I’ve always been attuned to the natural world, particularly birds, so, not surprisingly, God often communicates with me through birds and nature. I learned long ago that when nature behaves in unnatural ways, I’m to pay attention: God is speaking and wants me to listen.
One day I had a strong leading to take a certain action, though I no longer remember what the action was. I do remember that I wasn’t sure I was hearing right and that this action would have stretched me out of my comfort zone, so I actually hoped I was hearing wrong. I asked God to send me a really clear sign, if and only if He did indeed want me to take this action; a sign that was so clear that I couldn’t possibly discount it or doubt my hearing.
As I prayed, I was on my way to pick up my daughter, Carlie, from Wilson High School. Within minutes of my request for clarity I had to stop my car in the middle of the block to keep from hitting the peacock that was crossing in front of me! I laughed out loud.
Though this would probably have been a clear sign for anyone, God knew that I knew that the peacock, to early Christians, was a symbol for Christ. So, metaphorically, I had to stop the car for Christ to cross the road!
That wasn’t all, however. I’d asked for a sign I couldn’t possibly discount. On the way back from Wilson with Carlie, I had to stop the car again, in the exact same spot, for the peacock to cross back across the road! It looked for all the world as if the bird had been just waiting, for a full 20 minutes, mind you, for me to turn the corner so it could cross back!
(I later discovered that this peacock lived in the neighborhood. Though I saw it by the side of the road a number of times in the following years, I never again had to stop for it to cross the road.)
— Laurie Hoff Schaad