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A Life of Listening: Discerning God's Voice and Discovering Our Own
The Christian life is a life of listening. In this memoir, lifelong minister of the gospel Leighton Ford tells his story as a personal history of listening for God’s voice. Beginning with his earliest memories, he recounts the different ways God has spoken to him, and the different ways he has learned to listen. Through the joys of ministry, first as an international evangelist, often in partnership with Billy Graham, and later as a leader of the Lausanne Movement and a mentor of emerging leaders, he remembers God's voice proclaiming, instructing, reassuring. Through the pain of deep loss, he remembers God's voice calling out to him, even in the deafening silence. What emerges is not just an account of a long and faithful life of Christian service, but a picture of the Christian life―the life of listening. What will it sound like, Ford asks, when God speaks to you?
- GenresMemoirSpiritualityFaith
193 pages, Hardcover
Published September 3, 2019
17 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Leighton Ford
75 books12 followersLeighton Ford is president of Leighton Ford Ministries. He served for many years as an evangelist with Billy Graham, and was featured as the alternate speaker to Billy Graham on the Hour of Decision broadcast. He also served for nearly twenty years as chairman of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, an international body of Christian leaders, and for many years has mentored emerging leaders all over the world. The author or coauthor of numerous books, including Transforming Leadership and The Attentive Life, Ford lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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December 2, 2019
Summary: A memoir in which Ford sums up his life as one of listening for God's voice, and the unique voice of his own he discovered as he did so.
I have been listening to Leighton Ford most of my life. As a young boy, I heard him preach on The Hour of Decision on occasions when Billy Graham was not on the broadcast. As a college student, I participated as a counselor in a crusade he led in Youngstown. Even then, his voice was different from Billy Graham, quieter, rich with cultural and spiritual insight. I was moved by his account of the death of his son Sandy, a parent's worst nightmare, and how he went on with God afterward. I saw a turn in his ministry as he focused on leadership and found his book Transforming Leadership deeply helpful as a rising leader. Much later, as I found myself giving increasing attention to the inner journey, his book, The Attentive Life, captured for me what seems the connecting point between those who love God and love learning, the practice of attentiveness. Now, as I think of this question of what it means to finish well in Christ, comes this memoir, in which Ford looks back and sums up a journey of listening to God.
In the Introduction to the book, he describes his youthful response to the call of Jesus after listening to a retired missionary and a college student speak of Jesus:
I was five then. Now, eighty plus years later, I can barely recall the voices and face of that missionary lady and that college student, but I know that through them I heard another Voice calling me, a voice I have been listening for ever since. So I write my listening story not because it is a perfect story or one to emulate but as a testament to the power of listening for the voice of my Lord.
The narrative traces this listening story from the early years as the adopted son of Charles and Olive Ford. Olive was the one who first taught him to read scripture and pray and took him to the Keswick conference where he responded to the voice of Jesus. He describes his teen years as he struggles to differentiate the voice of Jesus from Olive's strong, controlling, and protective voice. He narrates his first encounter with Billy Graham at a Youth for Christ rally he had organized, and how, amid discouraging results, Graham encouraged him, encouraging his own response to the growing sense of God's call to preach.
Graham also told his sister Jean about Leighton, and when they went to Wheaton, they eventually began dating, and in a decisive break with Olive, who disapproved, married Jean. The following years were one's under Graham's mentorship, first as an associate accompanying him and sharing some of the preaching, and then forming his own team and booking his own crusades as part of the Graham organization.
He describes the shift in his own ministry as he increasingly included social advocacy and outreach in his crusades, began discovering his inner life as he wrestled with depression, and met his birth mother and understood more deeply the pulls in his life between the sense of loss and longing represented in his birth mother, and the impulse to separate Olive's voice from the voice that was calling him. Then came the devastating death of his son Sandy, and the discovery of "places in our hearts we don't even know are there until our hearts are broken." His preaching was changing, and it became apparent, first to Billy Graham, and then him, that it was time to part ways organizationally, a move that actually deepened their friendship, and collaboration on things such as the Lausanne Consultation on World Evangelization.
