A blog about kindness, paying it forward, and stories of life's everyday magic

I had heard about the book Conversations With God for years. A few weeks ago after countless times of my friend recommending it, I saw it sitting on a shop shelf with my name all over it. I grabbed it and started reading right away. Within the first two minutes I was hooked. Time simply escaped me.

With each part of Neale Donald Walsch’s conversation with God in this book, I would reflect on my own questions.

I had gone to stay with my parents recently to attend a memorial service for a friend who passed. The next morning I got up early to catch the boat back to the city. My dad was up working. A friend of his who teaches yoga had stopped by and they were headed out to take pictures in the morning fog. I met Greg briefly and then took off to make the ferry.

I had brought my dog Cooper with me for the overnight trip and wasn’t thrilled about taking the ferry back with him. It meant I had to sit outside on the top deck and freeze. But I had coffee in one hand and a good book in the other, and Cooper in one of those. I sat down on an icy chair, outside, on the top deck of the boat and I opened up  where I had left off. The words drew me in deeper and deeper. The ferry ride flew by.

I got to a place in the book where I read:

“Now come you to this book, asking God again what God has told you countless times in countless ways. Yet I will tell you again-here-in the context of this book. Will you listen now? Will you truly hear? What do you think  brought you to this material? How does it come to pass that you are holding it in your hands? Do you think I know not what I am doing?

There are no coincidences in the universe.”

We approached Seattle and as I looked out at the grey clouds I realized the sun was peering through. Beams of it’s light were decorating the sky. I was ready to ask for a miracle. I read on.

“I have heard the crying of your heart. I have seen the searching of your soul. I know how deeply you have desired the Truth. In pain have you called out for it, and in joy. Unendingly have you beseeched Me. Show Myself. Explain Myself. Reveal Myself.

I am doing so here, in terms so plain, you cannot misunderstand. In language so simple, you cannot be confused. In vocabulary so common, you cannot get lost in the verbiage.

So go ahead now. Ask Me anything. Anything. I will contrive to bring you the answer. The whole universe will I use to do this. So be on the lookout. This book is far from My only tool. You may ask a question, then put this book down. But watch. Listen. The words to the next song you hear. The information in the next article you read. The story line of the next movie you watch. The chance utterance of the next person you meet. Or the whisper of the next river, the next ocean, the next breeze that caresses your ear-all these devices are Mine; all these avenues are open to Me. I will speak to you if you will listen. I will come to you if you will invite Me. I will show you then that I have always been there. All ways.”

My heart opened immediately.

I sat quietly and asked, “I have been searching to pursue something that fulfills me. I know it is already here. After my lulls and doubts with the cards I am asking you to show me my purpose, my creative calling. Please show me, what is my calling?” I asked for a miracle.

I looked out at the mountains and thought to myself, will a sign truly reveal itself, will an answer truly be provided to this question? Is God there listening? If He speaks to me, will I hear, will I see the way?

Right before we docked I saw Greg (my dad’s friend from earlier that morning) scrambling up the stairs.  There I was on the cold top deck, sitting outside. The most difficult place to find someone. He raced up and said “Alexis! I’m so glad I found you. I just wanted to let you know that it was so nice meeting you. Your dad gave me some of your cards.”

I looked at him, “Oh good you can come visit us at the shop then.”

He had a puzzled expression on his face, “you have a shop?”

“Yes in Seattle. What cards did my dad give you if they weren’t for the shop?”

He looked down at his pocket and pulled out a deck of my TAG Cards. He was holding the same deck that I was using as a bookmark for Conversations With God. I could feel my eyes water as the most inner part of me felt acknowledged and loved.

I felt God speak to my soul in that moment. “I will contrive to bring you the answer. The whole universe I will use to do this.”