God is not Silent: One Woman's Encounters With God

By Nancy Kuykendall

God is never far from us. He has come to me when I've purposefully sought him—to answer my prayer, or to comfort, instruct, direct, or discipline. God has also suddenly spoken to me while I'm going about my day, leaving a strong impression of what his will is for me. At times I've understood immediately, while at other times he's had to approach me repeatedly until I understood. 

 

This book is about how God has made himself known to me throughout my life. God is not silent.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nancy Kuykendall
• Release date: Feb 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201938994

Nancy Kuykendall

Nancy Kuykendall is a life-long musician who has taught music, served consistently as a church musician, and performed for a wide variety of events. Nancy and her musician husband, Steve, serve together in their church and have performed together throughout their marriage. Nancy retired after a thirty-year teaching career to seriously pursue her desire to write. Her inspiration comes from her experiences, surroundings, circumstances, life events, people and pets, and her relationship with God. She is the author of five other non-fiction books: Mornings on the Porch, Ordinary Wonders, Our Daily Moments, Now I Lay Me Down TO SLEEP, and God is Not Silent - One woman's encounters with God. She has written a fictional series: The Old Woman - Book One - Meet Rose,  The Old Woman - Book Two - A New Year, and The Old Woman - Book Three - A Time of Change. Nancy and her husband make their home in North Dakota.

Book preview

Preface

I felt it best not to talk about this book while writing. Any discussion would bring distraction. It’s a book about my relationship with God, between me and God…yet…to be shared. These are stories of experiences when God has either clearly spoken to me, or reached out to soothe, comfort, or instruct. God does come to us, especially when we are seeking him. There are ways he makes himself known to each person. How he chooses to speak to one might differ from how he speaks to another. As our creator, he is fully acquainted with each one of us. We need only to watch and listen for his presence. We can seek God. When we move toward him, he moves closer to us knowing we are ready to take to heart his words, love, and guidance. I believe this because of my own experiences.

There is nothing odd or strange about these small encounters I’ve written here—if we can call anything about God small. They’re simply personal testimonies of God continually showing up in my life. These are the stories of hearing God’s voice, recognizing his presence, or prayers answered in a specific way. A few of these examples are written more fully in Mornings on the Porch or in short in Our Daily Moments. Of those stories, I’ve picked out the smaller parts that specifically suit the purpose of this book.

These stories are given in chronological order beginning when I was twelve years old. They’re not my only experiences with God but are specific ones chosen for this book. Some are very personal and difficult to share. I share honestly, while also protecting the privacy of some and innocence of others. Only a few names are given. I keep my focus on the parts of the stories pertinent to the subject of this book—God interacting with me.

If you do not believe in God, or doubt he interacts with humans, or if things of a spiritual nature offend you, this book might not be for you. Then again—it might.

God stays beside me at my worst, as well as my best. I cannot stay silent, because God is not silent.

Nancy

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow Me.

(John 10:27-28 NIV)

Chapter One

My First Experience with God

It was 1969. I was barely twelve years old. As usual, my family was attending a Sunday night worship service. In the past, many churches held services both Sunday morning and evening. It’s not as prevalent today. I was raised going to church several times a week. Besides Sunday School and both Sunday services, we attended Wednesday night potluck and prayer services. We also attended special services and classes. One class I was involved in was an interpretive dance class for junior-high age girls. We occasionally performed in worship services while hymns were sung or played instrumentally. It was unusual that a Southern Baptist church would allow such an expression, as dancing was generally frowned upon. I enjoyed that class and I still enjoy dancing.

My parents were fully involved in church activities. During several of those years my dad served on staff as Minister of Education. As a minister, and ultimately upon completing seven years of seminary study, receiving an MDiv and ThD, he served as professor of Old Testament and Biblical Archeology at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, then located in Mill Valley, California. The school has since moved to southern California. The Sunday night of this story, we were still living in Louisville, Kentucky. We moved to California the following year. Though I was born in Ohio, then lived in Alabama and Georgia, it is Louisville I call home. The seven years we lived there were extremely important years for me. Memories are plentiful and good. Some friendships forged then are still alive and well today.

Growing up with Christian parents, my father serving on the church staff, my mom teaching Sunday School classes, attending worship services, and spending many hours in my own Sunday School classes, I received much Biblical teaching. I look back and consider myself fortunate I had such exposure and teaching. Ultimately, spiritual choices are up to each individual but being exposed to varying ideas can help with decision making. I experienced Christian training but attended public schools where not all my teachers, classmates, or friends attended church or identified themselves as Christians. Those who were, were of various denominations. Between the two exposures, I learned a lot.

Teachers and other adults around me were strong influences, especially those from church and my parents’ friends. At nine years old, sitting in a Sunday morning worship service listening to the pianist play, my heart was touched, and my thoughts were, "That is so pretty. I want to do that someday." I did do that. I became a musician and a church pianist. I’ve never been sure whether God planted that seed in my heart or gave me the desire of my heart. (The Piano is told in Mornings on the Porch.) That brief thought and undeniable stirring in my heart became very prominent throughout my life. That may have been the first time God approached me, without speaking or my knowledge. But this story is of another time when I did feel his presence, and possibly the presence of other beings.

At the end of each worship service, it was customary that the congregation sing a hymn of invitation, meaning in Baptist circles that any person who felt the call of God on their lives, could walk to the pastor standing at the front and tell him of their circumstance or decision. It could be someone who wanted to make a public profession of faith, wanting to be baptized expressing their belief in Jesus Christ as God’s son, or wishing to enter into a relationship with God. Those answering a call to do missionary work, or anyone who wanted to repent of some wrong-doing and recommit their life to God could walk forward and tell the pastor. Any decision was openly received. That’s what I did that night.

I had been having a recurring dream. In the dream I would become separated from