats oh, mercy these goats.
Speaker 1:Anyway, we have more kids, you guys, we added two more kids we have eight kids the goat kids. But I'm just thinking like it is healthy to be in community and to have accountability, but to be transparent for counsel, because God speaks in that he really does, he does.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and even in Proverbs 11, 14, where there is no guidance, a people fail. But in abundance of counselors there is safety. And so you know this is just a point to keep in mind that God uses lots of different things, and we know that he uses godly counsel. It's all throughout scriptures and there's an impetus for us to connect with like-minded people, with other believers, and so that is just that third pillar.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:These three pillars the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and through other godly people. That's how we practically hear the voice of the Lord. There's other things too. I think. You could look at circumstances and maybe a few other things, but these three, I think, are really the foundation.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they're solid as a rock.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so let's just jump into one of the times, and this is one. There's plenty that I've experienced, but the Holy Spirit helped you one time.
Speaker 1:Yes, he did that I'm thinking of. Yes.
Speaker 2:I was borrowing a tool.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:And it was like a little hoe and I was in the garden, I was using it to just kind of till up the ground.
Speaker 1:It was a pole digger.
Speaker 2:Is that what it was? It was a post hole, digger Post hole. That's what it was we needed a till, but we asked, but I was using that.
Speaker 1:But all we had in our community was a post hole digger. Okay, so I was using that to break up the ground, which is really dumb, it was awful and where we were in the. South and we don't have boulders in our yard We've never had boulders in our yard. We didn't grow up with boulders, so you're like out there.
Speaker 1:Post hole diggers and I was pregnant with somebody I don't remember who I was pregnant with and you were out there with this post hole digger and we were having to move these massive boulders out of our garden area just to grow a garden.
Speaker 2:So I'm using that tool and all of a sudden this little, this little bolt falls out like a little nut and the little bolt falls out. And we had borrowed this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I borrowed it and it was like their grandfathers, yeah it was like some plus years old and I'm thinking, oh no, it's like an antique, right. What were we doing? What were we thinking?
Speaker 2:so so that happens. So I like I kind of panic because I start looking for it and of course there's all these rocks and the dirt's all moved around, and so I'm out there looking, spend about 10-15 minutes I can't find it. I mean, I'm not even and meanwhile I'm inside.
Speaker 1:The sun is setting. It's getting dark. You had been at work all day I've been ready yeah, dinner was ready.
Speaker 1:I remember I had an apron on and I'm like Benjamin, you need to come inside and eat. Dinner is going to get cold. And you're like I can't, I've lost something. I'm still looking and I'm like, oh, ben, we can find it later. You're like, no, we borrowed this. I want to be a good steward, I need to find this, this bolt, and so, out of my frustration, you come out there and I knew I kind of actually I think I asked you.
Speaker 2:I was like hey, can you just pray? I was like at this point I knew that you were very sensitive to the Holy spirit and so I was like hey maybe, maybe I can use this to hopefully rectify this situation. So I was like Liz, come out here and pray and just see if the Lord shows you this bolt and what I mean.
Speaker 1:it was like less than five minutes, so I walk out there, kind of in a huffy, puffy attitude, like, oh gosh, I was hungry, I'm pregnant, I'm like I got to eat and we had all these other kids. So I get out there and I said, lord, where's this bolt so my husband can eat dinner? And all of a sudden I like saw in my mind's eye the picture of this bowl. And you had been out there for a long time looking, and so I just saw this picture and I was like, oh, it's underneath this thing. And so I just looked over and I went down and I said, here it is. And you're like what I said, don't ask. I just prayed. I was like the Lord showed me a picture of where it would be and let's go eat. Please put the bolt back in there. And we're returning this. Yeah, this is not what we ended up renting a tiller, which is what we should have done in the beginning but we were new, we didn't know yes, but so that was pretty crazy
Speaker 2:because like it was a big area and there's this little tiny bowl and you know, the lord showed you. I don't know it's, it was crazy.
Speaker 1:But it was awesome, it was super awesome, it's fun.
