I read to my granddaughter as she rested. She’s too little to remember or comprehend me reading to her, but I did the same thing with my girls. When they were toddlers, I read books on my reading level but still appropriate for them to hear. They played and paid little attention, but it was a calming atmosphere. For my granddaughter, I read because it helps her become familiar with my voice.

I want her to hear me so she gets to know me and is comfortable with me. It’s the same reason God wants us to listen to him. He wants us to be familiar with him.

Relationships take time and humility. They take patience and sacrifice, no matter what our age. I know many people who live away from family who find creative ways to connect. One of my very best friends lives several states away, and we still find ways to stay close.

Who are the familiar voices in your life? And to whom is your voice familiar? How are you building trust? What are you doing to invest in and invite others to invest in you?

How well are you listening?