The last part of the book covers the period from his fifties until the present as he embarks on what Susan Howatch called "the second journey." He learns both to listen more deeply for the Lord's voice and to find his own. He recounts the several year journey to developing a new ministry focus on developing rising leaders and evangelists. His last chapters explore the anamcharas through whom the voice often comes, his growing appreciation of beauty and hearing God's voice as he took up art, and the distinguishing character of God's voice and how it comes.
No two lives are alike, no two paths the same. Yet, at least for me, listening to those who have been listening to the Voice of the Master is a rich source of wisdom. Such is this book by Leighton Ford; not a substitute for listening to the only Voice who can lead us safe home, but as sage counsel for how to recognize the only true Voice from the many competing for our attention.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I have been listening to Leighton Ford most of my life. As a young boy, I heard him preach on The Hour of Decision on occasions when Billy Graham was not on the broadcast. As a college student, I participated as a counselor in a crusade he led in Youngstown. Even then, his voice was different from Billy Graham, quieter, rich with cultural and spiritual insight. I was moved by his account of the death of his son Sandy, a parent's worst nightmare, and how he went on with God afterward. I saw a turn in his ministry as he focused on leadership and found his book Transforming Leadership deeply helpful as a rising leader. Much later, as I found myself giving increasing attention to the inner journey, his book, The Attentive Life, captured for me what seems the connecting point between those who love God and love learning, the practice of attentiveness. Now, as I think of this question of what it means to finish well in Christ, comes this memoir, in which Ford looks back and sums up a journey of listening to God.
In the Introduction to the book, he describes his youthful response to the call of Jesus after listening to a retired missionary and a college student speak of Jesus:
I was five then. Now, eighty plus years later, I can barely recall the voices and face of that missionary lady and that college student, but I know that through them I heard another Voice calling me, a voice I have been listening for ever since. So I write my listening story not because it is a perfect story or one to emulate but as a testament to the power of listening for the voice of my Lord.
The narrative traces this listening story from the early years as the adopted son of Charles and Olive Ford. Olive was the one who first taught him to read scripture and pray and took him to the Keswick conference where he responded to the voice of Jesus. He describes his teen years as he struggles to differentiate the voice of Jesus from Olive's strong, controlling, and protective voice. He narrates his first encounter with Billy Graham at a Youth for Christ rally he had organized, and how, amid discouraging results, Graham encouraged him, encouraging his own response to the growing sense of God's call to preach.
Graham also told his sister Jean about Leighton, and when they went to Wheaton, they eventually began dating, and in a decisive break with Olive, who disapproved, married Jean. The following years were one's under Graham's mentorship, first as an associate accompanying him and sharing some of the preaching, and then forming his own team and booking his own crusades as part of the Graham organization.
He describes the shift in his own ministry as he increasingly included social advocacy and outreach in his crusades, began discovering his inner life as he wrestled with depression, and met his birth mother and understood more deeply the pulls in his life between the sense of loss and longing represented in his birth mother, and the impulse to separate Olive's voice from the voice that was calling him. Then came the devastating death of his son Sandy, and the discovery of "places in our hearts we don't even know are there until our hearts are broken." His preaching was changing, and it became apparent, first to Billy Graham, and then him, that it was time to part ways organizationally, a move that actually deepened their friendship, and collaboration on things such as the Lausanne Consultation on World Evangelization.
The last part of the book covers the period from his fifties until the present as he embarks on what Susan Howatch called "the second journey." He learns both to listen more deeply for the Lord's voice and to find his own. He recounts the several year journey to developing a new ministry focus on developing rising leaders and evangelists. His last chapters explore the anamcharas through whom the voice often comes, his growing appreciation of beauty and hearing God's voice as he took up art, and the distinguishing character of God's voice and how it comes.
