My Encounters with the Divine

 by Rev. Dr. Barbara Christina

I do believe that there is Divinity all around us in every moment of our day. As I awake and look out my window, I am very fortunate to see trees, flowers, bushes, and hear the sounds from a plethora of birds. I can elect to listen to the humming of bees and the howls of a coyote. The greenery is beautiful, even the poisonous bushes like poison ivy or oak.

Each are genuine creations from my Deity and though I may not enjoy a poison ivy infection, I am certain there is a reason for its existence. God speaks to me via a rose, a tree, an animal….Thus quiet walks in nature, on a trail near my home, renew me.

The folks I meet are also beautiful examples of Divinity. The face of God is in all. There are many lessons to learn/acquire as I amble through my small piece of Paradise. I met two lovely young ladies recently, and in our brief conversation, I learned of their Divinity and also their need for prayers.

We are all spiritual beings experiencing a human life. We are aspects of the Divine; thus a meeting with varied individuals is the opportunity to deepen my Divinity. I can also enter a center of worship, pray incessantly, or choose to be outside simply looking at a tree and smiling at its majestic reminder of God. Nature becomes my church.

With the pandemic, houses of worship were limited as to attendance, thus I am fortunate to find my house of worship in the forest. The trails near me are not populated but the folks I meet are like-minded individuals who see God in nature and strive to protect it. We crave this Natural Divine connection and as we connect with Nature, we see the God in us too. Are we not Divine creations who emanated from Nature too? Our bodies are the natural edifices of God. He/She built us and sustains us as I do with a plant, a flower, or a tree.

Thus I am most grateful for the Divinity within me and the Divine I encounter around me daily. God is, and that is my Miracle each and every day.