“For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears, they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed,” Isaiah 6:10; Acts 28: 27
“Listening is about the experience of being experienced. It’s when someone takes an interest in who you are and what you are doing,” Kate Murphy, You’re Not Listening.
Have you ever experienced a disconnect in your relationships with a spouse, children, friends, or coworkers? Do you feel like your voice isn’t heard or like no one is listening? Do you yourself struggle to listen—really listen—to the people in your life? Perhaps you find it difficult to slow down enough in this busy life to hear and take in the conversations happening around you?
Listening is that moment when another person stops all else to focus on and understand your story. They not only hear it, but live it alongside you for a while. What a treasure to have a spouse, child, friend, pastor, youth leader, or parent who takes the time to listen for understanding, not only to speak and give a response! The truth is, we all have room for improvement in the art of listening. Listening produces fruit in powerful ways because it helps us pay attention to the Holy Spirit’s work and prompting in our life and the lives of others. It alerts us to Heavenly activity.
So many people long to just be heard, but how can we be heard in a world that's always shouting? Where do we anchor in to find the godly wisdom we need to give to those who ask for our help? This is a key component of being "Better Together" and walking with one another through life.
As a part of last year’s women’s retreat, “Courageous Relationships,” we briefly talked about the art of active listening. Many women went into the activity thinking they knew how to listen and walked away convicted. “Listening is hard!” “I thought I was a good listener, but it turns out I’m terrible at it!” We discovered that it is so hard to listen for the sake of listening and not just to give a response to someone.
We realized that an hour on a retreat was not long enough to cover all the ins and outs of listening to one another as we walk together. We also wanted more women to have the opportunity to learn and grow in this area of their lives, both through instruction and through some hands-on exercises.
Women’s Ministry started working with Darcy Paape, director of the Women’s Leadership Institute, shortly after the retreat to make plans to bring her in for a one-day workshop or mini-retreat to give us time to dive deeper into this important skill.
Darcy will be with us on Saturday, May 6th from 9am to 2pm in the Lower Level. This workshop will focus on good listening strategies and the triggers that stop our ears from the helpful feedback we might receive as we listen in our families, congregations, and workplaces. If time allows, the session will also introduce participants to praying scripture as a way to open one’s heart to listening to God’s Word.
This is a free event! Lunch and all materials will be provided for you (please make your lunch selections in the form below!)
If you are attending with a friend, please fill out a separate form for them.
Note: when filling out the form, if you do not have an email address to use, please use rmorton@stjohnswestbend.org.
PLEASE RSVP FOR THIS EVENT BY WEDNESDAY, MAY 3rd. This will allow us enough time to place our lunch orders.
If you have any questions, please reach out directly to Rachel Morton at rmorton@stjohnswestbend.org or 262-334-4901 ext 327.