When God speaks to us, do we recognize it?

Last week, one of our recreation participants came through the door - a dear person to me that I have not seen since before the 2020 Covid days. We hugged and caught up on the last 4 years. She mentioned that her spouse passed away a year ago and she was looking to fill her time helping others as maybe a sitter or caregiver of some kind. As we continued catching up, we vowed to see each other more regularly, and then we went about our day. Later in the evening, a friend’s name popped into my head. No rhyme or reason for me to be thinking of this person – it was out of the blue. Another person I had not seen or talked to in many years. So I texted her, asking how she and her husband were doing, how are the kids….and as she responded in several texts, everything went completely silent and I felt numb to every sense I had. She responded that her husband had early onset Alzheimer's (he’s in his 50’s) and he was no longer driving but really felt a need to be doing something. I believe that silence and numbing feeling was God settling me down to hear His words and that is when I connected my two friends together and the lives of three people instantly changed. I get goose bumps every time I think of it.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2

Each person feels like they hear God differently than others. I believe God speaks in all types of ways and knows what gift you have for listening whether it be language or senses. Recently, I watched a video of someone describing certain numbers as “crunchy” and others as “soft”. In the same way that she “feels” numbers, we “see” numbers. God presents himself to each of us the same way – some might feel Him, some might see or hear Him. With me, I never know how He speaks to me, I just know that He does. Sometimes it’s during and sometimes it’s after – kind of like a “DUH” moment. Sometimes, like my experience above, He silences me.

Marcia K. Gibney

Director of Recreation Ministry