Mike, your last thought about your kids ability to hear God haunts me as well. I have allowed them to train themselves that they need to fill the silence with something.

When will they hear God speaking?

Your statement, “I often need to think clearly, but the demands of the massive amounts of information clutter my thoughts and confuse me.” was the money line for me. As a compulsive information gatherer (I’m in IT), I have lately found that I am often unable to follow through with the great information I find. I’m also losing the ability to keep what I’ve read in my personal devotion in my mind all day.

I am working at resolving this overload by learning to sit still outside, and use hiking and walking as a gentler stimulus to my mind.

I’ve also recently become concerned (convicted?) that we have been raising our children to fill all of their time with some form of entertainment, even if it is the non-toxic Christian variety. My wife and I sat on our porch Sunday afternoon, just being quiet…until we were bombarded with the ‘I’m bored’ complaints.

The question that haunts me: When exactly are they going to hear God speak to them?

Good stuff. I purposely slow myself down four mornings a week when I go to Starbucks and journal my prayers, study and connect with others. Thanks for the reminder.