I have heard the voice of God audibly and directed to me personally. At first I thought I was crazy. I was going through a difficult and very painful divorce and God spoke to me out loud on three different occasions over a six-month period, each time assuring me He was in control and would take care of me.

I have had a personal relationship with God ever since I was ten and accepted Christ into my life as my own Savior and as a model for how to live and how to relate to God. Having been raised in a Christian home, I knew about God. But, knowing about Him and knowing Him are two different things entirely. I have spent the last 30 years getting to know Him.

In college at Duke University, I spent many hours in Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship bible studies and prayer groups, retreats and seminars. I read theological, devotional and Christian historical books by the dozens. I came to know God from an intellectual perspective.

However, I'm not sure I actually trusted God to have my best interests at heart. I knew how and wanted to be obedient, but didn't always trust Him.

I've read that "God whispers to us in our joy, speaks to us in our work, and shouts to us in our pain." It wasn't until in the midst of my deepest pain when I heard God's loving, all-powerful and all-knowing voice, that I truly understood not only did I know God, but that God also knew me. And He really does love me and have my best interests at heart. How powerful!

Jennifer Patty, Coldwell Banker Realty