We had the windows open, letting a delightful breeze flow through our new house. I was surrounded by boxes in the living room as my kids ran around the yard with new friends.

I took a break from unpacking to watch my daughter, Jane, building fairy houses out of twigs and leaves in the front yard with her new best friend. It was a sweet scene to take in, with them giggling and working together. I kept my observation distant, to not intrude on the friendship blooming outside my living room window. Before the move, Jane had only her four brothers for “neighborhood” friends, so to see her playing with another little girl was a refreshing delight. They built, ran around and laughed easily. Jane glanced up at the house and waved to me beaming.

When she came in after a couple of hours, I eagerly asked, “Tell me about playing outside!” Jane is a sweet girl and very pragmatic, so she kindly, yet practically, replied, “You saw me though.”

“Yeah, but what were you and your friend doing?” I asked. “Building and playing. You saw,” she said, almost confused. “I did. Will you tell me about it though?” I pressed.
Quite simply, Jane didn’t understand the point of telling me what happened when I clearly saw it with my own two eyes. I finally conveyed that I was interested in her experience of it all. What was fun about it? What did she enjoy about her new friend? I love my daughter and wanted the joy of her sharing with me.

Chuckling over the experience, it occurred to me that it’s analogous to our connection with the Lord. Like me watching my daughter play, God sees our reality and experiences unfolding, except He is omniscient so His knowledge infinitely surpasses our own. Scripture says that He formed us, that He knows the hairs on our heads, when we sit and when we stand. Not only is He wholly aware of the logistical goings-on in our lives and all exterior aspects, but also of our inmost stirrings. Blessed Julian of Norwich, an anchoress and mystic from the 1300s, said that “God is nearer to us than our own souls.” No one knows us more intimately than He does, yet still, He asks us to entrust ourselves to him; to pray, sharing our experiences and the depths of our hearts with him.

Why? Because that’s what a relationship is. Knowing the details of a person’s feelings and thoughts cannot equate to being entrusted with that same information. We experience connection every day with people, and we know without articulating it that it takes sharing. It takes vulnerability. And Jesus already made the first move. From an overwhelming, never-ending love for us, Jesus made Himself completely vulnerable as a newborn, a beloved Brother who shares His Father and His Mother, a constant friend and Savior and a humble Host available for us to receive—all the while demonstrating His faithfulness. He is trustworthy and a safe place.

There is no better relationship to have than the one God never ceases to offer. No one else fulfills or brings more joy. The response for us is prayer. I’ve said it so many times here, and it will always bear repeating: my favorite wisdom about prayer comes from St. Thérèse, who said, “Prayer is a launching out of the heart toward God.”

In all its reality and rawness, your heart is precisely what the Lord wants, exactly in the state it’s in. Do you have questions? Is your heart weary or confused? Are you in pain? Are you excited and happy about something? Did you make a new friend after being alone or maybe delight in a lovely spring day? Behold, He stands at the door and knocks. Tell Him about it.

Katie Sciba is a national speaker and Catholic Press Award- winning columnist. Katie has been married for 15 years and is blessed with six children.

This article appeared in the April 2024 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.