Finding God: Discovering the Divine in the Gritty and Unexpected

By Laura Heikes and Darrell L. Whiteman

Is Walmart a good place to meet God? What about a dive bar? The town dump? Does meeting God happen only in separate, "holy" places? The book of Acts says there is no place on earth without a witness to God's love (Acts 14:16-17). God longs to meet us throughout our lives: at the bus stop, at a costume shop, even at a livestock auction. It's time for expanded spirituality--one that is brave and fresh and all-encompassing.

Pastor Laura has been helping people meet God in their communities for two decades. Come with her. Soon you will be talking about the strange and wonderful places you found yourself and the amazing, tender, and powerful ways you met God there. You will find that the search and discovery change you, and the way you approach faith, forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Release date: Feb 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9781666723656

Laura Heikes

Laura Heikes is a United Methodist pastor who has served English- and Spanish-speaking churches. She’s currently the lead pastor at McAllen First United Methodist Church along the Texas/Mexico border.

Book preview

�hB�cbook_preview_excerpt.html�[ۮ�D���2�����/������j�U3��!Ҏ̌:�#q�'I������Kf��#��� �H�8��ر�k_���ѧ/�<����K?|z?��ni�������������W����fߴ�K� c��F7]��K���in���5�)|Jq�*פ%̍�f����q�Ο���������4��!�׼��q�6W�Ըc�5_Lwͷ'�=����;�;&�����i?�{7y7���~!���7����ϖ������7���O��G|{ ɮ�k\�����=��v �|4�y�K&������x7�Ԟ�{���韧xi.�GP��h�M}j\'6�Ҟv �����K=7^ҝI�.l{�C��x�i`�_|ZӤٟq�t�K�5#�qn�.in�2����qo�כ6�)��� ��B��7s��;}h�~^&o��u� ��x1z߁د�xm��<;>��1��:��n�d��>UHgO}�Ɖ�h�M��7�>O�8�p^�#u��n5�Y�#�>�ɼq���7�|��Nn��s'�:��
�7�Ĝ�b���A慊�Bm|'�%��9�b�`�,�I�A��ɜ��5��p3�
����7�;���Aiz�uw�v@%G݅�nL�9�0R��W�.�?@ΫvN͇�}�����~��y�=�^������l�~���Q3�ft1�8���xa�׬E\D^4�?H�ݕ��C��V:| C��AD��ș.��R^"�J�!��k\�&��)��}��8�~�6^K���4���|�iф7b(�ܒC���H�U,���5�_��������1�6H:����څ�;��ű�R�.��S8�\ �54�]�!N#�W��-�E�,Γ�RH��b�й�8H��yY�������
���œ}@O*��8��O�q!��һ z㨵��`D��K�u5����ѯ�y�67����l��At������F3���i0/��
!fq=قxd�>x�-���N��/�ô�9�x��࿜�4���TCH� p�<�`���Z���#�tZ�Y�����t��N �9�D'KBa���W.t1����ҢoA�,�5x�;�㘴��r^& ����w��&�f����8��38�n�\�G�"�sq����$zm{$�k�0tl��b.��\"�#��ރ@�
