“Thou wilt¹ show me the path of life:

in thy presence is fullness of joy;

at thy right hand there are

pleasures forevermore.”

—Psalm 16:11

I’ve   searched for the path to God all my life— I know you have—

—and now I’ve found it and I can’t believe it. It feels like I’m sitting here, writing this to myself.

You are.

That does not seem like what a communication with God would feel like.

You want bells and whistles? I’ll see what I can arrange.

You know, don’t You, that there are those who will call this entire book a blasphemy². Especially if You keep showing up as such a wise guy.

Let Me explain something to you. You have this idea that God shows up in only one way in life. That’s a very dangerous idea.

It stops you from seeing God all over, If you think God looks only one way or sounds only one way or is only one way, you’re going to look right past Me night and day. You’ll spend your whole life looking for God and not finding Her. Because you’re looking for a Him. I use this as an example.

It has been said that if you don’t see God in the profane³ and the profound, you’re missing half the story. That is a great Truth.

God is in the sadness and the laughter, in the bitter and the sweet. There is a divine purpose behind every-thing—and therefore a divine presence in everything.

I once began writing a book called God is a Salami Sandwich.

That would have been a very good book. I gave you that inspiration. Why did you not write it?

It felt like blasphemy. Or at the very least, horribly irreverent.

You mean wonderfully irreverent! What gave you the idea that God is only “reverent⁴”? God is the up and the down. The hot and the cold. The left and the right. The reverent and the irreverent!

Think you that God cannot laugh? Do you imagine that God does not enjoy a good joke? Is it your knowing that God is without humor? I tell you, God invented humor.

Must you speak in hushed tones when you speak to Me? Are slang words or tough language outside My

点击收听单词发音  

1 wilt
v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱
参考例句：
Golden roses do not wilt and will never need to be watered.金色的玫瑰不枯萎绝也不需要浇水。 Several sleepless nights made him wilt.数个不眠之夜使他憔悴。

2 blasphemy
n.亵渎，渎神
参考例句：
His writings were branded as obscene and a blasphemy against God.他的著作被定为淫秽作品，是对上帝的亵渎。 You have just heard his blasphemy!你刚刚听到他那番亵渎上帝的话了！

3 profane
adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污
参考例句：
He doesn't dare to profane the name of God.他不敢亵渎上帝之名。 His profane language annoyed us.他亵渎的言语激怒了我们。

4 reverent
adj.恭敬的，虔诚的
参考例句：
He gave reverent attention to the teacher.他恭敬地听老师讲课。 She said the word artist with a gentle,understanding,reverent smile.她说作家一词时面带高雅，理解和虔诚的微笑。

5 ken
n.视野，知识领域
参考例句：
Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。 Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

6 repulsive
adj.排斥的，使人反感的
参考例句：
She found the idea deeply repulsive.她发现这个想法很恶心。 The repulsive force within the nucleus is enormous.核子内部的斥力是巨大的。

7 unravel
v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开
参考例句：
He was good with his hands and could unravel a knot or untangle yarn that others wouldn't even attempt.他的手很灵巧，其他人甚至都不敢尝试的一些难解的绳结或缠在一起的纱线，他都能解开。 This is the attitude that led him to unravel a mystery that long puzzled Chinese historians.正是这种态度使他解决了长期以来使中国历史学家们大惑不解的谜。

8 fabric
n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织
参考例句：
The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。 I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

9 dismantle
vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消
参考例句：
He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。 The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

10 alteration
n.变更，改变；蚀变
参考例句：
The shirt needs alteration.这件衬衣需要改一改。 He easily perceived there was an alteration in my countenance.他立刻看出我的脸色和往常有些不同。

11 judgments
判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判
参考例句：
A peculiar austerity marked his judgments of modern life. 他对现代生活的批评带着一种特殊的苛刻。 He is swift with his judgments. 他判断迅速。

12 judgment
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。 He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

13 assessments
n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价
参考例句：
He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

14 scripture
n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段
参考例句：
The scripture states that God did not want us to be alone.圣经指出上帝并不是想让我们独身一人生活。 They invoked Hindu scripture to justify their position.他们援引印度教的经文为他们的立场辩护。

