God in Your Life

[Fathero9]

This is something that my wife and I have been discussing with our kids the last couple of weeks and maybe it could lead to some interesting discussion here.

Does God take an active role in your life? Do you see Him leading you or even nudging you along? Or is He just sitting back watching you struggle along? Give some examples of these sign posts or signal graces if you have seen them.

 

[cradlecatholic]

Yes, God definitely takes an active role in my life. Most recent example…

After the birth of my second child, I was struggling with the decision of whether or not I should quit my part-time job and stay home full time. I prayed to God and asked Him if it was His will that I should stay home full time, would He please just arrange for me to be fired because I just didn’t have the nerve to quit. Two months later, I was let go because my employer was having to down size the department I worked in.

God has also given me the desire to have more children. Prior to my conversion, I only wanted one child. I thought it was crazy to have more than one because of how much sacrifice was involved in raising children. As I began to grow in my faith, I prayed to God to give me the desire for more children, if it was His will that I have more. This lead to baby #2. And despite 2 very difficult pregnancies (pre-term labor with both), I still want more.

I could go on and on, but I think these are the two best examples in my life, thus far.

 

[Tyler_Smedley]

God has also been present in my life, although I have seen it mostly in hindsight. My decision to attend Western Washington University (where I am now as a freshman) was made on what I thought to be impulse, I was accepted to both Washington State University and Western and one day I simpily with out thinking about it chose western [big God nudge]. I was away from the church morality speaking during this time an was running Cross Country for Western. I didn’t go to mass for about a month and wasn’t living according to the Catholic morals. When school started I went to the campus ministry’s first mass and hated it, they were all so happy and stuff and I hated them for it. The next mass my cousin who also attends western as a freshman persuaded me to join the chior just for once (I haven’t left yet and its been a *long * time) I hated that too. Midway though Fall quarter I got hurt in Cross Country something to do with my hip, still cant figure out how, and I couldn’t run anymore. So with nothing to do on another impusle and alot of nagging by my cousin, bless her heart, I decided to go on a trip with the Campus ministry to hear Fr. John Corapi give a talk about the lumious misteries of the rosary [god nudge]. In that talk he got fired up about Catholics who tear the Chruch down by not being holy enough and persisting in a life of mortal sin which is what I had been doing for the past 4 or 5 years or so. He said that people like that needed to understand the errors of their ways and come back to the life of grace [BIG GOD NUDGE]. That night at about 2 am I went to confession and “reverted” back to Catholicism, all of this wouldn’t have started if I hadn’t have gone to western, hadn’t been hurt in Cross Country, if I hadn’t gone to Fr. Corapi I would still be living a life of sin and there would be no way you would ever find me near these forums or thinking about anything Catholic. So looking back on all of that I can see God’s hand leading me back to the Truth of the Catholic Chruch. Hope this story helps others learn that there is hope no matter how far you have strayed from the path of Grace. Peace!

 

[dust]

I think that most of the people here, will attest to God’s active involvement in their lives. I am convinced that God is always actively working within us.

I am no exception. I, too, could list example after example. I think the key is to direct all that we do, to His holy Will. When we are aligned with God’s Will, He is able to work more freely within us, and His inner and outer workings are more apparent… The thing that simply amazes me about this, is God’s willingness to be involved in the minutiae of our lives as well as the “big” life events.

Example: Recently, my husband I went property hunting. I prayed, and asked God to help us. We found some beautiful farmland, with rolling hills and woods. I fell in love with the place! I prayed again, and asked God to help us procure it, but when we placed a contract on it, it was refused. I felt uncommonly peaceful about all of this. We continued to work with the property owners, but we could not come to an agreement. Still, I felt peaceful! Then, a week later, we received a call, and the owners had changed their minds. We wrote a contract, and faxed it to them in an hour. When we drove down the following weekend, to sign some additional papers, the Realtor told us that, another offer came in…higher…half an hour after our contract was ratified. She went on to say, that the phone had been ringing off the hook, with people who wanted to buy “our” property.

I list this example, because this was such a small thing. It probably had little to do with my eternity. Owning this farmland was important to me, alone…and yet…God granted me my request. He didn’t have to. He just did…because He is my Father, and sometimes…we give our children things, just because we want to.

JMJ, pray for us.
dust

 

[Fathero9]

The most famous incident in our family is the “Turtle Miracle”. When my #3 son, Jake, was four he fell in love with a turtle at preschool and wanted one of his own. He asked both me and his mother, but we didn’t think at four he was quite ready for a pet. The next day my wife found on his knees praying for a turtle. When one didn’t show up the next day, he became angry saying that he was never going to pray again. I had the task of explaining to a four year old that God doesn’t always say yes to prayers.

We really thought that this was the end of until about two weeks later my wife called me outside. She was very insistant that I come out immediately. I figured that one of the kids had gotten hurt, but to my surprise everyone was standing at the bottom of our driveway around a six inch painted turtle. This had never happened before. We don’t live in an area known for anphibians. In order to get to my driveway, this fella had to cross either one highway or a busy four lane road. We had another talk about how God sometime takes his time when answering prayers.

My sister-in-law uses Jake instead of instead of St. Anthony – she calls up and asks him to pray that she finds whatever she has lost. It seems pretty reliable.