Awaken to the Nearness of God

Last week I needed a few things from the store to prepare a light lunch for a couple of friends. I planned to drive to the store about ten o'clock -- after I'd had two cups of coffee and the kids had done their math and we'd done a few chores.

But at 6:30 while I was just beginning my first cup of coffee, my husband reminded me that he would need the car all day. I finished my coffee quickly, threw on my clothes and rushed to the store.

I bought the things I needed, thankful for the self checkout lane because it was simply too early in the morning to converse with strangers. As I walked to the car, I looked toward the mountains that surround our valley and I saw a beautiful rainbow.

Rainbows are rare in the desert. I see a rainbow every year or two. This was a special gift! I drove home, expecting the rainbow to fade quickly, but it remained until I reached home and called the children to come outside and see it.

The rainbow was placed in an area I cannot see from inside my house. It didn't rain at our house that day, and I wouldn't have thought to go looking for a rainbow. If I hadn't made that rushed trip to the store I would have missed it. And my children would have missed the beauty too.

 When I posted the photo I realized something about that rainbow. It was very faint against the blue sky, but vivid against the dark gray cloud.

Sometimes within a dark time, I am very aware of God's presence with me (like the rainbow, vivid against the darkness), but in the sunny seasons I am not always quite so conscious.When I remember to pray for an awareness of God's presence--I like to use St. Patrick's words "Christ beside me on my left and my right"--God opens my eyes to a rose or a rainbow or a robin.

Margaret Feinberg's book Wonderstruck calls us to "awaken to the nearness of God." Margaret says, "Asking God to unleash his mercy and grace and goodness and love is like boldly looking into the eyes of God and saying, 'Surprise me!' The wonder is that he does, if we have eyes to see. Whether in the shining eyes of a baby, a sunset that stops our conversation, or an eight-day trek culminating in holy goose bumps, God reveals his grandeur. And those revelations beckon us to go deeper with him."

I've been enjoying a sneak peak of Wonderstruck, and I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the entire book. Wonderstruck is an invitation to toss back the covers, climb out of bed, and drink in the fullness of life. Wonderstruck will help us:

· Recognize the presence of God in the midst of your routine

· Unearth extraordinary moments on ordinary days

· Develop a renewed passion for God

· Identify what’s holding you back in prayer

· Discover joy in knowing you’re wildly loved

Learn more about Wonderstruck and Margaret's other books at margaretfeinberg.com

You can follow Margaret’s snarky, funny, and inspirational posts on Twitter, Facebook  or her blog . You can learn more about this great book by visiting www.margaretfeinberg.com/wonderstruck where she’s offering some crazy promos right now with up to $300 of free stuff. I’ve seen the book for as low as $7.57 ($14.99 retail) on Barnes & Noble  for all you savvy shoppers.