15 scriptures
经文，圣典( scripture的名词复数 )； 经典
参考例句：
Here the apostle Peter affirms his belief that the Scriptures are 'inspired'. 使徒彼得在此表达了他相信《圣经》是通过默感写成的。 You won't find this moral precept in the scriptures. 你在《圣经》中找不到这种道德规范。

16 illustrated
adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。 The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

17 energizing
v.给予…精力，能量( energize的现在分词 )；使通电
参考例句：
a refreshing and energizing fruit drink 提神并增加体能的果汁饮料 The time required after energizing a device, before its rated output characteristics begin to apply. 从设备通电到它开始提供额定输出特性之间所需的时间。 来自辞典例句

18 promulgated
v.宣扬（某事物）( promulgate的过去式和过去分词 )；传播；公布；颁布（法令、新法律等）
参考例句：
Hence China has promulgated more than 30 relevant laws, statutes and regulations. 中国为此颁布的法律、法规和规章多达３０余项。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书 The shipping industry promulgated a voluntary code. 航运业对自律守则进行了宣传。 来自辞典例句

19 contradictory
adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立
参考例句：
The argument is internally contradictory.论据本身自相矛盾。 What he said was self-contradictory.他讲话前后不符。

20 loathe
v.厌恶，嫌恶
参考例句：
I loathe the smell of burning rubber.我厌恶燃着的橡胶散发的气味。 You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

21 devastating
adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的
参考例句：
It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。 Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

22 wrath
n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒
参考例句：
His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。 The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。

23 obedience
n.服从，顺从
参考例句：
Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。 Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。

24 irony
n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄
参考例句：
She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。 In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

25 monarchs
君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Monarchs ruled England for centuries. 世袭君主统治英格兰有许多世纪。 Serving six monarchs of his native Great Britain, he has served all men's freedom and dignity. 他在大不列颠本国为六位君王服务，也为全人类的自由和尊严服务。 来自演讲部分

26 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

27 counterfeit
vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的
参考例句：
It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。 The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。

28 deity
n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物)
参考例句：
Many animals were seen as the manifestation of a deity.许多动物被看作神的化身。 The deity was hidden in the deepest recesses of the temple.神藏在庙宇壁龛的最深处。

29 lesser
adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地
参考例句：
Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。 She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

30 joyful
adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的
参考例句：
She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。 They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

31 blessing
n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿
参考例句：
The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。 A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

32 scrutiny
n.详细检查，仔细观察
参考例句：
His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。 Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

33 presumptuous
adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的
参考例句：
It would be presumptuous for anybody to offer such a view.任何人提出这种观点都是太放肆了。 It was presumptuous of him to take charge.他自拿主张，太放肆了。

34 sane
adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的
参考例句：
He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。 He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。

35 testament
n.遗嘱；证明
参考例句：
This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。 It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。

36 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

37 gathering
n.集会，聚会，聚集
参考例句：
He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。 He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

38 doctrines
n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明
参考例句：
To modern eyes, such doctrines appear harsh, even cruel. 从现代的角度看，这样的教义显得苛刻，甚至残酷。 来自《简明英汉词典》 His doctrines have seduced many into error. 他的学说把许多人诱入歧途。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

39 colloquial
adj.口语的，会话的
参考例句：
It's hard to understand the colloquial idioms of a foreign language.外语里的口头习语很难懂。 They have little acquaintance with colloquial English. 他们对英语会话几乎一窍不通。

40 conversational
adj.对话的，会话的
参考例句：
The article is written in a conversational style.该文是以对话的形式写成的。 She values herself on her conversational powers.她常夸耀自己的能言善辩。

41 unifying
使联合( unify的现在分词 )； 使相同； 使一致； 统一
参考例句：
In addition, there were certain religious bonds of a unifying kind. 此外，他们还有某种具有一种统一性质的宗教上的结合。 There is a unifying theme, and that is the theme of information flow within biological systems. 我们可以用一个总的命题，把生物学系统内的信息流来作为这一研究主题。

42 remains
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。 The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

43 immutable
adj.不可改变的，永恒的
参考例句：
Nothing in the world is immutable.世界没有一成不变的东西。 They free our minds from considering our world as fixed and immutable.它们改变着人们将世界看作是永恒不变的观点。

44 worthy
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。 There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

45 motive
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。 He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

46 frustration
n.挫折，失败，失效，落空
参考例句：
He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。 He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

47 motives
n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )
参考例句：
to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机 His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。