It's interesting... after I posted yesterday's blog entry, I had almost 170 people from around the world read it. That's not many compared to the number of readers of some blogs, or compared to how many people there are in the world. But the type of responses I got was astounding. I received several emails -- from those who absolutely agreed with me, to those who thought I was completely delusional.

What truly amazed me, though, is the level of oblivion that exists even amongst believers. I'm not even going to talk about non-believers in this post. However, allow me to pull out three snippets of three separate emails that I received yesterday from Christians:

"I believe in God, and I am a Christian. But I am not going to try to convince myself that I see 'signs' out there where there isn't any. The bailout proposal is $700 billion. Are you going to tell me that the number 7 in that number is Biblical, too? Give me a break. You people give us Christians a bad name."

"Oh, yes! The end of the world is coming. What is with you people, getting so excited at the thought of destruction and economic failure? Next thing you know you're going to posting a picture of a cornflake in your cereal bowl that resembles Jesus. God is God, and he's not sending signs that only certain people can see. Grow up."

"My brother talks about the Rapture and the End Times, too. Frankly, I'm not afraid to say that I think he's a little nuts. I don't think any of that is Biblical. When Christ comes back, he comes back. Plain and simple. I think that you're all straying from your true faith by focusing on that instead of prayer and Bible study."

Let me share with you something here. I was born and raised as a Muslim. I knew nothing about Jesus other than the fact that Christmas was about his birthday, and also that my mother's family was Catholic. That's it. That's all I knew. After I left home, I had decided that God simply did not exist. My ex-husband's family members were all very liberal Democrats, and they weren't spiritual in the least. They were good people, with good values and principals. They had a lot of fun, were very genuine, and were very successful. Personally, at that time in my life, I was struggling with my marriage, finances, work, etc. Life wasn't particularly easy, and many things caused a lot of stress. But I did party a lot and had a great time during those years. We spent a lot of time up north at the cottage where I was able to put those stresses behind me every weekend. Truly, there was nothing even remotely suggesting to me that God played a part in anything. I wasn't adamantly opposing God. I just didn't believe that He existed, and therefore didn't even give it a second thought.

After I got divorced, I became an even stronger atheist. I was very much into science, and science fiction. I laughed and scoffed at conservatives and Republicans. I verbally bashed and openly berated those who believed in God. I absolutely believed that homosexuals had every right we do. I also believed that it was a woman's right to have an abortion. I'd argue science against God any day of the week. And I'll tell you what... if anyone even remotely hinted to me that God existed, or tried to talk to me about religion, I laughed at them. I thought that they were simple-minded, brainwashed people. I truly did. Luckily, no one ever thought to actually sit down with me to share the gospel or talk about salvation. I probably would've gotten very angry and said very ugly, profane things.

That period of true atheism existed for me was between 2003 and 2006. Looking back, I can also say with absolute, positive certainty that those three years were the most miserable of my entire life. I missed my ex-husband and his family. I felt like a failure. I disliked my boyfriend at the time, who was verbally/mentally abusive and addicted to porn. I didn't like my employer. And I was deeper in debt than I ever had been. At one point, I hit rock bottom.

I'm not going to go into detail about how I came to find Christ. You can read all about that in these posts: From Islam to Christianity Part 1 and From Islam to Christianity Part 2. I also encourage you to read the post: Born Again.

But what I am going to tell you is this: in such a short span of time -- literally in just 6 months or so -- I completely turned around in my way of thinking. Completely. Suddenly I found myself praying. I realized I was hungry for Scripture and eager to read the Bible. Next thing you know I was wearing a cross and doing research on Jesus and going to church. I began morphing my blog into a Christian blog. I then began reading about End Times prophecy, which was fascinating. Now I am a conservative Republican... I am against the idea of supporting and accepting openly homosexual men and woman... I believe that abortion is murder... I have new principals, foundations and values... and I see God everywhere.

I see God everywhere. I feel Him everywhere. In everything I do I feel Him. If I do a good deed, I smile and think of Christ. If I sin, I feel ashamed and I know that God is watching. If I see evil at work, I understand the spiritual warfare that occurs behind the scene between Satan's demons and God's angels. Much of the Bible makes sense to me. Prophecy and End Times makes sense to me. I can see the things that are happening and I know what's ahead for us. I talk to people, and can see inside them and know why they are struggling -- it's either because they don't have salvation in Christ, or because the enemy perceives them as a threat and is working to uproot them. (Or, they're going on the wrong path in life and God is trying to get their attention.) I don't struggle. I don't worry. I don't get upset or fret or feel badly about things. I have peace in God, and I have salvation and grace through my faith in Christ. It's as simple as that.

