Ways to Experience God

I received the following ideas from a card that was passed out at a women's Bible Study I attended last year. There are several ways to commune with the Lord other than by reading our Bibles and praying. I tend to be a nature buff....I feel very close to the Lord when I am surrounded by His creative works, most especially when I am in the Adirondacks (my absolute favorite place to hike and camp) or when at the ocean at our clan's beach house. I tend to journal outdoors and I tend to do most of my interceding/praying when walking or biking. I find that many of these things listed are ways my own daughters connect to God as well. Maybe you can fine one or more that you relate to as well!

1. Take a friend (or family member) and visit 3 churches where Christians worship in different ways. Discuss the following after the service: How was God honored? How did He speak to you?
2. Arrive at your own church 10 minutes early. Spend time praying that the Presence of God would be felt throughout the entire service.
3. Take a walk alone in nature, and sing or pray aloud to your Savior.
4. Read a novel written by a Christian author (such as C.S. Lewis' science fiction triology or the Narnia series). Discuss with a friend or spouse about how you saw God revealed in the book(s).
5. Visit an art museum and study paintings with Biblical themes. What do they suggest about the nature of God? What insights do they provide?
6. Listen to Scripture being read on tape. Picture in your mind what you are hearing.
7. Visit a church that has traditional stained-glass windows. Identify the pictures and symbols they contain.
8. Study a portion of Scripture and draw with symbols, words and doodles what the passage is saying to you about the Lord.
9. Play "I Spy" throughout your day by watching for God's presence in ordinary things: kind words, protection on icy roads, first gold leaf of autumn. Each evening, share with your family or in a journal, where you saw God at work that day.
10. Praise God by writing an acrostic around one of His names. You could use the word God, Savior, Redeemer, Jesus, Holy Spirit, etc.
11. Write your own words to go with the tune of a familiar hymn or worship song. Sing your message to God.
12. Memorize a Christian poem.
13. Take a vacation with God: a 1-day retreat where you get away from the normal routine to be totally alone with your Savior.
14. Kneel or lie prostrate before God when you pray.
15. Read a story from a picture Bible with a child.
16. As you read the Bible, take notes of similies that liken things in nautre to the attributes of God. Things like: the gentle rain is like God's mercy; the fury of the hurricane is like God's anger, etc. Keep a list of them or make them into a bookmark.
17. Create a shelf that contains mementos of God's blessings to you/your family.
18. Write an imaginary letter to someone who has never heard about God and describe Him.
19. Take 5 minutes to list all the adjectives you can think of that describe God. Then thank Him for every word! (makes a great devotional lesson if you have children)
20. Draw a cross. On the cross, write every sin you can remember committing and then write "nailed to the cross" over your words as a visual reminder that God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you completely.
21. Pick a theme to study throughout a book of the Bible. (ex. the love of God). Underline portions that contribute to the theme with a colored pencil or highlighter.
22. Each day, for one week, reflect on how your day would have been different if you were not a Christian. Don't allow your self to become apathetic about the difference Christ makes in your life.
23. Imagine your self sitting on God's lap. How do you feel? What would you tell Him? What would He say to you?
24. For your 5 favorite hymns or worship songs, find Bible passages on which they were based or that affirm the truth of the songs' messages.
25. Sit in the back of a children's church service (if your church offers this) or Sunday School class, and listen to how the children respond to God.

(note: these are taken from "100 Ways to Take the Yawn out of Your Relationship with God" by Discipleship Journal, c.1991)
Can you think of any more ways to experience God during your day??