Speaker 2:And then I'm also thinking about another story that involves us moving, and we were in a church service, and again these are like Holy Spirit focused, but the important part is that this one, this particular story, has both of us in it, where we felt the same thing.
Speaker 1:The exact same thing.
Speaker 2:So we were in a church service and it was a crazy thing that we felt the Lord tell us, so crazy that I didn't want to tell Liz.
Speaker 1:And I didn't want to tell Ben.
Speaker 2:And so both of us were kind of like beating around the bush a little bit. It was after church service. We were on our way to eat with some family members for lunch and I was kind of like, hey, Liz, did God say anything to you? Did you sense anything from the Lord? Did you feel something today?
Speaker 1:And I said yes, this is you know. So when we were in the service, where we were sitting, it was as if the Lord came and and spoke to us at the exact same time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, almost like whispered in our ear at the same time, you're moving back to Florida. And I didn't want to say anything to him because I thought, whoa, this is a really big deal. And I remember thinking, lord, if this is you, you have to tell Ben, because I don't know. And so when we got in the car, you know, here we are with our kids, we're leaving to go eat lunch with family both sides of the family and we share. He's like well, you go first and I'm like, okay, so I'm like, well, I felt like in service at this part, when the sermon was, that the Lord mentioned, like he whispered I want you to move back to Florida.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then you were like and it wasn't on our radar? No, or maybe.
Speaker 1:Texas or something like that.
Speaker 2:We were thinking everywhere else, yeah, everywhere else, but back to Florida, and so for us to both get that at the same time we were like whoa that must be something. And then we ended up eating with family members and then we were like I don't know if that was the Lord. Yeah, because we went out to lunch and it was like okay.
Speaker 1:A little chaotic and things Right with our kids and all the cousins and aunts and uncles and the grandparents. I was like okay, this is overwhelming, because we had established our family norms and traditions and we would come back and visit.
Speaker 1:But then we would go back home to our peaceable. What we thought was it wasn't really peaceable, but I mean, you know, less chaotic. And so I remember after that lunch I was like I don't think I can do it. I don't think I can do it. But the funny thing is, one week later, and I'm just going to share this, and you know, because we're talking about even dreams how the Lord can speak in dreams. One week later, we met a friend with her kids.
Speaker 1:I remember it was at Chick-fil-A and all the kids were playing in the playground and she was asking us, you know? So what do you?
Speaker 2:We're still on that Florida trip, right yeah?
Speaker 1:And she asked she said what do you think about? You know well, how did she say what do you think about having more children? And you and I had already made a decision that we were not going to have any more children. And she said, okay, and she's like, well, what do you think about moving to Florida? And we were like, no, we're not, you know. So we had already dismissed what we thought was the Lord from the week before, and cause, we were, you know, there for a whole week and a half or whatever, for our vacation. And I said why are you asking? She goes, well, I was going through my journals from like years prior and she had found a dream that she had had of us, and in this dream I had a, I had five kids.
Speaker 1:And she said, um, and when she had had this dream, we hadn't had but four, right and so, um, but she said the there was a little girl there with big blue eyes. Um, there are two girls, blaze. And then she says the next one must have been baria. In this dream she had big blue eyes and, um, she said, was talking up a storm, which at that time Maria was only like one and she was talking up a storm like, oh my gosh, I even Googled can children speak in full sentences at this age? I mean she was just a big, bright eye and she said I had a blue blanket or a baby and a blue blanket, wrapped in a blue blanket, and she goes. But you were living in Florida and your yard, she saw our house and she saw the yard and all this kind of stuff and we were like, yeah, no.
Speaker 1:Well when we got home, I cleaned out all the baby stuff because I was like we're not having any more babies, we're done. And you know, I was like if, if that's a baby that she was talking about, it's one that we're adopting, is not coming from me, right? And little did I know, a week later, like we got home, we cleaned it out. So, after cleaning out maybe two weeks, then a week or so later I find out I'm pregnant and it's our youngest.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:And a little boy. And the funny thing is is her dream. The house that she saw is actually the house that we're in.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I mean that is very how cool is that? It is cool and you know, it took us a while to really like lock in and think, okay, yeah, we are moving back to Florida, but that dream helped you know, and then also.