No two lives are alike, no two paths the same. Yet, at least for me, listening to those who have been listening to the Voice of the Master is a rich source of wisdom. Such is this book by Leighton Ford; not a substitute for listening to the only Voice who can lead us safe home, but as sage counsel for how to recognize the only true Voice from the many competing for our attention.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
September 4, 2019
Listening is a critical part when it comes to spiritual direction. Our past explains the present. Our present appreciation of our history helps us make decisions pertaining to our future. More importantly, it is about our identity. In this honest and self-revealing book by one of the most gifted evangelists in this modern era, Ford gives us a glimpse of his life of listening to God. In doing so, he hopes to give us, and especially the younger readers among us the encouragement to listen to God in our own lives. Ford reminisces on Lake Rosseau, remembering his many Bible conferences attended when young. At the age of five, he was ready for a lifetime of devotion to the Lord. Using inspiration from the Welsh poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins, he aims to let his life listen to the voices of God through "Christ plays in ten thousand places." It started through his mother's guidance. As an adopted child, he gets a keen sense of appreciation about what it means to be adopted in Christ. His adopted parents frequent quarrels led him to discern on the meaning of his conflicted experiences. He learns the importance of personal listening. He learns the importance of prayers. Reflecting on the listening posture of the Bible character, Samuel, Ford connects the absence and presence of the voice with an inner voice of desire. When listening and desiring God comes together, it becomes a choice for a transforming friendship to develop. His call to be an evangelist comes from two sources: His mother and Billy Graham. He applied to enter Wheaton College at the recommendation of Billy Graham. Incredibly, he was rejected. After a determined pursuit, he was finally allowed in. Wheaton stretched his mind. He met and married Jeanie, the sister of Billy Graham. The voices for his three years at Wheaton include a young evangelist in Los Angeles, the pastor of the college chapel, his wife Jeanie, and the voice of the Spirit. He often compares his calling with the biblical stories, such as the ones where Paul mentored Timothy. Like how Billy mentored him to eventually take over the evangelistic ministry. One comforting thought is that even in the deepest fears and uncertainty, God still works through our weaknesses. Ford even hears from the Lord in the aftermath of an earthquake. During the dark nights of his soul, he often questioned the reality of his ministry. Sometimes, he would make the mistake of seeing the work of the Holy Spirit only in moments of high. It takes a while to learn that the reward for ministry success is none other than God Himself.
This memoir shows us that spiritual listening is not limited just to our vocation or our growth from childhood to adulthood. It is all of life, including those times in which we are still unbelievers. With frank openness and candid revelation of his own life, Ford has given us a map about his life. He invites us to sit with him as he shares about his own life. Just like the way he has described his life journey, he encourages us to seek God in our own journeys as well, to be ready to listen to whatever signs, life changes, and decisions to be made at crucial points. Spiritual listening comes before decision making. In fact, listening well directly impacts decision making. Even in dark times, God's voice is still audible, if we care enough to listen. Let me offer three reasons to read this book.
My Thoughts
First, we all need a voice to guide our ways. Whatever journeys we make, there will be ups and downs. God is with us through all times, not just the climactic highs. He is also with us through the valley of the shadow of death, just like what was described in Ps 23. If we fail to listen, we lose our discerning opportunities. The famous Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkergaard has said: "Life is lived forward and understood backward." Ford, through his reflection and retrospective writings show us that is so true. Each time we look back and reflect on our life's experiences, we learn new things. We hear God's voices in new ways. This voice is always present. Our listening ears are not as often actively engaged.
Second, paying attention to God's voice is a spiritual discipline we all need. We may not have some of the dramatic experiences like the author's. That does not minimize our own life experiences. Each of us have been created in the image of God. We are all precious in His Sight. There is no experience that He is not interested in. For God is love. By learning to cultivate this discipline, not only are we better listeners for ourselves, we train us to be spiritual mentors for others as well. This personal act of listening is an important fabric of a Christian community.
