Do you love learning?

#1. The eager learner

We're in the second of four weeks of TESOL classes. My ears ring from morning to night with information and music. We have Pandora radio on during working breaks. I can focus on the exercises during those breaks ... with headphones blocking the music. Yeah, I'm one of those who has to focus if I care to remember something.

My mind roves between reading, hearing the information, and distractions. Any sound, sight, smell, taste, texture can derail my attention. A conversation or song lyric will weave itself into my notes and later I'll think, "What's this!? Where did that come from?"

I've learned to go with what's in my head. By now, I know what works for me. When info intake is systematic, I can access data later, creatively pulling together entire new ideas and options. When intake is chaotic or random, I probably can't retrieve the information without checking my notes. Regardless, I love learning.

#5. The resistant learner

What kind of a learner are you? Here are some possibilities:

1. Eager learner - no matter what comes your way, you want to know more about it. Where and how it fits in is less important than the excitement of learning something new. C'est moi.
2. Analytical learner - you sort and categorize things as you ingest them.
3. Reflective learner - you mull over what you're learning and connect the new to what you already know.
4. Intuitive learner - you instinctively can imagine why, where, and how the material could fit into the big picture. You grasp a good approximation of the material, either for later retrieval or further study.
5. Resistant learner - you're comfortable and don't want to change your mind (or your life) so you don't want to learn anything new.

Most of us identify with each of the above, depending on the information and our time of life.

• What is God calling you to learn this week? This month? This year? 
• What opportunities do you have to absorb new things and change how you think? how you behave? how you serve or work?
• Are you embracing or resisting learning? Why?

From Real Simple

Read more:

*Who gives intuition to the heart and instinct to the mind? Job 38:36 NLT

*You gave me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer. Psalm 4:1 NLT

*Jesus said to Peter, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.” Luke 22:32 NLT

*Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:26-28 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Jesus, Savior, hear our prayers. You know our earnest desires, our deepest needs, and our unspoken cares. Keep our hearts and minds fixed on you so our faith remains strong. Amen.