Last year I began doing puzzles again.

There are two puzzles that I know I humanly really stink at.

1. Sudoku (but being a letters gal over a numbers one, makes total sense. lol) I don’t hold a lot of hope in these.

2. Word finds!!! Don’t get me wrong, the initial couple I’d get easily, but then I’d find myself trekking up and down the aisles of letters for every single word.

Last year I found myself drawn to get away from crosswords and try word finds.

Holy Spirit began highlighting a word in the list to find, and as my eyes moved to the jumble of letters – there it was!

At first glance, I didn’t think too much about it. Luck, chance…..but is it?!?

Next, He began giving me a ‘knowing’ the word location.

Other times He would tell me what word wasn’t there (the prize word) I’d circle it as I felt the first inkling. And sure enough, it would be right.

This was getting weird.

Quicker and quicker, word finds that had once taken me an hour, now took 10 minutes.

But as this began happening time and time again, I started to have a little fun with Him in it.

Word finds became like a conversation, an activity together. Sometimes He would reveal the answer, sometimes He’s let me guess. Sometimes He’s let me go up and down the aisles of letters. Other times He had me laughing at how bizarre and wonderful.

Fast forward 6 months.

God had been talking to me about “leaning into 2021”

What word was in the next puzzle I did?

That’s right…..LEAN.

I never tired of it – each one testament to God’s goodness in communicating in ways I will understand.

After a surfboard accident, I was left with hip issues and a weird breathing thing.

As I asked God about what was causing the various things, I felt Him say, ‘prayer ministry.’

Sure, I’d had a lot of ministry with all the life stuff – that sounds good.

As the day progressed, I began to question what I would broach in ministry. Father, would you give me confirmation that this is what you want me to do.

I headed up to the day bed and began doing a mega crossword. This was a prize crossword, and had highlighted letters. The highlighted letters were the winning word.

Within a short space of time, I looked back in utter surprise and delight.

“S U R F B O A R D”

A month ago I almost finished a puzzle which had a double piece of a car exhaust pipe.

two weeks after that, we discovered that our car had rats living in it, which had eaten the wires which ran straight down the centre of the vehicle!!! That one was very cryptic at the time, but not in hindsight. If we had’ve checked the exhaust pipe area, we would have seen the damage and possible prevented the car tow and $650 bill!!!

This past week God began putting the country of India on my heart.

I saw a snippet of a news headline on facebook which mentioned India, but then I began hearing and seeing ‘India’ in everything.

My bank had a photo of a couple from India as their banner photo.

I listened to a brand new Audio book, “Saving Savannah” which mentioned India. (random much?!? lol)

Various online token moments which highlighted India. God’s heart was definitely for India at this time.

I researched a little about what was going on there, and discovered they were having a horrendous time. My first thought was to give them some financial support. Practical helps, as I prayed about what God wanted us to do.

Later that night, when the initial excitement of what God was revealing had ‘worn off’, I lay in the bath doing an easy crossword.

India was far, far from my mind….but it wasn’t for Holy Spirit.

A few minutes later, as I finished up the puzzle, I wrote down the answer to a crossword clue. INDIA!!!!!

Yet again, God was speaking to me through puzzles.

My ecouragement to you is to take note. God will speak through anything to get His message across. Puzzles might not be your thing, but whatever your thing is – rest assured, He is speaking to you!!!