Third, note how deeply ingrained are the Scriptures in the life of the author. Page after page, there are thoughts on Jesus, on Bible references, and how the saints of old have reflected about their spiritual lives. No one becomes an eloquent listener overnight. Our listening curriculum is for life. There is no end point. For the greatest reward is God Himself.
I appreciate the author's honesty and self-revelation. Whether you write journals or diaries, blogs regularly or record spiritual thoughts, I would encourage you to learn from Leighton Ford's life of listening. Sometimes, we search the Internet or comb the libraries for precious resources, and fail to realize that the deepest treasures may lie within our own stories. Through prayer and biblical reflection, may our listening be helped through personal reflection and retelling of our own stories. For the uninitiated, pick up this book for a start.
Dr Leighton Ford is President of Leighton Ford Ministries that focus on raising young leaders in evangelism and mission worldwide. He has served as Associate Evangelist and Vice-President with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Inter-Varsity Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
This memoir shows us that spiritual listening is not limited just to our vocation or our growth from childhood to adulthood. It is all of life, including those times in which we are still unbelievers. With frank openness and candid revelation of his own life, Ford has given us a map about his life. He invites us to sit with him as he shares about his own life. Just like the way he has described his life journey, he encourages us to seek God in our own journeys as well, to be ready to listen to whatever signs, life changes, and decisions to be made at crucial points. Spiritual listening comes before decision making. In fact, listening well directly impacts decision making. Even in dark times, God's voice is still audible, if we care enough to listen. Let me offer three reasons to read this book.
My Thoughts
First, we all need a voice to guide our ways. Whatever journeys we make, there will be ups and downs. God is with us through all times, not just the climactic highs. He is also with us through the valley of the shadow of death, just like what was described in Ps 23. If we fail to listen, we lose our discerning opportunities. The famous Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkergaard has said: "Life is lived forward and understood backward." Ford, through his reflection and retrospective writings show us that is so true. Each time we look back and reflect on our life's experiences, we learn new things. We hear God's voices in new ways. This voice is always present. Our listening ears are not as often actively engaged.
Second, paying attention to God's voice is a spiritual discipline we all need. We may not have some of the dramatic experiences like the author's. That does not minimize our own life experiences. Each of us have been created in the image of God. We are all precious in His Sight. There is no experience that He is not interested in. For God is love. By learning to cultivate this discipline, not only are we better listeners for ourselves, we train us to be spiritual mentors for others as well. This personal act of listening is an important fabric of a Christian community.
Third, note how deeply ingrained are the Scriptures in the life of the author. Page after page, there are thoughts on Jesus, on Bible references, and how the saints of old have reflected about their spiritual lives. No one becomes an eloquent listener overnight. Our listening curriculum is for life. There is no end point. For the greatest reward is God Himself.
I appreciate the author's honesty and self-revelation. Whether you write journals or diaries, blogs regularly or record spiritual thoughts, I would encourage you to learn from Leighton Ford's life of listening. Sometimes, we search the Internet or comb the libraries for precious resources, and fail to realize that the deepest treasures may lie within our own stories. Through prayer and biblical reflection, may our listening be helped through personal reflection and retelling of our own stories. For the uninitiated, pick up this book for a start.
Dr Leighton Ford is President of Leighton Ford Ministries that focus on raising young leaders in evangelism and mission worldwide. He has served as Associate Evangelist and Vice-President with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Inter-Varsity Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
January 20, 2020
Leighton Ford’s memoir is a gentle and also compelling look into a life of listening to the different voices he encountered over the decades. The voice of his mother, of hockey night in Canada, of friends, of his wife, of his brother-in-law Billy Graham, and certainly of the Voice by the Lake that spoke throughout the decades.
His life has been a remarkable journey from widely known evangelist to quiet mentor for hundreds of younger leaders. It was also a journey of coming to terms with being adopted by a goodhearted but sometimes unbalanced mother as well as that of finding his birth parents late in life.