Speaker 1:But we didn't even accept her dream, to be honest. No, it took a while.
Speaker 2:It took a little while. We're like I don't know about that, and then we just kept coming back to it and we really felt like the Holy Spirit was directing and leading us. And then, even years down the road, did we not even realize like, oh, that was really wise to move when we did. We found a great house at the price we did.
Speaker 1:I mean there's a lot of reasons, but the main reason is and being closer to family during COVID.
Speaker 2:Yeah, reason closer to family during covid, yeah, but the biggest reason is like we felt the lord and we knew it was his wisdom for us to, even though we bucked up against it. We did, yeah, and we were a little bit more goats than sheep.
Speaker 1:Oh, definitely, and it from that time when we felt the lord, and then there was a friend that came and brought the confirmation which we just totally dismissed, which is terrible. Um, it wasn't until two years later that we actually moved yeah. And so, anyway, all that to say, journaling, counsel, prayer, he's with us.
Speaker 2:The word, the word. He is with us. So some takeaways. All right, let's dive into some takeaways. What are some things that we can do to discern God's voice, liz, like what are just some practical things that?
Speaker 1:we can do to discern God's voice. Liz, like, what are just some practical things? Well, first of all, I feel like there are four different tests for discerning or discerning, depending on where you are in the country is how you say it, right, but to hearing God's voice, and the first one is what we talked about the scripture test. Yeah, does it align with God's word. Does it align?
Speaker 2:with God's word.
Speaker 1:If it doesn't, you need to dismiss it. Sure, and also too. The second one is character test. Does it reflect God's nature? Truth, and I think you can almost.
Speaker 2:Maybe wrap those two together right, Because the scriptures should test it.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:But it should ultimately also pass that character test.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Are we listening to the Lord and are we reading the scriptures in the right way, so that his character does come forward Right?
Speaker 1:And you know it's love, it's truth, it's mercy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's all the things that he says he is. It's exactly which is his character.
Speaker 1:And then the fruit test. I love this one because the Bible talks about you will know them by their fruit, and so if there's good fruit, is it producing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control, gentleness. You got it, I know. I think that was all. I think, it was Galatians 5.22.
Speaker 1:That's right, but the thing is is like, if there is fruit and it is healthy, then that is a go. Yes, and the last one I would say is community. And that community test is going to do, of course, when you're doing it among mature believers. But that really I feel a safety which we're talking about the sheep herd, if we're in the herd, you know, and we're communicating and we have that accountability in a healthy community.
Speaker 2:Got to remember that, because there are ones out there that are not healthy, and the Lord will help you.
Speaker 1:He will guide you, he'll put you into the community where you're supposed to bloom and blossom. But if you're using all four of those, then by golly the Lord is probably speaking.
Speaker 2:Can I just throw a little caveat out there?
Speaker 1:I don't know.
Speaker 2:Can I just say that all those are great, but that community test do you? Think sometimes people look at their community and see, oh, it's not perfect. Oh, absolutely so then maybe I shouldn't share.
Speaker 1:Oh, are you putting a mirror up to your wife? What are you doing?
Speaker 2:I didn't mean to, but I feel like I mean I was just saying that because I feel like I have been there and done that where it's like, okay, god, put me in this community. It's not perfect, because we're not perfect, right, and I'm not perfect, and so I don't know why I get on this high horse sometimes, but I do, and so I'm like I'm not going to share that because I know the proclivities of this person.
Speaker 2:They might think it's you, don't really know yeah and so I feel like that maybe is even a form of pride, like we just got to humble ourselves sometimes and humility.
Speaker 1:Yeah, isn't that a fruit of the spirit? Just kidding, it's not. But it should. Be blessed are the meek. Blessed are the humble that's true. Yeah, it's part of god's character, it is it, and he's also drawn to humility as well.
