The book All Shall Be Well serves as a perfect companion to my year of aiming to notice God. At the beginning of 2019, I chose the word “notice” as my word of the year, hoping against hope that focusing on this act of noticing would help me discover God in the big and small moments of every day. One spiritual practice I use to accomplish this is the spiritual discipline of Examen, but this year I’ve been reading about new ways to remind myself of God’s omnipresence.
Fortunately, my writer friend Catherine McNiel wrote a book that guides my journey. In All Shall Be Well she shares how we can notice God’s presence in nature when we slow down enough to look. Of course, I have always appreciated the Creator’s majesty and power when I view magnificent mountains and seemingly endless oceans. But Catherine helped me see God in the smaller details of rich earth, thawing ice, and falling leaves.
All Shall Be Well led me on a journey to meet God–not in the miraculous or supernatural–but in the everyday and ordinary. Through it I’m learning to slow down enough to see God in the messy thawing of springtime, the abundance of summer, the letting go of autumn, and even the wilderness of winter. Her beautiful, poetic prose helped open my eyes to notice God in my ordinary moments and humdrum days.
One of my favorite chapters of the book, “Leaves,” recounts a time when the enormous walnut tree in her front yard released all of its leaves at one time. In a few minutes, the tree went from full to empty, leaving a thick carpet of gold on the ground. She uses this story to remind us that even as part of our spiritual journey is receiving grace from God, we also must empty ourselves. Catherine writes:
We let go of what has been, with an eye on what is to come. Mastering this lesson takes a lifetime of practice. Embedded within are so many additional lessons–humility, surrender, courage, contentment, acceptance, and above all, wisdom. (p. 107).
I encourage you to grab a copy of All Shall Be Well. If you’re longing to discover God right where you are, this is the book for you.
I think it’s easy to notice God in nature with the sunrise and sunset and beautiful colors. Also I notice God in the colors and scents of flowers in my garden.
Deb, I so agree. God’s fingerprints are all over creation! All we have to do is use our senses!
Every year we “raise” butterflies. We enjoy seeing these beautiful monarch butterflies go from egg, to caterpillar, to chrysalis, and then transform into something completely different. Only God could have orchestrated that.
Linda, we did that once while homschooling our kids. The whole process is so amazing and such a glorious picture of our life in Christ!
I notice God in the clouds. I love noticing the clouds and feel part of something bigger when I look up at the sky.
Shana, I love the clouds too! I think I notice God especially when its a cloudy day and there’s one small break in the clouds where the sun shines through–a reminder that God is with me even on dark and cloudy days.
The fall season has some of the most beautiful sunsets here in Georgia! I can’t help but praise His holy name when I see the sun setting over the horizon! Oh how beautiful are His works!
Nicci, I’ve been struggling with jet lag lately. Not fun, but one benefit of not being able to sleep is being awake for awe-inspiring sunrises!
This book is a must read. Come near me Lord Jesus.
Connie, it is! It drew me closer to God–giving me eyes to see His presence where before I might have walked right by, unnoticing.
Thanks for giving us a chance to win. I always notice him in nature especially watching the ocean at the beach
Noelle, I love the sound of the waves. And looking at the seemingly endless ocean reminds me of how big God is!
I look out every day to the ocean and mountains in wonder, and it humbles me to my knees……how great is our God
This book sounds like one I would love to read for sure
Randell, to me, mountains always speak of God’s majesty. Now I live in the flat lands of Illinois, but try to get to the mountains once a year for a visual of God’s awesome power.
The beautiful autumn season with its falling leaves remind me of the beauty of letting go of ourselves and what we are holding onto–and into God’s hands.
Prasanta, you are the winner of All Shall Be Well!
Woohoo! Thank you! I can’t wait to read it.
I love the sunrise and the sunsets, I never grow tired of watching them. God’s glory On display!