Hi, this is Cindy Helton, your host of the Daily Still Podcast. I invite you to enjoy this encore meditation.

Welcome to the Daily Still podcast, a place to pause. Here we create space to listen for the

whispers of God.

I'm your host, Cindy Helton, and I believe one of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves is room to be still.

Practicing stillness is about learning to hear God and become in tune with our own true selves.

It's a willingness to slow down and pay attention,

to surrender to the mystery of God's transforming presence.

In this place of loving communion, we let go of our expectations, and we rest in the grace of our relationship as dearly beloved children of God.

There is rest and hope in knowing we do not need to be successful, perfect, or sinless to hang out with God. There is no place for

striving. Unconditional love welcomes us as we are. As we conclude our Monday meditation

series on Pondering the Psalms, I'd like to address the question,

how can I hear clearly from the Holy Spirit? Or how do I know it's God I'm hearing and not just my own

thoughts? Silence and stillness are helpful pathways to hearing God more clearly and recognizing

the voice of divine guidance. The more we practice, the better we become at discerning

the still small voice of God. Here are a few practical tips in practicing listening prayer.

Listening prayer is more than just listening with our ears.

It engages our body, soul, mind, and spirit.

That means we give undistracted attention to our times of seeking to hear from God.

We physically lean into God's embrace with an openness to receive.

We breathe in the spirit of God.

So first, as you come to God with your question or request for

guidance, trust God is with you and always listening with undivided attention.

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