The word “discernment” can have a lot of different meanings; today Cinthia discusses it as the process of determining what God is calling you to do.  This can apply to vocation, marriage or singleness, and so many other important questions, and a given person can have several different callings at once (e.g., being married, working a particular job, etc.).  Cinthia emphasizes today that God wants us to know what He wants for us and has given us tools for making these decisions.  Discernment may seem mysterious at times, but it is more about awareness than any kind of weirdness.  God has a call on every life, and He wants us to find that call.  He wants us to know why He made us and what we are supposed to be doing on the planet.  Discernment is a gift that God gives us, so the first step is to ask God for wisdom, guidance, and help to follow His lead.  James 1:5-6 (ESV) says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”  God made us, so it is important for each of us to ask Him who we are, why we are here, and what we are supposed to be doing.  We need Him to help us know where to go and what to do.  Those who crave and revere humility can become like majestic horses in tune with their riders (or, in this case, the Rider), responsive to the least amount of pressure in the desired direction. God has made us with different parts that work together to help us discern where He is leading us.  Cinthia discusses these as “the three brains:” the head, the heart, and the gut.  The head is our rationality, our logic, the ability to think logistically, practically, and sensibly.  The heart is more about emotion and passion; it involves feelings and may give us a sense that we just “have to” follow a particular path.  We need to consider both the head and the heart as it can be unwise to trust one without the other.  The gut is the third “brain” and tends to be “where truth lies.”  It often brings our thoughts and our feelings together and gives us a sense of what to do in the midst of conflicting information from the other two.  In fact, Cinthia notes that there is even research that confirms our “gut sense” as an important factor to consider when making decisions.  Being aware of one’s own body signals is important because our “three brains” function inside our bodies, and our bodies often give us messages. While there are times when we must act quickly, it is often wise to take time when it is available.  The process of sifting through signals from our three brains and understanding what they are saying can take time.  Time also allows for the gathering of outside information and experience; there can be clues in our lives that lead us to recognize God is calling us in a particular direction (e.g., things that happen when we were not expecting or looking for them to happen).  It may be helpful to talk to others, especially those who are wise.  Sometimes it helps to try moving cautiously in a particular direction and see what happens, then re-evaluate. Examining one’s own personal value system is important in this process.  We each have a value system, whether we recognize it or not.  Each person has a set of principles or ideals that drives his/her actions and decisions.  The value system needs to come from all three “brains,” acknowledging the information that comes from them and guiding them further.  Cinthia emphasizes, “Your values define your character.”  Being intentional about your value system and making decisions that are consistent with that value system will reduce the amount of choices you make purely from impulse or simply for instant gratification. Sometimes we do not like the callings God gives us, at least at first.  Cinthia experienced this and found that God had different and better plans for her than