This week's Italian phrase (see New Year, New Languages, www.aheart4heaven.blogspot.com) is "E stato fantastico" which means "that was amazing" and describes so perfectly each of my experiences with God! Today I am particularly amazed that the Creator of the universe is interested in conversing with us, and the creative ways He finds to do so. The particular incident I was thinking about (just one of so many!) occurred some years ago when I was still driving one of my kids back and forth to school. On my way home from one such morning run I was talking to God about an issue that had arisen in the last twenty-four hours. A well-meaning friend had called to give me some information she thought I should know, but my spirit was rejecting and almost resenting what she had to say. I know her heart and understand that she meant well, but what she was saying wasn't sitting well with me. Rather than being helpful it had a tendency to lead me into doubt and worry. I felt that I was to ignore it, but then wondered again if I was perhaps in a "state of denial" about the situation. Was I being spiritually lazy by not being more concerned about it, or was I right to leave it in God's hands and simply trust that He would work it out? I felt that God would give me His answer on the subject in my morning devotional time and hurried home to receive it. When I was finally sitting at my kitchen table and picked up the study guide I was using, these were the words that I read:

...stay in step with God and hear the beat. That sometimes means turning a deaf ear to the clamor of the outside world or the advice of well-intentioned friends. (emphasis mine)

Wow! E stato fantastico!