The tone of the calm Voice he grew to know over the years wonderfully permeates Leighton’s own voice in this memoir. The result is a book that delivers exactly what the subtitle offers: “Discerning God’s Voice and Discovering Our Own.”
His life has been a remarkable journey from widely known evangelist to quiet mentor for hundreds of younger leaders. It was also a journey of coming to terms with being adopted by a goodhearted but sometimes unbalanced mother as well as that of finding his birth parents late in life.
The tone of the calm Voice he grew to know over the years wonderfully permeates Leighton’s own voice in this memoir. The result is a book that delivers exactly what the subtitle offers: “Discerning God’s Voice and Discovering Our Own.”
November 6, 2019
A Book Filled With Inspiration for Every Reader
How can you live a life of service to the Lord and the body of Christ? As you read A LIFE OF LISTENING, you will discover how Leighton Ford found the answer to this question in his own life. This memoir is filled with his personal stories about growing up in Canada and finding his own way to ministry. The stories about meeting and dating his wife, Jean, form an interesting part of this book (the youngest sister of Billy Graham). Also Leighton’s interactions and memories of Billy Graham, his brother-in-law, are tucked into this book and interesting.
More than anything, A LIFE OF LISTENING teaches readers how to listen to the still small voice of God in their own life. As Ford writes, “I think in the summer of 1945 I first realized that what is most deeply personal is also most widely universal. That sense of God caring for a lonely young man was the seed of a desire to help my peers know Christ. It was the voice of my calling—to be an evangelist—a bearer of good news, to invite others into this transforming friendship.” (Page 31)
This memoir is filled with nuggets of insight for every reader. For example, “Writers like the British novelist Susan Howatch and the Catholic priest Henri Nouwen taught me to listen to the inner voice of longing and love instead of the demanding voices around me or the voice of self-preoccupation.” (Page 121). I recommend a careful reading of A LIFE OF LISTENING. I learned a great deal reading this book and highly recommend it.
W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books Straight Talk From the Editor
How can you live a life of service to the Lord and the body of Christ? As you read A LIFE OF LISTENING, you will discover how Leighton Ford found the answer to this question in his own life. This memoir is filled with his personal stories about growing up in Canada and finding his own way to ministry. The stories about meeting and dating his wife, Jean, form an interesting part of this book (the youngest sister of Billy Graham). Also Leighton’s interactions and memories of Billy Graham, his brother-in-law, are tucked into this book and interesting.
More than anything, A LIFE OF LISTENING teaches readers how to listen to the still small voice of God in their own life. As Ford writes, “I think in the summer of 1945 I first realized that what is most deeply personal is also most widely universal. That sense of God caring for a lonely young man was the seed of a desire to help my peers know Christ. It was the voice of my calling—to be an evangelist—a bearer of good news, to invite others into this transforming friendship.” (Page 31)
This memoir is filled with nuggets of insight for every reader. For example, “Writers like the British novelist Susan Howatch and the Catholic priest Henri Nouwen taught me to listen to the inner voice of longing and love instead of the demanding voices around me or the voice of self-preoccupation.” (Page 121). I recommend a careful reading of A LIFE OF LISTENING. I learned a great deal reading this book and highly recommend it.
W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books Straight Talk From the Editor
March 30, 2020
I had never heard of Leighton Ford. But the topic of listening for God’s voice is fascinating to me, so jumped at the chance to read his book. Come to find out, he married Billy Graham’s sister and spent many years preaching the message of God’s love with the Billy Graham organization. Leighton shared many personal things about his life from being adopted to losing a child to becoming a traveling evangelist and everything in between. He reflects on the ways God led him throughout his life in both the good times and the difficult times.
With all his itinerant preaching, Leighton was able to travel the world. And from his travels, he observed, “I began to see how Christ is like a beautiful diamond, a gem of great value, with many facets. So Asians may see in Christ a truth that Europeans miss, and Africans may see reflected in him a loveliness that North Americans overlook. It takes a whole world to even begin to see all the treasures there are in our Lord.” I liked the thought that none of us can see every facet of the Lord. He is too vast and deep for anyone to claim complete understanding. Our cultures and biases paint how it is we see God. This is the only invitation I need to seek to see more facets of His goodness and love.
