By answered prayer. Through our children. Also, most recently through my prayer journaling and as a result of that journal to seeing how He has answered those prayers and how He is working diligently in my life. I highly recommend that to anyone who hasn't done it. In addition to praying through my journal I make a fairly (for me) brave attempt to issue praise prayers or psalms (so to speak) and I find those to be hugely beneficial to me. They are very much love letters to God. Who better to send them to? I try to be as mushy and adoring as possible and in doing that I find that they are actually stating my own beliefs and helping me define my relationship with God. Somehow that act brings me much closer to the intimate 2-way relationship that I so desire to have with God.
Posted by
Marge
—
14 Jun 2008, 10:00
I don't believe I've ever heard God actually in a verbal voice. Though I know people who say they have. However, God has made himself known to me on many occasions. Once when my children were 2 and 3 years old, I was backing out of the garage and I just knew I had backed into the timber retaining wall. I actually felt the "hit". When I got out of the car, I was 3 feet away from the wall. However, a swarm of yellow jackets emerged from the retaining wall and chased me across the yard. I was only stung 3 times, but I'm sure I looked ridiculas running across the yard with my arms and legs doing their own dance. I realized later that God had made me think I had backed into that wall so that I would kill the yellow jacket nest before my children were horribly stung. They would not have known what to do. I'm sure they would have just run in circles screaming had they been stung. This was a big play area for them. And of course, when our son had brain surgery, I knew God was there with him. After the initial few hours of learning he had a brain tumor, I realized that God had allowed his 4-wheel accident to happen so that we would find this tumor and get it out of his brain before any damage could be done to major glands. From that point on, I never cried, was never worried, I just knew he was in God's hands and that God had provided for all of this to happen. Sorry this one's so long.
Posted by
Sandra
—
14 Jun 2008, 14:26
Marge - what a great idea.
I've seen God in my life through His acts. Ironically, I've prayed to him often asking for things, and he answers my prayers, but often not in the way that I expect. One time in particular, when I was a kid, my family was going through a tough time - my father (now a recovering alcoholic) was drinking excessively and he and mom were fighting all the time. I prayed to God that they would get a divorce so that they would stop fighting. Instead, my father and the whole family went through rehab. Now, my family is very close, and we joke that our dysfunctionality has made us functional. God, I guess, had the long term vision for my life when I didn't. I often wonder what his plan is for me, and sometimes when I'm devastated because something work out, I try to remember this lesson. It's a good exercise in trust.
By answered prayer. Through our children. Also, most recently through my prayer journaling and as a result of that journal to seeing how He has answered those prayers and how He is working diligently in my life. I highly recommend that to anyone who hasn't done it. In addition to praying through my journal I make a fairly (for me) brave attempt to issue praise prayers or psalms (so to speak) and I find those to be hugely beneficial to me. They are very much love letters to God. Who better to send them to? I try to be as mushy and adoring as possible and in doing that I find that they are actually stating my own beliefs and helping me define my relationship with God. Somehow that act brings me much closer to the intimate 2-way relationship that I so desire to have with God.
Posted by Marge — 14 Jun 2008, 10:00
I don't believe I've ever heard God actually in a verbal voice. Though I know people who say they have. However, God has made himself known to me on many occasions. Once when my children were 2 and 3 years old, I was backing out of the garage and I just knew I had backed into the timber retaining wall. I actually felt the "hit". When I got out of the car, I was 3 feet away from the wall. However, a swarm of yellow jackets emerged from the retaining wall and chased me across the yard. I was only stung 3 times, but I'm sure I looked ridiculas running across the yard with my arms and legs doing their own dance. I realized later that God had made me think I had backed into that wall so that I would kill the yellow jacket nest before my children were horribly stung. They would not have known what to do. I'm sure they would have just run in circles screaming had they been stung. This was a big play area for them. And of course, when our son had brain surgery, I knew God was there with him. After the initial few hours of learning he had a brain tumor, I realized that God had allowed his 4-wheel accident to happen so that we would find this tumor and get it out of his brain before any damage could be done to major glands. From that point on, I never cried, was never worried, I just knew he was in God's hands and that God had provided for all of this to happen. Sorry this one's so long.
Posted by Sandra — 14 Jun 2008, 14:26
Marge - what a great idea.
I've seen God in my life through His acts. Ironically, I've prayed to him often asking for things, and he answers my prayers, but often not in the way that I expect. One time in particular, when I was a kid, my family was going through a tough time - my father (now a recovering alcoholic) was drinking excessively and he and mom were fighting all the time. I prayed to God that they would get a divorce so that they would stop fighting. Instead, my father and the whole family went through rehab. Now, my family is very close, and we joke that our dysfunctionality has made us functional. God, I guess, had the long term vision for my life when I didn't. I often wonder what his plan is for me, and sometimes when I'm devastated because something work out, I try to remember this lesson. It's a good exercise in trust.
Posted by Patty — 18 Jun 2008, 17:35