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Bill Hybels recalls a life changing moment for him when he was a second grader. His teacher, Miss Van Soelen was reading a Bible story from 1 Samuel 3:1-10 to the class. This is the story where the Lord keeps calling Samuel.  After three times, Samuel realizes it is the Lord and says: “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”

After the reading, Bill approached his teacher and being amazed that God would speak to a boy, Samuel; he asked her, “Does God still speak to little boys today?” “Absolutely, God still speaks” she answered. She reached into her desk drawer and gave him a piece of paper.

That night just before getting into bed, Bill read what was on that piece of paper. It was a poem.  He liked it so much he decided to memorize it. It goes like this:

Oh! Give me Samuel’s ear,
An open ear, O Lord,
Alive and quick to hear
Each whisper of thy Word;
Like him to answer to thy call
And obey Thee first of all.

Yes, God still speaks to us today.  May we say as young Samuel, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”

In early 2010 when Bill Hybel’s held the first copy of his book, The Power of a Whisper, he thought of Miss Van Soelen.  At that very moment, his assistant stepped into his office and gives him the news that Miss Van Soelen had just passed away. He then heard God’s whisper, “Cancel what you need to cancel and go to her hometown today.”  After thoughtful prayer, he went and as he stood by her casket, he thought how a five minute conversation with Miss Van Soelen changed his life forever. He calls it the “Miss Van Soelen” moment.

Yes, God still speaks to us today.  May we say as young Samuel, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”