I enjoyed Mr. Ford’s personal stories. He wrote with honesty and relatability. It was a pleasant surprise learning how his life intersected with Billy Graham’s life. This book was a lovely surprise.
With all his itinerant preaching, Leighton was able to travel the world. And from his travels, he observed, “I began to see how Christ is like a beautiful diamond, a gem of great value, with many facets. So Asians may see in Christ a truth that Europeans miss, and Africans may see reflected in him a loveliness that North Americans overlook. It takes a whole world to even begin to see all the treasures there are in our Lord.” I liked the thought that none of us can see every facet of the Lord. He is too vast and deep for anyone to claim complete understanding. Our cultures and biases paint how it is we see God. This is the only invitation I need to seek to see more facets of His goodness and love.
I enjoyed Mr. Ford’s personal stories. He wrote with honesty and relatability. It was a pleasant surprise learning how his life intersected with Billy Graham’s life. This book was a lovely surprise.
September 4, 2019
Leighton Ford's, A life of Listening, reveals his history in his deep connection to God's voice in all of nature and mankind, throughout his life. Letting us know how God constantly spoke, while leading him to his purpose, and his identity in Christ. It is in reading about how he learned to listen and follow God's voice (in his life's ministry) that he us gives something to follow as we are learning and searching for God's voice in our own lifes. The book I read was an ARC E-book from NetGalley.
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September 4, 2019Although it's not technically a memoir, A Life of Listening was about Ford's lifetime of discerning God's voice and, through Him, discovering our own. I appreciated learning more about Ford and his time in Graham's ministry as well as his life after. I also enjoyed all of his references to poetry, and his contemplative voice.
October 16, 2019
Leighton Ford has been listening all his life for the Voice. At times, it has come through on accents that were unfamiliar or unexpected, and he admits that there have been seasons in which he mistook his own voice for the One he had been listening for, but in A Life of Listening, one thing has become clear as a bell: as we persevere in listening for and discerning the voice of God (no matter how imperfectly), we find our own deepest identity.
Ford’s eighty-plus years of listening have shaped his career, first as an evangelist with Billy Graham’s team, then as chair of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, and ultimately as an author, mentor, and leader of his own independent outreach ministry. Finding that God was at work in shaping his life and ministry through all the many and varied voices he encountered along the way, he offers a memoir-style invitation to his readers to listen for “the sound of God at work in our lives, weaving all things together in a tapestry of divine artistry.” (15)
An Accumulation of Voices Filtered by the Word of Truth
My search for the perfect “dot” of God’s will was fueled by an image of God as rigid, dictatorial, and mostly hidden. It turns out that there’s a good reason why Jesus described himself to his disciples as a”friend,” and invested his ministry in walking alongside them in a demonstration of extravagant grace. As we begin to absorb the truth that our actions have neither a positive nor a negative impact on God’s love for us, we have begun to walk in the rhythms of grace and to hear his heart toward us. Ford’s mission statement has deep roots in grace:
If I am asked for my mission statement, I now say, ‘To be an artist of the soul. And a friend on the journey.'”
The voices we hear throughout our long years on this planet are folded by sovereign design into the many and varied ways in which God himself speaks to us. With the Word of Truth as our filter, the “accumulation of voices” (169) shapes our sense of direction as God the Holy Spirit makes sense of it all and directs us–not toward “a dot,” but rather toward a relationship with God that overflows in our calling, our vocation, a word related to “voice” in the gorgeous sense that as we find our voice in Christ, we learn to “know and sing the music of our soul.” (183)
Giving up the search for “the dot” and, instead, listening for the voice of Christ which “plays in ten thousand places,”** will redefine what it means to follow Christ, for his voice comes to us with vigor and spontaneity, and the glorious truth is that he is ten thousand times more devoted to the guidance of his much-loved children than we are to the hearing and the doing and the following of his Voice.
