Intimacy and closeness with God are really important as believers. Everyone has different ways of communicating with and relating to God, but being close with Him usually involves feeling His presence, talking to Him, and hearing from Him through His Word.

It’s interesting to see how each of us has interpreted this post topic. For me, I’m going to talk about a couple of objects that help me feel close to God, a place, and some things I choose on purpose to draw near to Him.

 

My Journal

I love receiving journals as Christmas presents from family and friends or buying really cute ones when I come across them. Since I’m blind, I write Braille in my journals with a slate and stylus. The journal I have now was a birthday gift from my boyfriend. It has a soft, leathery cover in a creamy yellow that matches the texture. I love to touch it, and I love writing in it even more.

I don’t journal about my day, because all that punching out Braille dots gives me hand cramps. Instead, I’ve taken to a type of prayer journaling I call Chief Business: Knowing God. It’s based on a quote that says, “Knowing God is the chief business of our lives.” My goal in life is to know God and make Him known. To do that, I have to be close to Him.

Each night, I find my spot on our rocking chairs on the porch or at my desk surrounded by all my favorite things. For the month of July, I’ve been working on a Scripture writing plan where I write down a verse for each day to help me focus on the theme more of Him and less of me. It’s a good way to prepare my heart for missions, so I’ll probably start another one for August. Then I write down things I’m thankful for, fears I want to surrender to God, things I want to pray for, and a truth to hold onto that relates to my fears. It started out as just one thing per category, but sometimes I fill up a whole page with gratitude or worries. It helps me focus on the Lord and stay grounded in a time when so much around me is changing.

 

My Braille Display 

I realize this is something really unique to me and to a small number of people, but my Braille display connects to my phone by Bluetooth and helps me stay close to God. I can take notes on sermons and read the Bible with my fingers instead of my ears. Most mornings I listen to the Bible passages for the day, because I don’t always have time to sit and read them. But I understand the Bible better when I can feel the words with my fingers, notice which words are capitalized, see the punctuation, and keep better track of what’s going on. If I didn’t take notes in church or read along with the passage, I’d get totally distracted.

I love being able to write and read Braille. As a content creator, words are such a gift from God. I love that I get to communicate with Him through words, and I also get to encourage others through writing and speaking. Words are powerful. Honestly, they could be their own category, but since all five things that help me feel closer to God involve words in some way, I think it’s a given.

 

My Church 

God has done a lot in my life inside the four walls of my church. It’s the place where I really committed to Him. Before my time there, I knew God and talked to Him, but I was living in sin and heartache. I didn’t know what it meant to be obedient, to be close to God, or to live with joy and purpose. I watched people worship and praise Him through hard times and wondered how they had such deep faith and a personal relationship with Him.

I can picture walking up the front concrete steps and through the doors. The whole place smells like the new carpet and paint from the makeover a few months ago. I imagine all the people I hear as I walk through the lobby, up the ramp, and into the sanctuary. I’ve memorized every landmark, even the bumps on the floor. It helped so much when I finally learned where the bathrooms are and could get around on my own. I love walking through the halls surrounded by people, from the little kids to the kind older folks who always worry about my safety.

We sit on the left side, maybe three rows from the front. The pews are wooden with thick cushions, and the sides have wide lines carved into them. It’s hard to describe, but I can feel them with my fingers while I’m looking for my spot or trying not to get distracted. Since we sit close to the front, it’s easy for me to find my way to the choir on Sundays or to the altar during Wednesday night prayer services, even though I’m sometimes nervous to go.

It’s not just about the building. It’s about the worship in spirit and truth, the fervent prayer, the tears and shouts of God’s people. It’s a time to sit at God’s feet with whatever we’re going through and be filled with His presence. It’s a time to hear the Word and carry it into our week. It’s also a time of sweet fellowship, especially now that I finally have friends to talk to after service and share life with.

 

Worship

I LOVE to sing! I know worship is more than just singing. Sometimes it’s telling God how wonderful He is and thanking Him for what He’s done. Sometimes it’s trusting and surrendering through tears. Sometimes it’s serving others or writing to Him like Elizabeth does with her poetry. For me, when I’m singing, there are no distractions. I can just tell God how great He is.

Singing combines my love of words with my love of beautiful melodies and harmonies. I can’t tell you how special worshipping through song is for me. I love upbeat songs you can move to (even though I usually stay away from dancing because I have no physical ability), and I also love deep, moving ballads that help me connect with the lyrics.

 

Clay

I know Elizabeth already mentioned art in her post, but for me it’s both the process of molding clay and just holding a lump of it in my hands that helps me feel close to God as Creator. I’m reminded that He made everything out of nothing. I’m also reminded that He continues to shape and mold us as we grow in Him.

When I have a stubborn ball of clay on the wheel that won’t center or cooperate with my design, I think about how stubborn we can be as God’s creations and how patient He is to guide us and teach us. The process of sculpting, refining, drying, firing, glazing, and firing again reminds me of the transformation He leads us through. I’m so glad I get the chance to squish clay and appreciate God as our ultimate Creator and Designer. I hope you take time to enjoy the things that help you feel closer to God. And if you haven’t figured out what helps you yet, maybe this is the time to explore some new ideas.

Katelyn