When God Winks

When God Winks: How the Power of Coincidence Guides Your Life by SQuire Rushnell

How do books come into my life?  Referrals from other passionate readers.  Additional books written by a favorite author - like Marcus Buckingham.  Browsing books stores.  Browsing Amazon's Customers who bought this book also bought...   Folks who would like me to review their book send copies.  And in perhaps the most magical and mystical of ways - by random.

Although technically it falls under browsing in book stores, it truly falls into finding books by random.  The most powerful has been Julia Cameron's The Sound of Paper.  Although I have now been writing regularly for nine years and collecting books on writing, I had never heard of Julia until three years ago.  Because I am so physical with my books and journals, and the touch, texture, smell and feel of paper is so nerve-calming for me, the title of Julia's book pointed a red dot on my forehead and lasered me in.  The random part is due in part to me not finding the book in the writer's section of the store.  The second most powerful example is Wayne Dyer's You'll See it When You Believe it.

Five years ago I went into this book store in St. Armands Circle in Sarasota, Florida, in search of a Robert Frost written book with his poem The Road Not Taken in it.  Not finding it, I began to browse the self-help section and remembered that my sister had spoken very highly of Wayne Dyer.  I picked up You'll See it When You Beleive it and within five seconds came to page 41.  There I find an excerpt from The Road Not Taken.  This book has helped to frame my thoughts about the universe and has been a tablet for me to scribe bits of my life's journey upon.

When I read Rushnell's byline about coincidence, thoughts of Dyer's book overwhelmed me.  I found When God Winks at a bookstore on a discount table.  God Winks are guideposts that cause stuff to happen in your life.  They are also messages of reassurance, coming in life when you need them the most.  The author relays, early on in the book, an unbelievable coincidence that happened to him at the age of fifteen.  After reading this, I couldn't put the book down and continued on until I finished the book.

I am so tuned into everything happens for a reason, that the universe is by design and that our actions are the result of our own manifested-intent which has been in cue since the beginning of time.  When God Winks validates this thought. 

Comments

[Debra Estep]

Dave,

Sounds like a good read I will have
to check out. I love the title !

When I think of coincidences, I've always
connected them to a line from the 1927 poem....

Desiderata:

"And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."

Be SURE and check out the link to the
recording at the bottom of my comment.
For some it will be a first listen, for others it will stir memories.......

Desiderata -

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann 1927

Desiderata
Les Crane -
"A Grammy winning spoken-word recording" - 1971

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kPzJWuG9RM

.

[Ruth]

Dave,

I have read "When God Winks" and loved it. My favorite wink in my own life, happened on a Sunday morning about 3 years ago, and interestingly, I think reading your review is yet another "wink."

I had recently launched my own home-based business, and, at that moment, I wasn't feeling too sure I had done the right thing. As I dressed to go to church with my daughters, I asked God to just let me know if I was on the right path.

An hour later, as the church service was beginning, a young woman by the name of Angela was invited to the front of the congregation to read a devotional message that she wanted to share. I felt my skin start to tingle when she began by saying that she had planned to read something else, but that this particular devotion just popped out at her. It was titled, "My Path." The general gist of it was that whatever you are doing, you are on the right path, and to just keep paying attention and following your internal guidance. The devotion included the line, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference."

Robert Frost has always been one of my favorite poets, and I have always loved that poem best. The impact of the entire experience was huge, and I continued on "my path" with far greater confidence after that amazing wink.

This past month has been a time of many challenges for me, and again I was questioning whether I am doing what I should be doing. I just joined the Joyful Jubilant Learning Network a week ago, and that led me to your post today. Hmmm... another wink.

And yet another wink... Wayne Dyer's writings have inspired me so often. The first book that I read by Dr. Dyer was, you guessed it, "You'll See It When You Believe It."

Your review made my day! Thank you!

Ruth

[dave]

And your comment made MY day Ruth! Thank you!

What I didn't say Ruth, was, Frost's poem continued to pop up in my life the following year more times than I can remember. With every fiber in my body I believe that my destiny lies down the road less travelled.

I've had many people tell me their stories of how they asked God for that sign. While it has never worked for me, I have never been allowed to step off of the cliff. I have had one foot in the air but at the last minute Something has come out of nowhere to save my family and my self...and that's good enough for me!