Comments on: Experiencing God’s Presence http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/ www.thefaithclub.com Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:40:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: DC Glidewell http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-872 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:52:22 +0000 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-872 Stimulating question, and interesting comments here. I will relate one experience when I believe I felt the presence of God. One evening I was working on a 'step-down' unit, not in ICU where I usually worked, but on a telemetry floor. A woman, with end stage heart disease who had chosen not to be 'coded' when her heart stopped had family visiting. She was quite ill, and when the husband, and adult son had an argument in her room, I thought how sad it was and wondered if they truly understood how near she was to life's end. They both left within moments of each other, still fuming. A few moments later the telemetry alarmed. Her heart had slowed, and then stopped. I ran to her room, along with another nurse, and I was thinking/praying 'Did it have to be now? Tonight? Right after this argument that both will have to live with?' Both Gayle and I checked peripheral and apical pulse listening with stethoscope for one full minute each as was required. No respirations, no heartbeat. Her skin took on the waxy look I was so well acquainted with. I stood there, holding her hand as was my custom in these situations as Gayle discussed the fact of that argument, and questioned whether either would have even made it home yet. We lingered there talking about making the necessary phone calls. I didn't want them to return and find her alone, so said I would stay until there arrival. Gayle agreed that once they arrived she would return to provide emotional support so that I could return to other end shift duties. When Gayle finally left to place phone calls, I pulled up a chair and sat down. I felt odd ..weak..warm. I still held her hand, but as more time passed, felt a wonderful presence in the room, and felt something was going to happen. I don't know why I did what I did, it defied all logic, but I released her hand and looked at my own. It was cherry red on all the raised surfaces. I turned over her hand and it was the same. Her opposite hand..the same..a sharp contrast to the back of her hand and the rest of her dead skin. Still no breathing..no pulse. I listened all over again for a full minute. At least 20 minutes must have passed by now. I sat back down feeling foolish, but there it was again, and stronger, this Presence in the room, and a hot feeling coursing through me. Again I took her pulse, noting..and then something One beat, and then another, and..still no breathing. The intercom came on in the room..I had not removed the telemetry unit and Gayle was seeing the return of a normal EKG on her monitor. She thought I was playing a joke. That was when the woman drew a breath, and opened her eyes and smiled the most beautiful smile I have seen. "I was told" she said smiling "That I have more time." Gayle told me later that when the family arrived she told them the same thing, and that they needed to mend their differences. The woman also told Gayle, that Gayle's parents would both be well and still living on their 50th wedding anniversary. Something Gayle said she had been worried about, but had mentioned to know one. Stimulating question, and interesting comments here. I will relate one experience when I believe I felt the presence of God. One evening I was working on a ’step-down’ unit, not in ICU where I usually worked, but on a telemetry floor. A woman, with end stage heart disease who had chosen not to be ‘coded’ when her heart stopped had family visiting. She was quite ill, and when the husband, and adult son had an argument in her room, I thought how sad it was and wondered if they truly understood how near she was to life’s end. They both left within moments of each other, still fuming. A few moments later the telemetry alarmed. Her heart had slowed, and then stopped. I ran to her room, along with another nurse, and I was thinking/praying ‘Did it have to be now? Tonight? Right after this argument that both will have to live with?’
Both Gayle and I checked peripheral and apical pulse listening with stethoscope for one full minute each as was required. No respirations, no heartbeat. Her skin took on the waxy look I was so well acquainted with. I stood there, holding her hand as was my custom in these situations as Gayle discussed the fact of that argument, and questioned whether either would have even made it home yet. We lingered there talking about making the necessary phone calls. I didn’t want them to return and find her alone, so said I would stay until there arrival. Gayle agreed that once they arrived she would return to provide emotional support so that I could return to other end shift duties.
When Gayle finally left to place phone calls, I pulled up a chair and sat down. I felt odd ..weak..warm. I still held her hand, but as more time passed, felt a wonderful presence in the room, and felt something was going to happen. I don’t know why I did what I did, it defied all logic, but I released her hand and looked at my own. It was cherry red on all the raised surfaces. I turned over her hand and it was the same. Her opposite hand..the same..a sharp contrast to the back of her hand and the rest of her dead skin. Still no breathing..no pulse. I listened all over again for a full minute. At least 20 minutes must have passed by now. I sat back down feeling foolish, but there it was again, and stronger, this Presence in the room, and a hot feeling coursing through me. Again I took her pulse, noting..and then something One beat, and then another, and..still no breathing. The intercom came on in the room..I had not removed the telemetry unit and Gayle was seeing the return of a normal EKG on her monitor. She thought I was playing a joke. That was when the woman drew a breath, and opened her eyes and smiled the most beautiful smile I have seen.
“I was told” she said smiling “That I have more time.”

