By Chelsea Drown 
There have been many times over the years when I’ve heard others share stories of how the Lord spoke to them or gave them a sign. Seashells scattered along a sandy beach, numbered to represent how many children they would have. A quiet walk in the park, followed by a clear sense that another little one was coming.
What a blessing, I think, when I hear and read their stories.
I often wonder how much more faith they must have than I do—to know with such certainty that what they heard was truly God speaking. I listen, I smile, and I quietly question why my experience feels so different.
For years, I have prayed, quietly and out loud. I have cried. I have wrestled through frustration and uncertainty, wondering what God is doing in my life, especially in light of choices made before I was saved. I’ve asked questions without clear answers and waited in seasons that feel painfully silent.
I don’t hear Him the way others say they do.
And yet—I keep going.
I keep praying. I keep asking God to help me. Even in the silence, He gives me the strength to move forward. He hasn’t spoken to me in moments that feel clear and unmistakable like the stories I hear, but He speaks to me when I am hurting. He meets me in the quiet, sustaining me day by day with His blessed hope.
So I ask myself the questions many of us ask:
Does God hear me?
Am I praying hard enough?
Am I trusting Him fully with my life?
I believe I am.
And Scripture reminds us that faith is often strengthened not in certainty, but in weakness. Not always in loud answers, but in the grace that carries us when answers don’t come.
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Maybe hearing God doesn’t always sound the same for everyone. Maybe sometimes, His voice is found not in signs or clarity—but in the strength to keep trusting Him anyway.
by Kelli Bachara 
by Erin Pearson 
