About the Author

ALIZA LATTA is a writer, artist, and pastor who is a huge fan of telling stories. She creates content for Canada’s largest youth conference, Change Conference, and is a church planter in Ontario, Canada. Her artwork and writing have been featured in publications for LifeWay, Dayspring, and (in)courage. She is...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Aliza,
    Any time I read your posts, I always think WOW! she gets it and at such a young age. The wisdom God is revealing to you (and you are humble enough to take in) is truly beyond your years. People, including myself, take years, even decades to come to some of the realizations you are seeing with such youthful eyes. You are, indeed, blessed! Your generation needs someone like you speaking to their noise-infested souls. I know I probably sound like a crotchety old woman, but when I see young people glued to their phones and the latest peace of technology and searching for their meaning in life in ridiculous ways, I wish I could instantaneously pull all the technopieces out of peoples hands and say, “Be still”. The answers to life’s questions are not in the loud political rants and demonstrations, they are in the still, quiet whispers from the Lord to the depths of our soul. The older I get, the more I find that I like quiet. I rarely have the t.v. on. I often mute my phone so I’m not distracted by it’s myriad of noises. I go for walks out in God’s creation (leaving said cell phone behind) and just talk to him and I try to walk quietly and listen for what He would say to me. Sometimes God doesn’t speak in MY intentional silence, but I find that the more I envelope myself in quiet the more opportunity He has to break through the distraction and capture my attention with His unfathomable love. You’re on the right track girl…keep following God’s leading. You are an inspiration!
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

    ps. Sorry about the rambling on (speaking of silence lol)

    • God just gave me my answer to a huge decision… through you! God is good, all the time. Be blessed.

      • Same here, Terri Kyle! Same here. And soo.. a Big “T.Y.” to You, Aliza! TY for this. And for me, the Reminder that I so needed, and.. especially at this time. I will be going into my Quiet where I know Jesus will be waiting.. where I will ‘hear’ Him the loudest.

    • Bev,

      I agree with you. Coincidentally I have a sign I made on a piece of driftwood that says, “Be Still” on my patio. It’s amazing the effect just seeing those two little words can have.
      Have a blessed day,

      Penny

    • I feel that way often as well, Bev. I even purchased a real life alarm clock the other day so I wouldn’t be touching my iPhone first thing in the morning. Isn’t that funny?

      I love how you go on walks to talk to God. So beautiful. Thanks for your consistent encouragement, Bev. It does not go by unnoticed.

  2. Oh how I needed these words this morning. This month has been a noisy one and I feel like God has been silent – I am overwhelmed with the demands of being everything to everyone (self-imposed, of course)! I have been too busy trying to sort through all the noise and ‘figure it out’, distracted by making something of myself and striving for perfection. Even in my quiet time, I am to caught up in the noise to listen to God’s small whispers of encouragement. I am planning to take some time this evening to just sit and focus on how he loves me and who I am because of that, to let his identity wash over me and feed the empty places of my soul.
    Thank you for the encouragement today!

    • I totally get the self-imposed demands, but they feel so important, don’t they? I am praying now that your time with Jesus this evening will be one filled with peace, and knowing your true identity. Thanks so much, Jessica.

    • Jessica,
      Take it from a years-of-striving-to-be-perfect survivor…there is no such thing as perfect that we can attain. The only “perfect” is how God sees you through the precious blood of His Son…no striving needed. Your only identity is found in Christ…and in His book you are A-okay!
      Blessings and peace,
      Bev xx

  3. Aliza,

    Thank-you for your amazing, well written post.
    This I can relate to as I commented on it the other day: It was “I can’t even tolerate certain sounds.” When it’s too noisy, the place for me is one created by the Lord himself to refresh my mind, and it soothes the soul.
    Have a peaceful day,

    Penny

  4. Thank you for sharing this message. As an introvert I need a lot of quiet, so the world feels very loud right now. A friend talked to me about a weekend rest from social media, so this completes that idea by setting aside a time to focus on God’s presence.

  5. Thank you! Perfect timing for me to read this.. I am taking a break from some of the noise in my life. Many blessings on you and yours..