Speaker 2:He is, and I should say it's part of Jesus's character, because we could go down a whole rabbit trail on this, but I just want to throw a 30 second commercial, not a sheep trail. Yes, a sheep trail, but God, I believe God doesn't have the ability to be humble.
Speaker 2:He loves humility but, but because God is other, than there are no limitations on God and there's no way that you could compare him to something else. So part of being humble is recognizing our own limitations. Can God be humble? I don't know. I feel like that's a catch 22. Jesus can be humble, oh boy.
Speaker 1:Oh boy.
Speaker 2:I probably opened up a can of worms.
Speaker 1:I'm like I don't know if we need to go down there, but we know that he's drawn to humility. He is drawn to humility, he's drawn and he makes his dwelling with the broken and the contrite. Absolutely. He makes his dwelling.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And that's what we want relationship. We want him to and dwell with me. I want to be available. And it says in his word that Abraham was a friend of God. I want to be a friend of God. Twyla, paris boy, I'm pulling out some old ones. I am a friend of God. Here we go, and if you guys know that song, you can sing along with me, okay, so maybe some practical steps in how to tune or attune our ears to the shepherd right.
Speaker 2:So regular quiet time. I feel like this is super important being able to have space, solitude, even to be able to dial down all the other voices right, the sheep will know his voice, a stranger will not follow. That's what john talks about. So we have to dial back all the other noises, all the other influences that are coming at us on a 24 7 basis.
Speaker 2:I think we have to make space right those regular quiet times, and that's where we start to like say god, speak to me here, I'm creating space for you, I'm prioritizing time with you. I'm beginning to trust you, to open myself up to you. It's got to start somewhere, and so I think those regular quiet times is where we begin that journey of listening.
Speaker 1:So, benjamin, tell us, what do you love to do for your quiet time? I just feel like it's a really great one. So I we talked about this in another episode. We were talking about family devotions.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And so, but maybe just bring it back up, yeah.
Speaker 2:I do this daily office thing and it's a tradition that is back, I think, in the church fathers, and so essentially it models that concept of the Jewish practice of praying three times a day, and so they created space three times a day. We think that Jesus definitely followed this model as well.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, he was up the mountain too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's countless times where you see in the scriptures where Jesus is removing himself so that he can have solitude so that he can have time with the father. So that he can refresh himself, and so I think that's definitely a pattern that we have to follow in our own lives.
Speaker 2:So I like to do the daily office, which is basically just reading through scripture three times a day prayer and meditation and so I have some books that help me with that. I have one that's on the Psalms, one that's on life of Jesus and also one that is the letters of Paul, and so I switch back and forth every couple months between those three. It's really good because it gives a great cross section of just some Old Testament, some gospel and then the epistles, and so I really like chewing on those three areas.
Speaker 1:Can we put a link in the notes? We can, yeah, yeah. So I really like chewing on those three areas. Can we put a link in the notes? We can, yeah, yeah. So that way, if anybody wants them, because they are great, yeah, they're great.
Speaker 2:They come in like a three book series and again it's three devotions essentially that you do every day, and if you miss one, no big deal, right, you just either get caught up or you just skip ahead to the next day. But the important thing is is like you are creating space. That's what I love about this practice is like I'm I'm having to prioritize time and say like, hey, this is my time with the Lord. I'm going to even do it in the middle of the day, which is super hard.
Speaker 2:And you're an entrepreneur and you have a family and you have a wife who needs your attention. This is true, very true. And you have goats, the goats, the goats are the worst. They need my attention all the time. But yeah, it's just a matter of like dialing down and creating that space and I feel like the Lord meets me in that space.
Speaker 2:It's really cool and having that three times a day is super, I think, influential, right, Because it's like in the mornings, in the midday and before I go to to bed and so I feel like my mind is like being renewed three times a day, which is amazing I need it word.
