Discovering Together How God Speaks to Our Children

The Image Juda Received

"Mom, today kind of matched the image I saw this morning," Juda told me as we sat on the couch, reflecting on the day. It had been a tough one—filled with irritations and bickering. Juda wasn’t feeling his best, and much of it was my doing: I was tired and didn’t have the energy to respond well to everything.

But when he started talking about a vision at the end of the day, I immediately perked up. He shared a picture he’d received while still in bed that morning: “There were lots of little stones at the bottom of a pit—that was us. In the middle of the stones stood a big stone, and that was Jesus. Along the sides of the pit were large rocks, and this was God, who always protects us. At the top was a sun—that was the Holy Spirit, shining His light on us.” He said, “I think God wants to say that He’s always with us, even when things are hard.”

As a mother, I was deeply moved. God knew what Juda needed that day. And I found it so beautiful that Juda shared this picture so naturally—like it was the most ordinary thing in the world.

And really, maybe it should be the most ordinary thing in the world. Even for us adults. Do we notice when God wants to tell us something in the morning? Do we take the time to listen?

“I found it so beautiful that Juda shared this picture as if it were perfectly normal.”

Learning to Recognize God’s Voice

As I wrote in the previous edition, we actively practice hearing God's voice together with our children. That’s why Juda is beginning to recognize it more and more—without needing a prompt from me.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)

I’ve always loved this verse when it comes to hearing God’s voice. If we live close to our Shepherd, we’ll more easily hear His voice and follow Him.

Practicing Together with Your Children

Here’s a simple and beautiful exercise to help your children (or yourself) practice hearing God’s voice. If you have multiple kids, I recommend starting one-on-one, so you can create a calm, focused moment for each child.

Invite your child to close their eyes. Thank God for being a living, speaking God, and pray that He wants to speak personally to you today. Also pray for protection through the blood of Jesus—so no other influences are present. Ask together for the Holy Spirit to fill your hearts, as He helps us hear God’s voice.

“Thank God for being a living and speaking God who wants to talk to you personally today.”

Because it can be difficult at first to recognize the images God gives, this exercise helps children to imagine freely. You can say aloud while their eyes are closed:

• “Imagine the most beautiful and comforting place possible.” (Pause for a moment)

• “Where are you right now?”

• “Picture Jesus standing in front of you. What would you ask Him?”

• “What is Jesus' answer to you?”

You can follow up by gently asking your child what they saw or heard.

For some children, this might be challenging at first. Our youngest daughter also struggles to identify and describe things. But even here—practice makes progress!

Tips to Make It Even More Meaningful

• Quiet worship music can help set a peaceful atmosphere while you pray and listen together.

• Some children prefer drawing what they saw instead of describing it in words.

• We gave each of our kids their own journal where we record impressions—words, images, songs, etc. It’s become a treasure trove of spiritual memories for them. Highly recommended!