Anecdotal evidence is suspect to many people. I've written often that for me it is the preponderance of the anecdotal evidence that moves me. That coupled with my personal experiences brings about a sense of conviction. The more personally I know a person (or people) the more persuasive their anecdotes are.
In this post I want to relate a story about my former neighbors, a young couple raising a small family. They lived beside me for over a year, until they were notified their lease would not be renewed. This was sad for me because they were good neighbors and genuinely nice people.
The young man has an interesting and truly inspiring story. A recovering drug addict who found deliverance by calling on a higher power. A bad drug deal left him in the hospital at the point of death. His parents, ever supportive, placed him in a long term recovery program. He was able to get clean and so far stay clean. His wife is a sweet young lady who has been supportive. Together they have faced troubles in life with their often sick infant. But they are people who have come around to a faith worldview. They believe in and live accordingly to the power of prayer.
When they were told they would have to move, it seemed a dire situation. Money is tight because of medical expenses. At first their plan was to move in with his parents in order to put aside some money for another place. But the couple looked around anyway for another house.
The husband found one that seemed right, but would be a bit of a struggle on a tight budget. His wife was encouraged, but they both felt they should pray for guidance before moving in. While that was happening, the house was rented out. It was yet another disappointment in an increasing run.
And then one day as she was driving around the wife noticed a house for rent . She drove past at first, mindful of the recent disappointment and fairly resigned to moving in with the in-laws. But a voice in her head kept telling her to go back. Heeding the voice she did go back to take a look and get the phone number.
It turned out the rent was much lower than what they had been paying here, lower than the first house they had looked at - so low, in fact, the couple feared there might problems with the house. After looking at the house and talking with the owners, it turned out to be a matter of the house needing a little work (which would be done along the way).
Problem solved. They could now move out before their lease expired. They would not have to move in with his parents, which is an important thing to any young people starting out in life. The lower rent still allowed them time to improve their financial situation.
The subject of religion is a touchy one. I sometimes think more people pray than are religious in the conventional sense of the word. And to me that's fine. Spirituality for me is not creeds and associations. For me, spirituality is about a deeper sense of living, a deeper sense of self and others, and a deeper appreciation for the Supreme Mind.
So I believe in the power of prayer. I believe in seeking and finding divine guidance in life. My life has improved dramatically since I left my former cynicism behind and allowed myself to explore the spiritual realm with an open mind. And personal experiences - especially those of people I know - strengthen my faith.
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