Speaker 1:The word is living in a life. Yeah, it is, and so, as you're reprogramming your mind, you're setting new narrow neuro paths in your brain. I mean, we can get into brain science, but you're not wearing your science glasses so we can't talk about brain science. Yeah, I guess, skip it. But no, for real, like you're, you're renewing and you're feeding your spirit man. Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2:And so that's the second, that's the second step, right. So regular quiet time and that's the, creating the space to listen. Um, and then scripture reading is the second one actually feasting on the Bible and having the scripture be a way to start recognizing the voice of the shepherd.
Speaker 2:Okay so that's where we learn about his character. That's the knowing unto the relationship. So Bible literacy is that. Second point is like really studying about the knowledge of God who he says he is super important and being able to use that to then follow his leading Right. A third one I believe is super important is journaling your impressions, okay. So, when you feel the leading of the Holy Spirit, write it down. You know Like there are so many instances in the Bible where people set up memorials to the Lord.
Speaker 1:Different events okay.
Speaker 2:And that's a great way in the Old Testament days to go back and see what that happened. There was like a monument to how the Lord led through his spirit even, and saved through the situation, and so I feel like it's imperative that we journal when we feel the Holy Spirit moving and guiding and directing us to. Let's put that down, let's memorialize it and then we can go back and we can remember that, and I think that's super important.
Speaker 1:And, if I may, it can also be drawing. It can be, art. I love these Bibles that are out there that have big space for doodling or making notes, and you know something about the memorializing it.
Speaker 1:I'm just thinking of Gilgal. When the children of Israel crossed the Jordan after being in the desert for 40 years, and they took the stones, the 12 stones from the dry Jordan. They made a monument at Gilgal but it says, especially reading Joshua they go back to Gilgal all the time. Why? Because they're human and they forget. And I think the Lord knows you're human and you will forget.
Speaker 1:And so if you can push past the urge to not write it down and be faithful to writing it down. I try to keep my journal with me as much as possible because the Lord is speaking to us all through the day. I mean it could be even, and I you know, it's not just one way. He is the creator of the universe, it's not just all so like this is how he speaks and then he speaks like this. I mean it can be through numbers.
Speaker 2:It can be.
Speaker 1:I mean, I keep seeing a certain bird, and so this blue bird, and it's like every time I see this certain blue bird, it's like every time I see this certain bluebird. I started looking it up and seeing what does a bluebird mean? And it's like something special between the Lord and I.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so journaling that, writing it down, drawing that, looking up what words mean things like that you're building upon in that relationship with him, and it's just like you taking notes on things that I like and I'm taking notes on things that you like, and so it's part of that.
Speaker 2:It's part of the relationship. Yeah, you're studying like yeah, I think that's super good. What you all that you just said is super important. I've been keeping a journal for over 20 years and being able to by the way, some of his early journal entries are really like before we got married.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they're, they're really sweet because he's like thinking about his wife and he's like, hey, what's up, what are you doing today? I'm thinking about you.
Speaker 2:You're like 14 or 15 oh boy, no, no, it wasn't that early. This was like me being hokey. I was like a 18, 19 year old, yeah well, what's up how you doing?
Speaker 1:I'm thinking about you today. I'm praying for you. Today, I'm praying for you. It's really cute. Okay, keep going. I totally interrupted that, that's okay. But your other journal that you've had, yeah.
Speaker 2:But the journal that I've had and being able to go back 20 years.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I type it. I type it. I use a computer. It doesn't have to be a journal that you're writing in.
Speaker 2:I'm a computer nerd, necessarily because I don't like my handwriting, but that's another issue. So being able to type it and I love to be also to like because it's all typed out, I can just keyword search and go back to memories and look at things and so that's super helpful and important to be able to recall things that have happened and even dreams and stuff right Like I'll sometimes. I'll write down a dream and I'll go back and see maybe it meant something, maybe it didn't, but like just the fact that I'm trying to journal I'm trying to record.
Speaker 2:it is way better than just going through life without having any reference at all from the times past that God's spoken to you. So those are three. The fourth one that I want to mention real quick, when these again are practical steps to just tune in or tune ourselves to the Lord. The fourth one is having regular prayer partners. Okay, so that's that community aspect and also bringing in our ears to be able to listen to the Lord in community, so that can be just someone that you're accountable with and you pray together.
