Do you have those moments where God speaks to you so clearly, but not in the audible voice kind of way?More like a whisper in the wind as it rustles the leaves on a tree, or the feeling of warmth on your skin from the hot sun or in the midst of a really good belly laugh from an inside joke with your best friend. God is talking to us all the time. We just need to pay attention to notice it and to return the gift with gratitude.

God is among us in our daily routine, our relationships, and our troubles. He exists always and is always here. I ask myself, do I take the time to notice Him? Do I continue on with my busy life and only stop to take a breath and give praise on Sundays? I think we get in the trouble of penciling God into our schedule only when we need him or when we are supposed to. We put God in a box even thought it’s impossible to do so.

How do I know this is true? Just start noticing. I went on a hike yesterday and when we got to the view, we stopped and just stared. I took the time to notice the view of the expansive mountains, the deep blue of the sky without clouds, the forest with massive amounts of pine trees, and took in the mountain air into my lungs while feel the heat from the sun beating down on me. I couldn’t help, but stop and give praise for God’s creation and return this gift with thanks for its beauty.

I said to my hiking buddy, “You know, God exists whether we notice him or not. Like this mountain and this view, whether we are here to see it or not, it still exists. And even when we leave the mountain and drive back to our lives – this view, these mountains, trees, sky, grass and flowers still exist. God is the same way with us. Whether we take the time to stop and notice his existence, He still exists. He is always here whether we let him into our lives or not. Waiting for us to actively notice.”

And as I write this in a coffee shop, this view still exists on that mountain whether I hike to it and see it or am still here sipping my espresso.

God doesn’t always speak to us audibly, but He reveals Himself to us individually in ways that gets us to notice His existence in our lives. For me, it involved a 3 hour hike to a beautiful view to recognize God is always here and waiting for me to take notice and involve Him in my life.

So look around, maybe God is talking to you through a friend, or revealing Himself through a Bible verse, or in nature. God is there, always existing, always reaching out to us. Just take a moment to notice.