God's open sky

So I have this amazing family member who I love to pieces but has completely different views of the world then I do.  No faith.  No belief.  When I questioned why she does not believe that God exists she shut down.  She bluntly said it's just a made up story.  Hmmm.  Now the Megan in me wants to scream and argue- SERIOUSLY??? How can she say that????  But the believer in me wants to understand why she feels that way.  What happened that she became so certain. So resistant to even discuss the possibility.  What took her hope away?  Now we were raised Catholic- which is just a big joke to me.  Kind of makes sense how someone could run away from God.  But I know God is not a sit, stand, kneel, pray, stand, kneel recipe.  God is not a particular prayer that you memorize.  God is not a set of rules.  Hell is not a threat for sin.  Confession is not a closed booth with a priest.  I know God is real.  God is love.  God is hope.  God is pouring your heart out in any form of expression your heart desires.  God is repentance.  God is mercy.  God is healing.  God is Abba- Daddy.  God is real as real can be.  God is well EVERYTHING.  But to my beloved misguided family member "God is make believe and I am a whacked out religious person."  GRRRR that makes me mad.  First I am not religious.  Don't even get me started on religion.  Second God may sound like a fairy tale- too good to be true- but he is true.  He is beyond what a non believer can imagine.  But He is TRUTH!  Now I may be- ok clearly am "whacked out."  But I am a whacked out crazy in love living proof that God is real.  Look at my life.  My story.  How can she not see what God has done and is doing in my life??  Hmmm- makes me think.  Am I living his love?  Am I a light to his glory?  Am I doing things right? Am I stopping her from believing??  Makes my heart crumble to think maybe I'm a cloud to her.  But then I hear the words of the song playing " He'll break open skies to save those who cry out his name, the one the wind and waves obey, strong enough to save you.  I know the weight of this world can take you down like gravity and I know the current of yourself can take you out, out to sea but hold on, hold on...you're not too far from grace..."  Makes me remember that I was lost once too. But God found me.  And He will find her too.  She may feel the gravity of this broken messy world, she may let the current of herself take her down- but she is not too far from His grace.  Can I argue His existence to her??  No.  Can I quote scripture to make her believe?? No.  Can I convince her to come to church to hear His word?? No. Can I be a light of God's love to her??  YES- but not on my own.  I am not my own- I am His.  He is mine.  He can open dark cloudy skies of crappy life to see His bright shining beauty.  So how do I do this.  I live my life the way God calls me to.  I trust Him.  I follow Him.  I let go of control (dang that stupid control thing again!).  I share my story.  I let her see the change in me on her own.  I let her watch me rise from the ashes, I let her watch me turn to Him for help, I let her see my heart committed to my God.  I be the me that God made me and is making me.  I don't push her.  I don't preach at her. I pray. I trust. I love.