The Third Book The 20th Chapter - Spiritual Nudges

 

The Nudge of the Holy Spirit

August 4, 2020

Have you ever had a strong, unexplainable, and undeniable moving feeling?  Perhaps it was a message you had resisted for quite some time, but realized you could no longer resist acknowledging. Oftentimes, the longer you ignore an intrinsic feeling, the louder the wake-up call. Awareness of such experiences can enhance our awareness of the blessing of subtle nudges.

I had an experience that I can only believe was divine intervention. It was during a period of my life that I was struggling with my personal relationships. I had experienced the loss of an intimate relationship and I was also struggling with the connection to my daughter. My experiences lead me to become bitter and jaded with the work I put into my personal development. I was not getting the results I felt I should have achieved.

In December 2016, I had traveled by myself to Belize. After a few days of vacation, I had wakened one morning so adamant that I would never embrace God into my life. I was angry at my life. I vowed not to spend another moment entertaining the idea of opening up to the concept of spirituality in my life. I remember being so passionate about the thought and also comforted by my decision.

Later in the day, I toured the island and noticed a sign advertising a small Internet chat shack 10 miles north of the main town center. Although 10 miles may not seem far, the motor transportation on the island was a golf cart. Between the golf cart and awful roads, it took about an hour to travel 10 miles. As I was getting closer, I had a sense of excitement about arriving at my destination. When I arrived, it was closed. I decided to continue traveling north and came upon a small oceanside bar. It had room for about 10 people and the location was breathtaking. Prior to my trip, folks had prepared me for the condition of some of the restaurants, but said if I saw other people, it would be a safe place to stay and visit.

Upon sitting down, I met Chris. He was the bar’s owner and a fellow Canadian. I had asked him how he became so fortunate to live in such a beautiful place, surrounded by beautiful people. It was dreamlike. He said it was easy, as simple as making the choice to do it. I looked at him with amazement, confusion and disbelief.  I thought he had to be crazy. Over time, I have learned he was right. Once we begin smashing down our self-imposed walls of fear, anything is possible.

As I pondered his concept, Lady Katherine and Stuart walked in. They were from North Carolina and reminiscent of southern Belle and regal gentleman. They had southern accents and a general old-fashioned sense of mystery surrounding them. After a few brief introductions, Lady Katherine could not contain herself. She apologized by saying “I am sorry and please do not think I am crazy, but I have this loud voice in my head that I have to share this idea with you.” Of course, I was immediately curious and open to what she was going to say. I asked her to share her thoughts. She continued, “The decision you made this morning to turn your back on God, you cannot do this. He has big plans for you, and you need to embrace him in your life. Not only does your life depend on it, but others as well.” I was amazed that she didn’t know me from the sand on the beach but specifically knew about my recent experience.

I had been ignoring and pushing away God for years. In that moment, I no longer could. The energy I needed to ignore was greater than it was to submit to the idea I was wrong that morning. In that moment, it was like a spiritual sludge hammer forcing me to accept my place in this life. I have learned that miracles come when you least expect them. Through my father, I have also learned that the pace of wonders is on God’s time and not our own.

In my experience with Lady Katherine, I was moved and a seed began to grow. I could no longer ignore the calling of the spirit. In March of 2017, I was able to attend a John Maxwell training session in Orlando, Florida. Roughly halfway through the course, I had the opportunity to sit down beside Mark and Judy. I did not realize at the time, the miracle that just occurred. Mark is a retired pastor was there to become certified in coaching. I ended up becoming his first client.

Initially, the coaching was corporate-based. Over time, it evolved into spiritual. I realized the importance of having a life that is in balance. The seed that Lady Katherine had planted eventually made me realize what I lacked in my spiritual development. If you have hit rock bottom before and embraced Christ, you may relate to another experience in my life. In July 2019, my career had hit rock bottom, bills were piling up, and I had lost hope. I remember being overcome by anger and realized I had to change. I myself was the common root problem in my life’s equation. In my next meeting with Mark, I let him know I could no longer pay him. I wished him best of luck, but I needed to go on alone without his coaching. He suggested he would wave the session fees as he believed in me and we still had work to do. I was overcome by emotion and taken back by his willingness to help me. I felt so unworthy and was in such a low period in my life. 

As the months passed, Mark continued working with me. In November, I officially took my first step. It was the hardest first step that I have ever made. It had taken nearly 3 years from the moment I declared a “hard no” to when Lady Katherine came into my life. When you are hit over the head, embrace the gift, but don’t worry about the speed of the gift or have any expectations. Life is about the journey and not the destination. In those 3 years, I had grown and become ready for the gentle nudges I now embrace.

It is essential to remember that all of this is based on free will and free will is required for real-life to be experienced. Through free will and gentle nudges, you have to prepare yourself to acknowledge the gentle nudges and allow the door to open. The person meant to receive your gift may not be there. You have to be okay with feeling pain and realize that the moment may not be immediate. You may feel the frustration of free will. You have to be strong enough to walk away and take comfort; you did follow the spiritual nudge. In most cases, the miracle you were sent to deliver will happen, and it is one of the most satisfying experiences you will have.

Recently, I decided I wanted to attend a new church. On the morning prior to attending, I had a feeling that I needed to travel to Banff overnight. In doing so, I had the incredible experience of getting to know someone very deeply. We had an experience that will forever connect us. It was biblical in nature and provided mutual life-changing comfort. Following your gentle nudges allows you to experience miracles and receive beautiful gifts.

I was given the gifts of several valuable life-changing experiences. My resort had a beautiful rooftop hot tub. When I woke up on Sunday morning, I felt a need to be there when it opened, as someone needed a message. When I arrived, before the sun came over the mountains, I was moved to pray in the direction the sun was rising. As I finished praying, and the sun had crested the mountains, I was overcome by deep emotion. I knew that the person to whom I was going to deliver a message would arrive soon. Moments later, a young father and his 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter arrived.

As I knew it was my time to leave, I briefly spoke to the father. I shared with him the importance of enjoying the time with his kids as time passes so quickly. I also shared that as his daughter grows older, their relationship will change forever, so to enjoy his time with her while she is a little girl. He said he was working on it and thanked me for my advice. When I walked away, I felt the gentle nudge of our meeting and how it changed his life forever. I knew his marriage was saved and would reach a new level. He would now have a better relationship and a deeper connection with his children. As I entered the elevator to return to my room, I felt the power of a miracle. I was in awe of the gratefulness of being able to be a part of God’s plan and providing value to which started with that gentle nudge.

I almost always ignored my gentle nudges and felt they didn’t mean anything. The energy we give and the energy we take has a lasting impact on others as well as ourselves. Most of the time, we will never know what or how profound that impact is. The importance of being kind to everyone, including ourselves, is vital. We may never know how we may scar a person forever with our words and we will be held accountable for those actions.

Are you currently ignoring something in your life? How long are you going to ignore it? How big of a spiritual hammer do you need? Why are you fighting it? Once you embrace it, you will feel so much peace with the experiences of the gentle nudges. Once you invite Christ into your life, you will feel his unconditional love. Even though you may have denied him for years, there is no retribution but kindness and joy that your journey has returned you home.