Sometimes I think what I have to say to God is too trivial, too impatient, too silly, too…too_________.

But I’m so wrong.

He desires to hear us.

Bunny trail:  In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t just attempt to know God intellectually, I try to experience God in the every day (though often I fail to see beyond me to Him).

I take comfort in knowing we are created by a creative creator who inspires us to appreciate and learn from what we see, what we taste, what we hear, and what we feel.

And then there’s this astounding revelation:  He created us in his own image! Doesn’t it seem logical, then? Doesn’t it seem natural that the things we experience and feel teach us about Christ himself when we allow him to reside within us and live among us?

So, maybe I’m viewing God from an overly simplistic touchy-feely perspective, but I believe God meant for us to understand him better through our own human experiences.  After all, God himself came to live among us in the flesh of Jesus Christ to model what living should look like.

I say all that to say…

I know God wants to hear us because his word says:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation  by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

And I know He loves to listen to us because of this:

My own kids are pretty much grown, an astounding feat that I seem to have had little to no control or influence over.

But I still love to listen to them.

Just like the first few words they uttered, I marvel over what they’ve learned and can express.

Even when they say something hurtful, I’m learning to listen past the words, hear their heart and learn what they need.

Maybe to someone else their utterances are unremarkable, but, like a chord that will never and has never been really broken from some part of me, what they say to me resounds so deeply.

We are tethered for life, and our interaction tugs that heart-chord again in affirmation.

But, unlike me, God is never too busy, too hurt nor too distracted by more lofty cares than to listen to his children.

We serve a living God who longs for conversation, not just so he can have an opportunity to speak into our lives, but because he loves the heart-chord connection.

A conversation with my 16 year old daughter as we discussed the downward spiral of a girl her age who keeps throwing herself at any guy who pays any attention to her:

Me:  What do you think makes a girl fall for a boy she knows is not good for her?

Elise:  Daddy issues! (She laughs, points up, and says again..) And Daddy issues! She doesn’t have a strong enough self-image to know that she deserves better.  She doesn’t know she is already loved more than he can love her.

Me: Yeah, we seem to create our self-image according to what we think others think of us. Even if it’s just a perception, it becomes real to us.

Elise: Ok, I don’t have issues, Mom, and I have a very healthy self-esteem (a self-deprecating, dimpled giggle bubbles out), but I still want someone in my life—I guess a boyfriend—to tell me what I already know about myself:  that I’m good and smart and pretty.   I get lonely.

Me:  That’s understandable.  We all want someone we can touch and see and hear.  It’s when we get loneliness confused with soul-needs that we mess up.

Elise:  Right, I KNOW that, but I still get lonely and I’m getting impatient.

Me:  Not too impatient, I hope.

Elise:  Don’t worry, I don’t want a loser.  I’m impatient for the right one.

I love that she can express herself so well..but even if she couldn’t, I’d still know exactly what she meant.

What I’ve learned about God from being a mom: When you talk to God, he already knows how you feel, but he still longs to hear your heart.

So go ahead and talk.  He’s listening.