How can I "know" God?

<sigh> A difficult question...but interesting to ponder.
I know I tend to think of God as a sort of invisible friend with whom I always seem to be conversing.  I have this ongoing talk going on in my mind, I talk to God a lot each day.  I guess some might consider it praying, but I really considering praying to be different.  I learned that in a "prayer" we are to first give ADULATION and then CONFESS our sins, and then give THANKSGIVING, and finally SUPPLICATIONS (asking for various things).  I remember this order using the acronym ACTS.
But I have a different conversation in my head with God each day and I can feel Him gently directing my thoughts, I feel my heart convicted when I move in the 'wrong' direction and I feel comfort and joy when God knows I really need it.
I also tend to see the Bible as a sort of pen-pal letter from my God.  He wrote me a whole BOOK of notes or letters.  I remember many bits and pieces but have never memorized it fully.  So, I read it over and over, to hear the words of my friend, God, often.  He tells me so much about Himself in the Bible - after all, the Bible is THE STORY of God (it's called a "metanarrative").
I suppose that is how I attempt to know God each day, I really try to remember all I've learned from my past and keep learning each day from my Bible and from all the different people around me, the events around me, the world!
:-)
jules

I love the way this woman embraces part of her beliefs...

If you have 5 minutes to watch this, please do!
This is a very inspirational story.
:-)
julie

Quilter in Texas

My belief about God and how I embrace the belief

I believe God created our universe, our world, and everything in it.  God created humans in His own image and reflect His Goodness.  Humans were created with free-will but chose to break relationship with God thereby committing the first sins - and this made our loving God sad and angry.  Humans were doomed to live lives are hardship and pain with the broken relationship with the Creator.
Humans continued to have this broken relationship but God has always had a plan...He sent His Son to come to earth as a human - Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully human.  Jesus had all the same temptations and pains we all have.  Jesus lived a perfect life as He walked the earth sharing the Truth that had been forgotten or mis-interpreted by God's chosen people, the Israelites.  Jesus explained that God loves the non-Jewish folks too.
Despite all of Jesus' good works, words, miracles, etc...the Jewish leaders condemned His words and gave Him up to the Roman government to be put to death as a liar.  He was killed in a very painful way, on a cross, but endured the pain and death thereby taking on all of our sins...taking our own place in the eyes of God the Father.  Jesus saved us.
But everyone dies - so this was not so much the miraculous part - Jesus Christ ROSE from His grave and came back to life, in flesh and blood.  His Resurrection not only proved Him to be God but also showed that the debt He paid for our sins is/was enough.  Jesus' Resurrection reflects our own resurrections at then end of the world, when the time comes.
I believe God gave us a "manual for living life" called the Bible.  All of the words in the Bible are God's words for us and were given through human writers.  I believe God intends for us to live in community with one another, that we are to come together as Christians and we call this community "The Church" today.
I believe that some day we will be reunited with God in full relationship, in Heaven, after we are resurrected into our own perfected bodies.

I embrace my beliefs by reading my Bible often, referring to it for my life's situations, and asking my fellow Christians for help when I'm in Spiritual need.
I find myself embracing my beliefs by LEARNING - I enjoy learning MUCH about the Bible, Christianity's roots, the original languages of the Bible and the History that surrounds the accounts in the Bible.
We have an awesome God!!
xoxo jules