“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” Matthew 5:8

Sensing God’s presence is something you can’t even begin to explain. But it’s the closest thing we have to magic. When I sense God, it’s powerful. It’s like stepping into a different world. One where your senses suddenly get 50x more heightened. Music sounds like you are on drugs, colors become more vibrant, and you feel so overwhelmed with love to the point of tears. It’s unmistakable when it happens to you — but you have to believe it to actually see it. 

When I Started Experiencing God

I’ve always sort of believed in God, but never took it too seriously. He was something I put on the back burner, my last resort I’d go to when I needed help. 

But it wasn’t until I had my spiritual awakening did I really see him, feel him, and hear him.

The night of my awakening, everything changed. My senses were heightened to the point where now I see flashes of lights all around me, hear music in my soul and can visualize the layers in my head, and am brought to tears multiple times a day by the sound of a beautiful piano, the smell of a rose, the sight of nature, the taste of a delicious meal, or the soft feeling of a plush blanket wrapped around me.  

But seeing God has been the most significant change. Because now I see him EVERYWHERE. 

My Signs From God

Pennies/coins

Before I even had my spiritual awakening, I was starting to find pennies everywhere, almost every day, to the point where I had to Google what was happening to me. And that’s when I learned they are called “pennies from heaven” because they are a sign from the universe that you are on the right path, and good things are coming, which they definitely have. When I say I was finding them everywhere, I mean finding them everywhere – on walks on the beach, sitting on a rock, parking lots, airports, sidewalks, you name it. I had to start a coin collection because it was so frequent. And I started to journal the days I would find them. I then realized I would find the coins either on tough days where I needed a little love or days where I gave back to the world and felt close to God, as almost a sign that he appreciates the work I have put in. I was finding them almost every day in the beginning of my spiritual journey, but now, as I have more faith and don’t need those constant reminders, I am finding less pennies. But when I do, man, it’s a good feeling. 

Seagulls

I started to believe God was visiting me through seagulls in Florida. I was spending a lot of time on the beach, during the first month of my spiritual awakening, and every time I was alone, a seagull would be standing 15 feet from me, not bothering me, just watching out for me. This happened for 2 weeks straight. Then one day I felt a closeness to God that reminded me of that Thanksgiving eve night, and looking out over the water at dusk the same seagull flew over me and started hovering above me for what felt like 2 minutes and I felt the powerful presence and peace of an angel — the seagull even looked like an angel. Ever since that day, I knew seagulls were my sign from God and now I see them everywhere! At work, by my gym, by the lake, in Florida. And I always see them when I’m praying and ask to see him. Always. 

One day in Chicago, I was having a tough day and decided to walk to the water because that always seems to help me. It was cold — to the point of -10 degree wind chill, and there was no one out and no birds to be seen. I walked for about a mile on the water and was yearning for a sign from God, so I prayed. And right then, about 15 seagulls started flying around me and then just disappeared into the sky. And I felt his presence. 

Sunrise/Sunsets

I’ve always appreciated sunsets and would love to watch them if the chance presented itself, but it took me 28 years to appreciate and seek out a sunrise. It wasn’t until my boyfriend and I woke up at 6:00am and thought, “why not – we are up anyways?” He lived on the East side of Florida so it was the perfect spot to watch the sunrise over the ocean. And WOW. It was an experience that changed me. We were the only ones on the beach, sitting in our chairs, with coffee, bundled up in blankets and watching God paint the sky in the most vibrant colors, that only got better as the sun rose up over the clouds. We both felt God’s presence and it was like seeing God as we watched the beams surround the sky as the sun went behind a cloud. It felt like Heaven — and in a way it was. Being next to the love of my life, watching the most incredible sunrise I had ever seen, feeling so much love around me — how could it get any better than that? 

Sunrises and sunsets happen every day, but we so often take them for granted. If you are needing a sign from God or need to feel that the universe is with you – go watch one. Wake up at 5:00am if you have to. The feeling that you will get will be well worth it. 

Feathers

Feathers to me are little, quick reminders of God. They are so common that you can find them everywhere but to me, that’s God saying that he is truly everywhere. Something to bring your awareness and attention back to the spiritual world, even for a second.

Angel Numbers

I never knew what an angel number was until my aunt mentioned how she sees 222 everywhere, which also happens to be her birthday. I have had times in my life where I’ve seen 11:11 every day but didn’t make anything of it. But when I was going through my awakening, I started paying attention. I was seeing angel numbers constantly! And especially when I needed a little push to do something I was nervous about, or needed a sign, I would look at the time and it would always be an angel number. Now I see them every day, and whenever I do, it’s another small reminder that we are not alone in this world and someone is looking out for us and helping us on our path. 

Body Chills/Tingles

Ever since having my spiritual awakening, I have goose bumps and tingles throughout my body constantly, but especially when talking to God or enjoying my senses. It was so often that I had to Google what was happening to me. Think about how you get tingles when you hear an incredible song, or watch a powerful video — now imagine that every day, almost every hour. To me, it’s the best reminder that God is with me always, and to lean into the things that give me those tingles and away from the things that take away the tingles. 

Tunnels in the Sky

One day I was walking to the lake in Chicago as I do every day. I put on George Harrison and began to embrace the beauty of nature and the water. But this day was different. I always see flashes of lights around me when I look into the sky, but as I started to focus in on some of the flashes, the sky began to warp, and a tunnel started to appear. I thought this was the end for me. I continued staring, waiting to see a light or an angel to come down but nothing happened; the tunnel just stayed there, moving in a spiral, but nothing came in or out. I looked around to see if anyone else was seeing what I was seeing, but people continued walking unaware of anything appearing in the sky. I then continued my walk along the lake and looked up again and saw it. I thought maybe this was something I would always be able to see moving forward if I looked up into the sky but to this day I have yet to see another tunnel in the sky. This was a one-time miracle that I will always remember, but another reminder that this world is not the end, and what’s waiting for us will be more incredible than we can ever even imagine. 

How God presents himself and the miracles of the spiritual realm are different for everyone, but there can be a lot of overlap between the signs (i.e. coins and feathers, butterflies, maybe songs or angel numbers). Have you had any experiences like this? Let me know!