Do you think it's coincidence that I've changed so much? Do you believe that it's pure happenstance that I went from a liberal, Democratic atheist to a devout, Evangelical Christian? I'm an intelligent person. In sixth grade I had my IQ tested at 138. Average is between 85 and 125. So I'm not some gullible person who fell for a really good trick, or who was manipulated and peer-pressured into believing all of this as some people have suggested. I have been touched by God. I had been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. I am surrounded by Christian friends who also have this gift. I am blessed beyond belief for this new-found grace and faith, and every day I thank God for this amazing gift. I am humbled... I am grateful... and I am completely in awe of Him. People can snicker and laugh and point fingers and shake their head all they want. I see God all around me. There ARE signs, my friends. Just because you don't see them or choose not to see them doesn't mean that they aren't there.

Am I delusional because I see signs of God in unprecedented events that are occurring in the news? Some might think so. But others who are filled with the Holy Spirit and who are called upon by God to speak about these things say that I'm not. Each Christian who is strong in the Spirit has a gift from God. Some use their gifts, some don't. Some have a gift of preaching, so they become pastors at the church. Some might teach Bible class to little kids. Some might participate in ministries, like cancer care or prison ministries, because they have the gift of reaching out to people and touching their hearts. Others, like my hubby, might have the simple gift of serving to do those un-glamorous, menial tasks at church every weekend that are so appreciated by everyone.

Some people have more than one gift. I know of a gal who does cancer-care ministry, who is SO good at reaching out to people, but she also has the gift of being able to memorize Scripture. She must have hundreds of verses memorized. I know of another guy who works with kids who has the uncanny ability to take any piece of Scripture or Bible story and make an analogy out of it to better explain it to the little ones. There is a woman who has a beautiful voice and who sings in our church choir, yet she understands and interprets Old Testament stories better than anyone I know.

What are my gifts? Writing. And understanding End Times prophecy. I might not understand every detail and break it down piece by piece, but I "get it." I get it, and I see it, and I believe in it. I try to share it, and I try to explain it. Some folks might not have that gift. In fact, in much the same way that some Christians don't understand what it means to "give themselves to Christ" or "to be born again," they also don't understand the importance of Prophecy.

I know a man who is Catholic. He's a friend of my hubby's. He believes that his baptism, his confirmation, his church attendance and partaking in communion is all that is needed to go to Heaven. Yet this guy gambles on a regular basis... he goes to strip clubs... he LOVES money and possessions... he drinks often... and he thinks that people who believe that the End Times are coming are completely wacko. He doesn't get it that being a Christian takes a heck of a lot more than that. He also doesn't get it that some people might be using their gifts from God to take their faith a step further.

It's the same thing with those emails up above. I find it disappointing and quite sad that people who call themselves Christians would point fingers at some of us and say that we're nuts. In Pastor Steve Hadley's sermon this week, he talked about John Wycliffe. John Wycliffe was the first man to stand up to the Roman Catholic doctrine of only allowing priests to read the Bible in Latin. In the 14th century, he recognized that the Bible was not some mystical book that was only supposed to be read by special men of God. This was a book of God meant for ALL men and women. In his day, he defied what was commonly accepted and declared by the Roman Catholic papacy. He recognized that what the Catholic priests and Vatican were doing was not what was taught by Christ or written in the Bible.

I'm sure that the majority of people in John's day thought that he was nuts. They probably said to him things like, "What are you doing? Why are you stirring things up? What's wrong with you? Just be quiet and be a good Christian." But he didn't do that. Why? Because he saw God. He felt God. He was moved by the Holy Spirit to use his gift of literacy and translation to convert the Bible from Latin to English. To this day we credit the Bible translations to this one man.

The Bible specifically tells us two things that we need to keep in mind during these significant current events of our economy and of our world:

Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' " (Mark 13:28-37)

Are you watching? Do you see God? If not, then don't point a finger to us that do. Don't deny that what we're seeing is real. Be still, look inside your heart, and wonder for a moment. Could you be missing out on it? Could you be missing out on Him?