How does God make himself known to us? The doctrine of revelation explores this with a debate betwen general revelation and special revelatioin. Author Beth Felker Jones defines general revelation as refering to God's self-disclosure in creation and the human conscience. She defines spcial revelation as refering to God's specific self-revelation in the history of Israel, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and Scripture. She goes on to explain the the key difference is is one is available automatically and the other is not.
She seems to reconcile the debate with ongoing continuity; the idea that general revelation remains an important and valid source allowing us to know in general, some things about God, while special revelation is necessary to come to full knowledge of God. Ongoing continuity affirms the benefits of both types of revelation and allows for one to be viewed as a "starting point" and the other to be a continual process of growth and knowledge.
The biggest area of concern for me with general revelation is, as many point out, our sinful nature and the possibilty of our human sinfulness tainting what we share as truth rather than the pure truth of who God is. I find my tendancy to lean more toward special revelation, but agree with the ideas of ongoing continuity between general and special revelation. Using general revelation as a jumping off point when engaging non-believers-"meeting them where they are"-and special revelation as the driving force in growth and discipleship.
Living in the Black Hills, surrounded by the beauty of creation, I find it an easy conversation to point to a heart shaped rock and say, "the God who created that Rock placed it in the shape of a heart so you would be reminded of His love" while at the same time I would look to Scripture and Jesus Christ to further explain that love.