SPEAKING YOUR HEART

I heard the question, “What do you need from me?” I heard it not with my ears-- I heard it with my heart. There was a whole conversation. A conversation, heart to heart. A conversation that could not be heard by the ears, as the world hears, but by the heart, as God hears. Heart to heart--- spirit to spirit. Many subjects were talked about in this incredible conversation without words. That conversation began--with a single question. I was asked the question, “What do you need from me?” I answered, “I need something…………….. to hold on to.”

“The heart can speak and the heart can hear, even when no words are spoken, for those who truly believe.”

I must have truly believed that this could happen … because it did………..and because it did happen………I know that God was there…….in that miracle of hearing something on such a deep level.

God has had me learn how to listen deeper for reasons of my own. My daughter is language impaired. Comprehension and _expression are a huge part of that. Her needs…….and my love for her…… led to my ability to listen on a whole new level. A new perspective -- a new perception. To “see” , without my eyes. To “hear”, without my ears. To involve God in both of those senses. To involve God in communicating. I needed to communicate on a whole new level. I needed to “hear” on a whole new level. Deeper. Not trusting the obvious. Looking deeper. Listening deeper. Using the heart - not just the ears.

Guess who I can hear a lot more clearly now?

Her…………and You------------------ and God. Not everyone-- but definitely her………..and you………..and God.

A friend shared a story with me recently. I’ll tell you what I heard that she didn’t say. I’ll tell you how God used her story to tell His story.

Her mother is in a nursing home. She said that her mother is quite healthy physically, despite the fact that she had a stroke which left her unable to communicate. Unable to communicate. Wanting to speak, knowing what you want to say, and not being able to get it out. The words are trapped inside you.

 My friend relayed in detail how frustrating it was to not know what her mom was trying to say most of the time. Even more so, how frustrated it made her mother to not be able to express what was inside of her. It frustrated her to the point of anger. It frustrated her to the point of overwhelming tears. If only………………..she could say what she was trying so hard to say…………………..and if only……….someone could hear her, screaming inside …………………but with no words coming out. Literally choking on the words of her heart.

My friend was struggling. Knowing her mom was trying so hard to speak -- yet wasn’t able. Trying so hard to understand what her mom was trying to convey, knowing by the growing frustration that there was much left unspoken. There was much she was trying to say to her ….but there were no words to hear.

My friend, in desperation to calm her, took her mom on a little walk, with no destination in mind yet walking on a seemingly deliberate path. They walked thru the nursing facility--- up the halls………….down the halls…………. Up the halls…….down the halls…..through the sun room…………not knowing where they were going, but knowing they were being led somewhere……..and every step of the way her mom seemed focused on what was just around the corner. Just around the corner……………….was a door………….with a single word marked on it. Chapel.

She wheeled her mom into the chapel. It was a tiny, tiny room of incredible simplicity. Inside the chapel were four plain oak benches. Inside the chapel was one single wooden cross. Inside the chapel shined a single stained glass window for light. And inside that chapel her mom found somebody…… somebody………………………..who could hear her……….even when no words were actually spoken. Inside that chapel…………..was God. God---who can hear our hearts even when we can’t find the words. Even……….when we are not able. Immediately upon entering the chapel, my friend noticed the peace that flooded her mom’s being, because her mom had found someone that could hear her…….. Someone who could hear….the words of her heart.

Peace flooded her spirit when she finally could “speak” what was in her heart. Peace flooded her soul when she could finally…………….. “be heard”. The same…..will happen to you.

God can hear all the words of our hearts. However, sometimes we humans miss hearing a few. I know I have. Sometimes we humans miss saying a few. I know I have.

Don’t leave those words trapped in your heart. Speak them out loud while you can.

Speak your heart…………………while you can.

You will be heard.

Copyright 2006 Linda Woodward