#173: Skill Set: How to listen so people will talk with Becky Harling

The first words in the Bible speak of the cosmos hearing God's spoken words and obeying: "And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light." At the heart of Israel's prayer life is God's call to listen in Deuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." The writers of the Psalms ask God to listen to them and then write how He hears them and acts. As God's sheep, we hear His voice; because we listen, we follow Him. So, yes, listening is important to God. It is vital to our relationship with Him and with others.    And also, our lives are full, so time to listen is hard to come by. Our hearts long to teach and correct – which are good and certainly have their place – but sometimes people just want to be heard. Our brains are so full of distractions about deadlines, upcoming events, and the logistics of our schedule that sometimes it's hard to stay focused on what the person right in front of us is saying. So if we want to become more and more like Christ, and Christ is someone who listens, how do we grow in this skill?  I can think of no one better to talk about how to listen than today's guest, Becky Harling.    In today's episode, you'll receive practical strategies and anchoring truths for giving grace by becoming a better listener: How to tell if you're a good listener, What it means to "listen to your heart," Four ways to get your teenager to talk with you, And help when you long to fix or offer solutions when someone shares a struggle. Mentioned in the podcast The FCC requires that I tell you that I'm an Amazon Affiliate, which means I earn a bit of commission on each sale. But don't worry there's no added cost to you! Subscribe to Jill's weekly "the good + the grace" email  #101: Spiritual Health: Hearing from God for freedom with Jennifer Barnett #170: Skill Set: How to be playful with Courtney Ellis #171: Skill Set: Setting boundaries for yourself with LPC Shundria Riddick #172: Skill Set: How to build faith and trust in God with Maleah Stephens How to Listen so People Will Talk by Becky Harling How to Listen so Your Kids Will Talk by Becky Harling   Here's how to connect with Becky Harling Website  Instagram  Facebook   Here's how to connect with Jill Website  GraceInRealLifePodcast.com  Instagram  Subscribe to Jill's weekly "the good + the grace" email