�3�ڧ" ܂1;!s�W�����|��AԮ�� e�_��Ȅ�]\�p����6�%4Իz:Grr � ]���zwX`��`w��D�� ��A��iãv2x� �̣�"5�2j��2��nK+���x(��Oo��ۄkb��ϟ/gȬ�
O�=�$H�z�mSs���δL�zm��D����GL��>e3ݿ���w5\A���K0���E�ȜZ�Ma|Hbw#O:Ld;m���$Ѻ\YMH��_H��#PVL2�zŠ��#�1^�J���
,�� ������o���������W��}���,��H�N�_�[F��$��>v�?��wl�lP���[e#�y*��n)wm��^���h����':�l�{�6�:��ǥ;z;����p���Go�!z
y�^��~;�x,�YF�"mXΆ_��"]�@�tsU��ͽ�U��Jgfx-G��)gC&�)L+���{�}�˴R��j�@ܑ�" �{*���OX��x�q,o��u�������ha�+�����\]4�C�k��#;*#飺`����b�"1��0�A)��˟��wv����E!s� �@�6��Eג��Զ��T-���`�c�Ҭ�rc4�]#�̡b�Ȼ��Cﳛ����9óODL�*�Lh&�5};-���������$�v�����P^>�n~G�SN�$�(�Q ��#X�ث@��%x[� ~�B{ �����Yݟ�>��
%kK��-��� *GP�]ғ7J륋�:�c�SBh����a׸QՖ|��a� JfbK�l�ٞ �k4y��:A�>Gëm)��̓K�ih��p�&#q�Q�8C�dH�OCL����O������Ct��?N���°@�W�}s��8-h�Ӵz 8[]��Q1��ߝ��T��˞vz��"�n��2�p�KpI��ɞ[�����^% ����5L�����0��*g��Y�':��0�t>kn�� �-o$O~f���X�m9q�|.��| ��Kb�{*=��x�p�Ep$:�ԝ������B���G'�aK���R�M__���f��X
����)����{H��pv���C1�C��Ƀ��t���)!3�_���a�#W�Ťm��";vV���U��Y�E�Vu��S���~�#���3�=|��5岊
=��KU��[@� j��i\%�Cg�4�6�0���|[� k��;k$I��w᝖�}M>�[�������c��B(3�G?z�a�����쎴�~v��gHm��ͳ*hƸ/����Jj[�``nbIà�u�.zus,{���w�X�Q~���*GQa�ls\ړ(���i�j&� a��>�q���[�B"B��E/�A�u��T��/�VŰS�d!H������u�E����w8��R6X�8�p#V��ސF(4�GZ�'d�J�'p��X�����9u�=���ݩ x�O��%��q�@����``H��F����������f�� E��x�ݫr���8�-}�
�VҼe�"[ր9wJ�?��n���Ҕͣ�N��2)t����i'K�`�����;9��C`2�TbxRX����cJ#��l�١����Y�}��*�wٛ�ӊ{,�I�t��%��1K�v?����r����_�e�����&�ig��쇳����u*�n3�JoU�[�`W���B�Hf�o<-��f ��["����ٓ0X,#��5���0�Hd�Ú�$�5�5��c݋� 3qT����._�sc[�x�o�L'=Ps��������?�$��`'q�pc��ܰG��3���s��n�� -|������"L�^���F�8�2�r��`��)Ɉ�`v k�q�%,�����!E��w�&�.�x�,++�w��g5�k��Tq�����-�S�-�
��vU5��j(J�Մr�耄w�������)f&ۚ�BI�7���r�D�ԓ��y��B���� fxS�=`��q����%�.y�M����l`?�R�}�A��gٟ쾲�H}T��O�n�;��k�����ץj�e& ���o58'�Զ>��������Df������2����_В�/�S�� �~��T��5��Q6m(����rM㎎}�u(��n�L��/��_|���ϷW5W����[�S!q|�>���]󷉒���m�:ql�k����#�@�g !�,�YG�mݒBkvT���Ṧ��9���侘oi^J3?w��V�=�����w�b�J՘JYFٗI:�W�@�rΆs^���q�:���3}����K���=��\Hnj���¤�9��!� ��?�}�W)��}�;��@UVp��(Np�㵱�=����ی��������r���7���.Q�1��� Wâ�,�:�,�)��DM�Xc8?��b�것4�L$�j�y����z~Z�T��tG��:�pq�0�vy�J6�j6�d�#���.J⩼�0�<��ѢӒ�L��q�+��p>�$�r��e|U�.�P�~���!�.ȍJM[ߏ�˫oMh�q�*̯����P��1�����b
��λ�$�^X���/��Cc��!F�ֻ��q����;\�>�������K�]N5DC� 6�=�g����[���W�y�L �Zm�{ �f=Y����h���rZFr��d|'$�5��gq��]�8�lyYv��|�wC�a��iO�b�z;��7�k��GCXg���Ӆ��#u�g� �HY�&�=�^�ſA$!x��X��)-�[!)�i��",����rh�l��&��9Y0�: