Experience AND know?

• A friend experienced a long car trip with me
  

  and my (then) 4 kids... we got to know each
  other better!
  
  A friend often goes grocery shopping with me
  and my boys... there's usually a combo of
  laughter, creativity, near chaos & lotsa roll'n
  with the punches. We've become closer through
  those moments.
  
  A friend & I take our kids to parks, museums, etc.
  It gets loud with laughter and even louder with crying.
  Sharing these times brings us closer.
  
  Cooking side-by-side with my girls, bumping
  into each other, spilling stuff and laughing, too.
  We experience it together... we know each other better!
  
  Moments - both good & bad- are opportunities to take
  relationships deeper. Going down a road together makes
  memories & bonds... but we stop short when it come to JESUS.
  
  
  
  Have you ever told God that you'd be happy
  to go down "that" road when you know Him better?
  (whatever the "That" part is to you?)
  
  The New Testament word for KNOW?
  Know- to discover, to experience
  
  In order to really KNOW God we must be willing
  to experience the challenges with Him,
  walk through the stuff with Him,
  and obey in our weakness.
  During the shared experiences with Jesus
  our heart begins to open up,
  trust and
  know Him on a deeper level.
  
  We wouldn't expect a friendship to grow
  without shared experiences.
  We wouldn't expect a friend to open their life in
  raw honesty if we never shared any of our own
  real selves with them.
  Yet, we kinda expect that from Jesus.
  
  "When I know you MORE, Jesus, I'll trust You."
  
  But, NO! We must say....
  
  "Jesus, I'll know you more as I trust You."
  
  I'm choosing to view my challenging situations
  as opportunities to know God more:
  
  - Making use of my small, oddly arranged house
  -Homeschooling a HS, JR Hi & Elem. child
  -Patience to nurture my 3 yr. old & 2 yr. old
  -Living in the city, close to everyone, but kinda far from
  everything (shopping & groceries, that is)
  
  These are not just challenges to live through,
  these are streets of my life that I'm walking down,
  holding hands with my Heavenly Daddy,
  talking,
  sharing,
  laughing,
  observing
  and... KNOWING Him!
  
  (our street! our Zoe!)
  
  
  
  
  I really DO have the large print...so funny. It was
  gift from my parents in 1984... I was in High School
  

  Currently Reading Large Print Thompson Chain Reference Bible-NIV