Many thanks to InterVarsity Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.
Ford’s eighty-plus years of listening have shaped his career, first as an evangelist with Billy Graham’s team, then as chair of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, and ultimately as an author, mentor, and leader of his own independent outreach ministry. Finding that God was at work in shaping his life and ministry through all the many and varied voices he encountered along the way, he offers a memoir-style invitation to his readers to listen for “the sound of God at work in our lives, weaving all things together in a tapestry of divine artistry.” (15)
An Accumulation of Voices Filtered by the Word of Truth
My search for the perfect “dot” of God’s will was fueled by an image of God as rigid, dictatorial, and mostly hidden. It turns out that there’s a good reason why Jesus described himself to his disciples as a”friend,” and invested his ministry in walking alongside them in a demonstration of extravagant grace. As we begin to absorb the truth that our actions have neither a positive nor a negative impact on God’s love for us, we have begun to walk in the rhythms of grace and to hear his heart toward us. Ford’s mission statement has deep roots in grace:
If I am asked for my mission statement, I now say, ‘To be an artist of the soul. And a friend on the journey.'”
The voices we hear throughout our long years on this planet are folded by sovereign design into the many and varied ways in which God himself speaks to us. With the Word of Truth as our filter, the “accumulation of voices” (169) shapes our sense of direction as God the Holy Spirit makes sense of it all and directs us–not toward “a dot,” but rather toward a relationship with God that overflows in our calling, our vocation, a word related to “voice” in the gorgeous sense that as we find our voice in Christ, we learn to “know and sing the music of our soul.” (183)
Giving up the search for “the dot” and, instead, listening for the voice of Christ which “plays in ten thousand places,”** will redefine what it means to follow Christ, for his voice comes to us with vigor and spontaneity, and the glorious truth is that he is ten thousand times more devoted to the guidance of his much-loved children than we are to the hearing and the doing and the following of his Voice.
Many thanks to InterVarsity Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.
December 24, 2021
Ford’s latest book is an invitation from a seasoned disciple, leader, and mentor in the latter part of his life to join him in attentive listening to the Creator’s calling voice. Ford uses his own story, including his adoption, evangelism, marriage, and new ministry to illustrate his own learning to listen, discerning and interpreting the undercurrents of his life that reveal God’s calling, interweaving evangelism, social justice, and attentiveness to the deepest needs and longings of people. He would be disappointed if we finished the book only appreciating his spirituality or admiring his example. And he doesn’t need us to hear what he is hearing, but rather the Voice speaking particularly to each of us, calling us, transforming us. The deficit in much evangelical thinking is that it is just that…thinking. Left brain. But faith is a full life experience, left and right brain, Scripture knowledge and experience and intuition. Ford articulates and embodies this wholeness.
August 26, 2019
Years ago, I came upon a book by Leighton Ford (The Attentive Life) by accident, if there is such a thing as an accident. Maybe I should say, “It found me.” Or, “I was led.” Either way, I was “fed” by it during a searching time and I have gone back to the book many times for encouragement and to be mentored by his writing.
So, I was delighted to see a post about the release of his new book: A Life of Listening. This book is the examen of a life, rather than a day or month. Leighton Ford, looks back over his life and shares with us an honest look at where he heard the Lord and some of the difficulties that helped him listen closely, during his “eighty plus years”.
I resonated with so much in the book, partly I’m sure because I’ve read many of the books and authors he quotes. But his belief that “the way of the kingdom is not ascent but descent” is something I hope that my life mirrors. He shares very poignantly about loss, finding his way in dark times, and that, “God’s disturbing voice got to me most powerfully through voices, as it were, from the edges.”
His discussion on vocation and calling was refreshing and new for me. “The word vocation is related to vocal. It means finding the sound of our own voice, discovering and singing the music of our soul.” I wish I’d read this 20 years ago when I was finding my voice, but now, it helps me to understand my journey so much better.