Speaker 1:Your spouse is a good one. I think husbands and wives should be praying together. Yeah, for sure, and being able to share.
Speaker 2:So being able to share to bounce off one another. This is the impression that I'm getting. Will you pray with me about it? It doesn't necessarily have to be synchronous, you can pray and ask someone else to pray into it, but you're sharing and you're experiencing God together. And again, when there's two or more, that's when the presence happens.
Speaker 1:Yes, and it's good, it is good, it's so good, it's so good, and there's also freedom in the process.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And so God is patient with our learning, like parents are with children. We're not looking at our kids when they're learning to walk and going. What's wrong with you?
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Get up and start running.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're not doing it perfectly. You're not doing it perfectly.
Speaker 1:God's the same way, right and so when our little one I'm just thinking of our little ones you know when they're standing up and they're starting to scoot around the coffee table.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. It's like keep going, keep going, you're doing it, you're doing it. Yeah, yeah, hopping their hands. Come here, come here. I imagine God being like that with us. Yeah.
Speaker 1:He is joyful and he is joyful, he is joy, yeah, and he's not looking at us going. Oh, you didn't write in your journal for three weeks. I'm cutting you off. That's right, he's not doing that. He, he, he is a loving god. Yes, that's who we serve, a loving god. Yes, he is a god of judgment. Yes, he is a god who you know.
Speaker 1:There is the wrath of god that you know. But and we talk about the fear of the lord, but the fear of the lord isn't so much so like he's going to come and strike me with lightning and I'm going to disintegrate respect it's the respect and the awe of who he is yeah, he's the creator.
Speaker 1:And I reverence that, and so that is beautiful, that God is patient with our learning. And it says in Galatians 5.1, for freedom. Christ has set us free and we are free. In him we are free, we are free, and God speaks more than we realize, wouldn't you agree, ben?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's a process. Right, it's that a process of attuning our ears and finding the shepherd's voice, the quality, the character of who he says he is, and be able to listen to it. So, yeah, it's a process.
Speaker 1:And we're learning to recognize it.
Speaker 2:We are.
Speaker 1:It is a process and then, of course, the goal is relationship and not performance. Now, I am an achiever, I am an activator. You know, if you look at the Enneagram, which we're not going into any of that, but a three, like you know. So that performance driven personality gift mix, you know some people think Martha was a achiever.
Speaker 1:But you see, liz, Well, but Martha was being pulled in all kinds of directions, right and and when Jesus was correcting her, he wasn't. Like you know, oh, martha, sit your butt down. It wasn't like that Like he's. Like you know, there is a good part, you know come over here for the good part, and and so it's about relationship. It's not about checking the boxes.
Speaker 2:That's good. And you know honestly, like doing the five minutes a day.
Speaker 1:Well, what I'm thinking, benjamin, is that when you're pursuing me because we've been married two decades, okay, if you're just checking the boxes with me, I sense it and I don't like it I don't you think God's the same way? I absolutely do.
Speaker 2:I think that he wants to hear think God's the same way I absolutely do.
Speaker 1:I think that he wants to hear. He doesn't like fake. Well, he wants to hear what's on your heart. He wants to hear your thoughts and you know we talk about with one glance of our eye. It says in Solomon that he is ravished, which, when you read that word ravished, he's twirling around and jumping.
Speaker 1:So if you think about it, just a glance, if I just glance at you, just that glance of just acknowledging and just looking, he is like yes, and so you know, he doesn't just tolerate you, he likes you Right, he doesn't just love you, he likes you. He enjoys you, he wants to know you and he wants you to know him, and so it's this relationship, and it's not about performance and unfortunately, in this day and age, a lot of society is all about performance.
Speaker 2:It's true, we live in a very metric and analytic society. And so being able to check the boxes is a lot of what we strive for and I feel like with the Lord you can't do that. He wants your heart right. It's not just your time, it's not just your energy. He wants your heart, he wants your desires and he wants to be pursued Like just what you're saying, you know, like if I were to just give you the time and get out and my heart's not with you.
