Paul

Paul is originally from Dublin, he and his family are a part of the ‘Discovery Church’ Church Plant Team. They moved to Galway in the past year. Paul has a degree in Theology and is a part of the Teaching Team.

‘God if your real then I need to know. I am giving you 3 minutes to speak to me. And if you don’t then I am going to just forget about the whole thing…’

The room was full of people, some on their knees, some sitting others standing. Most of them were under thirty years of age but apart from my brother who was two years my junior I was by far the youngest person in the room. I sat in the corner, tucked in as far behind the sofa as I could get. Nine years of age and here I was sitting in another ‘prayer meeting’ in my parents front room. No I didn’t mind being there, I sensed that something real was happening and yes, sure, I believed in God. I had been an alter boy for a couple of years and masses or prayer meeting in the house were not that unusual. However tonight was different. Tonight I had a burning question in my heart. ‘I know you exist God. I know you are real. But are you interested in me? ‘ In my mind it didn’t make sense that he would be interested, after all He was God and I was just a quiet boy. But part of me dared to believe that he might just care about me. As a song in the room finished I took a risk and prayed a prayer. I didn’t pray out loud, nothing so brave.

It was a silent prayer as real and serious as prayer can be. ‘God if your real then I need to know. I am giving you 3 minutes to speak to me. And if you don’t then I am going to just forget about the whole thing…’ I looked at my watch nervously. The idea that I had just given the creator of the world 3 minutes to get talking might have appeared funny to an onlooker but as those seconds passed by the funny side of what was happening was lost on me. I had laid it on the line and having done so was just beginning to realize that if He didn’t speak then I would have to stop believing in Him. As the 3 minutes finished and my heart sunk inside me I knew that I had to give him up. The sadness and disappointment that washed over me was probably because I loved him and I felt like I was losing something precious. ‘O No, what have I done’ and then someone spoke out, they said they had a message from God…for me.

 

I am also praying for Galway and the West of Ireland. ‘God your real and they need to know…