Gayle told me later that when the family arrived she told them the same thing, and that they needed to mend their differences. The woman also told Gayle, that Gayle’s parents would both be well and still living on their 50th wedding anniversary. Something Gayle said she had been worried about, but had mentioned to know one.

]]> by: Cytocop http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-368 Sun, 31 Dec 2006 02:58:59 +0000 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-368 The question can't be answered with certainty. I have felt the presence of the "numenous," "divine," .... whatever you want to call it. Christians will say "Jesus" as other faiths will name their sages and saviors. Native Americans will say "the Great Spirit." Scientists will say the euphoria I once felt during an ordinary synagogue service as well as the will to survive a near-death incident I experienced are attributable to chemical reactions and nerve impulses going off in my brain. If so, what if anything might have caused those chemical reactions and nerve impulses? The question can’t be answered with certainty. I have felt the presence of the “numenous,” “divine,” …. whatever you want to call it. Christians will say “Jesus” as other faiths will name their sages and saviors. Native Americans will say “the Great Spirit.” Scientists will say the euphoria I once felt during an ordinary synagogue service as well as the will to survive a near-death incident I experienced are attributable to chemical reactions and nerve impulses going off in my brain. If so, what if anything might have caused those chemical reactions and nerve impulses?

]]> by: JudeL http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-330 Fri, 22 Dec 2006 15:12:17 +0000 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-330 For four years I had chronic lyme disease. I had a permanent IV site and gave myself IV's everyday for antibiotics and pain meds. I was a very difficult time in my life. There were times I thought I was dying and other times I was afraid I wouldn't die. The pain was horrendous. During this period my husband and I were working with a bible college. We were given the opportunity to go to The Philippines on a mission. I really felt that the call was of God. How was I to go with lyme disease, an IV dragging behind me? I went up to the prayer tower and got on my face to God. I told Him, "I have gone every place you have ever called me and I will go to the RP, but you need to heal me first." That was a Thursday eve. Friday I went to the ER and had the IV removed. I never took another dose of Rocephin, another dose of morphine. I never had another symptom of lymes. He healed me! I felt the presence of God. Only He could have healed me and taken my symptoms and pain away. I have felt His presence in my life many times. To know God is to feel His presence in your life. How can I explain it to someone who doesn't believe? I can't! For four years I had chronic lyme disease. I had a permanent IV site and gave myself IV’s everyday for antibiotics and pain meds. I was a very difficult time in my life. There were times I thought I was dying and other times I was afraid I wouldn’t die. The pain was horrendous.

During this period my husband and I were working with a bible college. We were given the opportunity to go to The Philippines on a mission. I really felt that the call was of God. How was I to go with lyme disease, an IV dragging behind me?

I went up to the prayer tower and got on my face to God. I told Him, “I have gone every place you have ever called me and I will go to the RP, but you need to heal me first.”

That was a Thursday eve. Friday I went to the ER and had the IV removed. I never took another dose of Rocephin, another dose of morphine. I never had another symptom of lymes. He healed me!

I felt the presence of God. Only He could have healed me and taken my symptoms and pain away. I have felt His presence in my life many times.

To know God is to feel His presence in your life. How can I explain it to someone who doesn’t believe? I can’t!

