In your book, Whisper, you speak about the Whispering Spot in the Capitol Building in Washington, D. C. For those who do not know what this is, would you explain it briefly?
Mark: During a tour of the Capitol more than two decades ago, our guide showed a very unique place known as the whispering spot. He stood on one side of Statuary Hall while our tour group stood on the other side. Then he spoke in a whisper, and we could mysteriously and miraculously hear the echo of his voice all the way across the room as if he were mere inches away. A few tall tales have been told over the years, such as the story of John Quincy Adams pretending to be asleep at his desk while eaves-dropping on political opponents. Those stories can’ t be corroborated, but the physics can. The circular walls and domed ceiling of Statuary Hall allow whispering waves to travel the circumference of the room in unusual ways.
You liken listening to God’ s voice to finding that“ Whispering Spot” in our own lives. Would you list a few ways we can create our own“ Whispering Spots?”
Mark: God can show up anywhere, anytime. So let’ s not limit God to a“ spot.” That said, there are places where I seem to hear God more clearly, more consistently. I’ ve had a few whispering spots over the years, but my current spot is the rooftop of Ebenezers, our coffeehouse on Capitol Hill. Ebenezers was once a whisper. Twenty years ago I was walking by a rundown, dilapidated building and I heard that still small voice: this crackhouse would make a great coffeehouse. Ebenezers has served a million customers and given a million dollars to kingdom profits, but it was once a whisper. To me, Ebenezers is a whispering spot that happens to serve coffee! So I go up on the rooftop when I really want to hear God’ s voice. I get good reception up there!
Mark Batterson shares how you can find God’ s whisper in the midst of your busy life.
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