SCL

I find God in quiet of snow falling in the middle of the night, in the giggles of my three boys laughing upstairs in their room while wrestling, in the craftsmanship of a poet, in the wonders of the Scriptures opened to my mind by the Holy Spirit.

I find God in my response to my little sins. Moments of contempt when someone doesn't speak English well. Moments of indulging lust, or gluttony, or sloth. Before, these moments were not a big deal. Now I have someOne whispering to me, "Really, David? Is that really how you're going to honor Me?"

In the drudge to fight my way out of those little, everyday sins – that is where I feel God most in my life. And His work is going: slowly, but steadily.

"…work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

I don't think I am finding Him that often, but rather, he is finding me.

I find God in the Sunsets, the color changing on the trees as fall comes, the wild flowers on the side of the road, in the peace of a sleeping child, in the faces of children who have nothing yet laugh and enjoy life

I am reminded of God and His presence in so many places…

Outside (ex: this weekend we went camping in a place with gorgeous natural falls and caves)
When I'm laughing with my husband
When I meet other Christians in random places (like on vacation)

I find God standing with me in the fiery furnace of unemployment….I see Him in the difficult people Paul called “earthen vessels”…and I feel Him closest when I’m alone in that dark belly called "Perplexity and Pain."

I find God in many places, but one that keeps coming to me is finding Him in my children.

Let me clarify though. This isn't one of those ooie-gooie, touchy feely, "I see the God's love in the beauty and innocence of my kids" comments. Granted I do see that, but one thing that God keeps teaching me is His grace through my kids.

As a parent, I am constantly having to correct my girls. And I find myself repeating the phrase, "Why did you do that? You know you aren't supposed to do that." To which my daughter replies, "I dunno." And I wonder why my kids are so brain damaged (thank you Bill Cosby for identifying that for us.) Time after time, I have to discipline my child for the same offense and wonder why she doesn't learn.

Then one day, I started comparing that to how God views us. I can't count the times I've done the same stupid thing over and over again. I imagine God looking down and saying, "Why did you do that? You know you aren't supposed to do that." And I reply with, "I dunno." But thankfully, God is more gracious than I am. He is a lot more patient than I am. Even though I love my children with a love I can't fully comprehend, He loves me even more than I can love my girls. He's the best parent in the world and His never-ending love and grace inspires me to be a better parent to my kids.

I find God in the quite moments of my life when
He guidese to someone in need…. Of a friend
,some help, a listening ear, or something more
that’s when it all makes sence and God shows
how purpusfuly powerful he is…..amen!

I find God when I least expect to. When I am feeling the farthest from Him, He shows himself in a way that gives me that glimmer of hope to make it through the day. He sends a friend with just the right words or a hug and a listening ear. He sends a sunset to remind me of his constancy…that He never changes even though life and people do.

I find God when I am really suffering. When I have come to the end of myself, exhausted all my solutions, done everything I can, finally said UNCLE, then I hear the till small voice: "Hey, I'm here—I'm made perfect in your weakness; come to me—you're so weary and so heavy laden, come on over and I'll refresh you…"

I had a little bit of heaven on earth the other day as I sat in my favorite lawn chair, breeze floating through the air causing my neighbor’s near by oak tree’s leaves of gold to dance like sparkling little fishing lures hanging from it’s massive arms. I sat in the sun’s setting glow, marveled at the leaves waving good bye, and enjoyed the words of a good read… it was a taste of heaven. Until my backdoor popped open to reveal a frustrated wife pointing at our dog saying “my dog had just peed all over our new coach.” We dried, shampooed, and laughed. You’ve just gotta love the little moments of heaven that colloid so timely with the fragments of our broken world.

I find God when I drink tea and gaze at the mountains at sunrise.

Driving on the desert rode between home and Los Angeles. During the day I can see his majesty in the pools of sand surrounded by towering mountains. After the sun goes down, the endlessness of the night sky with all its flickering stars scream out his name.

Singing loud in the car

Lately I've been marvelling at finding God through his creation, us!

I love hiking. When I go up in the mountains and stand in front of a 100 foot waterfall I can't help but think, WOW!! God is so cool. To think that He molded mountains, and ran His finger through the earth to form rivers and streams, it's a very cool experience!

I find God everywhere I look. In the strangers I come into contact with doing my daily activities, the loving godly ladies in my bible study, He is in my teenagers laughter and tears, in my husbands look, the beautiful sunsets in Arizona…

I go on annual trips to El Salvador to dig wells with Living Water International. When I see little kids playing in clean water for the first time in their lives…I'm looking straight into the face of God.

I find God in my husband's love.

On top of Mt. LeConte in the Smokies

I love to find Him in the mountains in the middle of His creation!

I find God in relationships… in being a wife, in being a parent, in being a daughter and friend. His love shines out to me in these relationships, and He teaches me about Himself (and myself!) through them.

Gazing at the stars in awe of his awesome creation.

I was standing in the soup kitchen, heaping spoonfuls of perogie casserole onto a plate. It felt holy, serving the homeless, the addicted and the hungry. I sensed the presence of God. Then I heard: "Do you think I see it any differently from when you feed your children?" I have three young ones at home (5,4 and 3) That was a wake-up moment for me. Apparently I find God when I simply listen.

I find God in people. When we look, we can see Him in their faces.

I find God in the amazing ways He provides – whether I ask or not! Miraculous provision when there seems to be no other way. Also….in music…worshipful times corporately or by myself.

I find God in the places He says we will find Him. Whenever I see a thirsty person, whenever I see a hungry person, the sick baby in the hospital who is dying from cancer, the incarcerated prisoner who has no one to come see them and they have absolutely no hope. I see God where His heart breaks the most, where He calls me to be the most.

after two straight days of my two year old asking "why" after everything I said and did I found God when she looked at me and said, "okay mommy" I took a much needed deep breath and smiled. HE shows up with little jewels like this to keep me sane

I found God in yesterday's worship: "He is jealous for me…loves like a hurricane, I am a tree…bending beneath the weight of his wind and glory….Oh how he loves us so!"

every morning He is in my kitchen – when the world is still quiet and the dishwasher is waiting to be emptied, He's there waiting to say good morning.

I find God in everyday living. Listening to my three year old sing songs about her big sister, playing uno spin and losing to 4 children under 9, the mist in the morning, the far-fetched, yet answered, prayer, where don't I see him?

There are so many places I see God. I find Him in the stars, or when I choke up about something that shouldn't make me cry, when one of the girls in the youth group asks me to pray with them. God is amazing!

I find God in the big things, like the mountains seen from the air as you land in Portland, OR, and in the little things, like the dew glistening on a spider's web.

I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for Him.
He's always here with me. I don't have to "find" him.

Wow. This is a totally hard question because lately I've been finding God everywhere. But I'd have to say, recently I've found God in my friends and family. I'm amazed everyday of the people that he has brought into my life and just the right moments.

just “met” Margaret through the nines on 09/09/09. her 9 minute message fascinated me

I find God in the shower…where as a Mom with two toddlers, might be the only time I am alone all day. I get on my knees, pour the prayers of praise/worry/heartache/pain down the drain and let His healing love rain down on me.

Oh, and I would LOVE a copy of this book. I saw Margaret speak on it during a devotional talk at the MOPS convention this year. I've wanted a copy ever since! In fact, me and my travel buddy want to set up a field trip to a farmer, beekeeper, vineyard and shephard here in the Southern Tier of NY with our bible study. This reminded me of that idea!

on my back deck on a prairie morning when the day is still new and I can do my devotions out there, the sky is so brilliant and wide open, it draws me up

…in the radiance of my wife's countenance as she recounts how He met her in the Bible story she delivered in-costume to 70 kids Sunday morning.

I find God in a lot of places and circumstances, but I think my favorite is in absurdity. Often when I observe something absurd and laugh about it (usually a strange turning of my own thoughts), I'll tell God "That's (I'm) totally weird. You are silly for creating that." Which for me is a high compliment.

I see God and the beauty of the Gospel in the stories of hurting friends with pasts they feel they can't reveal because we "good Christians" either won't forgive, will judge, or will "work hard to give them extra grace."

I find God in His story told by Jesus and in the love of friends and family.

I find God in the random conversations I end up having that reverberate what He is trying to tell me at the time.

I find God when I use whatever resource I have (money, time, energy, gifts, etc) to HELP someone else. I have never felt closer to him than when I give a piece of me away to another human being in need.

I find God in the mundane and the strangest of places. In nature, in the faintest breeze on my face, in community, in pain, in desperation, in the sacred and the secular.

Last week I met God in Wayne. I was driving to a conference a few hours away. I passed a hitchhiker with the immediate thought of "just keep driving." Probably the safe thing to do, being the young-ish female driving alone. But my mind was filled of thoughts: someone at church sharing about giving out Bibles to strangers he encountered, my dad picking up a hitchhiker who was trying to get home to a sick family member, the call in my life to intertwine the Good News with good works.

After 10 minutes of fighting a mini-internal battle, I turned around, drove back and picked up the stranger on the side of the road. We talked about his travels, his children, the lady who lives upstairs who reads and writes for him.

I desperately wanted to ask him all his thoughts on God. Instead, he asked me. His own story was told simply. "God lives here" he said, fist to chest. He told me about being a foster kid and the pastor family that he spent time with. He went to church four times a week. They took him camping. They took him to California. They loved him. This one family that impacted his life.

And Wayne (or was it God) taught me in his quiet, understated way that this God he loves is a consuming God. A God who will not be hidden. A God that allows Himself to be found.

beautiful friends' faces

(I LOVE MARGARET FEINBERG!!!! I want her to be my new best friend. Fo real.)

I find God in words…

I find God when my six year old is praying out loud.

i often find god in those moments of music or art – when i hear something that is so…indescribable, it takes your breath away it's so beautiful, the music permeates my being, becomes a part of me. or, when seeing something that conveys a message that cannot be conveyed with words – a picture that speaks through souls, it's that same kind of beauty that permeates, touches places in my being that i cannot define. the way emotions and feelings can be expressed through these mediums so remarkably. i can scarcely find the words to describe moments like this. it's god.

i find him when I'm laying flat on my face…that is, when i physically fall. I'm running through this life with a little adventure making form of MD that i try my best not to pay any attention to. But inevitably, when I''m having a good hair day, or headed to a mtg. that I'm late for, or about to do something profoundly impt I fall. Yeah, the flat out, couldn't make it look like an accident kind. So, that's where He meets me. Right when I'm crying & mad & maybe even mad that He didn't disperse an angel right then to catch me…He just reminds, I'm here too. It's easy to find Him riding my bike in the warmth smelling Fall leaves. Easy to see Him in my friends & my 8yr. old who loves me with bedhead. But, on the ground, at my worst….yeah.