Thank you for coming. Thank you for being here.

You are here by appointment, true; but still, you could have failed to show up. You could have decided¹ not to. You chose instead to be here, at the appointed hour, at the appointed place, for this book to come into your hands. So thank you.

Now if you have done all this subconsciously³, without even knowing what you were doing or why, some of this may be a mystery to you, and a little explaining may be in order.

Let’s start by causing you to notice that this book has arrived in your life at the right and perfect time. You may not know that now, but when you finish with the experience that is in store for you, you will know it absolutely. Everything happens in perfect order, and the arrival of this book in your life is no exception.

What you have here is that for which you have been looking, that for which you have been yearning⁴, for a very long time. What you have here is your latest—and for some of you perhaps your first—very real contact with God.

This is a contact, and it is very real.

God is going to have an actual conversation with you now, through me. I wouldn’t have said this a few years ago; I’m saying it now because I’ve already had such a dialogue and I therefore know that such a thing is possible. Not only is it possible, it is happening all the time. Just as this is happening, right here, right now.

What is important for you to understand is that you, in part, have caused this to happen, just as you have caused this book to be in your hands at this moment. We are all at cause in creating the events of our lives, and we are all co-creators with the One Great Creator in producing each of the circumstances leading up to those events.

My first experience of talking to God on your behalf occurred in 1992-93. I had written an angry letter to God, asking why my life had become such a monument to struggle and failure. In everything from my romantic relationships to my life work to my interactions with my children to my health—in everything—I was experiencing nothing but struggle and failure. My letter to God demanded to know why—and what it took to make life work.

To my astonishment⁵, that letter was answered.

How it was answered, and what those answers were, be-came a book, published in May 1995 under the title Conversa-tions with God, Book 1. Perhaps you’ve heard of it or maybe have even read it. If so, you do not need any further

点击收听单词发音  

1 decided
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。 There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

3 subconsciously
ad.下意识地，潜意识地
参考例句：
In choosing a partner we are subconsciously assessing their evolutionary fitness to be a mother of children or father provider and protector. 在选择伴侣的时候，我们会在潜意识里衡量对方将来是否会是称职的母亲或者父亲，是否会是合格的一家之主。 Lao Yang thought as he subconsciously tightened his grasp on the rifle. 他下意识地攥紧枪把想。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

4 yearning
a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的
参考例句：
a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往 He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。

5 astonishment
n.惊奇，惊异
参考例句：
They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。 I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

6 preamble
n.前言；序文
参考例句：
He spoke without preamble.他没有开场白地讲起来。 The controversy has arisen over the text of the preamble to the unification treaty.针对统一条约的序文出现了争论。

7 exquisitely
adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地
参考例句：
He found her exquisitely beautiful. 他觉得她异常美丽。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He wore an exquisitely tailored gray silk and accessories to match. 他穿的是做工非常考究的灰色绸缎衣服，还有各种配得很协调的装饰。 来自教父部分

8 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 initial
adj.最初的，开始的，词首的；n.首字母，姓名的开头字母；vt.标注姓名的首字母于
参考例句：
After she'd overcome her initial shyness,she became very friendly.她克服了起初的羞怯之后，变得十分友善。 The experiments have given initial results eventually.那些试验总算初见成效了。

10 agenda
n.议事日程，记事册
参考例句：
We now proceed to the next item on the agenda.我们现在着手讨论下一项议题。 If there is no objection,the agenda is adopted.如果没有意见，议程就通过了。

11 intricate
adj.错综复杂的，复杂精细的
参考例句：
We were able to thread but slowly through the intricate reports.我们能弄懂这些复杂的报告，只是很慢。 The plot of the novel is intricate and fascinating.这部小说的情节错综复杂，引人入胜。

12 inaccurate
adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的
参考例句：
The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。 She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

13 consistently
ad.一贯地，一直
参考例句：
The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law. 部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。

14 slew
v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多
参考例句：
He slewed the car against the side of the building.他的车滑到了大楼的一侧，抵住了。 They dealt with a slew of other issues.他们处理了大量的其他问题。

15 pertinent
adj.恰当的；贴切的；中肯的；有关的；相干的
参考例句：
The expert made some pertinent comments on the scheme.那专家对规划提出了一些中肯的意见。 These should guide him to pertinent questions for further study.这些将有助于他进一步研究有关问题。

16 commendable
adj.值得称赞的
参考例句：
The government's action here is highly commendable.政府这样的行动值得高度赞扬。 Such carping is not commendable.这样吹毛求疵真不大好。

17 clarity
n.清澈，透明，明晰
参考例句：
His writing has great clarity of style.他的写作风格清晰易懂。 Mozart's music is characterized by its naivety and clarity.莫扎特的音乐特色是纯朴兴清澈。