Presence...

When I look at this picture, I think about God's presence!  I think about sitting on this hillside, overlooking this beautiful valley and feeling the sun on my face.  It makes me want to draw close to God, listen to what He wants to speak to me and learn something new from Him.

It is places like this that have kept my relationship with God growing over the years.  Finding a place in nature to go to, with the specific goal in mind, to get to know God more!  It is these places that have challenged me, brought me peace and consistency in my life no matter where I have lived.

One of my most fondest places like this was in Billings Montana.  I would run to this spot on the trail each morning after dropping my daughter off at Preschool.  I would get to this cliff that overlooked the city to sit in God's presence.  It is here that I believe I entertained an angel.  

I had met with God each morning for an entire year, and now I was moving to North Dakota to go to Bible College.  It was my last day to sit in this spot and I wanted to capture it with a picture.  I brought my camera and set it up from a distance.  I tried frame after frame to catch myself in the shot, but time and time again I only caught me running into the frame, or not at all.  

In discouragement I sat in my spot and said my good byes to God in this place, when a man's voice behind me asked if he could take the picture for me.  I was startled by his presence to say the least, because I had not seen or heard him approach.  I was sitting in a place that would allow me to see on-comers, but I had not seen him at all.  

I accepted his gift and showed him where I wanted him to stand to catch the shot.  Acting like he had no idea how to use the camera I showed him this as well and then went to sit for the picture.  After taking the picture He gave me the camera and then walked away.  As I sat down again for what seemed like a moment, I jumped to my feet to catch up with this man.  I wanted to see if what I believed and felt in my heart was a reality, that this man was an angel that I had just entertained.  Did I really hear God correctly, that I had just entertained an angel?!?!

So I ran to the place I had just watched his head disappear down a small hill and found no one in sight.  I looked up and down the trail, over the cliff and up the other side, but no one in sight!  I went back to my spot and sat down to talk to God.  I couldn't believe that God had really showed up to take my picture.  That God cared that dearly for me and my pursuit to cherish the place we had spent so much time together!

Where are you connecting with God?  If you don't have a place, find it! God wants to meet you there!