Pay Attention
"And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth." — Proverbs 7:24, ESV
I am a writer, and I love to write. It is a gift God has given to me, and I love doing it. I have writing tablets, sticky notes, and journals everywhere. Many times when God gives me a thought, I struggle to figure out which journal to write it in so that I’ll know where to find it later. I was starting to get frustrated with being so disorganized, so I asked God to help me get organized. I said, *“Lord, I want to know where to put all these notes and thoughts so I can easily find them when I need them.” *We have to pay close attention and listen to God when He is speaking. Sometimes He sends answers in the least expected ways, and if we aren’t careful, we can miss Him.
We took a trip to Greece in September 2022. We booked our trip through Costco Travel, which offers a few extra incentives compared to booking on our own. Our trip included visits to three different locations in Greece: Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos. One of the benefits of booking through Costco Travel was that they handled all our transportation to and from the hotels and between destinations. When we arrived in Athens and later headed to Santorini, they had drivers who picked us up from the airport and took us to our next location. It was wonderful.
On one of those rides — I can’t remember which one — we met a wonderful couple. We were sitting and talking about where we were staying when the woman pulled out this amazing tablet. I asked her, “What is that?” She said it was a Remarkable2 and began explaining how organized it kept her. I was so impressed that I took a picture of it so I wouldn’t forget.
Three years later, in 2025, I was still asking God to help me get better organized. This time, I was sitting with a dear friend, and we were sharing some of the things we were dealing with and how we could pray for one another. Of course, one of my prayer requests was to get better organized. While we were talking, she pulled out the Remarkable2. When I saw it again, I knew God was giving me my answer for the second time.
The first time God showed me the Remarkable2, I was excited about it, but I didn’t buy it because it was expensive. I didn’t think it was the answer to my prayer. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but that wasn’t it.
Today, I have the Remarkable, and I’m learning more about how to use it every day. Every time I’m about to write, I pull out that tablet. I’ve created folders for every topic I write about, and now everything is neatly filed in one place. I used to rubber band a journal next to each book I read so I’d know where to find my notes. Now, I just open the folder on the Remarkable, and all my notes for that book are right there. I can even organize the notes in the folder by chapter or topic — whatever I choose. It’s working well.
God had answered my request three years earlier, but I missed Him. I distinctly remember the lady in Greece showing me how it worked and telling me how organized it made her. But I didn’t realize it was God giving me the answer to my prayer. I could have just prayed and asked Him, “Lord, is this for me?” — but I didn’t. Instead, I continued in my disorganized way until I became fully frustrated and asked God again. In His graciousness, He brought me back to the same answer He had already given me.
Key Takeaways:
When we pray, God hears and answers — sometimes we miss the answer.
If you are still waiting for an answer from God, ask Him if you have missed it.
This is a reminder of what God says about our prayers: “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” — Isaiah 65:24, NIV
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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