People benefit from hearing the deep stories of older people. Individuals who have faced the problems of life and listened for the deep longings of their souls, faced their fears and opened themselves to a person, adventure or the unknown. This is not the story of a life survived, but of a life of listening into maturity. There is a humility here, in this book, that encourages me to move downward.
So, I was delighted to see a post about the release of his new book: A Life of Listening. This book is the examen of a life, rather than a day or month. Leighton Ford, looks back over his life and shares with us an honest look at where he heard the Lord and some of the difficulties that helped him listen closely, during his “eighty plus years”.
I resonated with so much in the book, partly I’m sure because I’ve read many of the books and authors he quotes. But his belief that “the way of the kingdom is not ascent but descent” is something I hope that my life mirrors. He shares very poignantly about loss, finding his way in dark times, and that, “God’s disturbing voice got to me most powerfully through voices, as it were, from the edges.”
His discussion on vocation and calling was refreshing and new for me. “The word vocation is related to vocal. It means finding the sound of our own voice, discovering and singing the music of our soul.” I wish I’d read this 20 years ago when I was finding my voice, but now, it helps me to understand my journey so much better.
People benefit from hearing the deep stories of older people. Individuals who have faced the problems of life and listened for the deep longings of their souls, faced their fears and opened themselves to a person, adventure or the unknown. This is not the story of a life survived, but of a life of listening into maturity. There is a humility here, in this book, that encourages me to move downward.
September 6, 2019
For those who have followed and appreciated Leighton Ford's ministry this is a great book to have. It's a beautiful portrait of the way God speaks to us throughout our lives and an encouragement to pay attention to that voice. I like how Leighton notes the patience and effort it can take to discern God's call, how it may involve trying on various roles before we find the one that fits us. The narrative was a little slow at times, but all-in-all a worthwhile reflection for those looking to be more in tune to the voice of God.
September 20, 2019
Leighton Ford takes you on a journey through the story of his life, stopping here and there to gaze and wonder at the places that learning to LISTEN have made a difference. While the path somewhat meanders, each chapter takes you deeper and deeper into the heart of this amazing man and his relationship with God.
If you want to learn how to live a life of listening, this is certainly a helpful book!
If you want to learn how to live a life of listening, this is certainly a helpful book!
October 26, 2024
Such a warm and welcoming book. Leighton truly lets us into his life. It always amazes me how someone who’s gone through much turmoil, pain, unexpected twists can co time to keep serving and leading.
It’s not thoughtless motion but a deep and courageous resilience.
Grateful for his life and what he’s leaving g us in his books and ministry; his passion to identify and develop young leaders has already left a mark and will no doubt continue.
It’s not thoughtless motion but a deep and courageous resilience.
Grateful for his life and what he’s leaving g us in his books and ministry; his passion to identify and develop young leaders has already left a mark and will no doubt continue.
June 6, 2023
A memoir that is easy and light to read, all the while holding some emotional and spiritual death. I kept seeing Leighton Ford quoted in other books and found myself curious. I knew nothing about him prior to reading. While I didn’t find any me quotes by Mr. Ford, this book is rich with fabulous quotes from other writers, theologians and poets.
January 11, 2022
Leighton Ford writes with a thread where he sees the hand of God moving through his life. From childhood adoption to marrying Billy Graham’s sister to chairing the Lausanne Convention, Leighton’s story is one where his listening to God has made all the difference.
March 8, 2020
An amazing life story and a description of a beautiful legacy.
April 26, 2020
Enjoyed learning more about Leighton’s life and family. He faced challenges with his adoptive family and later connecting with his birth parents. Very honest accounts of struggling with his ministry but always finding God speaking to him. Losing his son Sandy was the lowest point as it would be for any parent. Read this while we are sheltering during the COVID 19 pandemic. I needed something calming and reassuring that God is present and we can rely on our faith in times of turmoil. I hope He is listening to all the prayers we are sending up to protect us.
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