Nicola, I love the way you've described an "avalanche of signs from the Universe" (and I love that one of my blog posts started the whole process for you!). Dreams, emails, radio interviews, and therapy sessions—all of life really does work together when we're open to it, doesn't it? 

Shannon, I completely hear what you're saying. There's a great potential danger in going around telling people that God told you something, and many people have been hurt either because of these revelations or because they didn't get them. I think what you said here is spot on: "...he has the power to make even the most recalcitrant heart (like mine) sit up and pay attention. And I think this allows us humans to rest, rather than chasing after spiritual experiences." Beautiful.

Luci, yes, I resent that darkness before dawn, too. I'm at a point in my life where I wish it didn't have to happen, but I'm sort of resigned to it because I've seen how beautiful the dawn has been in my life. I think you're on to something with this: "the non-dark aspects of my life right now are so lovely that it feels like a much greater contrast than I’ve experienced in a long time." I know that's how I would feel if I entered a great darkness in my life right now. I'm so glad you wandered over to Halfway to Normal! I think we've developed about as supportive a community as you can find on a blog. Flock will be able to take that even deeper.

Rebecca, that's too funny! I think I have sensed a theme about Epiphanies: Sometimes they come when we're at the end of our rope, about to give ourselves over to hopelessness, other times they come in the midst of the tedious day-to-day activities. They don't seem to come when we're trying too hard though, do they? (And I don't think meeting with a spiritual director is an example of trying too hard, by the way! That's more about being open.)

Ami, that grey area can really spread and grow, can't it? It's like a rolling fog sometimes. Figuring out what your beliefs are and how they fit into your life, as you put it, is a huge task. So many people never even try to figure that out—it sounds like you're doing the hard work, and you will be blessed by it. So glad you wandered over to my blog!