Before our third daughter, Jenny, was born, our house was already full of noise. Little did we know that she would more than double, no triple, the noise in our home! She quickly earned the nickname, “chatty-cathy”.

Ten years later Jenny would go on a trip with me to participate in an air rifle contest. This would be the first time we would be alone together for a weekend. I promised her a fun day at an amusement park, a movie, and dinner at the place of her choice. Both of us were looking forward to it. I must confess, the only reservation I had was how I was going to handle the non-stop “chatting” for an entire weekend.

Right before the trip, my air rifle broke. Luckily, a new friend that lived where we were going said to stop by when we arrived and he would fix it. Great! Great for me, but not so great for Jenny.

All day, and most of the evening, was focused on trying to fix my rifle for the next day’s match. During that entire time Jenny sat, bored, and often left alone. My rifle was finally fixed. Unfortunately, there would be no amusement park and no movie. It was now 9:30 p.m. on Saturday in Norco, CA, and even the promise of dinner was not looking good. I felt horrible! I could not stop apologizing to her.

I remember Jenny saying something like, “It’s OK, daddy. Do you think we could still go out to dinner?” We drove through Norco that night until we found a place still open. Panda Express. It wasn’t what I had originally planned, but under the circumstances, Jenny approved.

At dinner I sat across the table talking to this amazing 10-year-old girl. During a moment of SILENCE, I heard God. My little girl was picked by Him. She was gifted by God with empathy and understanding. She was to become a servant. She had a destiny.

May you hear God in the silence, however it may find you!

“No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise.” Ezra 3:13a (NIV)