]]> by: Liahona http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-281 Tue, 31 Oct 2006 02:31:55 +0000 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-281 Yes I have felt the presence and overwhelming love of my Father In Heaven many times in my life. Trying to explain those feelings to someone who does not happen to believe in any god or higher power is difficult. There is certainly no way to prove that which one feels via faith. There is no need to prove it to anyone else as far as I am concerned; my experiences are simply my experiences. To some who have made comments about the fact that they believe they are fully capable of living a good and righteous life without any god may be very true. However, this is separate in my mind from whether or not God exists. Personally I do believe God exists and I believe He exists regardless of whether or not you think He does. I am blessed to feel His love and influence in my life. Others may choose not to believe in Him and choose to live their lives apart from any deity and that is their free choice. It's a little bit like me saying I believe 2 +2=4. Maybe someone else thinks 2 +2=5. So we both go thru life following our own individual premises regarding that mathmatical fact; neither one of our beliefs change the facts or alters the true answer. 2+2 simply is 4. Does that make any sense??? I have also thought off and on throughout the coarse of my life, that even if, just if God doesn't exist and Jesus Christ was just a story...and I had followed Christ's precepts with all my heart and felt what I believe to be God's love and help and peace during my lifetime... so what. I believe I will have had a more joy-filled, purposeful life even if there is no life after death....so I win either way. Yes I have felt the presence and overwhelming love of my Father In Heaven many times in my life. Trying to explain those feelings to someone who does not happen to believe in any god or higher power is difficult. There is certainly no way to prove that which one feels via faith. There is no need to prove it to anyone else as far as I am concerned; my experiences are simply my experiences. To some who have made comments about the fact that they believe they are fully capable of living a good and righteous life without any god may be very true. However, this is separate in my mind from whether or not God exists. Personally I do believe God exists and I believe He exists regardless of whether or not you think He does. I am blessed to feel His love and influence in my life. Others may choose not to believe in Him and choose to live their lives apart from any deity and that is their free choice. It’s a little bit like me saying I believe 2 +2=4. Maybe someone else thinks 2 +2=5. So we both go thru life following our own individual premises regarding that mathmatical fact; neither one of our beliefs change the facts or alters the true answer. 2+2 simply is 4. Does that make any sense???
I have also thought off and on throughout the coarse of my life, that even if, just if God doesn’t exist and Jesus Christ was just a story…and I had followed Christ’s precepts with all my heart and felt what I believe to be God’s love and help and peace during my lifetime… so what. I believe I will have had a more joy-filled, purposeful life even if there is no life after death….so I win either way.

]]> by: RVNFTHR8 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-265 Sat, 28 Oct 2006 20:00:33 +0000 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-265 I agree with you, humanist. Yet I must ask, do you have an understanding of everything? There are things that we can not answer, things that can not be understood in this relm of living. Im not saying that there MUST be an answer to everything. and thats where 'god' comes in. to me 'god' is not a person place or thing, such as a diety. god is energy. energy can not be created nor distroyed. life is energy and so is death. the world, the universe, all energy. faith in 'god' is really, simply, faith in oneself. to love, give, nurture, encourage... raising your kids as you are, is god. humanist Says: October 5th, 2006 at 11:55 am I have never felt the presence of any deity. No one has ever been able to describe their deity to me in such a way that made any sense. I found it interesting that during today’s interview on Wisconsin Public Radio, the comment was made that everyone has their own individual conception or idea or definition of their deity. I am able to experience the joys of life without having an imaginary friend. I am able to be a good person and raise my children as good citizens in a secular, pluralistic society without indoctrinating them with the notion that one needs a deity in order to be good to one’s fellow humans, the rest of the animal kingdom and our planet I agree with you, humanist. Yet I must ask, do you have an understanding of everything? There are things that we can not answer, things that can not be understood in this relm of living. Im not saying that there MUST be an answer to everything. and thats where ‘god’ comes in. to me ‘god’ is not a person place or thing, such as a diety. god is energy. energy can not be created nor distroyed. life is energy and so is death. the world, the universe, all energy. faith in ‘god’ is really, simply, faith in oneself. to love, give, nurture, encourage…

raising your kids as you are, is god.

