Article May 29, 2000 Issue

Shhh. Listen

God is speaking to you right now.

By Linda Gibson Saylor

When I WAS five years old, we lived at the edge of a large wooded area. My sister, friends, and I spent hours playing in those woods. One day I went off into the woods by myself in a new direction and soon became hopelessly lost. I wandered about, growing more and more afraid, until finally I was crying hysterically. I have a very clear memory, funny as it sounds, of walking around and calling out as loudly as I could my name, address, phone number, and any other thing I knew about myself, but no one heard me.

Finally, I remembered this story my mother had read to me. A little girl and her big brother had climbed up on a roof. When the little girl got on top, she became very frightened and started crying loudly. In fact, she cried so loudly that she couldn't hear her brother telling her how to get down. When she finally got quiet enough to hear his directions, she was able to climb down the ladder. The point of the story was that we should be still and listen for direction.

I decided to stop screaming and to listen to God. Then, clearly, I heard a voice directing me which way to turn. When I did, I saw a familiar landmark and knew how to get home. When I got there, I ran into the kitchen, hugged my mother, and exclaimed, "Mommy, Mommy, God is my friend!"

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