God's nudge that turned into a shove

So it’s February 11th, 2019 a chilly Monday morning and I’m out jogging and walking the dog and listening to Bob Goff’s book Everybody, Always on Audible. If you’re anything like me doing one thing at a time these days feels like doing nothing at all.  A sickness of our times I guess. I finished the book and turned it off. Before I could turn on the next thing, in a moment of stillness, I very clearly hear “1 inch closer”. I’m an audio addict and almost always have a podcast or a book going when I’m awake and not with other people (ok maybe it’s on sometimes in one airpod when other people are around…). I turned off my phone and leaned into the silence. I didn’t have to wait long until I heard it again “1 inch closer”  So, I kept jogging and let all the things I’d read and listened to lately that could relate to one inch closer run through my mind

I came home and started writing and words poured onto the screen.  At 2:15 a.m. I was wide awake. Around 4am while I was still staring wide eyed at the ceiling, I decided to get up. The phrase I was hearing over and over again was “a movement of love” This was no longer a nudge, it felt like a push.

I can only assume that God repeated “a movement of love” over and over in my mind because he knew my Type A nerdy self would take his message and turn it into a checklist. One of my failings has always been to lean a little closer to the Pharisees side than Jesus recommends.  A movement of love clearly switched His message of one inch closer from a checklist to a relationship.

Just days before, I was lamenting to my husband how much I had read and how many sermons and podcast I had listened to without processing or distilling the concepts and ideas so they could work in my life. Maybe I was preparing for God’s nudge without know it!

I had read and listen to virtually everything Jordan Peterson made available to the public and learned to aim at something worthwhile and to start small, make your bed!

I listened to a podcast by Ben Shapiro with Dave Ramsey who talked about his method of paying off big debt by starting with the really small ones first. Start small and you’ll have enough success that you stay on the path to doing something big.

  I listen to Bishop Barron’s sermons each week and sprinkle in Andy Stanley and they both dig into the Scripture and remind me that when looking for a road map to a meaningful life, the Bible is the ultimate source text.

I read an article by Pastor Judah in Seattle about using technology to reach millennials and share God’s message and started to think about ways to use the technology that can so often be a distraction in our favor.

For years and years I listened to Hugh Hewitt, Dennis Prager and Larry Arnn and listened to their message of first principles and was always reminded to build a foundation on solid, unshakable ground.

I read Jen Hatmaker‘s book For the Love over and over and relished in the delight she found in God‘s message and being gentle with herself and others along the way.

I watched Brene Brown’s Ted talk a dozen times and embraced her message of vulnerability in love.

I listened to dozens of podcasts from Dave Rubin and Tim Ferriss that showed interest and respect to such a wide variety of guests that it gives hope that there are curious and open minded people left in our divided world.  

I sat in the pew and listened to our preacher, Reverend Chuck Hodges, talk week after week about unity and flinging our arms wide open in love.

I listened to Bob Goff’s book Everybody, Always twice and fell in love with the way he loves.

I had no idea why I was consuming ideas and information so voraciously until God whispered in my ear, “one inch closer.”  I’m a type A nerd and my first tendency was to ask God, “closer to what?” Tell me exactly what you want and my insatiable desire to win will make sure I do it just right.  It came to me when I turned off all the noise that God told us pretty clearly what he wants in Mark chapter 12:29-31… Love God and love your neighbors.  For those of us who may find some gray in that message, he sent Jesus as a human example of Love. If we are not sure what to do, act like Jesus and Love Everybody, Always.

All of the reading and listening led me to develop this approach of one inch closer for the busiest of busy people to start on a path toward God and on a journey of love. Let’s take tiny steps together, one minute at a time and create a movement of love.

I didn’t know what to do with the message so I created a website and put it on the internet.  I’m not proficient with facebook or instagram or twitter. God nudged me and then pushed me so my best guess is that if he wants this message out there, he’ll nudge or shove someone who can actually write content, edit a website, use social media or be able to reach the people he wants to reach.