humanist Says:

October 5th, 2006 at 11:55 am
I have never felt the presence of any deity. No one has ever been able to describe their deity to me in such a way that made any sense. I found it interesting that during today’s interview on Wisconsin Public Radio, the comment was made that everyone has their own individual conception or idea or definition of their deity. I am able to experience the joys of life without having an imaginary friend. I am able to be a good person and raise my children as good citizens in a secular, pluralistic society without indoctrinating them with the notion that one needs a deity in order to be good to one’s fellow humans, the rest of the animal kingdom and our planet

]]> by: humanist http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-249 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 08:38:25 +0000 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-249 dfnj2006 wrote: "To attach or attribute human meanings to a word so sacred as God is to degrade its sacredness." No one has ever given me a satisfactory explanation why either religion or someone's particular conception of a particular deity should be exempt from examination and criticism. I attach no sacredness to anyone's conception of any particular deity or religion. I think all ideas should be scrutinized. dfnj2006 wrote: “To attach or attribute human meanings to a word so sacred as God is to degrade its sacredness.”

No one has ever given me a satisfactory explanation why either religion or someone’s particular conception of a particular deity should be exempt from examination and criticism.

I attach no sacredness to anyone’s conception of any particular deity or religion. I think all ideas should be scrutinized.

]]> by: Leslie http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-244 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 04:48:01 +0000 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-244 Yes I have felt the presence of God. I can't answer this question without stating that I feel His hand in my life constantly, I know He is there. As for a particularly strong feeling, it would have to be the Quaker meeting house my family attended when I was small. I knew God was there, in that silent meeting, restoring me for whatever might come in the days to follow. That meeting saved my life and the lives of my siblings and mother, literally. When I think of the meeting house I see it with golden light emanating from the windows and I know God loves me. Yes I have felt the presence of God. I can’t answer this question without stating that I feel His hand in my life constantly, I know He is there. As for a particularly strong feeling, it would have to be the Quaker meeting house my family attended when I was small. I knew God was there, in that silent meeting, restoring me for whatever might come in the days to follow. That meeting saved my life and the lives of my siblings and mother, literally. When I think of the meeting house I see it with golden light emanating from the windows and I know God loves me.

]]> by: dfnj2006 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-231 Thu, 12 Oct 2006 14:38:35 +0000 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-231 RE: "The choice is yours to make and no one elses, so you choose. God gave you the free will to make that choice. " God is pro-choice. Based on human experiment there seems to be no amount of evil God will not tolerate in order to preserve our free-will. RE: “The choice is yours to make and no one elses, so you choose. God gave you the free will to make that choice. ”

God is pro-choice. Based on human experiment there seems to be no amount of evil God will not tolerate in order to preserve our free-will.

]]> by: dfnj2006 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-230 Thu, 12 Oct 2006 13:46:50 +0000 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-230 What I have felt cannot be expressed with words. God seems to be a word that represents all truth beyond our comprehension. Words and language represent our feelings in a limited way. Many people forget God is just a word. God is a word so sacred its meaning is beyond human comprehension, and therefore, not apart of good, evil, or any human judgments. To attach or attribute human meanings to a word so sacred as God is to degrade its sacredness. What I have felt cannot be expressed with words. God seems to be a word that represents all truth beyond our comprehension. Words and language represent our feelings in a limited way. Many people forget God is just a word. God is a word so sacred its meaning is beyond human comprehension, and therefore, not apart of good, evil, or any human judgments. To attach or attribute human meanings to a word so sacred as God is to degrade its sacredness.

]]> by: humanist http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-221 Wed, 11 Oct 2006 06:03:31 +0000 http://www.thefaithclub.com/blog/2006/10/03/faith-question-3/#comment-221 "'T'ruth" said: "i have no regrets either, and if i’m wrong it means what..?" Well, if you have picked the wrong deity, you could be in deep doo doo. “‘T’ruth” said: “i have no regrets either, and if i’m wrong it means what..?”

Well, if you have picked the wrong deity, you could be in deep doo doo.

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