Speaker 1:Well, I sense it.
Speaker 2:You sense it yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and vice versa, exactly If I'm just paying my dues you know and you will. You know, we keep each other accountable in that but the Lord wants that. Yeah, yeah, of course he talks about. You know, husband and wife are like that. Marriage is kind of the example.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Right Of the body of Christ. So I think it helps me just to understand it in my connection with him.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Because you're the closest person to me on this earth.
Speaker 2:Right, right.
Speaker 1:So, anyway.
Speaker 2:so what are our takeaways? Not the goats, oh gosh.
Speaker 1:All those goats.
Speaker 2:Scripture takeaways. All right, let's stop talking about ghosts, let's be sheep. So Psalms 46.10, be still and know that I am God Right, creating that space, dialing down, being still, not being in a hurry. Ooh, I get messed up on that one.
Speaker 1:I get in a hurry a lot of times, the immediate, yeah, the immediate issues, but being still knowing that the Lord is God so good.
Speaker 2:Psalms 4610. James 1.5. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all, without approach, and it will be giving them. And so even in this issue of relationship, like let's ask for wisdom, let's ask for the things that make our heart comes alive, like God knows that God knows our details even more than we know ourselves.
Speaker 1:He knows all the hairs on your head, yes, and for some of you, probably your body, cause you're pretty hairy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're lacking it on your head and you got it other places.
Speaker 1:Well, I was just thinking summer's coming up and sometimes I'm like whoa that was a carpet, oh boy.
Speaker 2:So, and then, lastly, proverbs 3, 5 through 6, trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding and all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths. So, putting God first, putting him in that place of primacy, right, and acknowledging him in all of our ways and just, I think even being accountable in that right. Have some accountability with some other people. Hey, you know, are you putting the Lord first? Do you think I'm putting the Lord first? I mean maybe even asking that question, especially if it's your spouse.
Speaker 2:Right Because they might know, they might see some patterns that you patterns, that might be some things that you got to bring into your awareness. But we know that if we trust in the Lord with all of our heart, that he won't fail us.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:And so he will lead us and guide us, and, just like the sheep that recognize the voice of the shepherd, we want to be just like that. We want to have the understanding, we want to know who God is. We want to have the understanding, we want to know who God is, we want to know his character so that when he does speak, when he does lead, we can confirm it, we can follow it.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I love this. Today has been so great. I love what we've been talking about, especially since it's been something that I have been studying out for the last couple of weeks, and then now it's been a conversation we've been having and we just brought everybody else into it. So pretend that you were just at our kitchen table.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 1:And it's after dinner and we were eating dessert and we just got into this big discussion.
Speaker 2:Something good.
Speaker 1:Something good. Something good, and we are so grateful that you are watching our One Blessed Mess and thank you for being a part of it today, because without you, you know, we wouldn't be where we are right that's right, thank you, thank you, thank you, but don't forget to subscribe like share heart.
Speaker 1:However you are listening or watching, we're on all platforms that you can hear podcasts, and then, of course, we are on youtube if you want to see the video of our beautiful faces. Beautiful faces and the looks that I give ben, or the looks ben gives me, or ben science glasses, when he wears his science glasses this is good.
Speaker 1:Yes, this is true, but also follow us on Instagram or Facebook. It's our handle, is our one blessed mess, and we love to hear from you If there's something out there that you're like hey, what are your thoughts on this? We may make an episode.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we might. You should go jump on our website, our one blessed mess dotcom. Feel free to use the contact form there and just give us a holler and let us know if there's something that you'd like to hear about or you have any questions. We'd love to interact with you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and we'd love to hear what you think about what we talked about today. How do you primarily feel you're hearing from the Lord?
Speaker 2:That's good.
Speaker 1:We would love to hear that, but until next time, we just want to encourage you to embrace your beautiful mess, because if our mess can be blessed, what Ben?
Speaker 2:Then so can yours.
Speaker 1:Then so can yours.