  6. So beautifully said. And the fact that you lived it for ten min made the truth come in and through you. Which is key to a great writer, btw, but not the goal. The goal is to be. My mentor gave me Beloved by Nouwen for Christmas. Am taking my time through it but need to get back in it. As Chambers said, the answer to most of life’s questions are relatively few but they are answered by , “Come unto Me.” It’s that time in CA right now for me. Thank you, Aliza.

  7. I’m so grateful you are sharing about disciplines here on (in)courage. Your honesty about the “post honeymoon” phase of silence and solitude truly blessed me. When that comes unexpected, we can feel inadequate or frustrated. We are retreating so we can be freed of what blocks us and be more intimate with Jesus as a result. Then, somewhere during our sweet communion, wham, we run into distraction and all sorts of hurt or striving we hadn’t even seen. This IS the first fruit of solitude and silence. God reveals all we were unknowingly avoiding in our frenetic and noisy lifestyle so He can help us through it. Another translation of “be still” is “cease striving.” Your post reminded me of that encouragement: “Cease striving and know I am God.” Thank you.

    • “Post honeymoon” phase — such a true phrase. It’s true: I wrestled with guilt and inadequacy (well, I still do!) for a long time during my time with Jesus. But you’re right, he helps us through all of that… even when it feels like it may take awhile! Thank you, Patty.

  8. Reading this made me think of Jeremiah 33:3, call on me and I will answer and show you things you did not know, parahrasing. It also brought to mind the spiritual gifts. Since the Holy Spirit is our teacher, being still is how learn to walk in this, so many people don’t because of fear. There is too much noise, I think there may always be and we have to overcome by recieving His peace. Too much distraction leads to destruction, and the real tragedy is is we miss His voice. But like you say He seals our identity, quietly.

  9. I have begun to do this. I need to get where it is done daily. But I was so at peace and God spoke to what needed to be addressed with a bible verse I would never of thought to read. It is getting and staying quiet for my mind seems to not want to shut up!

    Thank you for the article for it reminds me I need to do it more often for my mind spins in circles sometimes and tv is on because I am alone it is nice to have a voice heard at times.

  10. Thank you for this reminder and encouragement to get still and quiet to hear His quiet whispers. My husband is a pastor and a year ago he burned out – literally hit a wall and couldn’t continue. The thing that has made the biggest difference to us, our lives, our health, and our walk with the Lord has been consistently taking a sabbath and changing the day from Friday to Monday.

    You are right. We need to stop, be still and listen.

    Xxx

  11. I, too, delight in your wisdom-beyond-your-years, Aliza. That coupled with your sweet humility will make you a fine instrument that God can use in powerful ways. You are so right that times of stillness replenish our spirits. I especially appreciated your suggestion of what to do during that stillness: “Ask Him to show you who you are, not who you should be.” Such a wonderful, practical way to renew the mind! Thank you, Aliza.

  12. Aliza,

    I wish I had your wisdom in my younger years. This world get noisy with social media rants and all the “self-imposed” good Christian activities. I read something in my Bible study last night. “Everything good is not good for us.” If Jesus needed time alone to be with the Father-how much more do we need it. Just take a “Sabbath rest from social media, TV, etc. and reconnect with nature and your family. You will find the rest you need, and hear God talking with you.

  13. “…quietly sealing our identity.” You had me with this entire post, but that’s going to stick forever, I believe. Quiet is what my introvert, highly-sensitive self needs. I always need to sit in the presence of God. But I never do, or almost never, because there are little people all over the place who need all the things, all the time and who has time (or silence) to sit?!? But identity. I do need Him to tell me who I am and Whose I am. Because I know it in my head, but my heart needs the reminder deeply enough that I believe I my just carve that time out.

  14. Love when Aliza writes!!!!! I 100% agree his voice is often a small whisper, gently filling our souls. Often though in some of my deepest pain and fear, his voice has overwhelmingly been the loudest. It was his roar that was overpowering the enemies voice. I had not experienced this before but in the storms, his voice was so clear. In the everyday I can find it a bit for difficult, but when I step back I realize I was living in his peace the whole time. You are so right Aliza, he delights in us, he sings over us, hes in the quiet and His voice will drown out every other voice.

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