Listening

I've been thinking a lot lately about how God talks to people. I'm sure it varies from person to person. I'm not 100% sure when God speaks directly to me or how to listen. This is something I'm currently in the process of working on & figuring out. Some thoughts I've had along the way:

1. Can you audibly hear God's voice? From what I've gathered, God's voice doesn't come to me audibly.

2. Does God speak through us through feelings? Does he just give us overwhelming emotions according to what we should or shouldn't do?

3. Sometimes when I've been praying about something for a long time and I'm looking for an answer, I'll say things to myself like, "if this stoplight turns green in the next 5 seconds, it's a sign," or "if my phone rings within the next 2 minutes, it's a sign," or "if I sink this three-pointer, it's a sign." Just silly stuff like this. Does God ever use this type of stuff to speak to us? Kind of seems like a crazy question, but seriously.

4. I believe Satan talks to us just as much as God does. How do I know whether the guidance I'm getting is from God or Satan?

5. I talked a little bit with a friend of mine about all of this. In trying to figure out where to look for God and how to listen for His voice, we concluded that the primary things probably need to be (1) reading the Bible, and (2) praying, meditating, and being silent.

Just some stuff that's been - and will continue to be - on my mind. On another note, some pretty sweet stuff has happened lately:

1. Saw Tenth Avenue North in concert last week.
2. Saw Third Day in concert this weekend.
3. Went to the pumpkin patch and bought a 68 pound pumpkin.
4. Mizzou lost this weekend.

Here are some pictures: