My Collection of Angel Stories
My Collection of Angel Stories
My Collection of Angel Stories
A is for Archangel
By: Mary Brown/catholic.org
Angels are real.
I speak with them.
If you have troubles, questions concerning your life, or need guidance, you need only to
ask. But you need to ask clearly- their world is as filled with the noise and chaos of the
21st Century as ours is.
Angels are all around but they speak quietly, and the path to hearing is not open to all.
This is my gift however, and I choose to share it with others in this way. They, the Angels,
trust me to do so. They are very real. They can calm you in times of panic, comfort you in
times of pain, and quiet you in times of anger. They love us even when we aren't very
easy to love.
Not everyone can hear their voices, but they can hear yours...
Ask An Archangel- where you can really ask a question of the angels.
Sallys questionI am considering a leaving my job. There is a woman there that makes everybody
unhappy. She is mean. I don't know what to do to make her stop but I wake up and feel
sick to the stomach every morning. I am scared I may not find another job very easily
though. Should I leave or try and stick it out like my husband says?
Sally's AnswerSally, you have not specifically requested an Archangel to answer your question so I
(Michael ) have offered to try and answer it.
You need to decide whether this person is realistically going to stop behaving like this. If
not, consider your own happiness and look into other options for workplaces. Theres no
rule that says you must stay in a situation that makes you unhappy. Sometimes walking
away is the winners choice. I do wonder why this colleague of yours is so unhappy.
Maybe things in her life are not as they should be. Sadness or concealed hurt often
present as venom towards others. Is there anything you can do for her?
We hope you find this of help. Thank you for asking an archangel.
www.askanarchangel.com
An Angel Came To Me
Michael Jackson's Song
Last night, an angel came to me
I was cryin' alone
My heart was bleeding
Last night, an angel came to me
I was cryin' alone
My mind was dying
God have mercy
Stop them destroying me
An angel came to me
To save my life
Listen to his voice
Please hear his soul
This angel came to me
To save me
Last night, an angel came to me
I was doing wrong
I was doing wrong
Last night, an angel came to me
I was sleepin' wrong
I was sleepin' wrong
God have mercy
Stop them destroying me
An angel came to me
To forgive me
Listen to his prayers
Please feel his love
This angel came to me
God saved me
An angel came to me
To fulfill his prophecy
He listened to my prayers
Please feel my love
This angel came to me
I recognised him
I recognised him
Ad libs:
An angel, baby, did you hear it
(An angel)
I tell you baby, did you hear it
(An an-gel)
Angel Feathers
by Rose-Mary Gower
I watched an item on the TV about Angels. The guest on the show said thatyou could ask
an angel to give you evidence of their existence by producing Angel feathers! At the time
I thought no more about it, thinking that it was a fanciful notion. However, on my twice
daily walk it came to mind again. Thinking 'nothing ventured, nothing gained', I said,
"OK, if there is an angel in the vicinity, prove it!" As I rounded the bend in the road I
found a pure white, fluffy one every few yards down the whole stretch of the road until it
met the T-junction!
A little later I went out for a second walk. I picked up the only remaining one and
clutched it in my hand, meaning to take it home, on opening my palm it had vanished.
There was no wind and I swear it had not blown away!
I mentioned this extraordinary occurrence to my husband, David, fully expecting a
teasing response. I was not disappointed!
David is very disbelieving of anything that purports to be supernatural. With tongue
firmly imbedded in cheek, he asked any passing angel to send him a sign! Sometime later
he discovered, on turning down the bed, two white,
fluffy ones.
On going outside the following morning there seemed to be a lot of more white ones
blowing around the patio!
The following day David found one by his place setting at the breakfast table. On getting
into the car they were discovered on the driver's seat and on the floor by the foot pedals.
This story is on going we keep being confronted by them in places where one would not
expect to find them.
My friends around the world, on hearing my story, have also asked the angels for feathers
and have reported remarkable results. This is part of an e-mail from a good cyber-pal of
mind from Florida.
"Last night before going to bed I asked with all seriousness for an Angel to send me a
feather. Well, I woke up this morning covered in them I have two pillows on my bed and
the seam had come apart on one and they were everywhere. The seam was not ripped, the
thread was just gone and all the stuffing came out during the night. I have a ceiling fan,
which picked them up and they were swirling through the air and landing on the furniture
only to be picked up and swirled around again. It looked like a fluffy snowstorm. I had to
turn off the fan and I spent about 30 minutes or so vacuuming up all the feathers. I will
never again ask for an ANGEL feather. There is an old saying "Be careful what you ask
for because you might get it" I got it all right.
stranger appears at just the right time, and then is seen no more. Who is to say that this is
not a heavenly messenger specifically sent to bring healing and hope?
Early the next morning, as I walked into Bobs hospital room, preparing for another day
of disappointment, there was my husband, sitting up in bed, his eyes as bright as two
candles asking me where I had been. When I think about the definition of a miracle, I will
always remember that moment in freeze frame. I see the rapture on Bobs face and I
imagine the stunned disbelief, gratitude, and then joy on my own. It must have been the
picture of answered prayers.
More Miracle Stories
Now that Im officially a member of the Miracle Club, I am more keenly attuned to the
stories of others; stories I might have written off before. A friends daughter had
contracted Lymes disease and the symptoms had gone undiagnosed. She spent years with
a horrible auto-immune reaction, finally succumbing to a wheel chair, unable to move,
partially paralyzed and almost out of hope. Her body was racked with multiple seizures
each day. Even the process of chewing food would set her into convulsions.
The family had taken their daughter to specialists around the country, to shamans,
therapists and exorcists. They had tried massage and theyd had legions of friends praying
for her recovery. One day, someone at their church suggested a prayer circle, a powerful
vortex of prayers directed at their daughter like a laser beam. They had nothing to lose.
Improvements didnt come overnight. There was no sending the wheel chair skidding
across the living room floor with one swift kick as we see in movies. Changes began
incrementally. That first night she was in less pain. She described feeling lighter,
simply better after the prayer circle. By the end of the week she was able to get out of the
chair and begin moving her limbs. The seizures stopped and she slept for a six hours a
stretch. Today she is a normal 18-year-old child, headed off to college and playing
beautiful pieces on the piano.
Surely scientists and physicians will have some explanation for Bobs sudden wake-up or
for Amys dramatic improvement. There are reasons, I suppose, why my grandfather
Doc was diagnosed with MS and then through the power of prayer, as my grandmother
told us, was cured.
Perhaps those explanations exist, but I think honestly that miracles are things that defy
explanation. There is no physical reason why Bob should have woken up like that, why
he should have so much of himself back, Dr. Peter Costantino, one of Bobs
neurosurgeons told me.
Moments of Grace
Just the sheer possibility of one of these moments of grace sustains us. That kind of hope
is a powerful human emotion. Imagine if we lived in a perfect world where there was no
need for answered prayers, for the blessed goodness of forgiveness washing over us, or
the satisfying feeling of working to earn something desired.
For many living with daily pain and illness, the thought that a miracle might in fact
happen keeps them moving forward. Bob and I met Nancy Levin and her son Miles in the
Detroit airport by chance. At age 18, Miles cancer had come back, and in the face of
overwhelmingly negative odds, both Miles and Nancy chose to cling to the hope that they
could beat this again. Miles lost that battle this past August, but in the process he blogged
and wrote and spoke publicly about childhood cancer to legions of all listeners. He
educated those who knew him about the power of life, grace, the generosity of spirit,
compassion and endurance. He made all of us who met him better people individually
and collectively than we might otherwise have been.
My friend Gretchen, like legions of mothers before her, has spent the better part of a year
at New Yorks Sloan Kettering Hospital with her four-year-old son Liam, fighting a
childhood cancer that is tenacious and cruel. With each timid passing of a milestone, she
is marking his cautious progress in little miracles. And if you have ever watched a child
suffer, you understand that these mile markers, these incremental achievements, qualify
as miracles.
Watching my children process their fathers life-changing injury, meeting Nancy and
Miles, and supporting Gretchens journey with Liam, all make me believe that God is not
in the details. If he were, he wouldnt be so arbitrary when assigning imperfections. He
would have struck down Idi Amin with a fatal heart attack or given Charles Manson
testicular cancer. No children would ever die from illness, accident or starvation. Those
we love wouldnt be in pain. Bad things wouldnt happen to good people.
The longer I live and the more I see of life, warts and all, the less I believe that most of us
are truly are visited with the big miracles, the giant waking-up from the-coma moments,
the leg braces hurled across the room.
Open Yourself to the Possibility of a Miracle
But we all need to trust in the possibility. I think of it kind of like the lottery ticket system
millions buy a ticket but only one person is the winner. Yet, each of us holding a set of
numbers believes we could hit the jackpot.
But even if we dont hold the winning number, we need to be open to feeling the power
of a life made up of many little white light moments. These moments of grace as I think
of them, are as real and as powerful as the headliners.
In my life, what that big miracle did more than anything was to open the aperture inside
of me to witness the presence of little, everyday blessings. I see them in the gift of a
healthy newborn baby, a clean mammogram scan or a heartfelt conversation with an
elderly parent. People talk a lot about living in the moment, but to do that, to really focus
on it, is to be able to fully participate in all the tiny little miracles that make up our lives. I
give it all my focus when I tiptoe into my childrens bedrooms in the morning and stroke
their hair as I wake them for school. I count my blessings for having girlfriends and
sisters with whom I can unburden and share myself like a second skin. It is one of lifes
small gifts to be able to ease someones pain, to hold their fears for just a day. It is truly
miraculous to sit and watch the sunrise and set, or study the perfection of a colorful
blossom.
Living in the Moment
A few months ago, I was alone in the Bahamas after a day of work indoors. In late
afternoon I pulled a chair right up to the edge of the water as the sun was setting. I willed
myself to be still and tried to mainline pure joy with all of my five senses. I heard the
lapping of the waves, smelled the salt air and felt the sun on my skin. I stayed in that
glorious moment for as long as I could and it felt wonderful. Somewhere that night there
was work to do in my hotel room and back home I was pretty sure that there were dishes
in the sink. The house would be thinly veiled chaos when I returned. But life in that
moment, warts and all, was pretty spectacular.
I Am a Miracle
By milagros (healing.about.com)
The Miracle Event
My mother had many complications with me still in her womb. My mother had had a few
miscarriages before me. The miracle happened to my parents and I.
What Happened
Doctors told my parents "we don't think she's gonna make it through the night - IF she
does - it would be a miracle. She has little to zero chance." I was born 10/11/69. I have
praying parents. I come from a Christian background (Pentecostal). My parents and the
church family began to pray. Next day doctors came in the room, they were in total
disbelief. It was a miracle!(By the way: My doctor was Jewish, Dr. Goldstein).
Lessons Learned
Do I believe in miracles? I am a miracle! Milagros means miracle in Spanish.
About Delia Knox - I knew her personal growing up, went to the same church. Yes she
was in a car accident and yes there is a God in heaven that heals and delivers souls.
Always believing miracles happen.
As I watched our restaurant burn, I remembered that first day my husband, Rudy, had
showed me the empty space that would become our business.
Heres the best part, hed said, pointing to shelves that circled the restaurant two feet
from the ceiling. Theyre for model trains!
You want to get model trains? I asked.
No, said Rudy. Thats where well put your angels. Id collected them for 40 years
porcelain, clay, glass. Rudy and I had never had room for them at home. I arranged my
collection on those shelves75 angels. I felt them watching over us, and our customers.
We named the business for angels: Halo Pizza.
Now I watched our dreamsand my precious angelsgo up in flames.
The fire was out by the time Rudy got there. Follow me, said the fire chief, walking us
through the singed doorway. Theres something youve got to see.
The entire ceiling had caved in, every wall was water damaged. Yet there they were: 75
angels, perched on the shelves, perfectly untouched. Perfectly safe, just like us. Halo
Pizza sure did live up to its name.
Miracle of Reflexology
By Nicole Ingra
The Miracle Event
I was the eldest daughter who witnessed all of this. My younger sister persevered in
assisting with my father's total recovery. I was truly amazed at what I witnessed. I later
attended a holistic school and became a certified reflexologist. I saw the miracle of my
father's recovery and now I want to be able to assist others.
What Happened
A man lay in a coma surrounded by loving family members. The doctors at the hospital
said he was a vegetative after the stroke and would die in a couple of days. The family
stood there weeping, unable to comprehend the death of their husband, father, brother,
and friend.
The youngest daughter, frantic to help her father had read about something called
Reflexology. The daughter was willing to try anything and purchased a book about the
subject. In a last ditch attempt to help her father she began a very simple Reflexology
session. She had been instructed to stimulate the big toe as this was where the brain was
reflected according to the diagrams. She began the makeshift session with little
knowledge, but a lot of love. To the amazement of all present the man reacted!
Impossible, he was a vegetable with only darkness showing on one side of his brain
according to the MRI results. The daughter faithfully continued.
A few days later the man turned to his amazed wife and said "I love you." He later made a
complete recovery to the disbelief of the hospital personnel. That man was my father.
Lessons Learned
Not all results are as dramatic as my fathers.
I have seen stuffy sinuses suddenly release, back pain eased, the stressed finally relax,
and all these things that seem mundane compared to the remarkable recovery of my
father.
Reflexology assists a person to heal themselves. The desire to be well must exist.
from a stroke. For three days the Mission sent food out to him with my help. So I decided
to demonstrate my Quartz Crystal Healing Instruments, that I developed over 36 years of
being a reflexologist.
What Happened
I asked him if he would mind if I worked on a brain reflex on his inactive side, he agreed.
I pulled his foot up into the front seat with me. Fifteen minutes later he started jumping
all over the back of the van where his bed was, yelling the whole time about the miracle.
The next day we took him to Easter Seals to get him a new wheelchair, since his old one
pushed around by one foot. That night he rolled across the street, walked up four stairs,
and asked the surprised mission workers if he could use the shower for the first unassisted
bath in 15 years. Later he kicked the new chair a whole block down the street, and it got
stuck on the railroad tracks!!!
So just to see if this was a fluke, I worked on Dennis, the half paralyzed receptionist at St.
Vincent de Paul. He ended up pushing his own wheelchair through an inch of frost, for
four blocks to work the next day, and lost his job because he wasn't handicapped
anymore. This isn't the only time this happened, but without making claims, is the only
case history that can possibly be verified by witnesses.
Lessons Learned
Up until then I was afraid to work on such extreme cases, but nothing ventured nothing
gained.
This is the first time/place to tell this story of how I stumbled onto a crystal Cherokee
Medicine that actually worked multiple times.
They say in science if results are repeatable, and teachable, it must be factual.
I overcame my fear by inviting research into this new/ancient modality.
BeliefNet Stories
An Enemy Called Average
From An Enemy Called Average
by John Mason
What we say is important. Our vocabulary should be filled with words of hope and
dreams. Be known as someone who speaks positively.
Recently I saw a sign under a mounted large mouth bass. It read, "If I had kept my mouth
shut I wouldn't be here." How true! Don't jump into trouble mouth first.
Let me pose this question for you: Starting today what would happen if you changed what
you said about your biggest problem, your biggest opportunity?
I don't know if you've had this conversation or not, but last month I turned to my wife,
Linda, while we were sitting together in our family room and said, "Just so you know, I
never want to live in a vegetative state dependent on some machine. If that ever happens,
just pull the plug."
She immediately got up, walked over and unplugged the TV.
"Our words create our worlds," says Dean Sikes. Your words have the power to start fires
or quench passion.
Don't be like the man who joined a monastery in which the monks were allowed to speak
only two words every seven years. After the first seven years had passed, the new initiate
met with the abbot, who asked him, "Well, what are your two words?"
"Food's bad," replied the man, who then went back to his silence.
Seven years later the clergyman asked, "What are your two words now?"
"Bed's hard," the man responded.
Seven years later - twenty-one years after his initial entry into the monastery - the man
met with the abbot for the third and final time. "And what are your two words this time?"
the abbot asked.
"I quit."
"Well, I'm not surprised," the cleric answered disgustedly. "All you've done since you got
here is complain!"
Don't be like that man; don't be known as a person whose only words are negative. If
you're a member of the "negative grapevine," resign.
Contrary to what you may have heard, talk is not cheap. Talk is powerful!
Beliefnet.com
Never Alone
By:PamB102@aol.com (http://www.ainglkiss.com/angels/pam.htm)
I was recently sick and also sad from missing my children, family and friends. I had
cried myself to sleep every night for almost a week. I fell alseep one evening, and a
huge beautiful angel with the sofest white feathers covered me and I immediately felt
warmed and at peace. I searched my bible the next day to find out more about angels. I
found my answer in Psalms 91:4, "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his
wings shalt thou trust; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler".
I then wrote this song:
Never Alone
Far away from my home in a new wilderness
I lay alone in the darkness
Each night I was consumed with my fears
My eyes swollen from so many tears
I was overcome with sorrow
I needed your strength, so I could face another tomorrow
I knew I was following your will to do right
So eager to seek approval in your sight
Trusting in you, believing there is always a reason
For everything and every season
You heard my cries and comforted me
Embracing me with your beautiful white feathered wings
In my sleep you opened my eyes to see
How much warmth and love you can bring
Lifting me up and allowing me to sing
(Chorus)
Never alone
Nor full of sorrow
I can now face tomorrow
And lift up my voice and sing
Protected by your loving wings
Help Others
A Jar of Coins, a Loaf of Bread and Thou
One Year for Christmas, my brother Chris and and his wife Julie gave each of us siblings
a very thoughtful gift. Inspired by the book: "The Christmas Jar", by Jason F. Wright,
they gave each sibling's family an empty quart size Mason Jar. A slot was cut in the
plastic lid, and inside were a number of stickers and ribbons to decorate the jar with.
In the book: The Christmas Jar, Hope Jensen, in a moment of great grief and monetary
loss, is anonymously gifted a small jar of Money. Moved, humbled, and transformed by
this gift, her own faith in humanity is resurrected, as she searches for and ultimately finds
the donors.
When we opened the package from my brother, inside, along with the jar and a copy of
the book, was a note which read:
" In honor of the spirit of giving we were taught by Mama Rose and Papa Gene (The
names our children call our parents), please decorate this jar, and over the course of this
upcoming year, collect your spare change and donate it to the cause of your choice, in
their name."
My parents have indeed, always been generous people. Their list of charities they support
has grown as our families have grown, but what I remember more were the times when,
moved by the suffering and loss in our own back yard, they gave without hesitation. I
have a vivid memory of a time, when My parents went to visit one of our former Parish
priests in his new Parish in the inner city. During the mass, a man entered the back of the
church, mumbling, and disoriented, unclean and clearly intoxicated. He wore no shirt, but
a suit jacket-worn backwards; the sleeves serving as pant legs. Apparently, it wasn't an
uncommon occurrence, but to my folks it was. They left the Church, bought him some
clothing, and got him a meal. I will never forget that. On another occasion, I remember
my mother gathering blankets and coats as we watched the house at the top of our street
burn. I don't remember them telling us to be generous, necessarily, but I do remember
them being it themselves. Actions always speak louder than words.
Clearly, the act of giving, in and of itself, has a cathartic quality. It just does. I know, that
with every handful of change I dropped into that jar over the first year of this project, I
felt good. I made it a point, in fact, I made it my intention, to place any change that came
my way, into the jar. Change from the coffee I bought, change found in coat pockets and
pants pockets, change left on the dresser or in my car's cup holder, change I found in the
washer or the dryer. It all went into the jar. Two sticky quarters I spied on the floor
between our seats at the Bruce Springsteen conccert: into the jar.
At the time, I was reading "The Power of Intention", by Wayne Dyer, the premise of
which is that YOU CREATE YOUR OWN REALITY, based on making it your intention
to do so. It couldn't hurt to set an intention. I set my Intention: I intend to find lots of
change.
The Jar was strategically placed on the counter juxtaposed between the back door and the
laundry room. I begin to notice a direct correlation between the money I found, and the
thoughts I was thinking. Often, there are only pennies. At times there are quarters and
dimes. At the end of the first year, I was eager to see how much money I had saved, and
took my kids to the local bank with the change counting machine, to await the news.
We had saved $75.70. We were quite pleased, because, although, there were coins of all
denominations in the jar, there was also a small amount of space still left. We decided,
that, rather than waiting until the jar was filled, We would cash the money in before
Christmas, to donate as our family Holiday Gift. Earlier in the Week, I had seen an
advertisement for our local food bank, Philabundance. It read: " 25 cents can provide one
meal for a person in need".
That was all it took. I felt that 75$ could go a long way. So we got a cashier's check in
exchange for our collected change and we sent it off to Philabundance. We immediately
began refilling the jar, and during the next year, our change began to multiply - like a
yeast expands bread dough. This time, the jar was so full, it could scarcely hold even a
few more coins, and this time, the jar held $175.00. I am eager to see what this third year
will bring, and although we are only 4 months in, it is growing nicely, as are the hopeful
feelings I am gifted with whether I place a handful of coins or a few rogue pennies into
the mix.
My parents tendency toward generosity begets our own. Once you've been the recipient
of another's giving, or even just the bystander who observed it happen, you've been
affected, not unlike the yeast which transforms the flour and water into a loaf of bread.
And very much, like Hope Jensen, in the Story The Christmas Jar, we are moved,
humbled and transformed from flour, water and yeast, into the Very Staff of Life.
http://www.helpothers.org/story.php?sid=17997
bus first. But I turned around and stepped back. He looked at me with surprise. Then he
understood what I had done for him.
He got on the bus but still kept looking at me. I smiled and turned away. The bus left. I
felt good.
Every little helps!
The man running the stand was obviously among those having a bad day. He was rude,
abrupt and unsmiling as we purchased our papers, which served to add only more gloom
to my day. The businessman caught my eye and smiled. He then proceeded to smile even
more brightly, thank the newsstand proprietor for the paper and for being open on such a
morning to make sure we were able to get our papers. In short, he expressed his
appreciation for something most of us would take for granted.
The man running the newsstand responded only with a grunt and a sour expression. The
businessman then pleasantly wished him a pleasant day.
As we turned away, I asked this man why he had continued to be pleasant to the newsman
when he obviously didn't care about and didn't respond to his expression of appreciation
and friendliness. The businessman grinned at me and said,
"Why would I let someone else control what I say and what I feel or what kind of day I'm
going to have?"
I never saw the businessman again, even though I looked for him on the bus on other
days. He appeared briefly in my life and disappeared just as quickly. I don't even
remember what he looked like. But I've never forgotten the words he said, or the way his
smile seemed like a shaft of light on a gloomy day.
That was a good 25 years ago, but the impact this had on my life has lasted. I never had a
chance to thank him personally, but the way in which I choose to look at life as a result of
those words is his legacy to me and my thanks to him.
Our interactions with the people we encounter can impact at least the next five people
they encounter. A smile and words of simple appreciation multiply themselves
geometrically.
We cannot control people and situations that come to us, but we can always control our
responses to them. In each of our decisions lies our power to make a positive difference.
It's something anyone and everyone can do.
she was okay. She sighed, and said, "The people around here sure don't give you any
emotional support. They tell you they're too busy saving lives to do that."
We chatted for a minute and I kept wondering why the elevator was taking so long. Then
I realized, I was meant to be there with her at that moment.
I handed the flowers to her and said, "I think you might need these more than I do right
now." I patted her shoulder and told her to take care of herself. Her face positively lit up
and tears came to her eyes as she thanked me.
As I left the parking garage I handed the attendant my ticket. Instead of charging me $4
she accidentally charged me 40 cents and just waved me on my way, saying don't worry
about it!
Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer with 8 tumors at only 44 years of age when I was
11. But we got through it as a family. In actual fact it has made us stronger, it has made us
closer. I love my family so much!
Im so thankful I stumbled across this HelpOthers site. Your posts inspire me each and
everyday. Since last October when I joined, although it seems as if I have been joined to
this site for a lifetime, each day when I get up in the morning I think, How will I help
others today? How will I make a difference in someone elses life this day?
Although I am only 18 years old and at the beginning of my Journey through life, I am
continually inspired by each and everyone of you! Thank you so very much, everyone of
you is special! Remember that!
Hope you all have a wonderful day!
http://www.helpothers.org/story.php?sid=18508
Bedtime came and after his bath, I knelt to tuck Michael into his army cot. Tears welled
up in his eyes as I leaned over to kiss him goodnight. "I'm scared," he started to cry. "I
want to go back to Grandma's house."
I wrapped my arms around him. "I know, sweetheart. I want to go back to Grandma's
house too," I said as I started to cry, too. "But we can't - we have to stay here and start our
new life. From now on it's just you and me."
We clung to each other and sobbed. We felt like a couple of orphans, suddenly finding
ourselves alone that night, knowing we had to make our own way in the world.
There were no reassuring bedtime stories or fairy tales to make us feel better. We just
hugged each other. Michael finally fell asleep in my arms and I went off to sleep in my
own room.
That was many years ago and needless to say, we survived that night. We rose to the
challenges of the following days, weeks, months and years. It wasn't easy for either of us.
I often say that Michael and I took turns raising each other.
And we still like to go to Grandma's house - but we're not afraid to sleep in our own beds,
in our own homes, anymore.
Making A Difference
Making a Difference When No One Else Cares To
Dean Kenneth Young, http://www.payitforwardmovement.org/individuals.html
First off my name is Dean Kenneth Young and Im proud of my story so if you feel its
worth printing, please do. This story happened a few years back when I was waiting
tables near the beach in southern California. The restaurant I worked at was renowned for
our guest service and the way we made everyone feel like family. At the end of your meal
we would present your check on a silver platter (the restaurant was a tiny hole in the wall
Italian place like you find on every other block in NYC) with a personal thank you card
from your server, a toothpick and mint for each guest at the table. But the real treat were
the fresh baked chocolate chip cookies we would also set down at the end of your meal,
free of charge. Just an extra little thank you for choosing to spend your lunch/dinner time
with us. Now not everyone eats or wants their cookies. And every night or afternoon
when Id get off work, I would always pass by this homeless man on my way back up to
where I had to park to beat the parking meter nazi's lol. Well, normally I didnt pay him
any attention, because he obviously wasnt mentally or physically challenged and looked
to be capable of holding a job. So after a while, I started bringing him all the extra
cookies that would accumulate at the end of a shift. I figured he might be an addict or
drunk and would just use any money I gave him to get his next fix. The first time I gave
him a bag of fresh chocolate chip cookies.... wow, Ive never in my life felt so much
gratitude for such a small gesture. He thanked me and I went on my way. Well dropping
off a bag of warm cookies became a daily ritual, we'd talk a bit here and there, basically
just shoot the breeze. Well after a few weeks I asked him why he's livin on the streets.
Turns out the guy lost everything, came back from a stint in the service overseas to find
his wife had cleaned him out, sold everything he owned, wiped out the bank account and
basically took off to Mexico with another man. The guys depression got so bad he got a
medical discharge and just wandered from north San Diego county all the way up to the
South Bay where my restaurant was located. He had tried to get a job but he had no
money, nowhere to live, and a few clothes including the ones on his back that had worn
far worse than I think the military ever had them designed to. The guy had high caliber
computer skills, he just couldnt get a job because he had nowhere to go and no one to fall
back on, no family, nothin.
So almost a month after I started dropping off cookies for him, and yes I introduced
myself and got his name the first time, I just dont have the right to add his name to this
story officially, I found him in his normal spot. But this time I didnt have any cookies, he
looked up and greeted me and I could see he noticed I didnt have a bag and asked me if
we had a problem with the baker that night. I offered my hand towards him without a
word and when he grabbed mine I pulled him to his feet and told him "Gettin you back on
your feet may seem impossible, but with a friend and a helping hand its going to be as
easy as you getting up just now." He kind of looked bewildered and I told him to get his
things and follow me. We got up to my truck and got in and he asked where we were
goin. I told him it was a surprise and to feel free and change the radio to whatever kind of
music he wanted to hear. Unfortunately he changed it to country..... *sigh* lol. Now I
barely knew the guy so I wasnt going to act that trusting and bring him to my house. So I
drove to the closest decent motel I knew of which was only a mile or so away and got
him registered into a room. The night manager didnt look all that happy with having the
guy there, but I flashed my cash and he didnt say a word. We got to the room and I got
him settled in. Out of my back pocked I pulled a small bag with a razor, toothbrush, comb
and pair of scissors in it. I tossed it to him and told him to get cleaned up and get a good
nights rest because I would pick him up the next morning well before I had to go to work.
I wasnt sure what Id find the next morning when I knocked on the door. When it opened I
was stunned, shocked, and those words dont even come close. I thought this guy was well
older than me and I was only 26. I mean he had the long scraggly beard and mane of
mangy hair and so much dirt crusted on his skin it made him look 80! The guy that
opened the door looked younger than me! I had never asked him how old he was and he
told me 25. He was younger than me! He thanked me for the room and letting him get
cleaned up and said he had to be on his way to panhandle before it got too hot out. I told
him nope, not today. Im not done with you yet! That day I took him out shopping for new
clothes and a suit... granted we only went to Target because I wasnt all that well off. After
that I took him back to the motel and had him dress in the suit and new shoes I had just
given him. Then we drove down to a temp agency that I knew of and used whenever I
needed extra money or was in between jobs. The manager of the place was good friends
with my aunt and one of the nicest ladies you could hope to meet. When we sat down in
her office I didnt tell her the whole situation but introduced my friend and told her he did
work with computers and asked if she could talk with him. She agreed as a favor kind of
and I waited in the lobby. About an hour later my friend came out with a smile on his face
and proceeded to tell me about the job she offered. It paid very well even after the
commission the agency got, had nice hours, opportunity for overtime and had the
opportunity to become permanent if he did well after 3 months. The only problem was it
was in downtown L.A. and he had no transportation and wouldnt even let me think of
taking him after all Id done. No problem I said, and trust me I dont want to be your
chauffer either. Then I asked if he wanted the job and he said it was perfect for him, so I
told him ok, Ill pay your motel, meals, and get you passes for the Green Line to get to and
from work until your first paycheck and can support yourself again. At that point he just
lost control of his emotion and started crying thanking me, saying no one in his whole life
ever did anything close to what Ive done and I was a total stranger. He then told me that
he would pay me pack every cent as soon as he was on his feet and moving forward with
his life again. I shook my head and said "I dont want you to pay me back, its enough for
me that I was able to help you and also get my brownie points with karma at the same
time." He insisted that he had to pay me back somehow and wouldnt take no for an
answer. So finally I told him "Tell you what, when you get to the point where youre back
on your feet and financially secure enough to pay me back for what Ive done for you, turn
and go the opposite direction away from where I am. Keep going until you come across
someone that can benefit from your kindness, your charity, your friendship and help them
the way I helped you or anyway they need you to help them.
I saw him again a couple years later down near the beach around where the restaurant I
used to work was. He had been hangin around down there a little each day for a couple
months hoping to run into me. I had gone surfing down near the pier and when I came
back to my truck he was leaning against it. He rushed up and took my hand shaking it
vigorously while at the same time pouring out the last couple years events in his life like
he was trying to do it all in one breath. Turns out he did very well at that company and
now owned his own home and was set for anything life could dish out. Then he
proceeded to thank me and tell me how he "payed it forward". Well he thought about
helping out one of the many homeless all of us southern Californians see each and every
day but which one?? Then he came across an inner city youth that was from a broken
home, didnt know his father, barely knew his mother because she wasnt home and just
ran the streets. To make this long story a little shorter, turns out the kid loved baseball and
my friend basically became a big brother father figure to the kid and even donated
enough money for the kid and a group of his friends to form a team, along with all the
uniforms and equipment to go with it. He also took them to a bunch of Dodger games and
is now their little league coach and a positive figure in their community even though it
isnt his own. And as we said our farewells, he told me he coaches the kids not only about
baseball but about how even small acts of kindness can change anyones life for the better.
This story began in 1997, when I saw the movie Pay It Forward it brought back memories
and I wept at the simplicity of bringing joy to anyones life and how it can become a
movement. I just wish more people knew about this website, this foundation, that its real
and not just the story of a movie with Kevin Spacey.
Often, due to my standing as Vice President, I'd watch someone greet me respectfully but
then turn around and respond dismissively to a fellow employee. In reaction to this
obvious inequity, I made it a point to be even more respectful of individuals who were
below me on the corporate ladder.
One of these individuals was a security guard who oversaw the parking lot of the building
where my office was located. This man was consistently gracious to everyone and it was
easy to think of him as a friend.
During this time, I had 2 dogs, one of which was very old, blind, deaf, and had a bad
heart. I couldn't leave him at home alone so I began sneaking him and my other dog into
my office every day. The security guard, my "partner in crime", helped me by being on
the lookout as I carried one dog and led the other quickly inside the office building.
One day, the guard popped his head in my office and tossed a newspaper on my desk.
"You should do this", he called over his shoulder, heading out and closing the door
behind him. On the front page was an article about doggy day care, and describing how
the concept was spreading across the country.
Having always expressed a deep love for animals, I took his suggestion to heart and
immediately began researching the idea. Soon, information, opportunities and assistance
began coming my way from every direction. Six months later, I left my deadening
corporate job and opened the first doggy day care in my city! A decade later, I'm still
running this business and doing what I love to do!
I've lost touch with the man who started me on this path, but there's not a day that goes by
that I don't thank him in my heart. We never know who will be our angels!
http://www.helpothers.org
So, I asked the driver to accompany me to the spot where the traffic warden was directing
the traffic.
Then I called the traffic warden to one side and in a gentle voice told him that the
rickshaw driver accepted his mistake and wanted to apologize for it. The warden, who
was all set to react again when he saw the driver, calmed down on hearing my words and
the tone of my voice. The driver accepted his mistake but started complaining loudly that
he did not deserve to get beaten up.
The heated discussion began to attract a crowd. Some of them were other rickshaw
drivers who were taking the side of their fellow worker. Sensing that matters might
quickly spin out of control I calmly told the traffic warden to accept the apology of the
rickshaw driver and let bygones be bygones.
Fortunately good sense prevailed and the traffic warden accepted the apology of the
rickshaw driver. Then the voice within said, "Please bring about a true reconciliation
between them."
I listened to the inner voice and persuaded both of them to shake hands, which they did
and they parted as friends.
We went back to the rickshaw and proceeded to my destination. As I finished paying the
fare he said in a soft voice, "Sahib, thank you for what you have done."
Hearing those words I knew I had a made a difference in somebody's life. I thanked God
for the support He gave me!
http://www.helpothers.org/story.php?sid=31658
Normally, I would feel relieved or satisfied, but something in me couldn't rest. Without
another thought, I looked in my wallet for the spare change I had. It was just dimes and
pennies, but I found a few and was going to give them to her. Suddenly, something
amazing happened. I started searching through my entire purse, the bottom, the pockets,
everything - for ALL of the change I could possibly find to give, and something in me
cracked. It felt like my heart broke and poured open and the restlessness abruptly
stopped.
I got up and walked towards this lady as she was ranting and yelling and said, "This is all
that I have." And for once, I meant it. It wasn't just some cop out, or some pained smile -for once, I reached out and gave a person all I had. She held my hand and said, "Thank
you! Thank you!" Her hand was calloused, and rough and dirty, but I didn't mind holding
her hand. I wanted to be there for her for some reason, when normally I would turn the
other way.
She looked at me and said, "Will you touch my face?" And for some reason, I did. I
reached up and put my hand on her cheek and she started to cry. Her manic energy
stopped and she was still and calm and it sent a shock through me that I can't really
explain. Right there, on the corner with people walking all around, I sat there for a few
brief moments with my hand on her cheek. Her rough hand, over my soft, manicured
hand. I could sense it was as if she had not been touched by a loving, soft hand in ages, if
ever, and so I held it there, trying to comfort her with my heart open. It was powerful.
After a few moments, my embarrassment of what others might be thinking kicked in, and
I took my hand away. I said, "Take care of yourself, okay. You will be okay. Just take care
of yourself. Be careful." She thanked me, and she walked away quietly. She wasn't
yelling or begging anymore, and I walked away with an open heart, trying to make sense
of what had just happened.
I don't know if it mattered, or if she was just crazy, or if I am crazy, or what. I wasn't even
going to tell anyone about this because I felt embarrassed and strange after this bizarrely
intimate experience, but my roommate found this website and insisted I tell my little
story. I don't know why I did what I did, and I don't really know what happened on that
street corner, but it changed something in me and has made me want to be a kinder person
to the people I meet during my day.
http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=3944
food or liquid. I would make countless trips to the bathroom to be sick, but just didn't
want to go to a doctor, thinking it was only the flu. Finally one night, my husband said
"this is it, you're going to the hospital."
We arrived at the emergency room shortly after midnite. There were no other patients, so
I was taken in quickly. I explained to the doctors and nurses what had been happening in
the past week, and they all agreed that I probably had the flu, and that I was seriously
dehydrated. They admitted me to the hospital, and began to run tests on me.
Being half way "out of it", I knew I had to drink a chalky solution, but also knew that it
would not stay down. I agreed to let them put a tube down my nose, into my throat so
that they could pump in the liquid. That was my entry into torture. As they maneuvered
the tube up through my nose, I know that people in the street could hear me screaming.
"Jesus! Help Me!" I screamed, with tears spilling down my face. One of the nurses told
me to be calm, that it would be over in just a few minutes, but that did not help.
The nurses took blood from whatever vein they could reach. I was taken to X-ray, had an
ultrasound done on my abdomen, and an MRI. The results were that my gall bladder,
spleen, kidneys,were all swollen and inflamed. For an unknown reason, my organs were
shutting down. At about 5 am that morning, the doctor in charge of the
Emergency room came to me, and I will never forget the look in his eyes as he took my
hand and said, "Good luck". This man knew I was dying and didn't know how to express
it!
I prayed. I talked to God and told him, that if I died that day in the hospital, it would be
alright. I knew that Jesus was my Savior, I believed in Him, and I would open my eyes in
Heaven.
I spent two weeks in the hospital, unable to move from my bed, I had serious bouts of
vomiting, and not wanting to soil the bed, often made a commotion reaching for the
bedpan or small tub on the table beside the bed. I was unable to even move to the
bathroom, and the nurses were getting upset that I was not taking care of myself as I
should. I did not begin to feel any better, with the constant flow of nurses in and out of
the room to take blood, or at night to check to see if I was sleeping well. It sounds funny
now, how can you sleep when someone turns on the overhead light to ask if you're
sleeping??
One night I seemed to wake up, and I could barely see two white figures at the foot of my
bed. They were talking, and one said to the other "she's not getting any better, she has
had a seizure." I felt myself falling back to sleep, and it seemed to me that I saw a book,
opened, and on the page was the number 116. Just as I started to completely fall asleep, I
noticed that the book had Golden edges around the pages.
The next morning a doctor came to tell me that I had contracted a strong case of food
poisoning. I also had E coli in my system, but everything was clearing up and I would be
able to go home the next day.
I couldn't get the dream of the book out of my mind, the golden pages had to be in the
Bible. For some reason I kept feeling the message had to do with Psalms.
When I got home that afternoon, and settled in, I found my Bible and turned to Psalms
116. What I found there both amazed me and gave me great comfort. Proof that God
listens, and that He knew me and knew my trouble and delivered me.
Psalm 116
Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death
I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my supplications
Because He has inclined his ear to me (1&2)
The pains of Death surrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me.
I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord,
"O Lord, I implore you, deliver me". ( 3&4)
For you have delivered my soul from Death, my eyes from tears,
and my feet from failing. (8).
My Mother-in-law was having extreme leg pain for over six months. She went to an
orthopedic doctor and a neurologist and her regular medical doctor. She was taking pain
medication but her pain never decreased. In early December, she had difficulty breathing
and was taken to the hospital. I remember coming home from work around three in the
afternoon and praying the Chaplet of Mercy and asking God for a sign to help relieve my
mother-on law of pain. But her pain remained even with the medication. One night after I
came home from seeing my mother-in-law, I had a dream and a beautiful lady instructed
me to see a Doctor Smith and she smiled and left. I awoke in the A.M. and was
preoccupied with this information. I went to work and shared this information with my
friend. I searched the list of medical doctors in the area and could not find a Dr. Smith in
orthopedics, neurology or medical.
I gave up looking but was still open to finding this Dr. Smith. My mother-in law was then
diagnosed with cancer that apparently went to her bone. She was still in pain.
She was in the hospital for about two weeks. I called her from work during my break and
asked her how she was feeling. Her reply, "'My doctor advised me to transfer to another
hospital. There are two oncologists named Shaffner and Smith, who he felt could control
by pain better, should I go?"" I got choked up and told her yes, please go.
She went to this hospital and her pain was better controlled but we lost her two weeks
later. Before she died, I told her about my dream and she was content being at this
hospital. I am now more aware of the three o'clock hour that Our Lord died. I prayed for
an answer and I received it through an angel in my dream. Before she died, I prayed the
Chaplet of Mercy and she was buried with a smile on her face. God promises special
graces given to the dying if this is said. That was the perfect gift I could give my motherin-law before she died.
Angel Of Death
By: skraus740@aol.com (ainglkiss.com)
My mom always said that if you dreamed of the dead, you heard from the living.
My brother died three years ago, I had never dreamed of him until just a week ago.
In my dream I was standing on my mom's front porch. I saw him walking down the
steps, I called out to him asking him why did he come back. He turned and smiled at me
and said that he had to go down the street to his house and talk to his wife Kathy. I asked
him again why he came back and he said to get Kathy. I asked him if he was coming back
and he said he would see me again soon
Three days later Kathy had just left his grave and was going to the store when she was hit
head on and killed instantly.
I now feel that my brother was preparing me for this. I know now that angels can come
in any shape and form to us and somehow comfort us when these things we have no
control over happens
Immediately, a nurse rushed me to a birthing room. Minutes later she handed me a baby
boy.
Were calling him Lars, after Lindsays grandfather, Rob told the nurse. He was
grinning from ear to ear.
Congratulations, she said. Hes beautiful.
I stared into his little brown eyes and felt nothing. No motherly bond. No love. No
tingling in my heart. Nothing.
That was the only time Id held the baby. Robs mom had driven up from Illinois, trading
off with my mom to help care for Lars and his big sister, Lacey.
Id immediately gotten worse, much worse. The doctors couldnt stop the bleeding. I was
vomiting blood. My body ached. I faded in and out of consciousness. It seemed hopeless.
I wondered if I was dying without the doctors even knowing why.
Late that first evening, suddenly I was floating, slowly rising up through an endless dark
tunnel. I exited into a bright, vast open space that stretched out in front of me forever.
There was nothing even to help me get my bearings.
I looked to my left. A woman, not three feet away from me, sat next to an enormous
golden harp. She gazed at me, not smiling exactly, more like the Mona Lisa, calm and
serene. Her blond hair was pulled up in a bun.
But what I noticed most was her long, flowing robe. It was a vibrant, rainbow of colors,
arranged like blocks on a quilt. It seemed whimsical, but there was a depth to it, a beauty
that increased the more I took it in. Could she really be an angel?
I turned to the right only to be startled by two more nearly identical women. They didnt
say a word, didnt reach toward me, didnt direct me in any way. But I hadnt just
happened upon them. They were here for me. What did they want?
They must be here to take me away to heaven, I thought. Isnt that what angels do?
No, I heard myself say. No.
The next thing I knew I was back in my room, my hand gripping the arm of a nurse. Its
okay, she said taking her hand in mine. Just try to relax. Were taking good care of
you.
I tried to take a breath, but I barely had the strength. Wires and tubes snaked every which
way across my body, pumping plasma into me, medicine to lower my racing blood
pressure. I didnt know what else. It didnt matter.
In my depression it all felt like one more burden in my life dragging me down. What was
I living for? I didnt know the answer. Why hadnt I begged the angels to take me with
them instead of saying no?
I tried to remember the last time anything had made me truly happy. But every memory
was shrouded in gray. Playing blocks with Lacey, taking her to the park, going bike riding
with RobI couldnt imagine myself doing any of it.
Rob and I had tried for years to have Lacey. I should have been thrilled when I got
pregnant with Lars so easily. But I wasnt. Some days it was all I could do to find the
energy to get out of bed and slog through the day. I feared my gloom was getting the
better of me.
And now this. Why does everything have to be hard? I was losing consciousness again.
Maybe it was too much to hope for an answer.
I awoke with Mom there holding my hand. She gently stroked my face.
I put your name on the prayer chain at church, she said. So many people have called
wanting to help. I told them all to pray for you and spread the word. God hears our
prayers. Thats the one thing you can always count on.
Rob and my mom traded off a constant bedside vigil. I knew they were doing their best to
comfort me. They told me how well Lars was doing. What a great big sister Lacey was.
But they couldnt lift my spirits. It was a world I wasnt a part of. I could see the worry in
the doctors faces. My body was swelling. I kept spitting up blood. It felt like someone
was jabbing a dull knife in my side.
How could I feel hopeful when hour after hour I heard Moms whispered entreaties:
Dear God, heal my daughter. Send angels to comfort her.
Angels, I thought, remembering my dream of rainbow-colored beings. They certainly
werent gray. What would Mom say if she knew how close they were hovering, ready to
take me away?
Moms faith never wavered. Every day she reported how still more people were praying
for me. Weve had e-mails from Wisconsin, and Florida, even one from England, she
told me. Gods at work. You just need to trust in him.
I appreciated everyones concern. It was amazing to think of people Id never met praying
for me. But it had been two weeks. I felt as miserable as ever.
I looked at Rob asleep in the chair. What more could anyone do? What were the angels
waiting for? Why had I seen those angels if not to die? I still couldnt get over their robes.
An explosion of color.
Even in my memory they were vibrant and bright. The way life had once been for me. Id
thought Id forgotten what color looked like, but the angels had reminded me.
I dont want to die, I realized. I wanted to be a real mother to Lars and Lacey. I wanted
my baby to recognize my voice, to know my touch.
I had wanted to live since I saw those angels. God had sent them to show me the hope my
depression had hidden. God, help me see the blessings in life. Let me see the world in
color.
The pain didnt go away, but slowly I felt a peace come over me, a comfort I hadnt
experienced in years. Physically I was still sick, but emotionally I was stronger. I closed
my eyes. Within seconds I was asleep.
The next morning a doctor came in my room. We think we know whats wrong, he
said. Its called HELLP syndrome.
"Its a very rare condition. No one knows what causes it. But it explains why your baby
separated from the placenta, your swelling, the bleeding, the spike in your liver enzymes,
everything. We just need to do some blood work and then we can start treatment.
He returned an hour later, smiling but puzzled. Its amazing, he said. Im sure of the
diagnosis, but all your readings are nearly normal. Youll be able to go home today.
Rob flashed me a big thumbs up sign. I love you, I mouthed back. For the first time in
weeks I not only said it, I felt it. The whole world felt alive. I couldnt wait to see the
kids, snuggle with Lars, take Lacey to the park.
Life, ever changing, a kaleidoscope of precious fleeting moments, was the most
incredible miracle of all. I wanted to savor every onein fabulous living color! I knew if
my vision ever grew so cloudy again, I could count on Gods angels to brighten the way.
Easter Awakening
By Delores Bates, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
I leaned over the hospital bed in which my 18-year-old son, Art, lay in a comatose state
that seemed like death. Tubes fed him through the nose; a machine breathed for him,
breaking the harsh stillness of the room with its mechanical gasps.
I moved my lips close to Art's ear and whispered, "Honey, I had a dream last night, so
beautiful that it seemed real. Two magnificent angels stood by your bed. It means you
will be healed, I know it."
Did he hear me? Can the soul hear when the body is asleep? Art didn't move, and he
didn't acknowledge my words. If only he would open his eyes! Just that, Lord.
Before the accident two nights earlier, this limp form under the stiff hospital bedsheets
had been a strapping high school senior, star captain of his football team and the finest
son a mother could ever want. Proud of the body God had given him, Art didn't drink or
smoke. He held strong values and went to church regularly. His dream was to play
professional football and set a good example for other young people.
But now doctors held out little hope that he would walk or talk or do anything productive
again. It was as if Art had gone on and left his broken body behind. Could that be true?
On the evening of January 1, 1989, Art had attended a dance with some friends. When his
father and I went to bed that night, a cold rain beat at the windows. I am usually a sound
sleeper, but at about 1 a.m. I awoke with a start and shook my husband. "Arthur," I said,
my heart racing, "I'm afraid something terrible has happened to our boy."
Before I could get back to sleep, a call came from St. Vincent's Hospital. Art had been
driving his friends home when a pickup truck turned into the side of his car, slamming it
into a tree. One of Art's passengers died. The others weren't badly hurt. But Art lay close
to death in the emergency room.
I will never forget the panic of that night, the dread and the sense of helplessness as my
boy fought for life. After Arthur and I threw on some clothes we raced in our car to St.
Vincent's. Along with some friends and family members we had alerted, we huddled
together and prayed unceasingly while doctors worked on Art.
The news from the operating room was grim. Art's windpipe and chest were nearly
crushed from the impact with the steering wheel. Most worrisome was the injury to his
brain.
"All that's saved him so far," one doctor told us, "is his strong athlete's body. But the area
around his brain stem is so severely damaged he might never regain consciousness."
At about 5 a.m. Dr. Frank A. Redmond finally came to us and said Art's condition was
stabilized and he would be moved into the intensive care unit. He revealed that on at least
one occasion that night Art had been clinically dead but they were able to revive him. "I
did a lot of praying," Dr. Redmond admitted. "Something kept your boy alive."
Eventually they let us see Art in ICU. I tiptoed to his bedside. To see him so still, to see
the breathing tube in his trachea, his closed and swollen eyesmy own flesh and blood
it was just devastating. I collapsed into my husband's arms and sobbed. "We can't give
up," he whispered, holding me tight. "We have to keep praying for a miracle."
I wiped my eyes and turned back to Art. Would his eyes ever open again, his lips speak,
or his arms move voluntarily? Would he ever again sneak up behind me in the kitchen,
throw those muscled arms around my waist and kiss me, saying, "Ma, I sure do love ya"?
The doctors didn't think so. "Even if your son wakes up, he probably won't be able to
walk," one said. "He won't have a memory. He won't know who you are."
I refused to believe my own son wouldn't know me. God is merciful.
Asleep in a nearby room the hospital let me use that night, I was given a different
prognosis. In a dream as vivid as life, I saw two colossal angels floating over Art's bed,
one above his head and the other at his side. They were glowing, shimmering, their
streaming robes lighter than air. Their faces were indistinct, but they had a golden
brilliance that emanated love, compassion and healing.
Then I saw Art sitting up in bed, talking with his friends. My heart beat with joy. My son
would be healed! What else could this vision mean?
I awakened with the images still flowing through my mind and rushed into Art's room,
half expecting to see him sitting up in bed laughing. But he was still in a coma, still near
death. That is when I pressed my lips close and whispered my dream to him.
From then on I carried the picture of those two great heavenly beauties in my mind's eye,
and every day I reminded Art about them. I knew his spirit heard me. That's why we
talked to himhis father and I, our relatives and ministers, his friends from school, and
the football team and his coaches. We spoke to Art constantly, telling him how much we
loved him, keeping a vigil.
Thirty days passed. I was at my son's side continually, talking, praying, playing tapes
from his friends. I refused to believe he wouldn't ever get up out of that bed, that he
wouldn't know his own mother. The doctors tried to temper my optimism, while we
continued to pray.
What in life is more realistic than faith, more practical, really, than hope? Isn't that all I
had? I knew my son would get well. I kept visualizing it and thanking the Lord, over and
over again.
But it was hard to keep believing as the weeks wore on. To see my boy fed by tubes when
he used to feast on my cooking, homemade lasagna and fried chicken.
Finally Art was transferred to St. Francis Hospital in Green Springs. Every time I came to
visit him all of the nurses would shake their heads, knowing the question that was on my
lips: Has there been a change? Anything?
Three months passed. Then I saw the angels again.
It was during Holy Week and Art's older sister, Rachael, and I had been talking about how
much Art loved Easter. Again I dreamed I was at Art's bedside. Those same golden
angels, both powerful and compassionate, looked over my son, who was awake, his eyes
alert and bright. This time, however, the angels were both on Art's right. I took this as a
reaffirmation of God's message.
Art's eyes opened on Good Friday. I had had a special feeling when I came to see him that
afternoon. When I walked into his room those big, brown eyes were looking right at me.
Could it really be? I slowly walked around the bed. Art's eyes followed. He was awake!
He was tracking me! I fell to my knees at his bedside and gave thanks.
Doctors, however, were cautious about interpreting this too optimistically. Then came
Easter. As his father and I arrived for a visit after church, a nurse rushed up waving a
piece of paper. In a handwriting I knew as well as my own was our phone number,
obviously written out with great difficulty.
"It was as if he wanted us to call you," the nurse reported. "His memory is intact!" On the
day of our Savior's resurrection, part of Art had been resurrected, too. He hadn't forgotten
us.
A month went by and nothing much changed. Art still hadn't uttered a word since coming
out of his coma. One day Art's grandmother accompanied me to the hospital. When we
left Art's room she lamented, "Delores, I don't think he's ever going to talk again!"
I was about to disagree when a familiar voice jolted us: "Ma!"
We froze. It rang out again, loud and clear. "Ma!"
Art was talking. His first word now was the first word he had ever said as a baby: Ma. I
knew the Lord would not let my son forget his mother.
Though his words were few and hesitant, the hospital immediately began speech therapy,
followed by physical therapy. His progress was slowuntil a therapist used a little
psychology and a mirror. The athlete in Art was proud of the body he had taken care of
and trained so well. When the therapist showed Art how his physique had atrophied
during the coma, Art's face tightened with determination. From that moment on he strove
to regain his old physical form.
Finally Art was able to tell us what he recalled about the night of the accident.
"I remember being on the operating table," he said. "I saw the doctors working on me.
Three times I tried to leave my body, and three times the Holy Spirit made me go back
because my family was praying and God would heal me."
Art has had a long road back, and I remind him about the angels I saw in my dream
whenever his struggle is wearing him down. His speech was slow for a long time, but
now he speaks almost as well as he did before the accident. He walks with a cane, but
leans on it less and less.
This June he will graduate from the University of Toledo with a degree in marketing. Art
still wants to play football again, which some people might think is too optimistic. But
Art believes that with the power of many prayers behind him, anything is possible.
I know it's a miracle when my son sneaks up behind me in the kitchen, slips his arms
around my waist, kisses me and says, "Ma, I sure do love ya." It's the miracle we prayed
for and the one the angels in my dream promised. It's the miracle of my Art, alive today.
My Brother's Angel
By: jburns6@kscable.com (http://www.ainglkiss.com/)
I was in junior high school when I was told that brother was going to die. I graduated in
1984 and my brother died in November, 1986. I knew he was going before me and my
mother stopped talking about him the day he died. I knew because his angel came to me
and said, "Don't be scared. I am here to tell you that Neil is coming home tomorrow to
see his heavenly Father."
The next day, I asked Mom what she would do if she got a telephone call saying Neil was
dead. She couldn't answer me but that telephone call came and Mom turned as white as a
ghost, fell down and passed out. She asked me how I knew it was going to happen and I
told her that Neil's angel came to me in my sleep.
The Dream
By: felisey@yahoo.co.uk (ainglkiss.com)
It was five year of waiting and praying to our heavenly Father for a child. This was after
loosing the first after seven months of pregnancy. This time was full of pain, anxiety,
impatience, fear. I wept in my sleep, never giving HIM His peace. I had no way of
knowing that our heavenly Father, who is so good, so faithful, would make all things
good and beautiful in His own perfect time.
One night, about three years ago, they appeared to me in a dream. Two men in white
with a beautiful baby girl in their hands. All they said to me was, " This is she. The child
you have been asking for". I did not remember the men after the dream, but I never
forgot what the baby looked like. She had lovely big eyes just like her father. I accepted
the child and thanked our good Lord every day after that dream. I conceived that very
month and nine months later gave birth to the same child I saw in the dream. Nana is two
years now and every time I look at her, I remember the Angels our Heavenly Father sent
to me. I am forever grateful to our Lord. Join me in a big thank you to our Lord and our
God and our Christ who is so faithful, so merciful and true.
back and forth in bed shaking and crying. Eventually, I must have cried myself to sleep.
The vision itself seemed to only have last about 5 seconds but there was so much clarity
and detail. Afterwards, I didnt mention it to anyone. It was quite some time later until
I shared my dream/vision. My mother was stunned when she first heard me share it
among other family members. I didnt understand what I had experienced and I had kind
of tried to snuff it out of my mind like every other traumatic experience in my life, but
this time it didnt work. I can still recall the details quite vividly. Although I am not
naturally an eloquent speaker and have a rather hard time verbally expressing myself,
when I share this experience it is almost like I am recalling a movie in detail and there is
no need to search for words because I can still vividly recall the entire vision. Normally,
I couldnt tell you much about a movie I had seen a month ago. But when I recall this
vision, it is as clear, vivid and detailed as the first time I experienced it. Years later, I
became a Christian and things started making sense and fitting together as pieces to a
puzzle. As I child, I had grown up Catholic but my faith now is much deeper and I have
an intimate close relationship with God. For anyone who does not have this intimacy
with GodI urge you to seek God in intimacy. Talk to Him, walk with Him, pray to
Him, praise Him. Live your life for Him. Yes, I believe in angels and in demons,
heaven and hell, God and Satan and the hellish battle for souls. I know that if God is for
us, who can dare be against us! In fact, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord! I
believe in the supernatural beyond what the normal human understands, sees, hears, and
senses. I have since had other experiences and although they only lasted several seconds
as well, there is quite a bit of detail. They are all quite humbling experiences and I
admit I needed a humbling awakening.
"Yes," my father replied, and got into the car. The man began to drive; he didn't ask
where my father was going (and my father said he didn't tell the man where to go.
They just rode). The man talked about the bible, Jesus, and about the ten
commandments; and how it was a sin to kill or to even have murder in his heart. My
father just listened thinking all the while that he hadn't told this man that he planned
to get a gun and kill my grandfather. Then, the man turned the car around and
headed toward the direction of my father's house. He drove all the way to the front
door. My father never told this man where he lived. Then he told my father, "God
bless you, son," and my father got out of the car. My father walked to the door and
turned around to thank the man who gave him the ride, and when he did the man
and the car were gone -- vanished...it disappeared just as fast as it had appeared in
the street, without a trace. My father is convinced that it was an angel, and I am to.
My Angel Sighting
by J. Ruetas
Website Content - Copyright 2004-5 Angels & Ghosts, LLC AngelsGhosts.Com
It happened a long time ago so my details are not completely accurate. It was also
a traumatic experience for me, so I kept quiet about it for many years. It happened
at my parents' home in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. They still live in the same
house, which is a small townhouse. I was around seven years old at the time. It was
late at night, maybe around 8:00 PM...since that was regarded as late for me at that
age. I started walking up the stairs with two of my cousins to my left, who were
around the same age as me. I think I made it up one or two stairs before I noticed a
woman standing at the top of the stairs. It was shocking because she seemed to
appear from thin air. She immediately said Stop, go no further! with a very
authoritative voice. I can remember many details about her, except her face. She
wore a red robe that had a yellow cross as its design. The yellow cross went from
top to bottom and left to right. I still wonder if the robe and the cross have any
special meaning in the church. She also held a very bright candle in her left hand;
the brightest light I have ever seen in my life. All I can remember was she had black
hair, but I cant seem to remember its length or even her facial features. She held
up her right hand to motion us to stop, which all of us did. Then she proceeded to
say the words Obey your father at which time I started running the other way. I
ran down the step or two I was on, down the hallway, into the living room and hid
under the sofa. I cant remember anything afterwards. I believe I must have fallen
asleep from fright. I remember these details because I think about this event almost
every day of my life.
A little background about me is that I am Roman Catholic. It was very shocking to
me because I was raised to believe that Angels were pleasant. Though nothing
mean was mentioned, it was the tone of voice spoken with. The lady was very
authoritative and was almost yelling at me and my cousins. It took me until my midtwenties to start sleeping with the light off. I am currently 35, and sometimes when I
am alone, I still leave the light on. It also kind of messed up my sense of reality. Up
to my mid-twenties I kept wondering what in the world is real. In some cases, I was
scared that this lady would appear to me again from thin air.
The weird thing about the whole experience is that I have not spoken with my
cousins about the experience. I have been tempted to, but with my cousins
condition I have decided not to. One of my cousins (who also witnessed this) still
suffers from depression. In her mid-teens she tried to take her own life by cutting
her wrists. I think she is still on medication to this date. The only reason I know she
remembers the incident, was that she has told other relatives her account (seeing a
lady at the top of the stairs at my parents home) and refuses to go to my parents
home. I only heard about her story a few years ago from my sister whom heard it
from her, or someone that she told.
I still question, "Who was this lady?" Was she an angel? Why did she appear to
me and my cousins? What was she trying to say? What do the words, 'Obey your
father' mean? Did this really happen?" The only question I believe I can answer is
that it did really happen. What are the chances we come up with same account
when we have mentioned it to other relatives? It was actually my sister who put it
together, telling me my cousin said the same story. I would be very willing to take a
lie detector test, and I know I would easily pass with flying colors.
In my religion, I was taught that it was a blessing to see an angel. For a large
portion of my life I believed the opposite and wished I had never seen her.
This is the first time I have mentioned the event in detail. I must say it is very
refreshing to share my experience. I believe I will see the cousin I mentioned in the
next few months. At that time, I plan on drawing a picture of what I had seen and
show it to her. Im curious what her reaction will be. I just hope I dont trigger her
depression. It will be nice to finally ask her about her account of the event.
The Miraculous
Diane M. Hale
I will pour out my Spirit On those who serve meand signs on the earth below
[Acts 2:18-19 The Message]
As I stood pumping gas mentally grumbling at the price of gasoline and wondering at my
ability to keep paying the price little did I know a miracle was about to happen.
I entered the gas station to pay and not wishing to stand in the cue [line] I slipped into
the restroom. When I returned there was only one customer left ahead of me. Suddenly I
found myself in the midst of a furious debate over the obvious display of pornographic
material in the shop, by this time the air was blue with vulgarity and threatened
violence[I couldnt help but wonder why someone with such language cared about
vulgar pictures!] I kept my mouth shut and prayed! Finally the terrible scene ended as the
irate customer threw down his shopping and in fury likened to hurricane Ivan, left the
store.
I handed the owner my credit card for my gas purchase and after a few exchanges of very
puzzling communication I realized he was telling me that the friend that came with me
had already paid for my purchase. By this time there were no other customers or vehicles
in sight. And wishing to convince me the owner showed me the receipt signed with a
typical non-readable signature.
No friend had come with me; Id never been in this gas station before! I did however
hear the voice of the Lord sayI have paid the price and will continue to pay the price
for your purchase! For our safety and our supply know thisin this violent and
corrupted generation God is with us.
This was used by permission from the author of "Morning Light", a daily devotional
published by Unique By Design Ministries for encouragement, edification and
empowerment. For more information about the UBD ministry please visit our web site.
http://www.uniquebydesign.org
One month after the crime, Sarah fell down and had what appeared to be a seizure. Sarah
was diagnosed with having severe post-traumatic stress disorder and it was during her
seizures that the terrifying details of the crime would enter her memory. When the
burglars entered the home, Sarah became hysterical. One of the burglars attempted to
smother her with a pillow. Fighting for her life, she noticed a tattoo on the burglar who
was trying to kill her. When he realized she had seen his tattoo, he became enraged and
struck her in the head. It was at this point that she died and had a near-death experience.
"After I left my body, I found myself waking up underneath a tree in a place that seemed
to be the best place that anyone could possibly be. It's the place I call heaven. It is
definitely the place where I want to spend eternity. As I began to look around, I saw a
figure approaching me and it turned out to be a good friend of mine. He had passed away
four days before. Brian walked up to me and simply explained to me what was happening
to me. He said I was going to be okay and that I was going to be spared for a certain
reason. I had something to do. He said he had someone to introduce to me. Shortly after,
someone else walked up. It was a tall man in a white suit and white top hat who spoke in
a British accent.
"He said, I am going to be with you for a long time. I've known you all your life and I've
been your guardian angel all of your life.'
"He said he didn't want me to be afraid because of what was happening to me. I wasn't
dying. I would have to go back. Then he told me that I was brought there to rest to gain
the courage and energy to go on and finish what I'm supposed to finish.
A sketch of Sarah's attacker."It seemed like everything then started to kind of fade out and
then I was back in my room before I knew it. When I woke up again, my dog was licking
me in the face and I didn't know where I was or who I was or how I got there or why I
was tied up."
Something occurred while in the presence of her psychologist who was making regular
visits to Sarah's home to help her regain her memory.
"My psychologist was trying to calm me down because no one could. I was to the point
where I wasn't even trying to listen to anybody. I was just rocking back and forth and
trying to sing to myself. While I was talking to her, a light appeared. It appeared as a
circular shape and then came down as a long oval. That was George.
"Immediately, I just stopped crying and Sharon (her psychologist) just seemed to be
amazed. She said, "How come you calmed down so quickly?" And I said, "He says I am
going to be ok and he is going to take care of me now."
The guardian angel Sarah met during her near-death experience, who became
affectionately known as George, helped in Sarah's emotional healing and reached out to
LOVE: You cannot imagine the depth and magnitude of your angels' love. They smile
upon you as they observe the good things that you do. When you make a mistake, they
encourage you to get up and keep going. They shower you with loving thoughts and
gentle feelings as you struggle to overcome the difficulties of daily living. Always they
are at your side, these faithful and wise companions. In the morning, your guardians greet
you with warm enthusiasm, thrilled for another new day of serving you. At night, they
stroke your brow with tender affection, as you are serenely cherished. There is nothing on
Earth that can compare to the power of an angel's openhearted love.
HONOR: Angels honor you for simply being you. There are no rules in the spiritual
realm other than "to be." Therefore, angels do not judge, condemn or criticize. You do not
have to say or do anything at all to be worthy to receive. Angels respect you for the
brilliant light that shines forth from your soul. You deserve honor because you possess a
noble spirit. As a child of the Creator, you are spiritual royalty.
TRUTH: Telling someone the truth is an act of love. Your angels want you to know what
is true and what is not. As the veil of illusion is lifted, you will see yourself and others
differently. When you view the world as it really is, pain and suffering leave you. Grief
and sadness dissolve into a greater understanding. Peace of mind comes to those who
strive for truth.
Earth."
My first encounter with angels occurred in 1974. While undergoing a surgical procedure,
the doctor made a mistake, cut an artery, and I lost too much blood to sustain life. As my
physical body lay dying on the operating table, I rose up and surveyed the situation. I
noticed that the doctors and nurses were upset, and were working desperately to save me.
In my ethereal body, with my mental faculties and personality intact, I went nose-to-nose
with each one and told them to relax, that I was okay, but they ignored me. Frustrated, I
moved higher up, away from my body, and began to fly. Gravity had no effect on me.
Flying was natural and effortless, sort of like swimming underwater, but in an ocean of
brilliant white light.
During my near-death experience, two Escort Angels came to take me Home. Since then,
I have been in touch with the celestial realm. I have seen angels as big as skyscrapers and
others as small as a pinpoint of light. Archangel Michael, the Buddha, White Eagle,
Warrior Angels, sepia-colored cherubs, and dancing light beings have shown themselves
to me. I have entered the Halls of Knowledge and received instructions from the Great
White Brotherhood, an organization on the ethereal plane that is dedicated to the spiritual
evolution of humanity. There is no discrimination of any kind on the Other Side. "Great"
and "White" refer to the loving white light in the higher dimensions. As no one is above
or below another, what one can do all can do. I have seen, and you can too.
I heard a kind and gentle voice speak. Without my asking, the Voice answered all the big
questions about life. Then, my smallest concerns were addressed as if they were matters
of great importance. When the Voice told me why Aunt Bettie married Uncle Fred, I
giggled with joy and contentment. My curiosity had been completely satisfied, and I felt
like a child held in the arms of a loving parent after a hard day at school. The Voice in the
Light had anticipated and joyfully fulfilled my needs and desires, with good humor,
extreme love and enormous tenderness.
The nurse yelled, "We're losing her," and at the sound of distress I was propelled upward.
The farther up I went, the brighter the Light became. Two cherubs appeared, one on either
side of me, and we slowly drifted to the corner of the ceiling. We communicated through
mental telepathy, which is faster and more efficient than mere words. They told me they
were Escort Angels and had come to take me Home. But before we could go, I had to
look at the body I was leaving behind. She was twenty-five years old and in perfect
health, except for the loss of blood and spirit. I determined that the situation was not
serious enough, and in less than an instant I reentered my physical body through the
navel. I was back on Earth and suffering from Homesickness.
I looked up at the ceiling to see the Escort Angels fly through the wall, and I became
emotionally distraught. I was embarrassed because I had forgotten to thank them for
coming to get me. Years later, whenever I thought about my lack of good manners, I
cringed inside. One day, I heard one of them say, "Why don't you thank us now?" I
laughed, relieved that I could right a wrong. I said, "Thank you," and I saw balloons,
confetti, and two tiny cherubs dancing in celebration.
"Oski has been courageous enough to talk freely about his experience. He has even
written about it for a major pediatric journal. In that article he wrote, "I will make no
attempt to convince you as to the reality of my story. But I would merely ask that you
keep an open mind on the mysteries of life which occur to you on a daily basis."
camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we
were about to move into your camp,we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed
guards.'
At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone out in that jungle campsite The
young man pressed the point, however, and said, 'No sir, I was not the only person to see
the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of
those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.'"
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and
interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day that this happened.
The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this
story:
"On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go
play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the
Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to
pray for you.
Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?"
The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't
concerned with who they were--he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There
were 26.
A Beautiful Glow
By: Angela/catholic.org
When I was about 2 or 3, I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I remember one night coming
out of an episode and seeing this beautiful lady in white outside of my window. My
parents tell me there was this glow around my room and our dog was even entranced. A
few years later, I was told there was no more worries of my having seizures.
A Beautiful Messenger
By: Evelyn Kritenbrink/catholic.org
My mother died in the early morning on Christmas Eve 1999. She had suffer from a
stroke two weeks prior and remained in a hospital until her death. Me and my sister
would take shifts watching over her while she was in the hospital. That night she died it
was my sisters turn to come sit with her. Before my sister had arrived I was sitting in the
chair and out of know where this most magnificent beautiful glowing blue eyed and
whitish transparent body came to me. I was stunned and surprised, I had a warm and
stable feeling come over me. I didnt understand why I got this image until shortly after
my mothers death. I figured out that this awesome beautiful being was here to tell me my
mother was going to die and that Angel was there to take her to a better and happier
place, a place she needed to be.
A Beautiful Night
By Riena/catholic.org
For as long as I can remember I have seen angels and the devil. One night when I was in
my room the devil told me to stop trying to follow God. You will fail every time you try
follow me instead. I was like five the first time this happened. Every time this happened I
would ask God to help me. One night as a reward for being loyal to Him God showed me
that my grandma who had died a year or two earlier was in heaven.
A Bedside Angel
By: sashaharris@xtra.co.nz from ainglkiss.com
32 years ago I gave birth to my son ..at 1-30am I got ready to feed him he was asleep I
put the light on over my bed then the light went off and a lovely lady was at the end of
my bed. She looked at me then at my son who was in a crib at my left hand side. When I
looked back at her she had gone. She was so lovely, blond dressed in white. I pressed the
bell for the nurse when she came all I said that the light went out but the nurse said the
light was ok .i know I did see an angel. GOD BLESS.
A Blessed Life
By: Emma/catholic.org
i have had many experiences with angels even though im still really young. The first
incident i can recall is when i was 5 or 6 years old and i was just in my room looking out
of my window when then clouds just changed! i can't really explain it but they turned into
a vision of the Virgin MAry. It looked like a stained-glass window and it was one of the
most beautiful things i can remember.
another experience i barely remember was when i was praying with my plastic rosary in
church and all of the sudden it turned to gold. i was very little and that is all i can
remember
the next happened when i was around nine or ten. i was diagnosed with lupus as a really
young child. I ever knew this until recently, but i was expected to die because of my
illness. I just remember hating all the doctors visits and i hated being different from all
my friends. So one night with my father i told him i didn't want to be sick anymore and i
started weeping. we prayed together and that night i was healed. my mother didnt belive
this so we went to my schedualed doctors appointment anyway in the city. while walking
to the big hospital thing, i saw a man who looked homless walking around the park. he
was african american and wore baggy clothes and was holding a can of beer (but i dont
remember him drinking from it) i came out of the doctors office a while later and was
apperantly healed. i walked with my parents back to our car and the homeless man came
up to us and started talking to us. i cant say i remember any thing even though he talked
to us for a while. but i know he put his hand on my head and told my parents "you know,
your daughter is healed, right?"
recently my dad told me that this man appeared to him many times throughout his life
after that. his name is alexander and we know beyond a doubt that he is my daddy's
gaurdian angel. i am so thankful that he answered my daddy's prayers.
now just this summer at a catholic summer camp i had the most amazing experiences of
my entire life. my councelors told me and my friends about how they were baptised in the
spirit and how the holy spirit dwelled in them now. we were so awestruck that we asked
our good friend and main go-to spiritual guide about this. that night before bead an
instence happened in our cabin when he and some other very spiritual people came into
our cabin to pray with us. during our prayer, they lapsed into praying in touges. a deacon
then baptised all of us in the spirit. it felt like ants crawling through my viens but it was
so beautiful and wonderful that i wanted to laugh and cry at the same time (which im sure
i did). i was thrown back in my bed and was sort of unconcious, but not really. its hard to
explain. then later that week while me and some friends were singing to God and giving
him glory, the same man who baptised us started talking, but i was weird cuz it didnt
seem like him. Well, actually he has the gift of knowlege where Jesus can use you to talk
through in order to actually speak to people. it was beautiful! i think i cried. He told us
how much he loved us and alot of wonderful things. this hapened two or three more
times. also, the Lord sent us a vision where we were in His Holy temple and walking
toward him, though i was so downcast i didn't want to look at Him! i walked toward his
throne and up these 3 stne steps, then He was there and He embraced me! i felt like my
heart was being squeezed and i lost my breath and was thrown backward. i can remember
His beautiful light! it was really really bright and he told me He loved me. thats probably
about when i began to feel the holy sprit's presence in my palms when i prayed. every
time i prayed i felt like i was floating. then i was sent a message from God in which he
told me what i should do in my life and how i should serve Him and other people with the
girfts He gave me. weeks after camp ended i went to a praise and worship where i
recieved the gift of tounges. and now, God has given me another beautiful gift. the gift of
knowlege! i am so grateful and thankful and will forever sing God's praises!
A Boomerang Blessing
Christmas was for sharing, but with her own cupboards empty, she had nothing to give.
Or did she?
By Vicki Johnson, Buckeye, Arizona (guideposts.org)
Making ends meet on a new teachers salary isnt easyespecially not when youre the
single mom of a two-year-old. Looking over my budget at the kitchen table, I could see
things were about to get worse as Christmas approached.
Zackarys day care usually provided his breakfast and lunch, but wed both be eating at
home during winter break. Looks like were going to have to get very creative with our
meals, I told Zackary in his high chair beside me. He popped another Cheerio into his
mouth.
I went to the cupboard to take stock before making a smart grocery list. Well, that was
quick, I thought. Besides the absolute basics, one lone can of cherry pie filling gathered
dust in the corner.
Cherry pie was my favorite, but it wouldnt get us very far. My son and I needed
nutritional foods we could stretch. Dessert just wasnt in the budget for now. My mouth
watered as I took the can down from the shelf. I knew what Id do with it. Okay, Zack,
I said. Lets make that list.
I felt good the next day as I placed my can among the piles of donations at the church
food drive. It wasnt much, but it was something. No matter how tough things seem, I
explained to Zack, somebodys always got it worse.
He didnt yet understand what I was talking about, but I smiled thinking that another
mom out there would soon fill her kitchen with the sweet smell of a fresh-baked cherry
pie. Zackary and I went on to do our shopping.
My list got us through several days before I realized that we wouldnt make it on our
own. I stared into the cupboard, almost as empty as when it held that lone can of pie
filling. Lord, who am I kidding? I cant stretch nothing into something.
A knock at the door made me jump up. Zackary clapped playfully. He had no idea what a
dire situation we were in. I only hoped I wouldnt find more bad news at my door.
Instead I opened up to find one of the guys from church. Hey, Vicki, he said. He held a
big box in his arms. We decided this years food donations would go to our single
moms, and this is for you.
I was speechless. I ushered him inside and he plopped the overstuffed box on my
countertop. Merry Christmas! He gave my son a high five before heading out the door.
Zackary giggled. I felt like laughing too as I sorted through canned goods, pasta, jars of
sauces and condiments. Enough hearty meals to last way past Christmas. Then I got to the
bottom of the box.
Tucked into the corner was a can I knew well. My can of cherry pie filling! The Lord had
stretched my faith with a sweet reminder of his love. Dessert was definitely in our budget
tonight.
A Brief Glimpse
By: valerie/catholic.org
Last night was different than any other night. This week I had prayed to St. Therese the
little flower for her intercession and my prayer was answered and she sent me roses!
Every night I go to bed with ewtn on and as usual, fell asleep. I couldn't determine {in
retrospect} whether I was dreaming or awake or in between, I just remember that a Nun
like vision approached me and she had something in her hand as if to give it to me and I
was startled and awoke and she was gone.
Thats going to be me, I thought. I have cancer. The realization sent a cold chill through
me. My hands trembled uncontrollably. I grabbed Mikes arm and took a deep breath.
Not long ago in the shower Id felt a lump under my arm. My doctor confirmed my worst
fear after a whirlwind of X-rays and tests. Id come here for pre-lab work, my surgery
two days away. And after that? What if surgery wasnt enough? Please, God, help me, I
prayed. But I felt no comfort.
It will be okay, Mike said. This is a great hospital. Your surgeon knows what hes
doing. You cant lose faith.
How could he be calm? Could he not see everyone around us? This was serious. People
died from cancer.
I couldnt bear to think of not being there for Mike, for our four children. Id just turned
50. My best years ahead. Or so Id thought. I cradled my head in my hands. My surgeon
was optimistic. I shouldnt be this frightened. But I couldnt calm myself.
All I could think about were the weddings I wouldnt cry at, the grandchildren Id never
hold. Who would care for my mother? Id dreamed of growing old with Mike. I wasnt
strong enough to fight. Already I felt weak. What if the doctor was wrong? What if it was
too late?
I felt something move at my feet, a rustling sound. I opened my eyes to see a woman
kneeling in front of me. She reached out and rested her hand on my knee. What is she
doing?
She was in her early 60s, wearing a burgundy sweater and navy slacks. She had short
brown hair, stylishly cut, but no makeup or jewelry.
Through her glasses I gazed back at the kindest, most compassionate hazel eyes Id ever
seen. There was something so comforting about her, despite the strange situation.
Instinctively I placed my hand on hers and she put her free hand on top of mine. Her
hands were crisscrossed with veins, slightly rough in places, a mothers hands, hands
used to working.
She looked up at me and in a soft, soothing voice said, I can see how scared you are,
dear, but dont worry. You are going to be okay.
Even in the crowded waiting room I heard every word she said. The noise around me was
gone, as if she and I were the only people in the room.
She didnt say another word. But her eyes never left mine while she gently stroked my
hand. Then she stood up and walked away. I looked to Mike and then back to where the
woman had last been standing. But now she wasnt there. I scanned the room, but
couldnt find her.
Strange, huh? I said to Mike.
What is?
The woman at my feet, I said, trying not to sound irritated. What did he think I was
talking about? I didnt see a woman, Mike said.
I knew I hadnt imagined her. Id felt her hand. A human touch. Heard her soothing voice.
Even now, after shed gone I felt calm and relaxed, a sense of peace Id never known
before. That couldnt have come from me.
Mike, I said, I think I just had a visit from an angel.
Mike took my hand and squeezed it. Youre not alone in this, he said. That much I
know for sure.
Two days later I had my surgery, a lumpectomy. The surgeon said that the tumor was
small and intact.
It took 10 more days to get the results of the lymph node biopsies. It felt like forever, but
whenever I got worried I thought of the woman Id encountered in the waiting room, the
comfort of her voice, the warm assurance of her touch.
When the news came that my lymph nodes were cancer free we thanked God for his
blessing. I went through chemotherapy and radiation as a precaution against
reoccurrence, but I wasnt afraid. I knew Mike was right. I wasnt alone.
Today, almost 11 years later, I remain cancer free. Ive seen all of my children graduate
from college and Ive danced at one of their weddings. I delight daily in my beautiful
granddaughter.
And no matter what happens theres a peace that never leaves me. A peace given to me by
an angel when I needed it most.
A Cool Touch
By: Forrest Walkeri/catholic.org
This may not seem like much, but it really is to me. In church, whenever we say the Our
Father with our hands up in the air, I feel a cool, calming, peaceful touch on my hands. I
usually pray with my eyes closed, and that is when I feel that. I just seem to know that it
is either my Guardian Angel, or the Holy Spirit, but it is certainly just a cooling touch
refreshing me, that disappears when I open my eyes. The only other seemingly angelic
experience I have had is even seeming less noteworthy. It is just whenever I hear stories
of miracles, like when I was reading stories on this site, and I feel a chill in my spine. It is
just like something is telling me that truly was a miracle.
A Dream
By: Marlene Slominski/catholic.org
I had just broken up with my boyfriend who had a son. I was feeling very sad about
everything. I loved this boyfriend and his son very much. When I was going to sleep, I
said to the Lord, "You have to help me I don't think I can get over this by myself". That
night I dreamed that my boyfriend and I are were in an arguement. I felt a tap on my
shoulder, I turned and saw the most beautiful women I had ever seen. I knew in a moment
she was an Angle. She said to me don't do this to yourself. She had the complexation of a
human but without a single blemish. Really beautiful eyes and hair of gold. Not like any
other hair I had
ever seen. To this day I do not feel sad anymore about that relationship ending. I know
without a doubt, the Lord sent me one of His Angels to help me.
A Divine Daisy
A grieving widow is comforted when she receives an unexpected floral gift from her
departed husband.
By Noreene Young, Burton, Michigan
It was an unusually hot evening, so I filled up my watering can at the sink. Better give the
houseplants some extra moisture, I thought. I should go water the plants at Bills
memorial too.
My husband had been a superintendent with the schools before passing away two months
ago. The districts schoolbus drivers had planted two trees near the bus garage in his
honor. Id added a bench, and two mum plants. I didnt want them to wilt in the heat.
On the drive over I thought how surprised Bill would have been that I chose mums for his
bench. Daisies were my flower. Bill gave them to me for birthdays and anniversaries and
for just about any special occasion. But I thought mums would be hardier and more eyecatching for his memorial.
Besides, daisies were his special gift to me, not the other way around.
When I got to the garage and approached the bench, I was the one who was surprised. A
pristine daisy was sticking out of the grass in front of Bills bench!
I watered the mums and my daisy. It wasnt my birthday or anniversary, but a special
occasion after all.
That didnt make me feel better. I was prepared to have the worst holiday ever.
On Christmas Eve there was a knock on our door. When Mom opened it no one was there
just a box of presents. There was food too, like Christmas cookies and beef patties. A
box from church! I had no idea we were one of those families in need.
We gathered around the tree and passed out the presents. I tore the paper off mine and
gasped. My doll! My own doll! Shed come back to me just as beautiful as ever.
Mom was right about two things that Christmas. What we give to otherslike kindness
and generositydoes come back to us. And my doll went to a little girl who truly loved
her forever. Come January I might have gone back to being a tomboy, but I never took
my doll for granted again.
him. His eyes almost glowed and they were glossy. The woman, however, was extremely
reserved, didn't say a word nor did she make any eye contact with me. After I finished my
meal, I started driving in the direction that the couple needed to go. About a quarter of a
mile down a busy street, the man asked me to drop them off on the side of the street.
I pulled over and the female got out first but the man pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and
said, "Here, let me at least give you this!" I didn't expect anything from him and was
extremely grateful! I thanked him and then he and the lady turned around and started
running and crossed the street.
As I drove down the busy street in their direction to turn around, I noticed that they were
nowhere in sight. It seemed as if they vanished! At the time of this incident, I didn't
understand why the man would give me so much money for driving him and the lady
such a short distance! I also realized that, strangely, that twenty-dollar bill made up for
the money I had lost at the concert! It took me at least a year to finally figure out that this
mysterious couple that came to my car that night, were, without a doubt, angels that came
to my aid!
A Grandmothers Touch
By Joan Wester Anderson from Dreams of Angels, book by Guideposts
When Cassandra Lockhart was a child, her grandmother Ruth probably had the
most influence on her. She taught me to pray and was always there to support
and guide me, Cassandra recalls. But when she was sixteen, her beloved grandmother
died. Cassandra was angry with God. Why had He taken her grandmother away,
especially now as Cassandra was growing into adulthood? There were so many things
they could have shared.
Eventually, Cassandras anger subsided, and she began to pray again, especially for Ruth.
Was she in heaven? Did she know what was happening to Cassandra here on earth? In
answer, something wonderful happened. Cassandra began to dream about her
grandmother.
I would have conversations with her in the dreams, just like our real ones, she recalls.
It was consoling, but of course I knew none of it was real. I assumed I was bringing
about the dreams, because I missed her so much.
Cassandra married and became pregnant. The ultrasound revealed it was a boy, but
Ruth appeared in a dream and assured me I would have a daughter, Cassandra says.
Of course it was just her imagination. But Cassandra and her husband chose the name
Samantha, just in case.
It was Samantha! And she was in perfect health. But when she came home, trouble
started. Samantha wouldnt sleep, nor did she keep her feedings down. We went to the
doctor several times, but he indicated that the baby was just fussy, and that I was
overtired
and stressed, says Cassandra. I hired someone to help care for her so I could get some
sleep, but things grew worse. Samantha continued to choke, vomit and scream, and
nothing
I did helped. Ruth occasionally appeared in Cassandras dreams and seemed to be trying
to tell her something. But Cassandra could grasp only a fleeting impression before the
baby awakened her again. Oh, how she longed for her grandmothers nearness, even if it
was all in her imagination. Ruth would have known what to do.
Then one morning Cassandra was working at the sink when she felt a presence in
the kitchen, behind her. I felt such warmth and serenity that I knew my grandmother
was there.
Ever so softly, she heard Ruths voice in her ear. Cassandra, your child is very sick. She
has a condition called pyloric stenosis. You must take her to another doctor. Ruth named
the doctor. I will be with you as long as you need me The sense of Ruth was fading
now, and slowly Cassandra turned around. The kitchen was emptyand she had never
heard of pyloric stenosisbut she knew what to do.
The doctor Ruth named examined Samantha the very next day, and arranged for
immediate surgery. Pyloric stenosis is relatively simple to fix, but sometimes hard to
diagnosis, he told Cassandra and her husband after the successful operation. Its lucky
that you came in when you did.
Cassandra smiled. It hadnt been luck at all. Nor had the dreams been simply her
imagination. God had shown her that Grandma Ruth was alive, and they would always be
vitally connected, through love, memories and prayers
A Healing Hand
Location: Edmonton Alberta Canada
By: Dave Ludwick/catholic.org
In 2001, I had had enough. As a busy senior manager, very successful in my job, I was
anything but successful in my heart. I thought I had mastered anxiety and success, but it
had mastered me.
On Novemebr 14, 2001, while sitting in front of the TV on a Saturday with my laptop in
hand doing work for my company that I hoped would make me appear more valuable to
my boss, a TV commercial came on. It was an advertisement promoting
powertochange.com . Several of the sites testimonials were presented on TV in front of
me.
You see, to this point, I was in the process of considerable and relenting anxiety attacks.
For some one who was supposed to be so successful, I was sure losing the battle.
In seeing that commerical, after years of anxiety, I decided to navigate to the site, read
some testimonials and followed the directions to call Jesus into my life. Angels had
prepared that site in advance, for when I read those words, it was like He was speaking to
me personally. That was the beginning of the first time Jesus' Healing Hand came
apparent to me. On that day, I asked Jesus to come into my life, and I pledged my life to
him. I gave him my life on one condition - that he would sweep away all my anxiety.
I'd like to say that that very morning, I was completely anxiety free, but it was not. I did
experience improvement immediately, but the next two years were still very difficult.
What happened next though changed my life and that of my son. Looking back, it was the
trial that helped me mature as Jesus intends.
In June 2002, I was let go from my job - the very job I had slaved for. Despite the anxiety,
I stayed committed to Jesus, and I believe in his commmittment to me. After a hard
working summer, he granted me a new job in a different town, far far away. My wife and
I decided to take the opportunity and move. It was the right move.
In Sept 2002, we arrived. However, fresh off the plane, our baby son, who was now 6
months old, was experiencing some health problems. The health issues manifested
themselves like a cold or virus, but they seemed much worse. The boy would not sleep,
and I mean not sleep at all - at all. Further, he was white and this fella who was normally
very happy, was not smiling. After taking him to a few clinics in my first few days of
work, my wife decide she better take him to a hospital. WHat happened next drilled a
hole in my heart.
The doctors told us our son had a rare disease which attacked the heart. He had already
developed a heart aneurysm and would be expected to develop more. A heart aneurysm is
a widening of the vessels around the heart. Widening the vessels slows the speed of blood
flow, which if allowed to get too slow, causes clotting which could end up giving him a
heart attack or a stroke. The doctor's prognosis was not very good. He said our boy was
on the way out.
So here I was, I had given my life to Jesus, he had moved us to the other side of the
country, in a strange place, with a strange job, and now our boy was being taken.
On the way out of the hospital, I prayed to Jesus. I said that He had given us this boy and
that we loved him and as I had pledged before, I would follow his will and do what ever
he wanted no matter what, but I asked him to save this boy's life.
I want to tell you, the next day -- the boy was cured, fixed, happy, healthy. The doctor's
could not explain the evets. I am telling you this occurred over night. Our Jesus sent his
Healing Hand a second time, this time to heal my son's heart. Great is our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of the Living God who heals.
Looking back, I beleive this period in my life was a test. Having passed the test, I literally
live a worry free life. I am very lucky to have the fortune of seeing a website prepared by
A Heavenly Trio
The angelic encounter that helped him survive a devastating car accident.
By Don Piper, Pasadena, Texas (guideposts.org)
Most people who know me know I died on January 18, 1989, went to heaven, and was
prayed back to earth about ninety minutes later; however, many dont know the rest of the
storya part I didnt know until more than a year afterward. One powerful element came
out when I ate at a Chinese restaurant with Dick and Anita Onerecker.
We had just come from church, where Dick served as the senior pastor. They had invited
me to preach. My first encounter with Dick and Anita had been in the piney woods of
East Texas. They were part of a leadership team for a church growth conference that
ended on a Wednesday.
On a cold, rain-slicked rural road a few miles from the gates of the retreat center, a
tractor-trailer truck crossed the center stripe of the two-lane highway on a bridge over
Lake Livingston, and hit me head-on. I was killed instantly. The report stated, Dead on
the scene, and they summoned the coroner. Although the accident involved three cars,
there were no serious injuries to the other people.
Because of the accident, traffic backed up in both directions. Dick and Anita also headed
home from the conference. They had stopped for take-out coffee, and were half-a-mile
from the accident. With so many cars backed up, they left their car and walked to the
scene of the accident to see if they could be of assistance. Anita gave her hot coffee to an
elderly man in one of the other accident vehicles. Dick sought out the emergency medical
technicians. After Dick identified himself, one EMT said, The man in the red car is dead;
several people are badly shaken up, but not seriously hurt.
Weeks after the accident, Dick told me, The Lord spoke to me in a clear voice: Pray for
the man in the red car. When Dick asked permission to get under the tarp that now
covered my red Escort, an EMT refused. The demolished car is too gruesome. Dick
persisted and the man relented. Despite the misty rain, Dick pulled back the tarp and
crawled inside my Escort. He found my horribly mangled body slumped in the front seat.
He prayed desperately for me, not knowing at that time for whom he was praying.
Even my intimate friends would not have recognized me. Both legs were crushed, one
was severed. So was my left arm. My chest was impaled by the steering wheel. In
addition to obvious wounds, I was bleeding from the ears and eyes. My best recollection
of what I heard, and the one I related to Dicks church, was that Dick had taken hold of
my only intact limb, my right hand, and prayed fervently and urgently. He prayed that I
would live and be delivered from internal injuries. He paused a few times and sang
hymns.
At one point he began singing, What a Friend We Have in Jesus. I started to sing with
Dick. At the shock of hearing my singing with him, he scurried from under the tarp and
yelled, The man is alive! Once again, he crawled under the tarp and continued to pray
with even more intensity. We continued to sing while firefighters, now on the scene,
tried to extricate me. I was unaware of the activity, so I can only report what Dick and
others told me. I had been driving along Texas Highway 19 on my way to lead a
Wednesday prayer service at our church in Alvin, a suburb of Houston.
On the bridge above Lake Livingston, a huge truck came at me. In my next moment of
consciousness I was in the darkness, singing hymns along with a voice I didnt recognize.
The powerful hand that gripped mine infused me with strength, encouragement, and the
will to survive. More than a year passed after my ordeal, and most of that time I was in a
hospital bed and underwent sixteen surgeries (more would follow). Excruciating pain
filled my body constantly. Because of Gods grace I slowly recovered and within a year I
was able to preach at Dicks church.
I wore heavy leg braces and was still in agony, but I was alive and able to stand at the
pulpit of the man who had prayed me back to life. I told Dicks congregation about their
pastors fervent prayers, our hymn singing in the wrecked car, and his strong hand that
supported me and infused me with courage to hold on. Many people cried that dayand
tears came to my own eyes as I relived that experience.
While we ate lunch after the worship service, Anita smiled and leaned toward me. I need
to correct something you said in the pul- pit this morning. I returned her smile but I
thought, thats exactly what every preacher doesnt want to hear. I enjoyed hearing your
testimony this morning. I know it wasnt easy for you No, it wasnt. Theres just
one thing. The part where you talked about Dick holding your hand and praying for you
I nodded. That didnt happen. I have many gaps in my memory, Anita, and some
of my facts come from those who were there. But of one thing I am absolutely positive. I
vividly remember holding his hand. Thats what inspired me to hold on. I remember
You were holding a hand as Dick prayed. She peered intently at me. But it wasnt
Dicks hand. I dont know if I protested or stared silently. But how No one could
have reached your hand while you were trapped inside your car. You were twisted so far
to the right that your right hand was actually on the floor of the passengers side. She
paused and I nodded. Dick reached through the back window of your car. Thats
correct and Dick placed his right arm between the front seats and your right shoulder
your unbroken arm. Thats right Your right hand was beyond Dicks reach.
I stared at her uncomprehendingly. But I remember the handit was so powerful. I
know a hand grasped mine. I drew enormous strength and help from that hand. It gave me
the power to hang on. There was a hand all right. She paused and added, But it
wasnt Dicks.
If it wasnt Dicks hand, whose hand was it? I believe you know. Just then I
understood. God sent one of His ministering spiritsan angelnot only to hold my hand
but also to infuse me with a will to live. There had been three of us inside that demolished
car. It had been a heavenly trio.
went to sleep.
How hard could it be to sell 15 boxes of cards? Just watch me! I thought, shutting the
magazine.
First thing I had to do was get a parents permission. I know it sounds like a good deal,
but its a waste of time, my dad insisted when I showed him the ad after dinner.
Nobody buys those things.
Dad obviously didnt see how important this was to me, so I went straight to Mom in the
kitchen. Please! I said. Ill do it all myself. Ill sell every box. Youll see.
Mom gave in and signed the consent form. The next day, my application was in the mail.
I would show my father it wasnt a waste of time when I had that shiny new transistor
radio!
The cards arrived a few weeks later. They were just your standard cardsa Christmas tree
and an angel on front, Merry Christmas written insidebut to me they were a gold
mine. Early Saturday morning I climbed on my bicycle and hit the neighborhood. My
goal was to have every box sold by lunch.
Hello! I greeted the first lady who answered her door. Ive got the best Christmas
cards ever. Want to buy a box?
No, thank you, young man, she said. Ive already got more than enough for this year.
Oh, well, I thought as I got back on my bike. Shell be the only person on the block who
misses out.
Actually, she would have a lot of company in the missing-out department. House after
house I got the same answer: No, thank you. Lunch came and went and Id only sold one
box.
I pressed on, riding farther than I ever expected, and didnt get back home until almost
dinnertime. All I had to show for it was a grand total of three boxes sold.
I flopped down onto the living room couch, exhausted. How are the sales going? Dad
asked from behind his newspaper.
Slow, I admitted. But Ive got all day tomorrow after church.
Mmm-hmm, said Dad.
When the service ended the next morning, I was the first person out the door. That way I
could talk to everyone as they left. Get beautiful cards to send to your friends and
family, I said, showing off my wares. Only a few more weeks till Christmas!
Sorry, I already bought my cards, I heard again and again. It seemed I wasnt the only
kid trying to earn that radio. Soon the church parking lot was empty and I hadnt sold
anything. I got on my bike and rode off. Once again I didnt get home until it was nearly
time for dinner.
Sell anything? Dad asked.
One box, I said. Maybe people like to buy things during the week.
Mmm-hmm, said Dad.
Ill show him! I thought. But weekday sales were worse. Each day I went out after
school, arriving home just in time to have dinner and do my homework. But I only
managed to sell one more box. Come the weekend I didnt manage to sell one.
Ten boxes, I said after dinner Sunday night. I cant believe I have to sell ten more
boxes.
Youve worked very hard, my mom said. Im proud of you. Theres just a lot of people
selling Christmas cards this time of year.
In my mind I could hear my dads warning: Its a waste of time. Nobody buys those
things. Dad was probably happy I was proving him right. But I couldnt give up. If only
a Christmas angel would fly down and tell people to buy my cards.
Im going to take them to school tomorrow, I said. Maybe some of the teachers will
want to buy some.
The next morning I awoke with new determination. I would show my cards to every
teacher in the school. Surely somebody would want them! But when I looked for my
cards, they were gone. Where did my cards go? I left them right here so I wouldnt
forget them, I said.
Your father took them to work, Mom said. He thought hed see if anyone at the
factory wanted a box.
I was crushed. I knew just how little Dad thought of my card-selling scheme. Mom had
probably convinced him to help me out. Now the cards were out of my reach. None of
Dads friends at work would buy anything. He probably wouldnt even ask them.
My dream of getting a transistor radioall by myselfwas completely dashed.
Dad worked overtime all week so I never even saw him long enough to ask for the cards
back. On Friday morning, Mom handed me an envelope. Heres the money from those
last ten boxes of cards, she said. I guess the men at the factory really needed them.
Id done it! All 15 boxes, sold! My hand shook with excitement as I filled out the form to
send back with the money. A week later a brown-paper package arrived in the mail. I had
my transistor radio.
It was the coolest radio in town, because Id earned it all myself! Sure, my dad had
brought the cards to the factory, but he would never have put that much effort into getting
people to buy them. Factory men just knew quality cards when they saw them.
That radio saw me through many Christmases. Christmases when our family sent out the
same cardsa Christmas tree with an angel on front and Merry Christmas written
inside. Not that I noticed.
It wasnt until I was a father myself, watching my own kids struggle, that I realized my
dad hadnt sold those 10 boxes of cardsat least not all of them. Hed bought them
himself, even though money was tight.
Whats more, hed let me believe that Id won the contest all by myself because he knew
that was more important than any radio could be. My dad didnt look much like a
Christmas angel, but when I needed one, thats just what he was.
A Lesson
Location: Surprise City, Arizona, USA
By: Rey Aranas/catholic.org
This happened in the summer of 1971 in my home country, the Philippines. It was
Sunday morning and I was all dressed up formally for church which was just in front of
our house. When I opened the door I saw that our front lawn was so full of fallen black
plum (a native fruit tree) fruits. Looking up, I saw hundreds of birds feasting on our plum
tree. I decided right away that I did not want to share the fruits with the birds. Totally
forgetting where I was supposed to go to, I removed my shirt, my socks and my shoes
and climbed our tree. The best fruits were on top and that's where I went. I could see the
roof of our two-storey house. Then I saw just in front of me a bunch of fruits that looked
so delicious. I tried to reach out for it when all of a sudden I heard a loud crack. I knew
the branch I was standing broke. In an instant I was falling down and the words I could
utter was, "I'm dead!" I was very sure I would die because directly below me was our
newly erected pointed bamboo fence. It felt like I was in a slow motion because it felt
like I was falling slowly. Midway, I distinctly felt a cold blow of air on my left cheek
pushing me far away. I fell into a canal ditch several feet away from the fence. I was so
surprised because I felt NO PAIN. I stood up and walked unscathed and no broken bones.
With mouth open, I stared at the branch where I was standing - it was hanging on a
pointed edge of our bamboo fence.
The first and only thing that came to my mind until today was that I was saved by my
guardian angel. It was meant as a lesson to me, a high school kid: Sunday, it is the Lord's
Amazing Grace
By: gbean3@cox.net (from ainglkiss.com)
Many years ago, my husband was seriously ill, he had been hospitalized many times and
we knew that his time was short. He was very ill and I stayed with him day and night in
his hospital room. One particular night, he was feeling very low and tried to tell me that
he felt so alone and like no one cared. I tried to convince him that he was not alone, that
God knew where he was and loved him. About three o'clock in the morning, the door to
his hospital room opened and in walked what I thought was a nurse. She went to his
bedside and called him by his nickname, a name only his close family and friends knew.
She told him that God was there with him and loved him dearly. She asked what his
favorite song was. He told her Amazing Grace. There in the early morning hours she
began to sing, her voice was so lovely it seemed to fill the room. Tears rolled down my
face as well as my husband's face. You could feel the love radiating in the whole room as
she sang. She finished the song, turned and walked quietly out of the room. I wanted to
thank her for her kindness and followed her out into the hall. The hallway was empty and
there was no one in sight. I waited for a few minutes as I thought she had went into
another room. Finally, I went to the nurses station and asked to speak to the nurse that
came into our room. The nurse on duty said she was the only one assigned to those
rooms and then I knew that God sent one of his angels to comfort my husband and
myself in our time of need. Gene has gone home now, but when things get hard for me, I
can feel the Love of God and his angels around us. I thank God for His love and the care
of angels. I am always reminded of His Amazing Grace.
Am I An Angel? No, No
by: Phyllis Murphy, Source Unknown (www.inspirationalstories.com)
I was catching a later flight to St. Louis, then on to Minnesota. A couple of seats in front
and the aisle over sat a very pretty lady. She smiled back at me, I smiled at her noticing
her pretty floral dress.
The rest of the flight was uneventful, but as I was getting off the plane I noticed her again
standing by the prompters seeing what flight she was to take and what gate. I stood beside
her looking for my gate, and flight number. I commented to her that I had noticed her on
the flight to St. Louis and she had on a pretty dress. She said "Thank you", I asked what
flight she was taking? She said to "Phoenix". I looked and she had a two-hour layover, I
also had a two and a half hours layover and asked her if she would like to go to the
cafeteria for something to eat or drink. She said "Sure". We introduced ourselves on the
way down the ramp, and she told me that her name was "Phyllis". I laughed and said "my
name is Phyllis also".
As we sat in the booth she began telling me that she had been told she was dying of
cancer and had less than 6 months to live. She was on her way to visit her children and
grandchildren before she began taking treatment. She then told me that she had never
flown before and she had prayed a specific prayer. She was afraid she would get lost at
the airport and not be able to fine her way to the gate, and didn't know what she was
going to do for the two hours she was there. She prayed, that someone would meet her at
the gate and stay with her until she left the airport. She then asked me "Are you an Angel
God has sent"? No, I assured her I was no angel, but did God use me to answer her
prayer? Yes.
As I was about to head over, feeling like a complete fool and wishing I'd been less silly, a
pick-up truck pulled in behind me. Out of it hopped a short Hispanic man, who calmly
took the bar from me, and without a word set about to change my tire for me. He had
absolutely no trouble with the lugs, which, considering I could not budge even one lug
with my body weight, surprised me.
The spare was on and the broken tire into the trunk in less than five minutes. I thanked
him and thanked him. He only smiled and refused the money I offered him for his
trouble. Then, still without a word, he got back into his truck, drove out of the parking lot
and disappeared. It doesn't sound at all spooky, but I think my angel came to help me.
An Angel Awakened Me
Location: Augusta Georgia USA
By: Vonnie Deak/catholic.org
I had alot of troubles on my mind and would often have nightmares of things and people
that hurt me in my past. I've had several dreams of angels and had heard from many
people that believe in God that if you call upon them that they are always there.
I had a dream of an angel that was clothed in pink and green sheer cloth. She had two
small boys beside her that were blowing trumpets as she reached out and touched my
forehead with water. It woke me up gasping and my head was wet. I've had several
visitations by an angel since and even had friends that I prayed for tell me about their
visitation of this angel. I think it is the Holy Mother or one of the Holy Angels spoken of
in Revelations in the Holy Bible.
Recently, as little as a month ago, she visited both my husband and I and touched my
cheek again. Nothing is said but I know that my prayers are always answered when I ask
for an angel to visit someone. They always make the bad go away and something good
happens.
Glory to God,
remember a woman praying along side me in a language other than English, yet I
understood her every word. She continued to pray the Hail Mary while I was hoisted into
the ambulance. I never saw her, but I felt her presence and I heard her as clear as the
sirens. I was treated in the hospital for a broken nose and head lacerations, and was
released the following day.
After talking to and thanking the officer and rescue personnel from the scene of my
accident, I asked if anyone got the name of the woman who stayed with me and prayed
for me. No one saw anyone. Everyone at the accident insisted that the only women there
were myself and the officer.
I have faith that God heard my prayers. My Guardian Angel was with me and is the
reason I survived that accident. Why did I put on my seat belt just moments before the
accident? Why was I so calm when I called on God to help me? Who was praying for
me? What language were they speaking, and how could I understand?
I cannot answer with fact, but only with faith. I believe in angels, and my guardian angel.
The Lord knew it was not my time to go, my children still need me.
An Angel Helps
by Laura (angelrealm.com)
I once read somewhere that "angels" have the bluest eyes you've ever seen. Almost
crystal-like. I'm not sure if this is true, but I definitely feel like I met one. It was around
March of 1998. I live in a small town of Pictou County in Nova Scotia, Canada. I was 18
years old and happily celebrating with friends; how close we were to our high school
graduation. It's a tradition for every grad class to get up early one morning, all meet, and
go to our teachers' houses, where they would cook us breakfast.
My friends "Sara" and "Jess" came to pick me up early in the morning. (Around 6 a.m.) It
was cold but clear and there was quite a bit of snow on the ground. We decided we would
stop and get a coffee, maybe go for a short drive before we were to meet up with our
other classmates. Sara said she wanted to take a minute to go visit the grave of her
brother, who, sadly, passed away about a year and a half before.
We drove to the cemetery where his grave was located. It was on a pretty isolated road,
and up a steep hill. We slowly drove up the hill and stopped just near the top. Sara got out
and went over to her brother's grave for a few minutes, while Jess and I sat in the car and
waited. Sara came back to the car and said it was time to go. Thanking us for coming
there with her, she started the car and put it in reverse so that she could turn the car and
head back down the hill. The wheels just spun in place. We were stuck. So I got out of the
car, told her to put it in drive, while I tried to push is from behind. No luck. We weren't
going anywhere.
Sara and Jess got out of the car. Sara was panicked because apparently her parents
would've been mad had they known where we were. Not only that, we were all alone. The
nearest house was a far distance away, and it was so early in the morning no one was
around to help us. Sara walked over to her brother's grave and said, "Ricky, please help
us!" Jess and I just kind of looked at each other.
Then out of nowhere, a man with shoulder-length blond hair and crystal-blue eyes was
standing next to us. Sara looked at the man and said, "My car is stuck and we can't get it
to move..." The man looked at us and quietly said, "I know." With the three of us still
standing there, he got into the car, started it and within a few seconds he had put the car
in reverse (which didn't work for us) and turned the car around completely. With no help
from us at all. The tires didn't spin at all. It was like the car was on regular pavement, not
a snow packed, icy, dirt road. With the car turned and heading in the right direction, he
got out and proceeded to walk to the back of the car. Sara enthusiastically said thank you.
All he said was, "You asked for help, so I came." And that was it.
We got back in the car and sat there for a moment. No one said anything. We looked
behind the car and the man was gone. The strange thing about all of this was, there were
no footprint tracks leading away from the car at the back. And he certainly didn't go in
front of us. As we drove down the hill, which is where we assumed he had walked up,
again no footprints in the snow. This experience was one that I'll never forget. And I truly
believe that when we need and ask for help, someone is listening, even if you can't
physically see them.
An Angelic Superhero
He wasn't really a superhero; he just dressed like one. But then an opportunity to be an
angel presented itself...
By Troy Marcum, Huntington, West Virginia (guideposts.org)
Every kid dreams about growing up to be a superhero, but not many expect that dream to
come true. My twin brother, Travis, couldnt believe it when I told him mine had. What
do you mean youre going to be Captain America for real? he asked.
Superheroes had been important to me since I was a little kid. Travis and I really needed
heroes back then. We had a difficult childhood, bouncing around from one tough situation
to another. When we didnt think things could get any worse, they did.
The one thing Travis and I could rely on was our comic books. When youre a small boy,
and afraid, its a great comfort to imagine youre big and strong, rescuing other children
from danger.
One night, when we were about eight, Travis and I huddled together in bed wondering if
wed always be surrounded by people stronger than us. Well find a way out of this
mess, I whispered to him. Someday well overcome, like all of our heroes. Youll see!
With each otherand Godto lean on, thats exactly what we did. Travis worked for the
would-be governor of Washington State. Id spent years as a professional wrestler and
been awarded the Armed Forces Service Medal in the Navy for my work as a surgical
technician.
Now Id been offered an even more important job.
Im going to be Captain America, I repeated to Travis. Id gotten a call from a man
named John Buckland, an Iraq War vet and a former firefighter. He ran a group called
Heroes 4 Higher. They dressed up as superheroes to teach kids how to be a hero in their
own right.
John had seen a picture of me from my wrestling days. I competed dressed as Capred,
white and blue uniform, star on my shield. It was a big hit with the crowd, but it had
special meaning for me.
In striving to become a hero like him as a boy, I didnt feel like a victim. Maybe in this
program I could share that feeling with other children. If anyone can do it, you can, my
brother said.
I started work right away, visiting elementary schools, hospitals and community
centers. John dressed as Batman, his wife was Batgirl.
There was nothing better than talking to kids one-on-one, having them look at me and see
a hero. Courtney from Milton Elementary wanted us to visit her school on her birthday to
teach everyone to be nice to each other.
Abby met us at an anti-bullying rally at the mall where she appeared in a tiara. Cameron,
a boy losing his fight against cancer, said we gave him courage.
You really have become one of the heroes from our comic books, Travis said. Well, not
really, I thought as I suited up for an appearance for local kids at the American Legion
last fall. I wasnt capturing bad guys or saving lives. The kids just thought I did those
things because of my costume.
Our hosts at the American Legion introduced us, and John and Ias Batman and Captain
Americatook the stage. The kids clapped and then quieted down.
I spoke about some of the challenges they might face at school and gave some tips about
standing up to peer pressure. The kids were taking it all in. John suddenly stepped
forward and pointed out the window to a house across the street. That place is on fire!
Brown smoke poured out of the windows, turning black. The ex-firefighter didnt waste a
minute. Call 911, he told the room, and both of us ran across the street, followed by
some of the bikers who were there to give an anti-drug presentation. One of them, Tank,
helped John to kick in the front door.
Throw a rock through the window, John then ordered me. We need to get some of that
smoke out! John went inside the house, disappearing into the thick smoke. Anyone
home? he shouted. No answer, thank goodness.
Across the street the kids shouted, Go, Batman, go! You can do it, Captain America! You
can do it!
John emerged from the blackness with something in his armssomething furry. It was a
gray and black cat. He needs air, I said.
Firefighters hosed down the house. John laid the cat on the grass, and we exchanged a
desperate look. Neither of us had ever performed CPR on a cat before, but we had to try!
Captain America and Batman will save him! one of the kids shouted. John breathed air
into the cats mouth. The cat twitched. His eyes sprang open. He hissed angrily. Success!
By the time the family returned home, their pet was good as new.
EMTs treated John for smoke inhalation, while the kids stared at us, awestruck. You
saved him! they said. Batman and Captain America saved the cat!
John turned to me. Guess this really was a job for Batman and Captain America! he
said. My brother agreed when I told him all about it. Superheroes giving a cat CPR, he
said. Thats like a scene from a comic book!
John and I received many accolades for our actions that day. At the West Virginia
Pumpkin Festival Parade we were reunited with Bob the Cat and family. The fire damage
wasnt nearly as bad as it could have been, and they were back in their home already.
Now people were not only calling us heroesthey were calling us angels. All I knew was,
for one day God had truly granted my adventurous boyhood wish.
Hold on! Eryn screamed. The van rolled over. Dear God, not nowthe children are
with me! Lorie silently pleaded as the van rolled a second time.
Immediately she heard a voice saying, Dont be frightened. God is with you, and you
will all be all right. She also had a vision of angels sitting on the childrens laps,
wrapping their arms around each little one.
An overwhelming sense of peace came over me, Lorie said, and she was able to relax
even as the truck became airborne and flipped twice more, then came to a rest upright on
a small hill.
The sudden silence was horrifying. Lorie was afraid to turn around and look, and instead
fumbled for her cell phone. Where was it?
Suddenly, everyone was crying. Cars around them were stopping. Call an ambulance!
Lorie yelled, then turned to help the children. Seeing everyone alive, she flew into
action, pulling back two of the boys who were attempting to scramble through the broken
windows, then passing four of the preschoolers to bystanders who had come to help.
Eryn unbuckled Makayla, the screaming baby, from her car seatshe had probably saved
Makayla from serious injury by wrapping herself around the baby as the van rolled. As
the second-to-last child was removed, it suddenly occurred to Lorie that the van might
roll again, but three-year-old Cody was still inside, too far for her reach.
But no one would let me crawl back to reach him, Lorie recalled. I had to wait until
the police arrived, and they got him out. Wearily, Lorie climbed the hill.
Good Samaritans had set all the children on blankets and were keeping them warm and
safe. Lorie did a quick exam and discovered that four had escaped injury except for
bruising from their seatbelts. The other three had glass cuts on their hands, but nothing
more serious. As the ambulances arrived, she realized that she was covered in blood from
a severed artery. She didnt know yet that she also had broken a vertebra.
A policeman told me later that when he saw the damage to my truck, he expected to be
pulling bodies out of it, Lorie said. No one could believe there werent more serious
injuries.
Later, Lorie discovered that her aunt, who lived seventy miles away, had been moved to
get down on her knees and pray for a relative who was traveling. The feeling came upon
her at 3:30 pm, the exact time Lories truck began to roll.
It was a miracle. But a few days later when her day care reopened, Lorie discovered she
wasnt the only one to recognize it. There were angels in our laps in the truck that day,
a boy told Lorie matter-of-factly, then ran off to play. Before she could react, another
child told her the same thing.
Lorie remembered her vision: an angel in each childs lap protecting each little body and
the calm voice that assured her everyone would survive. She had not mentioned this
experience to anyone except Eryn, and yet the children knew. She gives thanks each day
for this gift.
An Angel in my Kitchen
Location: New Orleans Louisiana USA
By: Joycelyn Smith/catholic.org
I was a teacher in my ninth year of teaching and there was a secretary at the school who
would snatch the attendance book and give me circles. Circles are marks that would
indicate when you were late for work, only I was rarely late. The lady just gave me a hard
time and no matter how hard I tried to treat her nice she would find a way to harass me.
When she had me report to a meeting for missing a faculty meeting to find out what went
on I was devastated because this was unheard of .
I cried all the way home and wanted to quit my job. As I was preparing dinner I asked
God what to do because I was so depressed. At that moment a lady standing in my
kitchen with grey hair smiled and told me not to worry . She said she is very predjudice
thats all.
I immediately felt relieved and she turned and went into my hallway. When I followed
her she diaappeared.
I thought this was so strange but I felt so good I welcomed the experience and tme lady in
the office at work changed . She suddenly became so kind to me I could not beleive it.
An Angel in Scrubs
In this excerpt from Heavenly Company, a ministering spirit comforts a panicked mother
as she anxiously awaits her newborn's first breath.
By Andrea Arthur Owan (guideposts.org)
Oh, God, why must I continue to suffer in this dark valley? Why couldnt this birth be
easy?
For the second time in my pregnancy, I battled premature labor. After 22 weeks, I
endured surgery to close my cervix. Then I was confined to bed for three months.
Spiritual battles intensified as the months progressed.
My body was being pumped full of ineffective sedatives and contraction-ending drugs.
My unborn baby was unresponsive, and my mental stamina eroded along with my
physical state. Now, in my seventh month, I was alone in a dark hospital room. And
terrified of the outcome.
Almost two years earlier, our precious daughter Victoria died during a delivery that
almost ended my life as well. My husband Chris and I had grieved deeply and struggled
to recover. We had prayed earnestly until we were certain God was with us and we should
try again. I closed my eyes and returned to a favorite prayer by James Dillet Freeman that
I had learned:
The light of God surrounds me;
The love of God enfolds me;
The power of God protects me;
The presence of God watches over me.
Wherever I am, God is.
Over and over I repeated it, with additional fervor during the worst waves of breathstopping contractions. It helped me to focus on the loving presence of Jesus.
My doctor, who monitored my condition and gave directions from his home, seemed
unresponsive to my distress. Medication levels elevated repeatedly as my contractions
worsened. Already fearful, I grew even more concerned for the effect of the drugs on my
unborn baby.
At six the next morning, contractions still crushed against my pelvis. I gripped my pillow
and repeated my prayer more intensely. My nurse evaluated the monitor yet another time.
She said nothing, but she seemed nervous and left abruptly. Only minutes later, my doctor
called on my bedside phone.
I think its time to hang this one up. Im going to stop the medication, he said. When I
get there, Ill cut the stitches and let whatever happens, happen. I think well be having a
baby here within the next several hours.
Excitedly I called Chris. Hurry to the hospital, I said and repeated what the doctor had
told me.
One of the nurses notified the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) that a six-and-a-halfmonth preemie would likely be delivered in a few hours. The nurses seemed extremely
excited. The contractions came and each one seemed harder. But by six-thirty the pain
bordered on unbearable.
Oh, dear Jesus, I choked, please help me bear my burden. You took me through this
once before, so please help me again. Please.
Suddenly an unrelenting contraction slammed my body. Terror pierced me. The next
contraction escalated ferociously. My baby was arriving in a dark, lonesome hospital
room. Hysterical, I screamed for someone to help me. As my nurse hurried into the room,
I wailed, Its here. My babys here.
Stop pushing! She placed one hand on my unborn babys head. She called for help
through the wall intercom. Within seconds a barrage of nurses swarmed in, and a call
went to the NICU.
My doctor hadnt arrived, so someone on staff called an emergency room doctor. We
waited, and I prayed in hyperventilating jerks. For ten minutes, a nurse kept my baby
from complete delivery before the doctor suddenly appeared and stared aghast at the
chaotic scene.
Is there a heartbeat? I asked several times. No one answered. The monitor had slipped,
and everyone had forgotten about checking the babys condition.
Quickly and calmly my doctor instructed me to push gently. Three times I obediently
followed his order. Finally, my baby was born. Its a boy, a nurse squealed.
Before long, I was able to sit up and take in the beautiful vision of my newborn baby. He
lay absolutely still and lifeless on the bed; his little form in a dreadful hue of blue.
Collapsing on the pillow, I dragged a wet washcloth over my face and mumbled into the
damp cotton, Oh, God, I cant lose another one. I just cant lose another baby. Please
dont make me go through this again. I thought I could, but I cant.
Just then, a nurse I didnt recognize grabbed my right hand and arm, leaned over me, and
began praying magnificent words of power and conviction. Her voice was soothing, and I
felt instant gratefulness for her presence.
Within half an hour she returned. I asked the nurses in the emergency department, and
theyd never seen her before. They thought it was strange too. No one I talked to has ever
seen her before.
Youre saying that she just came, prayed for me, and then disappeared?
Kind of strange, isnt it?
I nodded. Nothing more needed to be said. Vera left, and I lay in bed, once again staring
at the ceiling.
Could it be, God? Could You have sent an angel just for me? An angel in nurses scrubs?
Or a dedicated nurse moved to deliver comfort to a weak, terrified mother?
God had walked me through a blackened valley and onto a mountaintop. If the birth had
been easy, would I have missed His miraculous love, provision, and power? Thankfulness
and awe of my loving God engulfed me. I closed my eyes and wept.
Now years later, whenever I remember that day, I wonder anew. And Im humbled.
Regardless of whether it was a human being or an angel (which is what I believe), I know
that God sent that messengerthat ministering spiritto meet my need.
That doesnt make sense, one of the firefighters said. She knew as well as I did that on
this river, the wind blows to the west, but today it blew to the south. My guardian angel
must have beat her mighty wings to change the direction of the wind in my favor.
An Angel's Blessing
A few years ago, I awoke to devastating news. My step father had committed suicide. He
and my mother we married only a couple years, he was manic depressant, bipolar & had
not been on his medication. I was in total shock, and it was truly a family tragedy. They
did have a daughter (my half sister) Grace who I love and adore! A few days after the
incident, I was at my mothers house and the door bell rang, I answered it and there was a
lady standing there, that I didn't know, she polity asked for my mother. She turned out to
be an old work friend who found out what had happened. Anyways I think God had sent
her to comfort my mother because she came in and there was a goldish color glow all
around her, in her eyes and around her face, it was soo weird, she talked so soft, and
peaceful.. I truly believe she was an angel sent by God=)
An Angel's Love
By: Grace
Once when I had something very sad happen to me I went into to my room, crying. I felt
so bad about what happened that I knelled down my beside my angel statue that i have
had had since i was five, and sobbed.I closed my eyes and prayed to God that he would
make it better. When I opened my eyes there was a stunning angel knelling next to me she
said not to cry ant to be strong, that I would get through it. She kissed my head and then
vanished. I was sure that it was my Guardian Angel. She was beautiful and perfect she
had GLOWING blone hair and crystal blue eyes. I will never forget her, I have never
seen anything like it in my life. And i probably never see it again!
An Angel's Smile
by Veronica M. Hay
Somewhere, there is someone who dreams of your smile and finds in your presence that
life is worthwhile. So when you are lonely, remember it's true; somebody, somewhere is
thinking of you. ~ Anon
I thought this was a very sweet quote. It reminded me of my mother's smile. My mother
passed away several years ago but I still remember her smile and it makes me feel good
every time I think of it.
I don't think we realize the power of a smile. Yesterday I was feeling a little down and so
I decided to go for a walk in the early morning. There is a lovely walking path near where
I live, with lots of trees and wild flowers and water alongside. I was particularly touched
by how many people I met along the path who said *good morning* with a big smile.
They made me feel that no matter what was going on in my world, life was indeed good.
I was truly uplifted by the smiles along my path.
When I arrived at the end of the trail, suddenly I was all alone and so I sat down on the
bench next to the water and looked up at the sky and into the clouds. There in front of me
were two perfect ANGEL FEATHERS. I lifted my head up a little higher and there was a
huge glorious ANGEL.
That really made me smile, and smile I did all the way back home.
So today, remember that your smile just might make a real difference in someone's life.
Have a beautiful day and remember to KEEP SMILING and the next person you
encounter will feel TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL.
From my heart to yours, Veronica Email: veronicahay@telus.net
alive then and she offered loving support to her daughter and my son, and helped
immensely during their process of healing. When Gerry died unexpectedly on March 16,
2006 of cardiac arrest, the family was once again devastated.
Months after Gerry's death, I dreamed that she and I were dancing in a green field to the
tune "Miracles" (by Jefferson Starship.) Gerry held a blonde, blue-eyed little boy as she
danced. I recanted the dream to my daughter-in-law and son, detailing the fact that in the
dream both Gerry and I were wearing flowing hippie-style shirts. I should mention that I
actually own the peach-colored shirt that I was wearing in the dream, and that the
morning after the dream, when I turned on my car radio, the song "Miracles" was
playing.
Months later when the family was feeling stronger, Maura and her siblings went through
their mom's belongings, and gathered some sweaters and shirts that they thought I might
be able to wear. They delivered these to me at their next visit. I could hardly speak when I
found the IDENTICAL shirt to my peach-colored one that I'd worn in the dream--the one
Gerry was wearing, only in an ivory color. It was the same to the tiniest detail of
embroidery, with two hearts intertwined on the back shoulders. The tags were still on it.
The following year, Chris and Maura again announced a pregnancy. This time, the
pregnancy culminated in the birth of my beautiful grandson, Keegan. He is 17 months old
now, and he is the blonde blue-eyed little toddler that Gerry was dancing with in my
dream. I am sure of it.
We miss Gerry more than words. Three years ago today we lost her, but she found a
better place, and she still comes to us with "miracles."
the "imaginary friend" that pulled me out of the way when I was crossing the street about
to be hit by many fire trucks zooming past and on many other occasions. I have heard a
name be whispered while I am asking a name of my angel that saved more than twice I
hear it and it sounds like bells when I try to make out the name I cant I just get the sound
of small silver bells and to this day when I feel alone I just remember what the kind man
said to me "I an never alone in this world."
I told this story to my riding coach who set out on to looking for this man (he knows
everyone at the arena) but a man like that was never seen do I have an angel? or was it
meerly a kind man giving me advice?
I was almost dead on the sofa where I rested after midnight and I had to go out of the
house in order to get some fresh air. I know that my killer is here again. I went out and
see Him with a very fast changing body. His face changed once in a while with the faces
of my university 'enemies' before. He may seem to change fraternity members'
appearance into something very, very inexplicable in stature. He seemed to be
disintegrating in the exosphere but He seems to return to its normal skin state. You know,
the heat of the cosmic waves and it could be the heavens where He lives. His skins are
fireless and He looks like Christ looking at me from the heavens. He is faster than light
for me. He moves more than the speed of light or light years. I hope you understand what
I am talking about. The temperature of the exosphere and His body. Superman may have
felt the same heat but superman's skins did not disintegrate as the Son of God did. I am
not sure but I think that God is an angel. His features change as fast as He can and I know
why. Horror movies know what I am talking about. And I know what He wants me to do:
To love God above all else. The problem is, how can humans love Him while sleeping? I
am doomed to death but everybody must know why humans die. If humans will not obey
that commandment stated above, humans will experience death. If they obey, death will
not occur and only one human did the perfect obedience who is Elijah. He may not have
experienced death and I guess that it may happen again. Ezequiel has the same prophecy
but we had to obey the greatest commandment in order to escape death once in a while.
Fallen angels may be doing the same but they may be animals right now. I am talking
about Satan the snake and Lucifer the firefly. These two animals had been encountered in
my place and the funny thing was, they seemed to be playing with me.
I saw a firefly in the dark part of the house where I live in and he seemed to come from
the floor, not from the air. I saw its light staring at me on the dark floor and flew towards
my head with circular motion. I seemed to have a saints ring on top of my head and he
flew with the golden ring. I want to be a saint and I know that it is not impossible with
God. I felt scared of course and with the use of a fan, I waved him goodbye once and he
continued his circular motion going up into the ceiling. Fallen angels had been like this in
my place and friendship never ends alright. Fallen angels are not scary, they are the
friendliest sometimes. They are animals of course. Solo firefly still visits me sometimes.
They send messages and that would be a secret, just like snakes. Satan has scary feelings
but Lucifer has a very friendly atmosphere. But I tell, you, both of them are very, very
scared. That's why humans sometimes feel scared whenever they show up. That would be
the first stage of Wisdom as the Bible says. Whenever we feel scared, we seemed to need
God and that would be the start of the obedience of the greatest commandment. Thanks
be to God for creating all of us! May we join Him again later...
friends too. When my marriage was in trouble, when i was depressed not one of my close
and good friends noticed it. But this angel of mine, just within 2 hours in our home, saw it
and was very concerned about it.
He talked to me first and then brought my husband and me for tea and we talked over the
tea. I found out more about my husband after this angel came into my live than i did in
our 15 years of marriage.
When i was in church for a formation session, when i thought GOD had abandoned me
by taking away my loved ones whom i am close to (my sister and my dad). As i close my
teary eyes and being angry with GOD, a pair of familiar hands came to me, and i felt like
GOD is telling me, i am extending my hands to you but why are shying away. Those
hands were so familiar, the hands of "my angel".
We have gone through whatever program they have in church for married couple but only
this angel's gentle touch did the job. i do believe in angels and also these angels that lives
among us.
I pray that GOD will bless and keep this angel of mine save and sound from all harm.
When I was a very young child, only two or three, my grandfather, called Papy, on my
mother's side was dying. He had cancer in what I believe were his lungs. I used to always
be around him, and he liked me being there. I would cheer him up and make him smile, in
spite of his pain. I, being a toddler, didn't fully realize how sick that Papy was.
When he was literally about to die, I was there and I realized how horrid the situation
was. I sat on somebody's lap, and watched as Papy died... My older and younger siblings
were not there, the older ones understanding this more, and gone not to watch Papy, and
my younger sibling gone because he was probably having a fit, for he was only a baby.
I remember almost perfectly what happened next. An angel, wearing pure white robes,
beautiful wings, a halo, glowing, and everything came to me. I believe that it was even a
young women, the most beautiful that I have ever seen. She told me to not be afraid and
to be calm. She said that everything would be alright.
Every time I thing back to when Papy died, I don't get a mournful feeling of death, but
one of what a new life he must live in heaven. I don't feel upset; in fact, I feel content.
Don't believe me if you will, but I know this happened no matter what others may say.
Angela
By: bhfa29_8@live.co.uk posted at ainglkiss.com
The following is an account of how an angel helped my dearest friend Angela. To clarify
one point, Angela was unable to get medical help for any of her health problems due to
previous bad experiences that she had.
Angela's body died in November 2006, and I know that she lives on with Our Father in
heaven, either as an angel or sleeping, awaiting a resurrection.
And so I keep a diary written to Angela. The following is from an entry I wrote in 2008,
to keep a written record of The Miracle:
29-08-2005 00:00
You call me,
the period that went on for ages ( I think it started 27-08-2005, lasted for weeks and was
the penultimate period)
00:00-02:00
You were screaming in agony with outrageous pain coming from the region of your right
ovary - we think it was another burst ovarian cyst, this had happened a few times before,
and around the same day of the cycle. You couldn't move your right leg.
02:00-03:00
You started to call out 'Please God help me' continually.
I joined you in asking Our Father for help, saying 'Please God help her', then 'Please God
help' continually.
I stopped calling out, you were still screaming in agony. I was sitting on the chair beside
you, you were lying on the window side of the bed.
I was bent forward, then something told me to sit up straight, eyes forward. I thought,
'yes, be positive, strong for Angela'. Then, it couldn't have been more than a few seconds
later, the blue beam of light! A crystal clear, deep blue, laser-like beam of light, flashed
into the room through the open doorway, stopping by the wall to my right. A white flash
of light, the size of an open hand came after the blue beam, where it stopped by the wall.
It looked like no other kind of light - like you said later...
I first thought someone must have been standing in the hallway and flashing a torchlight
into the bedroom, and that maybe it was the police, someone having called them because
of the screaming. I didn't want to leave your side, so I listened very carefully, and
thought, no-one could have got into the flat without me hearing. What was this light,
where did it come from? I looked at the curtains, they were closed, no light could have
got in that way - wrong angle anyway.
The boiler room door was closed.
Not sure about the kitchen door - wrong angle anyway.
And everywhere was dark, with either the kitchen light or lamp in the hallway as
background lighting.
I didn't have time to dwell on this because you were still screaming in agony.
So I thought 'O.K. if God is going to help, it looks like it's got to be through me, since I
am the only person physically here with you...'
So I bent forward, hovering both of my hands a couple of inches above you, taking care
not to touch you, since I knew this would make things worse - you couldn't be touched
when you were in pain.
No more than a few seconds could have passed, maybe only 2, or more like 1 second,
because I had only just done this when there he was!
The Angel came between you and me. I sat back and watched, he was a large man, short
dark hair, dark beard, white clothing. He looked kind of like how Saint Peter is portrayed.
Obviously an angel, he was a living person, I could see clearly the features of his face and
his facial expression, he was very matter of fact, professional, getting on with his job,
competent. And just like the light was 'like no other light', this person was like no other
person. His facial expression, persona, manner, a perfect person - no flaw in him, an
angel, a son of Our Father - no sin existing in him. His face glowed. It seems to me, that
he radiated righteousness.
He cradled you in his arms and sat you up, a transparent version of you, your body was
still lying on the bed.
I could see a ball of white light in your abdomen and another in his abdomen, about the
size of an open hand.
The light in his abdomen seemed to be absorbing the light in your abdomen, both lights
were joined, looking like a dumbell made of light.
He then layed down the transparent version of you, and moved to the top left corner of
the room, where he joined at least 2 other spirits, ( there seemed to be 3 of them )
moving into the middle of them, and becoming as transparent as they were, just slightly
above invisible. They all seemed to be smiling.
I looked at you, you were smiling, a gentle, serene, content smile. It was only at this point
that I realised you had stopped screaming. I looked at the spirits, and in my heart thanked
them for helping you, and then, with reference to the next door neighbour and everyone
else who was giving us trouble while you were dying a slow painful death, I said in my
heart 'What about them?' - meaning, if you can help like this, what about the other
problems...The spirits replied, silently, 'We'll deal with them, you be here for Angela',
which I took to mean 'We'll deal with them and everyone else, including yourself, farely
and justly at the appropriate time - this being a matter for us and not you or anyone else.
You, you be here for Angela.'
I then looked at you, and you were so serene, with that lovely smile that you have.
I looked out through the open door to the hallway and recalled the blue beam of light and
white flash, and the angel, the abdominal lights, the conversation, everything.
I then thought 'how do I tell you this? You'll think I'm mad. But then I came to my senses
and recalled your experiences to do with Saint Sebastian which you had told me about. It
was around this moment that I could no longer see the spirits in the room.
I said 'I saw a flashing light', you opened your eyes, looked at me briefly, then looked
forward and said 'I'm always seeing them'.
I then explained what I meant, and told you the whole story. When I described the blue
beam, you said 'It's like no other light'.
You wanted to know what the angel looked like, and said that Sebastian didn't have a
beard...One day we'll find out who that was, if you haven't done already...
Then you realized that you weren't in pain and could move your right leg.
I stayed with you for 3 days until you could get around unaided. And for 2-3 of those
days, whilst I stayed with you, I kept saying 'that really did happen, didn't it?' to which
you would say 'yes'. It was only when you made it clear that you were completely fed up
of this that I stopped.
Angel Abby
Location: Reno NV USA
By: Billy Fisher/catholic.org
Our little angel Abby was born Dec. 16, 2005. She was 16 weeks premature. Everyday,
Mom and I were at the hospital, hoping and praying for our daughter. She was very small,
able to be held in one hand. She weighed only 1.6 pounds at birth, and for a short time
even dropped under a pound. She was only 12 1/4 inches long. In her first week of life,
she had minor heart surgery. She pulled through it well. Over the next few weeks, she
was doing great. She was gaining weight, growing, and mom and I even got to hold her
on our chests. The nurses and doctors became very optimistic, and she was doing even
better than expected for a time. In our time there, we met all kinds of new people and
friends. Support and prayers were coming from people we didnt even know, from all over
the world. She was mentioned in masses and prayers as far away as Germany. She was
bringing the world together. One sleepless night, we received the phone call we were
dreading. She had come down with an infection called NEC. It is an infection that attacks
the small intestine, and she had surgery to remove 70% of the small intestine to remove
the infection. Three long days and nights passed. Then we got an even worse phone call.
The surgery didn't work. We were called into the doctors office to make the toughest
decision of our lives. What it came down to is that she wasn't going to make it, and we
decided to have her unhooked from her life support that night, we wanted to be there
when she passed away. All that afternoon and evening, tears were flowing not only from
friends and family, but from the nursing staff as well. Father Tom from our church came
to be with us. He stared at Abby for a long time. As he was staring at her, she opened her
eyes and stared back at him. He saw an angel. He leaned in and kissed her. He said that
night he did something he previously thought was impossible. He kissed the face of God,
through our angel Abby. About an hour later, as we were in the waiting room, the nurse
brought Abby into us to hold for the last time. She was still alive when we started to hold
her. The room was tearful. God sent an angel to be sent up to heaven through us. She died
at only 6 weeks old, on Feb 2, 2006. How boring a place heaven would be without
children.
in the backyard on the swing set. My favorite was the swings, so I went to them and
started swinging gently. I liked doing everything with my grandmother, so I made sure
she was there with me. She sat on the see-saw and was drinking her coffee. While I was
swinging, she started to talk to me about the swings and how I got them, etc. She said,
"Who set up the swings for you?"
It was my father, but I was quite hesitant to speak about him, as he passed away and I am
that type of person that feels uncomfortable when talking about relatives that have passed
on. To avoid saying his name I said, "You know who it is." My grandmother, a very
persistent woman said, "But I want to hear you say it."
With all my strength, I squeezed out, "Daddy." There was a moment of silence while I
was still swinging gently.
Now here's the freaky part. While gently swinging I felt a hand on my back push me.
After being pushed I started swinging higher. I yelled in fear and turned around saying,
"Someone pushed me!" I was looking frantically behind me but saw no one. My
grandmother comforted me and said that there was no one there. I jumped off the swing,
ran inside and closed the door. Later my grandmother explained that it was my father who
pushed me, because we were talking about him and he was there, as an angel. My
grandmother says that after I felt someone push me, she saw me being pushed much
higher than I was swinging. It was great to know my father was still with me.
Angel Apparition
by Laura Lechmaier (angelrealm.com)
June, 1997, Merrill, Wisconsin. I attended a Catholic School from second grade to sixth
grade. When I was about 12 years old (I'm 23 now) I went to church with my family on
Sunday afternoon mass. In school we'd have to attend every Wednesday as well.
Well, I was bored and was looking around wishing this was soon going to be over with,
when I looked up and saw by the stained glass window a beautiful angel! It had wings
that were about three feet thick and maybe six feet tall with white feathers. It had what
looked like a gold-spun robe material we've never seen in this world, flowing down, and
golden blonde hair. It was barefoot and was playing a baby harp in its hands. It looked to
be about eight feet tall. It looked at me so lovingly with its head tilted to the side, and its
face was perfect proportions. It looked as if it could of been male or female.
I was in awe. I gasped and nudged my mom and dad and tried to see if they saw it, but
everyone was singing praise and they shushed me. I looked around and no one was
looking in that direction and I looked back and it was still there, but soon disappeared.
I was very close to my dad's mom (my grandma) and she always taught me to be good
and pray, and about angels. She had a stroke and was put in a hospital. My family visited;
my mom said she had a statue to give to me. Later, she died, and I received this statue and
it was the same angel I seen at church: barefoot, baby harp, huge white feather wings and
a flowing gown. It played Hark the Herald Angels Sing. I remember a beautiful glow
around the angel. I kept it ever since, I wonder what it means? I often think of my
grandma when I look at it. I hope I can always remember my encounter, and I know I will
remember her!
Angel at Bedtime
Location: Springbrook Alberta Canada
By: Renee Woznesensky/catholic.org
I was approximately 8 years old when I saw my angel. I remember going through a
period of absolute fear of my mom dying. This particular night I lay wide awake in bed,
crying, and imagining what would happen to me if my mom was gone. My mom had
always told my to "think of good things and pray" when I have bad dreams or feel afraid.
So that is what I did, I prayed for God to take away my fear. At that moment there
appeared at the foot of my bed, a beautiful angel. I heard of voice in my head, rather than
saw the angel speak, and it told me "Do not be afraid." The angel was "glowing" white
and bright. I could not make out specific featured of any kind. I just remember seeing a
figure kind of floating at the end of my bed. The moment the voice spoke, I was
absolutely enveloped in a warm, comforting sense of peace. I immediately fell asleep!
Angel at Concert
By: John Green/catholic.org
I went to a Michael John Porrier concert in 2006. He is a inspirational Catholic guitar
player. The entire church he was playing at was filled with candles. I was sitting there, I
closed my eyes, and was listening to the music. All of a sudden, a essence was in the air,
it was like a constant wave of protectiveness and power, it seemed to flow through me,
filling me up. I opened my eyes, perplexed at the feeling. The light came out of the
candles and met up in the center of the church, molding to form a golden figure, wearing
an alb, standing, or rather floating, above Michael Porrier's head. The face was blurry, so
I couldn't make it out. The candles changed, they now looked like balls of light, but with
out the light. Imagine a fire, without the brightness, but just as warm, and inviting. The
figure was in a relaxed position, and he/she didn't say anything. I watched it for a while,
and rubbed my eyes, it was still there. I looked around, but no one looked like they could
see it. I closed my eyes for about five min., when I opened them, it was gone. I asked my
parents on my way home if they had seen anything, both of them didn't see anything, but
were convinced that I was telling them the truth. What a great blessing.
evening. Sitting heavily on the bench, she stared at muddy gutter, and wondered when
things would ever change. So much had been wrong, she felt she was slowly being
crushed inside. The physical therapy after the auto accident was only supposed to be for a
couple weeks. The weeks had stretched to months, and although she could walk now, she
still fought for balance on her steps, and the numbing ache still robbed her of sleep most
nights. Her broken collarbone still ached, too, when it rained. Like today. Her stomach
growled, and she grimaced at the thought of food. All the medications were ruining her
appetite, too. She was so tired of being sick. So tired of being tired. Amee sat lost in
thought, as the rain dripped steadily off the awning.
Suddenly, Amee was aware of white service shoes in front of her line of vision. Startled,
she followed the sturdy uniform-clad legs up to see pudgy tan hands clasped around an
ample waist within a bright blue scrub shirt. She looked up into a pair of crinkled-rimmed
kind brown eyes, and realized a woman was speaking to her.
"Ya all right, honey?" she was saying. Without warning, Amee burst into tears. In
seconds, the woman had stepped close, and pulled Amee's head to her ample bosom, and
held her quietly close. The moment passed, and Amee straightened up, apologizing
profusely through her tears.
"Stop Amee," said the soft voice. "God knows when we're drowning, and need His touch.
The sun will come out again for you." Gently she kissed Amee's forehead, and turned to
walk away.
"Wait!" cried Amee, "How did you know my name?!"
"God knows all His children by name, child."
As Amee blinked in astonishment, the bus arrived, blocking her view. As she stood up,
shaking her head, the voice came again. At the same moment as the breaking sunbeams.
In the mist steaming off the pavement Amee distinctly heard, "He knows you needed to
be held in His arms, for just a moment. To hear His heartbeat. He sent me to wrap you in
it today."
struck with my car, by the angle the guy hit me at. I ended up on the other side of the pole
in the other lane as if I were going back to my job. How weird.
Back to the story. As the vehicle got closer to impact, the more things began to become a
dream to me. All I remember is the truck hitting my vehicle in slow motion. Time went
on (not sure how much). But I was awoken by the touch of a presence upon my face, by a
lady. Being that she was on the passenger side (which was struck by the truck) looking
into the vehicle, I knew that she didn't reach in and touch me, but it was like a spiritual
connection.
As I awoke with this touch, I looked to my right to see a lady with red hair. I can't
remember her clothing, but I asked what happened and she said, "You've just been in an
accident." I was still recovering and I responded by saying, "Oh for real?" kind of slow.
She then said, "Yes.... everything is o.k. The ambulance is on the way." I said, "O.k."
I never noticed her leave the side of my car. It was like a minute or less after our
conversation that the police and ambulance were pulling up. My car was totalled. The
accident was so bad that it was already documented that there had been a fatality. Out of
amazement, everyone sees a skinny, 5'9", 16-year-old kid get out the vehicle with few
scratches and no injuries. Note: The person that hit me was a guy that attended my
school. This is the part that gets me. You know how there are witnesses that explain what
happened and everything they saw. Well, there was only one witness and it was a male.
He claimed he saw eveything, being that he was behind me. I told everyone about the
lady with red hair, and they say there was only one witness to see the accident, which was
a man.
My mom says it was my Guardian Angel. If I would have died that day, I probably would
be headed for hell, but thanks for God's Grace. He saved me and gave me another chance.
I'm 22 now. I've been becoming closer and closer to him every since. Thank God that I'm
here to tell my story.
picked me up, Tia and I practiced cantering for my lesson. "My birthday's next week," I
told Tia when it was time to go. "We'll spend it together."
Nobody in school wished me happy birthday that day. None of them even knew I was
turning 13. But Tia waited for me like always, in the pasture. Karen was waiting too. "I
have something for you," she said. She handed me a brightly wrapped package.
I tore open the wrapping. Ownership papers? My name was printed under Tialani's.
"She's...mine?" I stammered. "How could Tialani be mine?"
"Tina, that horse decided who she wanted her owner to be a long time ago," said Karen.
"She chose you. I'm just giving her what she wants."
"Oh, thank you, Karen! Thank you!" I ran out to the pasture. Tialani trotted up to me.
"You chose me," I whispered, rubbing my face against her neck. "You're the best horse in
the world, Tialani, and you chose me!"
When I got home Bryan was in his room with his friend Tony.
"Karen gave me Tialani!" I cried, too excited to be shy around his friend. "I have my own
horse!"
"That's awesome!" said Tony. "I'm not very good at it, but I love to ride."
"If you want you can come riding with me sometime," I said. "Tialani's great with
beginners. I could take one of the other horses." Did I just invite some boy to go riding
with me? Well, if a horse like Tialani thought I was special, I was certainly good enough
for Bryan's friend!
Between school, my job and my new horse I didn't have much time. But one afternoon I
finally got Tony settled. I mounted another Arabian from the stable.
"We have to walk alongside the road to get to the trail," I explained, "but there's plenty of
room."
It was nice having a person to talk to. Tia was patient and very well behaved, like she
knew I wanted to make a good impression. Tony had lots of questions about riding and
my job at the stables. We really hit it off.
At the end of the trail, we turned around to head back. By then I considered Tony not just
a friend of my brother's, but also a friend of mine.
"Too bad we can't stay out longer," Tony said. He patted Tialani's neck. "You really have
a great horse here."
I sat a little higher in my saddle. I knew Tia was the best horse in the world, but I didn't
"I didn't even hear her leave," said Karen. "As a matter of fact, I didn't hear her drive up
either, and we always hear cars on that driveway."
"And I didn't see her headlights on the road," I said. "It was like she just appeared out of
nowhere."
"Maybe she did, Tina," Mom said.
"What do you mean?"
"Maybe she was your guardian angel."
That seemed pretty far out. God wouldn't send an angel for a nobody like me, would he? I
had to take that back. To Tialani I wasn't a nobody. I was special. Maybe God thought I
was special too. After all, he sent me a horse and he sent me a friend.
Now I believe he sent me an angel too. How much more proof did I need? I was special
to God. And it doesn't get more special than that.
me on the mouth, as though we'd just had a date -- I pulled back, giggled nervously and
stuck out my hand to shake his while saying something like 'it's nice to meet you'. He got
really angry by this, muttered something I couldn't hear and stomped off pretty pissed off.
This experience pretty much freaked me out and afterward I was more keenly aware of
my surroundings and I avoided running in to him as much as I could. But I did have to
pass right by him getting on or off a train several times in the weeks that followed - and
when I did, he muttered expletives as I went by, things like "***king whore". This
confirmed to me that he was crazy. I was weary of him, told my parents about this but
thought I could handle it.
One weekday night I was getting on the last train leaving Grand Central Station when I
noticed him through the window of the train car next to the one I was about to get on. I
didn't think he saw me in the crowd so I moved to the farthest car away from his and
hunkered down for the ride to Golden's Bridge. These were the days before cell phones so
I couldn't easily tell anyone what was happening. I thought I was being really clever by
waiting until he got off the train and up the stairs before I exited the train behind the
crowd. I also thought I was being smart to wait on the dark train platform until he had
gotten to his car and left before I ventured out to get mine -- which was parked on the
road again outside the parking lot.
I called my mother from the pay phone on the platform to let her know what I was doing
and what was happening. She wanted to come and get me but I really thought I had
outsmarted him and had the situation under control. I waited for about another 20 minutes
before I started my walk down the platform stairs to my car. By then, every other
commuter who had gotten off at Golden's Bridge was long gone. It was the last train of
the night, was about 12:30am on a weekday and no one at all was around, anywhere. I
felt perfectly safe though walking through the lot, and I was proud of myself for having
stayed calm and for being so smart.
The exit ramp from the train station parking lot to the rural highway was a steep hill and
as I walked to the top of it, my smugness turned quickly to terror as I saw Odd Guy
sitting in his parked car just at the top of the hill, car running, lights on, waiting for me.
He rolled down his window, and trying to sound casual and friendly he said, 'hey Colette,
let me give you a ride to your car." My heart was in my shoes. I was completely
vulnerable. There was not a soul on the road. This was not a well traveled road at all.
Very woodsy area, no businesses or homes anywhere nearby. I was all alone in the dark
with this unstable guy who was focused on me.
I nervously said something like, 'no thanks, that's ok'.
I saw that crazy, angry look flash on his face and I knew I was in deep trouble. This guy
was absolutely going to hurt me. It was all over him. He slammed his foot on his gas
pedal and rode up right next to me. I kept walking, shoulders hunched up by my ears now
and I was still a good 200 years away from my jeep. I had no idea how I was going to get
out of this and he was getting more agitated, yelling something at me now.
Headlights appeared out of the blackness from behind his car. I didn't think to wave the
car down. I don't know why in retrospect but it turned out I didn't have to. This car
stopped behind his, the driver, a woman in her 40's, rolled down her window and said to
me "is he bothering you?" I said "yes" and she said "get in". Creepy guy peeled away,
tires screeching with a look on his face like he couldn't believe this intervention had
happened, just when he was so close. I couldn't believe it either. I got in her car and
nervously told her my whole story of every encounter with him. She told me she was a
local police officer's wife and that there had been a number of rape/murders in the area
recently and that was why she was so tuned in to what she saw when she drove up to me.
She drove me around for about 15 minutes while I talked incessantly. Then she dropped
me off at my jeep, waited until I got in and followed me in her car for a little bit before
driving off.
I never saw her or spoke to her again. I was never able to confirm that she was the wife of
a local police officer and I was also never able to find any information about any
rape/murders in the Golden's Bridge, NY area in the mid-late 80's. When I called the
Golden's Bridge police station to report what had happened to me, they kept putting me
on hold and treated me like I was an annoyance. I took the train in from a different
station, with my Dad right after that but in a few weeks time I got a job outside the city
and stopped having to commute on Metro North.
Every time I tell this story I get the chills and the hair stands up on my arms. I am sure
the woman in the compact car was a guardian angel.
Angel Bell
By: bunnyks@ntelos.net (from ainglkiss.com)
Carolyn had spent most of her young adult life in the solitude of her parents home. She
had suffered the agony of a devastating divorce many years hence, raising her
handicapped daughter Maria, with the help of her mother, father, three sisters and a
brother.
It happened slowly, almost unnoticed, as Carolyn began to lose touch with reality. But her
loving family drew around her with support, loving concern, and helping hands. Her onetime ability to do chores and function normally came to a halt, and she succumbed to
reading and watching TV. She eventually became the full time ward of her parents.
Carolyn's beautiful daughter Marie, wasn't fully aware of her mother's deteriorating
condition, nor did she think of her own self as being any different than anyone else, for in
her eyes, their lives, and everyday activities, were considered normal.
Carolyn was no longer able to walk the nearby Blue Ridge mountains, or watch sunsets
from the summit near her home. She no longer dressed to attend the small mountain top
church where she had grown up as a child. But she continued reading her Bible and could
quote scripture with uncanny remembrance. When Billy Graham had a program on TV
and would ask people to come down to the alter, she would get up from her chair, go to
the TV, touch it, and pray in her simple way.
One sunny day in the spring of 1994, Carolyn was sitting quietly in her living room with
Maria, when she asked, who is that little girl standing at the door? What little girl mom",
asked Marie. "The one standing right over there with a bell hanging around her neck!",
exclaimed Carolyn, pointing to the door. Marie answered, there's no one over there!"
She's right over there!", Carolyn persisted, adding again, "she's wearing a little bell
around her neck." Maria ran to the kitchen to get her grandmother to come and find the
little girl. Grandmother noticed that Carolyn looked a little strange, glassy eyed, and
distant, so she took Maria by the hand and walked her to the door to assure her that no
one was there. But Carolyn kept crying over and over, "She's there, she's there!"
A few days later, Carolyn began to experience dizziness, violent headaches, and fainting
spells. Her doctor was unable to diagnose her problem, so they rushed her to a hospital in
Charlottesville for further testing. While there, she took a turn for the worse, and laid in a
coma for seven days. The dreaded diagnosis was an inoperative brain tumor. Her grieving
family stayed by her side, holding her hand, praying that she would regain consciousness
and would once again hear their voices as they whispered words of love to her.
On the seventh day, Carolyn slipped away in her sleep. The family was grateful that she
went peacefully and no longer suffered the ravages of pain. Yet pain
lingered in their hearts over the loss of this special loving girl.
That evening, in the quietness of their living room, the family discussed Carolyn's
"vision". They concluded and all agreed, that it had been an angel, a divine manifestation,
and accepting this seemed to ease the pain they all felt.
On the day of the funeral, I walked up the isle of the church to view Carolyn for the last
time. She laid peacefully in a flower-laden casket, appearing only to be asleep. Her face
was not pasty gray, but glowed like sunlight, and I want to believe there was a hint of a
smile on her face that resembled her daughter Maria. She wore a beautiful pink dress with
lace...... and around her neck, hung a tiny bell!
Did God call this Saint home by an angel bell? I choose to believe He did.
Angel By My Side
By: Nicolas Ramon/angelic.org
It was in the late 1980s, I was taking my usual afternoon nap, I was awaken by a heavy
movement on my bed. I awoke and turned to my right side and saw a huge heavy set
figure sitting on the side of my bed. I did not see his face as he had a hood on it. On his
left arm he was holding a large staff. A deep peaceful feeling came over me. He sat there
for a few moments without any movement. Then as he had appeared to me, he
disappeared, I felt clean and peaceful after he left. This is but only one of my encounters
with an angel.
Angel Couple
Location: PR Puerto Rico, USA
By: Randy Rodriguez/catholic.org
About 6 months ago, a couple days before my wedding, my cousin and his pregnant wife
received the bad news that their unborn son was not developing a brain. They were even
more devastated when the Dr. told palin and simply told them to have an abortion
because the baby would not be normal. They decided to have a second opinion and the
other Dr. coincided that the baby was not developing a brain. They were still devastated
but never had the thought of abortion and said if God wanted the baby to be that way they
would receive it like that.
A couple of months later on a routine obstetrician visit, they found out the baby was
developing a brain, but it was full with water. The baby had hydrocephalia, and that if it
had been diagnosed before it even could have been operated from the womb.
The baby was born with water in his brain, and to mkae matters worse his throat was not
connected to his stomach. He was a couple days in the hospital receving tests until he was
sent to the intensive care unit on the Pediatric Hospital in San Juan, PR. By this time the
baby had an abnormally big head and had not eaten except the liquids given to him
through his veins.
When the baby was being taken into the ambulance, a couple, around 50 or 60 years
stood behind the ambulance looking at the baby. I was there and I kinda felt upset
because I was thinking keep walking it isn't a show or anything for you to be standing
looking in. But the couple were saying God bless him and doing sorry sounds and they
keep saying bless him God, then they walked away out of the hospital. At this time I
though you know, this people could be angels for this baby but I left it there.
The baby had surgery for the hydrocephalia and the esppahgus and he came out fine. It's
one month since he was born and he's already out of the hospital and at his home. After
reading some of the stories here, I realized this people were really this baby's angels and I
just did not see it. Thanks to them and the Dr.'s that helped him the baby will live a
normal life.
Angel Encounter
Location: Calgary Aberta USA
By: Stephanie Fulton/catholic.org
Several years ago now in 2002-2003
Homeless and sitting on the curb of a sidewalk > I cupped my hands and bowed my head
and asked god. I asked God, its e again god. My belief was weaking and I asked God,
will you show me a sign so I will know you are here. I got up and walked down the
sidewalk and there to my right in the air was this most beautiful angel hung in the sky .I
heard "I am Here"
I continued into a shreet shelter and sat down at the table facing the place where I seen
the beautiful angel in a long white dress an hair of gold and white wings spread out wide.
I asked again: "God, I seen her and I think I am seeing things would you please show her
again?" She appreared again and I heard I am here" This beautiful angel appeared again
and my faith restored and I decided to try to become a better christian and am now tring
to join the Catholic Church. Where I feel the warmth and the presence of My God is the
strongest. God Bless Us All.
20 mph.
I was highly amused and extremely grateful when a mental image appeared showing me
my guardian angel flying interference for me throughout the entire trip. He was snow and
ice encrusted and had deflected the elements to keep me safe. If he hadn't been an angel
he might have had a few choice words to say to this dumb blonde!
I am eternally grateful and have never forgotten his dedication. Thanks for keeping me
safe.
Angel Friend
by Jackie Loret de Mola
I once had a best friend. One day we went to a miniature store to buy things for her doll
house. She was building a doll house her sons had bought the "deed" for to help her keep
busy so she could keep her mind off her breast cancer. While we were in the doll house
store, suddenly she said, "Jackie, I need a better name for you." I said, "what do you
mean?" Gayle (my friend) said, "Well, you are more than a best friend, and even more
than a sister. Let's see, what can I call you?" I said, "best sister friend?!" She said, "no,
not enough." A few seconds later she excitedly shouted, "Angel friend. That's it, you are
my angel friend!" And angel friend it was from that day foward.
About 6 months or so later, Gayle died. My singing group from our church and I did all
her music for the wake and the funeral. I don't know to this day how I did it, I was on
auto pilot, Gayle prepared me completely on each song that was to be sung, each thing
that was to be said. She even practiced with me on 2 very important songs she wanted me
Angel Harmony
by Anmarie (about.com)
My aunt had a strange experience back in the mid to late 1980s. She then attended a small
country church in Beaver, Ohio. My aunt has played the piano and sang since she was a
teenager. She used to provide the special music for the church services. One Saturday
evening, she drove to the church to rehearse for Sunday's service. The church parking lot
was empty. She unlocked the door, entered the dark church and turned on the lights.
There wasn't anyone inside. She took a tape recorder with her so she could play the
rehearsal back at home and hear if anything needed improvement.
After plugging it in and hitting the record button, my aunt moved to the piano and began
playing and singing. When she was finished rehearsing, she stopped recording and
unplugged the recorder. My aunt quickly turned out the lights, locked up the church and
drove home.
The strange part of this experience is what my aunt heard on the tape. While listening to
her rehearsal that night, she became aware of another voice singing with her on the tape.
She didn't hear the other voice constantly but it was definitely there, actually harmonizing
with her and on more than one song. It sounded like a female voice and it was very
beautiful. It's a mystery because as I have already stated there wasn't anyone else in the
church that night and no other cars in the parking lot. She didn't have any windows open
at the church either. I remember going with my mom to visit my aunt shortly after her
experience. She played the tape for my mom and I listened to it. We all had chills. To this
day my aunt says it was an angel. I wonder if anyone else has had an experience like this?
Angelic Advice
By Eileen V. (about.com column By Stephen Wagner)
I had just ended my very abusive second marriage, sold my house, and -- with my pride
in my pocket and tail between my legs -- moved me and my three children back home
with my mother.
I had gone back to school and there was no way I could afford it, single parenting and my
own household. My mother's house, the house I grew up in, was either haunted or on
some sort of portal, vortex or highly energized area. I had a lifetime of bizarre
occurences; it was the kind of house where I always felt I was being watched, but this
experience was different.
One night, as I lay in bed, relaxing before sleep, I clearly heard a voice. I'm really
sensitive, and can "see/hear" with my mind; not this -- this was out loud, as clear as
another person talking.
She said, "LISTEN...I can't show myself to you, because I don't want to scare you, but
you need to pay attention to what I have to say. Life is going to start to get really hard for
you and you have to stay focused on your goals, and on what you want...." Wow. She was
right.
My mother became ill with an autoimmune disease, which left her bedridden. I had three
small children to care for, now her as well 'round the clock, a job, and my school load.
Also, some of my siblings were unkind and resented me moving back home, and my ex
was a total jerk.
When I felt like quitting, just giving up, I just remembered what that voice told me and
kept my goals in focus. In fact, that episode of my life was probably the hardest time of
my life. Thank you, whoever you were...because I would have quit school had I not
listened.
An Angelic Appearance
Location: Sydney NSW Australia
By: Sunaira Barkat/catholic.org
One day I was standing in a shop busy looking at something I wanted to buy when a very
graceful old man came up to me and said " daughter can I ask you something " . a little
reluctant I said very politely "yes sure what do u want to ask?" . He looked at me
carefully and said "You are just like my daughter and i wanted to say something to you . I
think you worry a lot , and i also see some grey hair , which is a sign that you worry too
much . So daughter do not worry or get depressed over things because life is too short for
all these things, enjoy it as much as you can and get most of it .i was so surprised and just
smiled . Then he left. Few seconds later i went looking for him in the shop to say
thankyou but i couldn't find him anywhere . Just a few seconds and as it was a very big
shop and we were standing at the very end of it he wouldn't have moved out so quickly .
I believe he was an angel sent from Heaven . To comfort me in my sorrows. And i thank
God for that !
Angelic Eyes
Location: Bloomingdale, IL USA
By: Daniel M./catholic.org
One day i was bored and my mom had lit a candle. So i started dropping things into the
flame, the candle was tall and it was in a glass cylinder. then i dropped a couple matches
in and a bigger flame came up so i thought it was cool the glass wasnt burning so it was
bigger and i dont know why i let it go that long but the glass exploded with big and little
shards sooting everywhere. and i am sure that thanks to my guardian angel, my face or
body was not cut , my eyes were not blinded by the glass and i wasnt harmed at all. to
this day i really remember that my guardian angel is always with me and i say that prayer
to the guardian angel every day.
seen that sunlit vision of buttercups? Whose invisible hands had guided me back into my
seat?
Perhaps Ive been given a glimpse of Mothers heavenly home. Surely the angel who kept
me safe guided her into that glorious field.
At supper I sat quietly throughout the meal. With seven of us kids at the table, Mama
didnt even notice. But afterward she glanced around at each of us in turn and we could
tell she was looking for someone to put at the end of her finger. Nobody wanted to be
picked.
Sure enough the fickle finger of fate turned directly on me. Douglas, Mama said,
pointing, you get yourself down to the henhouse and gather them eggs.
My brothers snickered. Gathering eggs was girls work. First glasses, now this! But there
was no disobeying Mama. I dragged myself to the door. Make sure you take the basket,
Mama said. I dont want to catch you carrying those eggs in your pockets!
I had filled my pockets with eggs in the past. How was I to know so many of them had
thin shells and would break? I had no regrets. Even a pocketful of egg yolk was more
dignified than a basket.
I lifted the basket off the shelf, hung it on my arm and stepped outsidewhere my brother
Buddy Earl was waiting to witness my humiliation. Hey, Little Red Riding Hood! he
said, walking with me toward the henhouse. You want a nice ribbon to tie on the handle
of your basket?
You want to go back in the house with a knot on your head and your hand over it? I
hissed, raising a fist.
Buddy Earl jumped up on the back porch and darted to the door, but not without one
more parting shot. Dont let the big, bad wolf take your little egg basket away!
I stomped off, following the old path past the garden, the basket swinging in rhythm with
my steps. I would never admit it to my brothers, but I liked gathering eggs.
I had a quick swing on the barn gate, the rusty hinges squeaking, and then walked the last
steps to the henhouse. I was careful where I steppedI didnt want to bring anything back
to the house but eggs.
The sweet, elusive fragrance of musty hay and straw touched my nose as I pulled the door
open and heard soft clucking sounds and the rustling of feathers and wings.
In the semidarkness I made my way to where the row of nests hung on the wall. I strolled
along the row, scooping up the mocha-brown eggs, when something caught my eye.
Something white.
There, in the last nest, shining like a beacon in the night, was a pure white egg among the
brown. How can this be? I thought as I picked it up. All our chickens were Rhode Island
Reds and Dominickers. They sure didnt lay white eggs.
I held the egg up to get a better look. Yep, it was white as a bleached sheet. I could have
spotted it even without my glasses. I held it out to the chickens.
Okay, ladies , which one of you slipped this in on me? All right, dont everybody step
forward at once.
No hens confessed. I couldnt wait to show Mama. I gathered the remaining eggs and ran
back to the house.
Look at this! I said, cornering Mama in the kitchen away from my brothers and sisters.
I bet you never seen this kind of egg in our henhouse before!
Land sakes, child, said Mama, taking it from my hand. I aint never in all my born
days seen any egg as white as this one. I watched proudly as she turned it over in her
palm. They say angels sometimes put messages in special white eggs for those who can
find one.
As I found it, I reckon its mine, I said. Im going to crack it open!
I imagined an angel egg worked something like a fortune cookie. You cracked the shell
and found a slip of paper inside. But Mama corrected me. It dont work that way, she
said. You have to boil the egg and then leave it in the icebox overnight.
That seemed like an awful lot of trouble to go to for an egg. There probably wasnt even
any message in it anyway. But it wouldnt cost me one red cent to find out, Mama
explained, and she promised to help me.
Ill take care of the boiling and putting it in the icebox, she said. Come morning youll
have to do the peeling.
I laid awake half the night thinking about that snow-white egg. No matter how many
times I told myself not to believe an ordinary egg could be miraculous, I had to see for
myself. At the first crow of our old rooster I was dressed and in the kitchen. My snowwhite egg lay on the table before me.
Are you going to peel it or just sit there all day whistling Dixie? asked Mama.
Now that the time had come to peel the egg I was nervous. What if there isnt any
message? I said.
Then you have a special egg you can eat, she said. I picked up my spoon and gave the
egg a light whack. A crack appeared and traveled all around the shell. I continued to tap it
until it was covered in cracks. Go gentle, said Mama as I started peeling away the shell.
You aint peeling an apple.
One by one the pieces of shell fell away to reveal the inside of the egg. First I saw only
egg white. But then, little by little, I uncovered letters: y, l, v, d.... My hand shook so
badly I could barely hold the egg. Its a message! I whispered. A message from an
angel!
What does it say? Mama asked.
I slowly rotated the egg. You... are...loved.
You see, Mama said. Your angel wants you to know that just because you wear glasses
doesnt mean youre not loved by those that poke fun at you. Rememberyour guardian
angel is always beside you.
A few people still made fun of me that day at school, but somehow it wasnt so bad. In a
few weeks the boys who teased me found something else to laugh at.
As for my angel egg, as I called it, I kept it in the icebox until it shriveled up and fell
apart. It wasnt until years later, after Mama was gone, that I found a letter among her
papers explaining how she herself made that magic egg to give me confidence.
So you see, my egg really did come from an angel. The angel I was lucky enough to call
Mama.
***
Want to make your own angel message? Douglas Scott Clark agreed to share the secret!
Start with an uncooked egg still in shell. Dissolve an ounce of alum in a half pint of
vinegar. With a small pointed brush use this solution to write a simple message on the egg
shell. Try Happy Easter!
After the solution has dried thoroughly on the egg, and all tracings of the writing have
disappeared, boil the egg for 15 minutes. After the egg has cooled, crack it open and
gently peel. The message will show clearly on the white of the egg.
Remember, alum is not edible, so DO NOT EAT the egg!
Angel In a Flash
By: Carl/catholic.org
I had spent the summer reading the works of St Teresa of Avila and praying for much of
my free time. One day that summer of 2006 I saw a bright flash in the form of a human
like being as I was sitting in my easy chair. The Angel, for that is what I think it was, was
so brilliant I could not make out any features.
At first I was sure it was not real. I thought I was having a brain hemorrhage or
something. However, my son looked up from his computer screen for a moment and
asked what that flash off light was. He had seen it reflect off the wall. I knew I had really
seen it then.
gone, nowhere to be seen, nowhere in site. It was then that I realized that the young man I
encountered, who walked me home, who was my guide and protector on that dark street
that night, was truly a being from Heaven.
Angel In A Uniform
By: LaVon Mauck/catholic.org
The day started out like any other. It was a beautiful July morning. My dog, Mo, had been
at home most of the day the day before, so before going to work, I knew I would have to
take him for a good long walk. We had no problems on the leash and always looked
forward to the outings.
I am a runner and had just recovered from a planters wart, so ofcourse beginning to run
felt great again after 8 months. We had taken a new route, since there are so many streets
to travel and see around my neighborhood. Mo, my Belgian Shepherd Mix was really
enjoying himself. Before I realized it, my toe had caught the sidewalk, and I was flying
forward with the leash in my left hand, completely leaving the ground without any way to
catch myself.
Everything went black for a second.
I felt myself hit under my armpit on the ground and kind of bounce. It hurt a little but I
jumped up determined to avoid incident. As I did so, I felt that my shoulder had exploded
and I realized I would not be able to take even one step. It wasn't as though I saw my life
before me, but in an instant I knew I would not be able to take a step forward. Before I
could start to worry however, I looked to my immediate right and in the rode stood a man
in a Dark Blue Uniform standing beside a Dark Blue Car that he had pulled in the middle
of the road and stopped. There were not many people in the road this early in the
morning, and just the thought that anyone was there was amazing. The only verbal
communication we had was when he said, "Are you alright"? I answered no and was able
to get to his car. I did not see his face, but opened the door on the passenger side and got
in.
He tried to get my dog in but Mo would not cooperate. He asked if the dog would be ok,
but all I could think of was to hurry for help. I could not maintain consciousness long.
Once seated in his car, I did not see him. He returned and took me to the nearest fire
station just ahead, but which I would not have been able to reach. From there the
ambulance arrived.
The angel seemed to be immaculate and know just what to do, while not saying anything.
The reason I believe this was a devine messenger was because of the timing. He was
there at the precise moment I desperately needed help. I have never needed help in this
way, and this stranger was there as it seemed by devine intervention, in perfect timing. He
has a walky talky device and a neighbor who I found out later saw him and told my
husband but did not realize it was me said, he had an out of state license plate, but still
had the presence to step out and help someone basically injured on the street.
I will be eternally grateful to this angel and thank God everyday for his providence in my
life and his steadfast love and promise to watch over his people. It feels great to be able to
share this story with fellow believers. Its the kind of thing you just know and have so
much confidence to convey. The Angel did not seem human in that it did not seem
important to talk, only to act.
Angel In My Dream
By: Sha-Toya/catholic.org
My God sister Caprice was killed in a horrific accident not too far from where I work
now. She was on her lunch break and she and a co-worker was waiting to cross the street
when two cars hit each other with such force, that one of the cars flew in the air and
landed on top of Caprice and her co-worker. A few days later I had a dream that I was
standing there behind her and before the car landed on her, an angel came from the sky,
lifted her spirit up and carried her in the sky. I believe that my God sister was NOT in any
pain and that her spirit had already left her body before the car landed on her and that the
angel was showing me that she was ok and she went to heaven.
Angel in Red
By: Michael Drew
I have been ill for several weeks and in and out of doctor's offices. During this time, my
intuitive senses have been running on high, and I've awoken many times to sounds and
sights unfamiliar to me in the context of this world. Although it is difficult for me to
describe or even admit, I have been visited by past relatives and seen visions of my own
passing. As time went on, these visions continued and ultimately I was met in the middle
of the night by a child-like angel, wearing a red robe, who summoned me to follow her to
lead in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Although I am not familiar with this illness nor have
I been diagnosed with it, she led me to believe that I will be soon. Because I'm not in any
of the "risk groups" for this disease, this is confounding to me and my doctors. The
reason for my getting sick, I was told, is that I would be better accepted by society as
being just a regular person; husband, father, firefighter and not as easily stigmatized as
the people we all think of in terms of acquiring this awful disease. The angel also made
me aware that this illness occurs in children born to it and through no fault of their
own...this is a difficult reality. I believe whole-heartedly in my angel in red and I also
believe that together we can find a cure for this leper's disease. Please pray for children
everywhere who are affected by HIV/AIDS...together we can make a difference!
Angel in Sight
By: Anonymous (ainglkiss.com)
It was a time in my life when I was distraught and felt lost. I had nothing to look forward
to because I could not afford much. My husband and I were making just enough to make
ends meet when I found out he had gotten a ticket for speeding. I was so upset knowing
we had no extra money to pay for the ticket and the increased insurance rate. I had even
more worries and I just wanted to scream out wandering why me. Why me?
On that same day, I walked into the laundry place, and there was this man dressed all in
white. Even his laundry basket was white and the clothes inside were all white. He
asked me how I was doing and I remember telling him that my husband had gotten a
ticket for speeding and that I was upset because we had little money. He smiled. I got the
feeling the he had already known about it including my life. Then he said, Well look at
it this way, it could have been worse. At least your husband did not get into an awful
wreck from speeding. He may have died including your son. I had never mentioned to
him that my son was in the truck with him. I looked the other way and when I looked
back he was gone. It was then I felt this load lifting from my shoulder and I immediately
felt all warm and happy inside. I realized that God had sent an angel to let me know
everything would be all right. Now when I see my husband and my son, I have a smile on
my face knowing they are too in God's hands and that everyone has a purpose in life
unknown origin. Many things raced through my mind, but I decided to push it all back to
the back of my mind until I got home and was better suited to rationalize what had
happened.
I began driving again at the proverbial snail's pace when once again I became sleepy after
about an hour of driving and... yes, it happened again, only this time I heard an audible
voice from the back seat shout while shaking me...WAKE UP! That did it! I was now
totally WIDE AWAKE and I remained that way all the way to the next town where I
lived.
I told only my immediate family of what had happened and we came to the conclusion
that what had happened was my guardian angel who was riding with me decided to do
what needed to be done to keep me awake and on the road. I guess he knew I would have
frozen to death had I survived a wreck and my guardian angel decided to watch over me
and keep me awake until I made it home safely.
Well eight months into the marriage, he decided to drop the bomb on me and tell me
about his involvement in another longterm relationship with another woman. As you can
imagine, I was completely devastated. I lived at the gym and took very good care of
myself. I was 32 years old by this time. Anyway, I was physically and emotionally the
best Id ever felt.
I'd been working for the same company for 9 years when he dumped me. In the same
week that he dropped the bomb on me, my employer told me that the company was
reengineering and they were phasing my position out. Although they paid me the same
amount of money, they used me to fill in whenever somebody was out. So I really didnt
have a position, per say. This all happened in the same week; husband dumps me and
my position is phased out.
Honestly, I felt like my world had ended. I remember driving home in the rain that day
and thinking, why me? Lord, what have I done to deserve this? For the next several
months, I would go to work come home and get into bed and cry myself to sleep every
night. I was in mourning. Had lost so much weight. Looked terrible! During this time,
I had a guy friend who invited me to church with him. I really didnt want to go, but I
did. I continued to go. Through this time, I grew closer to the Lord. I had my own
apartment, so this was not only the worst and loneliest time in my life, but it was the best
time of my life. This forced me to lean on the Lord and discover who God really was.
Anyway, after a few years in mourning, I went on a few dates and this was not working
for me. I was emotionally not up to this. So I stayed in my apartment crying and crying
for the longest time. I became so frustrated and disappointed in God. I began to pray and
plead that He heal my marriage and just place me back in the arms of my husband. Well,
this wasnt happening. So I just began to pray that God not bring a man into my life
period. I grew angry and very depressed. I expressed to God that I was not interested in
men! And that I never wanted to get married again! One day I woke up feeling so
depressed and suicidal. I decided that morning that the pain was too intense and that I
could no longer deal with it anymore! I wanted to just die. Seriously! I was thinking of
ways to kill myself. That morning, I did end up working a full day. The whole day I kept
thinking what would be the least painful way to take my life?
By the end of the work day, I decided to go to the local community college to take a
couple classes to take my mind off of things. When I got there, wouldnt you know, the
two classes I was interested in taking were full. Just my luck!
As I began to walk back to my car, I held my head down sobbing. The sun was setting
and all I could see with my head down, was people walking to and from their classes. All
of a sudden, it was as if the red sea had parted, a beautiful young African-American
woman excused herself through the crowd and on over to me. She grabbed hold of my
arm and said these words..I have been sent here as a messenger from God.
Then she said my nameRosemary, you are not going to go home and kill yourself.
God has a plan for your life. He loves you and cares for you. I was so freaked out
because she knew my name. I had never met this person in my life. How could she
know my name? So I asked her? How did you know my name. She replied I
dont know your name, but HE does and HE loves you very much. She began to
talk to me and tell me about a bad relationship she recently experienced with a boyfriend
and I felt as though I were listening to my own story or experience. How could she know
what I have gone through? This was absolutely amazing to me!
From that day on, things began to change. Not overnight, but they did eventually. One
day after work, a group of coworkers wanted to go to a nearby pub for happy hour. I
really did not want to go, but I did. The whole place was packed. Not a single empty
seat, well, except the one next to me. How could this be? This placed was so packed, it
was standing room only. The only empty seat happened to be the one next to me? This
was not by chance or coincidence, but by Gods devine appointment. A handsome young
man who worked for the same company that I did walked over and asked if he could have
the empty seat next to me. Well, it wasnt mine to claim, so I said whatever.
Thats where he sat! He was so funny! For the first time after my divorce, I was able to
really laugh. This guy made me laugh. Not only was he tall, blond, blue eyed and great
looking, but he was funny too! Well, after that night, I hadnt put too much thought into
that evening.
One day at work my phone rings and I pick up and its him. He tracked me down. We
both worked for the same company but it was a very large company and I didnt even
know he worked for this company. He wanted to get to know me. I of course, was not at
all interested but I agreed to let him take me out to dinner. We drove to the beach for
dinner and walked along the pier. I asked him to tell me about himself. Wouldnt you
know, his wife left him for another man and he had a six year old daughter. He was
divorced like myself. The greatest thing about him, was that he was not just any man, he
was a Godly man. I thought, it doesnt get any better than this. Well, it did!
Long story short, Just over a year later, we had a big beautiful wedding and was later
blessed with two children (boy and girl). My husband bought me a house and til this
day, we only know one kinda life to live and thats a life serving the Lord. You see, only
God knows the plan He has for your life, a plan not to harm you but a plan to give you
hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11. As much as we would like to believe that the
choices we make for ourselves in our lives are the right ones, only God knows what is
best for us.
crimes being committed there. About two blocks before I actually reached that area with
my whole self being exposed and nothing to protect me because I'd taken the whole top
off, I saw in the rear view mirror my mother, I knew it had to be a warning against so
danger that was ahead, I immediately made a u-turn in the street and went home.
I also realized later that it was an angel in my mothers image, I have blonde hair and the
image in the reaview mirror of my mother had black hair as she did. I just cannot tell
enough people that my life or maybe some great harm was avoided because my angel
saved me and my cat.
Angel in Uniform
By: degscleaning@verizon.net (ainglkiss.com)
It was August 12th 1994 around 2:30 a.m. I awoke to the strong smell of alcohol. I got up
and went out into the dining room where my mother stood, blood on her shirt and all
dirty. She was on the phone with the police reporting that she'd been in an accident. When
she hung up the phone, I asked her what was going on and what happened. She said she'd
fallen asleep and had rolled her car down the road on what is known as "Dead mans
curve". She was with her boyfriend at the time and unfortunately had a little too much to
drink and had chosen to drive home imparred. A lesson she has only had to learn once.
She would later tell me of a story about how when they were on their way home, she got
pulled over by the police. The cop came up to the door and she said all he did was asked
her why they weren't wearing their seatbelts. She said she was a bit shocked because they
both reaked of alcohol and she was so worried that he'd smell it and give her a DWI. But,
all the officer did was told them to put their seatbelts on and gave them a warning. She
said she looked in the rearview mirror before driving off and there was no cop car to be
found. She wondered where the officer had gone. If only she'd known that 13 miles down
the road she'd be rolling her car. And local police had said that she surely would of been
badly injured or killed if she had not had her seatbelt on.
I personally believe that the cop was my moms angel, stopping her to tell her to wear her
seatbelt. Some may wonder "Well, if it was angel why didn't he stop the wreck all
together?" Well, my belief is that the angel knew my mom would live with her seatbelt on
and possibly wanted her to experience the accident to learn a valuable lesson of not to
drink and drive. My mom believes the same thing. She believes that night there was
truely an angel watching over her. And he's been hard at work ever since.
Angel in Waiting
Location: Portsmouth Hampshire UK
By: Mike Seddon/catholic.org
As a child, I was brought up in quite a religious family though not Catholic. My
grandparents did most of my upbringing as my parents had a rocky marriage. When I was
6 yrs old, my uncle who was only two years older than me, drowned in a local swimming
pool. Though he was scrictly my uncle, he was for all intents and purposes more like an
older brother. I was devastated. As I grew older, I became more and more interested in
Jesus and I was drawn to more gentle ways of living. At 18 years old, I left home to train
as an RN and during a night shift, I kept getting an uncomfortable feeling, like I had
forgotten something important. I also could smell chlorine though I couldnt find the
source of it. I was caring for a mature lady who was at the last stage of her life, she was
dying alone and her family rarely visited. I felt a strong bond with her. I went to get a
bowl of warm water to wash her hands and face but when I had returned, I found the lady
had slipped!
away. As tradition dictated back then, I opened a window in her room (I think we thought
it let the soul out of the building!). As I looked out of the window, I saw a tall woman
standing on the lawn outside, she was glowing with golden light and was looking up at
the window, right at me and smiling. At that moment, I knew what the chlorine smell
was, I could sense my uncle, I was smelling the chlorine used in swimming pools. I
looked back at the lady who had passed away and then back to the glowing woman
outside but she had vanished and unless she was an olympic runner, she couldn't have got
far but she was nowhere to be seen. I soon met my future wife who was Catholic and I
converted, we married and have two fantastic daughters. My wife knows the story about
the glowing lady I saw and she believes I saw an Angel who was waiting for the woman
who had died and she also thinks my uncle's presence was there to stop me being afraid
of what I was witnessing. What ever it was, Im grateful I saw it and the glowing lady's
image is so strong still, after 20 years, that I can almost see her anytime I think of her.
Angel or not, I'm convinced!
Angel Kisses
By: Sarah Malone/catholic.org
When I was three years old, I was playing outside when i tripped and cut right underneath
my chin. M grandarents were staying with my brother and I while my parents were away
and did not know what to do becuase it would not stop bleeding. That night i went to bed
and remember being awakened by a red haired angel, my angel. She was sitting at the
foot of my bed then leaned over and kissed my chin to stop the bleeding. The next
morning I told the story to my grandmother. Remember I was three years old an I
remember this very well. My angel appeared to me and I am so blessed.
Angel Mechanic
Location: England
By: Christine Clarke/catholic.org
Some years ago I owned a sandwich van and I was taking it to work on the usual road just
outside town. The early morning was very cold and icy. I was travelling on a narrow
country lane which was thick with ice, and suddenly the trailer overturned and I knew for
sure that I was not able to go to work that day. However after about 10 minutes a man
stopped in a car, never spoke, but helped me to get the van on the road again by using
tools that he had in his car. I said I was grateful and didn't know how to thank him, he
never spoke and his eyes never met mine. He just did the job, got into the car again and
drove off. As I looked up the winding icy lane lane there was no car in sight. This was
surely my guardian angel for this day. Off I went to work my van and had a good day.
Thank you angel.
Angel Money
by Ellie W. (about.com)
I would like to add my story to the tales about the dimes, although in my case, it's a
different currency as I live in Australia -- and it was more than dimes.
It was the summer of January, 1994 and occurred in my suburb of Thornbury, Melbourne,
Australia. It was late afternoon and I was outside on a warm day bringing in the family
laundry from the clothesline. There was a sudden small willy- willy -- an Australian name
for a swirling wind funnel of dust and leaves. As it raced past me, I saw something blue
whirling in the middle of the dust and leaves and managed to grab hold of it. I was
surprised and very pleased to see it was a $10 note!
A few days later, I was at the back of the yard checking on the tomatoes growing and
spotted something laying on the grass. I was astonished to find it was a $20 note. Not
long afterward, in another part of the garden I found a $5 note, then yet another $20 note
nestling among the leaves of the day lilies.
By this time I'd told my family of the "angel money". None of them had put money there,
not with the possibility of it blowing away in the often high winds of summer. All was
quiet for a few days, then one of my sons came in with an ear-to-ear grin and a $20 note
Angel Nurse
by Luke Jones
This isn't really a ghost story as such but has always left my mum and I wondering. This
happened ten years ago during the summer of 1998. I was eight years old at the time and I
had been diagnosed with bone cancer. I had come down with an infection, which meant I
had to go to hospital and I stayed there for about two weeks.
One evening, my mother was sitting at my bed side, I was sleeping, so I don't remember
anything, but my mother does. There was this nurse who came in to check my
temperature. My mum noticed that this nurse was odd looking. She was wearing this oldfashioned 1960s-style nurse clothing, and she was totally outdated. My family are
Christians and my mum was praying for me at the time. This nurse noticed my mum had
a Bible by the side of my bed, and it turns out that this nurse was a Christian, too. She
prayed for me and my healing and then she left and we never saw her again for the rest of
them two weeks.
I came out of the hospital fully healed of my infection. This was ten years ago and I am
fully healed of cancer. I am 18 and getting on with my life. My mum believes this nurse
could have been a guardian angel coming down to give my mum some hope. If she wasn't
an angel, why would she be wearing 1960s old-fashioned nurse clothing? Really weird,
don't you think so?
Angel of comfort
Location: Farnborough Hampshire United Kingdom
By: Arlene Hiles/catholic.org
Hello, just thought I would share what I feel was a angel encounter. My husband was at
the time, who had cancer of the lung was still alive and in bed with me. I seemed to sort
of wake up but not in the normal sense, and noticed a lot of light flooding from my door
into the room, and there was a figure in this light, but I could not make out the features
very well, and he was very tall and seemed to be in a garment of white flowing to the
ground. I did not hear words in the ordinary sense, but he kind of said to me, that he
would keep the evil one away, and it was as if he was sending some comfort and I think
he was maybe preparing me for my husband's death as well as waiting maybe for my
husband to pass on.
I am not sure why I was able to see such a vision as I am not a very religious person, well
not in the sense that one would expect a person who has seen an angel to be etc, and have
made lots of mistakes in my life and plenty of room to try and be a better person etc.
Anyway that is how I see it, and if anyone should have seen this angel it should I feel
have been my husband as although not perfect etc, he was a good man and always wanted
to help people etc.
There was comfort about this angel as well. There also seemed to be something on his
head like a kind of head covering.
I think the message is to us all, that in times of death we are not alone and also to assure
us that our loved ones are being taken care of and that they are not alone either. God
Bless
Angel Of Comfort
By: Rosemary Morse/catholic.org
In March of 2009, I underwent a complete hip replacement. Before my surgery and while
I was being wheeled into the OR, I prayed that the Lord stay with me and surround me
with His angels.
I woke up in my room, I thought alone, but as I looked around, in the semi-darkness, I
saw a man dressed in white standing not far from my bed. He did not speak or move, but
his presence brought me such comfort through the pain of my surgery. I fell back asleep
and when I awoke, he was still there standing in the same place. This happened two more
times.
The next morning, my sisteer called me and I told her that a nurse was with me in my
room all night, which is what I believed.
During the day, I inquired into who the male nurse was on duty last night and was told
there were no male nurses on duty on my floor.
Later that evening, a male nurse came in and I asked him. He told me that he was the only
male nurse on my floor and did not work last night.
This troubled me greatly because I was so sure of what I saw and the comfort it brought
me.
I then remembered my prayers and believe to this day that theere was a presence in my
room and since there was no explanation for it, it was one of God's Angels, sent to
comfort me during this time of pain and anxiety.
Many years ago I met a gypsy woman 'by chance' in the street who told me that she could
see not one but several guardian angels around me. She said that this was necessary for
some people because some people are more at risk than others. She was not the first
person to tell me this.
Although I am highly skeptical of psychics, fortune tellers, and all forms of 'mancy', I
instinctively believed that woman. Sometimes I have a strong sense of a protective force
around me, and when I think about some of the scrapes I have got myself into, my
survival cannot be explained by logic or chance, but only through divine intervention and
God's protection.
I will not recount all my life and death experiences - they are too many - but I will share
one extraordinary experience with you.
When I was younger I suffered with a deep depression. One lonely Christmas Eve, in the
depths of despair, I went into my bedroom and stood before my crucifix on the wall.
Looking at the crucifix, I prayed humbly to Our Lord, asking Him to spare me the
suffering of this world. I begged Him to come and take me out of my body.
Within seconds, I felt an intense heat rise within me, as if I was burning up from within.
At the same time, I heard an extremely loud sound - deafeningly loud - of something like
rushing water or a strong wind, not in my head - but in the room. I could feel my Self
slowly rising up. Not my physical body - my eyes were open and my feet were firmly on
the carpet - but my Self.
I felt great fear. Terror, even. Silently, in my mind's 'ear', I thought: "NO! I don't want
this." The sensation of heat and rising instantly began to dissipate. But the sound did not.
It was like a rushing waterfall inside my bedroom. My eyes were open and I could see
nothing unusual, but I could hear this deafening sound.
The sound of rushing wings?
I felt disoriented and dizzy. As if I'd just come off a fairground ride. I put my hands out
and stumbled towards my bed, where I sat, taking deep breaths and taking in the
everyday, familiar surroundings of my bedroom. Very slowly - not immediately - the
whooshing sound faded away and disappeared.
And today I am alive to tell this tale, 10 years later.
Now what do you make of that? Did I imagine it all? Was it the angel of death coming to
collect me? Or was it my guardian angel(s) fighting off the Grim Reaper, because God
knew it wasn't yet my time?
I'll let you decide.
Angel of Life
By: Zoey
When I was 6 or 7 years old, I almost got hit by a train walking home from school. I was
with a couple of my friends, both a year younger than I was. Usually the lights flash, the
ramp closes and I can hear the loud noise of the train coming. On this day, the lights did
not flash. The ramp didn't go down and I didn't hear the train until it was very close by. I
walked across the train tracks, stopping midway when I heard a group of people yelling at
me. I couldn't hear what they were saying. I turned to my left and saw a train coming at
me, full speed. I couldn't move. I was paralyzed with fright. At that moment I felt
something give me a push and I ran across the tracks to the other side. I was safe and my
friends were safe. A human did not save my life that day. An angel did. I never saw it but
I felt it. I never told anyone about the spirit that saved me but from that day on, I believed
in angels with my whole heart. Thank you to the Angel that was with me and my friends
that day. I love you.
The last time I'd flown - seven years ago on a non-stop from Honolulu - the plane had
taken a sudden drop in altitude too terrifying for words. Drinks, snacks, stewardesses and
unbuckled passengers were sent flying. Even though the pilot assured us it was "just a
little bit of unexpected turbulence," I'd vowed never to fly again. But here I sat, trapped,
on a plane still sitting at the gate, scared witless.
My racing thoughts were interrupted by a calm voice asking if the seat next to me was
taken. Without looking up, I nodded and mumbled something about my being a whiteknuckle flyer.
The voice responded "I know," as baggage was being stowed in the overhead
compartment. Was it really that obvious, I wondered.
As he seated himself I noticed we were both wearing pale purple shirts. How
synchronistic, I thought, but said nothing, as I was still very much absorbed by my fearof-flying mode. The next thing I knew he was prying my nails away from the armrest and
gently took my hand to rest it between his. Under other circumstances I would've
protested this obvious infringement of "my space" - but somehow this was different.
At first his words seemed to be coming from somewhere far away, and I could barely
make them out. But it didn't take me long to tune-in to what he was telling me. He gave
me a detailed rundown of what was going on in the cockpit, assured me of the safety of
the plane, alluded to his innumerable trips on just this type of aircraft, explained each
creak, bump, grind and shimmy the plane made - almost before it happened. I was still in
no condition to respond verbally, so I just kept nodding, at once indicating I understood
what he was saying as well as encouraging him to keep talking.
He ordered a glass of Chablis for each of us. I eagerly accepted and at last could feel
myself relaxing. Once I got my wits about me, I noticed my rescuer was a very attractive
man. He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye, and the most sincere smile I'd ever seen.
Soon we were talking a mile-a-minute about practically every subject under the sun, and
in what seemed like no time at all, the pilot was giving us our landing instructions.
I thanked the helpful stranger for his kindness, and as we parted in the terminal, shared an
embrace only friends of long-standing would find comfortable.
In a moment he was gone. Only then did it occur to me that I didn't even know his name.
I returned to the plane and asked the stewardess what the name of the gentleman seated
next to me was. She looked at her manifest and with a puzzled expression said, "But
ma'am, there was no one seated next to you. The manifest shows that seat flew empty on
this flight."
A chill ran down my spine, and I smiled knowingly. It didn't really matter if I didn't know
his name. I'd seen Highway to Heaven and Touched By An Angel enough times to believe
the TV characters just might have real-world counterparts. And besides, who else would
know the intricacies of flying better than the ANGEL seated next to me on Northwest
Flight 1641?
Angel Of My Dreams
By: Rene Kuylen (From Belize, Central America)/catholic.org
It's been quite some time, that i've been seeing this person. Well, as far as i can remember,
ever since i was little. She's always been there for me, during hard times and joyous
times. I've never quite asked for her name, though, but she's been my friend ever since i
was little. She always dressed in long white dresses, or other light coloured dresses, and
always seems to be smiling, giving me words of advice, and encouraging me to move on!
She has this soft voice, and a gentle touch, her eyes glimmer with a light i could only
describe as, "Heavenly" and always knows what to do!
When i was smaller, she seemed my age, and everytime she appears in my dreams, she
seems older, matching my age. When i was sad, she's always give me a kiss on the cheek,
or play with me, using a beenie bag. :) It seems rather silly, but that comforted me, and
that made me feel so happy! So full of love! At one point, she astonished me, she told me
that hard times were ahead, and she showed me thing i could only describe as
'Nightmares!' but she hugged me, and told me that everything would be all right.
She's the angel of my dreams, and i would really love to know how to get in touch with
her, since i have so much to ask her, and so much to thank her for! :)
the wrapping paper to throw away. He then turned to me held an nickel in his and and
stated, "Oh, and this is for you", while calmly putting it on the counter top and sliding it
towards me. My first thought was he was trying to tip me for wrapping his gift. He then
turned and walked away quickly. When I got over to the counter top and picked up the
nickel I realized it was....a silver, Miraculous Medal!!!! How could he have known? I
never told anyone that it was my wish to go buy one as soon as possible. To this day, I
never saw him again but I try to never take it off. I believe my wants were heard and
answered by my angels!
through, my phone never showed that a call went out, the doors of my car opened with
out any prying, the gentleman knew my name and no one but me saw the man that sat
with me. I know in my heart that I had my wonderful guardian angel with me that night. I
also found out later that the car that I hit... no one was hurt in the vehicle and no one saw
anyone at my car until the firemen came.
One day back in February this year.. My partner Joeanne came to see me on her way to
work (we stay at different houses as were not married yet). She was abit shaken, She had
backed into the her metal fence at her home, Her car is white and he metal fence is green,
I looked down at the car and saw her bumper had been pushed in! quite nasty actually i
went down to my knees and had a close look and yeah very nasty indeed! It had green
paint here and there. I said to her that i would pull it off and attempt to bang it out. i gave
er a hug and told her not to worry about it. She carried on to work!. After she finished
work we went to a cultural festival and then went to Mass at 6pm (Our Lady Of
Assumption Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand.) Mass was great as always! We finished
mass and then walked to our car park, we spoke again about what happend, She told me
that her dad had to repair the fence and repaint it, I told her again that i would try to fix it,
We walked to the car and to my amazement? there was no damage to the car? i couldnt
understand it! i said to Joeanne... Ummmmm theres no damage to your car? Im positive
there she was and I couldnt believe it either? our jaws were just dropping to the ground! i
bent down and felt around the bumper.. and it was perfect! nothing on it! and i couldnt
feel the slightest dent or anything!! The green paint was still on the car! but no damage!
Were pretty sure that when we were in mass? The power of prayer had sent an Angel
down to repair the damage.
Angel Playmate
by Melanie (about.com's Your True Tales)
I didn't believe in angels until this happened to my daughter 12 years ago. You see, up
until three years old, my daughter loved to sleep in her cot (sorry, I'm Australian, I think
its crib in America) because she loved to play with all the things on the bench next to her
cot. A bed would have been too low to the ground and she wouldn't have been able to
reach them.
One night she was making a lot of noise and laughing about an hour after I had put her to
bed. This was very unusual considering she was such a good sleeper. She would usually
be asleep in five minutes. So I went into her room to see what was so funny. I said,
"Honey, why aren't you asleep?" She looked at me and said, "I'm playing a game with the
man."
I said, "What man?" She said, "The man standing behind you." I stood there for a minute
frozen, hoping that when I turned around someone would be there. I turned slowly and no
one was there. I said to my daughter, "There's no one there." She said, "Yes there is,
mummy. The man with the big fluffy wings. He says to tell you not to worry, he's my
angel."
At that point I didn't know whether I was scared or overjoyed! I kissed my daughter good
night and as I walked out the door, I said, "Don't stay up too late, you two." My daughter
still talks to her angel sometimes. I have never completely seen him, but I have seen his
winged shadow around her once.
Angel Power
Location: San Pablo Laguna Philippines
By: Shirley Abuel (catholic.org)
One rainy Tuesday afternoon my husband and I went to a nearby town for some particular
matter. The place we went to used to be a squatters area so the road was narrow and
passable by only one vehicle at a time. The road is somewhat rough so everytime we go
there, we make a detour going home because the road a little farther is much worse
though it's a short cut going home. Because I was eager to home since myh daugther is
alone in the house we went straight ahead. Reaching the middle of the road, we saw that
repairs were done and it was better now, only a certain portion before reaching that road
was somewhat muddy. We stopped for a while and considered going back rather than get
stacked in the mud. But my husband insisted that we go straight ahead despite my
vehement refusal. Off we went just to get STACKED in mud. Unknowlingly there was a
pit and our front tires was caught. All efforts done to get away from the place was a
failure and was already getting d!
ark and I wanted to cry because we know of no one and that place and my daughter is
alone. I started to pray to our Lord and the ANGELS. I called them one by one and
prayed really hard. I kept on praying for help and for Angels to come. After sone few
minutes two men came, offered help but to no avail. Another few came, still failed. I kept
on praying. All of a sudden a group of men came more than TEN of them making them
almost TWENTY men at that time. I had never felt any fear that time. All they said was
"NO PROBLEM. We will lift the front right side of your car to get that tire out of the pit".
And THEY JUST DIS THAT. They came just knowing what the problem was. No
questions asked. So we were out out of the muddy road. Before we left, I offered them
financial consideration but they refused it and told me if I pay them they return the car to
the mud. That they came because they wanted to help. I was so thankful considering the
house in that place was only few. I knew they were ANGELS heaven sent to me because I
called on them. Until up to this time, I ask for their help from the smallest to the biggest
favors. Believe in Angels, they are REAL and had helped me a lot of times.
Angels
By: Debra Smith/catholic.org
Approximately 12 years ago my boyfriend left me for another woman. I was very hurt
over that. I was a Protestant at the time. I didn't attend church that often. I got up one
morning, lit a candle, and prayed for God to show me He was there. I went to work that
morning, and approximately four hours later I heard the sound of flocking wings. I
looked up and saw angels everywhere. They were very bright white angels. I was sitting
at this long table. They moved towards me very fast on both sides of the table. I felt one
touch me on the shoulder. As they moved in, they disappeared. I wasn't able to see their
faces because they were moving so fast. This forever changed my life. I will never forget
it.
walking to me like a minute before the crash. I also heard people screaming inside my
class and in the hallway.
Then someone screamed, "Look at Seth!" I felt all eyes on me and heard terrified
screams. It all happened so fast. It probably happened in less than two minutes. Then
smack! I hit the wall spread eagle like a sky diver.
The thing I found most weird about this was that I tried to curl up in a ball. But I felt
hands on my arms spreading them out and the same with my legs. I soon learned from the
doctors that if I was cured up in a ball I would've broken my spine or, even worse, split
my head open.
To this day I believe my guardian angel saved my life.
something to teach using the Bible. I have nothing to teach that time and Only God
knows why I used Bible Explorer to be my guide in teaching music for 230 high school
students. The job was tough and I ended up with four lung disorders after a few hours of
lectures in their eight classrooms (including tuberculosis and lung infection). I have no
salary that time and even guardian angels will not last long in that group. It was a very
good experience on my part since doing the sacrifice for the love of God may be the best
attitude for the poorest ones.
I heard angels' songs in the Jesus of Nazareth Hospital. I can't describe the beauty they
could produce. They are invisible but I could feel the concern they have for hospital
patients. They love so much and I know what God feels with their magnificent sounds in
heaven. God wouldn't want me to die that early but I usually lose the strength to work for
Him further.
Angels' songs cured me and was certified to have just asthma after the confinement. This
was not the only event in my life with an encuentro con angelos. I also worked with SM
Batangas before as a Piano Teacher and as usual, I lost my job after a few hours. I didn't
totally lost the job but they felt angry when I did an absence with a piano student. I felt
quite difficult to go to the store where I teach and I can't attend due to health difficulties
(respiratory). It's not that I need some sort of pleasure or benefit to work for the
corporation but I can't pretend to like the job by forcing myself to teach piano that time. I
experience psychic coercion very, very much and almost died most of the time. I can't
solve this problem up until now and I hope that God could help me work without
coercion and fraud in the jobs in the future.
Encounters with angels in this mall were quite magical. I heard children's voices during
the first years of SM Batangas in our province. There was an instance when I was using a
laptop computer after teaching a piano student. I was hearing children's voices all around
the food court. It was common for me to hear little children's voice especially inside the
Basilica of Batangas. Sometimes I see the baby's bodies where little childrens' sounds
came from but this time, SM Batangas didn't present the sources of children's sounds. I
think they are puttis - little angels. They are kinds of angels under the hierarchy of
Cherubims. They are watching all my moves in the SM areas and when the laptop
reached the low-batt situation, I heard all of them with
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh-sound. I went out of the mall afterwards for all of
them are watching all the things I did with the laptop. They sounded very frustrated with
the low-batt situation. They wanted me to use the laptop in SM but nowadays, I haven't
received a sound from these little angels after a few months.
Please include me in your prayers. Even angels of darkness visit me once in a while
giving me deadly disorders inside my parents' house. I love to be with them but I think, I
could only see them face to face after death. They are flying perhaps for I hear them on
the ceiling of the mall - not from below. I may be one of them before and fetching me to
go back to heaven later. They don't want to kill me but giant angels may want to. I mean,
gigantic shadows occupying my body once in a while. I sounded like them before and I
think, my death is coming. I will be back in heaven perhaps after finishing my assignment
in this planet. I don't know where to return. I just feel scared sometimes for I feel alone
most of the time as if I have no companions in this world. I experience that thing ever
since childhood. I feel very happy whenever I hear voice of angels but nowadays, I
haven't heard much of them. Early years of SM Batangas were amazing but less amazing
nowadays. I felt the anger of God pushed them some place else and I feel very alone
again.
I can't describe the happiness being with these invisible beings. My problem would be the
absolute value of the happiness they bring - damnation. I don't believe in hell too much. I
prefer to be burnt with seraphs. Are seraphs fires of hell? I think, they are - just cleaning
everything to feel clean and happy again.
I hope I finish my assignment before I retire for I will be sent again if I will not. Please
pray for all of us! We are suffering but we have no idea where to go sometimes.... I hope
to be in heaven after the assignments.
Later I drove from Georgia to Ohio to be there for the surgery. I got to her house at
midnight and we talked until 1am. However we had to be at the hospital at 4:00am. So I
got two hours of sleep. I prayed that all would be well and that I would have the stamina
to stay alert and awake for my mom.
Before my mom went into surgery, I was praying to myself asking for enough courage to
ask my Mom, brother and aunt to pray with me before my mom's surgery. Just then a
woman came in and said she was the chaplan and that we should all pray. So we prayed
and when we were finished she looked at me and said the Holy Spirit is with you.
Just as I was told my mom came though with flying colors, I didn't worry at all that day
and managed to stay awake. Praise God!
Thank you for your angels.
receptionist to earn extra money. The salon was located in an indoor mall, and since I was
going to school, I would often work late afternoon until closing, which was 9:00 p.m.
One night in January of '88, the weather had turned bad and we were getting a really
severe snowstorm. All of the stylists had gone home and I was left to close up the shop. It
was around 8:30 p.m. and I was just grabbing my coat to head out the door when an
elderly gentleman came in. I was irritated because I wanted to get on the road and I knew
my normal 20-minute drive home was going to take much longer because of the storm.
He greeted me, and before he could even ask, I brusquely told him that we were closed
and there were no stylists available if he was looking to get a haircut. He seemed
disappointed and I immediately felt bad for how I spoke to him. He said he had just come
in from outside and asked if he could sit for a moment and warm up. I said of course,
although I noticed that he didn't seem to have a single speck of snow on him and his
shoes were completely dry.
I noticed he had a Walkman cassette player in his hands and asked him if had just gotten
it. He said he had received it as a gift, but didn't know how to work it, so I gave him a
tutorial as we chatted. He told me his name was Michael and he seemed truly amazed by
modern technology, as if he had been living in a cave for the last 30 years. I was very
fascinated and taken by him.
About a half hour later, he stood up quickly and said he had to go. He said, "Thank you,
Sandra, for your kindness. Have a safe trip home," and walked out the door. Now, I had
not told this man my name and was not wearing a name tag. I went out the door after him
to ask him how he knew my name, and he had simply disappeared. Confused and feeling
a little light-headed, I walked out to my car to head home.
As I was traveling down the highway, up ahead of me were all sorts of emergency
vehicles. There had been a horrible accident involving multiple vehicles, and the next day
I found out there had been a couple of fatalities. If I had left the salon when I was
originally heading out, I surely would have been in that accident! I truly believe that the
elderly gentleman, Michael, was a guardian angel sent to protect me.
Angels?
By: yyxxterryxxyy@yahoo.com
I once said that I had `experienced` a lot of supernatural stuff; well, here is one of them.
I got called into my office one night, because therehad been a rape case, and a `suspect`
had beenarrested, relating to this.
I went to the hospital, where the victim was, tookphotos, and collected the evidence we
needed. I took the victim to my office, where my partners and I prepared the line-up, and
where the victim, positively identified him as her assailant. It was about 7:30 am,when a
the nurse's office, I heard an unfamiliar voice keep telling me,"Don't worry. I'm here. God
doesn't want anything to happen to his baby."
Angels in My Room
by Kendra (paranormal.com Your True Tales)
I am 19 yrs old and I live in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. My paranormal experience
happened when I was nine years old. I had a heart transplant when I was 21 months old,
so anytime I get sick, I get it twice as bad as most people. Well, the Christmas of sixth
grade I came down with a cold and it turned into phneumonia. I was hospitalized at
Childrens Medical Center in Dallas. I was so sick that my doctors actually thought I was
going to die. So they put me in a enduced coma for a week.
While coming out of the coma and in ICU, I would feel stuff rubbing across my legs,
kind of like feathers. My mom would take all the blankets off my legs so she could try
and find whatever it was bothering me. She never found anything.
About the second day out of the coma, I could finally get enough strength to open my
eyes, and when I did I swear to this day there were angels in the room. I saw people
floating around my room with these long, flowy, white gowns on. They look liked
walking diamonds! They were so beautiful and stayed at my side for about two days. My
mom would be sitting in the chair next to me asking me what I was looking at and I
would just smile. I know they were there to help me make it through.
2004-2008 My daughter Jamie Lynn age 16 battled bone cancer for four years.She was so
brave even though she had to go through so much pain that no child should ever go
through.She went through hard chemo,radiation & surgeries,but she never lost her faith in
God. There were so many people praying for her,but once it spread to both of her lungs
there was nothing that could be done.Our beautiful daughter died on April 25,08, two
days after her 16 birthday.The day of her funeral as everyone was walking behind the
hearse,cause the cementery was behind the church we saw in a clear blue sky an angel so
big & beautiful.It was breath taking!We knew right then & there that our Jamie went
straight to heaven.
cannot describe because we don't have colors like them here on earth, they had long
flowy gowns and long wavy hair, their faces were neither like a mans or woman's, they
were all holding hands and skipping/running toward the road but although they were
close to the road they never got to it, my Mother says that I said there was a rainbow but I
don't remember, I looked at them as long as I could, although in reality it would only take
a couple seconds to drive past but for me time slowed down almost to a stop.
I still remember it to this day even though I was just a baby or little kid.
I told my Mother about it but she didn't see anything.
Angel's Message
by Shaun T.
It was a dull, winter afternoon when I had the biggest surprise of my life. Being a
dedicated Christian, I went to church every sunday and was overdue for a sign from God.
All my friends say they were met by ghosts telling them good news, etc. I was sitting in
the lounge, staring out of the large French window when I was met by a sudden urge to
get up and have a drink. I walked over to the sink in a sort of trance and turned the tap.
Instead of water, a white mist erupted from the tap and filled the kitchen. Terrified and
shocked, I tried to run, but my strange trance held me still. The mist was sucked into the
cupboard under the stairs and I was forced to drag my feet along and open the door.
What I found almost made me have a heart attack: a man, cramped into the small space
between the vacuum cleaner and the boiler tank, walked out and greeted me. "Hi," he
said, but his voice came out slightly fluctuated and high. He was dressed rather formally
and had an umbrella in his hand. I spluttered a greeting back and watched as he strode
into the lounge and sat himself down. "Please sit," he told. I was flung into a seat, panting
and rasping. He then said, "I have come from heaven, and I have come with a message:
Your mother in Spain is ill and requires medicine she cannot get. You are to go there and
deliver it to her in person, then tell her Howard sends his love."
Howard was my father; he had passed away only weeks before. When I resumed my
normal condition and asked the man who he was, he simply got up and walked upstairs.
After an extensive search, I could only conclude that he was an angel. I left for Spain the
day after. Sure enough. when I got there my mother was in bed and had a large lump on
her throat. She hadn't left the house since yesterday and couldn't move. I delivered the
angel's message and she nodded, "I know," she said with a sly smile.
When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her home with one
dollar of my tip money - fully half of what I averaged every night. As the weeks went by,
heating bills added another strain to my meager wage. The tires on the old Chevy had the
consistency of penny balloons and began to leak. I had to fill them with air on the way to
work and again every morning before I could go home. One bleak fall morning, I dragged
myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat. New tires! There was
no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires. Had angels taken up residence in
Indiana? I wondered. I made a deal with the owner of the local service station. In
exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office. I remember it took
me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do the tires.
I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough. Christmas was
coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids. I found a can of red
paint and started repairing and painting some old toys. Then I hid them in the basement
so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning. Clothes were a
worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches on the boys pants and soon they would
be too far gone to repair.
On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel. These
were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe. A few musicians
were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball
machine. The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the morning
and then left to get home before the sun came up. When it was time for me to go home at
seven o'clock on Christmas morning I hurried to the car. I was hoping the kids wouldn't
wake up before I managed to get home and get the presents from the basement and place
them under the tree. (We had cut down a small cedar tree by the side of the road down by
the dump.)
It was still dark and I couldn't see much, but there appeared to be some dark shadows in
the car - or was that just a trick of the night? Something certainly looked different, but it
was hard to tell what. When I reached the car I peered warily into one of the side
windows. Then my jaw dropped in amazement. My old battered Chevy was full to the top
with boxes of all shapes and sizes. I quickly opened the driver's side door, scrambled
inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat. Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of
the top box. Inside was a whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10! I looked inside
another box: It was full of shirts to go with the jeans. Then I peeked inside some of the
other boxes: There were candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an
enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes. There was pudding and
Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was a whole bag of laundry supplies and
cleaning items. And there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll. As I drove
back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing Christmas Day of
my life, I was sobbing with gratitude. And I will never forget the joy on the fac es of my
little ones that precious morning.
Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December.
And they all hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop.
Angel Stories
By: m.coplen@live.com from http://www.ainglkiss.com/
When I was about 13 I lived in Hawaii with my parents. We lived in a very hilly area, not
to mention a very thorny, dry area. It is known to be the desert for Hawaii. Anyhoo. As I
was riding my bike with a friend my back tire caught a thorn in it. My friend and I headed
back to her house to do a quick patch job so that I could at least get back home. My luck,
my house was down hill from hers. So I started costing down the hill. When it was time
to take the final street I did what I was suppose to do. I stopped looked both way and
proceeded to cross. But something told me to wait and look. Sure enough there came a
van barreling down the street. Before I could get back to the curb I felt as if someone just
picked me up and set me down on the other side of the street. My bike however, totaled.
It had been caught under the van. When I got up I was completely stunned to find that I
was okay. Didn't have a scratch on me. I collected my bike and proceeded to carry it
home.
Now some may say that was "luck". But keep reading....
When I was 24 I was thrilled to be going to Europe for college. Everything was set up. I
was going to be leaving on April 5, 2005. I still had loose ends to tie up before I left. Like
a Jeep Wrangler to get rid of. I still had about 3 months of payments on it. I had put a for
sale sign up on it but had no leads. It was the final week and still no bites. My mother
said she would try to get it sold and send me the money when it did, since I was going to
need that for my trip.
Well, April 2 was my going away party. I had been drinking which wasn't the most
foolish thing I had done. But I did get behind the wheel and drive. That night my back
tire blew. As I was bracing for the worst, once again I felt a hand had simply picked the
jeep up and set it down on it's side. It skidded a little bit. Amazingly no damage. I could
have hit other cars, I could have rammed the fence in someone's yard, but nothing. I
walked away once more unharmed. That morning when I got home and told my mother
she called the insurance company who paid me for the damage. The guy who came out to
tow my Jeep wanted to buy it as is. I was still free to go to Europe.
The night before I left my mother and I sat up praying. We prayed for a safe journey and
for the Lord to keep His hand upon me. My main concern was if something were to
happen it would be difficult for me to get back. After all, Europe is clearly half way
around the globe from Hawaii. But my mother said to believe that the Lord will provide a
way home if anything should happen.
So I get to Europe. For the first two months I am loving it. The classes I was taking where
fun and everything was great.
I spoke to one of my roommates about my faith and that I believed in Jesus. She
confessed she too had grown up with the faith but never really put it into practice. We
would discuss things in the bible that our roommates couldn't get. But it was okay with
us. But when the semester began to wind down and every one was starting to head their
separate ways I began to get a funny feeling in my stomach that I should go home too. I
called my mother expressing that I wanted to stay. That there was still so much for me to
see, and that I wasn't home sick, but just felt I needed to be back. So I made up my mind.
At this point I was living around Russell Square. I took the tube every day to work and
school. I went to work and quit. And I withdrew from my classes for the next semester. I
jumped on the train once more and headed back home.
I hadn't been home for three days when the terrorists blew up the tube stations in London.
Rattled my nerves. I couldn't believe it. I would have been on that train had I stayed. I
would have had my worst thoughts come to pass had I not listened to the Lord's
conviction telling me it was time for me to come home.
Now with all this one might think that my "luck" had run out. There is no way one person
could have so many encounters and not get burned. Well one more and I'll put this topic
down.
Three years ago I was living in Americus, Georgia. A small country town. Old wives tale
was that nothing ever happens in or to Americus. The biggest threat Americus has is
lightening storms. Well, I thought it was a nice little place to raise a family. My husband
and I were expecting. Everything was set. My mother flew out from Hawaii to Georgia to
be there for the birth. But the doctor gave us the wrong date. He told us I was due any day
and low and behold my mother panicked and flew out early. While her trip was only for a
couple of weeks, I began to get nervous because it was almost time for her to go and I
still hadn't given birth. So the doctor had me induced. Everything went okay. There was a
minor hiccup but all went well. By February 16 my mother was holding her first grand
child 4 days before she had to leave.
Well the time eventually came and my mother along with the rest of the family left. It was
just my husband, and our new baby girl. On March 4, 2007 I had the scare of my life.
We had just settled down after dinner. I was on the couch nursing when the news flash
came on. It wasn't even enough time to understand what was going on before the power
went out. I could hear the wind sucking everything around us. My husband grabbed my
hand as I held our daughter and made it to the bathroom. It only lasted for a few minutes
but I remember laying in the bath tub with our new baby thanking the Lord that I got a
chance to hold her should anything happen.
Then it was over. We went outside the next morning. Every single house around ours had
something lodge into it, smashed through it or in some way destroyed. Not ours. The
Lord's hand let nothing scratch our house. We found out later in the day that the hospital I
was in (and the only one in Americus) had been completely destroyed. The wing my
room was on was gone. Had we not induced labor we would have been in the hospital
during the tornado that the townsfolk said would never happen.
So is there a God? In my mind, yes. Without a shadow of a doubt, there is a God, He is
the ruler of all and He will provide all that we need if we only step back and allow Him to
do so.
and tell the intern that he forgot about the facial nerves.
So my father did exactly that. For some reason, nobody stopped him from walking into
the operating room. But when he did, he told the surgeon about the nerves and asked him
if he was an intern. The surgeon admitted that we was an intern and that he forgot to
stitch the nerves back together, which were now dying by the minute because they were
severed.
The hospital helicoptered in an experienced neuro-surgeon who had to undo the stitches
done by the intern, and then stitch back the remaining nerves that were alive. He wasn't
able to save some of the nerves that operate my right eyebrow, but other than that, my
face works fine. Had my father not received the message, and did not act on it, the entire
right side of my face would have been paralyzed for life.
Angels Surround Us
By: fffarmergirl@gmail.com from ainglkiss.com
Lately, my prayers have really been answered. I've seen miracle after miracle, and I feel
my faith increasing to the point where I pray for things I never would have prayed for
before.
Today, I was standing in line at the Dollar Store. There are so many people here who
have fallen on hard times...so many unemployed. The Dollar Store is a very busy place
now, and there are lots of sad faces.
As my things were being rung up, I looked at the customer being rung up in the next lane.
Her face was sad and drawn and looked gray - like she was sick. She looked defeated
and heavy with grief. I did something I've never done before. I asked my angels to wrap
the stranger in love and lift her up, to hug her and kiss her and make her feel delightfully
happy and as light as a feather. I asked them to fill her with joy and make her laugh. I
also asked them to heal her of whatever was making her look so gray. I imagined the
angels surrounding her.
Right before my eyes, the corners of her mouth started to lift!! I quickly looked away so
she wouldn't see me looking at her, and then I heard laughter! LOUD laughter! I looked,
and it was her! She was positively beaming, and she said to the cashier "do you know
what I'm going to do? I am going to go out to eat!!" She then practically skipped out of
the store. As she passed me, I saw her skin was healthy and pink. I watched her drive
away, beaming with joy, and I prayed that her angels would keep her wrapped in love and
fill her with faith that everything will be alright.
My grandmother told me that every one of us has a whole host of angels from heaven
surrounding us, and they will do what we ask. I believe it is literally true!
I liked it... slightly. So I chose to go with some friends to another one. The feeling of
greatness in the other church was amazing! Finally I went to St John's where they still do
the burnings of incense and resin and in the precesion I saw two foot prints where no one
stood.
I could sense the small prints belonged to a MAMOTH being! I almost told the friends
next to me to move over to make room for the magnificent beast I knew that stood before
us. I saw the foot prints again when the precesion left. The message that day spoke about
the Seraphim and the Seraphim popped up in each of our lives continously. I am positive
I was blessed to have been in just the mear precence of such a great divine being.
I almost began lapsing into my old addictions when last night something very beautiful
happened. I work at a convience store and two people who I had never served before
came in. I noticed the cross around the mans neck and complimented him for it.
With that he took it off of his neck and gave it to me saying "It's yours." I was stunned. I
was at a lose for words to the point that I tried to say something but nothing would come
out until finally I could only say "thank you..."
The man deserved so much more than that but I couldn't grip anything better to say! The
woman with him had a very familiar look in her eyes. I had never met the woman but I
knew the look however I just could not place it. The look left her and went to the man.
The woman went and got two soda's and the man pulled from his pocket a red drop
marble. He said remember that a only a drop of blood that God shed for you. At this point
I was trying so hard not to burst into tears.
The woman came up and the look in her eyes was not there but still in the man. I rang
them up and the looked left the man and entered the woman who told me, "Don't worry!
You have God no matter what! Never forget God is always with you."
With that she winked and left. I turned around to do something quickly and adorned
myself with the gift of the cross I had just recieved. I wanted to thank the people and
looked outside but I could not see them.
I believe now more than ever that God is telling me that it is ok to use my gifts but to
walk with him along the way and don't hide the gifts from people anymore. For weeks
God told me the light has nothing to fear so just be true!
I believe in demon possession but last night I began believing in being possesed by the
Angels. I prayed to God that he may bless his messengers and thanked him for sending
them.
Many people are unaware of the numerous ways how the angels have protected and
guided us. Some may never see with earthly eyes these heavenly beings or know that they
exist.
It wasnt until 2011 that things started to really happen in the way of angels to help my
spread the Word of God. These angels appeared in the summer by opening doors that
were closed. The first appearance happened while I was at church with my parents. There
is a crying room for parents with small children. At the front of the church to the right
side is the door opening to the church. I was sort of listening to the Homily when all of a
sudden the door opened slightly. I felt a loving warm presence that I have never felt
before. I was overcome with joy and continued to listen closely to Fathers Homily. The
second time was at St. Claire Parish Rectory in Santa Clara. I was on a committee for
WCEA/WASC, and the door opened to the conference room. There was no wind just
another great feeling of someone present. Just before this happened I had been praying
for guidance so it might have been the Holy Spirit. The third time was at my home while
I was cleaning the living room. The inside door to the garage opened, and this time the
feeling was different. I said hello and thanked God for the angels presence. After three
doors opening without explanation, I had to tell my friends the wonderful news. We went
walking at Shoreline Park then went to breakfast like we always did for the past 8 years.
As we ate our crepes and drank coffee, I proceeded to tell them about the three doors
opening. Theyre eyes were wide opened; however, I sensed a little disbelief. At that
moment the table moved as if a phone was on vibrant. My friend asked me if I was doing
anything, and I said no. My foot rested on the bottom of the table as well as my hands on
top. It happened again. My friend and I felt it. I moved away to see if it would make a
difference. My other friend did not feel the first two times so I asked her to put her hand
on the table, but it was too late. She did not feel it. Betts felt it three times. We could not
explain how the table moved. She said, "I am a Doubting Thomas (Thomas was one of
the apostles to Jesus who did not believe Jesus rose from the dead until he felt his wounds
and touched his side.) This was probably a sign for more things to come.
Before the school year began, I went to the third grade classroom to set up the desks. I
heard footsteps down the hall and childrens voices. Next I heard laughter, however, there
were no children present and in fact no one was present except for me. I knew it was
going to be a wonderful year.
On December 23rd, 2011 my husband and I invited his two sisters, Justin, Luis, fianc to
his niece, and great nephew over for dinner. We finished eating around 7pm so we
decided to open gifts for Christmas since we were going over to my parents house on
Christmas Day. We took many pictures and in four pictures we saw white, yellow, and
blue angels. Just before we took pictures, my sister-in- law and niece said they heard a
noise at the door. I only heard a creaking sound and told them it was the banister that
surrounds the living room. I felt a love in the room that I never felt before. I knew we had
visitors and thanked God that we could now see them.
I share these stories because I believe that God wants us to know that we are not alone.
We have many saints and angels in our lives every day. My saints and angels are here to
guide me on my journey. As I pray the Angel of God each day and call upon my Guardian
Angel to be by my side to rule in God it has become more transparent what my mission is
in life. It is to continue to spread the Word of God but to a larger audience. These saint
and angel stories are all true, and I have many witnesses that have felt and seen these
angels. I hear them in my dreams too. Every day I pray for all souls to depart to God and
for us to live in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
My strongest prayer is this O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of
hell. Lead all souls to heaven especially those most need of thee mercy. Amen
Late one evening, in January of 1984, while driving to the top of Lookout Mountain in
Tennessee, I experienced a flat tire. I frequently went to the scenic overlook late at night,
just to take in the city lights and have a quiet moment. I had recently lost my infant
daughter, "Jessie". She died in her sleep a week before her third month of life. I was
devastated. Her birthday was January 8th (this night was her birthday). She died March
31st of the same year. I had no faith in God anymore. I was very angry that my child was
taken, and was utterly convinced that "God" was merely a fantasy devised to manipulate
the masses, etc.
Anyone who has ever been to the top of Lookout Mountain knows that there are
absolutely no houses there. It was around 11:30 p.m. I had no spare tire to change it, and
felt it may be best just to stay in the car until daylight. I glanced in the mirror and noticed
a small white blur advancing toward my car. There were no other cars or even headlights
to be seen in my general vicinity. I got out of the car and looked behind the vehicle, still
seeing the white blur getting closer. Needless to say I felt a bit frightened, although in
retrospect, I felt only a slight apprehension.
The blur slowly came into focus and it was a white "dress" shirt that an elderly black man
was wearing. He was smiling and rolling a tire in front of him. I was astonished, to say
the least! "I thought you might need this," he said with the most beautiful baritone voice I
had ever heard. (Think Barry White or Isaac Hayes.)
"Wh-where did you come from?" I asked.
"This won't take long, miss," he answered in that melodious voice. I felt a calmness
overtake my apprehension, and I felt that I was safe with this strange man. He proceeded
to change the flat, threw the old tire in the trunk, and warned me that two other tires
would blow out if I didn't get them replaced. I kept trying to give him a $20 bill (it was
all I had until payday, three days away). He kept saying that he didn't need the money,
and that I should keep it. I stuck it into his pocket (on the sly) as he was putting the flat in
the trunk. I know that the money was in his pocket, as I made sure to slip it deeply
enough so that it would't fall out before he found it later. The edge of the pocket liner was
touching the palm of my hand, so I am sure that the money went deeply into the pocket.
He closed the trunk and bade me goodnight. "Thank you so much! My name is Carol.
What's your name?" He smiled, revealing perfectly straight, bright white teeth, and called
himself Gabriel, but all his friends called him Gabe. I shook his hand (very warm, firm
grip, but didn't feel any different than any other handshake) and offered him a ride. Still
feeling a bit confused as to how this guy got way up the mountain pushing a tire -- the
same size tire that fit my car, by the way. He said he could get home just fine and that I
shouldn't worry about him.
As if this whole scenario wasn't weird enough, he added in a soft, clear voice, "You'll be
just fine, Carol. Jessie is okay and you will have other children."
I hugged him and sobbed, "Thank you, Gabe. I needed to hear that."
Angel touch
By: camouflagebutterfly777@yahoo.com
My Oupa had this vision while I was undergoing surgery. He lived in Durban, South
Africa and I live in Tampa, FL. USA. I have Hydrocephalia and had to have surgery to
replace a blocked shunt. I am going to write this the way he did. He has since passed: I
am writing this letter to tell you what I saw when you underwent the surgery. I saw three
Angels around you, two of them, one on your left and one on your right, stroking your
arms and talking to you, telling you not to be afraid and that the Lord will hear you. They
were dressed in light peach colour garments, they were laughing and talking to you all the
time. The third Angel stood at the head of the bed, directing and telling the surgeon what
to do and how to do it. (Praise the Lord). A fourth Angel was comforting your Mom and
Dad with its wings spread over them, telling them not to fear as "God is in Control"
(Praise God for His healing power). After two weeks in a coma and about another two of
being comatose, I had to learn to walk and talk again, but God is good to His children. I
am able to tell Him verbally Thank you!
well. She conveyed that when it is time for me to pass, she will be with me. Also in her
message, she wanted me to know that she is with me always. There have been several
incidents in the past few years that I could not explain and half wondered if it was
Melodie in my space. Now I have no reason to "wonder" as it is very, very real. Written
by a twinless twin, Melanie, in honor of her twin's angel visit.
Angel Unaware?
By: Bunnyks@ntelos.net (ainglkiss.com)
"This is a true story, and it happened about 20 years ago when I lived on a mountain in
Love,Va. but it is as fresh in my mind today as it was then."
Gazing out the front window one afternoon, I saw him. He was pushing an old bicycle
with dangling ropes and odd looking bags hanging from the handlebars The front rim of
the bicycle was tireless and some of the spokes were missing. I rushed to the door
because he was well into our driveway heading for the front door. I opened the door and a
thin wiry looking man gave me a weak smile. He had long stringy red hair, and a leathery,
deep furrowed face splashed with freckles. He had kind eyes, small and brown, but sad.
His expression changed when he asked me if I would fix him a sandwich. He hadn't eaten
all day, he said. I felt odd having someone ask me for food as I had never met a truly
needy person before, but his need seemed so real. My response was surprisingly quick
and I asked him to sit in the swing on the porch while I prepared a meal. He thanked me
and proceeded to go to the swing. I felt an unexplained joy in my task, but I wondered
where this odd-looking person came from and where was he going? How far could he get
pushing a bicycle with only one tire? Was he going up the mountain or down?
I placed a dollop of potato salad on a large paper plate alongside a thick ham sandwich,
and added a fresh apple fritter that I had just baked. I laid a plastic fork and a napkin on
top of this. I filled a large glass with water and took all of this out to the man. His kind
eyes told me he was pleased to have the food. He thanked me again and I proceeded into
the house. I decided while he ate, I would prepare an extra bag of food for him to take
along with him, and then I would ask him the questions that plagued me. I waited about
ten minutes before opening the door to give him the extra food, but to my amazement he
was nowhere to be found! The paper plate and glass was empty . I was puzzled by his
disappearance. I noticed the tireless rim left tracks in the driveway, but I still couldn't tell
if he was going up or down the mountain.
A neighbor stopped by shortly after he left, and I asked her if she had seen a man of his
description anywhere on the road. She replied she had not. My curiosity prompted me to
drive to the top of the mountain to see if I could find the man on the road anywhere, but
he was nowhere to be found. He simply vanished.
To this day, I never heard anyone mention seeing such a man. I couldn't help wonder if
perhaps I had entertained an angel.
"Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.
Heb.13:2
Angel Warning?
by Tony Wilkinson(http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
Summertime, 1963, Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was a hot summer, and it stayed
light until after 10 p.m. I was ten years old at the time, and had just been sent to bed at
approximately 9:30 p.m., so it was still light. Because it was hot, I only had a sheet over
me, and as I settled down I felt the sheet suddenly being tugged from the bottom, at first I
thought it was my brother who shared the room with me just messing around, so I lifted
my head to tell him off when I saw the reason for the sheet tugging.
At the foot of my bed stood a girl aged around her late teens. She had shoulder-length
wavy blonde hair, and eyes of a blue I have never seen to this day in a living person. She
was about five feet seven inches in height, so seemed tall to me, and her heart-shaped
face was beautiful. Her dress appeared to be white, full-length with a ruff collar, and
looked like a lacey material over a cotton or silk undergarment. She seemed very solid.
She was looking straight at me with a gentle smile on her lips, then she lifted her right
hand toward me, palm upwards, and seemed to beckon me to go with her.
Strangely, I was not afraid. Instead I felt a warmth and a sense of peace and well being,
but the only part of me I could move was my head, which i slowly shook side to side in
the negative to her request to go with her. At this she appeared to be saddened and
lowered her head at the same time turning to her left then she floated, not walked, across
the room, and going straight through my brother's bed, then through a solid brick wall. As
she vanished, I seemed to just flop back on the bed exhausted, and went into a deep,
peaceful sleep.
A few days after this event, I went fishing with my elder brother and a friend. As we were
going home, I went into a shop to buy some sweets, and as I came out the door, my
brother's friend had a fishing rod over his shoulder, and I walked straight into it, blinding
my right eye. This accident completely changed my life, and stopped me from joining the
navy some years later because my eyesight was not up to their standards. So the job I had
for the next 30 years was in the coal mines.
I often wonder if this girl appeared to me to give some kind of warning. Was she a
guardian angel? I don't know, but if I had agreed to go with her, would I have died?
Angel Wings
Location: Gustine, CA
By: Maria Sanchez/catholic.org
One night I was doing some deep prayer, I decided to invoke my archangels, too. I've
been devoted to these Angels for a long time. I've seen miracles happened, but this
manifestation was no dream. Some thing caught my eye and I looked over in the mirror in
my room and I saw beautiful Angel Wings. It had glistering pink tips and inner part was
cream vanilla. It glowed just for a few seconds and it disappeared. After that happened, I
recieved a message from this Angel and it said," Whenever you need help or anything
else, call me. I'am here for you." He told me his name, it was Archangel Uriel. He
continued and said," Keep an open mind that we are here. Get more closer to nature, and
soon you will experience our physical presence in your life." I was in shocked at the
moment. From this experience, I definetly have an opened mind more now than before. I
know I'am never alone.
Anna's Angels
By: Anna G/catholic.org
This happend only one summer that i remember, i was about 7 years old and i used to go
to an old empty farm house one field over, i used to go to this house daliy, and stay there
for hours a lot of time early into the night, so one night i was at the second floor, sat
facing the window into the moon, on the side the sun rises,
I saw three angels decend, the middle one the most vibrant. Oh, they where bright, all
white, white hair, white wings, white gowns flowed to there feet white sandals, and the
purest white skin i have ever seen the only skin showing was there faces and hands but
there eye brows and eye lashes were of the lightest brown, that almost looked like white,
the eye color was very distinct undescribable color, surounded by the most purest white
light that i have ever seen, and probebly will ever see. the middle one spoke to me while
the other two were more to the back as if to portect the one in the middle. what the angel
spoke that day i do not remember, but slowly over the years i have heard them in my
dreams as if when i need to know what was said that night is just slowly being released as
i mature and understand the life and spirit as a whole. i am 25 now and i know the whole
of what was said that night will be revealed when they need me to know. i know some of
what they said that night to me, but i feel that i am only to share the story with you, the
rest is for
The three of us got to our seats just in time to see the kickoff. In that sea of orange-clad
fans, Id found my husband, my daughter and my purse. And an angel had found me.
An Answer to Cheer Me
Location: Deepwater New Jersey USA
By: Christine Chiomento/catholic.org
I don't have just one incident in which I am positive that God sent at least one, or even
more, of His angels to cheer me, or comfort me, or even to inform me--because, for
reasons only known to our heavely Father, I have had several--each one may seem
smallish in size, and significance, but are so big, filled with God's Love, to me. But, I will
just recount one of them, here.
On the first occasion that I can ever remember even wondering about the identity of the
person in question, it was my very last day of high school. I had been so painfully shy all
through grade school, never dating in high school, and staying to myself most of the time.
I knew most of the kids that I went all the way through high school with, yet I was just
way too shy, and socially awkward, to even try and mingle--so, I went to school mainly
because I had to, and so that I could eventually graduate, and get on with my life.
During that last afternoon of my 12th grade year, I was with lots of other girls, whom I
knew, at least by sight, and we were all gathered around the mirror, in one of the girl's
lavatories. We were all putting on lipstick, or combing our hair, while waiting for our
buses to arrive. Most of the girls were chatting with one another--I just stood, fixing my
hair, not saying anything, as usual.
Finally, all of the girls left, but one. And, I never really looked at her very much, since I
realized that I had never seen her before. I just assumed she was a fairly new student, and
that was why I didn't recognize her. Suddenly, just before she walked out the door, she
turned to me, and said, out of the blue, "You know, alot of the boys liked you, and they
would have asked you out on dates, but they didn't because they always thought you were
stuck up."
I was so totally surprised at what she'd just said--especially considering that I could
remember ever seeing her before in my life! But, she had just answered one of my very
biggest, unspoken, heartfelt questions, as to why no boys in school had ever even seemed
to know that I was alive. This stranger had just let me know why boys my age, had not
asked me out, for those 4 whole years of high school!
To this day, I am still so very grateful to her, for telling me what she did. But, it took
many years before I realized just Who must have sent her, that day, to tell me what I had
so secretly longed to know!
with me. His eyes became wide in disbelief and he ran off screaming. As I was being
lowered to the ground I noticed across the hallway walls large angel wings spread in a
shadow, as I was being gently lowered the angel wings slowly folded inward and
disappeared.
One of the young ladies pulled me to the side and said, "you know that you have an angel
who sits on your balcony and twirls a flamming sword. I was coming home late one night
and saw a huge angel standing in your balcony's doorway. I only saw it in an instant,
when I batted my eyes and looked back the sword was the only thing I saw before they
both dissappeared. I thought I was seeing things until you told us your angel story."
This was my confirmation and I have never doubted my Lord and Savior since. He has
sent my angel to me on several occassions which I shall relay to you in another email
soon.
Blessed and Touched by my Angel.
A Sister in The LORD Peggy Jovonne Reynolds.
I had to see this for myself. Maybe to take some control over my fate. The other guys
thought I was crazy. Youll get yourself killed, one said. He might have been right. But
I couldnt stop myself. I couldnt stay below deck a moment longer. Protect me, Lord, I
prayed, and headed for the companionway stairs.
I climbed to the deck and made my way just beneath those big guns. The sailors who
manned them fired at the Zeros with everything they had. There must have been two
dozen planes bearing down on the ship like hungry raptors.
The sailors kept firing and firing. The planes kept boring in, no more than 100 feet off the
ground.
One plane burst into flames, then pinwheeled into the sea. Then another. And another.
Artillerymen on the other ships opened fire too. Plane after plane fell from the sky.
Me, I stood there, transfixed. Its like a duck hunt, I thought. Just like when my older
brother and I would head out to the river near our house and take aim at a covey of ducks
passing over us.
For some strange reason, I wasnt afraid. Till one Zero cut through all the artillery fire
and aimed straight at us. Its going to hit us, I thought. Its going to destroy the ship.
The artillerymen didnt flinch. They did the job they were expected to do. I stood there
unable to move.
Then I felt something. Something that set me in motion. Two hands, gently but urgently
pressing on my back. They pushed me toward the companionway ladder that led below
deck. Whos that? I wondered, and swiveled my head around.
No one was there.
I paused at the top of the companionway ladder. Again, the two hands. Now they were
pushing me down the ladder, as fast as I could go.
I reached the lower deck and stopped, wondering how I had gotten there and why. Thats
when I heard the boom. A boom that rattled the ship, that exploded in my ears. I shook
my head, trying to clear the concussive sound. Alarms were going off everywhere. Sailors
raced past me to their posts.
I remained where I was, not that I had any choice. I was too shaken to move. I kept
waiting to feel the ship start sinking. But after a few tense minutes, I realized we were
okay.
I waited a few more minutes, then climbed back up the companionway ladder to the deck.
What struck me was the silence. I couldnt figure what was missing. Then I turned to
where the sailors had stood, firing the twin, 90-mm antiaircraft guns.
The men were gone. Out in the water, halfway between our ship and the hospital ship, a
Japanese Zero was rapidly sinking. Only its tail section remained afloat.
I blinked, trying to put it all together. A soldier from my unit tapped me on the shoulder.
Man, he said, were you ever lucky. If you had stayed on deck, you would have been
blown to bits.
A shiver ran through me. Id been protected. Why, I didnt know. But how was with two
powerful hands.
ok." When I got to work, I had bruises all up my left arm. That was the third time I had
been attacked by a large dog and each time the voice came.
Archangel Gabriel
By: Curt/catholic.org
I believe that Angels are among us. One night I went to sleep and I very seldom
remember dreams, but this one, it seems I was meant to remember. As I was sleeping I
remember seeing an Angel floating above me and by his/her side were 3 other Angels. I
asked "who are you?" The Angel answered; I am Archangel Gabriel and She is going to
be fine. The she that he/she was referring to was my wife. She is a 32 year Cancer
survivor and had just finished up her 5 bout/2 types of Cancer. She is doing Great. At the
time I did not know anything about Archangels so I looked it up. I believe the other 3
were Michael, Uriel and Raphael! I have had other occasions where a truly divine
intervention could only describe them end result....! Praise the Lord!
felt a sense of being too crowded, as if walking into a room of people. These people
couldn't be seen with the naked eye, but I knew they were there. In every sense, I could
feel their presence staring at me and wondering why my husband was not home. The time
had come to send every single earthbound on to where they needed to be and out of this
house.
I pulled out my book, the one with paperwork that I had collected over the years of
ghosts, cleansings, and anything else that had to do with the paranormal. I pulled out the
"Major
Rescue" sheet and began going over it in order to memorize it word for word. Standing in
the middle of my living room, I began to recite the words and calling in all the angelic
power I could possibly ask to come help. The whole room went from being in darkness to
looking as if someone turned on a flood lamp. I knew I had the power of the four
strongest archangels surrounding me. I then called on Archangel Raziel, the Avenger of
Foul Deeds to assist in case these earthbound spirits resisted. I asked that these angelic
beings take every single earthbound out of my home, including the shadow ghost which I
felt was consuming my husband ever since we moved here. I even opened the doors wide
to the house just in case there was any ghosts outside that needed to go; the door was
open to them, too.
I cannot even begin to describe the feeling that came over me, the sense of power; my
whole body tingled right down to my fingertips. The warmth that took over my body was
the sense of being wrapped divine love and peace, so strong, that I began to cry. It wasn't
fear or a sense of having something so powerful in my living room; it was the cry of joy happiness knowing they were there to help remove all the bad things from my house. I
could actually see a bright light before my eyes and souls as they walked into the light;
there were many of them. I could even hear their voices telling me goodbye and thanking
me for all my help. I also made a small request to the angelic beings to close any portals
that were open inside my house.
This whole process took well over 20 minutes. When I closed my eyes and held my hands
in the air, I could see nothing but bright light circled around the whole room. Soon, the
temperature within the house began to rise, going from around 45 degrees to about 60
degrees or more. It were as if someone turned on the heater and warmed the whole house
within seconds. I, then, thanked each of the angelic beings for their help and sat on the
floor to let 10 years of pain and suffering unload.
Later that night, I got ready for bed and shut off the lights in the living room. There was
absolutely no sense of feeling someone watching me. I felt nothing but peace for the first
time after being in this house for so long. I was able to sleep soundly with no waking up
during the night from unexplained noises. There were no nightmares or bad dreams, and I
could actually sleep without the heater going full blast as the room felt so much warmer.
It was the best sleep I had felt in 10 years.
I got up early and felt refreshed. Soon, one of my tenants came knocking at my door. I
invited him inside and asked him if he had felt anything strange. The first thing that came
out of his mouth was,"It's warmer in here." He had been in my house several times before
because he and his wife are taking over the management position at the end of this month.
So he knew how this house felt. He believes in ghosts and had been worried about taking
over the job and living here. I told him he had nothing to worry about because I had
cleansed the entire house. He felt a major difference. There is no more "creepy" feeling
when people walk in.
When my husband heard what had happened, he couldn't wait to come home. After his
release from the hospital, I allowed him to walk in first to see if he could feel any
difference.
Immediately, he felt the house being much warmer than before and noticed the feeling of
being watched was gone. He also felt different.
We were both sitting out on the patio talking, and he asked me what it was that I did to
the house. I showed him the paperwork I used for the major spirit rescue and asked him
to read it for himself. I wanted to see if he would see and feel what I had experienced so
he knew I wasn't making this up. He sat in his chair and read it out loud, word for word.
While he read it, he stopped and looked up at me in shock - the look on his face was
priceless as he said to me, "Wow." I asked him to describe what he was feeling. My
husband said that he felt a sense of power come over his whole body, and the feeling of a
tingling sensation from head
to toe. He also stated that the whole room lit up while he was reading. He knew I was
serious. I told him to ask the archangels to make sure the house was completely cleansed,
and if any other earthbound spirit was present, to take him or her to the light. He did and
the house again felt even more warmer than before. Travis had nothing more to say and
was amazed about what had just taken place.
I have a changed husband; he has more life in him than ever before - like a 16 year old.
He smiles, and there is no negative attitude. It's as if I have a whole new husband. He had
lived the life of a hermit, locking himself in the bedroom for hours on end. Most of his
time was spent sleeping because he was too sick to do anything else. The only thing I can
think is that my husband was picking up every single earthbound in this house. It was like
he was feeling what they feel like they were sucking the life right out of him. I really
think it is possible that the shadow being was feeding off of his negativity, or maybe
making him feel negative. I wonder if this ghost was making him sick and slowly
destroying him over time. I have my husband back, now, and everything seems to have
returned to normal in our house. Even my cats stay in the house, now, instead of eating
and running back outside.
She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend left 2 months ago
and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay
rent Jan 1, and finally in desperation finally called her parents, with whom she had not
spoken in about 5 years. They lived in California and they said she could come live with
them and try to get on her feet there.
So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to
California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there.
I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road.
As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?"
This definitely made me cry. I said, "Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy,
so sometimes God uses regular people."
It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's divine intervention. And of course, you
guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem.
I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything
wrong.
Sometimes angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter
of their wings...
Psalms 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.
He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."
My angel heart told me to be like an angel or something for this family in need.
This prayer is powerful and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive.
There is no cost but a lot of rewards.
Let's continue to pray for one another.
A prayer:
"Father, I ask You to bless my children, grandchildren, friends, relatives and email
buddies reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. Holy
Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit this very moment. Where there is pain, give
them Your peace and divine intervention. Where there is self doubt, release a renewed
confidence through Your grace, In Jesus' precious name. Amen."
Angels and Prayer -- are you like an angel or something, too.
Arms of an Angel
by Gary (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
I was 29 years old and full of life. Things were going ok in my life. I was on a back road,
not much traffic. You could say I was isolated from town. I took a short cut through the
country. It was at night, about twelve o'clock. I was traveling at about 50 mph when a
deer ran across the road. I swerved and lost control of my car. I went down into a gully
that was about 100 yards from the road. It knocked me out for about 30 minutes or so.
When I came to, I was in a lot of pain and was trying to pull it together. I blew the horn
until the battery went dead. Then I was alone in the dark. I started praying and thinking I
was going to die... when I thought I was seeing things. There was a light coming toward
me, and it started to form a shape. I closed my eyes and thought maybe it was because I
had hit my head, but when I opened my eyes, the light was so bright it almost blinded me.
I felt someone putting their arms around me, and I herd a voice say, "Don't worry." There
was a warmness come over me. Then I lost consciousness again.
The next thing I knew, I was at the top of the road. A truck stopped and called the
paramedics. When I told the doctors about what happened, they said I couldn't have
climbed to the road because my neck was broken along with every bone in my body.
They couldn't explain how I got to the top of the road... but I know.
Army of Angels
Location: Salt Lake City Ut Usa
By: Roselia Nevarez
around 3:oo am one morning about a week before the sept 11th tragedies I awoke to use
the bathroom, after returning to my bed I started to pray for sleep would not come, when
all of a sudden I realized that my bedroom was full of tiny lights like that of fire flies
however smaller. curious as I sat up leaning on my pillow I watched as my bedroom
became open my room was no longer a room but some wide open space I cannot
describe. little by little the tiny lights became larger and starting to form figures. as I
watched in awe I realized that the shapes which were forming were actually angels giant
like angels beautiful angels, appearing to walk but as I looked down at their feet they
were not touching the ground as they moved. I was trying quite hard to grasp everything
that I was witnessing I actually believe that my head was going from side to side as I was
watched what by now was a great army of angels which I will descibe. and continue my
story because it still makes my heart pound as I relive my vision. after the shapes started
to form into these incredible beings I imediately noticed the tall beautiful angels with
their wings so large up over their shoulders and then again forming perfectly shaped
wings going all the way to the ground or floor but not quite touching the bottom. the
color white is not a white I have ever seen but almost illuminating white with a
transparent like texture the wings themself were thick so soft looking. perfectly outlined
each feather on the wings which I don't think are feathers were just perfect like detailed
they had long beatuful robes, I tell you now that I feel overwhelmed when I write this and
every detail about them was just so beautiful. these angels all looked like each other I can
see them all the same however their own beings, they had almost curley hair like yellow
but not. I remember they looked as if they were all the color of transparent but very fair. I
somehow got a message that the angles are neither male or female although both I don't
to this day understand. they were all marching in a line in pairs of two. their left arms
were bent close to their chest holding with their hands a gold with siverish shiny sheild,
while their right hand were holding tightly a long sword I somehow got the feeling that
the sheilds
and the swords were unbreakable in every way. while I was closely absorbing their every
detail I know they were marching as I said I looked to the left of me to see where they
were marching and I could only see that there was not end to to line ahead. I looked to the
right to see where the line was coming from and again I saw that the line was as far as far
because all I could see was that the line from begining to end was never ending. I know
also that there was a constant druming not like anything I have seen or heard not even the
old army movies. but more like a tum,tum, tum, on and on as the march took place. at
some point I feel like I came out of a trance of some sort and asked does this mean that I
am going to die? as soon as I asked this, one of the angels turned directly at me and I
heard with out it's mouth moving, answer do not worry everything has been taken care of
you are protected.while this angel was talking to me I saw that it was still marching but
somehow still in the same place. the angel went on to tell me that this night others were
expeirencing the very same vision as I. that they were solders sent by God and they are
marching preparing to protect us all and that everything was for a reason and they were
right in the front line. they were very brave and very holy they will win the war in the end
it is the big war this angel told me that we should let them fight the war because it is there
war not ours. they told me they would protect us to stay behind them to do all that is of
God and in the end it will turn out goodl they continued to march and I sat up on my bed
untill they march so far that they started to fade into what seemed like a light cloud. untill
lone by one they were all gone and all of a sudden my bedroom was once again my
bedroom, I sat still for a few moments and my heart wanted to burst it felt as if my chest
was on fire I was so overwhelmed by this experience and after I no longer saw them I
begin to cry with so much saddness, and the rest of the day went over and over my
experience, there are a couple of things from this story that I don't understand. when I
cried I told my God that I was not worthy of him allowing me this experienc and I went
on ask why me I have not ever understood but I know what I saw I have shared this story
with few that know that I am not crazy.
This happened to me one early morning and I have relived it over many times the angels
also told me that I must share this story to many. and some will understand the marching
the truth,
do you want to go to the flea market with me? He said yes, so we went. I went around to
the venders feeling happy, and generous. Seeing the need of the people. I bought what I
wanted, and gave to the people in need selling bread etc, and to those asking for
donations for church, which I normally dont. I am never sure where the money goes. But
something in me told me to go ahead and donate.
So then when I was done with my rounds. I told my son lets go buy some Chinese food
for your father to go as he asked. So we bought some food, and were headed to the car in
the parking lot. In the corner of my eye. I could see a young man in a grey pin stripped
suit , with a nice lavender shirt on, clean cut, kind of standing up from a scrunched
position like he just landed in the middle of the parking lot.
He saw that I saw him, and asked can I have a moment of your time in Spanish. I said,
yes. I told my son if he is selling something we are not buying anything. But he had
nothing to sell just a long stemmed white rose in his had. He said, I am a person that has
had a lot of bad things happen to me. I know you have a good heart ,and a good life. I
shook my head yes. He said, you know this I said yes. I knew this because this is
something I pray about constantly. Why people are mean to me if I have a good heart?
And why am I not happy or satisfied with my life, why do I want more? He said he
wanted to give me this rose. I took it, and he asked if he could have a hug. Normally I do
not give out hugs, but I was not afraid. His face was like porcelain ,and his eyes were a
calming blue. He looked like my daughter friend which I love him like a son. So he did
not look like a stranger. I gave him a hug , and he left in the opposite direction. I turned
around , and he had his head turned around looking at me. I waved good bye, and hugged
my son ,and said what a good day, I even got a flower. I raised the flower to the sky ,and
said thank you daddy, and I blessed myself. For I knew this was a sign from up above, a
gift from daddy. I turned around again to look at him, he was gone. I was shocked and
weeped like a baby as I got in my car.
I knew my dad knew I was thinking of him on his birthday ,and wanted me to have some
peace in my life, and stop grieving. He got the rose I lit for him, and returned a white rose
to me. White rose is the sign of peace. I am told angels usually give you a sign something
you recognize. I knew what that white rose ment.
You see prior on Dec 14th is my dads birthday, I was so sad. I was working ,but more
than anything I wanted to be at the cemetery with my father on his birthday he passed in
August of 2005. My mom in 2003. So I wanted to do something to let him know I was
thinking of him. So I had a little white rose candle, my daughter had given me as a gift. I
was saving it for a special occasion. So what better occasion than my fathers birthday . So
I lit the candle all day in front of a 5x7 picuture I have of my dad at work.Crying off and
on all day missing my father still grieving. The following Saturday I couldnt get to the
cemetery fast enough to be with my father and mother and spend time with them.
So I came home told my husband the experience and put the white rose in a long tall
vase. That rose was getting more beautiful by the day. It last 2 weeks without me
watering it ,and seems to glow at night. I talked to some spiritual friends about the
experience ,and they all agree I had an encounter with an angel. Yes it was a sign.
gentler with ourselves and with others around us. We begin to exemplify sacred vows those of truthfulness and compassion.
The truth about living a spiritual life is that it is not separate from the ordinary threads
and weavings of a physical life. We're being required to "walk our talk" in our everyday
dealings with friends, family, co-workers and strangers, to begin to exemplify those
qualities characteristic of the angels - nurturance, protection, guidance, unconditional
love and acceptance. These qualities are ones traditionally associated with feminine
energy. It is timely to return to these ways, to honor the divine mother within each of us,
men as well as women. It is only by doing this, by embracing and embodying what has
been called the feminine Christ, that we are able to be moving through this time of
extraordinary transformation with courage and kindness.
We are all here to teach something and although we may not all be teachers by conscious
choice or avocation, each of us contributes something through the unique pattern of our
personality, and often, through the work that we choose to do. What I teach is basic: Tell
the Truth, Be Here Now, Let Go. Love God, Be True, Have Fun. Show Up, Hang in There
, Do the Best You Can.
These are all variations on the theme. Be good to yourself. Honor the Divine within.
Develop compassion. Quiet the mind. Pay attention. Leave no tracks. Be grateful. And
humble.
Working with the angels can help us to be mindful of these precepts and to remember to
Lighten Up! Whenever I fall into the trap of taking myself and my process too seriously,
my angel pops in with a few well-chosen words. Once, when I was in a workaholic binge
trying to complete too many projects before leaving for a vacation, she quipped;
"Functioning starts with Fun".
It helped me to bring things back into perspective, to release the stress I'd imposed on
myself. On another occasion when my ego flared, she piped up: "It's always too early for
self-congratulation." It's never too early to call on the angels for comfort and support.
And, best of all, it's never too late.
Alma has been teaching people how to connect with their angels since 1985, and now
trains individuals to conduct the Ask Your Angels workshops that she developed. Alma's
Angelic Meditations audio cassette, with music by Gerald Jay Markoe, is at the top of the
new Age charts in the U.S. For information about her other tapes and a video cassette,
you can write to her at 300 Central Park West, Suite 25C, New York, NY. 10024
Now, Bernie, dont go outside alonenot even to get the mail, my doctor warned over
the phone. These North Dakota winters are dangerous. If you slip, who will be there to
help you?
I appreciated his concern, but... not even for the mail? At 61, I wasnt as sure on my feet
as I used to be, but I was no invalid.
He was right about one thing though. I was often alone. My husband and I had a brood of
14, but they had all flown the nestand the icy winters of our small town. While my
husband was working, I was by myself.
I looked outside. Over a foot of snow blanketed the neighborhood. Our driveway was a
steep slope and needed to be shoveled. Okay, Lord, I prayed. Walk with me.
Slowly, I trudged down to the mailbox and got my mail. Ha! There! Triumphant, I turned
back up the slope.
My rubber boots lost their grip. Envelopes flew. Sliding helplessly on the ice, I spun
around just barely managing to hug the mailbox. I caught my breath.
Herelet me help you. A tall, dark-haired man, wearing only a T-shirt and overalls
stood beside me. Who in his right mind would dress like that in this weather? But I
accepted his offer.
He held me gently by the elbow, guiding me up the slope, step by step, to my front door.
Thank you, I said, glancing down at my snowy boots, stomping them on the welcome
mat. Arent you cold like that? He didnt answer.
I looked up. He wasnt standing beside me. I was alone. Only one trail of footprints led
up the snowy driveway to my front door.
At My Feet
By: alynn79@comcast.net (ainglkiss.com)
When I was about 19yrs. old I started to use drugs and just really began to abuse myself
physically and mentally. My family became suspicous of my behavior, but I hid it well
and always used work and school as an excuse not to ever be around them at family
events, of course it was not work that kept me away. The social circle I chose at that time
in my life was not the greatest, drugs and alcohol were always available to me. As the
year past my older sister became concerned and wanted me to hang out with her more
often, but I always made excuses to avoid her. When my sister and I finally agreed to
spend the evening together she had also arrange a blind date for me later that evening
(this is almost a year later). The day before I suppose to meet her I went to a party that
lasted until the following day. When my "friend" dropped me off at home that night my
body began to shut down-I have not eaten in two days. That night there were a few
things I remember as I layed in my bed: the pain my body was feeling, my sister calling
me telling me that he(my blind date) is waiting and an image at the foot of my bed as I
beg for this pain to go away.
It was one of those moments when you cannot tell if it were a dream or if it is real. I was
restless. As I fell asleep I woke up again to see two people at the foot of my bed. There
was a girl on my left side and a boy on the right. They would not look at my face, they
just stood there with their heads tilted and said, "don't worry, you are going to be ok".
Knowing myself if I were to dream or experience that I would be scared, but for some
reason I felt really comfortable and safe. The "dream" carried me to fall asleep for the
rest of the night. I woke up the next day to realize a lot about myself and also to know
those changes could not happen in a day. I will never forget that experience.
I am thirty now and drug free. There are many gaps to fill in this story, but I would just
like to mention that there are angels out there wether if they are in your dreams or at the
foot of your bed ;) One more thing, that blind date I was suppose to meet that night is
the man that I am married to now. This is a man whom has also bought faith back into
my life.
A Tweed Coat
Location: San Diego, CA USA
By: Olivia Solomon/catholic.org
In 1974 while employed with Mercy
Hospital and working late hours, I had
a car that had a disfunctional Gas Gage. While driving home after Midnight
along Highway 163 southbound my car gave out. Because it was Raining and I couldn't
see a thing as I pulled over, I paniced and began to scream for God.My windows were
Fogged and my windsheild wipers were bad. Suddenly there was a tap on my Driver side
Window. I couldn't figure out who this person was. Because of the Gas Fumes,I gave up
and put the Window down. A Black Bearded man with a wet tweeded Coat kept signaling
me to move over. With no choice but to do what he wanted me to, I moved over to the
Passenger side. This man, (out of no where) started my Car right up and drove it 300 feet
away from a Gas Station and told me to grab the Steering wheel. my car was coasting so
it was easy for him to get out. As I
coasted into the Gas Station on the corner of 10th and A street, the Gas
Attendent asked why I was on the Passenger side. I explained to him that
the man out in the Street had helped me pull my Car off the side of the Freeway. The Gas
Station Attendent looked around and there was no one anywhere. I explained the whole
story to him and the stranges thing, was the smell of Tweed fabric in my Car and the
Driver side was Dry. Almost twenty years later while jogging by the Bay, a man fitting
his description was sitting on a Bench and I had a very Sad feeling as I looked at him. As
I turned to Jog back to my Office I usually would buy a Yogurt but instead I had this
impulse to give him my Money and I did. I will never forget the sound of his voice when
he thanked me, it was the exact voice that I heard in my Car, "Move over Lady"
Olivia DeLaRosa-Solomon
Auto Accident
By: MaryinNJ/catholic.org
I believe I had an angel with me at the time of the auto accident i had a few years ago. I
was hit from behind on a busy highway during the morning rush hour. It was a 3 lane
highway with the center median diving the north and south lanes. I was in the left lane
and was hit so hard that my Cherokee vereed into almost the oncoming traffic, I quickly
hugged the wheel and spun into circles from the impact and me slamming my breaks...I
went into the the lanes to the right of me and did not get hit by a single car...I then spun
back and flipped on the side and bounced back and somewhat ended up where I started.
At the moment when I had to take major control of that wheel, I heard in my head and
could have been myself thinking this "that now is not the time" for me to die, I cant die
now. I did see parts of my life pass in my mind....and then thru the spinning and side
flips, ended up back to safety. There were a few witnesses who stopped and the one man
told me he could not believe I walked out of my car and was ok also. I think back to that
day and also remember when the car finally stopped moving, the first thing I saw was the
rosary hanging from my rear view mirror. I believe that if that was not an angel with me,
it was God that saved me that day and gave me strength to make it thu it and had all
vehicles not hit me. Another amazing part of this was that the damage to my car, was
almost like it never happened...scuff marks on tires, no dents anywhere. Was amazing. I
believe whole heartedly.
A Visit At Night
By: G. Milling/catholic.org
When I was 11 or 12, I had a very rough day at home. I had heard voices before but never
saw anything. This particular night I was asleep. I remember having a feeling that I was
not alone. I awoke and saw a lady in white, with blond hair, wings, etc surrounded by
light. I sat up, rubbed my eyes to see if I was awake or dreaming. (I even pinched my
face). We just stared at each other. To this day, I don't know why I did not say something.
She just smiled. After about several minutes, I smiled, waved and laid down; she just
disappeared.
A Voice Saved Me
By: Judith G./catholic.org
I was riding inside a bus. It was a long ride to my home and little did I know that I had
fallen asleep. In what it seemed to be a long while, I was awakened by a voice which told
me to wake up. I was compelled to do so and I woke up. Right there and then I saw men
who seemed to be planning something bad toward me. Strangely, they seemed unaware
that I woke up and was studying their moves. At what seemed to be the precise moment
in which they were about to manifest their plan on me, I shouted back at the bus driver to
stop the bus. Strangely enough, those bad looking guys didn't lay a hand on me when they
could do so. They helplessly watched me got off that bus. I couldn't forgot that
commanding voice that delivered me from harm. If I didn't woke up immediately, I could
have been taken by those group of men. I thought I was rescued by the Blessed Mother or
my guardian angel. Nevertheless, I am thankful to God that he delivered me from harm's
way.
A Wake-Up Call
Location: Sonora CA USA
By: Kathryn Adriano/catholic.org
In just a few days school would start, ending a summer of leisurely mornings and
sleeping in. I asked my Guardian Angel to please help me get up earlier in order to
"ween" myself into the new school year of 6:00 am risings.
The next morning I became vaguely aware of my female shepherd pounding my side of
the bed with her chin, something she used to do when she had an urgent need to go out,
but hadn't done for at least four or five years. In my still sleepy condition, I didn't respond
and began to sink back into a deep sleep.
Suddenly, I heard my name called out loud. "Kathy," the voice called. I immediately
opened my eyes, and, wide awake, looked at the clock. It was 9:00--two hours earlier
than I had been used to getting up. My dog was still at my bedside, and as soon as I was
up, she went out into the living room. I opened the door for her, thinking she needed to go
out because of the way she had pounded my bed, but she just lay there calmly, on the rug.
I knew then that my Guardian Angel had awakened me with the help of my dog. The
voice I had heard was clear but neither distinctly male nor female, and I can still hear my
name, "Kathy...," being called out to me. My Angel was answering my prayer to begin
getting up earlier in order to be ready for school. This was the best wake-up call I have
ever received!
ideas. Katelyn and I saw lots of affordable options, and I felt so positive about our
planning that I entered a raffle for a trip to Cancun.
By afternoon I was sure Katelyn would have that first-class wedding even if I could
contribute much less than Id hoped.
On our way out of the expo, we heard the announcement. The winner of the trip to
Cancun is
Katelyn gasped. It was me! Of course I gave the prize to Katelyn and her fianc. My
daughter would have a first-class wedding, and now a first-class honeymoon. Worth,
believe it or not, $2,500.
Baby Angel
By: Michelle Gabrielle/catholic.org
One day after I brought the eucharist to the sick I forgot to return it to the church. I still
had some eucharist left and brought it home. That night I went to sleep and left the
eucharist in the hall on a counter in front of a pilgrim statue of the blessed mother. About
four in the morning I awoke from a scary dream that the devil was trying to get me. I
ended up having an out of body experience in In the room where the eucharist was then a
baby angel brought me back to my room. When I realized I was above my body I saw the
angel on my right with a gold horn. The angel wore a cream rode that covers its feet and
it had gold trim. When I got scared I was put back in my body without any pain or
discomfort. I thought I would get a step stool to check the ceiling fan just to be sure the
dust clumps where still there, they were there still in the same place on top of my ceiling
fan. I decided to open the bible and read something, I read revelations, it said God has his
angels at the four corners of the earth. This baby angel was watching the eucharist for
God. Love Michelle
Baby Angel
By: Anna/catholic.org
When I was about seven, my mother was pregnant with my little sister. I didn't know she
would be a girl, and one night I dreamed about an angel coming and telling me she would
be a girl. My mom told me the next day.
carrying a lot of stuff: diaper bag, stroller, purse, etc. My biggest challenge in the malls
and stores was navigating the escalators. Being the cautious type, I would always fold up
the stroller and carry it down the escalator in one hand, baby in the other. But this is a
dangerous balancing act in itself, and I don't have the world's best balance. I'd seen other
people just roll their strollers onto an escalator, ride it down and roll it off at the bottom.
I'd always been a little skeptical of this method and doubted my ability to pull it off, but
on this day, against my better judgment, I decided to try it.
My friend got on the escalator. With my daughter safely strapped in, I rolled the stroller
on behind her, then got on myself. A man got on behind me. I didn't pay much attention to
him, but I was aware that he was standing about two or three steps behind me. All was
well until we got to the bottom. My friend got off. I was in the process of rolling the
stroller off behind her, but something on the stroller caught on something on the escalator.
The stroller stopped dead...- I didn't. I flew over the top of the stroller, all arms and legs
everywhere. I heard the stroller collapse, but I couldn't do anything about it - it was like I
was tumbling through space in slow motion.
I didn't hear my baby cry. As I scrambled to my feet, I feared the absolute worst. My
slightly mangled stroller (one wheel was bent) had skidded about 10 feet from the bottom
of the escalator. My baby wasn't in it. But standing right behind me, holding her under
her arms, was the man who'd gotten on the escalator behind me. She was unhurt and
completely calm. He handed her to me without a word. Badly shaken, I took her from
him. I looked away for just as second, then turned back to him to thank him from the
bottom of my heart and ask him how he'd gotten her out of the stroller. But in the time it
took me to look away and look back again, he was gone.
I asked my friend if she'd seen where he went. She said she didn't; she'd been too busy
trying to help me. We ran through the store and looked for him everywhere, but we never
did find him. The only question that remains is, was he my daughter's Guardian Angel?
Or was he mine?
Ball of Light
Location: Bermuda
By: A Smith/catholic.org
First know that I have only told one other person that I can remember. I may have tried to
tell my husband but he interrupted me and I lost my nerve.
It happened some years ago during my first marriage. I had just miscarried my first child.
It happened while I was carrying laundry to be put on the line. So once I returned home
from my grandmother\'s where I had been mentally recuperating upon leaving the
hospital, eventually washing day arrived again. Once again I carried laundry out to the
wash line. As was pinning them up, a ball of light appeared in front of me. It seemed as
bright as the sun yet it didn't hurt my eyes to look at it. I remeber that the sun was behind
me and the ball of light was too high for it to have been a refection of sunlight. What
convinces me most that it was something otherworldly was how it made me feel. I started
to cry. All the guilt I felt at thinking that it was something I had done to cause me to lose
my child disappeared and I knew that everything was OK. That I was going to be fine.
Even now thinking about it so many years later makes me wonder about so many things
that we have yet to fully understand. I have come to realise though that what is meant to
be, will be and ultimately there is nothing to fear for love exists on levels we have yet to
know about.
Ball Of Light
By: mariadelosangeles/catholic.org
When I was a child in the late 70's I witness a very bright light in the shape of a ball.
I was ten years old. During that time we lived next to a church. We were very church
going. We were always at church singing/praying/ learing about god,my grandfather was
a preacher.
During that time also my mother and father were going through a seperation and then a
divorce. Often they fought argued. That of course finally led to divorce. I remeber being
sad and having to choose between my dad and mom some time. But those times were sad
for all of us all my sister and brother.
One day in my room I witness something that at the time I did not understand. A very
bright ball of light came out of nowhere into my room and just floated towards me and
excisted sort of above me. It was floating in the room and would come close to me.
Because I did not understand it I would close my eyes. What was this light I would tell
my self. I rememeber the light bringing peace and comfort to me. The light also kept me
from thinking about my mom and dad and their seperation. Because I kept trying to make
sence of this light, and would think about the problems with my mom and dad. The light
came to visit/or into my room for three days straight. AFter that I did not see it anymore. I
never told anybody because this was the sort of think that is unatural and is not suppose
to happen on this earth. Now as an adult I feel and think that it was god sent to comfort
me during my parents arguments and divorce. So I do believe that there is a god in
heaven and angels excist and are with us to guide us help us and comfort us.
overnight. We had no idea Bandit was dying. We went to visit him with his sister dog
Scarlette and noticed he was very very sick. Bandit cried when we went to leave him.
Bandit never did that before. He put his head on my twins shoulder. That night I woke up
and sat up in my bed feeling funny.
In the corner of the room a bright light appeared and in the ball of light a young dark
headed girl appeared and got closer to me. She has a white robe on and was smiling so
big. I spoke to her and she turned suddenly and disappeared beside me. I had no contacts
or glasses and saw Bandit's angel clear as day. I told my twin sister about the angel next
morning. Two days later Bandit passed during the Mylogram on Valentines day 2006. The
angel must have known how devastated we would be and came to me that night to lighten
the blow and grief. My twin a few weeks later got a visit from Bandit in Heaven to let her
know he was happy, young and alive ANIMALS HAVE SOULS We both got our
proof!
Beaming Happiness
By: abby/catholic.org
Last year, as I grew closer to God I caught moments where I would still doubt Him. Then
as summer came, something was missing. I still can't point that something out, but I knew
it was gone. I caught on to this and realized that my relationship with God was
disintegrating. And it almost felt as if I didn't care, but deep down I wanted that
"something missing" to come back.
During what I think was the month of July, I really had trouble believing. I would have
random thoughts of"I don't believe in God" or"God doesn't exist, he's not answering my
prayers". For the most part, I couldn't feel anything when I thought these things. That
something missing wouldn't prove me wrong like it always had.
Then, one night as I was lying in my bed, I prayed to God to prove to me he exists in my
dream. I begged for Jesus to visit me, and I told Him that I didn't care if I remembered the
dream or not, I just wanted to hear something from Him.
I woke up SMILING at about 5:00 A.M. and felt something. I was happy. Not that
cheesy, corny happy when you can't stop smiling. That kind of happy that makes your
heart beam and overwhelms you so much that you can't even think or cry, just breathe. I
have never felt that way before. The first thing that came out of my mouth was,"Jesus". I
could feel the air around me and it almost felt as if someone touched my face. God had
answered my prayer.
I do not remember the dream, but I do know that NOTHING but Jesus could have made
me feel that way. I may be unsure about a lot of things, but I know that Jesus came to me
that night. You may be reading this and be thinking that it wasn't him, but listen to me:
When you feel that beaming happiness, you'll know.
Believe
Location: Long beach new york usa
By: Jessica Cuevas/catholic.org
After losing my mom and my best friend within the same month i was not only mad hurt
and angry but i was lost because the two people i trusted and loved the most were both
gone i felt abandond i was so scared that i was going to lose the rest of my family.i sat
outside in my yard it felt like days just kept passing me by and i just looked up toward
heaven asking why my prayers were not anwsered to help my mom and friend why i
would say i watched them both die i started blaming my self for all the wronge i had did
in life i had no anwsers nor did anyone else when i saw this beautiful butterfly it flew
around me for a minite and then just flew away it came back huffered around me for a
moment i put my hand out while my family watched with amazement the butterfly landed
on my shoulder it starttled me and then it flew off again but it came back i put my hand
out and i swear to god it landed on my hand i leaned in to kiss it and it let me all i could
say was mom i started to cry when a thought went through my head i told my family that
butterflys bring us the souls of the ones we lose i believe that we should all watch the
signs we don't have the anwsers of why these things happen but it brings me some peace
to no that god did anwser my prayers he brought me my mom to say i'll see you again
someday i believe again.
birthday seemed special because I had recovered, was feeling wonderful and thanking
God for the miracle He had given me because I could have lost my life if the surgery had
not been done quickly. I was slowly settling into a quiet life when once again everything
shattered around us again.
On June 21, my mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly and just as we tried to stop
reeling from that tragedy, my father was admitted to the hospital on July 25 with a
diagnosis of terminal cancer. Life was a blur of hospital visits and radiation treatments
and bringing him home just to have to readmit him. We lost him just 35 days later on
August 29th.
I always say that 1989 was the worst year of my life and I don't know how I survived it
all, but then I remember the tiny nun and the warmth that passed through me from her
touch.
I truly believe in angels and that God sent her to prepare me for the year ahead. I am not
sure if she really was a nun and God used her as His vehicle of grace or if she came
directly from heaven to that spot near the doors of the medical clinic that cold December
afternoon, but I do know that she was MY angel ... and I will always believe in angels.
backward and saw that he was following me across the street. I reminded myself that
nothing could happen with people all around, but I didn't really believe it. I reached the
club, but there was a line in front of the bouncer who was checking IDs. I stood there
shaking with fear as I saw the man pause on the other side of the street, look both ways,
then calmly begin crossing toward me. Every move he made was precise and deliberate. I
knew that when he got to me something horrible was going to happen, and it was only
with great effort that I managed to maintain my composure.
Just then, another man walked up to me from the other direction. He was in his late 20s or
early 30s (several years older than me), wearing jeans, sneakers, a baseball cap, and a
hooded sweatshirt from a local university (UIndy, my alma mater). He touched me on the
shoulder and I immediately felt calmer. Then, he said, "Don't worry. You're all right. We
have everything under control." I glanced back at the man in the suit and he had paused in
the middle of the street. It's amazing that he wasn't run over. The sweatshirt man turned
away from me to face the man in the suit. It was clear to me that this was a showdown.
After a moment, the man in the suit sneered at us, in frustration, it seemed. Then turned
around, and walked away. The sweatshirt man turned back to me with a reassuring smile,
patted my shoulder and walked on.
I wish now that I had followed him and asked some questions, but the bouncer beckoned
me inside and I really wanted to get back to my friends. When I found them in the club,
my girlfriend immediately knew something was wrong, but before she could say
anything, another friend, Scott, said, "Did your friend find you?" I replied, "Who?" Scott
explained that they had run into a guy who was asking about me. That he had said we had
gone to school together, and that he really needed to find me. When I pressed for details,
they described the sweatshirt man (of course.) I don't know who either man was, but I
truly believe that I was targeted by something evil, and that my guardian angel (or
something) protected me.
Blessed by a Daisy
She wasn't sure her family was ready for a new dog, but someone up above was positive
they were.
By Amy Mahoney, Holly Springs, Mississippi (guideposts.org)
Daisies are my favorite flower. Anything with daisies gets my attentioneven the word on
my computer screen. Please help save Daisy the Dog! my friend Judy had posted on
Facebook. The message included a picture of a pit bull mix. She looks a lot like Allie, I
thought.
Our beloved Staffordshire Terrier had died a year and a half before. I couldnt imagine
replacing her. But I also couldnt stop myself from reading the post. The picture had
come from a Facebook app called Pet Pardons, which helped people find homes for
shelter animals scheduled to be put to sleep.
Daisys number was up on Monday. Today was the Friday before, and the shelter was
located 200 miles away, clear across the state. There was a name and a phone number to
call below the picture. Call right now, a voice inside me said.
Getting a dog was a big commitment. Certainly not one I could make without even
talking about it with my husband, Shannon, and I wouldnt be able to reach him at work.
Call right now, the voice urged. I picked up the phone and left a message at the number in
the post.
I want to adopt Daisy, I said, and hung up with my stomach tied in knots. Frankly, I
wasnt ready for another dog. I was still grieving for Allie. And what would Shannon say
when he got home from work?
Despite all my doubts, something told me Id done the right thing. It was as if Daisy was
already mine and always had been. My heart was sure.
I was still at the computer when my son Daniel came into the room. I expected him to
laugh when I told him what Id done, maybe ask why I hadnt consulted the family.
Instead he looked at the picture and said, Call again. You have to make sure your
message got through.
Before I could pick up the phone Shannon walked in. He was holding a pile of letters
from the mailbox, and a package he laid on the counter.
Honey, I said, Ive got something to tell you. I confessed what Id done and showed
him the picture on my screen.
Shannon just stared at it.
I know you must be shocked that Id call about adopting a dog without consulting you....
Her names Daisy, I said by way of explanation. Please, say something. Im really
sorry.
Its the strangest thing, he said finally, but I feel like shes supposed to be ours.
Now we seemed to be shocking one another, all three of us having the same exact
reaction. What was going on? Could we trust our impulsive inclinations? I jumped when
the phone rang.
Daisy is a sweet, friendly girl, said the woman from Pet Pardons. I explained that this
was a rash decision on our part.
We dont want any more disappointments for Daisy. Why dont you pray on it tonight?
the woman said. Give me a call when you know how you really feel.
Well, what do you think? I asked Shannon and Daniel when I hung up.
I think its weird to agree to adopt a dog weve never met, Shannon said. She could
have all sorts of problems. We might not like her.
She might not like us, Daniel pointed out.
I didnt need to hear all the reasons not to adopt Daisy. I was already thinking them
myself. So while the guys talked I distracted myself opening the brown package that had
come in the mail. It was from a friend from out of town.
Weve never even really talked about getting another dog, Shannon said. How can we
take a chance without even meeting her?
He looked to me for an answer, but at that moment I couldnt speak. Id pulled out a little
plaque from the box, along with a note. I saw this today and thought of you, my friend
had written.
The plaque was an inscription from Hebrews 11:1. Faith is being sure of what we hope
for, I read out loud, and certain of what we do not see.
For a second everyone looked at one another. Then we both burst out laughing. I guess
we have our answer, Shannon said.
I called right back and said we would definitely adopt Daisy. The woman pulled Daisy
from the shelter on Monday and kept her until we could make the trip. One week later we
drove across Mississippi to pick her up. Daisy greeted us like old friends, as if shed been
waiting her whole life to see us.
She knew she was ours, just as we did. Maybe an angel had told her so. I know an angel
told us.
We answer the questions you and your family should consider before adopting a shelter
dog!
Blow of an Angel
By: May S. Pagkatipunan, Sta. Mesa Manila, Philippines/catholic.org
One Saturday afternoon on my way home, I received a call from my mom asking me to
go home right away because the house of my uncle which is just right beside our house is
burning. When I reached home, the fire was out. When I was looking at the damaged 2
floors of my uncle's home, which is just a few feet away our wall, I said to myself, an
angel just protected our home. I truly believe in angels and what I see from my
perspective was an angel standing between that space blowing the fire not to touch our
home. I know the angel who protected our home was my sister's guardian angel who is a
special child.
later, 911 happened. When my grandpa had been diagnosed with cancer, one night I
dreamt exactly how he was going to die. The next day, my father told me my grandpa
passed away at night. I believe the angels left me this gift, because I was meant to help
other people.
she was very down. I talked to her for about 3 hours until I felt she was okay and it was
about 3:00 a.m. I tucked her in on the couch and kissed her goodnight. Well, about 30
minutes later, she got up, got into her car and left unbeknown to me. We live in a very
rural wooded area and she drove down to a bridge that was out in the middle of nowhere.
She climbed up onto the second wrung of the metal bridge with her headphones on
playing her ipod gazing down into the water. She said it was pitch black. Now it was
about 4:00 in the morning. Katie was standing there when all of the sudden she felt a
hand on her shoulder, she spun around and jumped down scared out of her wits. There
stood a young man. (A true angel so it turns out.) She described him as being about 25 or
26 years old, with scraggly blonde hair to his shoulders. He was wearing a white button
up dress shirt and cream-colored pants and very white tennis shoes. She said he flung his
hands up in the air and said, "It's cool, it's cool. I just want you to get down off the
bridge." Katie said his demeanor put her at ease immediately. She said he told her his
name was Tom. She asked him what he was doing out there so late and he responded by
saying, "what are you doing out here so late?" He had no car there and said he had been
walking but he didn't have a spot of dirt on him.
They talked for quite a bit and she said he was soft spoken and listened intently to every
word she said. At one point he pointed at her ipod and looked at it strangely and asked,
"Are you listening to music on that?" She said...."Yes" She thought that was odd like he
hadn't ever seen one. Well the conversation lead into him stating that he once lived in our
town. He said he had been in the army and then mentioned some of the people he used to
run around with. My oldest daughter Sarah had an old boyfriend named Jamie and he
mentioned him and also said he knew our oldest daughter Sarah also. Katie realized that
she needed to go and asked him if he needed a ride. He said yes so they both got into her
car and took off. They drove by our house and she pointed at it and said, "that's where I
live." She then asked him, "well, where would you like me to drop you off at and he said,
"Home". So she continued driving towards town. About half way to town he said, "You
can drop me off at the Freeman cemetery" She said, Right there she got very scared and
the hairs rose up on the back of her neck. The cemetery is located on the opposite side of
town and is on the outskirts of town, and then she thought he was going to kill her or
something." She pulled into the cemetery and he said, "Now turn left and she pulled in
between 2 rock pillars and he said, "This is fine" and then he got out and walked toward
the middle of the cemetery. She said she looked down at the gear shift and put it into
reverse and then looked back up and he was gone. Right then she said is when she knew
something strange had taken place and burst into tears and freaked out of her mind. The
next morning she told me the story and I was really mad that she had picked up a total
stranger. I was determined to find out just who this guy was, so I called my oldest
daughter Sarah. I asked her if she knew a guy named Tom that her and Jamie had run
around with and described him to her. Immediately my oldest daughter Sarah's voice
changed and she said very slowly, "Mom, the only guy I ever knew that we ran around
with the name Tom... is dead. I then asked her, "where is he buried?" She said...."The
Freeman Cemetery!!!!!!" She told me that he had passed away when she was about 13
and had went to his funeral. He died in the shower from a heart attack in 94. She said he
was much older than them and when he died was approximately 23 or 24 years old. He
had had the flu and the virus had attacked his heart. Katie would have been 8 years old
when he died and never knew or saw this person. The next morning, I got Katie into the
car and we drove to the cemetery. She got out on the passenger side and said, "I'm going
to walk in the direction that I saw him walking" I got out on the driver's side and started
searching the headstones for his name. The next thing I heard was Katie screaming and
she fell to her knees. I ran over to her and there it was...his headstone.
I questioned her about their conversation and she said, "he didn't really say anything
profound to me" I said, "Did he tell you to get off the bridge?" She said, "Yes." I told her
that maybe something would have happened to her if she hadn't. Later on my older
sister's boyfriend talked to her. He is a police detective/interrogator for 22 years. He
believes strongly that she was telling the absolute truth. He told me later that he believes
she had an encounter with her guardian angel. If Tom had told her to drop him off at a
certain house in town, no one would have thought a thing about it. Then later on, Katie
found something very strange in her car. It was a cooly cup shaped like a bass fish. She
couldn't figure out who had left it there. Later Sarah told her that her old boyfriend had
carried one of those particular cups with him all the time.
Today Katie is doing 100% better. She is free from drugs and the inner demons. She got
married and is very happy and never returned alone to that bridge again!!
Sincerely, A grateful Mom.
Car Accident
By: Tiffany/catholic.org/
About a year ago I got in a car accident. I hit a power pole and rolled over with the power
pole on top of my car. I crawled out of the window and ran a ways down the street,
dropped to the ground thaking God for saving my life and that no one was involved or
hurt. I work in healthcare and know the great miricle of this accident. I saw pictures of
the car and the pole was inces away from my head. I remember everything, including the
fact that the impact seemed to be cushioned by something more than just the air bag. In
fact I didn't see the air bag go off. For the rest of the week I was so confused as to why I
was allowed to live. I prayed for an answer each night for hours. An angel came to me in
deep prayer and answered mentally to be more like me. With this voice still in my head I
bolted up and began to think about how I could be more like an angel. Then I thought
about what exactly an angel is and that led me to who the King of Angels is and back to
Jesus Christ, Mary and the Holy Spirit. I am forever grateful and growing in Christ. My
prayer go out to everyone, especially those who are confused in faith.
Car Angel
By: LISA MENINO/catholic.org
Maybe you have experienced doing something without thinking about the consequences.
This is a story about just that.
It was 1999 and I was working at a computer store at the time. My husband and I were
struggling to pay our bills and maybe one day have a single family home we could call
our own. My parents were living in Florida and my dad at the time was not doing very
well physically.
I and my husband wanted a new house and to be near my parents to be of help.
I decided to put in a transfer to the Florida computer store and did just that.
Now my brother was to be married that June so I decided to make his cake and he wanted
my sister and I also to sing at the wedding. After that I was feeling agitated not knowing
why. My husband also. He was to work until finding a job in Florida and then meet me
there. It just was making us feel uneasy. On the way home that day from the wedding, we
were headed straight and as we approached an island in the road separating the road we
could not see a car coming then we did only to be me by another car that coinsidentely
was following the spouse to cross over into a street but when the second car came my
husband could not see her and laid on the breaks but to no avail. I was in my seat belt
however my shoes were off and it was a small car so my legs went into the dash board
making an impression and before I knew it I was writhing in pain from 2 broken legs. I
was screaming from the pain at the same time as being angry at the situation. When I
looked out my opened window and a woman with such a beautiful rosy cheeked face said
to me "do not be afraid God is with you" I heard the words but when i looked back up to
thank her after apologizing for my outbursts she had disappeared. In the hospital healing,
a woman came into my room and brought me a Dunkin Donuts coffee(which was my
favorite)She wanted to know how I got 2 broken legs and when i proceeded to tell her i
was to be transferred to start a new job in a couple of weeks in Florida she told me "when
God sends you this kind of sign take a hint" if you were suppose to go he would have
allowed it". When leaving the hospital no one knew of this nurse when I gave them the
discription. She said her name was Lisa.The head nurse did not hear of even an intern
with that name. I guess I took the hint. ; )
While I was outside of the car, a southbound car (we were pointed north) passed us,
slowed down, made a U turn, and pulled up behind us. I jumped back in the car quickly
and locked the doors!! A overweight with long hair, tattoos, and a sleeveless T-shirt came
up to my window. He asked us if we needed any help. I said no, we were fine...I was just
waiting for the car to cool off and I would put some water in it. He asked again if I was
sure we didn't need any help. Although he was extremely polite, I was frightened of him
because he was a stranger (and, well, he also looked a little scary), so I said no, we were
fine. He returned to his car and drove away. I didn't notice the other passenger, but Lori
said there was an elderly woman with him.
The weird thing is he just drove north. We waited for the car to turn around and head
south in the original direction. We never saw the car pass by us again. It was like we were
their destination!
Through a series of short drives, cool offs, and short drives, we made to the next town
and called my dad, who came and got us. When I returned home, I learned about my
aunt's vision and prayer for us. There is no doubt that we were offered help by an angel.
My dear aunt, obviously a very spiritual woman passed away on Christmas morning,
2006, just 3 weeks ago. I believe with all my heart she is now engaged in an intercessory
prayer ministry full time now as a saint in heaven.
Chaney
By: stevefinian@sprint.blackberry.net (from ainglkiss.com)
My baby sister was sick. Sick as in not gonna make it sick. A child her age wasn't
supposed to get that virus. But she did and it collapsed her right lung and surrounded her
heart with fluids. My mom called me one night and said that chaney was just getting
worse and said she was gonna die.
So that night I prayed. I said "dear god, please help heal my baby sister. She has a whole
life ahead of her and she doesn't deserve to die now. Send her an angel to help her." The
very next morning mother called me and said that chaney had gotten better and was
walking. She couldn't even breath by herself a few days before that and now she was
walking. I knew God had listened to my prayers.
Two years later my mom left for work at about 8:50 pm. I was left with my step dad and
we were watching Spongebob. Chaney was sleeping on the couch. mike was asleep next
to me. I was watching her sleep when something caught my attention above her. I looked
up and saw a shade of white against our green walls. It was standing next to the spot on
the couch chaney was sleeping. I was afraid at first but as it watched her I knew who it
was. It was her gaurdian angel makeing sure it kept her safe and healthy.
Now my sister is 6 and I am 13. My step dad was talking to me again about Chaney
because that's what he talks about when he drinks. He had said that when he was sleeping
in the hospital room he saw a white mark, sorta like a glow standing over the medical bed
Chaney was in. He said it made him feel safe and he knew it was there to help her. I don't
think God could have given me any greater gift than Chaney.
Choir of Angels
By:Mooresave@aol.com (ainglkiss.com)
In August of 1995, my mother found out she had breast cancer, well the months following
was pure hell. Mother had to take chemo, radiation and the works. I had 5 children and
was pregnant with #6. I also tried to be available for my mother as well. To make a long
story short, I had to move with my mother to help out on everything and also help my
family. Mother was getting worse and a nurse come to see her one day and she asked that
I seek help from hospice, Mother would be leaving us soon. I was still in denial and did
not believe she was gonna die. In April of 1996, I went to church with my oldest
daughter and my niece as I sat watching the service. I, all of a sudden, fell asleep (I have
never done that before) and when I awoke, which seemed like seconds, I saw a choir of
beautiful angels. They had on brilliant white robes, so white it was unbelievable. I turned
and asked my daughter do she see the angels and she did not know what I was talking
about. I then closed my eyes and they were gone. This happened on a Sunday, the next
day which was Monday, my mother died while I was standing there talking to her
unconscious state. I believe these angel come to comfort me for what was about to
happen. I took her death better than I thought thanks to God sending angels to comfort
me.
We had just finished dinner and were trying to find some Christmas music or a movie on
T. V.
Here is our Christmas angel story.
Suddenly the doorbell rang and when I answered it, there was this beautiful looking lady
standing in the lightly falling snow. She was asking directions to a Catholic Institution
where they were expecting her for the night.
My husband came into the hall and we invited her in and her helped her remove her coat
and boots.
We made a phone call and got the information she needed to get her to her final
destination.
While we talked and shared some chocolate's, we felt we didn't want her to leave. She
was so compassionate and loving, we felt so blessed that she had stopped at our house.
She told us she was a nun and had traveled many miles in bad weather to visit a friend. To
us it was clear she was a Christmas angel. It seemed like a miracle that she had taken
Sydenham Road instead of Sydenham Street and ended up at our place.
She expressed her feelings by thanking us for the kindness and warm welcome extended
to her. Her sincere, humble and compassionate expressions convinced us she was an
Angel sent from Heaven to cheer us up and bring special joy this Christmas. She was a
Christmas angel Gift money just couldn't buy!
We both spent the next few day's talking about this unexpected, loving sweet lady that
had picked our home to visit on a snowy Christmas Eve when we had felt so all alone.
We shall for ever more miss our Christmas angel.
We were definitely "Touched by a Christmas Angel".
Now at this time of night on a Christmas eve, nowhere is open. There was no one
available anywhere for us to get a real tree, and no stores open to even get a fake one. We
were going down a deserted market street, which is usually very busy, and came upon a
lot that was filled with beautiful Christmas trees. Beside it was a little camper with a light
on. My mom told my dad to stop because it could be our only hope in having a tree for
that night. My sister and I sat in the car as our parents walked around looking at the trees.
It was at this point, out of nowhere, a man came up behind them. He had a very kind face
and a very sweet charm about him. "You folks lookin' for a Christmas tree?" My parents
explained our situation to him. He looked into the backseat and saw my head hung low.
"Can't let that little girl go without a Christmas tree. Take anyone you'd like." My parents
smiled and thanked the man, and found the perfect tree for our home. The man helped my
father load the tree into the back of our car.
My father turned away for literally about two seconds to make sure the tree was secure.
He then turned back to shake the man's hand, but the man had completely disappeared.
We were out in a big open field and there was nowhere this man could've gone in just a
couple of seconds. My parents walked around the field, around the camper, and even
knocked on the door to thank him, but he was nowhere to be found. Ever since then, we
have referred to him as our "Christmas Angel."
Clouds
By: Bob Wintersons/catholic.org
When I was walking to the park I saw a huge cloud the shape of a feather and then
suddenly a huge light shone through it and I saw an angel! he said to me "I am your
guardian angel" however I couldnt say a thing I was so shocked then suddenly he said
something to me that I didnt here and slowly faded away ... a total shock for me!
Two months later, I had another scare. On the way to the doctor, a ladybug alighted on
my windshield. Once again, our baby was okay.
In my final trimester, I started a ladybug collection to keep my faith strong. An enamel
ladybug from a flea market for my rearview mirror, a ladybug stapler for my desk.
Friends, family, even my students surprised me with ladybug journals, stuffed animals
and key chains.
Soon we welcomed our baby girl. We named her Ava, Latin for bird. In honor of those
little red ladybirdsmy own personal reminders of Gods loving care.
Comforting Angel
by Karen (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
Before I had experienced a car wreck that totaled my car, even as I sat behind the steering
wheel, I didn't think too much about the supernatural. During and immediately after the
moment of impact, I remember the universe as I know it slowing down I mean slowing
way down. As the oncoming car pushed my car in a violent circle, I remember
experiencing extreme slow motion as I sat behind the steering wheel. It was almost as
though within the space of a second I was unafraid, even as I hit my head on the driver's
side window glass.
I remember the horrible sounds of bending metal sounding muted. I remember thinking,
"Wow. This is cool..." and that it wouldn't be too hard to fly somewhere and step through
the sky.
I remember a fellow sitting in the car holding my hand at some point along the way. He
was making sure that I was all right. Then, suddenly, he had vanished. I was okay
afterward, just thoroughly shaken, realizing how close to death I had come. Now, years
later, the moments after impact remains stealing my imagination as to what forces were in
play that day.
home which was focused on me. These were far ranging types of experiences, which in
hindsight, I believe were done to 'find' my abilities. It tested my different senses and
gauged my reactions.
There was also the occasional mischievous experience played upon me, too.
I had a variety of different levels of spirit around me in the early days, one of which was
of bad intent. He was somewhat conditioned to this behavior. My reaction surprised him,
and he was shocked that I did not react as most people (human beings) had with him. At
that stage of my life, I had not tried to find or develop an ability in myself. We would
communicate using my emf meter, which I bought after a paranormal team investigated
my home. He would trigger it for 'yes' and stay silent for 'no.' When he felt strongly about
something I said, he would send the meter reading off the scale and it would stay there.
Spirit Communication
I talked to him for several weeks and knew he had harmed people in his life. He felt his
family never cared for him, knew he was ill but never came to see him. He also claimed
not to have had a funeral which greatly aggrieved him. So I counselled him. I showed
compassion for how he felt and tried to help him see that it's never too late. This affected
him greatly I later was told, and he then wanted other people in spirit to know about me.
He felt excited by the change that he felt inside himself.
A lot of spirit people were in my home. For the next two years, I had one experience after
the other mostly on a daily basis, and they never repeated, one time for each. Then, I
decided to try to hear clairaudiently. The spirits had made it clear that I was already doing
it without realizing that I could. The first time, it was very clear. I had support in this, and
I felt someone putting something into my ears (which I mention in my book). It only took
a couple of times before I was hearing clairaudiently, and it just got stronger as time went
on.
This caused me to have great excitement. Once able to hear, I was able to understand
much more; the guy who originally was of bad intent had to go as he had become
attached to me.
Cutting a long story short, a female came and announced that she was taking him away,
and I should say goodbye. As I wished him well, he offered to still stay. I said, "No. You
must continue your life." That was it. He left.
Communicating with Spirits - Sometimes Through Dreams
I have also had a lot of dream interactions. Some were incredibly powerful messages
about the power of three before I could hear clairaudiently. The following were not
dreams.
One night, I went to bed and had my hair tied up. I remember thinking, "I'll use this
tomorrow for my hair, but it may fall out during the night." The next morning, I woke up
to the tie not being around my hair; it had been placed on the other side of the room on a
shelf. Later, I was told that it was a lady who had done it as an act of kindness.
Twice I woke up in the morning to find a UK penny underneath my back, the classic
pennies from heaven story. I would later hear spirits talking about how they had left
money for me!
Direct Spirit Communications and Sightings
Once I could hear objectively, I heard my name being called from my landing when I was
in bed. It was a lady saying her own name and my father's name. I also heard a man
humming a tune at the foot of my bed; a loud high pitched gong sound one foot away
from me in kitchen; a boy who used to whistle a lot that everyone heard; and one time a
whistle like the sound of a wartime bomb dropping!
I recall the time when I saw a full spirit form walk downstairs and into my lounge where
my family members were eating dinner. I was in the kitchen and saw him pass by so
casually. I went in to check and see if anyone had moved; they hadn't! I have also seen a
bright glowing ball of light, about the size of a football, come down at an arcing angle in
my back garden. The orb moved slowly and silently at night. That, I was told later, was a
very special visitor which I mention in my book. I've observed my cat watching people
walking up and down in my lounge when I was alone. Sometimes they touched her, and
she would be sitting beside me, looking at her paws, bringing them back closer to her in
reaction to their touches. I saw her one night watching something whizzing about on my
landing, moving in circles and whisking around at high speed.
Communicating, Spirit Presence and Sights
I have felt touches from spirit, like tingling, on the top of my head and then arms,
sometimes descending to my face and back. When in bed, I might feel the spirit presence
on my calves. It usually would start lightly then become almost like muscle twitching but
up and down in order, not random. Then it would progress to a fully physical rubbing,
just as a human rub would feel. I would lay there thinking how awesome it was and
baffled as to how they can do it, the science of it, etc.
In my home, I have light shows to this day, with flashes of light on my bedroom ceiling.
It is not concerning at all but fascinating to me. Energy rushes sometimes flow through
my body from above my head to my toes, like a wave rolling through me. That doesn't
tend to happen as much anymore. It was like a surge, causing me to take an intake of
breath from it.
Communicating with Spirits Now
Today, I hear subjectively whenever I'm in a quiet environment and focus. I don't go into
trance or meditation, but just get quiet and they are always there. Amongst everything
else, they teach me a lot. They give me an insight into their world and how it can be for
some, the suffering some feel. I am happy for them to be around me and would much
rather have some of the souls brought to me than having them feel isolated and alone.
They tell me I offer security and are always surprised at how 'normal' I am. I also assist in
crossings (helping lost spirits), and it's awesome when a soul believes they won't or don't
deserve to move on to something better, to find that yes they can and do. It's awesome to
feel and see.
My role is to help people in spirit, whether that be just acknowledging them, hearing
them and having conversation, counselling, offering advice, or helping to cross a lost
spirit. I also try to help people in the physical world to see that spirit communication is
not to be feared. Spirits feel frustrated that humans don't know what it's 'really' like, and
they say that fear is not their intention. Spirits tell me I have been given an opportunity
because of my gentle, forgiving nature.
There has been so much that has taken place which is partly why I decided to write
several books covering different areas. For each person that has their mind opened to the
possibility of 'life continuation' from hearing me, I feel great joy; I know that it will make
their eventual passing a lot less traumatic. I wonder if when a person doesn't believe, will
they be like one of the poor souls that are brought to me for help?
About the Author:
Dawn Marie lives in the United Kingdom and has recently published the eBook Knowing
is Beyond Belief: A Natural Clairaudience. For more information about Dawn's work or
her book, please visit her website www.KnowingIsBeyondBelief.info.
Cradled by an Angel
BY KELLY C.(http://paranormal.about.com/ Column By Stephen Wagner)
I was 14 when I had my one and only angel experience. I was at my doctor's office
because my mom and I both had the flu and we were getting seen in different parts of the
hospital. I was sitting in the waiting room and had to go to the bathroom. I stood up too
quickly, I guess, because my vision blacked out. I made my way to the office door and
knocked. A nurse opened up and I told her that I really needed to use the bathroom. She
told me it was "that way" and I told her I could not see.
She led me to the bathroom, but I started to close the door I started to faint. I felt two
hands cradle the back of my head the whole way down to the floor. Then a few moments
later, the nurse came in to find me lying on the floor. Other people came over and the first
nurse said she found me lying on the floor. So no one was there to cradle my head as I
fell, so I believe it was an angel or a ghost of the hospital. I don't really know what to
believe. I have always wondered about that day as I've struggled with belief in religions
of any kind.
Dad
By: Kathy Armstrong Alegria/catholic.org
My father's death in 1990 was a total shock to me. It was also the first death in my
immediate family. The day my dad passed away, Ifelt it would be nice to stay at my
mom's house to keep her company and help her out in her sorrow.
That night, I went to bed in her room, quite early. I was sobbing. Suddenly I felt a
wonderful, warm and peaceful feeling that I could not describe enough.
I believe that an angel was letting me know that things were fine and not to worry.
seen in my life. It was too beautiful to describe, as was the feeling of peace, tranquility
and joy I felt at finding myself in such a place.
Close your eyes and image you are standing out in the countryside. It's a perfect spring
day. The sun is shining and it's about 75 degrees. You are standing among gently rolling
hills, on grass so green and perfectly manicured it would be the envy of any golf course
manager. Scattered among the landscape are cherry trees, each one in full bloom. The sky
is a deep rich blue, with a few white puffy cumulous clouds floating by.
It's impossible to find words even remotely adequate to describe the elation I felt at
finding myself in such a beautiful place. I could have stayed there forever. That elation,
however, was about to be eclipsed by the presence of not one, but two guardian angels.
The guardian angels suddenly appeared, walking over the crest of a nearby hill. One was
male, one was female. They were walking toward me hand in hand. These guardian
angels were wearing identical white robes. Each one radiated peace, compassion, love
and beauty - Michelangelo himself could not have imagined more perfect or perfectly
beautiful human beings. And I knew in my soul, as they approached, that these perfect
beings were 30 years old guardian angels.
They didn't speak a word but telepathically let me know that age had no meaning and that
I was as immortal and timeless as they. In that one moment, any fear, trepidation or
negative feelings I had ever felt toward anyone or anything vanished. I felt a sense of
peace, serenity and joy that cannot be described in words.
My guardian angels smiled and walked back over the hill. But before they left, they let
me know that they would always be with me, watching over me - and that I had nothing
to fear ever again.
Was it only a dream? I don't think so. I truly believe, with all my heart, that I really had a
face to face encounter with my guardian angels - in that wonderful place some call "the
other side" or the place that I simply like to call "home."
Deathbed Angels
BY JENNIFER R.(http://paranormal.about.com/ Column by Stephen Wagner)
I'm a nurse, and primarily work private duty, which means I get hired by families through
a nurses registry to care for their family member or loved one. I care for patients 95
percent of the time in their homes. Many cases are hospice cases, and I go in knowing
that my job is to keep my patient comfortable and their family at ease, knowing
everything is okay.
I was on a case in June in Redding, Connecticut. I was caring for a man who was 91 and
dying. I was lucky enough to spend a day with him before he started his path to heaven.
His path was hard, for him and his family. When people are "comfort measures only,"
they usually have stopped eating and drinking, and receive only meds like morphine and
Ativan to keep them comfortable. Around the 8th day of my patients transition, I was
mentally and physically beat. I work the 12-hour overnight shift, and spent plenty of time
alone with my patient, counting his respirations, waiting for his last breath, letting him
know it was okay to let go.
Around 10:30 p.m., the family was all asleep, my patient in his hospital bed, his wife in
hers, and me at his side. There was a mirror on the wall across from the bed, and I saw
what seemed to be an image, a face. I looked harder since the room was dark, with only a
faint light coming from the bathroom. The image became more and more clear. I looked
behind me, around me, and nothing was there that could be reflecting the image in the
mirror. Then, what I can only describe as a smoke, or mist, began to flow from the mirror.
At this point I'm frozen, unable to take my eyes away. within this mist, I start to see what
I can only describe as pockets of energy, some just round, others actually taking shapes of
people. As these entered the room, they scattered throughout the home, and tiny little
flashes of white and gold light flickered when these energies came close to each other.
I was so confused and convinced my mind was playing tricks that I walked out onto the
patio to get some air. Once outside, I slowly took some deep breaths and tried to shake it
off, telling myself I was dreaming. As I turned around, I saw the flickering of lights still
going strong in the house. This went on all night, until the family started to wake. I was
so nervous to say anything, especially to the nurse coming to relieve me. We had worked
together many times before, and I was sure she would think I had gone crazy if I told her
what I saw.
I finally decided I would tell her, and told her of my story soon after she arrived. Her eyes
filled up with tears, and she told me of a prayer she had prayed all day for our patient. At
the end of each prayer she would add, "...please send the angels" for him. "They
answered my prayer!" she rejoiced! I gently grabbed her arms, and cried, "Why didn't
you warn me?"
It was then that I realized I had seen angels that night. My life has been truly blessed by
this experience, and since then have seen angels with two more patients. I was always
skeptical when I heard other nurses tell of similar things that experienced. I know now
wholeheartedly that it was real. I will never doubt again. If I never see angels again, I will
never forget when I did.
were in bed reading books. She asked me what I was reading, and I told her that I was
reading about angels. She mentioned that she would like to see an angel. I told her to ask
an angel that you would like to see one and maybe they would let you. She got kind of
nervous and said that she would be too scared. I explained that an angel would NEVER
want to scare you and if they thought you'd be too scared they would not let you see
them. They are pure love and are here to help and protect you. She thought about it for a
second and changed her mind and said yes, I would like to see an angel. I smiled and felt
so heart-warmed at her innocence.
We then proceeded to get ready for bed. I put my book down and she turned off the TV.
As I looked at my daughter, I saw in my side vision sparkly white lights dancing around.
I looked straight at it and saw nothing. I then looked back at my daughter and again saw
the sparkling lights dancing around. She looked back at me with her eyes WIDE and
mouth wide open. When I looked at her, I saw the lights to my right. She OBVIOUSLY
saw SOMETHING. After a few minutes, it went away. We were so excited. I asked her
what she saw and, of course, she was scared and wouldn't talk about it until morning. She
saw the sparkling lights with a central round yellowish ball of light in the middle. I will
always wonder, if she were not afraid... would more have happened?
Devine Intervention
By: Anthony/catholic.org
I am with the armed services assigned with a special unit to work on the terrorist
communist groups in my country. We were then given a week-long mission purposely to
recover war materiel hidden by the communists in a remote community. As we learned
during the briefing before we departed for the mission, only two armed bandits were
guarding the supposed hide-out. Our commanding officer decided, the three of us could
handle the job plus the guide who will accompany us to the target area. Two days passed
and we hadnt carried out the mission due to some circumstances. Unknown to us, some
twenty heavily armed communist insurgents were holed-out in the area by then. On the
fourth day we proceeded with our plan and headed for a recon on board an SUV. We did
not consider arming ourselves with high-powered firearms and brought only pistols. My
commanding officer did not even bring a stick to protect himself, but just put-on an armor
vest confident that our plan will work out. The plan was, after the recon we turn back, the
guide will trick the two commies and we jump on the two and subdue them. As we
passed-by on the heavily tinted SUV, we marked the target and drove ahead for 200
meters and made an abrupt turn towards the target. We were still unaware of the danger
lurking ahead. It has been my habit saying a prayer of protection from Mama Mary when
going to work. I was holding a small wooden crucifix hung around my neck when I asked
Lord if it is your will deliver them to us when we make the recon. Then the odd thing
happened, when the SUV was heading for the assault. At about hundred meters from the
target, I said to the team Get ready! And that was the last thing I remembered and all
the rest of us. As if the world had disappeared and time had stopped for a couple of
minutes. We all regain our senses some seven kilometers away back heading our home
base and exclaimed in unison what happened! We are all flabbergasted and cannot
believe what had just transpired. When we returned to the command post everybody is
still awake at 1:30am waiting for us to return because the commanding officer joined the
mission. In the morning it was decided to stand-by for another operation but was
completely cancelled the following day after receiving negative report on the objective.
The whole picture of the incident became clear, God sent an Angel to protect us from
harm. A young soldier among those waiting for our arrival told us that we had a
company when we returned. He told me that there were four of us except the guide in
the vehicle. A young boy dressed in white was positioned between you and the driver of
the SUV, he said. The boy never left the vehicle while the mission is on stand-by. He just
left when commanding officer finally terminated it. A few days later we learned from
intelligence report of the twenty terrorist waiting for us and had also left after our first
day of operation. Home in our headquarters in the capital, I told the young soldier, why
did you not inform me at once, I demanded. And he replied Sir, I thought youre aware
of the boy beside you; and I thought all along that the boy was the informants son or
youve just pick-up along the way. And I thank God the more and pray too to His Holy
Angels.
Do Angels Dream?
by: Grandma Rodgers, Source Unknown (www.inspirationalstories.com)
Do angels dream? I believe they do
There's one who surely dreams of you,
Who hopes your future is secure,
Was with you through challenges you had to endure.
Do angels dream? Sure they do.
The dream of an angel has seen you through.
Continue to grow and strive for the best.
This angel will help you pass the test.
Do angels dream? Of course they do.
Look up and say "Hi" to one who sees you.
When you're happy or sad or just feeling blue,
You're a special angel's dream come true.
message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways. It
was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just
began to pray, "God.. If you will listen. I will do my best to obey."
As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and
buy a gallon of milk.He shook his head an said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn't get
a reply an started on toward home. But again the thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk.
The young man though about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and
how little Samuel ran to Eli. "Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't
seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and
purchased the gallon of milk and started of toward home. As he passed Seventh Street, he
again felt the urge, "Turn down that street." This is crazy he thought and drove on past the
intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street At the next
intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud,
"Okay, God, I will". He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop.
He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semicommercial area of town.
It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either.
The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people of the
houses were already in bed. Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the
people in the house across the street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark
and it looked like the people were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat
back in the car seat. "Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up,
they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give
the milk.
Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give
them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I
guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."
He walked across the street and rant the bell. He could hear so noise inside. A man's voice
yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?"
Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there
in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on
his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep.
"What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you."
The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. Then
from done the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was
following her holding a baby. The baby was crying.
The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying,
"We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We
didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me. How to
get some milk." His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask him to send an Angel with
some. Are you an Angel?"
The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and
put it in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were
streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers.
Do Not Be Afraid
By: kathydecaria@hotmail.com (aniglkiss.com)
On the Morning of March 31st 1987, around 3:00 am, as I slept alone in my apartment, I
was aroused by three very gentle tugs of my bed covers, by the foot area of the bed. I had
my bed covers up around my neck, which is always how I sleep. I did not awaken, but
was aware of SOMETHING.
I guess I fell back to sleep, but the same three gentle tugs came again. I again was
aroused, but again did not open my eyes. The third time the tugging happened, I was
aroused enough to turn around to my right, and open my eyes.
What I saw was a most BEAUTIFUL man standing, now away from my bed, by the side
of my bedroom wall. A white light surrounded him from head to foot. All I could see of
his skin, were his hands and face, which was a dark bronze type color, but not real dark.
He was not looking at or facing me now but was facing my living room door, which was
open. As I stared at him I took in his garment. He was wearing the most beautiful white
long robe .He had a sash around his waist of the same color, but about 6 inches high. The
white robe was a color white that I remember as so beautiful that I had never seen such a
beautiful cloth before. He had a white turban wrapped around his head, which covered all
hair.
Like I said, all I could see was his face and hands. He stood very straight and his arms
were straight down by his side. What a beautiful face he had. He had to have been almost
8 feet tall. I say that because my ceilings in that apartment were at least that high, and he
almost reached the ceiling.
He said " Do not be afraid, it is the voice of god, read isaiah, man of the patient realm. "
At this point, I do not know how he got from the wall to the side of my bed, but somehow
he was right there. He reached out his mighty arms as he bent over coming down, as if he
were going to pick me up. Which is exactly what he did. All of a sudden I was cradled in
his arms, but I now felt as if I was just a little baby, cradled in the arms of her mother,
wrapped in a warm blanket.
Then I heard a noise that sounded like a whizzing sound, and we were moving in that
sound. Then, we were standing on a very rich and beautiful earth, which somehow I
could seem to feel with what seemed now to be bare feet. We were in some sort of what
seemed like a market place of some kind. There were others walking around like him, in
the same white robes... some were alone and some were walking in twos. We were facing
a booth, which resembled a booth at a carnival.
Inside the booth were three rows high of the largest vessels, hand crafted, in type... He
then said to me, standing on my right side, "choose something". I said, " I don't have any
money". He then answered, "You don't need money here, everything is free". At this point
I remember hearing that same whizzing sound and remember that we again seemed to be
moving at a great speed. Now we are again standing by the same side of my bed. He very
slowly begins to lean over, with me in his arms, again feeling like a child cradled in a
warm blanket, he begins to lean over and carefully and very gently places me back into
my body. I could now feel my body in the bed, and he was gone. I thought about it for a
while, because it all happened so fast.
Realizing that SOMETHING happened, I got up out of bed and turned on a nightlight to
write down "Isaiah, man of the patient realm". For the next few days I read the book of
Isaiah. I found out that God is real, and that he heard all my cries for help and then
proved that he was indeed there.
dozen eggs?" These answers satisfied something in her and she would cease asking for a
while and give you some rest.
This was how the conversation was going that night, when suddenly, very clearly,
Grandma Kitty pointed towards the opposite side of the room and asked me, "Do you see
the angels?"
"What angels, Grandma?"
"Those two angels," she replied.
I tried as hard as I could to see the angels, but I must have missed them. Grandma
continued talking in her disjointed way as if nothing had happened and soon fell asleep
on the sofa.
The Alzheimer's unit is a locked ward; we had virtually no contact with the rest of the
facility for most of the shift. As I went on my coffee break, I passed the main nurses
station. The charge nurse called me over and told me that two residents had just died that
evening. I asked when this had happened, she told me "About two hours ago, they went
within minutes of each other."
I stood there with what I am sure was a stunned look on my face. The charge nurse asked
me if I was all right. I told her the story of Grandma Kitty and the angels.
Hallucination? Coincidence? No, I'd rather think there were angels in the building!
Do you see the angels?
Grandma Kitty sure does see the angels.
I sat there, looking at this ex-military nurse, with her starched and stiff white uniform and
the pointed white cap on her head. This was a woman who intimidated most of the
physicians on the medical staff and who never backed down from the biggest, most
belligerent troublemaker in the ER. In fact, with her feet apart and her hands on her hips,
she never failed to back down all of them. And here she was, sitting in front of me and
asking me this question.
I studied her face for a moment and knew that her question was serious. And I knew she
really wanted to know what I thought. I do, and I think if you work in the ER long
enough, you have to.
You know Im not talking about wings and harps and halos and all of that, she replied,
smiling a little. Although Im not ruling it out entirely. She chuckled a little, and I
found myself relaxing, intrigued by this conversation. We had never talked like this
before. Do you remember the little Carpenter girl? she asked me. Emmy, I think her
name was. The child with the leukemia? It had only been a few months, and I clearly
remembered the six- year-old.
Yes, I was here the last time she came in, I answered. You were here too, if I
remember correctly. It was just two days before she died. And do you remember what
she told us that morning? I tried to focus, struggling to remember anything Emmy might
have said, something that would have stuck in my mind. But I had been busy, in and out
of the room, trying to get things lined up for her admission and talking with her
specialists. I dont know, I answered finally. I dont remember anything unusual.
Well, I was in the room with her, and she was lying on the stretcher, as calm and
peaceful as always. And then she asked me if I saw them. Virginia paused and put her
hand to her chin. Then she took another deep breath, sighed, and went on. I asked her.
Who? and she pointed to the end of the stretcher and said, Those beautiful ladies.
Virginias voice was trembling, and tears were forming in her eyes. But she continued. I
told her I couldnt see them, but I knew they were there. And Emmy said, They like you,
Miss G. And Dr. Lesslie, I cant explain it, but I had this feeling, it was the most
peaceful... She couldnt go on, and I waited.
Finally, she looked up at me. And then that little girl smiled and said, Miss G, they told
me not to worry and that everything will be alright. They said Jesus knows my name. And
he knows yours too. Once more she was silent, and I just looked at her. And then I
wiped away the tears from my own eyes. Virginia sat up straighter, slapped her knees, and
leaned closer to me.
Dr. Lesslie, there are different kinds of angels in this world, and I believe the Lord puts
them in our lives when we need them most, at just the right time and at just the right
place. Its all more than I can understand, but I know its all real. And I do believe in
angels, Dr. Lesslie. You just have to keep your eyes open. Theyre out there and theyre
with us. I know that for certain.
I tend to go a bit overboard at times, but as we all know, things in the medical world can
become what you never thought they were easily.
Anyway, I dreamt one morning of my finger, wrapped in gauze and surrounding it was
this bright white light. I didnt see myself in the dream nor did I see anyone else, other
than another finger touching mine while wrapped in gauze. It was a womans voice,
telling me " see it is healing" as she touched the top of it with hers. That was the dream,
very short. I remember feeling such relief in my dream that I thought this had to be a sign
from my worrying and prayers. That was 2 weeks ago and although I am still waiting for
more medical information, I cant help but go back to that dream for peace and
confidence. This could have all been from my worry and hearing what I wanted to hear,
but I dont have dreams like that and never really did. I hope this was an angel at my side
and that things will be ok. I do believe, its just hard when you are worrying all the time to
keep constant positive focus. Thank you for reading this. I hope it helps you in some way
as well. God Bless.
Dream of Grandfather
Location: Denver CO USA
By: Christina Song
When my mother was an infant, her father was taken from their home in South Korea
during an invasion from the North. I have never seen my maternal grandfather or known
anything about him but this. My grandmother was always a very strong and independent
woman, having been a single mother and sole provider during a time and in a society
where such a thing was unheard of.
Growing up, my grandmother lived with us but my brother was much closer to her, and
sad to say, nicer to her than I. However, in times of need, I could always count on her to
make me feel safe or peaceful. Her devout faith and warm spirit was my security.
Later in her life, she suffered several strokes, but still managed to be strong. Later still, as
age and illness began to catch up to this remarkable woman, she finally had to stay
(temporarily we hoped) at a nursing home. I wanted to visit her so she would know I
loved her but it was too difficult to see her suffer and come to grips with the fact that she
may leave us so I kept putting it off. One night, I dreamed I was in a forest and a
distinguished-looking man dressed in old-style Korean clothing, riding a horse, stopped
in my path and I knew it was my grandfather. He spoke in Korean, and I in English, but
we understood eachother perfectly. He told me he was proud of me and I cried, trying to
explain that he didn't know all the mistakes I've made in my life. He told me that he knew
and it was okay and that everything would be all right.
The next morning, I told my mother about my dream. My grandmother's health was not
improving and we all headed to see her. As I held my grandmother's hand, looking at her,
I told her how sorry I was for not being closer to her and that I loved her. I hoped I would
see a response but did not. The rest of my family made their visits as well but she hung
on. Finally, just as the priest was finishing her final rites, she passed away.
I know it was my grandfather in my dream and that he came to me to help me cope with
her passing. I had never lost a loved one before that day. I like to think he came for her
too, to help her on her way to God. That night, I woke up in the middle of the night,
feeling strangely rested. As I walked down the hall, I smelled the most beautiful, sweetest
smelling flowers I have ever smelled. I think it was my grandma, letting me know she
will always be my guardian angel.
Dreams
Location: Carthage NY USA
By: Michelle Vargas/catholic.org
My brother passed away on June 19, 2006. He was 39 years old. He had a full life. He
was blessed to be the oldest of three children. He had his own three children as well and a
woman he loved dearly. We had a special relationship. I am the youngest and the only
girl, so I was spoiled by him and my parents. He had been sick for awhile but he would
be admitted to the hospital and released in a week. When he got sick that last time, my
parents thought it would be the same, so they did not call me. I live out of town. Nine
hours away to be exact. My husband is a soldier so we move alot. We happened to be at a
military ball when we recieved the call. As soon as that phone rang, I knew it wasn\'t
good. When I saw that it was my dad calling, my stomach sank. My dad goes to bed no
later than 10pm and it was now 2am. When I answered my husband\'s cell phone and my
dad told me my brother was not going to make it this time, and I needed to get home, I
lost all control. We were 4!
5 minutes from our own home. We went to the hotel room to change and check out right
away. We headed for our own home so I could pack and book a flight. I took a shower
and layed down on the bed for an hour. I set the alarm and everything. Suddenly I awoke
with a start. I looked at the clock and it was blinking. Our power had gone out. I was
frantic. I jumped up and ran to my son\'s room and found his blinking as well. I ran
downstairs to find another clock and saw that it 2 minutes before the hour that I had set
my alarm for. I know that was devine intervention that woke me up that day.I had not
slept in 24hrs so for me to wake so suddenly and at the right time? There is no other
reason for that. I flew out on the next available flight and got to the hospital a few hours
later. I was fortunate to have spent time with my brother before he passed. It was a very
hard thing to go through. Since the day he died, I had questions. Why? Where is he? Is he
safe? Pain free? I know we learn all about this in church but when this happened to me,!
I couldn't help but wonder. One morning after I had returned to New York and tried to get
on with life as usual,I woke up from a dream and I was in tears. The dream I had was
about my brother. He was standing in front of me and I was calling to him, but he
wouldn\'t turn around. He was talking to a man and asking for someone. The man told
him to look outside. My brother asked the guy if he was sure \"she\" was out there and the
other man said yes. My brother walked out the door. I was close behind calling after him.
He would not turn around. He walked up to a fence and was looking through it. He
smiled. He started for the opening of the fence and I was still behind him calling after
him and crying by this time. There were all these \"people\" on the other side of the fence
and he was so happy to see them. I was calling his name over and over, and he finally
turned to look at me. I said \" Come back\" He said he couldn\'t. I said\" Please come
back and give me a hug\" He came walking over and gave me hug and I am crying so
hard, asking him why and how. He said \" Stop worrying about me, I am fine. I\'m okay.\"
Then all the other \"people\" started to leave and he said \" I have to go now. I am okay
and I will keep you with me forever.\" That is when I woke up crying. I do believe
the \"people\" in my dream were angels. I do believe that dream was sent to me from my
brother, to put my mind at rest. I did cry a little more that day, but I have felt a sense of
peace since that day. I now KNOW he is happy and healthy again. I was a believer
before, I am more so now.
Dreams
By Demi/catholic.org
I felt I have angel delivering message through my dreams. When I was young with
innocent mind and heart I would say Im very close to Jesus and Mother Mary. I used to
come to mass in church with full of attention, dedication, clean heart and mind for a
young boy. I used to have experienced with several dreams with mother Marry, but when
I grow older starting at adolescent age everything has changed because Im already full of
sins and dirt of mind. Those dreams in the past are already part of my history.
In the past 10 years I felt someone delivering a message thru my dreams. I felt someone
or its like an angel who send me some message through my dreams for some significant
event that will come usually within two weeks. There were also some past and painful
events that had happen a few days back that I was not informed by anyone but was also
notified by someone or angel through my dreams, and when the days will come for the
event to happen its only the time that I can recall the true message of the dreams. For the
event that had passed that I was not notified in just few days to come someone would tell
me of such event and then I can remember that I already saw it in my dreams. It happens
to me so many times a hundred times or more and it will come but I have no hold to
prevent. Just one example of past event was I have close relative that had just died when I
went home since I work away from home Im a bit sad whats gona be the situation at
home, when I arrived I was felt relax because everything was normal then an hour after
my cousin tells me that one of our close cousin has just died. So many major events that I
have went through already happened in my dreams ahead of time. Human being have
dreams and I believed no one can control what dreams to come or you can not make
choice what dream you want for tonight. I have read some words in bible that GOD send
some message through dreams but not all people are able to interpret. I do have dreams
everyday but it does not mean I have all the message for the days to come. I can only
identify that there is a new message when during the time of dreams I suddenly awake its
like I was slap in the face and my heartbeat is high and the intense of feeling and thinking
are still connected to my dreams its the time I have to recall what ever I can remember
for every details on that dreams and try to rethink what will come. Sometimes I cannot
see a clear details or the message was vague and when the days will come and will
happen it opens my mind the true meaning of my dreams. For me, I felt someone or angel
giving some advance message so I can make a wise decision to come. Those significant
event either good are bad are only relates to my personal life and not to anyone else.
For the hundredth time I glanced over my shoulder on my way to work. The business
quarter was full of men in suits carrying briefcases, women in tailored skirts and sensible
shoes.
It was the same crowd I moved among Monday through Friday, but this particular
morning I sensed danger lurking at every turn. The night before I'd had a horrible dream,
and I couldn't seem to shrug it off.
It wasn't like me to be so fearful. I was in my 20s, doing administrative work in
downtown New Orleans. The city had been experiencing a rise in violent crime, but I
used my common sense and didn't take risks.
The building where I worked was secure. At least that's what I told myself as I walked
inside. A man held the door for me and flashed a smile. I looked at his eyes. No, those
weren't the eyes from my dream.
Before I'd seen anything in the dream, I'd heard my father's voice: "Zsa-Ree!" He always
shortened my French name, Jeanne Marie. No one had called me that since he died.
"Daddy?" I said in my dream. "Is that you?" But instead I came face-to-face with a pair of
dark, menacing eyes. Criminal eyes, I thought to myself. Cold and deadly. I froze in fear.
"Watch out for these eyes, Zsa-Ree," Daddy warned. I wanted to run. But I stared at those
eyes so I'd remember them like Daddy said. I jerked awake and couldn't sleep for the rest
of the night. How would I make it through the day?
I stepped into the elevator and pressed 3. That was just like Daddy, telling me to use my
head, to think before I acted. He used the same advice on the petty criminals and troubled
youth he met on his beat.
Daddy was a police detective in New Orleansnot an easy job. Daddy got knocked out in
a Mardi Gras riot, was shot point blank in the chest, and once caught a bank robber
making a getaway.
Daddy knew all about keeping people safe. Me, most of all. He tucked me into bed before
going out on patrol. He always made the sign of the cross over me. "Dream about pretty
things," he'd said before turning out the light. "God's angels will protect you while I'm
gone."
I lay back on my pillows. Of course I was protected. Daddy would never go out without
leaving angels behind.
I missed Daddy terribly when he died, missed his jokes and his songs. I missed hunting
for frogs and acorns together. But I still felt safe, as if Daddy had left his protection
behind. Just like those nights when he made the cross over me before he went out on
duty.
I walked off the elevator, still puzzling over why I'd heard Daddy's voice in such a
frightening dream. "Use your head, Zsa-Ree," he'd said, just like when I was little. But
use my head about what? Was I in danger?
My heels clicked on the linoleum floor. I took a deep breath and opened our office door. I
waved good-morning on the way to my desk.
"It was just a dream," I muttered as I dropped my purse in a drawer. "Concentrate on your
work."
That wasn't easy. The feeling of unease hung over me. At my desk, at the coffee station,
even down the long hallway the led to the ladies' room. It was almost noon and I'd got
almost nothing done. My eyes were puffy from not sleeping the night before.
"I need to splash some cold water on my face," I told the woman at the next desk.
I wove my way around my coworkers and walked down the hallway. The sounds of
typing, telephones and conversation faded behind me as I approached the ladies' room
door.
I pushed it open. I was alone. I splashed some water on my face and held my fingers over
my tired eyes. The door opened behind me, and I let my hands fall from my face. In the
mirror was a man. He came up behind meright behind me. So close I could feel warm
breath on my neck.
I turned around. The man towered over me. Tall as a basketball player and wide as a
fullback. I looked up into his face, praying there was some reasonable explanation for this
intrusion. Holy God, what does this man want with me?
I know those eyes. Cold, dark and criminal, just like in my dream. This was the danger I
was warned about. Daddy's words came back to me. "Use your head, Zsa-Ree."
The man and I looked at each other. I would not panic. Time seemed to slow. The man
leaned over me. His chest pushed out aggressively. His head thrust forward. His hands
hung in loose fists at his side. Use your head, I told myself.
Attackers feed on their victims' fear. I would not show fear.
I forced a smile. "You made a mistake," I said confidently. "This isn't the men's room."
The man hesitated. Not much, but I saw it. His shoulders drooped. His chest sunk just a
bit. He was surprised. I pushed past him, talking all the while. "I'll show you where the
men's room is. Come on." I kept my voice bright, like a schoolteacher talking to a lost
child. "Right through here."
I threw open the bathroom door and bolted. Without looking back I ran straight to my
desk. Other employees spun around in surprise. "There's a man in the ladies' room!" I
shouted. A group ran to check the hallway. I dialed building security. "There's an intruder
on the third floor. Please hurry!"
Minutes later I was giving a description of the man to a policeman. "We know who he is.
You were very lucky," the officer said. "We'll catch him."
Yes, I'd been lucky. I'd also been forewarned. My dream had put me on my guard.
I left work early and went home for some much-needed rest. I crawled into bed and
remembered how Daddy used to make the sign of the cross over me, trusting God to
protect me when he couldn't.
God had protected me. He'd also reminded me I could help protect myself if I used my
head, just like Daddy always said.
I turned off the light and settled down to sleep. To sleep and to dream pretty dreams.
For 25 years I kept coming back to this puzzle and trying to work it out, until one day
recently, I related it to a good friend of mine who is very spiritual. He was with his pastor
at the time, and they both said it must have been an angel sent to keep me awake. My
friend and his pastor call this kind of event a "God incidence." With eighty miles to go
God had sent an angel.
At that moment, I received a message from heaven. I felt something so strong inside both
spiritually and physically, and I just absolutely know beyond a shadow of doubt that they
solved the puzzle for me. I have never once again wondered about that Nun walking
along the side of the motorway. She was my eighty miles to go Guardian Angel.
Elaines Angels
Location: Paisley Renfrewshire United Kingdom
By: Margaret Graham/catholic.org
I have four daughters the youngest daughter Elaine was born with three holes in her heart
and did not keep well. One afternoon Elaine was not keeping well and was lying on the
couch in the living room having a nap. Elaine was three years old at the time and would
have a nap most days at this time. On this occassion Elaine was very hot and was tossing
and turning and I was getting very alarmed. I phoned my mother to come to the house as I
did not know if I should wake her. When my mother came to the house Elaine had cooled
down and was just lying sleeping. When Elaine woke up from her nap she told me she
had a lovely dream. Elaine told me that beautiful angels had came and collected her to
take her to heaven. They gave her a lovely white dress to put on and told her to hang on
to them and she said that she was flying. Elaine also said that before they went to heaven
they went and collected an old man who went with them as well. Elaine told me that
when she got there she sat beside a beautiful man and he told her that it was not her time
and that she was to go back down to her mum. I asked Elaine what it was like in heaven
and she said that it was beautiful and the colours of the gardens were lovely the same
colours as smarties sweets. Elaine said that heaven was a wonderful place and that she
would like to go back. Elaine was only three years old and I had never spoke to Elaine
about angels before so I was so suprised to here this story. Elaine is now nearly nineteen
years of age and does not remember this and only knows what I tell her about the story.
But in my heart I know that this happend to Elaine and know that when we die the angels
will come and get us.
I told him to remember that he had a guardian angel who. if he were to pray to him for
protection he would overcome his difficulties.
We finished our prayers and David went into the bathroom to run his bath. I sat on his
bed thinking of what he had told me about his unhappiness at school. As I sat meditating
on the subject and of his guardian Angel of whom I had told him there appeared before
me quite suddenly, a being of extreme beauty with a glory of copper coloured hair whose
strands were finely groomed. This beautiful hair formed an aureole around his beautiful
head. He had eyes of cornflower blue and he wore a garment of snowy white the collar of
which was square shaped and it was embrioderd with sparkling gold. His eyes were
heavenward and his appearance was as white and pink as marble. His eyebrows were as
strands of pure gold and his mouth like a rosebud, in shape and colour. The whole room
became freezing cold. I could not speak to him as he knelt before me. I was so deeply
moved by this my spirit sp9ke for me,sayng
'I should be kneeling to you'
I felt myself being moved then in the spirit and I was turned to face the window in the
opposite direction. I was led by the Archangel through a passage way which led to Jesus
in the Blessed sacrament. Jesus was the Host and He passed between us and we
worshipped Him together.
Then I was returned to the bed and the angel left me.
David my son, was outside the bedroom door and unable to enter.
He told me later, that he had seen a bright blue light under the door and tried to come into
his bedroom where I was being visited by the Archangel.
I sat in an armchair downstairs in a trance like state. I don't know for how long
When I was able I told him all about what had happened and
that I knew how great God is and that He is watching over us.
After that David was not so afraid of bullies and was able to cope with situations more
easily.
When I became very ill two years ago I faced death wondering how things would be for
my family. a priest at my church prayed to the Archangel Raphael for me. This was the
Archangel who I believed had visited me and so I joined the priest wholeheartedly in
prayer for my deliverance from probable death.
I am now to all sense and purposes cured and I am resuming my
life with more interest and devotion to God then ever.
This wonderful night of Wednesday September 19th in the year 1973, gave me an
encounter with a divine prince of Heaven and a servant of the Most High.
This is my story of my encounter with an Archangel. One who stands near the throne of
God and one who cares enough for me God's most unworthy servant to visit me in great
beauty and majesty and later deliver me from death by the Grace of God.
Sonalways believe in Gpod and in His angels archangels and saints It's true they are real,
they do exist and by the Grace of God more us us will encounter them.
Erin
Location: Land O Lakes FL USA
By: Leigh Boyles/catholic.org
I was 8 months pregnant with my fourth child when my sister Erin died in a fire October
8, 1993. She married a Muslim Man who cheated on her; they had a child born on
Halloween 1992. After her husband left her, she did her best to find a job and an
apartment for herself and Muhammad. When things got tough she made a decision to
move back home, convert back to Catholic and have her son baptized as Joseph
Muhammad. Erin's death was a tragic mystery. Her husband sent the Baby to Jordan.
I had given Erin all of my furniture and moved to Pennsylvania. A week before the fire, I
had nightmares of seeing my things burning, but the home was not familiar. I was
horrified when my sister called me from Florida to tell me of the accident. I made plans
to fly home for the funeral. An autopsy was needed so for closure we decided on a
memorial service. Then my mother would receive her ashes, Mom always said Erin
should be locked in a closet until she was 30. On the evening I flew back to Pennsylvania,
I had a dream (I think) Erin sat at the edge of my bed with her bags packed. She told me
she was fine, her husband has his son and she will have her daughter with her always. She
said that she can watch Joey and he will be fine. Her words did not comfort me. I
demanded to know what happened. She said that it was alright and I just would not
understand. Angrily, I told her that she always uses that excuse; I turned away and
shouted just go away.. She did.
I prayed for her to forgive my anger for so many nights. She came to me again I was
brought to her from someone I could not see. I was led into a bright white foggy room.
Erin lay on a bed in labor. She said "I want to share this with you." I could sense people
all around me by I could not see anyone. A few moments later, I was presented with a tiny
glowing baby; Erin said "I want you to meet my daughter." I held the baby and at that
moment I felt at peace with her death.
On November 14th, one month later my son Richard was born. I have not heard from
Erin again. I know she is watching Joey and guiding him back to her family. His father
contacted me; he asked me if we would like to meet Joey. We had him to our home and
took him to Clearwater Beach. He is the spitting image of her.
much liked. It troubled me deeply that such a young man that was so loved by all had
died. During the mass I saw a hooded figure standing at the right side of his casket.
Emediately I felt a peacefulness come over me and heard the words "everything will be
alright". The church was crowded and I thought I was just imagining this. My brain said
no way but my heart said this is real. About 15 years later I visited a saintly friend in the
hospital who was dying of cancer. He told me he had a similar experience with an angel
who told him, "everything will be alright". Whenever life starts getting me down I
remember these words of hope.
Express Checkout
A rainy day. A hyper toddler. I was at my wits end.
By Bonnie Weed, New Milford, Connecticut (guideposts.org)
All morning the weather forced my two-and-a-half-year-old, Daniel, to play inside. His
nonstop chatter was giving me a headache. Maybe we need to get out of the house, I
thought.
How about a trip to the grocery store so we can make cookies? Daniel smiled.
In the store I maneuvered the cart through the crowded aislestrying my best to keep
Daniel from grabbing cans and boxes of items we didnt needand then trudged up to
the checkout. Amazingly, register number 12 had no line at all. I dashed over.
As I put the bags of flour, sugar and chocolate chips on the conveyor belt, the cashier
focused all her attention on Daniel. I bet youre going to bake cookies today, young
man, she said, making him giggle.
When she handed me my change, she held my gaze for a moment. You have a beautiful
child. Enjoy his spirit, she said. Startled, I mumbled a thanks and left the store.
We got home and started our cookie-making. Before I knew it, I got caught up in Daniels
excitement. That afternoon I wrote a note to the store manager, praising the exceptional
employee. A week later the manager called and asked if I could point out the cashier,
since no one could remember talking to Daniel or me. I went down to the store, but the
lady was not on duty. The manager got out the work schedule.
According to the records, register number 12 hadnt been open that dayor any day that
week.
license for a few months, and my mother was constantly warning me not to be driving
around by myself at night. Of course, being a 17-year-old know it all, I always told her to
stop worrying! But let me just say that after this night, I could see her point....
I left my friend's house that night at about 1a.m., and a few minutes into the journey, I
was stopped at a traffic light when a car with two men in it pulled up beside me. They
started shouting to me, making rude comments, honking the horn, etc. I was scared but I
just tried to look ahead and drive on. At the next set of lights, they pulled up so close
beside me that the passenger actually reached out and started banging on my window
with his fist! At this point I was really frightened, as I started to realize just how much
danger I was in; we were the only ones on the road, there were no businesses open at this
hour, and this was in the days before cell phones were invented, so I was really alone!
This harassment went on for several blocks, and I was starting to panic, the possibility of
being attacked became very real. Not knowing what else to do, as it was such a long way
home, I pulled off the main road. I was hoping that they would not follow, and hoping
that I would find an open 24 hour convenience store where I could find safety and call the
police. Well as everyone knows, convenience stores are on every corner, in every town,
EXCEPT when you need one! So although I had no luck there, it seemed as though I had
lost the other car, as they were nowhere to be seen.
Cautiously I tried to make my way back to the road I knew. But I had been so afraid and
distracted, I had forgotten which way I had come, and now I couldn't find my way back.
And to make matters so much worse, I had put off buying gas that day, as I thought I'd
have just enough to get me to my friend's and back...now I was dangerously low.
I tried my best to remain calm, but as the minutes and the unfamiliar streets went by, I
could feel myself getting panicky. The more I tried to find my way back the more lost I
became... I was hopelessly lost.
I was terrified of being spotted by the men in the other car, and I was surely going to run
out of gas. I was even too scared to stop at a deserted payphone to call home for help;
although I hadn't seen the men for some time now, I was too frightened to get out of the
car.
It was well past 2 a.m. now, and I had been driving, lost, for over and hour... and let me
tell you, when you're a lost, terrified, 17 year old running out of gas, an hour is a very,
very long time. Looking down at the gas gauge, it was a miracle in itself that I hadn't run
out by this point, for I had been on well below empty for ages. I envisioned being stuck
out here all alone, in my broken down car in the middle of the night, with nothing to
defend myself. I was petrified.
At this point, I finally broke down in tears. I was scared and shaking. I begged the Lord to
get me home safely! I implored my Angel Guardian to protect me! I sobbed and sobbed. I
was still crying when I saw a sign that said "Lawrence Expressway" with an arrow
pointing to the left. I nearly screamed! I had been up and down that expressway for years
growing up, and knew that it was a direct link to my hometown. I made the turn on to the
expressway and started to cry with relief when I started to see some familiar landmarks. I
prayed out loud that I would now make it home without running out of gas...and not long
after that, I did.
The next day, I took out a map to see if I could make out exactly where I had been. I
stared in utter disbelief as the lines on the map told the story. Although I was not familiar
with the area I was in, I looked at EVERY street name I came upon, as you do when
you're lost, and I could see on the map exactly where I had been. I looked and looked-but there was just no logical explanation. There was NO connection between where I had
been and Lawrence Expressway. NONE! As a matter of fact, the avenue I was on last is
approximately 15 miles east of Lawrence Expressway and has NO immediate
connections to it. I sat in total amazement, with my mouth hanging open...it took a minute
to sink in. I had truly experienced a miracle. I had experienced the expressway angel.
I enthusiastically thanked the Lord that day, and sincerely thanked my Guardian Angel,
and I always will. Not only was I helped that night but looking back on my life I can see
other things, like I truly believe that it could only have been my Guardian Angel who
saved me from being abducted when I was five...but that's another story. I chose to write
about this day because this was the day that a 17 year old know-it-all who never really
believed in much, believed.
Faith
By: Belinda/catholic.org
I was about 15 years old when I had an experience that I will never forget. I was praying
and asking God to watch over everyone I loved and those involved in the Gulf war and
Third world countries. I had exams and I asked for help and that it may be selfish of me
to ask for myself but for God to watch over me as I write my exam. Shortly after lying in
bed awake and trying to sleep. I felt as though my body was frozen. A big weight on me.
My eyes were closed and I saw a light. A bright light that would not hurt your eyes as you
starred at it. A male voice talking to me and told me that it was okay to ask for help from
God, that it is not selfish to ask for oneself. This angel revealed to me secrets within his
talk to me that later came and comforted my soul. I am truly faithful to my Guardian
Angel, Archangel Michael. For he is always watching over me and my family. Have faith
and you will always Believe!
night Bob was flying to Shanghai, China for an important conference that would
determine if they would open yet another company in California. He wanted the
opportunity to be selected to be the person to take over such company. He was late, and
traffic in Manhattan would not let the limousine he was riding speed up in order to get to
J.F.K. airport, where he would take the twelve hour airplane ride to China.
Needless to say, Bob was the atheist we spoke about in the first paragraph. He was
getting very anxious so he started to insult his chauffer, calling
him names and even promising him that it would be the last time that he would work for
him. The poor driver was quite desperate, because he needed his job so very much.
Mario, the driver, then did as would any taxi driver in New York City, he started to race
against taxis, cars, buses, passing each very defiantly; even passing pedestrians when it
was their turn to cross. When he got to an intersection, Mario did not notice that the light
had just turned red, and he also did not notice that a huge bus was turning left into his
lane , until it was already too late; but determined to out run the bus, he speeded up to
cross before the bus could reach them. He did not make it, and the bus hit the limousine
on the passenger side, where Bob was sitting. The limousine flipped over and Bob was
not wearing his seat belt. Mario died instantly in the crash that night.
Bob woke up and felt pain all over his crippled body, and noticed that he was hanging upside down, with all the weight on the back of his neck. He tried to move and thats when
he noticed a funny smell and something that looked like blood. He couldnt move; only
his eyes. He then rolled his eyes towards Mario, but he seemed stiff and unconscious. He
heard people talking but couldnt make out what they were saying. Then he tried to move
again, and heard someone say, dont move a muscle; just try and relax, were trying to
break a window open to get to you. But time was not on his side. It seemed to be hours
and they couldnt get the window open, without sending glass flying into Bobs face.
Bob closed his eyes and for the first time in his life, he saw how bad he treated others;
even his wive and children. He began to cry and without really knowing what he was
doing, he began to talk to God! He asked for forgiveness, and promised that if He would
let him live, he would dedicate his life to Him. Just as he finished thinking that, a huge
man appeared out of nowhere, and held on to the door on Bobs side. With just one pull,
the door sprung open. He slipped his hand under Bob's head for support, and picked him
up as if he was a feather, and pulled him out. Without talking a single word, the man
carried Bob to the stretcher of the ambulance that had just arrived. The para-medics
started to work on Bob, who had a head and neck injury. Meanwhile, Bob tried to see the
man that had just saved his life, but another person, that noticed what Bob was trying to
do, told him that the man had just walked away smiling at everyone there. The paramedics remarked that if the person that pulled Bob out,would have done the wrong thing,
Bob would have probably been left paralysed; but they checked his legs, and he still had
sensation in them. After a couple of weeks, Bob recovered miraculously, and his body
was healing better than the doctors thought he would.
Needless to say, Bob started going to church, and told the priest his story; but the priest
smiled when Bob mentioned that he thought that God had send an angel to save him, and
told him, that God forgives anyone who repents, even under strange circumstances. The
priest told Bob, that God is so very merciful, that just by asking for forgiveness, Gods
passed over my father's legs the phlebitis moved along with it. My father described it like
the passing of clouds. Red smiled at my father who sat there in amazement. As Red
walked away my father said thanks and he never saw Red again. My father got up and
walked out of the hospital feeling no pain and no signs of the phlebitis.
Red was my father's angel. I hope that you enjoy my fathers angel story as I did. My
father is not a story teller, but a truth teller.
Firebird Angel
BY MEGAN E. (http://paranormal.about.com/ Column By Stephen Wagner)
I've always had alot of paranormal experiences. This is one of them that was special to
me.
When I was 9 or 10, we lived in a house in rural Australia in QLD, just out of the main
town, and we had a huge driveway. one afternoon after school, my younger sister and I
were in the front yard running around playing. She was following me around.
In our driveway we had a massive patch of grass with three trees that formed a tripod.
Two of them lined up horizontally beside each other, and the other one was about 5
meters in front of them both. We were running around them, zig-zagging in and out of
them, when all of a sudden directly in the middle of the trees I froze dead in my tracks.
My sister ran straight in back of me, and right in front of me stood this "thing". It was
about 3 meters tall and 1.5 meters wide. The only way I can describe it is that is looked
like a flame -- a flame-shaped bird or angel because it had wings and a head. The strange
thing is it was kind of transparent -- cloudy white, but see-through.
I ran inside scared and forgot about it -- until I saw it again. I was about 11 or 12 and we'd
moved to a coastal area on the beach. Our family had been going through a lot and I was
pretty emotional about what was happening. I noticed it one afternoon in the sky. It was
just floating above me. I wasn't scared. I felt like everything would be okay.
About three years later, we moved to another part of town due to what had been
happening with my family. I'd developed severe depression and anxiety, and wasn't
coping well. Every time I'd take a walk to clear my mind, I'd look up and around and spot
that familiar being somewhere near. I knew it was looking after me.
I haven't seen it for about two years now, but I know it still hangs around. I've always
thought of it to be my guardian angel. I know it cares and it's helped me through a lot. I'm
glad I've had this experience.
where he suffered some slight burns, loss of hearing and some scrapes and bruises. But
nothing was broken and no internal organs were damaged. When the police took the
names of the two men for their report they wrote "Gabriel and Michael" No last names
were on the paper. When my parents tried to contact these men, they couldn't find them
anywhere.
They couldn't find them because they went back to heaven after saving my dad.
The police were baffled because they recall last names and address being written down
from the men.
God sent two of his angels down to save my father.
Nothing, said the driver. Its our pleasure. It was then that I noticed the company logo
on his shirt: Gardening Angels. Katie got to school earlythanks to some gardeners who
arrived right on time.
involved with the occult or contacting the dead in any way: you're opening the door to the
demonic to wreak havoc on your life! There is a very real battle for each and every soul
on Earth, if we could only see what happens behind the scenes, we would stop making it
so easy for the devil to get access into our lives and allow God to deliver us from evil!
Every scary story on This site could be dramatically changed if we knew the authority we
have on earth and the power of Jesus' name!
Garrett's Angels
Location: Scammon KS USA
By: Donna Benedict/catholic.org
We were to have this wonderful blessing in our lives.
We had a baby that was due June 12. We knew he was to be a boy of course with all the
technology of today, how could we not know.
The technology of today did falter one slight bit, only because during the routine
sonogram, his heart was not totally visible but yes of course there was the four chambers
of the heart. And in the womb was functioning properly.
In April, "my water broke". I was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital that had a
NICU. Knowing we were going to have a child that was to be terribly early. About 11
weeks.
He was going to need special care.
By God's grace I was able to carry him until the 31st week. Only 9 weeks early. He
weighed 4 lbs. 8 oz. a wonderful size for a preemie. He was doing wonderful, breating on
his own.
I was able to hold him one time.
Disaster hit. 24 hours after he was born, that little heart had a problem. It is officially
called hypo-plastic left heart syndrome. Which is a fancy word for saying that the entire
left side of his heart did not develop. Yes, there were four chambers, but the left side was
so small that it did not function at all.
He was rushed to a more intensive NICU that where he was born.
I would have left even if they had not properly dismissed me.
I called our parish priest, he did of course make the 2 1/2 hr journey at the sound of our
voice. We prayed, he was baptized, we prayed more.
The next day the doctor basically told us that there was no hope. He had no body
functions whatsoever.
Again, at the drop of the hat, I called our priest and he came.
As we turned off the life support, the nurse pulled the curtain around us and and at that
moment I felt the wings of angels encircling us. It was as if they were there helping us
through the most difficult time of our lives.
Then, Father said the most wonderful thing. He said, "Wow, I am witnessing the most
wonderful thing on this earth." At first I didn't know what he was meaning, then he
continued, "Can you imagine going from the safest place in this world, Your Mother's
arms, to the safest place there is? God's arms???"
At that moment I understood. I know that Garrett's angels were there to comfort me and
my family.
Even though we only had him 3 days, I know he is now that saint in heaven that will be
there waiting for me to come to him again, and be in the arms of God with him.
Great Grandfather
Location: Upton MA USA
By: Michael Casey/catholic.org
I was just a young boy about 4 or 5 years old. I was playing on the stairs inside my house,
a small 3 bedroom cape. These stairs were the regular 12 steps but steep because it was a
cape style home. I was climbing up one step at a time then jumping to the bottom. At the
bottom was the front door. I got about 6 steps up from the bottom and jumped, all of
sudden something grabbed me and i just slowly floated down the stair way and landed
softly. It was like time had just gone into slow motion. I was very young but I was so
amazed that I thought the stairs were magical. I turned around and went back upto the
top. I jumped and once again I was carried to the bottom in what felt like energised slow
motion. Right when I was going to hit the bottom, what ever it was realeased me and I hit
kind of hard, but not enough to hurt me. I turned around and up at the top of the stairs
was a old man with glasses. He looked at me with kind of a scold on his face. Like he
was saying don't do that again. I was only 4 or 5 years old and didn't know what a ghost
was so I was not frightend. I started to walk up the stairs to see him and he moved to the
left into my sisters room, but his feet were really not moving. I went into her room and
could not find him. I looked everywhere in her room but he was gone. I went down stairs
to tell my mother but she was on the phone and wouldn't listen to me. I have since told
this story a few time to my mother, brothers and sisters and my wife and kids. I don't
think they beleive me to this day. I never new who it was untill I saw a book containing
the ancestory of my family since my great grandfather came here in the late 1800's. It was
my Great grandfather on my mothers side of the family. All my life I asked myself "why
did he intervene on my behalf?" I lived a sinful life up untill my early 40's. I just figured
because of how vile a person I was that I was either just saved by him or I was to
intervene on behalf of another who was going to do something wonderful. Well two years
ago I asked Jesus to be my savior and he said yes and the holy spirit came upon me in
three dreams I had shortly after asking the lord to save me from this world. My
conversion through the holy spirit and Jesus has been the most incredible journy in my
whole life. I'm just at the begining of this journy, but I would never of had a chance to
experience it if not for the intervention of my gardian angel.
Thank you great grandfather Bonfiglio
Your loving great grandson
Michael
Gina
Location: Germantown Maryland USA
By: Margaret Quigley/catholic.org
My daughter was out late at night driving her car back to her apartment. She goes to
school in West Virgina and the roads can get pretty bad. Her car slide off the road and
down an imbankment where it wedged inbetween a crevice.She has no memory or the
actual crash, but the next thing she does remember is two men pulling her up and out of
the car by her arms. They made sure she was alright and walked her home, which was
around the curve. She asked them where they had come from or where they were going
because this road is not the kind of road you walk on. Besides, it was 4 am and freezing
out! They said they were just taking a walk. She never got their names and has never seen
them again.
The next day when she and a friend when back to the accident site, they were amazed at
the steepness and inaccessability of the area. My daughter , who was never particularly
religous, turned to her friend and said "I think those guys were my guardian angels".
God's Answer
Location: Los Angeles Ca USA
By: Ashley Nicole/catholic.org
Throughout my life, there have been many times that I wondered if God could hear me.
Being about 12 years of age and attending catholic school since I was old enough to
attend, I knew that He would always be there for me. I never questioned his existence, but
was he listening?
As a younger child, times had always been good. No worries, no family problems, or
anything. Around the age of 10, things really started to change. Our financial problems
got really bad and my father was always angry and physically abusive. For a period of
two years, our situation grew worse with beatings increasing, and the ability to pay rent
and be able to eat decreasing. Being young, I could stand the financial strife, but it got to
a point where I could not mentally deal with getting beat up anymore. I hated trying to
hide it, feeling ashamed, and I honestly just wanted to die so I wouldn't get hurt anymore.
I prayed and placed my faith in God, and one day, the prayer got answered. My father
was consumed by his rage and had his sights set on me. As he rushed after me, I ran to
my room and shut the door. There was no lock so I could only push against the handle
and door and hope he wouldn't make it. As I pushed, a light came over me and there was
a force helping me push. The glow was almost blinding. The door split down the sides
and became locked and he couldn't get in. For a moment, I was stronger than him, with
the help of my angel.
It was this angel that helped me to gain enough confidence to stand up for myself. Later
that year, I obtained a restraining order and although things got worse for a while, they
eventually became better.
Sometimes we may not always get what we pray for, but we must never forget to have
faith and hope. And to my angel, you will never be forgotten.
Godsend
By: Char S./catholic.org
It was a chaotic time of my life. My marriage had fallen apart, my job was not going well,
I was in a state of depression and could not provide necessities for my young sons
because of the self-doubt and negative focus. I felt all alone in a desparate time.
On this particular night, I had just climbed in my bed and layed my head on my pillow,
when I heard footsteps coming towards my bedroom. I was paralyzed with fear, I closed
my eyes in hopes whoever it was would just leave. I felt a hand brushing my hair from
my face as to comfort me. Still completely frightened I could not move. What seemed
like a slowing of time was actually all a matter of a few minutes, if not seconds. Now I
felt a cool breeze blowing on my face, I thought to myself, I need to get out of this
situation, I opened my eyes and jumped out of bed. In front of me stood a very tall
transparent figure of an elder man. I blinked and he was gone.
The next day was a new day for me. I knew in my heart I was not alone and could not let
my beautiful sons see their mother in such a sad state any longer.
I thank the Lord for sending me this vision of hope. It gave me the nudge necessary to get
on with my life in a positive way.
and it did not look good.. We needed to get there.. I prayed and I prayed hard to God that
I get there before anything happened.. Mind you I had an 8 hour drive ahead of me..By
the time I got there she was off the ventilator, and she cried when I walked into the room..
I spent most of my time with her at the hospital and let my other siblings (there are 8 of
us) have a break.. As i sat there trying to be quiet and let my mom rest, I thought she was
sleeping.. God's perfect timing was about to be heard.. Well she started to sing this song..
And did she ever sing it!! It was a song I have never heard in my lifetime and I am in my
50"s.. It was the most beautiful song I have ever heard.. Mom had the biggest smile on
her face while she sang.. I sat and listened.. She never remembered singing the song.. I
will never forget it.. So mom pulled through that one, but five months later she passed
away.. Our precious mother is gone now but in a better place with God..
Now I get sick about a month later.. I have this cough that doesn't want to go away even
after going to the doctor and the emergency room three times.. No medicine helped me.. I
still coughed and coughed.. One night as I lay in bed coughing and in misery I heard
singing.. I listened and could not fathom where that song was coming from.. God's
perfect timing was once again playing that song.. I got up to see if the TV was on, well no
it was not the TV.. The house is very quiet.. So I lay back down and there it is again..
Singing.. Beautiful singing from God above.. So I decided i would just listen.. While i did
listen my body totally relaxed and my cough went away and I slept peacefully.. The
cough has not returned.. Our dear Lord Jesus sent my mom to let me know things would
be ok and I was healed.. I have never in my lifetime had such an experience as that, and it
was a beautiful one.. I know my mom is ok and she is singing in that Heavenly choir.. My
name is Christine and this is my true angel story.. God's perfect timing was awesome..
fight him and that I loved him, he then drew back his fist as if he were going to punch
me. I couldn't believe my eyes it was as if someone were holding his arm, you couldn't
see anyone there but he couldn't hit me. God's perfect timing protected me. He kept trying
even harder to hit me for a while, but then he finally gave up after his arms had gotten
tired. I still believe to this day that angels kept him from hitting me that day. God has
perfect timing when I needed Him most.
here?". About 15 feet from the surface, trying unsucessfully to breathe again,I felt-someone is right next to me, so strongly that I turned all the way around the cable, almost
in tears for inability to thank who ever is here working for The Lord. Then,like a voice "It
is going to be all right". Looking up at Tom Philpott's skiff, I thought "I hope so". The
lights went out again and I floated to the surface. Tom couldn't handle the weight with my
tanks (he said "it just didn't occur to me to cut your straps") so he called to four guys,400
feet away. When there was no heartbeat,my face was discolored and fluids from nose and
mouth,Tom agreed I was dead. He told me later, he is sure The Lord prompted him to
declare "We just have to do something.I took a CPR course about a year ago". And he
quickly wiped some of the mess away.and i woke up with him puffing on my mouth. I
didn't know shock could begin an hour and a half later and produce violent shaking for
nine hours.
On the way to the beach,I thought "why me and not the young fellow just last year?" ( I
had located six anchors in less than 30 feet of water, and soon after broke my leg. While
using my air regulator,with no apparent problem,he drowned.)
Then,that same voice,"You are not done here. There is something very special for you to
do."
God's Will
Location: Stockton CA USA
By: Jennifer Martin/catholic.org
About a year ago, my mother was going through an extremely difficult time. She is
disabled and caring for a 1 year old baby. She had difficulty walking and breathing. On
July 1, 2005 my mother was admitted to the hospital with an infection in her leg. Since
she is diabetic, they responded quickly and put her on IV antibiotics.
The following day, I flew in to care for the infant, my nephew. She was released from the
hospital into a skilled nursing facility. About a week later, she had a cardiac arrest
because of a drug overdose in the facility. She was rushed to the hospital and was
revived.
After this event, she was released once again into another skilled nursing facility.
I remember her asking me to come and stay with her. She felt that "something wasn't
right." She wasn't breathing well and the nurses wouldn't have a doctor look at her. She
requested that I be there because she was afraid of "going unconscious." I remember that
I came immediately and tried to make her comfortable. However, she just couldn't get
comfortable. I ended up calling a close friend to come in and wait while I go pick up the
baby from the daycare. As soon as she arrived, I told my mother that I was going to leave
briefly to pick up the baby. As I told her this, she just stopped breathing.
I ran into the hallway trying to get the attention of a nurse and no one would respond. I
became frantic and finally someone came. As I stood back and watched this nurse do
CPR, I began to pray. I prayed for her guardian angel and I prayed to Mary. As the
minutes passed and she turned colorless for lack of oxygen, I came to terms with the
situation. I realized that if it was God's will and her time to go, then she may not live.
By this time, a gentleman walked in saying that he was a doctor but didn't practice at this
facility. He asked if he could revive her, and I replied yes. Nearly six minutes had passed.
And as most know, the brain cannot survive without oxygen for too long.
At this time, I began to pray aloud. The paramedics then arrived and took over. However
the "doctor" seemed to vanish. No one knew who he was, no one saw where he went. At
the time, I was aware of everything going on. I could tell you how many paramedics there
were, how many nurses, and a physical therapist watching from outside. The doctor just
disappeared.
After about 8 minutes without oxygen, I was told that my mother was holding onto the
side rails of the gurny.
This has been the longest year of my life and no doubt, her life too. Not only has my
mother survived 4 cardiac arrests and one respitory arrest, she is living at home.
There is no question in my mind that her guardian angel is watching over her and
appeared that day in the hospital. This is God's will.
woman appeared right in front of me and told me not to. Then she disappeared. So I did
some research on my family, and it turns out that this angel is my aunt. She died before I
can remember. I am just glad she was there to protect me. I just wonder what that was
after me for.
Grams
By: himbaughmd@yahoo.com
When I was 5yrs old, I was hit by a car and flew 40 feet into the air. I was in bad shape.
But every since this accident happened I can see auras, spirits and hear voices. It seems
crazy but it'sall true. It's maybe because i almost died. Well, sometimes I see little white
balls fly by me but one night I saw a white ball appear to me while my daughter was
watching Barney. It was after midnight. Our bedroom light was on, but the ball was so
small and had little wings in it. Iv'e never felt such peace at that moment,then some scary
things would happen. Doors flying open. Also voices. Now sometimes I don't think it was
angels but that the angels protected us from what it was.
I know angels are there my daughters see them and talk to them . Twelve years ago my
son was sitting down coloring with me. This was shortly after my grandmother passed
on. He stopped coloring and focused on the chair in the corner. I said honey do you see
something?
I couldn't see anything at the time but could feel a presence. He said there was an angel.
His words were ,"Mom there's a lady sitting on the end of the chair with long white hair
and wings . She is smiling at me." Then I asked, Is she looking at me? and he said, "No,
she 's gone now."
It was my grams again. She's with us always.
Grandfather's Angels
by Shae B. (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
When I was four years old, my grandfather passed away. I called him Grandpa Bunny
because of a cute little book my mother had given me. He knew he was going to die, so
about a month before, he had given the whole family presents. I had received two rats
(score!).
The day after his small funeral, I wanted to sleep in my mother's bed. It was something
I'd do every so often when I was feeling lonely or scared. Before we fell asleep, we both
said a prayer for Grandpa Bunny.
At dawn, I woke up and looked up. In my mother's bedroom, windows lined the top of
the wall in front of her bed. Out of the far left window, I saw a group of angels. I
remember this very, very distincly: First came two women angels, and in the middle, my
grandfather, followed by another two women angels. I remember the room became very
bright with white light, and my chest filled up with a feeling of complete and utter
warmth. I can still remember this feeling to this day. I also remember waking up my
mother and telling her that Grandpa Bunny had just come into the room with four other
angels. My mother was trying to explain to me (being four years old) that Grandpa was
dead, but I stuck to my story.
I also told her that my Grandfather had thanked me for the prayer and that he would
return one to me someday. I do not remember this, but I believe it did happen. I know that
my Grandfather watches over me when I am in bad situations. Being a 16-year-old party
girl now, I know he's saved me from some pretty scary situations.
Grandpa's My Angel
by Lois (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
About two years ago, I was living happily in a different house than I am now. I had heard
rumors that it was haunted, but of course didn't believe this because everyone tries to
scare people moving into a new house. A year previous of moving into this house, my
grandpa had died of a sudden heart attack, but he said when he died that he would be my
guardian angel. Corny, I know, but it has something to do with my story.
One night I was lying in my room. It was freezing, especially for a summer evening, so I
snuggled warm into my covers. I suddenly heard a child's footsteps and soft crying. This
may be strange only that I have two younger sisters, so instinctively ran to see if they
where okay. When I got of bed, the footsteps began to run down my stairs, which where
right outside my door. I couldn't see anyone so went to my two sisters room to see if they
where okay and sleeping, but they where sound asleep.
I was quite freaked out at this point because I have never had paranormal experience. I
quickly ran back into my bed and closed my eyes. I heard a faint whisper, but thought it
was in my head because I couldn't make out what it was saying. As I was going to sleep,
my hair was laying over my face as it usually would. Suddenly I heard a voice say, "It's
okay, the children have passed on, Lois. Go to sleep. I love you," and the hair was
brushed back off my face.
I know that this seems unreal, but it's what happened to me. I believe that it was my
grandpa watching over me and that he still watches over me now.
My grandfather passed away in 1997. Unfortunately, my dad and grandfather had not
seen eye to eye for several years but they were just starting to be like father and son again
when my grandfather suffered a severe stroke. We all knew my grandfather wouldn't be
coming home from the hospital and my dad was taking it very hard. My grandmother had
passed away nearly 27 years before.
We were all leaving the hospital in separate cars after my grandfather passed away and
were going to a restaurant that we had called in advance. We had reserved a section in the
rear of the restaurant for the family to gather and remember my grandfather.
While on the way there my father ran out of gas on the freeway. A man pulled over and
gave my dad a ride to the gas station to get some gas. The whole time my dad did not
mention that my grandfather had just passed away. When they returned to my dad's car
my dad thanked the man for the ride, got out and started walking toward his car with the
gas can. As he was walking toward his car, he heard the man who had just given him a
ride say the following to him: "Your father is with your mother and Suzzane (my cousin
who passed away a couple years before) now and your parents are very proud of you."
My dad was shocked at what he had just heard. My dad turned around to say something
to the man - but he was gone. My father left that place knowing that my grandfather was
happy where he was and in good hands with my grandmother and cousin.
My grandfather was a very special man whose memory will live on through my son who
was named after him.
Grandfather As An Angel
Location: New Britain CT USA
By: Kathleen Liner/catholic.org
I was awakened one night in my very dark bedroom (the only noticeable light was from
my alarm clock and the cracks of light coming in the windows on the sides of the shades
pulled down) - I was in a deep sleep, lying on my right side, hands tucked under my
pillow. Suddenly, my eyes popped open as if someone shook me awake. I didn't feel
touched, but that is how suddenly I woke.
Within seconds of waking, I knew my grandfather was at the foot of my bed in an angelic
form. I was scared even knowing it was my grandfather (whom had passed away 3 years
prior). He was conveying into my mind though,"Don't be scared, it's me." over and
over...but I was very frightened for about 3-4 minutes and coudn't move. He was
conveying into my mind that he begged god to come down to me in my time of need (as
he let me know he understood "all" that I was going through - with my father having
sexually abused me for years and my grandfather never knew in his living state of that.)
He knew that I needed a message to get me through and begged to come tell me
that"everything" is going to be okay" - that he conveyed over and over to me - and I knew
it meant that "everything" in my whole life was going to be generally "good" and that I
was going to live to be a pretty good old age and have nothing majorally serious happen
in my life. It would be fairly just smooth and easy enough. He said he feels so terrible for
what his son did to me and he knows all of it. I finally got the courage up to roll onto my
back and look at him - and did - but still scared at the awe of the whole thing. I was
asking myself - "am I dreaming? - but I know I am not!" knowing how amazing it was
and finally knowing and accepting I wasn't dreaming, I told myself - "okay, if I am
awake, I am going to roll over onto my left side and look out the crack of my shade to
look out the window," As a test to see if I was awake. Sure enough, I rolled over and
looked out. At that point - I felt the most unbelievable peace and knew I was being
amazingly blessed by the lord. (oh, by the way, my grandfather was ghostly looking (in
my pitch black room) but I saw him very clearly in a striped polo shirt and dark blue
pants and black belt. He looked like he did alive, but in a ghost image). The instant I
awoke the next morning, I remembered what happened and KNEW I was awake during it
and it was real. I felt and always still feel an unreal sense of calm and the lords blessing
whenever I have tough times or just think about it in amazement. It has changed my life
and feel totally confident in the experience. I know I am indeed blessed and very
fortunate.
Kathleen
Guardian Angel
By: B. Baptiste/catholic.org
Many years ago a friend and I were on a highway going out of state. We were looking
forward to having a good time since it was a break from school. We had been on the
highway for a while when I first noticed a car towing a boat in front of us. My friend who
was driving had gotten close to the back of the boat. Then I saw the sparks from the chain
as the boat started falling from the back of the car right in front of us. All I remember was
a scream in the dark which must have been my scream because I was so terrified. I
fainted out of extreme fear. When I came to again I don't know whatever happened to the
boat. But I was sure that if it had not been for my guardian angel that night I would have
died. I never questioned or wondered what happened that night. I just know that I owe my
life to my guardian angel.
Guardian Angel
Location: Grand Prairie TX USA
By: Michael Gomez/catholic.org
I had been going through some very rough times some were caused by my own foolish
decisions and sin. But I still always believed in God and always went to mass. I felt a
great oppression over me, I know it was because of my sin, and also because evil forces
were attacking me from many sources. People that were unbelievers were attacking me,
and so were the demons that controlled them. I would have cars drive by house at late
hours shining lights into my house, some of these evil men were police! I hadn't done
anything wrong, at least not against mans laws, my sins were because I was seeing a
woman that I was not going to marry, I knew the whole time it was wrong, but I truly
wanted that it should work. But that was impossible, so vengeance was sought against me
by her, others and devils all at once.
In the midst of this attack, and stress, I woke up one night after not being able to sleep
very well in much time. I saw without opening my eyes, this huge figure, he must of been
10 feet tall and he was massive. I could not see his face, but I knew God had sent him to
comfort me. He had in his hands a huge sword or metal weapon and stood strong and
silent. I know now that the devil was planning an attack on me that night, through evil
police or others. I also knew that nothing could of got past this angel, nothing, I believe
that if the whole world came to kill me, and God said no, this angel could fight the entire
world and all the devils and prevail!!
This is my story, and God always makes me stronger!
Guardian Angel
By: ACEAKALEE@aol.com (aingkiss.com)
One April afternoon, I experienced the worst thing a mother could experience,
my son was hit by a car, right next to his school while crossing the street.
Someone had taken his school bag from him as a prank, and as he rush across the street,
he did not see the car coming.
By the time I got to him, the first time I was five minutes late, because my husband felt
the need to go to church in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week because he
felt like he had to.
Now this church yard is filled with angels, which I had not even thought about.
Angel were just things, not more.
However, I was to experience a true miracle, as my son was lying on the street,
waiting for an ambulance, I prayed that his spine was not broken, I could not bear
the thought. And I could not pick him up because I was told I could injure him more.
So I followed the ambulance to the hospital, only my husband was allow to go, so here
I was, afraid of the worst. As I sat in the waiting room of this hospital,
I saw the brightest light, it was so calm, and I was assured that my son would be
alright. I was shown in a vision, how Raphael has slowed down the vehicle to prevent
serious injuries. My son was then release with only a mild scratches to his head. It was a
miracle, because the car had hit him and sent him 30 feet away.
Then I asked him, did you see anything? and he replied Raphael was here. He knew.
I was amazed. And then everywhere I went that week, signs were shown like St. Raphael
Hospital, Angels are among us etc. Because I had begun to doubt that I
had experience this. So I was given confirmation.
Now, I know that angels do exist, and I thought someone had a similar experience and
needed confirmation. So I sat down tonight to follow what the angels wanted me to do.
Which was to write this story for another mother who needs to know that her experience
was angelic.
Guardian Angel
By Marilyn K./Catholic.org
I am a nurse, that works in a hospital and assisted with another nurse to put a patient to
bed. The patient went from a soft spoken lady to a yelling, grabbing at us, pulling at
everything until we straightened everything out and went to pull up the blankets, the pt
started saying, oh how beautiful, look how beautiful the angels are! We looked at the
ceiling and rolled our eyes in disbelief, when the other nurse came back to check this
patient, she had died. I do believe to this day, that the Angels came for her.
Guardian Angel
Location: Ocala FL USA
By: Maria/catholic.org
When I was about 7 years old my family and I survived a fire in our apartment which
destroyed everything in it. My parents were not able to salvage anything, clothes,
furniture, momentos, all were lost.
It was on this night that we were visited by a Guardian Angel who we believe was my
younger sister who was born gravely ill and only lived for 1 hour after birth.
On this night, my dad was ill with the flu and had taken medication to help him sleep
through the night. They had switched rooms with me because my room was cooler and
that would help with his fever. My mother told us that at some point during the night she
remembers a small hand trying to pull her arm telling her to wake up in a sweet voice and
that the next thing she knew she was standing looking at a closet off of the living room
which was completely engulfed in flames. She immediately woke my father up and they
ran to our rooms and tried to wake us up. I woke up when my mom accidentally dropped
me on the floor while trying to pick me up and my brothers wouldn't wake up so my dad
carried one each under his arm.
Our apartment was on the third floor and we were locked into the apartment because the
type of locks on the door required a key, even from the inside, and the key was in the
living room which was engulfed in flames. Windows were popping and we could feel the
heat from the fire which was getting closer. I remember my father calling God's name and
asking for his help. My dad took the door and yanked on it so hard that the door came off
of the hinges and we were able to escape down the stairs.
The firemen said that the fire was started by an electrical short and that they were
surprised at the extent of damage. They said we were lucky that we got out and that no
one was hurt.
Luck had nothing to do with it. To this day, we all know without a doubt that our
Guardian Angel was watching over us and saved us.
I then heard him say, "It's ok... everything will be ok!" I lifted my head back up to see
nobody there. I freaked out and went down the stairs yelling, "WHERE DID YOU GO?"
I said it numerous times while walking up and down doing 360s around trying to find
him. He never stepped on the sidewalk or moved. I never saw his hands because they
were in his pockets, but I remember him so clearly.
I went home almost running. I never felt threatened by him, only scared. I was calm by
the time I reached my house and I didn't speak of my encounter to anyone until years
later. I ended up getting out of the triangle some months later.
After all was stable enough in our relationship, I got married to my kids' father, my
teenage sweetheart. Things are alot better now and I recently told him about my
"guardian angel." I believe everyone with a soul has a angel and if you cry out to God in
the darkest times of your life, he will answer. I've never seen this guy again. I wish I
could, but I know I will when I make my peace and I'm excited to. I keep this story alive
because I get the feeling I'm suppose to.
backed away.
After she backed away, it came toward me and faded into my neck area. I didn't know
what it was, but she moved out the next week. I later told my grandmother (from the good
side of my family) the story and she smiled a very strange smile. She told me it was an
ancestor who had always protected the family. She was a native American woman who
owned the very land I now live on and this was not the first time this golden light had
protected our side of the family.
Since, I have seen it twice. Once right before a tornado ripped through this town leaving
only a few homes. Mine was one of them. I saw it another time when walking on the
mountain right before I almost fell into the ice cold creek.
I always know that on this property I am protected.
I jumped up and asked where my car was. She told me it was totaled. By this time I was
freaking out. She called for the doctor, who ran in, did something, and said that I was fine
now. Before I passed out, she told me that they had to sedate me, but what they gave me
could have dropped an elephant.
So during the day I was passed out and woke up to see different family members in my
room, I remember looking at my mom, telling her I had a dream about this and passed
out.
About evening or night, I woke to see this guy sitting on the bed next to me. Thinking he
was a angel coming for me, I asked, "Who are you?" He said he was one of the firemen
who was at the site of the accident.
As I thanked him, he told me, "No, thank you!" I asked why and he said, "When we got
there and saw the accident, we knew you were dead." He then said I was a spiritual
inspiration for him. Mind you, the only things wrong with me were a few scratches and a
bruised ankle.
Two days later, my aunt and I went to the junkyard to get my belongings from my car. I
informed the guy at the counter who I was. He stood there, frozen. I'm like, "What?" He
called a guy from the back. He came up and he told him, "That's the guy who was in the
blue Renault."
The guy's eyes got big and he yelled out, "Jesus!" The guy at the counter told me I hit
another car and pushed the axle under the rear seat. He said he wouldn't tell them who I
was. He told me where to go to find my car.
As I got closer, I had to stop myself. At one point I could see all four sides of the car with
the roof pulled up. All my aunt said was, "Oh. my Lord...!" We took pictures of it, which I
still have.
Strangely, two nights before, I was at a light and I looked in my rear view mirror and
noticed a man, of sorts, in the back seat. I looked away thinking I was seeing things, but
he was still there. As I looked at him again, he had a stone face expression to his face, but
I didn't feel like I should be worried. Then he disappeared, which I still think about.
Let me return to my story. I woke up immediately after wetting the bed. Usually after
doing something like this, I would go into my parents' bedroom and wake them up to
inform them of my accident. Then they would help me clean it up and get me settled back
into a clean, dry bed. This night was different though. Something told me to get out of
bed and strip my sheets off of my bed, put them in the laundry room, clean myself up,
and put clean pajamas on. I then went back into my room and got my sleeping bag out of
my closet. I unrolled it and snuggled down into it.
Before I even began to close my eyes, I noticed someone standing in my bedroom door,
which I always left open. She was a beautiful lady with flowing black hair. She wore a
white robe that went down to the floor. She stood there staring at me, but I do not recall
any type of emotion in her face, but her face was clearly visible. In fact, her entire form
was very clear to me, which is unusual since I am very seeing-impared and rely on
glasses in order to see clearly!
As I lay in my sleeping bag looking at this lady for about 30 seconds, I finally realized
that what I was seeing was not a figment of my imagination. SHE WAS REAL! At the
time, things like ghosts scared the heck out of me! Yet, seeing this "ghost"-like figure
before me brought absolutely NO fear; instead, it brought a feeling of relaxation and
peace. I finally decided to speak to this beauty of a lady, so I simply whispered to her,
"Hi." She then brought her left pointer finger up to her mouth and gave me the "Shhhhh"
sign.
Just then, I was out like a light. The next morning, my mom found my sleeping on the
floor and asked me why. I told her about my accident and she was delighted to discover
that I had taken care of it all by myself. She even asked me what gave me the idea to get
out my sleeping bag, since I have never slept in it after wetting the bed. I simply replied,
"The lady told me to." This, of course, puzzled my mom and I explained the lady in my
doorway to her. She smiled and told me that she must have been my guardian angel and
was protecting me that night.
Since that night, I have been a strong believer in my guardian angel, who has protected
me many times since then; and not just during small things like bed-wetting. I still think
back on that night (I am now 19). Every time I do, I feel a sense of comfort and warmth...
which is the only way I can put it into words.
Sarah woke up in the middle of the night every night to go to the bathroom. So that
night was no different. She raised up to see dark growling shadows (I've never
heard of, nor seen a shadow spirit growl, so that part kind of took me off guard).
She gasped and got into her usual fetal (scared) position she had developed, from
when she was seven years old. Sarah was starting to cry when a light shot from the
corner of the room...a woman she could hardly see was in the light. The woman
said, "It's OK. Every thing is going to be alright." So Sarah (knowing her family's
background) said, "Is there a demon in my room?" The angel (if it was an angel)
said, "I don't know, but whatever is here, I'm not going to let it hurt you. Now run to
the bathroom and I'll take care of it." Sarah nodded, jumped up, ran past and
through the shadows and into the bathroom. When she came back into her room a
while later (after she gained enough courage), everything was gone...no shadows,
no light or angel. Sarah is convinced it happened and that her angel, that she now
calls Vicky, saved her.
and it's not your mom! Turn around! And the odd thing about this was that as I was
turning around when I first saw her, I saw her face clearly in the dark, even with my bad
vision. She was young and beautiful, with a hood over her head.
I'm not sure how long it took me to finally get the courage to turn around, but when I
finally did, there was nobody there. I ran out of that room so fast and down the stairs to
my mom and dad's bedroom yelling, "There's someone in my room!" My parents told me
it was just a dream that I had.
I told them what had happened, and my mom believed me because she said that she
always prayed for angels to watch over us. Well, someone was listening to her
apparently! I didn't sleep in my room that Friday night even though I knew that the
"being" never meant to cause me any harm.
Somehow, I knew she was there to look over me. The next day, pulling in a deep breath
of courage into my lungs, I went in there by myself, closed the door, and said, "Look, I
know you're here; don't ever do that again because you scared the you-know-what out of
me!"
That was the first thing I ever said to my angel. Since then, we've been through a lot
together. I receive messages from her fairly regularly because I'm open to them. I'm
married now, and every time something happens, or a message is sent that cannot be
chalked up to just coincidence, I tell my wife and she just nods and smiles because she
knows that these things can't just be coincidence, since she's had paranormal experiences
herself.
I can't begin to tell you how many times my angel has been there for me, and comforted
me in hard times. And I can't begin to thank her enough, though I always try to.
mentioned seeing anything out of the ordinary. I assume if it was anything other than my
guardian angel, other people would have seen it by now since it's been 31 years ago.
Anyway, it's something I think about a lot and it always makes me feel good.
Gunga Guardian
BY BEKA H.(http://paranormal.about.com/ Column by Stephen Wagner)
When I was about three years old and living in New Zealand, my great-grandfather, who
I called "Gunga", died of natural causes. I don't remember him much, but he's made a
huge impression in my life.
Before he died, he gave me a stuffed lion, which I gleefully called Dog, and which I
carried everywhere for years afterward. After Gunga died, my mum overheard me having
a conversation with him, but she doesn't remember what I said. She says also that the
smell of his pipe lingered for ages.
My family moved to Australia not long after Gunga's death, and not much happened until
I moved back at age 21 to attend university. I had a scooter to let me get around, and I
was a bit careless with it, even though I loved it. I had an accident the second day I had it,
and a little later I accidentally wrecked the brakes by driving it into a puddle.
The reason I'm mentioning the scooter is because one day I was driving along a road I
didn't know well, and coming up to a crossroads at which I believed I had right-of-way. I
saw a ute speeding through the crossing, illegally, or so I thought, so I started to brake.
Unfortunately, due to the earlier encounter with the puddle, the brakes of my scooter were
nearly useless. I arrived at the crossing doing maybe 25K/hour (15 miles per hour), and
hit the side of a car. I was knocked off my scooter and dazed but I picked it up and got off
the road.
That was when I realized that I had just driven into the major highway between Hamilton
and Auckland. Cars were doing 100K an hour, and it was a four lane highway. If I hadn't
happened to hit the car like I did, I most likely would have been hit by one or more of the
cars doing 100K.
I don't know how likely mathematically it was for me to hit the side of a car doing 100K,
but I feel it was Gunga's intervention that stopped me becoming roadkill.
That was the first time I realised Gunga was looking out for me, but not the last. All the
other instances are kind of pedestrian, but I came here to relate my experience last night.
I've been thinking about Gunga for a while now, thanking him for what he's done and
hoping that he's still looking out for me. Feeling sentimental, I got Dog (the stuffed lion)
out of the cupboard and went to bed with him. I'm 25 now, but I almost always need to
sleep holding something. Usually it's a stuffed lamb, but last night I put the lamb aside to
hold Dog.
Almost immediately while holding the stuffed lion, I began feeling sick. My stomach hurt
badly enough for me to want to throw up and I was having terrible dreams, even though I
was half awake.
I eventually put Dog aside and grabbed my lamb again, and within five seconds my
stomach ache disappeared and I was able to sleep soundly. I'm a skeptic at heart, although
I want to believe, so part of me is saying that my stomachache was psychosomatic. I'd
accept that, except why would I associate Dog with something bad or evil? This sounds
so silly, and I was half asleep, but when I put Dog aside I swear I saw his eyes flash.
I'm back in Australia now, and I haven't felt Gunga as strongly here as I did in New
Zealand (where he died,) and I'm wondering if it's possible that in order for him to look in
on me every now and then, this "communication" leaves the door open for something
else?
I've never been scared of ghosts, monsters, or the dark, and I've wandered through
cemeteries at night without encountering anything (Brisbane is supposed to be one of the
world's most haunted cities.) I dabble in tarot (incredibly accurately) but I steer well clear
of Ouija boards. I don't believe in religion or God, but I do think there is more to the
universe than we can see -- other dimensions and universes.
Halo
By: Joanne B/catholic.org
My father died in 2004 and although my family did not live in my hometown anymore,
we happend to be home with our four children the day my father died.
Many month later we moved back to my hometown.
One evening my daughter (who was 6 at that time) and I were playing a game of miniture
golf.
The sunset was the most beautiful ever, with colors from purple to orange to turqouise. I
said Oh Honey look at the sky, she stopped, looked a the sky and dropped club. She said
Oh MY Mommy, guess what just happned?
Pop-Pop just got his Hale.
I could not stop crying and I know she was seeing more than the sunset I was seeing
Healing Angel
By: PriceBM@CSC-SCC.GC.CA (from ainglkiss.com)
When my daughter was very young (2 years old) she was diagnosed with cancer, her
treatments were expected to last 3-4 years.
After 3 and 1/2 years, we were informed that all was going well and that the last
treatment was scheduled for October.
However, in August she took very, very sick. Her temperature was sky high, try as they
might, the nurses at our local hospital could not bring her fever down. She was flown, by
helicopter, to the children's hospital, some 200 miles away.
My husband went with her while I made arrangements for a sitter to care for our other 3
children; I then drove the long distance by myself; praying and trying not to cry.
When I arrived in her hospital room; the Priest was giving her her last rites.
I immediately left the room so that she would not see me break down.
I returned to the room shortly afterward to find her sleeping soundly.
Throughout the night, the nurses were in and out of the room to change her IV and check
her vitals.
The next morning my daughter informed me that the angels had been in to see her ( I
assumed she meant the nurses.)
Flashforward 3 years, my daughter (now a healthy 8 year old) was having a conversation
with her cousins who were holding frisbees over their heads, claiming to be angels. My
daughter corrected them by informing them that " angels do not have those rings above
their heads." The entire room became silent when she further elaborated that she seen
angels while at the children's hospital. "Remember when I was really sick Mom? Three
angels stood by my bed, one touched my hand and with her mind told me I was going to
okay. They were beautiful, they wore long white robes and glowed."
There is no doubt, in my mind, or within the minds of the rest of our family that our
daughter had been visited by the angels who were watching over her while she fought a
battle that many others have lost. We believe that God has a plan for her and that is why
He let her overcome cancer. He sent his angels to let us know that we were not alone in
our fear and pain.
Healing Beings
BY GENE W. (http://paranormal.about.com/ Column by Stephen Wagner)
When I was about 8, I got so sick in school they sent me home. My mom called Dr.
Thompson. He came to our house and told my mom I had double pneumonia. He gave
me aspirins and said if I was no better the next morning, I would go to the hospital. My
mom fixed me a place in front of the grate to keep warm; around three in the morning it
was lit with a warm very bright light.
I stood up and there were two beings standing by the door dressed in absoutely white
clothes that seemed to shine. One walked over to me, and I heard the other one say, "Can
we help him here, or do we take him with us?"
The next thing I knew, it was morning and there was no sign of sickness in my body--the
doctor was amazed and said I could go to school.
Healing Miracle
By: Evangelina/catholic.org
I had been injured on the job (registered nurse) and had suffered 2 herniated discs in my
neck along with bone spurs in the same area. Last year in March 2007, when I was 45
years old, I had began having pain in my neck and shoulders all the time. I also began
having numbness and tingling in my right arm and hand. I went to my doctor and had an
MRI done. That's when I found out what was wrong. I thought that surgery was the last
thing that I wanted. I had to go on disability that same month of March because I could
no longer work due to the pain. The pain meds were not helping, and I was almost
incapacitated even at home. I could barely move my arms, and could no longer turn my
head from side to side. I decided to have surgery in June 2007. One week after surgery, I
began having strange symptoms of palpitations, rapid heart beats, and weight loss. My
husband ended up taking me to the ER for a heart rate that got up to 148 while just sitting
in my recliner. In October 2007, I was still suffering from a lot of pain, and I still had
numbness and tingling in my arms. I had tried Physical therapy, but could not stand for
anyone to touch my neck or my shoulders. I continued to have trouble with moving head
in any direction. The palpitations and rapid heart beat also continued. I ended up seeing a
cardiologist who did several tests. He told me that as a result of the surgery, I had
suffered nerve damage to the nerves that control my heart rate, and to the nerve that
regulates blood flow to my arms. After hearing this news, I was devastated. I had the
surgery in hopes of resuming a normal life, but my life was very far from normal. At this
point, due to the constant pain, my marriage was also suffering. My husband was feeling
the stress, and did not know how to handle my suffering. I was now taking 5 medications
in an attempt to control all my symptoms! I have always been a woman of strong faith in
our Lord. I have always prayed for healing and the ability to resume a more normal life.
One day when I was feeling very sad and desperate, I visited the Shrine of Our Lady of
Lourdes here in San Antonio and prayed very deeply for guidance and assistance. When I
finished praying, I walked around the chapel and found a flyer announcing several
healing masses that were going to be given by a priest from Peru, a father Scott Martin. I
told my husband that I was going to attend the mass. I said to him " I am going to the
mass in the hopes that I can be pain free just one month."
I attend the mass, and when father Martin blessed me with the healing oil, my legs
immediately felt weak and wobbly. I had to sit down because I thought I was going to fall
down. On my drive home, I felt almost like I was in a hypnotic state. I was completely
drained, in a lot of pain, and I went to bed early that night. That night at around 3:00 AM,
I became very restless. I was very hot and sweaty, and I felt strange sensations all over
my body. I woke up to go to the bathroom, and my husband asked me if I was allright. I
said in a very sleepy voice "yes". He then asked me if I was having a dream. Again, in a
very sleepy voice I answered "yes". He then asked me what I was dreaming about. I
answered "that I was being healed". He got up, turned on the light and said, "your
kidding"!
I said "no, I am not, why?" He said, "I just had the same dream too!" My husband came
over to me and took my head and gently began moving it in every direction, up, down,
side to side. The biggest miracle of all, was that I felt very light and content, and had
absolutely no pain at all!!
That was 7 months ago now, and I am still doing great. I am now only taking Aleve as
needed, and I have incredible flexibility in my neck. I have started working again, I am
exercising at the gym and even doing cake decorating!!
I feel that I was healed by the Holy Spirit for some reason unknown to me. I was blessed
to have received this miracle and I now pray for guidance from the Lord as to what He
wants me to do with this gift I have received!
Heaven
By: Melissa Dorethy/catholic.org
Almost 12 years ago I lost my oldest son in a drowning accident. I had just given birth to
my second child at the time and I was very distraught. One night I dreamed that there was
a storm coming and my husband was yelling to "lock the windows and the doors" I went
to the front door of my house and felt that I needed to let my dog inside before I locked
the door. As I reached for the handle of the door I felt a hand grasp my hand as if to stop
me. At first I thought it was my husband. I remember looking down at the hand and
seeing that it was very hairy. My husband is not. At that moment I felt my spirit lifted out
of my body as if it were a helium balloon leaving my body behind I was shot into the sky
and a bright light. I couldn't see anything due to the brightness. I could still feel the hand
on my hand pulling me into the light. At first I was scared. Then I felt a peace and felt
that I was going to be with my son. At that moment my new baby began to fuss in her
bassinet next to the bed. I felt as if my spirit was slammed back into my body. I felt as if I
weighed a million pounds. I was so heavy I couldn't move. As I lay there I could still feel
the hand on my hand and I was completely awake. I felt as if an angel (I believe it was
my father, who was passed) had tried to show me heaven and that my son was o.k. with
my father but that the baby still needed me here on Earth. It brought me great comfort at
that time in my life and I will never forget the experience.
Heavenly Arms
By: Cathy Robinson/catholic.org
I am a professional horse rider. Several years ago, I was given a horse because the owners
said I was the only person who could get along with him. After months of rehab as a
riding horse I took him into a big field for our first canter together. When he saw his
horse friends, he began throwing his head violently around. He stumbled and fell
completely dowm on his side. I did not fall with him. I was held aloft six feet in the air as
I watched the horse fall, straighten himself and then get back up. I felt hands under my
armpits holding me in the air the entire time. The horse arose directly under me and I was
once again sitting in the saddle. Realizing what had just happened, I vaulted from the
horses back and knelt and thanked God and my guardian angel for saving me. I vowed
that this horse would never be ridden again and found him a home as a pasture
companion to other retired horses.
Heavenly Help
By Pat Waldron, Auburn, New York (guideposts.org)
Five a.m. Time to get up. I run our familys 150-year-old farm pretty much on my own,
so I had to get up early to get a days work done. Feed the animals. Check to see that all
are healthy. Then to church, since it was a Sunday.
Helping hands, I thought, seated in my pew. So much to do. If you can hear me up there,
Lord, I sure could use some help.
Following church, I hurried home and wolfed down breakfast. The farm is 188 acres. I
grow wheat, soybeans, corn and alfalfa hay, and today was the day to start the harvest.
Im going to do the soybeans today, I told my wife, Susan, pulling on my coveralls and
heading out the door.
I climbed aboard the combine and drove to the fields. It was a nice day, about 50 degrees,
unseasonably warm. I finished one five-acre field and motored toward an adjoining field.
Thats when I heard a banging sound. Whats that? I shut the machine off.
I hopped down to the ground and set the safety lock on the header. The header is 15 feet
wide, and looks like a giant snowblower.
It cuts the soybeans, separates the beans from the pods and then deposits them in the bin
inside the combine. The lock would keep it in the raised position. By now there was
smoke. A bearing had burned out, destroying the pulley.
Just my luck, I thought. One more thing for me to take care of. I hiked the mile back to
the barn, fetched some tools and a new bearing, and fixed the problem right there in the
field.
Better make sure its 100 percent, I thought. I turned on the engine, then the combine and
did a thorough visual inspection. Everything looked fine.
I climbed back into the combine, ready to go. I moved a lever to let the header down, but
it barely budged. Darn, I left the safety lock on. In a hurry now, I hopped off the machine
without shutting it down.
In front of the safety lock was a spinning belt, attached to a pulley. Ill just reach in
between the belt.
Carefully, I threaded in my left hand, freed the lock and began to pull my hand back from
behind the belt. Slowly, I cautioned myself, slowly. I was just about free when I felt a tug
on my shoulder.
Before I could react, I knew I was in trouble. My coveralls sleeve! It was caught in the
shaft!
Pull, I told myself. Too late. Next thing I knew, my hand was wrapped like a pretzel
around the shaft. The pulley was reeling me in! It wanted to suck me into the combine,
like a soybean stalk.
My head slammed against the header. My legs were pulled flush against the machinery as
the spinning shaft started burning the skin from my thighs. I couldnt hold out forever.
The nearest help was a mile away. Susan wouldnt even think to look for me for hours.
Im going to die, I thought.
I remembered what Id prayed for in church that morning: Helping hands. But there was
only me out here. And there was only one way to save myself. You have to pull your hand
off, I told myself. You have to sacrifice your hand.
I took my right hand, placed it on my left bicep, pressed my head against the header for
extra leverage, and pulled. The pulley was relentless. It kept sucking me in. I could barely
breathe. God, help me! I yelled.
I felt something pull free. There, spinning in the shaft, was my hand.
Saved, I thought, too much in shock to think about my severed limb.
But I wasnt. My coveralls were still caught in the shaft, which was spinning around,
pulling me in tighter and tighter like a tourniquet, squeezing the life out of me. The pulley
kept reeling it in. God, help me! I yelled again.
I gritted my teeth. With my good arm and what was left of my other one, I pressed my
head against the header once more and pushed as hard as I could.
As I did, the strangest feeling came over me. I was sure someone was standing directly
behind me, hands on my shoulders, helping pull me out. I swiveled my head, trying to see
who it was. But no one was there.
The smell of smoke grew stronger. The belt and my coveralls were burning together. The
pulley kept pulling me in. Im almost out of time, I told myself. I braced myself for one
last effort.
There they are again, I thought. Those hands on my shoulders, this time even stronger.
The smoke and its acrid smell grew worse. The smoke was so thick it burned my eyes
until I could barely see.
The invisible hands kept pulling. And then, somehow, I was free. Completely free!
I stared down at myself. Blood dripped from my arm. I was all but naked. The shaft and
pulley had ripped off and eaten my clothes.
I climbed into the cab of the combine and shut it down. I grabbed an old sweatshirt sitting
there and wrapped it around me.
There was a country road not too far away. I lurched toward it, crossing the soybean field.
But there was no traffic in either direction. I walked nearly a mile before spotting my
cousin, who lives down the road from my farm.
I need help! I cried.
My cousin phoned 911. When the EMTs arrived, Id lost so much blood they couldnt get
a pulse. A helicopter flew me to a trauma hospital in Syracuse, 30 miles away.
I was in the hospital a week. Three weeks later I was back to feeding my animals. My
neighbors pitched in and finished the harvesting with their combines.
I was working again, planting crops. Three months later I was fitted with a prosthetic
hand.
You have a guardian angel looking after you, for sure, Susan said the first day I came in
from working the fields.
I know I do. Probably more than one, I said.
I still take care of the farm. I do everything I used to do. I just do it differently now,
knowing Im not doing it alone. Theres always an extra pair of hands helping me.
Martin and I stepped away from the counter to regroup. The woman who had greeted us
had a word with the receptionist, then turned to us. A spot opened up, she announced.
We took a seat in the waiting room and our greeter appeared again. My son Jeremy will
service your car himself, she said.
In time, a young mechanic with the name tag Jeremy and familiar brown eyes came
into the waiting room. I was able to fix the bumper enough to get you back to Toronto,
he said. But when you get home youll have to take it in for further repairs.
Mike and I were beaming as we walked out of the shop. Christmas was over on the
calendar, but the Christmas spirit was alive and well in this place.
A few months later I decided to take another quick trip to see my daughter. I took the
highway so I could stop in at the auto-repair shop and say hi. The place was as busy as it
had been when we were so desperate for help. But this time my greeter and her son were
nowhere to be found.
I went to the service counter and asked for Jeremy.
Theres no one here by that name, the receptionist said.
He fixed my car at Christmastime, I said. His mother worked here too. She had auburn
hair.
Im sorry, the receptionist said. We havent had any staff changes since Christmas, and
no one here fits your description.
Mike and I didnt expect to see anything exciting when we took the highway that
Christmas. But it was our best car trip yetthe one where we met two angels.
The agency e-mailed some more pictures over. If anything they were worse. Plywood
cupboards. One microscopic bathroom. Dull floors. But we really had no choice. Well
take it, Michael said over the phone.
As we got ready to move out of our house in Utah, I reminded myself how lucky I was.
At least wed have a roof over our heads. I knew some people didnt. The truth is, Id
been spoiled when it came to houses. All my life, it seemed, angels had blessed me with
wonderful places to live.
I grew up in an 1850s saltbox with a drafty add-on, set on 38 woodsy acres in New York
State. In my minds eye I could still see the layout of the old farmhouse, with its big,
rambling rooms heated by the wood-burning stove.
I loved every detailthe wavy wood floors, glass bubbles in the windowpanes, slanting
windows in the attic, the cut-glass doorknob in the bedroom hanging off-center.
Even the closets were quirky. One in particular had a big, fat doorknob made of brass.
Inside, the floor was covered in a linoleum with a faux wood-grain design. That was a
house with personality, I thought, packing up.
If I had my way I never would have left that house. But after we got married, Michael
took a new job in Idahoone that promised more moves in the future. Being with Michael
was the important thing, but it was hard to say good-bye to that farmhouse and hello to
our updated apartment.
The kitchen isnt very big, I said on the day we moved in.
Yeah, Michael agreed. But look out the window. The view from the sink took in a
gorgeous mountain landscape. It was a worthy substitute for the woods at the farmhouse.
Even that little apartment had its surprises, I thought as I taped up another packing box.
Box, I thought. Were moving into a boring box.
With all our belongings in the care of a moving company, Michael and I headed to
Montana. Watching the scenery sweep past I remembered the 1970s rambler wed lived
in in Oregon.
In those days, with two little girls and various dogs, cats and rabbits to take care of, I
didnt have much time to worry about my surroundings. But when I watched my
daughters play by the creek in the backyard it felt like home.
After that house came a much more modern one in Anchorage, Alaska. I never thought I
could find anything in that spacious and contemporary house to remind me of the farm,
but on cold nights the tiny fireplace gave off just as much homey warmth as Daddys
wood-burning stove.
Heaven's Grandpa
Laying in that hospital bed, she knew she had to change her life. Her grandfather said so.
By Kristine Bixel, Largo, Florida
Something brushed my hand and I stirred awake. There was my beloved Grandpa Kegg
beside me. He was holding my hand.
"Honey, wake up," he said. I glanced around. I was in a hospital bed. What was
happening? I felt panic until I looked at my grandfather's face. He always made me feel
better, no matter what.
Family meant everything to me. I learned that growing up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. I
had love and support from my parents, my three brothers, and especially my grandfather.
I believed Grandpa Kegg knew everything, and he didn't mind a bit that I thought so.
He lived right next door, so we kids were often at his house. Grandpa took a morning
walk and sometimes we'd trail along. He had a favorite hata red plaid hunting capand
he wore it year in, year out.
"Guess what's in my pocket?" he'd ask. He might have had gum or a shiny nickel or a
stone he'd rubbed till it shone. If one of us was worried about homework or trouble with a
"Come on," she said. "Try it." I did. What would Grandpa Kegg think of his little girl
now? I wondered. Before I knew it, I was "partying" every night. Instead of an escape
from depression, my new lifestyle became another kind of trap.
By this time I'd become an expert at covering things up. I learned to hide my drinking just
as I'd hidden my depression. No one knew the real me. I found a new job whenever I lost
one, and got through my 20s. But I couldn't hide from myself.
I missed Grandpa. I missed my family. Finally I went back to Johnstown. But all the old
insecurities waited for me there. Moving to Florida hadn't cured my depression, and it
looked like moving back home wasn't going to cure my drug and alcohol addiction.
Grandpa could see I was in more trouble than ever. I was grown up now, but the little girl
in me still struggled for help.
One night I drank myself to the lowest point I'd ever known. I didn't want to go on with
my life. I stumbled into the bathroom and opened the medicine chest. A full bottle of pills
stared back at me. I filled a glass of water and swallowed every last one.
I lay down on my bed. "Please, God, I can't fight anymore. Let me go to sleep and never
wake up." I hoped the people I loved would forgive me.
Now, with Grandpa Kegg there beside me I wondered how I'd wound up in this hospital
bed. Grandpa was wearing his red plaid cap. He's out for his morning walk, I thought. But
why am I here?
Grandpa looked very sad, and kept patting my hand. "Honey, you have to wake up," he
said. "Your life isn't over yet." Then I remembered what had happened. I was so
embarrassed. Did Grandpa know what I'd done?
I wanted to tell him everything. I knew he'd understand. I knew he'd still love me. And
thatmore than anything elsemade me want to change my life. Looking into Grandpa's
loving face, I knew I could do it. I had so much to say to him, but I was so tired....
I must have drifted off to sleep. Mom was holding my hand when I woke up again. My
whole family was there, everyone except my grandfather. "Where's Grandpa?" I
mumbled.
"You've been asleep for three days," Mom said softly. "Your grandpa's been so afraid
you'd never wake up, he hasn't left the house once."
I didn't argue. I knew in my heart that Grandpa had come to comfort me. As soon as I was
discharged from the hospital I went to see him. He hugged me so tight he took my breath
away. It was heaven to be in his arms again.
"Your visit to the hospital changed me," I said. "I'll be the Kristine you've always known
Ive never seen one this big, I said. He wouldnt even fit in a bluebird box. With his
peach-colored chest puffed out proudly he reminded me of Pete himself.
The bird flew to the banister of the porch, then back to the screen door. One, two, three
times. Then he flew up to the flagpole beside the birdbath and just sat.
Pete would have loved him, I thought. It was strange to be watching the bird without him.
Pete and I had been inseparable since we got married in 1958. We spent even more time
together after our retirement, sitting on the porch, cooking dinner, working on craft
projects. Now, what did I have left?
Kristi fixed lunch but I couldnt eat. I could hardly look at the kitchen table, the place
where Pete and I had shared our morning prayer each day. I went back to the couch.
Before I knew it, Kristi was calling me again. Nows hes out by the garage, she said.
Her husband, Keith, had backed Petes pickup into the driveway while he swept out the
garage. The bluebird perched on the trucks open window, looking at the front seat as if
seeing someone there. He flew inside to the backseat, then to the front, then flew to the
window of Petes workshop.
Its like hes visiting all the places that belonged to Dad, Kristi said.
Strange coincidence, I said. Those places reminded me of my husband, but whatever
the birds reasons for sitting in those places they had nothing to do with my husband.
By the time I went to sleep that night Id forgotten all about the bird. So I had no idea
what was banging on the screen the next morning until I was face-to-face with him. Once
again he flew to the porch banister and back three times. Then he took his spot on the
flagpole.
For the rest of the summer and well into the fall, the bird was a daily visitor. Every
morning he greeted me at the screen door; every afternoon he sat on the flagpole.
Somehow his presence made me feel less alone.
Maybe I still took my meals standing at the counter because I couldnt face Petes empty
chair at the table, but at least my bluebird was watching over me. He gave me something
to look forward to every morning, and something happy to talk about with friends and
family.
What do you call him? my niece asked me.
I just call him my Blue Angel, I said. God used a raven and a dove to speak to Noah.
Why couldnt he have sent a bluebird to comfort me?
One day in December I caught sight of myself in the mirror. Months of avoiding the
kitchen table had left me thin and tired-looking. Even my hair looked scraggly. It was
time for me to start taking care of myself. I made an appointment with my hairdresser,
Retha.
It was a trek to the salon, but Id been with her a long time. I need a cut and a perm, I
told Retha when I sat down in her chair. Retha tied a smock around me and stopped.
Whats that? She pointed out the door of the salon to the street.
Something round and blue was perched on Rethas SUV outside. It was my bluebird!
There was no mistaking him at that size. He stayed on the SUV throughout my entire
appointment and was back home to greet me the next morning as usual.
As I got stronger, my bluebird took some time off. Sometimes he didnt visit for a couple
of days at a time. But he was there when I needed him. Like on Valentines Day when he
surprised me at my bedroom window.
One challenge still remained: the breakfast table. I still hadnt so much as pulled out a
chair. Todays the day, I thought as I got up one morning.
I made a cup of coffee and took a seat opposite Petes empty place. Instinctively I
stretched my hand across the table, reaching for Petes hand to say the morning blessing.
All my months of progress vanished. I was alone again, and the pain overwhelmed me.
How could you take him from me? I yelled to the empty kitchen. Why isnt Pete here
with me? I pounded the table and cried, barely aware of where I was and what I was
doing. All I knew was how much I hurt.
Then something caught my attention. Something banging on the storm door. I opened my
eyes to see my bluebird knocking just as hed done that first day, his bright peach chest
rising and falling as if hed flown to me in a rush, his little heart beating under his
feathers.
Im here! he seemed to say. Youre not alone. Im here.
Im not alone, I thought. I had my Blue Angel. What was more, I had the God whod sent
him to me. I would not forget it again.
On May 17, 2011, my bluebird visited me for the last time. But his message remains safe
in my heart: I am never alone.
Ive never seen cold weather last so long! Mom said when I arrived at the family ranch
near Mariposa, California. Since Dad died she was on her own up there. Normally she
was able to manage the place by herself, but this January had brought unusually frigid
weather for California, and she needed my help.
Dont worry, I told her. Ill load more wood in the stoves. Then Ill check on the
oranges. The small orchard behind the house was our pride and joy. It had weathered
many wintersbut never one like this.
Any temperatures below freezing were incredibly dangerous for both the orange crop and
the trees themselves, and the long-range forecast wasnt good. When Mom called and
told me the temperature had dipped as low as 30 degrees, I drove right over.
I think its time to turn on the sprinklers, I said, grabbing a flashlight. The running
water caused the air temperature to rise, and even just a few degrees could make all the
difference.
Outside I got the system up and running. Water droplets burst across the little field. The
orchard was small, but mighty in its own way.
The ranch sat in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and citrus trees at this
elevationover one thousand feetwere rare. When my dads parents had homesteaded
here in the early 1900s, they used all the land for cattle grazing.
Then Grandpa noticed the cows had a funny habit of bedding down behind the house in
winter. Turned out, this one area was warmer than any other place for miles around.
Maybe warm enough to plant some fruit, he thought.
Grandpa worked for years to make the soil more fertile. He grafted the roots of two
varieties of orangesthe hardy, cold-resistant Mediterranean Sweet and the delicious
Washington Navelto create his own hybrid.
He planted his saplings in spring and, under his care, a field of 20 orange trees flourished.
It seemed impossible, but there they were. Our miracle trees.
A sputtering sound from the sprinklers caught my attention. The flow of water petered out
and stopped. Oh, no, I thought. The pipes must have frozen! Now what?
I rushed back to the house to tell Mom. I dont know what to do, I said. Its so cold,
we wont just lose the fruit. The trees could die.
While you were out, I called my prayer chain at church, Mom said. Now the orchard
is in Gods hands. I wished I felt that was enough. I went back outside.
A typical California citrus harvest starts in October, but we held off until February. The
cold climate and the long wait made the oranges irresistibly sweet, like candied fruit right
off the branch. People came from all over to get a taste of them.
I touched the frosty bark of one of the trees. If we picked the oranges now they wouldnt
be the same. Plus, harvesting the crop wouldnt save the trees.
Lord, what else can we do? Its only getting colder. One of my favorite scriptures came to
mind: For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
Id relied on that promise so many times in my life. Could it possibly help me now?
I walked down the line of trees. Please send angels to protect the orchard, I asked.
Angels with hot breath to lift the frost. I touched an orange on each tree as I walked
past. They were hard as ice.
I felt overcome with sadness as I walked back to the house. I looked over my shoulder
and realized Id skipped two of the trees off to one side. I suppose it doesnt really
matter....
Back at the house the thermometer read 20 degrees. How many nights could the trees
weather this freeze? It went without saying that the oranges themselves were ruined, but
that hardly mattered to me now in the face of losing the very trees they grew on.
For five consecutive nights the temperature fell below freezing. On the morning of the
sixth day, the weather report improved. The cold snap was over! Mom and I bundled up
and trudged outside to survey the damage.
All the native, cold-weather plants around the house were withered and black. My heart
buckled at the thought of what our orange trees would look like.
We stepped behind the house. Our miracle trees had never appeared more beautiful, all
deep green leaves and bright amber oranges. Every tree in the orchard was well. All
except
These two trees didnt make it, I said. Their leaves were shriveled up and their trunks
frostbitten. The dead oranges had already started to drop off. They were the two trees Id
neglected to touch with my prayer.
I picked an orange off one of the trees that appeared to have made it. The fruit was so
cold it made my hand sting. Cut it open, Mom said. I split the orange in half. The inside
practically glowed. It was perfectly healthy. And as sweet as the God who holds our
orchard in his hands.
He Was There
By: CharleneR510@aol.com (from ainglkiss.com)
My story begins on the day of my breaking point. I had been going through stress for
several years,and situations around me were getting worse. On this day of my divine
experience I was at the edge of losing my sanity. I began crying, it became almost
uncontrollable. The pain I was feeling was tremendous,and the thoughts that raced
through my mind were insane,so many unhealthy thoughts invaded my mind. I was losing
my grip with reality,sanity was escaping me. I continued crying pools of tears streamed
down my face. The thoughts in my became sound, becoming louder as they grew in
number,I had no control. I curled myself into a knot I yelled out to ''GOD'' I said, if this
pain is meant for me then let it be, if not lord please take it from me. In that very moment
a being was standing before me. He glowed so magnificently, and his beauty was
gloriously perfect . He stood at about 6 feet tall, he wore a long white garment that was
made of light. All of him glowed, his face and hair were a different shade of light, but all
of him glowed bright as the sun. He raised his hand toward me with his palm facing me.
He reached out to me until his palm touched my forehead. At the moment his palm
touched me the pressure of my pain, and stress began to subside, all the way down my
body until it was no more.The angel had disappeared with the same swiftness he had
appeared.
Highway Angel
By: GilbertTX/catholic.org
It was the 6th of september 2009, My wife and i were taking our 15 month old son for an
outing. we live in a small town so we were going to the nearest city. before departing on
our trip we stopped to get beverages at a local drive inn. while paying the carhop i pulled
out some change and in the change was a medalion that our priest had given us for our
son. he said it was for protection against harm. we put up the medalion and went on our
way. halfway to the city our son was cranky and my wife turned to tend to him. he started
calling "daddy, daddy", so i turned as well. when i turned back around i was in the
median, i over corrected and began spinning. our envoy slid across a two lanes and went
into the ditch and rolled 3 times. my wife was completely ejected from the vehicle. and i
was partially ejected. the vehicle came to a stop on my chest, breaking my colar bone. i
crawled out from under and ran around the back of the vehicle. my wife was crawling
toward me screaming to get my son. a passerby that had seen the accident had stopped
and ran toward my wife. we both asked if he could get our son out of the vehicle, since
my wife could not walk and i could not use my arms. he pulled my son out of the vehicle.
my son had only a scratch on his neck. my wife and i suffered a few broken bones, but
were not critically injured. in all the wreckage and belongings scattered around the site,
one of the many people that had stopped to help found that medalion that was to protect
our son from harm. the officer in charge of investigating the accident told us that it was a
miracle that we were not seriously hurt. we believe that an angel was with us that day. we
still have the medalion and still keep it close to our son. Thank God that we are alive to
share our story and watch our son grow.
presence known to me. My brothers were now asleep next to me. I tried to wake my
younger brother and he would not awaken. I then reached out for my youngest brother
and told him to look. We sat there in awe.
The angels were so happy and their happiness and beauty made me want to hold them
and bring them close to my heart. I reached out to the angels; they laughed and
disappeared back into what seemed like another dimension. I lay there quietly the rest of
the night hoping the angels would return. We woke the following morning and I told my
mother. She refused to acknowledge that I had seen anything. I often expect that reaction
now, but every time I have met someone that I knew was struggling with faith or fear, I
would share my story with them. I am now 54 years old and with much sadness I tell you
that they have never returned. This event greatly impacted my entire life. I love going to
Church. I love the part of the Mass/Church Services where we sing Holy, Holy, Holy with
all the Choirs of Angels.
I would like to say that I subsequently lived charmed life, but that would not be the case.
I have lived a life often with financial, health, or other of life's struggles, but I always
found my way out keeping in mind that I was not alone. I knew that somewhere in this
multidimensional life that there were Guardian Angels looking after me. I have spent a
good portion of my life in search of the God that created those beautiful creatures.
Homeless Angel
Location: Bloomfield New Jersey USA
By: Angela Ohanian
I was 5 months pregnant in February of 1983 when we had a blizzard in New York and I
was at work in the World Trade Center. I left work at 5:00 o'clock and when I went
outside I could not see or walk because of the wind and snow. As I attempted to make my
way across Church Street to my bus stop for the express bus to Staten Island, I was
holding onto a lampost for dear life when all of a sudden what looked like a homeless
man came up to me with the greenest clearest eyes I ever saw and said, "What are you
doing out in this weather?" Obviously he could tell I was pregnant with my huge bulge
under my coat. I had a hood on my coat and I could barely see but I looked at him and he
said, "Come on, I'll help you get back inside." And so he helped me back inside the
Concourse and we walked to where the subway entrance was so that I could take the train
down to the ferry. He led me to where I could get the train and I looked up from my hood
to thank him and - no one was there! There wasn't even a puddle of water where he
should have been standing like there was under my boots. Gone! Poof! So I knew that
had to be my angel protecting my son. There was no other explanation. I got on the train
and the ferry and made it out to Staten Island and my husband met me at the railroad
station. Further proof: all the buses got stuck going through the tunnel, and the stop I got
off on the train was the last stop. Nothing was a coincidence. It was all in the angel's plan
to get me and my unborn son home safely.
Homeless Angel
By Barbara Romanowski/catholic.org
Many years ago, I was standing outside of a retail dept. store waiting for it to open. I
started people watching and saw an older woman walking down the street. Her clothes
were very worn but clean, and she was thin. Her graying hair was pulled back into a
messy bun but one could see that she must have had blond hair when she was younger.
Her face was very thin with flushed cheeks and had what some people used to refer to as
"dancing blue eyes". I always think back on her face as pleasant looking.
She caught me staring at her and so she started walking towards me. She came up to me
and asked me if I could give her change for a cup of coffee. I reached into my pocket and
pulled out the only bills I had on me....$3.00.
I had rushed out of the house earlier that morning and grabbed my credit card and the
$3.00 for parking.
I gave her those $3.00 without thinking. She looked at me and said "thank you". I said
"you're welcome" and with that she started to walk away. She was just a few feet away
when she turned and came back to me and whispered "I'm really an angel you know, and
I'll always watch over you". I said, "you are?" She said yes and with that she walked
away again.
That's when I realized I gave the angel my last $3.00 and now I didn't have money to get
my car out of the parking lot. In those days, there weren't ATM machines and the credit
card was only a store credit card, not something like a Visa, or Master Card.
I stood there wondering how the heck I was going to get home and started checking my
pockets for a train ticket I might have when I put my hand in the same pocket from which
I pulled the 3 bills I had given the angel. I found 3 $1.00 bills in that pocket! How did
they get there?
insight and wisdom and forgiveness for my errors in judgment. He listened. He guided.
He gave me two more children by adoption along the way. Two beautiful babies were
placed in our care by an unwed teenage mother. It didn't save this marriage either. My
hopes dreams and prayers were only practically answered.
Three years ago, after a most violent night, I prayed to the angels above and wrote in my
journal. I asked God to show me by some way that it was alright to seek safety with my
daughters (my other children were grown by now), and to forgive me for my failure once
again. I didn't want a divorce. I didn't want to believe the things I knew were true about
my husband. I still loved him. I was in such denial about everything.
I awoke the next morning and was led to go find a "for sale" sign and place it in our yard.
A short time later, the house sold. Another smaller one became available and I was able to
purchase it.
My children were so supportive, especially Angel, the youngest. She had always been so
aware of my feelings when no one else had ever been.
She encouraged and gave such words of wisdom (she was twelve years old at the time).
God provided a new job paying more money than I had ever made. He provided mentors
and encouragement from so many sources. He gave us a beautiful home. My hopes
dreams and prayers to the angels above were certainly being answered.
I was blessed to meet a new man that had in some ways been in my life for more than
twenty years. I had known his family, not him. He came along suddenly and showed me
that I was worthy of respect and love.
We were married recently and one day I was driving along our beautiful country road to
our farm. I realized that God had given me a guardian angel to share my life with. He
gave me my beautiful children. He gave me a husband that I had lost hope in ever
finding.
I suddenly came to the realization that my life was what I had hoped for. It had to take
turns along the way to get there. I even realized that I had to have the bad relationships to
allow me to mother my beautiful adopted daughters. They are one of the greatest
blessings of my life and they needed me.
Their adopted father is not in their life and God knew that would happen too.
He knows all and He knows why our perils are to improve us -- not to impair us.
Believe, have hope, and your dreams n prayers will be heard.
Horse riding
By: Harriet/catholic.org
Horse riding is a dangerous sport. All riders know that we could be killed or paralyzed by
a bad fall but that doesn't keep us from doing it. I was riding a friend's horse one day,
helping her train him a little better and getting him used to different styles of riding. I had
been working with him for several months at this point and decided to show his owner
what he and I could do. The only problem was it had just rained. I knew better than to
ride on slick ground but did so anyway. It was a pretty long drive out to the barn and I
didn't want it to be a wasted trip.
Athos (the horse) and I had been working in for nearly half an hour, so I decided to push
the limits of what we could do. I set up a low jump. I knew he wasn't an experienced
jumper and the slick ground would only make everything more difficult. I jumped him
anyway. Directly after the jump we had to make a sharp right turn and Athos stumbled
but regained his feet as we came around. I ended up halfway down his shoulder with my
feet stuck in the stirrups and thought 'I am about to die.' I could see his hooves flashing
up near my face then suddenly there was a thudding pain in my ribs and I was somehow
airborne. It was only for a split second but I remember being able to look down on Athos
and the riding ring and seeing his empty saddle. In that moment I felt such utter peace.
I landed heavily on the ground a second later, not behind Athos (where a rider would
normally end up after a fall) but nearly ten feet in front of him. We both looked at each
other for a moment and after I got hold of him again and took him back into the barn I
asked his owner, who had been watching us the whole time, what had happened and she
replied that it was so quick she would probably never know. I know that it was an angel
that saved me that day and nothing will ever be able to convince me otherwise.
Hospital Angel
Location: Apollo, PA, USA
By: Diane Mechling/catholic.org
I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 41; needing a bi lateral mastectomy. My nurse
assigned to me walked me down to a waiting area to wait 2b injected with blue dye to
locate my lymph nodes before my surgery-----She left and said she would be back down
for me. A black woman in hospital scrubs walked out of a room and closed the door
behind herself. She walked right up to me and started rubbing my back and said,"What
are you worrying about, it's in God's hands, you'll be okay". Since the beginning of my
diagnosis, I hid my thoughts and fears for the most part. After she said this to me----I
burst out crying. My assigned nurse came back for me and this same "woman" walked
out of another hallway talking to me and got in the elevator with us. She got off on a
differnt floor. When she got off, my nurses 1st comment was----"Hmmmm that was
strange----I know everyone in that department and dont know where she came from ! I
will have to find out who she is; if she is new. " Well, I got goose bumps, went to my
room and told my mother and sister(who knows the nurse on a personal basis that was
assigned to me) what just happened--- they started crying---like me--- because we all
knew that she was an angel.
How to Crawl
By: C.G.Collier/catholic.org
6 years ago,I went out to get my newspaper one morning and the paper was under a
Magnolia tree. I went out and slipped while trying to get it over the roots etc..My ankle
broke badly. It was completley twisted and the pain so unbearable. i could not get up as I
was on a hill,grass and I surely could not stand. I tried to crawl but kept slipping. I looked
for anyone..no one. I prayed in Jesus name to help. Nothing. I prayed again and said I
believe in You with all my heart and I know You exist please help. An Angel came. Huge
and above me. She asked me to crawl and I said i tried. She said crawl and suddenly her
left wing shrouded me. There was no pain . I felt like a lamb or little child being led. i felt
like I was in a bubble sort of. The angel had a woman's voice I had never heard before. I
noticed for whatever reason in that moment she had no emotion. She had love and
power,but no emotion. She led me over sticks and rocks and a limstone rocky old patio to
the back door. Once I got to the phone to call 911 she left and the pain returned.
Whenever I feel far away I remember this. When I was in the hospital I noticed i had no
scratches where I had crawled..just the ankle. Last April, My ankle broke ( same
one..same yard ) again. I had no pain until the xray but I did not witness an angel. I yelled
for help and a deaf man across the street ( a big street ) heard me. That is a miracle. Yes
they do exist. YES ! My faith was tested the first time and I prayed honestly in the Name
of Jesus. True. What an awesome God
I Am Okay Now
Location: milwaukee wisconsin USA
By: Jessica Edwards/catholic.org
When my grandmother was in the hospital, my 2 younger brothers never went to see her.
they didn't want to remember thier grandmother lying in a hospital bed. well, about 2
months after she passed my brothers were lying in their beds when all of a sudden they
felt a cold breeze and saw extremely bright light rays coming from the darkest corner in
the room. they were frozen with fear because they didn't know what it was. as they laid
there watching, 3 light forms floated over them. as they laid there the light forms started
to take shape. one being of our grandmother that just passed, one being of our great
grandmother who passed when our mom was a baby and the other of our great
grandfather whom also passed when my mom was a baby.
As they laid there they could hear my grandmother's voice telling them that she was okay
now and that she was happy. after the forms disappeared, they rain up stairs to tell me
what had happened, and because these boys never cry, i had to believe them because that
both had tears running down their faces, and they were sobbing. after about a half hour
they were able to sleep. in the morning when i woke up, i glanced at her picture that was
beside my bed, i noticed that etched in the wood of the night tabel was "i am okay now. I
am happy here, in heaven."
I Believe
Location: lancaster Ohio USA
By: Samantha Wynkoop/catholic.org
My parents and I never had what you would call a loving relationship. The older I got the
more my mom singled me out from my brother and sisters; yelling, constantly berating
me, and eventually it moved on to the point where she would hit me. I could never
understand why she hated me, and she made no secret of it...in fact she told me often she
never wanted me. Two weeks after I graduated from high school it got to the point where
my mother beat me up so badly and got so out of control that I left home. I had no money,
car, job, clothes. And she told me if I ever told anyone how i got battered she'd make me
sorry. It's so hard for anyone to imagine what it's like to have nothing...no self-esteem,
and no hope. I got a job that paid minimum wage and moved in with my boyfriends
family. They're great people, but still became leery around me, like they no longer knew
how to act when i was around. I became really depressed, and started thinking....nobody
wants me....I'!
m taking up space and this is so hard to get up everyday and try to keep going.
I went to work one day, the store I worked in was small, only one person was scheduled
per shift. So I was alone and thinking some very scary thoughts about ending my
life...This little old lady walked in and looked around, but I could see she was staring at
me, it was a bit un-nerving. I was standing there staring off into space and thinking
depressing thoughts, not really paying too much attention to her when she walked right
up and took my hand. I was too surprised to jerk my hand away...i'd reached the point
where i didn't want anyone to touch me. She looked me right in the eye with the most
direct gaze anyone has ever leveled at me and said 'your a good girl and you are loved,
it's going to be okay'. I broke down and cried.
When I got myself under control again the old lady was gone...the thing is there was a
little bell above the door so whenever anyone went in or out it rang really loudly. I never
saw, or heard her leave....all I know is that this woman saved my life. I am completly
convinced that she was my guardian angel.
belief in something greater than myself. The reason I believe is only because of beautiful
angels I cannot see but in hindsight I see God and his crew love me sooooooooooo much.
I have been through so much with my addictions and if it were not for all the angels in the
world, one imparticular, my granddaddy from Bristol, TN I would not be alive today. I
know my granddaddy is my guardian angel because he died when I was eightteen in July
2001 and I got my first DUI on his actual birthday which was in September 2001. Weird
ha anyway I believe ever since then he has been on the look out for me because I have
been in multiple carwrecks and troubles with the law since but as well eagerly seeking
God. Still in the grips of my addictions, I thank my granddaddy for loving me so much
that his job is to now look over me and I love him for that. I will continue my search and
try to let as many people know God is cool and only wants us to live to the fullest. I am
afraid but when I believe I am certain my angels have my back. I am not invincible but I
realize they will not give up hope on me unless I do. All I can do is pray and thank my
angels for bringing me closer to God than I have ever been. I give you utmost thanks
Granddaddy Hanes Allen Stewart you are more than amazing. Please God keep us safe
Thank you for my life Ilove you
Ignatius
Location: poland OH USA
By: Theresa Smaroff
I had often heard, that whenever you are in between being asleep and awake- if you ask
your angel their name, they'll tell you. The name I got- was Ignatius.
Perhaps, my husband thought I was crazy. My husband is a surgeon and believes much of
medicine is based on science. Ignatius was about to prove him wrong. When science
ends, that is sometimes where faith begins.
And I believed Ignatius.
My husband came home late one night. He said that there was a patient bleeding in the
Surgical Intensive Care Unit and he was worried he might die. So I told him- "I'll send
Ignatius to him to help him."
Within 15 minutes, the patient's bleeding stopped. Eventually, he had made a full
recovery. Many times, I send Ignatius out to the sick. He never ceases to amaze me. And
because I send him to the sick patients, he keeps my husband home at night . My
husband- who now believes in angels.
love. I can almost say it sounded like an echo which filled the room.
The voice said, "I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, I'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU." Needless to
say I jumped off the bed startled and suddenly realized that this was either the voice of
God or my angel. Whoever it was from that instant my painful depression disappeared. I,
along with my family dealt with my father's illness and eventually with his passing. Yes,
it was painful and we've mourned, but it became part of God's plan and accepted as such.
I kept this experience to myself for several years. I thought it was my special message
and was selfish with it, until one day I encountered a soul in the same pain that I had
experienced. I suddenly realized that it was not just a message for me but for me to share
with those who needed to hear his message. Today I only share it with certain people
when I sense it is okay to share. Not everyone benefits from this and to me this
experience has a message and not just to anyone.
Prior to this, I've had beautiful experiences and I've always believed in angels. This
experience re-affirmed my beliefs, my faith, and my convictions when it comes to my
faith in God.
very first baby, when my 6th months came, i undergo for an ultrasound, then and there I
cried, I remember what my angel said " to wait for it" , because my baby is a girl, my
little angel.. and named after Maria Angela. My Baby is the living proof of me that there
is really an angel.
I asked my friend what does that look like to you....And to my amazement she said that's
an ANGEL. This ANGEL WAS HUGE and it was coming down at my car. I seen
everything she was wearing her hair was long with golden curls she was wearing a long
robe with a gold band around her chest, her arms was reaching out to me. I turned my car
around to get a better look but by the time I did that she was gone. Two days after I seen
this Angel I was driving like a mad woman and wanted to kill myself and I din't care how
I was going to die. I went to the bar had many drinks in me and a friend took my keys but
I hit him so hard that he throw my keys at me and told me to go kill myself, I said that's
the plain, I got in my car took the seat belt and put it behind me. I drove home, but got a
bug up my butt and took off again. I drove down the same street I seen that ANGEL,( this
is where I still feel funny telling people this) I felt something push me into the passenger
seat and hold me there, I couldn't see any more, everything went black....but I did hear
everything around me. I heard alot of noise around me, then my car came to a stop. I sat
up and took the wheel and tried to start my car....hhhmmm... then I seen that there was a
telephone pole in my car...in the driving seat....wow.I grabbed the pole and got myself out
of my car and I ran. I could not believe I didn't even get hurt. Many say it's because I was
drunk......NO WAY... I NOW BELIEVE that God was showing me that He is real and so
is His Angels, no matter how I was feeling about Him He saved me from a horrible pit,
and from HELL. I know God knows our hearts and He new I would change to love Him.
killing yourself, he said. Then he gently tapped my shoulder again and left the caf.
I asked the waitress if she had served the man. What man? she said. Its just been you
and me in here since lunch.
Soon after, I quit smoking for good. I credit the motivation of that mysterious stranger,
who helped me give a belated Christmas gift to my wife and added years to my life.
In my young age in elementary school, my neighbor and I were coming from school
going home. We were about to enter the bus; when I found out that I lost the bus fare,
which was given to me by my mother for all to take the bus because she could not come
to pick us up that very day. I don't know how or where I misplace the money. And we
could not get home without the bus fare. Standing at the bus stop, I started to cry
suddenly a man came from nowhere came behind me holding a bible and wearing a white
shirt and black pants. Not even asking me what happen, he gave the money right way and
left as I turn to say or look at him. He vanished. God is with us everyday and he hears our
cry for help.
Another one that happen in 1980s, there was a day I was sitting at the fence way playing
with my friends where parent park their car to pick their children in school. Also waiting
for mother to pick me up. Suddenly women driving towards me climb one of my legs and
moving the car. I did not know that the car climbs me, until the woman came down
starting shaking and touching my leg. She asked me " are u ok." I said to her "am fine" I
started to look at her. Is she ok or what? To my surprise I didn't know or feel any pain that
a car climb one of my leg till today. God is a Great God.
respirations. Note the time on the chart. Almost always, these are people I dont know and
have never seen.
Room 432 was dark, illuminated only by the pale fluorescent glow of a small fixture over
the head of the bed and the faint light of a new moon as it shone through the open
window. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the change.
I walked over to the edge of the bed. Mr. Blake lay peacefully, covered with a blanket
that had been tucked neatly under his chin. His head rested on a pillow, his eyes were
closed, and his mouth was partly open.
I watched him for a minute and could not discern any respirations. I put my stethoscope
in my ears and, pulling the blanket down, exposed his chest. I checked for any cardiac
activity or movement of air. None.
After carefully replacing his blanket I opened his medical chart, found the appropriate
page, and struggled in the faint light to make a few notes. No respirations. No cardiac
activity. Pronounced dead at 2:27 a.m.
That was it. I had officially documented the death of this complete stranger. He had been
born eighty-some years ago, and now he was gone.
I stepped back from the bed and found the scene strangely peaceful. It was completely
quiet, and the moon shining through the window added a surreal touch. Then it occurred
to me that I was an interloper. This was a profound moment, the ending of a mans life.
And though I was on official business, I was in fact a stranger.
I turned to the door and jumped, when from the far corner of the room I heard a mans
voice. Hes at peace now.
Stopping in my tracks, I stared in the direction of this voice and tried to determine its
source. In the shadowed right-hand corner of the room, I began to make out the form of a
man sitting in a chair. He shifted in his seat, clearly declaring his presence.
Yes, he is, I answered. Im Dr. Lesslie. And you are?
Im his son, Paul Blake, came the response. We were silent for a moment. Strangely
this unexpected interruption didnt bother me, though now even more than before it
occurred to me that I indeed was interrupting this scene.
Yeah, hes at peace now, Paul repeated. Its been a tough couple of weeks. Cancer of
the pancreas is a He paused, searching for the words that could somehow sum up his
fathers last weeks of pain and suffering. There were no adequate words for this, nor for
the loss that Paul had anticipated and that was now crushing him.
He suffered a good bit the last few days. But last night he was real calm, and we talked
I know that Momma loved the Lord, and so did Daddy. And I know where they are right
now. But its awful lonely right here in this room. Im not ready to lose them both. Im
not ready to be alone, without them.
I did know how that felt. My mother had died when I was fourteen, and my father had
died several years ago. In a very real way, Paul and I were orphans. Our parents are no
longer here to counsel us, to hold us, to give us advice. Its part of the cycle of life, but
its a painful part.
Paul, I know we dont know each other, but let me share something with you. As a
physician, Im trained to approach things from a scientific viewpoint. You stake out a
theory and then you try to prove it. And if you cant prove it, if the evidence is not there,
then you discard the idea and move on to another one. Now, scientific evidence is
something we can see or feel. Its something that can be reproduced over and over again.
I paused for a moment. Yeah, I understand that, Doc, Paul said.
Well, I continued. I have come to understand that there are things in this world, in this
life, that dont fit that model. There are things that happen, things that are absolutely real
that you cant put in a test tube, or see, or feel with your hands. But you know they are
real, and they are true. Like your mother tonight, communicating with your daddy. I
believe that is real. I dont think it was some semiconscious thought or some long-ago
memory being awakened. I believe it happened.
Paul interrupted me. Doc, I want to believe that too, and I think I do. But why cant I
experience it? Why cant I talk with Momma just like Daddy did? Ive been sitting, and
waiting, and praying. And nothing. Just me in this room, alone, until you came in.
I leaned back in my chair now and looked out the window. The sliver of moon was now
partially obscured by some quickly passing clouds, and the room had become darker. I
understand what youre feeling, I told him. But somehow, things dont work that way.
There are definite moments of communication, of a sense of the real presence of a loved
one, but they come at times of their own choosing. We cant command them or force
them to occur. And I think it happens when its supposed to happen. I think for a lot of us,
it happens and we dont expect it, we dont understand it, and we dont accept it. Youve
seen it here tonight, with your father. And you know that it was real and you accept it as
being real.
Thanks, Dr. Lesslie.
I stopped and looked back at this man, still faceless in the darkened room. No, I need to
thank you, Paul."
I stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind me. For a moment I stood there
alone, in the quiet. What had begun as an inconvenience had become a gift, a blessing. It
was unexpected to be sure, but it was a true blessing.
with an agency we waited a solid year. In October 2004, the four of us flew to China to
bring home 10-month-old Emma.
The nannies at the orphanage lingered in the doorway. The woman who held our baby
seemed reluctant to hand her over, just like my dream. Once Emma was in my arms, I
stroked her black hair and looked into her dark eyes. Lance, Maddi and Zach moved in
close.
Holding my new daughter, I felt the overwhelming love I remembered from my dream.
There was no doubt in my mind. Emma was heaven-sent. My family was exactly the way
I wanted it to be.
Catholicism begin - after I had been away for so long. I closed my eyes and remembered
what had occurred.
On December 8, 1980 I was sitting in my office in Fort Belvoir, Virginia doing some
legal work. I was an Army lawyer at the time. I heard a voice say: "John, do you know
what today is? It is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. I want you to go to church
today."
I looked up from what I was doing and looked around. There was no one in my office. I
thought to myself: "Who said that?" I had the impression that someone was playing
games with me. I called the General's secretary down the hall. I knew that she was
Catholic. I asked her what day today was. She replied: "Tuesday, silly." - or something
like that.
"Maggie, I know that. Is today a holy day?"
"Yes," she replied. "It is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception."
I was stunned. "Are they having mass today at the Post Chapel? I asked her.
"Yup - in 15 minutes."
She explained to me how to get there and I left immediately. I went into the chapel and
found a seat near the front. As I sat down I could feel my mother sitting next to me. I
didn't see her but I am certain that she was there. She then said to me: "I want you to go
to mass from now on."
I answered silently in my head: "Yes, Mother."
Then she was gone. What makes this story more remarkable is that my Mother had died
on January 17, 1980, about 11 months previously. She had always been very concerned
for my soul and was very devoted to the Blessed Mother. For example she had taken me
to First Saturday mass, dedicated to the Blessed Mother, for years!
I am very grateful to her for this miracle but I owe her for so many other things too.
When I had met Kaye, the woman that I married on June 7, 1980 (only months after my
mother died), my mother had told me that Kaye was "the one." I had introduced my
mother to many other women previously and she had always turned them down. I had
begun to believe that she would never approve of anyone. My mother was as right as rain.
My marriage to Kaye has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. We get along
extremely well. She has brought me peace, joy, and security that I had never known in the
previous 39 years of my life.
Why do Kaye and I get along so well? Neither one of us can figure it out. Both of us had
failed in other relationships, but there was something unique about our togetherness. We
had been given a great gift - from God! We didn't deserve it. We didn't earn it. We could
never have expected it! As I tend to see our lives we have many failings and weaknesses
but our personalities tend to compliment each other.
These two incidents mark the beginning of my resurrection from the dead. My
resurrection is still in process. In 1980 I found myself returning to church after many
years away from the Faith. My faith has grown from a tiny spark then to a small campfire
now. The process of my conversion remains a work in progress.
I am deeply grateful for the Mercy of Jesus Christ and for the intercession of my Mother
and the Blessed Mother for these miracles. I can see my mother pleading with Mary to be
allowed to try to save her son, me! Mary listened in her warm loving way and then turned
to her son, Jesus. Like at the wedding feast at Cana she pointed out that without my
mother's intervention that I would most likely end up in hell. Jesus thought about this a
moment, considered the state of my soul, consulted His Father to determine His will, and
then gave my mother permission to visit me personally.
Thank you, Dearest Jesus. Thank you, Dearest Father. Thank you, Dearest Blessed
Mother. Thank you, Mom. Thank you Dearest Holy Spirit for your continued light and
leadership.
home.
All that happened 14years ago yes 14. After getting his butt chewed out from each of us
he realized we not only love him no matter his past mistakes we are family and here for
him and each other till we each leave this earth. To this day as awful as HIV AIDS is I
beleive GOD gave this to my brother but it was his choice to do good or wrong and he
ended up doing good, My brother allowed our family doctor to sign him up for medical
testing on a new drug they were hoping would bring either a cure or weaken the virus.
The doctors found that my brother for some reason responded to this therapy and actually
killed the Aids he had but he will always be HIV He has been written about in medical
research and gave them HOPE.
As it is told we are all given a cross to bare but will be repaid in the end for it is our
smallest doings that make the biggest ripple & my brothers was always to be this that is
why GOD never left him and let showed him that night with 2 GUARDIAN ANGELS to
save his life and show him he has a purpose just hang in there.
Now I have tried to trim the story as much as I could otherwise it would read like a book.
I love my Brother and he is one of my heros along with my DAD. To this day I don't
think he knows the impact he has on us & do us proud.
Thank You for listening & GOD BLESS YOU
P.S. I WOULD LIKE GIVE MY THANKS & LOVE TO THOSE 2 ANGEL WHO
SAVED MY BROTHER THAT NIGHT .
Jake's Angels
By: Ssmooch40@aol.com
My 15-year-old American Eskimo dog needed to have his teeth cleaned really bad. I had
never had his teeth cleaned before so needless to say it had to be done. He was at risk for
infections, bacteria, etc., getting into his bloodstream and causing serious problems if I
did not have this done (not to mention what he might have had already from his bad
teeth). I was a "nervous wreck" the weeks before, especially the day of, I was going to
bring him in for the procedure. I have had Jake since he was 6 weeks old, we had just
celebrated his 15th birthday a month before. Now, I put a lot of trust in the veterinarian
who was doing the procedure, but still had that "fear" that something was going to
happen to him during this procedure. For this procedure he had to put under "anesthesia"
and it can be risky in older dogs. And, when it comes to my dog I can't help but think of
anything that could happen. One of my friends told me that I needed to be on a
tranquilizer so as to help my anxiety about this whole thing (ha!)
I prayed to God about this very earnestly and sincerely and asked him to be with Jake and
the doctors doing the procedure on him so as he will come through it all right. I would
have been devastated to have lost my best friend/companion of 15 years due to a
complication with a procedure rather than natural causes of old age. Well, Jake checked
out fine to be put under anesthesia, but I still had that overwhelming "fear."
On the morning of the procedure I prayed again very earnestly to God. I brought Jake in
that morning (surprising because I thought I would actuallychicken out). I felt nervous,
but not as nervous as I thought I would. The doctor gave Jake an injection of a sedative
before the anesthesia and she told me it would take effect in about 30 minutes. That his
eyes would get dilated and he would start getting groggy and stumbling. She said I could
go walk him outside if I wanted to. So that I did do to try to make Jake less anxious (as
he hates going to the doctors). Within about 10 minutes he started slowing down as he
was walking. I looked at his eyes and they were extremely dilated, he began falling over
to the side. At this time was when my "adrenaline" kicked in.
(I have to go off the track here a bit so as to get the whole idea of this). My back has
been bad since I have had to lift Jake in and out of the car due to his arthritis and no
longer being able to jump in my car. Well, for over two months of bending over and
lifting up 35 pounds of "dead weight" about four or more times a day, starting making my
back bad. It really hurt for me to bend over and pick him up anymore and my back was
getting worse and worse.
So, here we were a ways away from the door to the vet clinic and he surprisingly started
feeling the effects of the sedative sooner than I had expected. When he started going
down to the ground I bent over to pick him up, got him quickly off the ground, and ran
him into the clinic. It all happened so fast. They told me to bring him back to the table
and lay him down. They then gave him the "injection" for the real anesthetic and told me
to call back in an hour. Well, that was the longest hour of my entire life. I had time to
think and in retrospect when I bent over to pick him up I felt no back pain whatsoever,
and his weight felt like a "bag of feathers" as I was running him into the clinic. This is
where I believe the "angels" stepped in and took over for me! And everything was going
to be okay. I called the clinic back an hour and a half later, and they said "my little one
was recovering nicely." He is home with me now and doing great with his cleaned teeth
(minus two missing they had to pull).
I truly felt blessed with this experience and KNOW that God sent his angels to take over
for me after the sedative was taking effect and brought my dog through this just fine.
AMEN! THANKS BE TO GOD AND HIS MANY ANGELS WHO ARE ON DUTY AT
ALL TIMES!!
Joan of arc
Location: London Essex England
By: Meagan Kaminski/catholic.org
Before my confirmation I had an argument with my father about the way I percieved god.
That night, I went up to my bedroom, confused and frustrated, bawling my eyes out. I lay
there for about 3hours and then I felt like I was floating. I had stopped crying a while
back and as I felt I was lifted off my bed I started crying and shaking. I was terrified but
at the same time I was comforted by the fact I knew a presence was there with me. From
the door my room went bright, so bright It was almost blinding. It moved forward and I
couldn't make out a face, maybe because I was too scared to look, I don't know. It told me
though, that it was Joan Of Arc and that she wanted to protect me through my life so I
picked Joan of Arc as my chosen saint. She also told me my sponsor had to be my RE
Teacher, A mr.Gibbons. I didn't doubt this and it was strange because just two days
before, Mr.Gibbons had hit my little brother Damian across the head and my parents were
considoring sewing him. When it happened there was this echoey sound. I do believe that
Joan Of Arc is watching me. After this, I went to my confirmation class and the priest
talked to us. His hands began to glow in the same bright light and he moved like Jesus. I
again, started to cry in fear but I felt so safe. I got the same echoey feeling and so I went
to confession and asked forgiveness. A couple of days before this I was sitting in my
mothers room and she was reading to me about a priest, a saint. Her hands did exactly
what the priests did but the echo was stronger and there was a presence in the room. I
started to cry and didn't explain why. My mother was confused but didn't ask.The echo
told me to go to church as often as I can. The fourth time I was in the church, after
school, in the front pew, I was speaking to god and then the doors of the church banged
loudly, I turned to see if n e one had come inn and no one had, I turned back because I
started shaking, this presence, like a strong wind, with the echo again, came crawiling up
the isles so fast, I started crying and looked up because it had gone to the statue of mary.
She said I should do as god wants and to not be afraid, go to confession regularly and stay
pure. I went back a couple of weeks later guilty that I had not gone to confession or
church everysingle day and then I looked, in the front pew, at the statue of mary but there
was no statue. I don't know if I'm skitzophrenic but I don't think I am. I know what I saw
and I don't know why I saw it. I feel like I should tell people about these things now. At
first when mary saw me I thought she wanted me to become a nun but Im not nun
material. Its been quite a mission but Im only fourteen and Ill see what the future holds.
But either way, Joan of Arcs with me.
Josephina
Location: NY, NY USA
By: Anonymous
Josephina is a Mexican woman who works for me. She's 34 and has been married to the
same man since age 14. She's having terrible trouble; the husband cheats continuously
and beats her. She became pregnant again. The husband, who had left her, broke through
her window, raped and beat her. She asked me to do a healing. After her healing I gave
her two Spanish books about angels and told her that the angels can't help us unless we
ask. They stand by sadly watching. Ask them to help. In the following weeks Josephina's
appearance improved dramatically. She looked rested and there is now a sparkling light in
her eyes. This past week she tells us that she was dreaming of mice all over her body
when suddenly she heard a soft, beautiful voice, "Josephina. . . don't think these tragic
thoughts . . . know that we are always with you."
a persons mouth.
She said that when the hydrotherapist Chris Clark came in, one of the first things she did
was to get down, and before her, prayed...(I think she prayed silently) While this was
happening, she said she saw a light by the door way (she used her hand in a circular
motion as she described it..) And that a person came in. She tried as hard as she could to
say "Chris, dont you see him?! Dont you see him Chris!?) ( May I also say this was not
a delusional woman, and for the most part, the physicians tried to use natural forms of
non-allopathic forms of treatment, so being over medicated is not likely to be the reason
of her seeing this.)
She then told us that she gave up trying, that this must be meant for only her eyes to see.
You see, there was nothing wrong with her vocal cords, this was not part of her physical
affliction. She then said, that this person guided Chriss hands and told Chris to turn up
the temperature to a precise temp. Chris then interupted, and said excitedly, "I felt
impressed to turn it up to what the Doctor had recommended, and did so, though it was I
was not planning on doing that as all the other times your pain would not tolerate that rise
in temperature and would scream in pain." With that said, Chris flushed in apparent
embarrassment and was silent.
We all could not believe our eyes. This woman was now free from this physical torment
and there seemed to be no medical explanation.
Later I saw her laying out in the sun, as this was recommended as it would reduce the
cyclic-amp. (Cyclic-adenosine monophosphate can reduce the efficiency of the immune
system) and can help, when used moderately as recommended by a physician, help
balance the estrogen ( see Dr. Zames Kimes, Loma Linda Medical University and
"Sunlight May Save Your Life) I remembered that she sometimes referred to this person
as an angel. I thought, this may be my last chance to ask her if she really saw this, so I
went over and said, "Excuse me please, but may I ask you a question?" She said, "yes."
"Did you really see an angel??" I studied her face as she did not give me an answer but
asked, "Why do you ask?" I answered, "I sometimes have doubts about angel stories and
that they really exist." ( I really wanted to believe, in the past I had believed, but
somehow I had become a pessimist.) She said, "Yes, I really saw an angel." (AS if her
being miraculously relieved of her condition was not enough.) "What did it look like" I
asked. I remember her telling me that there was a beautiful light around him, especially
his clothes." She then told me how she had called her husband, and that he was crying on
the phone as she talked. She told me that he then told her, "Honey, we need to start going
to church again." She told me she had become an atheist through her years of pain, but
that had all changed.
This is a true story and I learned from this that even after the Doctors have done all that
they can to never give up on prayer, that even one of His angels may be sent in answer to
prayer, though the naked eye may not see this. geoffrey2300@yahoo.com
Just Relax!
Location: Montgomery AL USA
By: Maureen Moore/catholic.org
About 5yr. ago, during what was a very stressful time in my life , ( I was taking care of
both my in-laws and worring about my dad who was quite ill at the time ) I was finally
able take a day just for myself. I was so excited, I planned the whole day like it was a
vacation. I did some errands, a little shopping, had a nice quiet lunch by myself and then
decided to go home and read a little before my daughter came home from school. I was
about a mile from home when I was coming up on a strip mall, there I saw a big pickup
truck getting ready to pull across my path, we locked eyes and I thought he would wait
for me to pass, however, he started to pull out into the street. At that same instant , I heard
a voice next to me say very calmly " Relax, just relax there is nothing you can do, so just
relax." When my Angel finished, I mentally agreed, took a deep breath and RELAXED.
There was a huge crash as the truck stopped right in front of me because the lane he
wanted to get into was full. The whole front of my car was destroyed and my front
window had been shattered by my WRIST which was NOT broken. If it hadn't been for
my Angels warning to Relax, I'm sure I wouldn't have been so lucky!
Karen Ann
By: Linda@Pulmonary.Winthrop.Org (ainglkiss.com)
My 9 year old niece/Godchild Karen Ann was a beautiful little girl. She was bright,
articulate, fun loving and had many friends. Karen told her parents she had a special
friend who used to sit in her tree outside her bedroom window. My sister in law thought
nothing of this because she knew her daughter well and was not concerned about her well
being. A few weeks went by and Karen shared with her friends that this friend, in the
tree, was her guardian angel. Karen told her friends stories that her guardian angel would
tell to her.
Karen was getting ready for her dance recital and the Sunday before her recital she came
down to her kitchen and told her mother that her guardian angel told her she was going to
die and that she should tell her mother and friends goodbye. With this my sister in law
became very upset and told Karen she was too young to die and that she shouldn't think
of such unpleasant things and not to worry about dying. Karen told her mother that if and
when she died she wanted a pink heartshaped tombstone for her grave and made her
Kissed by an Angel
by Helen McGreal (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
Many years back, I suffered a very deep and dark depression, resulting from loosing
custody of my only child. I went from being full time mom to weekend mom, and I
barely could make it through a day, the loss was so intense. After months of deep
depression, I came to a breaking point, where I did not want to live with the
circumstances as they were....my pain was too great. I cried my heart out to God so
strongly, and then collapsed on my bedroom floor with a complete broken heart.
I just kept asking God, Why me? Why did this turn out this way? Suddenly in the room, I
heard a man's voice very clearly and calmly say, "Get up. It's not over." Then the voice
repeated "It's not over."
At first I was afraid, but then an extreme peace came over me and I stopped crying and
stood up. Those words gave me hope. I went to bed and began to pray and began to cry
all over again to God, when suddenly, I felt a kiss on my cheek! It was clear as day, but
there was nobody with me. Once again, I was overcome with the greatest sense of peace,
love and tranquility that I know only comes from God.
I fell into an immediate sleep and dreamt of the Archangel Michael standing beside my
bed staring down at me with an incredible look of concern and compassion. His eyes
were a spectacular blue, and he had a strong nose and beautifully chiseled face with long
hair. He was wearing white and his wings wrapped around my entire bedroom as if
enclosing me in a cocoon. I knew it was Michael, because he had a large sword in his
hand as if to protect me. And I knew in my heart that this was who kissed me and that he
was sent by God to minister to me.
The next morning, I awoke for the first time in months feeling refreshed and as if my
burdens were all lifted. I actually sang on my way into work, and had such hope in my
heart for the best. It was the first time I asked God to help me forgive the judge, my
husband and all the people who hurt me. From that day on, my depression lifted, and I
began to rebuild my life as a weekend mom.
Today, I have an excellent relationship with my now almost 15-year-old son, and we
treasure our time together. His father is doing a great job raising him, and I am involved
in his life 100%. We all have adjusted well, especially my son Ryan. Although I will
NEVER get used to being the weekend parent, I have accepted it and do the best I can
with it. I know in my heart that God sent his angel to encourage and uplift me that night
when I wanted so desperately for my life to end. There is a God who loves and cares for
us... and there are angels all around us, too. I experienced it firsthand and will NEVER
forget it.
Last Chance
Location: Bellevue Wa USA
By: Kyle Gilmore/catholic.org
I was going thru a very rough part of life coming off of a divorce,I was drinking alcohol
into oblivion everyday and really hoping i didnt wake up the next morning.this was going
on and off for about 2 years when my experience happened.
My mother would always point out to me when i was young that i had multiple guardian
angles.
She would read things such as my birthday being in aline with the day we reckognize the
transfiguration of christ.she would always tell me i was special.
I have lived life as a very toubled kid and adult,i was always looking for the why in
everything.
at the end days of my self destructive drinking,i was in my room trying to sleep when all
of a sudden i was somewhere else.it was very dark and i knew there were "things" around
me.as i focused more i realized there were a few angeles lying around me in different
states,i think they were dead.
i looked up and saw one angel and he was beat up pretty bad but still had his sword
out,he turned to me and said "we could win if you would only help"
briefly i realized that there were demons surrounding us,then i woke up.
I dont know what this really was,but i do know it motivated me to stop drinking and to
strive to become a spiritualy clean person.
Life Saver
By: paul/catholic.org
HI and God bless
Thankyou God for his most wonderful gift of my guardian angel
anyway this happend about 2 years ago
I have a large powerful motorcycle.
I was riding home behind a slow driver. I was less than a kilometre from home when we
approcahed a right hand bend.
The car in front signalled to turn right (remember in Australia we drive in the left lane)
about was God. My situation financially resolved itself, and now after 10 to 12 years later
I walk in faith and talk to others about faith and practice my faith and teach catechism to
41 students and I still see angels and receive spiritual messages, and I want to say angels
do hear us and God is certainly full of mercy and kindness for his children.
Lifting Spirit
BY SKILLER (http://paranormal.about.com/ Column by Stephen Wagner)
This incident took place in late 2009 or early 2010 in South Sioux City, Nebraska. I
believe that an angel or the spirit of my deceased step-dad intervened.
Here is what happened: My mother, who was in her late seventies at the time, was living
in the same apartment building as me, three doors down the hall. She was unsteady a lot
and I was taking care of her needs, going to her apartment whenever she needed me.
This particular day she had fallen in the kitchen. She called me to tell me she needed
help, so I immediately walked to her place at a very fast clip. When I entered her
apartment, I discovered her sitting on the kitchen floor facing the cabinets with her feet
splayed. She could not get up.
I walked over to her and turned to face her with my feet on either side of her legs. I bent
down to put my arms under her armpits to lift her up, but I didn't think I would be able to
do it with my bad back.
I tried for a split second to lift her to gauge her weight (she was 135 lbs at the time) and I
decided I need to change my center of gravity. I planted my feet more securely on either
side of her, placed my arms under her more securely and said, "Ok, here I go," and I
started to lift her.
The thing was, I didn't lift her. Someone or something else did. She came up steadily and
really fast, and I was not exerting any pressure under her arms. I was basically just
coming up with her. During the two or three seconds it took to stand her up, my mind was
reeling with all kinds of thoughts, like, Wha? What's going on? This isn't happening! I'm
not doing it! She's coming up in spite of me! Wha?
Then she was on her feet facing me and she looked at me and said, "Boy you"re strong!" I
replied, "Let's get you on the couch, Mom." So I helped her to the couch and sat her
down, then I sat in a chair opposite her.
I looked at her and said, "Mom, I didn't lift you up! Someone else did. I think an angel
lifted you up. My back did not tighten or strain, my legs did not strain or tighten; I just
came up WITH you!" And she looked at me and said, "I believe you! I think it was
Vince." Vince was her recently deceased husband. Neither one of us will ever forget that
event. I was sure thankful for the help.
Long Hair
Location: Neah Bay WA USA
By: Crystal Denney/catholic.org
My mother unexpectedly passed away when my sisters and I were in our teens-I was 19
and my twin sisters were 15. Our dad hadn't been around for quite some time, leaving
before his divorce to my mom was final. We are from a tribe in WA state, and in our
culture, to show you are in mourning, the women cut their hair very short.
At the time, I was in the process of growing my hair out for my wedding, which was to
take place the following year. My sisters and I were gathered in my living room,
absorbing the tragic events of the day, when one of my sisters asked me "Sister, are you
going to cut your hair now?"
I looked wistfully at my beautiful long brown locks, thinking about my mama...
As a young girl, she kept my hair long, very very long. In fact, I had begged her for
months at the age of 7 to cut my hair. >br>
Finally, after much thought, I told my sisters "No, I don't think I will. Mama loved my
hair long. I'll keep it that way, for awhile at least."
At the same moment those words came out of my mouth, I felt an amazing sense of peace
overcome me. I felt an overwhelming warmth that started at the top of my head and
traveled clear to the tips of my toes. It felt as if I had literally walked into a ray of
sunshine. I had chills without coldness, and my arm hairs were standing on end.
I am utterly convinced that my mama was telling me that it was OK either way....but I
still kept my hair long until just recently!
Two years and half years ago, my grandma died and one of her sisters was speaking to
my mother about how sad she was losing a sister and reflected on her long lost son whom
she had not seen in 37 years. My mother told her that - she will find her long lost son for
her.
We moved to southern California from Nothern California and my parents bought an auto
repair shop. Two and a half years later from my mom's conversation to her aunt ....a man
wanted to get his oil changed. he gave my mother his address, telephone and work
number. His work was 30 minutes north of my parents shop and his work was 35 minutes
north west from the shop. My mother was surprised why he would travel so far to get an
oil change when there are closer auto repair shops from his home and work. She asked
him, Why was he here? He replied, Something told me to get an oil change and I ended
up here" Then my mother asked him if he was from the Philippines and he said yes, from
the city of Batangas. A lightbulb came upon my mother, she remembered that her long
lost cousin's father was from that same city. She asked this customer, if there were any
way to look up her cousin's name in a directory. He said that his sister still lives there.
The next morning, he called my mother and asked her if she new if the father's name was
Teddy Quintana. My mother answered YES! Apparently, his sister's husband was best
friends with my uncle's father but he died 4 years ago. She asked this customer if they
knew where her cousin Eric was. The following morning she received a text cellular
message from her cousin. To confirm that he was truly her cousin she asked him his
birthdate since it's on the same date as hers. She then called her aunt and said that she
kind of found her long lost son. That she had to move from Northern California to
southern California, buy the Auto Repair Shop, had a customer walk in from miles away
who had a direct connection to her long lost son. God heard my mom and great aunt's
prayers and my long lost uncle will finally be together with his mom. My family and I
thank God each day for giving us a miracle.
I was halfway to the office before I realized Id need a safety pin to get me through the
day. There was no point in looking for the button again: Id vacuumed the house hundreds
of times since Id lost it, Id changed jobs, and a few years back Id even traded in my old
minivan.
Lord, help me let go of my favorite sweater.
At the end of the day I got back in my car to head home. As I reached for my seat belt, I
noticed something shiny hiding in the carpet on the floor between the door and the seat
my button! I picked it up, and the bell jingled. An angel got her wings, and maybe a
detective badge too.
Then I got back in my car to go about three blocks to my Dad's house. All at once,here
came an inaudible voice almost screaming "IF WOODY GOES DOWN THERE, HE
WONT COME BACK. HE WILL DIE THERE". It felt like the car was full of electricity.
Three numbers,about three inches tall, plainly appeared at the top of the windshield, 9-20, with the voice, that is how many will die. I thought "no,it is just too many--maybe
620? --oh, no,The Lord is right". It was physically impossible to get out of my car for
several minutes,then told Dad and my stepmother "I just have to tell Woody".
Soon,Woody came to help pull Dad's skiff up the beach. He said "I believe you",and then
of all things "it might be OK,anyway". That is how we parted. When the news appeared, I
went over the lists of 920 victims at least three times, and did not see his name. Next
April, he came walking down the beach "no big deal. We just decided we wouldn't go".
Lunchtime Angel
By Colleen Hughes, March 19, 2014 (guideposts.com)
Its not news to anyone that Im bad with directions, so when my friend suggested we
meet for a quick lunchtime visit at Port Authority she was very specific about exactly
where.
The newsstand is huge, she said after giving me detailed instructions. You cant miss
it. But Id sort of tuned her out, thinking about the subway, wondering what line Id take
from the Guideposts offices downtown to the west side of midtown, where Port Authority
is. If I could just find my way there, I figured, I had it made. Im on my way, I said.
I hung up, grabbed my subway map and headed for the elevator. My confidence was
boosted when I realized that Port Authority was a straight shot on the A train from the
office, and there was a subway stop nearly right in front of the office doors. The ride was
a cinch, and I found myself stepping out at Port Authority in no time, even in the lunchhour rush.
Now what? I headed up the escalator from subway level, uncertain whether or not to
continue up to the main floor. I wished Id listened more closely to those directions. The
complex is overwhelming, with many newsstands, and I couldnt get a signal on my cell
phone to save my life. I was lost in the nations largest and worlds busiest bus terminal,
and my friend would forever tease me if I didnt find her. She knows how I am, I thought.
Shed pick the most obvious spot possible. I headed up to the main floor.
I spied the giant newsstand almost the minute I stepped off the escalator. She was right,
you couldnt miss it. But it was packed with people, and Id wasted so much time not sure
of where to go I wondered if shed given up on me. I took several turns around the
newsstand and it looked like she had. Id call and apologize as soon as I got service. I
stepped out, away from the crowd, and looked for a subway sign.
The logo on the Auntie Annes pretzel stand caught my eye. A pretzel topped with a
golden halo. Below it stood my friend, smiling at me and tapping her foot. She knew me,
all right, and had waited in the most obvious spot.
Permalink: /blogs/all-about-angels/lunchtime-angel
During the time I lived in Topanga, there were several fatal car accidents where cars went
off the road and crashed down the canyon. I saw the angel for a few seconds while I
drove past it. I didn't stop. I didn't try and look back.
My thought was that the angel was there because of the people who had died in the
canyon accidents. Later, I thought it may have been there to prevent accidents on that
dangerous road after the rain. I know what I saw was real, no doubt about it. I wasn't into
angels before or since my sighting, but I did see it. It wasn't frightening but certainly
memorable.
It took me awhile to process this. I shook my head no. I didnt hear anything. "God
answered my prayer then.", I told her. That was when I realized God really does listen,
and love me. Even today my eyes tear up every now and then when I remember that
night.
I stood back up and felt just a little bit taller and stronger than just a few minutes before.
The man from the park gave me a reassuring embrace before leaving without so much as
an introduction. These words were given to me in my darkest hour and I gladly lend them
to whomever might be in need of them at any time. Please don't forget them!
Write them down if need be and set them on your desk at work (your boss might even
think the sign is referring to him). As I look back on the situation 12 years later I know
that was the turning point of my life.
I now am married to a wonderful woman that I love very much. I have two wonderful
children that are a blessing, to say the least.
The man in the park . . . was he an angel sent to me in my time of need?
I HAVE NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER!
Marine Angel
Location: natalia tx USA
By: Luis Trevino/catholic.org
On 3/69 I enlisted in the marines for 2yrs i left after graduation by 12/69 i arrived in nam
as a machine gunner to start my tour ,I come from a catholic family and I was use to
praying ,on a hot summer night in 1970 I was in a ambush site with my unit and I was
praying that no vc would appear so I didn't have to shoot ,well a vc did appear and he was
standing about 75 yards infront of me standing by a hut as a gunner my duty was to open
fire and mark spot for the others, well the the impossible happen the main recoil spring
broke and the gun just click then the sgt heard it and open fire,I'm sorry to say but the
poor vc got killed but god knows it wasn't by my hand, we send the gun in the next day
and the armorer who work on it said that was a very rare malfunction, I to this day say
that it was gods hand watching over and he knew I didn't want to kill , to this day I say an
angel was with me at that precise moment,I like all other young soldiers were put through
alot and I know everyone of us had an angel watching over us.
And that image of our blessed Mother and Jesus Christ, we saw that day, is the same
image me and my parents have at home.
i know it's not a story about angels but i don't know i thought i should tell this story. and
I'm 20 years old turning 21 in the summer i still remember the image and i just wanna
thank our Blessed Mother Mary for always being there for me and for all her children and
i wanna thank our lord Jesus Christ for always being there for me and for being there for
us and for loving us . and i wanna thank our heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit.
up from my dream. I understood that the message was to me. Mery spoke to me through
children that i need to confess. One night i decided to have confession and tried to
remember all the sins i have done in the past times. I wrote all my sins on a piece of paper
and I made myself ready to go to a priest on the next morning. In this night in my dream i
heard Songs of many people saying
Satan is broken!. After i woke up from my dream i felt very happy.In the next day i
went to a priest and had confession. Now thanks to God I cleaned my heart and regularly
receive the holy communion. Thank you Mary, Mother of Jesus, for encouraging me to
have confession.
Metro Angel
by Patty Hutchinson (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
On April 8, 1999 my son, daughter and husband were on the way to a St. Louis Cardinals
baseball game. We were on the Metro Link. Everyone was excited about watching the
ball game. My son Brian had a Sharpie marker and baseball cap that he was planning on
get autographs with. The Metro Link stopped at Busch Stadium. All of us got off the
train. Brian noticed that he dropped the marker and went back on to retrieve it. Brian is
only 10 years old at the time and it was his first time in the big city. St. Louis Missouri
isn't a bad place, but there are lots of people who are not so good that ride the Metro
Link. The doors to the train closed and it left the platform. My son was still on the train.
It takes approximately 35 minutes for it to go through the whole route. We were just
frantic. Brian tells us that while he was on the train, a black gentleman sat next to him
and began to talk to him. He asked him questions and reassured him that he would be
fine. The gentleman stayed with Brian the whole way.
When the train finally made it back to our platform, Brian and the man were the only two
people on the train. (Strange, since that's how most people get to the baseball game.) We
waited for the doors to open so we could thank the man. When the doors opened, the man
strangely disappeared. He did not go out the door. He would have had to walk past us. We
believe it was my son's guardian angel. The same man was inside my son's hospital room
visiting when he was direly ill. That was eight years later.
and said, " how did you pull that off!??" " What did you do, jump out the window!?" She
said, "I don't know what you're talking about" and so I then told her exactly what had
happened. She said "you're kind of scaring me." I said, "someone is in your house." "
Well, someone was in your house, but now she's gone and I thought that it was you." "
But good luck finding her because I already tried." I then went home and told my
parents.
The next morning Mindy and her mom went down to the Golden Corral in American
Fork to see me. That is where I got to know Mindy. We sat down at a table, and Mindy's
mom asked me to tell her the whole story again. So I gave her a nice little synopsis. .
.basically I pulled up to the house, your kids were sitting on the stairs, you were in a
white bathrobe, I spoke to you, you ignored me and walked off and then vanished.
She then pulled out a picture and said, "Is this the lady you saw!?" I said "ya, but I
thought it was you!" She then said, "this is my mother, but she has been dead for 10
years!" Wow!! She then said that she and her husband prayed that their kids would be
protected until they got home. They had left them home alone, and they shouldn't have.
Well, that's it. This is a true story. If anyone is interested in this, I will swing by that
house and take a picture. I would like to also find a picture of the lady that I saw.
Thanks for reading this. Whenever you can, always pray that your children will be
protected, because sometimes they literally are!!! I really did see this lady, she was kind
of rude!!, but I did talk to her and she saw me. And like I said before, she was standing
directly above and behind those kids and they didn't even know it!
opened my eyes and in my room was the most beautiful golden radiant light and I could
see the outline of two huge beings (they were what the light was radiating from) and I
was no longer afraid. My son was born about 11:00 p.m. and after his birth the doctor
checked me inside and out to see what could have caused the bleeding, he checked the
placenta for rips or tears and found NOTHING! Thank you God for your blessed angels!
It only took one mother's honest prayer from the heart and he was right there to send his
Angels to watch over us. I certainly didn't deserve it at the time, I was certainly not
walking in his way but it just lets me know that even we as sinners who often stray from
him, he is never far away, and neither are our Angels.
Today Jimmy, my son, is a healthy happy 1 year old toddler. All praise be to God
almighty.
Miracle
By: BarbE/Catholic.org
I Like Many others and although I can be emotional and Want to BELIEVE in such
celestail beings as angels (guardian or otherwise), still remain(ed) a bit sceptical. That is
to say in short hypocritical. Where as it seemed completely fathomable for me to accept
other people may be blessed by some other worldly cosmic force. But when it came to
ME personaly; that was another story!
What after all, had I ever done to be deserving of such blessings? I only attended mass on
major catholic holidays and did so if I'm to be honest because I enjoyed getting dressed
up. I certainly did not live the life I know god intended me to. And although I made fertile
attempts to do the right thing and stay straight, it was just that. Effort! One rarely worth
exerting in all honesty.
One afternoon during an all time low in my life however GOD saw it fit to intervene
however and spare my life. I guess there are plans for me yet? huh? I was dropping a
passenger off at her house and pulled my vehicle in front of her house facing upword on
the same side of the street as her house. When all of a sudden my car had a mind of its
own and some unseen force was pulling me backwords down this long narrow winding
hill with great speed. I had No brakes they'd failed me and slaming the car into park didn't
stop me either! I was so frightened I paniced and had to decide which backword downhill
crash site would be best. Should I fallow the hill down and attempt to let gravity slow me
at the foot? Too risky! Around this curve sat a home with 7 kids playing in the street on
my way up. So my only choice was to twist my wheel and steer the car toward a small
cottage wood shed closely approaching on the left and oppisite side of the road. I quickly
turned the wheel. Closed my eyes and braced myself for the deadly crash. Now traveling
at almost 50 miles an hour.
All of a sudden a Literal band of angels LIFTED MY CAR & ME up and set it back
down safely downword in the correct lane.
It was a true miracle and many came rushing as witnesses.
Miss Jane
Location: Breaux Bridge, LA USA
By: Thomas M/catholic.org
This story was told to me by a man who was 88 years old who lived in Avoyelles Parish.
This happened when he was 5 years old and he lived along Bayou Jack or Bayou Jacque.
A man was going down the road in his wagon and there appeared ahead of him a women
dressed in black with a hat and a clear veil. Although this was not even a gravel road it
was actually a bubby trail there was not a spec of dust on her or any sweat as it was a hot
summer day. He asked her if she wanted a ride and she agreed saying she was going to a
family that he knew lived down the road. When she got there she knew everyone by name
but no one knew who she was. The family took her in and she began to teach and preach
about Jesus Christ. Soon many people were coming everyday to listen and to pray with
this women who called herself Miss Jane but it was in the French rendering. She knew
everyone by name even though they had never seen her before nor could anyone figure
how she could know everyone. Then after about 2 weeks of praying and preaching she
announced she was leaving and had more work to do. She left walking down the road on
foot. After a while the family looked and she had dissappeared. It was agreed upon by
everyone she was an Angel sent to this remote area.
had anyone actually tell me that their angels had advised them in their financial decisionmaking but that could easily be because people are embarrassed to admit they rely on this
source.
I think angels may be a historical image that people use to describe the inner forces that
guide them. We all have had that "Ah Ha" feeling when we suddenly know the right
answer to a problem. We're not sure how we got that answer or where it came from, but
we're sure it's the right one. Many would say they got it from their intuition or higher self.
Others would say they are receiving guidance from higher guides or angels. Skeptics
might call it nothing more than their imagination.
It doesn't matter to me how it is identified or where it comes from as long as it helps
people make their decisions. Years ago I gave little credence to this psychic or spiritual
phenomenon. Then one day my wife and I decided we needed another car. Since we
couldn't afford a new one, we had to look in the used market. The thought of searching
for a second hand car was overwhelming since neither of us were interested in cars or had
any expertise in buying them.
However, the following night I had a dream in which I had just found a car to buy. A
friend was laughing at me. He said I could fix this car with chewing gum. I took this
dream as a good omen since my friend was a car expert and had a midas touch in getting
good deals. I interpreted his use of chewing gum to mean that the car would need
minimum service. When the next day my wife found a car in the newspaper that fit our
exact needs, I knew intuitively that it was the right car for us. We bought it at a good
price, and it served us wonderfully until we turned it in 4 years later.
This was the first time I had consciously used psychic and intuitive powers to select
anything. It opened my mind to the possibilities of using my higher consciousness as a
guide in financial transactions. Several months later I was giving a workshop and a
participant told the group how she dreamed of a house that was perfect for her. She saw
the layout of the house and the land in detail. A week later a real estate agent showed her
the exact house. She couldn't believe it, but of course she bought it.
Over the years I've heard of many people who have manifested the money or material
things they've needed. In one of my classes, a student asked me how she should go about
manifesting a car she wanted. I told her to picture in her imagination the exact car and to
hold that picture for several minutes each day.
About a month later she came up to me after class and exclaimed "I got it." I didn't know
what she meant as I had forgotten about her request. She told me she had found the exact
car she had pictured and at the price she had envisioned. With great pride she showed me
the car. It was in beautiful condition and only cost her $3,000.
Just recently a man thanked me because he had just gotten a job that would pay him the
money he had asked for. In a previous article I had suggested that readers who needed
money tell their higher powers exactly what they wanted. It wasn't enough just to ask for
money, they had to ask for the exact dollars. He had done this every day as part of his
meditation and out of the blue he was offered a job that would give him the money.
I am not giving you these examples to promote a woo-woo approach to managing money.
I'm only saying that we have these powers, and we should try to use them in conjunction
with our financial facts and our practical understanding of our situation.
Let's face it. Most of us need all the help we can get in managing money so why not use
our higher powers whatever they may be. You can't lose anything, and they may give you
the answers you need.
Fred Brown has been leading workshops on money management for over 15 years. He
has a BA degree from Yale, has worked 10 years as a stockbroker, 11 years as an
investment advisor, and more than 20 years as a personal financial consultant /writer.
a taxi at this hour, but he was headed for the train station as well, so he could take us
there.
We followed him throughout what seemed like the entire city. He had us go on the
subway, through a shopping mall and down some streets that no one else would have
known about unless you were a regular who lived or worked in the city. All the while,
none of us felt threatened or uneasy at all. He was incredibly kind as well. I distinctly
remember my mom looking back at the two of us and saying, "Remember how I told you
to never follow strangers? Well, we're doing that now." That made all of us laugh and we
began to call him our "mother duck" because we were all walking in a straight row with
him at the front, and every so often he would look back to make sure we were all ok.
Finally we arrived at the train station. He stated that his train was off to the right while
our train would be arriving upstairs.
I swear to this day that I only glanced up the stairs for a second or so, just to see where he
was pointing, but when I looked back, he had disappeared. The train station wasn't
particularly busy at that time, so there was no way that he could have just disappeared
into the crowd. All three of us looked at each other and were completely stunned. We
were never even able to catch his name.
I believe that he was an angel sent down to us to help three women get home from an
unfamilar and busy city. To this day, we still talk about him and call him our "Mother
duck angel."
My Angel Encounter
By: villeneuvemark@hotmail.com from http://www.ainglkiss.com/
My sons mother left me in 2001 when she was 6 months pregnant with my second child. I
had become very depressed as my first child drowned 5 years earlier and I knew our
break up looked permanent and I was deeply sad as I knew my new child would not be
sleeping under my rooftop and would live far away from me.
I had little choice but to become more spritual or I would cease to exist. I gave up booze
and drugs and prayed daily. I did this for the following year faithfully as well as changing
many other character traits such as trying to live by Gods Will.
I had been praying for 2 months at bedtime asking the Lord the same question, pausing
and listening without anything back from him. I would not force it as I was trying to be
different and simply went to sleep and waited for him to tell me the answer.
Then one night I was sitting in bed reading and the answer to my daily question entered
my head out of the blue. I knew at that very second it was the true answer as it was
accompanied by a bright light reminding me of a cartoon where a light bulb was burning
bright...I've got the answer finally. It felt right and made total sense and I was so sure that
God gave this to me that I stoped and thanked him for what he just gave me and I also
told him that I am now a total beleiver in him. Immediately after this I seen a face flash
somehow making me look around my bedroom like I was crazy. I could not see anything
but then I heard a voice. It wasn't like a loudspeaker but more like a voice that entered my
head. The Angel said "Mark, you must take care of yourself now because in 3 to 4 years
from now you will need to take care of your kids".
I shed many tears after this not only because if what I heard but because of what I just
experienced. It was the Lord.
Till today I still do not doubt this happened and that Angels are real because my Angels
only entered my room once I thanked God for his answer, that I now completely beleive
in him....only then did two Angels enter my bedroom...it was my grandparents.
My Angel
By:Jgb2440@aol.com
I never talked about my angel experience because I thought no one would believe me and
they would laugh at me. I was about five or six years of age when I saw my angel.
I was in my bedroom trying to go to sleep but as I was afraid of the dark, it was hard to
get to sleep. I remember looking towards a corner in my room and seeing this wonderful
golden glow and all of the sudden a small little girl with a long gown and golden hair
came 'floating' (which is the only word I can come up with), over to me. I was ready to
scream when she reached out to touch me on my chest with her hand and I immediately
felt this wonderful, warm. Peace and I was not afraid anymore. I remember feeling so
safe and so calm. It is rather hard to describe because words cannot explain the feeling.
She stayed with me and although her mouth never moved- I knew exactly what she was
telling me. She told me not to be afraid and if I ever was-to always know that she would
be there beside me. She told me of other things also that would happen in my life.
When she told me that she had to go I remember asking her to stay. I wanted to go with
her but she just smiled in a loving manner and said not now. I went to sleep after she'd
gone -- feeling peaceful.
I never told anyone until a few years ago when a friend was talking about when his little
sister died and I told him that she was with her angel and told him my story. That was the
Mother's Love
By: Julie/catholic.org
My mother had suffered many strokes, the last one, she ended up in the hospital. She
lingered and suffered for seven weeks, before she passed over. A few days after she
passed I was just waking up in the morning, when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder,
as if to say come on get up. It frightened me at first,I actually looked around the room;
then I remembered when I was a teenager, my mum would come in the room and say
come on time to get up. I knew she was ok. She was not suffering any more. Love you
mum, miss you.
use of his motorcycle that day. It was a brand new, top of the line Honda motorcycle, less
than two months old.
Whereas San Diego is a temperate climate year round, winter mornings can be quite
chilly here. I dressed in layers that morning. In 1970, there were no motorcycle helmet
laws in California, but Ramona was a long ride. At the last minute I grabbed my helmet
thinking that, at the very least, it would keep my ears warm.
Work passed uneventfully. My boss was aware that I was to be married the next day, and
was relentlessly teasing me the entire day, but he was a good sport when around 2:30 p.m.
he said, "Rich, why are you still here? Don't you have something to get done?"
The afternoon had turned into one of those beautiful, warm, sunny days that we native
Californians like to gloat about to our snow bound friends and family in the East. I
decided to forego the jacket and helmet for the ride home, and secured them to the saddle.
And I was off. I had only gone a few miles, when I became aware that the jacket and
helmet were going to need attention, so I found a spot to pull of the highway and resecure the load. When I stepped off the bike I had a chill run thru me. I know now it was
my motorcycle angel. Since the sun was so low in the sky, I knew that the canyons of
highway 67 would be cooling quickly. So I opted to just put the jacket and helmet on
right then. Later, I would give much thought to that action. I was back on the road in a
flash.
State highway 67 in 1970, was a nasty little winding two lane road between Lakeside and
Ramona, and had had more than its fair share of fatal motorcycle accidents. I wasn't
thinking of that. I was 20 years old and invulnerable and in love. As you pass the turn off
for Poway, heading southbound, the road made a gentle rise, and then dropped into a
winding canyon grade. I noticed a car, parked off the pavement a 1/2 - 3/4 miles ahead of
me, as I did not see an occupant, I assumed it was abandoned. It wasn't!
A head popped up from the seat and proceeded to make a U-turn right in front of me.
Anyone who has been in an accident, will tell you that there is this feeling that envelopes
you..... Time, for all intents and purposes, is suspended. Everything is in slow motion. I
knew instinctively at that moment.... I was going to die.....snap to black.......
I came to, or perhaps I should say, when I thought I came to, I was in the middle of a very
dark place. A place with no one around me. It was a swamp, very gothic, very spooky.Yet
I wasn't feeling particularly frightened, because there was this sound - a sound that I liken
to the sound of a large bell. There was an angel with me. It was a continuous sound, like
what you hear after a bell has been struck, constant and unwavering , but far away.
I was finally able to determine where the sound was coming from, and started walking in
that direction. I hadn't walked very far before I realized that I was going to have to cross
the swamp. It was very foul smelling , but didn't appear too deep. I took one step, then
another. My motorcycle accident angel was guiding me.
The third step was into what I can only describe as dark. I was past out and could see
myself crying out "God, please help me!"
At that next moment, I found myself in a hospital bed in the ICU of El Cajon Hospital.
There was a nurse at my bedside, gently stroking my arm, saying; "it's OK Richard,
you're loved. You can't leave just yet."
I never will forget her and the love I felt. My guardian angel was with me. Her touch and
her voice were so soft and soothing. I couldn't see her face because the light was behind
her, but my angel just seemed to glow as she took my pulse. I didn't re-awaken for some
time.
My right leg had been shattered. The motorcycle accident had severed all the arteries in
my leg, and as I came to find out later, there was a fear of exsanguination (severe loss of
blood). My collar bone was fractured, and I suffered a severe contusions, causing the
doctors to put me into an induced coma for just under a week.
When I was able to talk about what had happened, I asked my doctor if he could send a
note to the nurse on duty the night of my recovery. The nurse with the soothing touch and
voice. He asked me if I knew her name by any chance. I told him no, I was a little too
doped up to know much of anything at that time. He told me no problem.
"Do you remember what she looked like?"
I proceeded to describe her, with all of the details I could recall. She was slim, midtwenties, blond hair, medium height, she looked like an angel.
"Just tell her thank you, for the soothing touch and for what she had said to me that
night."
A day or two passed before I spoke to him again. I asked him if he had found out the
identity of the nurse the night of my recovery. He got a very strange look on his face, then
smiled and told me that on that particular night, there was no nurse fitting the description
I had given him. Furthermore, had I regained conciseness in post-op ICU, there would
have been a note on my chart.
No note, No nurse. It was my own personal motorcycle accident angel.
I suppose a cynic could say that what I experienced was nothing more than drug induced
hallucinations but I will never believe that.
I hope that by the grace Of God, I will someday be able to bow before my Lord and his
angel to say....Thank you.
Thank you for letting me share my story, God Bless.
Mr. Lucky
By: trampolineone@webtv.net (ainglkiss.com)
"Does it hurt bad?" asked my wife, as we drove along.
"I'll be ok" I told her.
Less than two weeks before I had undergone a major surgery for cancer. The scar left by
the surgery extended from my breast bone almost to my legs.
Several hours later we pulled into Reno, Nevada and checked in at a local motel for the
night.
"Hon, would you mind if we went to a casino and gambled just a little bit." I asked my
wife.
"Just for a little while" she said.
When we got everything settled we locked the door to our room and we walked the
several blocks to one of the casinos.
I sat down at one of the card tables and placed a one hundred bill on the table. The dealer
immediately took the money and gave back one hundred dollars in chips.
No matter what I did I just could not win a hand at poker. Within 30 minutes I had lost
my stake.
"Let's go back to the motel" said my wife.
"I really want to play. I really do" I told her.
Again, I lost another hundred dollars. I rose from my chair and smiled at my wife. She
handed me two rolls of quarters which I stuck into my pocket.
As we reached the motel we started up the stairs to the second floor. I looked across the
parking lot and I saw an old man looking in a dumpster. I stood there for a moment
watching him.
"OH MY GOD. He's eating out of the dumpster." I yelled out to my wife.
As quickly as I could I walked back down the stairs and over to the man who was leaning
over the trash container. When I approached I could see that he was eating the left-overs
from a Kentucky Fried Chicken Box.
Please don't do that. Please don't." I said. I reached in my pocket and I took out the two
rolls of quarters.
"Here. Please take this and get yourself something to eat."
"Thank you Mr. Lucky" he said in a soft tone.
"Please don't buy nothing to drink. Get yourself something to eat" I told him.
He said not a word. I turned around and I walked back to the motel where my wife was
standing. When I turned to look back at the old man he was gone.
My wife and I went up to the room where I tried to rest as best I could. After about thirty
minutes I looked over at my wife and I said "I really would like to play cards" I told her.
We put on our coats and back to the casino we went.
Once again I sat down at the card table. I took out another hundred dollar bill and I laid it
on the table.
"LOW-BALL" yelled the dealer, as he dealt out five cards to each player. When I looked
at my cards I had and ace, a two, a three, a four and a five. The lowest possible hand that
you can get when playing low-ball.
All of a sudden the betting started. Within one round my entire one hundred dollars was
in the pot. When the hand ended I had won eight hundred dollars. The cards were then
dealt again. When I looked at my cards I once again had an ace, a two, a three, a four and
a five.
"Fifty dollars to you" said this one man, as he threw his chips into the pot.
Carefully, I separated my chips into fifty dollar piles.
"Your fifty and fifty more." I said.
The table became quiet. All eight men threw in the wager.
"And a hundred more to you" said the first man.
"And another two hundred to you" said the man.
I threw in the wager and sat there quietly.
"Let's see the cards gentlemen" said the dealer.
Once again I had won. This time almost two thousand dollars.
"Take the money Clay" yelled out the man, as he pushed his cards off the table and onto
the floor.
I sat there for six hours winning almost eight out of ten hands, constantly. When the game
was finally over the casino stacked, trayed and cashed in my chips for me. In the end I
had won more than sixteen thousand dollars. That was more money that I had ever seen
in my entire life time.
With pockets full my wife and I started to leave the casino. Standing by the front door,
out in the cold, was that same old man who had earlier been eating out of the trash
dumpster.
"Can I buy you a mixed drink?" I asked the old man.
The old man reached out and touched me gently on the forehead. This very strange and
warm feeling came over my entire body. A calmness like I had never known. All the pain
from my surgery seemed to disappear in an instant.
"I don't drink, Mr. Lucky" said the old gentleman, as he smiled at me. I held out several
one hundred dollar bills but he did not take it.
"Mr. Lucky" he said to me again, shaking his head and then patting me on the back. He
turned around and he walked away into the night.
That was almost almost twenty-five years ago this November. Considering the doctor had
given me less than six months to live I now know what the old gentleman meant when he
called me "MR. LUCKY".
My Angel
Location: Bisbee Az USA
By: Jerry Wallace/catholic.org
A few years ago, i was in a very bad place, spirtually, physically, and emotionally. I was
addicted to drugs, and a serious alcoholic, homeless and alone. My mother was leaving
for Germany to visit her family in the morning, and i was about 3 or four miles away, and
wanted to tell her i love her desperately. I was walking down a highway, about 3 o'clock
in the morning, no cars on the road this night. I saw in the distance headlights coming
towards me, a small white truck passed me, then turned around and asked me if i needed
a ride, when i got in a man with snow white hair, and a kind face greeted me, with a small
child next to him, the truck smelled sweet and i felt very comfortable. He drove me to my
parents house, without ever asking where they lived, then drove off the same way he
came from as if his only purpose that night was to give me a ride i know in my heart and
soul this was an angel sent by God for me
My Angel
By: Julia Ardon/catholic.org
While visting Cartago, Costa Rica around the 6th of August I was visiting the Basilica de
Nuestra Senora de los Angeles for the first time in my life. I was taking pictures by the
image outside the church, where the water is running and I took several pictures. One of
the pictures doubled or even triple imaged and I almost deleted it, but decided to see how
bad it was when I noticed something in the photo. I decided to enlarge it on my camera
and there is an image of a face and upper body that is not a duplicate of any image in the
photo, when I enlarged it even further on my computer it is definately an image. I call her
my little special gift from God.
My Angel
By Beverly/catholic.org
I was in a deep sleep I could see my self up side down in between wooden window
shutters my breath was leaving me the face of a dark black man that I knew. some one
that i used to go out with looking at me his mane is Michael, sight away i said Micheal ,
Michael, Michael help me then I woke up a little breath less.
I give thanks in the name of our lord for the intervention of the great prince arch ANGEL
Michael to in coming to my aid that night and saving my life, AMEN AMEN
My Angel
By: deb/catholic.org
This past year I was undergoing treatment for throat and lymph node cancer which
consisted of both chemo and radiation at the same time. The radiation treatments were
hard because they used a mesh mask over your face which is very tight and a few times I
felt uncomfortable and had problems breathing as well as fear of my stomach being sick
after chemo. This never happened. Thanks to God because one would probably choke to
death. Each of the 37 treatments lasted 10 minutes and 10 to set up under a tunnel. (like
catscan machine). I prayed and always felt the presence of God, however, there was one
time under the machine, I could not reach God, I do not know why and I began to
hyperventalate. Almost immediately an angel appeared, I did not see any form just knew
an angel was there and I felt a soothing dusting twirling around me I cannot explain. I
knew with all my heart this was my angel sent from God to help me through that one time
exeperience during my treatment afterwards I thanked the radioligist technichians and
was able to sit up without their help. At one time I doubted angels,ever existed but I am
sure after that experience they are there - yet my angel has not appeared to me since,
however I wish it would. I now believe in angels.
My Angel
By: Crissy/catholic.org
It was 2 days before Christmas 2 years ago. I was driving through my town and a car ran
a stop sign. I was by then out in the middle of the intersection when I thought it was too
late. I couldn't stop because he would have hit my driver's side door,and within a split
second I gave my car more gas. At that very moment it felt like my car floated right
around this other car. Even giving it more gas I shouldn't have made it. It was quick,but I
was also aware that I was NOT in control of my car. My car felt like it floated just above
the road,like my tires were barely off the ground and for that short moment it felt like
time stood still. I don't even think that other car even saw me. They never hit their brakes
or tried to swerve from hitting me. I was shaken up. I thanked God and my Angel. My
family looked at me like I was crazy. But I don't care I was there and I know what
happened. And also it was the one time I didn't have my seat belt on.
My Angel Butterfly
By: Mandy/catholic.org
I recently lost my baby who was born at 28 weeks and lived for 45 minutes on 8th July
2013. About a week later me and my partner were at home and had just woken up my
partner asked if I wanted a duo of tea then went off to make one. He went into the living
room where the door had been closed all night and looked across at the picture of our
beautiful baby girl and as he did something caught his eye in the mirror over the
fireplace. He looked across and the most beautiful, colourful butterfly was sat on his
shoulder.
He shouted me to come quickly and when I went in the room the butterfly had fluttered
over to the window I couldn't believe what had happened, I opened the door next to the
window and let the butterfly fly out. As butterfly's are connected with babys and baby
losses I know this was our guardian angel letting us know our baby was safe and in
heaven with God.
Other things have also happened during my life where I know without doubt my guardian
angel has kept me safe and will be forever grateful.
My Angelic Delivery
by Pat Pfeffer (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
I've been licensed and active in real estate since 1970, assisting others with buying and
selling, and also acquiring properties for rental or resale. Unfortunately (or fortunately,
depending on how you look at it), I am exposed to many properties with much potential
and I frequently purchase them.
A Victorian home that I had owned for over 10 years was divided into three apartments. It
grieved me to see it so misused, yet the income from it was good. I finally decided to
convert it to a two-family, began remodeling and moved into the lower level. In the back
wall of the country kitchen I added a large wood-framed sliding glass door that I had
purchased new at a yard sale. Lo and behold, there was no hardware with the door. I
wasn't too concerned about locating the hardware because the door was contemporary
and from a good manufacturer. Thus began my search. Hardware stores, WalMart, Home
Depot, Lowes, lumber yards, discount stores... you name it, I was there. I searched
everywhere I could think of, even contacting the manufacturer, but could find nothing in
the aftermarket hardware.
After two or three months of this frustration, I got a phone call from my dad. It went like
this. "Pat, did something fall off your truck when you left our house?" "Like what Pop?"
"Some kind of hardware, new, in a box." "No, not that I know of, but I'll check next time
I come over." "Well, it was laying at the end of our driveway, as if it had fallen off of or
out of something." "Okay, pop, thanks for the call."
Imagine my amazement and then my hilarity when I discovered it was the exact hardware
that I needed to complete installation of my "bargain" yard sale door. All I could see was
the dedication of my guides and guardian angels making a direct delivery of exactly what
I needed to a place they knew I would be.
If you don't believe this was an angelic delivery... then you explain it to me!
so real I was there, her touch was real, I will believe in it till I die.
I did get tested, I turned out pregnant, and I did have a beautiful blessed light colored
baby with blue eyes like the color of the blue sky at its purest. People in my life wanted
bad for me at that time, just out of jealousy, by the way I dislike the word jealous, it is
then I realize there are angels who appear right in front of us.
My Angel Stories
By: adaya777@hotmail.com (from ainglkiss.com)
After recently having another experience, I decided I should share my stories with others.
In a world where people often feel hopeless and alone, it does good share the message
that we are not alone.
"For He will give His angels charge over thee, and keep thee in all thy ways."
This verse is from Psalms 91:11. It is inscribed in Hebrew on a silver ring I wear on my
right hand. I had this ring made for me so I would reminded everyday. This number is the
month and time I was born. September at 1:11 am.
I am a scientist who believes that while many of the odd things in life can be explained
by scientific evidence, there is much more beyond what technology can ever explain. For
example, Love is the strongest emotion I know of. It is very real but yet it cannot be
measured by any known instrument. I do not look for miracles; the fact that a baby can be
conceived and develop into a living, thinking, functioning being is all the evidence I will
ever need to believe in G-d. For amino acids to combine in such a manner that life can
spring from them is a greater miracle than the parting of the Red Sea.
But I digress...
I am not from a religious family. My family escaped Germany before the Holocaust.
While they always were true to their Jewish faith, I feel that G-d somehow was lost over
the years. Who could blame them? Through years of bearing the hatred of so many
people, knowing your relatives and loved ones from your homeland and elsewhere have
been slaughtered by the millions...these things surely will wear on one's faith. There was
no stage setup for my experiences but I knew what they were when they occurred.
I have too many stories to recall them all here. I'll share but just a few.
I went through a life shattering divorce soon after the birth of my son. I lived in Atlanta,
Georgia at the time and my family was living in Chicago. My husband had left weeks
before and I had loaded my things on a moving truck and spent the last few days with my
infant son at a girlfriend's house. I was selling our house and moving to be with my
family. It was a very dark time. My friend dropped us at the airport and we said goodbye.
I was leaving so much behind--my marriage, my friends, my home, my job. I felt so alone
with my five-month old baby as she pulled away. I put Aton in his stroller and began
walking down the sidewalk to my terminal. As I was walking, I felt a two firm taps on my
shoulder. I turned around quickly only to find no one was there. No one was even near
me! At that very second I heard the words, "You are not alone." These words were not
truly audible but came as a loud inner voice, yet it was not my own "thinking voice". The
taps were not a muscle twitch and were as real as anything though. They were so firm
they were just shy of uncomfortable. A feeling of love swept over me. I smiled, reassured
and went home feeling much lighter. I have never felt alone again... not like I had felt.
Several years later I was driving alone in my car in the left lane of a four lane road. The
oncoming traffic to the right was at a stand still. All of a sudden, I heard the same loud
inner voice again telling me firmly "Get into the right lane!" I obeyed immediately. As I
did so, a car pulled blindly from between the stopped cars on the right. If I had not at that
split second changed lanes, I would have hit her squarely at 40 miles per hour. I could
almost feel my car brush by hers. Very shaken, I vowed never to ignore this voice, if I
ever heard it again, for it had just saved this lady and I from a very serious accident.
From this moment, though I had always been a good person more or less, I knew I needed
to improve. Love more, banish hatred from my life, take every opportunity to do good
and act, give more, take less and continually evolve. I am flawed and I am human but
with every day there is a chance to change for the better...if even a little bit. We are
supposed to do this. We are supposed to look inward and become better beings. We need
to own are flaws and do are best to improve them. We are supposed to say those kind
words in a moment of need... be a few minutes late to a meeting to be there for someone,
even a stranger. The teenage girl who ran out of gas far from home and needed ten
dollars; the weeping stranger who needed a hug at the hospital because his favorite Aunt
was dying and no one else was there to comfort them... Everyday, if even it's a kind smil-the butterfly effect. No prayer or belief system is better than the other... all of these are
meaningless if acts of love and kindness are not practiced. These ideas became so clear to
me. They were instilled in my heart and soul.
Years later, on a plane from Nevada after a visit with a friend ended on an empty note, I
heard the voice again. It said, "Look out of the window." I did so and in the the clouds I
saw a beautiful figure standing on a flat carpet of clouds. Though he appeared to be made
from the clouds, yet he was not. He stood, maybe 40 feet from my window, huge
(perhaps 8 to 10 feet tall), clothed in flowing white. In his hand he held a staff. His wings
were folded behind him. He stood watching as I watched him. The image remained
unchanged for a whole minute or so as the plane passed him. I did not think of making a
sound or asking anyone else to look. I wanted to remain transfixed for as long as I could.
It was Easter Day, which was funny to me because I do not celebrate it nor do I feel
called to Christianity...all religions, however, are valid. There are many paths to G-d.
Could this have been a trick of the eye and a funny cloud formation? Perhaps, but the
voice and what I saw were very real to me. I will never forget it and it changed me
further.
I am still far from perfect but I keep moving ahead. In these last few years I have learned
My Angel Story
By: kyranpitman@googlemail.com (ainglkiss.com)
This is a real angel story(although I didn't actually see him/her).
It was the year 2002 when I was 7 years old (nearly 16 now) and it was the 5th of
November. Fireworks!!! :D I was so excited. (anyway) we went down to our nan and
grandad house to have our little party, then would be the time to set the fireworks off...
my dad and grandad set a few rockets of that made reasonably sized colourful
explosions... (but because I was 7... It was epic :p)... Now, this is where it all happened.
We were ready to set of the next pack of fireworks and we were going to let of the
pumpers of first. (I know what your thinking... Weird name I get it, I honestly still don't
know what there called but I can describe them), it's like a small box filled with 10-15
tubes of fireworks, when one goes of the tube next to it goes of and lights up In the sky
but no explosion. Anyways we set a "pumper" off first and it was where everything
happened. (I'm going to say this from my perspective since it's all I can do... I'm not
trying to build tension or anything). I was standing on the patio near the door that led
from the inside of the house to the back garden where we were at currently.
My grandad and some of his friends one who was called Margaret (who died a few years
after this incident "RIP" God Bless) were sitting on garden benches talking and waiting
for the show to happen. My nan was inside the kitchen bringing some food and drinks out
to us (although I'm not entirely sure... Hey I was 7 at the time). I didn't know where my
brother was at but I think he was standing on the other-side of the door to me and my dad
was setting of the fireworks ahead of us on the lawn, I can't remember if there were any
others members of the family there.
My dad was just setting of the "pumper" firework off and they were beautiful. The 1st
tube went off, then the second, then I noticed as the second one went off, the "pumper"
twitched a little (I never knew if I was the only one who noticed the twitch from the box
but I notice a lot of stuff from whom I received from my dad, since he notices what I
notice sometimes).
Then that's when the unbelievably bad feeling entered my gut just wanting to shout "run"
I was terrified of the feeling then the third tube went off... About halfway when the
firework was in the air the box tilted straight in front of us, a little to my right (about 2
inches if I was standing in front of it, bearing in mind I was about 10 meters away from
it.) I was about to shout "run!" when the firework from the third tube finished, but before
I had a chance to move, the fourth tube firework came out, I had no idea where it went
since I covered my eyes with my arms when the firework had left the tube by a 1/4 but I
remember not feeling anything except my big coat sleeves covering my face and because
there was also some fur on my hood I think my hood was over my head (I can't
remember) then I opened my eyes for a short period of time...
Everywhere was White, it was kind of windy as if I was standing on top of a mountain
but not that windy, and it was also sort of slow motion (sort of) the feeling I had before
the firework had totally changed as well as if I was sort of at home. I was staring out and
some of the fur was blocking my view so I couldn't see properly but I could feel
everything. (and for some stupid reason I closed my eyes... I guess I was confused or
something.)
I heard this sort of whizzing noise that got louder and louder and then stopped, then I
opened my eyes and was standing in the same position I was in before I closed them.
Shaking. Scared. I Had that terrified feeling but not that bad gut feeling, which was good.
I was also unharmed as well as the other family members, which was a relief. (maybe the
reason I got confused and closed my eyes through that awkward feeling "express" was
most likely because it all happened in 8 seconds in total from when the 4th firework came
flying at us and me opening my eyes for the final time after that whizzing noise.)
I never found out what happened to the fireworks nor did I find out what took place. I am
a Christian (since I was 4-5). I do believe in God. I believe an angel protect me for that
short period of time. I hoped you enjoyed my true story and that it was moving, powerful
and a little amusing :) God bless.
My Angel Story
By: swtncgram@hotmail.com (ainglkiss.com)
I had been sitting watching television one evening, and feeling down, since I was going
through a divorce. My little boy, who at the time was 9 months old, had a flu bug and I
had been up for what seemed 24 hours. I heard a noise coming from my room, where he
had been sleeping and went to the door to take a peek at him. My mouth fell open and I
stood frozen when what appeared to be an angel, was walking out of my closet through
the closed door.
He looked right at me and said "do not be afraid, you will get through all this, and your
son will be well and grow to tell of me." As I stood there, not knowing what to do, he
disappeared. I ran to the bed where my son had been asleep to make sure he was all right,
then went to the phone to call my mom. I explained what had just happened, thinking all
the time she must think I am losing it. She rushed over to my house, and just by looking
at me she knew I had been completely shaken by what had happened. She tried to
reassure me that angels can come to a person in time of need.
My son recuperated from the flu, and my divorce turned out not to be as messy as first
thought. I thanked that angel, or whoever it might have been over and over for blessing
me.
Timed passed and I remarried a few years later. I had four more children, and told them
of my angel that visited me that night. Then after 30 years of marriage, I was going
through another divorce.
I was sitting having supper one night after work, and the phone rang, it was my son, who
now was 35 years old. He had always had a strong belief in God, but never had joined
any church, or talked to much about it. He said he was calling because he wanted me to
know that he and his wife had joined a church. Out of all the different things there were
to do within the church, he said he had chosen to be a missionary. I sat there in silence, as
the words of my angels visit so many years before were all coming back to me. I asked
my son if he remember the stories I had told of the angel in the closet when he was small.
He said he did remember something about it, but why was I asking. Once again, I told
him the story. There was silence on the other end of the phone. He said mom, I had a
dream, an angel came to me and told me I had things to do, nothing else, just that I had
things to do. He told me that the angel was speaking a different language, but somehow
he knew just what was being said to him.
Today my son is indeed a missionary for their church, he and his wife are very involved
with al the church activities and my two grandsons, now attend the Christian school run
by the church.
I am so thankful for the visit from my angel that night. Not only for the things that he said
would be, but for watching over my children and I through some very difficult times.
My Angel Story
By: Anonymous (ainglkiss.com)
I was born into an awesome family. I loved them very much and were all close...but
mostly I was close 2 my grandfather. My grandpa was in his mid-70's when he came
down with lung cancer. I was only 7 at the time but I definitely knew what he was going
through. One night, he stayed the night at my house in his hospital bed. I have no idea
why exactly he picked to stay at my house because we have such a big family but he
chose us. I was getting ready to go to bed, and I was giving my mom, dad, and grandma
kisses good nite. Whenever I went up to my grandpa and gave him a kiss good nite he
gave me the biggest hug and kiss and said goodbye. I said, "Goodbye?" Then I thought
he was joking because he always plays around like that. So I scrunched up my nose and
giggled and said I love you grandpa, and went to bed. While I was sleeping, I was
awakened. I don't know what woke me up exactly, but it just happened. There was a
beautiful being in my room she was the MOST gorgeous thing I have ever seen in my
entire life and still the most gorgeous unto this day. She had this amazing calmness and
beauty to her. If you're wondering if I got scared I didn't. I didn't feel any fear what so
ever. I felt calm and under protection and I felt love. Real love. I looked at her and in her
eyes I could see what was going on downstairs. I could see my grandma next to my
grandpa's hospital bed crying and I was confused. Then, I saw my mom sit beside her and
start crying...while my grandpa was just lying there lifeless...Then the Angel spoke to me.
She said,"Taryn, no matter what happens don't cry...Jesus will always be with you...and
He loves you more than anything." Then she left. And all I remember is closing my eyes
softly and drifting asleep thinking about tomorrow. When I woke up the next morning, I
saw my mom and my grandma next to my grandpa's hospital bed and they were crying.
Then that's when I found out he had died that night. I will never forget that night and that
beautiful angel that spoke those amazing and sweet words to me and from then on I could
not only hear but feel God saying, "I love you my child, I love you."
My Angel Story
By:HockeyPan@aol.com (ainglkiss.com)
In 1996 I was thinking of a friend that I hadn't talk with in a very long time. We had a
falling out because I was very concerned about her husband abusing her.
She lived in the Apt. below me. It was a strain on my heart not speaking with her.
Her husband refused to allow her to even talk with me because I was not in favor of her
staying with him. That night she came banging on my front door saying PLEASE let me
in. Her husband had beaten her and she was crying really hard.
She didn't want to call the police because of what he may do to her. I just held her and
said it would be ok. I set her up to sleep in the living room and I went off to bed myself.
I woke up about 1 hour later and I glanced up at the ceiling and saw a Cherub bathed in
golden light. It was floating up by my ceiling. I was so excited to see this angel.
It looked just like all the pictures we have seen. Like a baby angel, chubby and what
looked to be resting and guarding my husband and I. After I realized what I was seeing,
I turned back to see the angel again and it was gone. I just looked into the direction I had
seen the angel, I smiled and waved. Then I went back to sleep with a big smile on my
face. I knew that God was letting me know that we were ALL being protected that
evening and ALWAYS!
My second encounter was with my guardian angel. I had been on Holy Hill at the
Conyers apparition site in 1999 and I remember looking up at Jesus on the cross and
asking him. If it be your will Father, please allow me to see my guardian angel. Aprox 3
weeks later, I woke up to use the bathroom and as we all know, you're awake for a little
while hoping you'll fall back to sleep. All of a sudden I saw and amber GLOW at a 45
degree angle begin to emerge above my dresser. It was shining over my picture of Our
Lady of Medjugorie. I then saw a beautiful angel appear. My angel SARI whom I had
been talking with for years was so beautiful.
She appeared about 18 in. in height in a white robe that looked like it was blowing in the
wind. Then I noticed BRILLIANT white wings. They were larger then the body.
The white was on the edges of the wings. Bright like lightning. Then she was gone. She
did not say anything to me I was just in awe that I had been graced to see what I did. At
first I asked myself, I wonder if that was my guardian angel or just an angel that appeared
like I saw years before? I didn't remember that I had asked Jesus to see my guardian
angel until a few days later. If you get the chance to ever see a heavenly angel, you will
NEVER for get it or be so joyful. I know now what we have to look forward to. The
beauty that lies ahead is worth every moment we must endure here on earth.
My Angel Story
By:DIRTTYHARRIET@aol.com (ainglkiss.com)
About 1 year ago a friend, which is my best friends boyfriend, had a tragic accident from
falling out of a truck. He was unconscious and was in a coma for weeks. Dr's said
basically he was going to die. He is alive and well today, but the angels come into place
here.
When he fell from the truck they were near a park....he and his friends...and two EMT's
were parked in a car down the block and happened to have an oxygen tank and
saved his life. They never signed the papers that EMT's have to fill out and no one ever
knew them or found them again. I think they were angels
My Angel Story
By: LopElzb2@aol.com (from ainglkiss.com)
I've always wanted to see an angel, but at the same time, I'm terrified to see one, and I
don't know why!! It's crazy, but at least I've felt them,.......well, here's my story.
I was a kid of seven or eight, and my family and I were riding our car, and it was raining
outside. We were driving, and all of a sudden, we were stuck on mud. We tried for almost
half an hour to ride the car, and floor it, we got more stuck. The wheel was almost half
buried. We began to get desperate, and suddenly there was this average guy with a huge,
huge, truck, he said, "You need help?" We said, "Yes, please." He pushed his truck on
the back of our car, and as hard as we got stuck, easily we were out!!!! My dad turned to
thank him, but he wasn't there at all, and it was almost immediately he helped us, and the
there was mud, how could he driven away so fast in the rain, without us hearing the
engine?.....
Now I'm 20, and I'm starting to remember that incident, now I'm remembering that I saw
that truck for the last time and I saw that it vanished while driving away, quietly!!!! I'm
trying to remember very hard.
My Angel Story
By: himbaughmd@yahoo.com (from ainglkiss.com)
I would like to share with you something that happened to me 3yrs ago (as the 19th of
this month February). I was pregnant with my daughter Julie.
My husband and I named Julie after his sister who passed away at 2yrs old from a
operation. Internal bleeding was the cause of her death. I was having bad swelling of my
whole body and high blood pressure. A private nurse came to my house everyday. I was
being admitted to the hosptal every other day when my blood pressure went down. It
would be released then. This was through my whole pregnancy. Well, the doctors had to
give me an emergency c-section because there was something wrong with the placenta.
But I would pray to God that I would be ok .
I was very sick from all the problems I was having. One night I was going to the
bathroom.
Now, just envision this, ok? I would feel someone always sit on my bed next to me. This
night, shortly before I went to the hospital, I was transported by ambulance and the csection performed. I was going to the bathroom. The bathroom door was open and it was
after midnight.
I saw a lady walk out of my bedroom and she was in jeans and a white shirt, had hair
shoulder length and saw no face. It was only her side profile I saw.
When pregnant you have another soul inside you so I believe this was my soulmate.
I think it was my husband's sister Julie that I prayed was with my as my spirit guide,. My
daughter Julie talks to someone. The other day I was playing pattycake with her and she
would only use one of her hands with me because someone was playing pattycake to with
her using her other hand. Interesting but cool.
My Aunt's Prayer
Location: philadelphia pa USA
By: valerie coranado
During the summer that i just graduated from seventh grade my family planned a trip to
Panama City, Panama. We planned on leaving to Panama on the 14th of august i
remember just hours before we where on our way to the airport my mom told me that i
had to bring my nebulizer. I use a nebulizer because i have severe asthma. Although my
mom told me to pack it in my suitecase i did not pack it. I thought nothing bad would
happen. We went on our way to the airport so exciting and looking out the window , i
remember seeing the baby blue sky. We arrived at the airport and i complained of having
a headache . My mom said that it was because i washed my hair and came outside wile it
was cold , but it was not cold to me. We got on the plane to Texas and from Texas to our
destination. While i was on the plane i remember gettin sick to my stomach a few times
and vomiting severely. My mom sat next to me and i felt comforted. When we arrived at
the Texas airport i noticed that my vomiting was getting worse and worse along with a
fever. I told my mom and she told me to try and stay calm. Finally our plane came to go
to Panama i sat down n i found my self vomiting again and my mom asked the man
sitting next to me if she could switch seats with him so that she could take care of me ,
and the man said yes. We finnaly arrived in panama and i could not walk at all. I felt that i
was about to faint. My aunt who is a docor in panama tried treating me with her nebulizer
but it did not have any effect. Everyone was worried so they decided to take me to the
hospital. My aunt Nelly helped me walk down the steps to the car which i could barely
do. I felt so out of breath after each step i took. I arrived at the hospital and got sick once
again. The doctors hooked me up to so many machines and told my family that i could
not leave until i was better because i had severe bronchitis in my left lung. I remember
laying in the bed crying at night because it was dark and i felt so alone. There was nothin
besides the sick baby on thebed to the right of me and another child to the left of me. I
remember having to eat through a tube and needed to have an oxygen mask on at all
times. My skin was blue and i could not eve walk or get out of bed to stand. It was
already nearing the end of my first whole week in the hospital . My aunt whom i had
never met before came and sat down on the bed with me and held my hands while
begining to pray in spanish. I was thinking god please let me get better. Then all of a
sudden the next day the doctor said that they could let me out because i was much better.
After that i felt different , i felt blessed and thankful.
My Babyboy Angel
Location: Del Rey CA USA
By: Yessenia Rivera/catholic.org
My story is somewhat similar to the story that I just read: My son; My angel, by L.
Longobucco.
I also lost my baby boy at birth. It was our very first child and we were all so excited. He
was also my huband's parents' and my parents' first grandkid, so as you can all imagine
everyone was very anxious about having my little boy around.
During the first few months, everything went fine. We were getting ready to have my
baby. Something inside me told me that it was going to be a boy before the doctor even
told us. And sure enough that's what it was.
It wasn't until when I was about 7 months pregnant that eveything got complicated. One
night, I started having small abdominal pains and I was rushed to the hospital. I had a bad
infection in my blood and the doctor told me that I hardly had any amniotic fluid. He said
that there was very little probability of my baby to survive. I was taken in to surgery, but
since I have a slight back problem, I was completely put to sleep so I couldn't see when
my baby was born. When I woke up from the surgery, my mom told me that my baby was
still alive and that doctors were doing everything they could to help him survive. I wanted
to get up and see my baby but I had a really low blood pressure.
The whole rest of the day and night went by and I couldn't get up to see my boy. Finally,
the next day came by and I was feeling so much better and excited to see my baby when
the doctor came in and gave me the worst news I've ever received in my life. My baby
boy had just died. I wasn't allowed to see him and I still don't know why. Doctors said
that it would be worst for me if I did and that I'd probably fall into a deeper depression. I
asked my mom to take a picture of my little angel for me and she said she would.
Time went by, and it was so hard for me to face the fact that I would never be able to hold
my baby in my arms. Then one day, I asked my mom to see the pictures and to my
surprise she said that the pictures didn't come out. She said that when she took pictures of
my baby boy, he was laying under an image of god that was hanging on the wall over
him. On the pictures and on the negatives, all you can see is part of that image but not my
son. It was hard for me at first but then I realized that maybe that's the way god wanted
things to be and I had to accept it.
I know I have a little angel and maybe that's why I couldn't see him. He doesn't want me
to yet and I'll have to wait until he's ready. My biggest dream in life is to one day see my
baby and hold him tight!
My Brother
Location: greenfield ca monterey
By: guadalupe guzman/catholic.org
My brother is my guardian angel I believe, but I also believe there are others whom come
to me for whatever reasons they must I just know I do what I feel I should. My brother
pasted on when I was twelve years old. I am now 37 and it feels sike it was just yesterday.
My brother still is my big brother and watches over me like he did when i was younger. If
I forget his birthday he lets me know. my family thinks its just my way of holding on and
perhaps it is but i also know he does'nt want to let go either. About three months ago I
came back to my home town where I grew up. And as soon as i arrived here I had this
urge to know how my niece was doing. In the 25 years of her life I have'nt had much
contact with her but I knew i had to find her. Two days later I did and I knew when I saw
her that it was my brother pushing me towards her. Apparently she was feeling lost and
alone and scared and she had prayed to her dad to help her or send her some help and I
show up at her doorstep. I helped her gain her self respect and cofidence and to let her
know she had family she could run to if she needed it. Although her situation has
improved she still knows I'm here if she ever needes me. And what surprises me the most
that even though I've only had contact maybe 5 times with her in her twenty five years of
life. We both seem to know one another as if I had been a part of her everyday life. I
believe my brother has shown us both alot about one another for that to be possible. Ive
left her house, but I'm with her through my brother. And I told her if you ever need my
help just talk to your dad and he'll let me know.
My Daughter's Angel
by Virginia(http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
About six years ago, my daughter had to under go what should have been a simple
surgical procedure. Something went wrong. While in the recovery room, her vitals started
taking a slide downward. All of a sudden, she was critical. She knew that she was dying
and I told her she was not.
After they asked me to leave the room, I went into the small room they have for family
members to be alone for privacy. I started to pray. I asked God to send to me Raphael,
since he is the angel that brings healing. I asked again: God, please send Raphael.
Then I heard him speaking behind me. He said, "I am here."
Then I knew in my heart she was going to be okay. They rushed her out to take her down
for a MRI to see if her kidneys were bleeding. When we got on the elevator and the doors
went to close, they reopened. The first thing I thought of was something was blocking the
door. The male nurse and I both looked and there was nothing. Then it hit me: I told my
daughter she was going to be just fine her angel just got in the elevator with us.
I had not noticed that the surgical nurse, who was female, had made no move or sound.
She told my daughter when they got her inside that she saw the angel before I had said he
was there. She was crying and said she had heard people who were very ill talk about
seeing angels and things, but this was a first for her. Needless to say she is still with us
and is soon to be a grandmother. Isn't it great?
My Daughter's Story
By: mwh1980@bevcomm.net (ainglkiss.com)
My wife and I had two children born a year apart, Jennifer and Natasha. Natasha died
when she was less than a year old. Jennifer was in a great deal of pain and torment about
this over the years. One day, when she was about five years old she saw a bright looking
lady, who appeared at the foot of her bed. She said to Jennifer, "You don't have to worry
anymore about your sister, she is safe in her Father's arms."
After this the nightmares ceased. My daughter was able to cope with it.
room, I kept on hearing clinking and creaking, like someone in armor was shifting weight
from one foot to the other. Finally, in the middle of the night, I saw whom I feel was my
personal guardian angel, who first appeared as a large joyous monk with a sword strapped
on his back. He turned around, and said "fear not, Lord, for your servant watches." I
woke again later in the night, to see a massive black dog sitting in the doorway and
panting heavily. I recognized it to be my dog when I was a small boy named Shadow- I
feel that sometimes, our guardian angels appear as things or people that will give us the
most comfort.
I hope this story gives you the comfort you seek. When we remember who we are, as
friends of God, we walk in a power that is quite beyond ourselves. Hold steady to the
hope that you are not fighting alone; you have some of the most loyal soldiers around
you, constantly guarding and providing. When we realize the power we hold, when we
emblazen the cross boldly on our breast daily, when we take up the weapon of the Holy
Ghost's Joy, that is when the Lion of Judah roars triumphantly over our lives. That is
when the deepest residents of Hell tremble at our footstep.
My Grandmother's Grave
Location: Epsom Surrey United Kingdom
By: Michelle Brylowska/catholic.org
The past year has been a tough one - my father passed away very suddenly from lung
cancer on the 11th June 2005 and then my grandmother (my dads mum) passed away six
months later on the 19th December 2005 and then my great uncle Tom passed way on 4th
February 2006.
A week before Tom passed away myself,my young daughter and my husband witnessed
our bedroom being filled with a bright white light that shone in from the left hand and
then the right hand side of our bedroom window.We immediately ran to look out of the
window to see where the light was coming from but there was nothing there.I can only
describe it as 2balls of light that seemed to burst light into our bedroom.On Saturday 5th
August 2006 Myself, husband David, my daughter Mia and my mum Ellen were in
Ireland staying with my aunt and uncle (my uncle being my dad's brother) we went to
visit my granny's grave and I took a picture of her headstone on my mobile phone.When I
looked st the picture on my phone I couldn't believe what I was seeing: there was a bright
red light over granny's grave and in the top right hand corner a bright white light with a
definite figure of an angel - you can see an outline of the wings and then it fades a bit but
in my mind there is no doubt that I have an angel in my photograph and this has filled me
with comfort,love,peace and I have strong beliefs anyway but this confirms everything to
me!
another.
In September 1968 I was blown out of a helicopter while we were attempting to land and
pick up wounded soldiers at a remote base under attack. We were apparently struck by a
rocket fired from the ground nearby which severely damaged our ship throwing me clear.
I watched the ground rushing toward me 100 feet below and, just before impact, felt
something squeeze me then everything was black. I think this was my guardian angel
protecting me. I was in and out of consciousness for several days and awoke to find I had
lived with no permanent injury.
In 1971 I was riding my motorcycle to work at the Little Rock Police Department and
had just passed a semi truck when I had a flat tire. I felt the bike shake and looked down
and was suddenly sideways sliding across the interstate toward the semi. At the last
second my bike moved sideways behind the rear dual on the trailer of the semi and slid
onto a curb on the inside lane and sat upright and rolled to a stop. Someone beside me
had steered the bike out of danger. This was my guardian angel helping me once again.
In 1984 I responded to a burglar alarm at a business with a great frequency of false
alarms. It was almost 11pm, shift change, and I called off the backup unit assuming it to
be another false alarm. I did not even unstrap my revolver when checking the building.
When I rounded the back corner of the building I saw all at the same time, a hole knocked
in the wall, a subject standing there with a car battery in his hand from the business and a
gun in his waistband that he was reaching for.
Something behind me pushed me down while I was drawing my weapon and I heard two
shots fired by the suspect. I later found the bullets had impacted the wall just a foot to my
right. My shots hit the top of a dirt bank I had fallen behind and the suspect fled. I later
found that I had drawn my weapon through the safety strap breaking it. I had never
unsnapped it. This was a new holster. When I got a replacement I tried to break the strap
in the same manner and could not do it. My guardian angel is looking out for me.
A month later my wife was to be baptized in our local church where we had been
attending. I had never been baptized and was hesitant about doing so. The day we arrived
at the church when she was going to make her profession of faith and accept the Lord I
drove to the church but had made up my mind that I was not ready yet. When we arrived
at the church I let her out at the door and was parking the van when I felt someone with
me.
I felt a hand around my shoulder and in my head I heard my guardian angel's voice
saying, "Charlie it's time to make a commitment. Trust me and lean on me and I will be
there with you always."
I realized this was a voice I had heard before, in Vietnam, on my motorcycle and outside
a business in the dark. I was still confused and went into the church for service. When the
call was given my wife went forward to profess her faith and as I sat there I felt a
pressure on my shoulder and I found myself getting up and going forward. I knelt at the
prayer bench beside my wife and accepted Jesus as my savior. Always my guardian angel
is by my side.
His promise has come true many times. Through a divorce and financial crisis and any
time I ever felt alone or afraid I have always felt the LORD beside me, never ahead or
behind but always beside me. He has carried me through some very rough times in my
life and I know he will always be there for me.
Yes, I believe in my guardian angels, without a doubt.
My Guardian Angel
By: Alexandra/catholic.org
So, here's the deal, my guardian angel, who I haven't seen since I was ten, I suspect to be
the guy currently flirting with me, and if he is, he's not seeming to be trying to hide
anything. Any way, the next section is one I have copied from my autobiograhpy
document on my laptop, but don't be put off by that, it's all true. Something you may need
to know before you read my story is that I was ten when me, my mom & pa and our dog
Barney moved from Texas to rural Oregon.
My parents were arguing in the front, with my dad behind the wheel. They were talking
about something to do with telling and secrets.
We cant keep secrets from her anymore, Billy!, my mum cried, looking round at me, a
small ten year old, huddled, freezing in the back of a car, with blood shot eyes and a
concerned expression.
What do you suppose we do, Karen? By telling her, it could get us all killed!, retorted
my dad, banging a hand on the steering wheel as the car in front skidded to a stop.
The enraged discussion went on for about an hour whilst we were on the interstate. I was
sat in the back, snuggled in my fleece with the family dog, Barney, tucked up in a few
towels on my lap, and quivering like a leaf in the wind. Thats when it happened. As the
long line of cars slowly began to move, a large object whizzed through the air, smashing
straight into the front wind screen. In their panic, my parents raised their hands to shield
their eyes. The dog began to yelp, wanting to leap for safety. Barney launched himself
down towards the floor of the car, leaving me stranded to watch as my parents were
slaughtered.
The thing on the bonnet smashed its fist straight into the windscreen, grabbing my mum
by the neck. Through my tears of terror, I noticed that the attacker seemed to be a boy, or
maybe a girl, it was hard to tell, but it was a person at least. I sat shivering as my dad let
out a yell that drove the thing back. It hissed at him, the lashed out with a clawed hand,
slicing through his neck. I let out a whimper as my dads head fell to one side and his
white shirt began to turn red with blood. My mum screamed as a second figure ripped the
door clean off of its hinges and grabbed her. She was dragged out of the car and from
where I was sat, in the middle of the three seats in the back, I saw her disappear into the
mist the thawed snow was creating.
The thing that was perched on the bonnet was about to run off when it noticed me. It
tilted its head on one side and swung itself inside the car. I tried to back up, but I had
nowhere to go. It gave a small laugh and reached out for me. Just as light passed over
them and gave me a chance to see who they were, my hair fell over my hazel eyes. As I
wisped away my hair, the figure was dragged back through the window, letting out an
inhuman cry as the shards of glass pierced it in many places. The hollering corpse was
flung clear out of sight, leaving me trembling in the car.
After a few agonizing moments of recognition, a figure appeared around the side of the
car. It was tall, dark and at first, I panicked as I thought it may be one of the attackers. I
edged towards the window, desperate to catch a glimpse of the mysterious person. As the
mist receded, I saw a boy, with black hair and even darker eyes. His skin was pale and he
looked to be around sixteen or seventeen. What was even more startling was the fact that
it was minus eighteen degrees and yet he wore no top. His head suddenly snapped round
and he spotted me looking at him. He bent down and pulled open the mangled door.
I slid back in the seat, beginning to breathe hard.
Its alright., he whispered, holding out a hand, Im here to help you. Youre safe with
me. I looked cautiously at his hand, and then shuffled closer to him. Barney gave a yap
as I took his hand. He gave a smile and ruffled Barneys head. The dog immediately leapt
out of the car, bounding around the strangers heels and barking for all he was worth.
Slipping his arms around me carefully, he lifted me from the car. Only when I was
brought outside did I see the damage. The impact of the first attacker that killed my dad
had sent the car into a spin, judging from the skid marks that could just be seen through
the black ice, and the cars trunk had slammed into the bridge wall nearby.
After that, the car began to spin again, hitting the wall on both sides several times. I gave
a choked exhale at the thought of how lucky I was to be alive. The boy suddenly stopped
walking, and as I listened, I heard the sound of police sirens. He placed me onto the icy
floor and looked me hard in the eye and hissed,
Dont tell them anything about me or those other two, Ill take care of that, just tell them
the car skidded out of control and youll never have to deal with anything like this ever
again. I promise, I will find you again, Alex.
How do you know me?, I asked as he walked off. He never replied. Only then did I
make out what had merged with the grey and white mist around.
On his back were two wings, pure ivory white and tremendously large. My throat seized
up as I began to speak,
Who are you? He jumped up easily onto the wall of the bridge and looked around to
meet my eyes. Giving a dazzling smile he retorted,
Im your guardian angel., and with that, he leapt off of the bridge.
My Guardian Angel
Location: Edgar WI USA
By: Brooke Yessa/catholic.org
When I was about three years old my family owned a red van that had a type of carseat
built into one of the passenger seats. This was my favorite seat to sit in. The only problem
is that when I would buckle myself into this seat, I was never able to unbuckle myself; I
always needed my older sister or my parents assistance. One day, when my family was
driving down a back road, (with me in the back buckled snuggly in my seat)we hit a deer.
The engine in front started to smoke, so my dad told us all to get quickly out of the van.
We all did as we were told. Amazingly I swiftly unbuckled myself. My sister came to
unbuckle me to find that I was already out of the van, waiting for her. My family can
testify that I didn't do it alone, my guardian angel helped unbuckle me that day.
My Guardian Angel
By Stella/catholic.org
I have so many stories in my life that proves that GUARDIAN AGELS realy exits. Will
share just one VERY TRUE STORY. am not good at writing good english for people to
understand me well but i trust that from this poor english one will be blessed by my true
story and believe that God gave us guardina angels at birth and theuy watch over us:
I am a person with disabilities and i use cratches when walking. these craches have rubers
that help me walk not to slip off. they regularly wear out and always need repairs. one
evening as i was coming from a meeting, i came home late around 7pm, i had walked
almost throught out the day hence one of my cratch rubber developed a very big hole that
once i step on any sliperly place will have to slip off..it needed immediate attention, since
the following morning i was supposed to do very important task and i knew i wont be
able to get to our Central hospital for repairs. As i was in a midst of complaining i was
with my nebor who is a Muslim, she helped me up stairs helping me up not to fall and
carried my cratch with her so i dont use it otherwise i may slip off the stairs that went up
the flat i live. we all witnessed that my crach had a problem and this friend advised me
that i better take it to the hospital so that i use it. WE reached my bedroom and i took it
when she left put it under my bed with the ruber cratch there. the morning a friend came
to pick me up for work, thats when i realised and remembered that i need first to go to
hospital to repair the cratch, i told her that am not able to get down stairs as i may trip off,
she came upstairs, she bend down my bed to check on my cratch the rebber was not
there! we all were surprise i and my friend and my kids, i asked who took my cratch
ruber, everybody said do not know. then my maid who came in after 5 munites told me
that as she woke up around 5am she found the cratch rubber was on the door steps, she
didnt want to bring it to me as it was so early and i was still asleep. when she brought the
cratch ruber had no hole on it it was perfect. We weere all suprised because no body cld
have taken it in that night and there is no place where one can repair the ruber cratch in
the night and drop it at my door..i sleep alone in thebed room and nobody came to take th
ruber cratch.only found it on the door steps in the morning. we all witinessed this my
muslim friend who helped me up stairs with broken cratch felt so amased when we called
her till NOW she believes that guardian angels realy exits.. this happened 2 years ago.
this cratch ruber is still intact and the other rubers ware out..this one is still there. One of
my friends after i told her this story she took this rubber pressed it on one of her side rib
that had been paining her for so many years she told me she got healed..i took this cratch
ruber to the priest who is my spiritual advier he told me its a miracle..so i want to prove
that God gave us guardian angels who always watch over us..there are so many things
that have happened in my life through the protection and encounter of my guardian angel.
THIS RUBBER CRATCH IS STILL INTACT this is the 3rd year 2009-2011..
My Guardian Angel
By: Life4terri@aol.com (ainglkiss.com)
I was 8 months pregnant married and asleep, when at midnight a loud pounding on our
front door. My husband proceeded to answer the door and it was my brother-in-law (his
brother) who came barging in saying, "OMG, Cyndi's mom's house is on fire and they
think her brother is trapped in it!"
I flew out of bed, the best I could, considering I was XTRA XTRA huge from pregnancy!
My husband comes in to the bedroom and says, "Stay here, I will go see what's going
on!"....I said, "NO! What about my brother? I have to go"....he said, "NO, STAY HERE
>...I will come back to get you!" (You have to know my brother is only 11 months older
than I and was born blind. I knew my mom worked third shift and would not have been
home....but my 20 year old brother, blind, would have been home as it was midnight)
I struggled out of bed....and all I had on was a slip as it was extremely hot and we did not
have air-conditioning. As my husband exited the bedroom and around the corner, I was
about 5 feet behind him. As I got around the corner and at the top step, I sat on the top
step to take a deep breath. When I looked up...a woman was standing there.
She was all dressed in burgundy, a suit. An older woman with reddish colored hair. (sort
of burgundy also, lol)
She says, "Its ok honey, I will take you. Everything is fine."
She then said..."Come on, I will help you dress and we will go down."
(In my mind I was thinking, "who is this woman?" she must have come with my brotherin-law...or followed him to our home? But it didn't matter to me as she was going to help
me and take me there.)
This woman walks into our bedroom and proceeds to go to the CHEST OF DRAWERS
and remove a maternity top and shorts for me, as well as socks. I hurriedly got dressed
and followed her down the steps and out the door to her car. She obviously had money as
she had a beautiful huge cadillac with burgundy, rust interior. Very plush.
She drove down the main road towards my mom's home. (only 3 miles away)...there were
tons of firetrucks, ambulances, etc.
I was crying and said..."My brother is blind"...she said, "Don't worry honey, your brother
is safe. You will see for yourself."
Shortly, she pulled over into the parking lot across from my mom's house...it was a
hardware shop. I got out of her car and "ran" across the street and my husband and his
brother were standing right there in front of the house.
My husband looked up and said...."How did you get here?" I said, "The lady that came
with Michael" (my brother-in-law) and Michael said, "Huh? Nobody came with me."
I turned to point to the woman and her car. It was gone. Completely gone. The entire
street was roadblocked as my mom's house was on property that shared the gas station
and it was feared for an explosion....the woman and her car were nowhere in site. No
possible way that woman could have driven her car in and around the barricades that
were set up and certainly no possible way for that woman to have exited that quickly
either. That woman was my guardian angel.
Upon thinking, that woman would have had to pass my husband as he was exiting our
house as she was coming in. He did not see any woman there.
Neither my husband, nor my brother-in-law, said that any other car was in our driveway.
(Her car was in our driveway as she guided me to it.)
I remembered her going to my chest of drawers to help me dress. How did this woman
knew that my clothes were kept in the tall chest of drawers instead of the long dresser
with mirrors? (most women take the long dresser with mirrors and the men use the chest
of drawers. But because my husband wore uniforms to work...he needed more space so
he would have the long dresser and drawers and I took the short 4 drawer chest of
drawers for mine.)
Burgundy. The color burgundy. Everything was burgundy. The woman's hair, her shoes,
her purse, her suit, her car. Why didn't that click? Burgundy and pink were the colors of
my wedding only 9 months earlier. Burgundy and maroon are my favorite colors. That
woman was my guardian angel.
As for my brother? Well, he was not in the house fire. My mom lost everything. Her
home, which contained all of my childhood relics and memories, burned completely to
the ground. It was a vicious electrical fire that spread through the wiring and walls
rapidly. Little did we know that after my mom would leave for her third shift work, he
would also leave the house and visit with his secret girlfriend....the young divorced
woman next door.
The next morning, a picture appeared in our local newspaper. A fireman was holding the
completely charred remains of my mom's dresser drawer. Lying in that drawer was all of
my mom's photo albums and loose pictures. Not a single one received so much as a speck
of smoke damage. Lying on top...was the Holy Bible.
My Guardian Angels
By: shirene_sethi@hotmail.com
Kill Them With Kindness !!
I have a beautiful baby girl, and there are times when I question myself if we are being
fair in bringing these precious innocent angels into this crazy tormented world. With
bomb blasts becoming a commonality, innocent lives lost in the name of Allah,
Churches being destroyed in the name of which ever other God is this what we are now
reduced to? Political warfare ? Terrorists using bombs, destroying churches, places of
worship - all in their perceived notion of religion? So what can one do? Stop having
children? Lock yourself indoors? Stop living ? NAH !!! No way !! Experience has
taught me that for every nasty terrorist out there there exist their counter parts. The
Guardian Angels. These people who with their acts of kindness, generosity and big
hearts, make you believe that there IS a God and he will win the war !!
I have been blessed and protected several times in my life. There have been so many
instances when these angels , disguised as humans, have stepped forward and bailed me
out. These have left a powerful impact in my life. While the occasions have been many, I
share with you some experiences that have made me believe that GOOD EXISTS !!!
The first incident took place in the busy area of Delhi. I was rushing as usual, trying to
ensure that I didnt miss the company buss to work. I made it in time !! However when I
boarded, I realized to my horror that I had lost my husbands very expensive phone. I
hunted frantically through my bag, checked the floor of the buss , but no luck. Thats
when it struck me that I must have dropped it in the market. I stopped the buss and got
off. I decided to retrace my steps back home in wild hope that I would find it. I reached
back home extremely disappointed. Clinging onto every bit of last hope I dialed the cell
phone number from my landline. I was shocked when a man picked up the phone. He
said Madam I am a sales man. I found your phone next to the grocery store in the
market. I will wait for you right here. You can come and collect it. Holding my breath I
ran into the market again, and there he was, a very simple looking, middle aged man
carrying a big black bag of some product that he was trying to sell. He must have seen the
worried look on my face, because he suddenly smiled at me very reassuringly. I walked
up to him and he handed my phone back to me. I thanked him profusely and asked him
how I could repay him. He just smiled and said, madam, Its okay. Thank you. With that
he turned and walked away and did not turn back even once. I was left speechless. An
expensive mobile phone returned to me in this day and age ?? God bless that Indian angle
!!
The second incident took place in the airport of Bangalore. Just before we went inside the
airport, my husband, Dushyant, stopped at an ATM to take some cash out. He must have
taken out about RS. 4500.00. He handed me his wallet, my bags etc while he went to look
for a trolley for our luggage. We then proceeded to enter the airport and then went on to
wait for our flight back to Delhi. Feeling thirsty I requested Dushyant to get me some
coffee. He asked me for his wallet. I hunted for it but just could not find it. I then
realized that I must have dropped it somewhere, probably when I was struggling with all
the bags. That wallet had the cash, all his ATM cards as well as his credit cards. I was
mortified. Suddenly my phone rang. A lady was calling. She informed me that she had
found this wallet outside Bangalore airport. The only source of Identification was my
business card that Dushyant carried in his wallet. This stranger made an STD call to my
Delhi number to inform me that she had found this wallet. I told her that we were inside
the airport and begged her to wait outside. She told me not to worry and to take my time.
Dushyant had to ask for special permission to get outside the airport again and there she
was - a lady. She was wearing a torn overcoat obviously not from a well to do family.
Dushyant took out RS. 500 and insisted that she take it. She refused saying, in Hindi,
Sir, why would you pay me for doing the right thing? He pushed the money into her
hands and said, Madam, we dont have the time to take you out for a thank you dinner,
so please have dinner on us. Take this small token of thanks. By taking it you will be
helping us do the right thing !! She smiled and reluctantly took the money. A wallet
loaded with cash and credit cards returned in tact !!God bless that Indian angle.
The third incident took place at the Singapore Airport. Dushyant and I had gone there to
celebrate out 4th year anniversary. With it being our first trip together abroad, we had
gone a little berserk with the shopping. We had four suitcases amongst the two of us.
When we got the baggage weighed well no surprises there the baggage was severely
over weight. We had two choices pay the $550 or throw out some stuff. We did not have
that much money left so the two of us opened our suitcases right there at the airport and
where at our wits end wondering what to do. Just then a gentleman, a Canadian Indian,
walked up to us. His name was Ashish. Apparently he had lost his luggage while in transit
from Vancouver to Singapore. He was now on his way to Delhi to meet up with family.
Without blinking an eye lid he said that as he had no baggage of his own so he could take
on some of our luggage as his own. We were shocked. In this day and age to offer to
take on a strangers baggage at an international airport well we just could not believe
our luck. With him taking on a suitcase there was no question of Extra baggage. We
thanked him profusely. On reaching Delhi he gave us the luggage tag wished us all the
best and walked away !! God bless that Canadian Indian Angle.
The fourth incident happened with my husband. This was a month before we were going
to get married. He had to go to Chicago, USA for work. He was so excited about setting
up our new home after marriage that he bought a whole lot of home decorations like
crystal vases, painting etc. Naturally his baggage was overweight. The custom officers
would not allow him to go through unless he paid the overweight baggage amount or
threw some stuff away. Dushyant looked at them and said most sincerely Look I am
getting married next month. All this is for my wife for our new home. Please tell me
what can I do?. The personnel along with the air hostesses who were standing near by all
got excited when they heard he was about to get married. One air hostess asked him,
Will it be a typical Indian monsoon wedding?. Dushyant laughed and replied that it
would be. All four air hostesses promptly took over Dushyants baggage and checked it in
as their own. God bless those four American Angles !!
The fifth incident took place in Australia. I had gone there for work. I was on my way
back from work when I stopped at a Seven Eleven store. It was quite late at night. Being
the end of the month I had just $10 in my wallet and desperately needed to buy some
groceries. The store in charge was a Muslim, a Pakistani. When he saw me he dropped
everything and asked me if I were Indian or Pakistani. I smiled and said that I was an
Indian and was here in Sydney, Australia for work. He came forward and shook my hand
proudly and said It is wonderful to see such a powerful young Indian woman. May Allah
be with you and may you be even more successful. He of course had no idea what I did
or what I was there for !! I thanked him. He then went on to say that he had visited India
many years ago and that it was such a beautiful place. He also asked me to visit Pakistan
some time. I told him I would try. We chatted for sometime and I then went on to pick up
a couple of groceries. When I went to the check out counter, he added a box of chocolates
to the bags and told me that on no account would he accept money from me I was his
Indian Sister !! He said that I had made his day by chatting with him. I was the closest
that he had come to being back home !! I shook his hands and thanked him for his
generosity. Promising to meet him again I went on my way. God bless my Pakistani
Angel !!
So many incidents, all heart warming. Perfect strangers going that extra mile to keep
another stranger happy. Strangers who are not bound by any silly political or religious
reason. They live for other human beings and make no distinction by caste, color,
religion, sex. They are those angles that make me walk out of my house everyday, allow
me to tell my daughter that the world is good. So to all the people out there step out lets kill those cowardly terrorists with kindness !! Keep on Living !! God bless you all !!
My Guardian Angel
By: rhopk36322@aol.com, posted at http://www.ainglkiss.com/
This happened many years ago (1971) but I remember it just like it occurred yesterday.
I was a freshman engineering student at a college in Northwest Pennsylvania. The first
semester was designed to weed out those who could not survive the program. I had not
done well as the curriculum and the college life were too much for me I was not mature
enough at the time for such a drastic change in my life. I was probably as I appeared, like
a scared 14 year old (not 18) at the time.
When the semester ended and we broke for Christmas break, I was physically and
mentally beaten. I remember moping around trying to think about what had occurred
and what was going to happen. I had failed and I was not going to make it.
When my sister who was an airline stewardess came home for the holidays, she invited
me to go on a trip with her to Hawaii. In those days, airline employees enjoyed lots of
perks like free airfare and hotels.
We traveled in the snow and ice from western Pennsylvania to New York where she lived
and then on a nonstop flight to Honolulu, Hawaii.
This was a dream for me, I had never been to the ocean before and my first time at the
beach was at Waikiki. We were scheduled for 2 weeks at a high end hotel on the beach,
but my sister needed to leave me alone in the middle of the time for her to fly a couple of
flights till she returned at the end of our stay.
Oh boy, did I enjoy myself, beach all day every day, swim in the ocean till I dropped. I
gradually worked my way further out into the bay with each time I went swimming. I was
an excellent swimmer at the time.
One day, while I was alone, I went too far and found myself across the reef and into the
ocean. When that happened, I was in the current heading away from land and in high
swells rather than the protected bay.
I knew the drill, swim across current and find your way back to the bay. However, the
high waves and current rapidly drained my energy. I began swimming on my back to
conserve my energy and try to find my way back into the bay and safety.
When my energy gave out, I slowly sank in the water. I remember looking up at the
surface of the ocean from under maybe 3 ft under water and feeling so tranquil.
Drowning (is) quite pleasant as it is reported by all who experience it.
Then a voice I have you and a strong arm wrapped around my neck and almost
instantly I was in shallow water near the beach. When I stood up to thank the person who
saved me, I looked around and no one was there.
My sister came back to pick up me and we returned together to New York and then home.
I was a changed person after that encounter as many friends and family observed.
After the trip, went back to college more confident. With no fear of failing, did better
with my studies and coping with college life. I did so well that eventually I made the
deans list for most of the rest of my college days.
I went on to finish college and a have along and gratifying career as an engineer which
has taken me all over the globe. .
My uncle a priest and college professor admitted to me many years later that he had
initially doubted that I was going to make it through college but had noticed that I was a
changed person after the Hawaii trip. He was surprised how the little scared boy grew
into the adult that I became.
For all of you, who read this story; never doubt the existence of God, Jesus, heaven and
angels. Never forget who you are, where you came from and what you are here for.
have been. She was fine, the passenger side of the car was empty and destroyed.
was he was being progressively born again and it was cruel to tell the students they
weren't Christian if they did not know when they had accepted Christ. ..I wrote the entire
congregation a letter outlining my experiences with God as above. This brought the
consistory to see me, telling me I would not be able to take communion until I apologized
to the entire congregation for my remarks about the dean of the college. AT that point I
noticed someone standing in the archway between the living room where we were and the
kitchen. My gaze began at the feet, tennis shoes and the most amazingly white slacks I'd
ever seen. As my eyes traveled upward, I saw his hands in his pocket and his soft
expensive looking tshirt was yellow and he leaned against the wall. l What I noticed was
his massive arms...with a gold band about an inch wide around them just above the elbow
below muscles so huge he could have picked up a consistorial member in each hand and
thrown them thru the door without opening it. On that gold band were walking lions one
right behind the other all around it. . I looked up to the top of the opening and the top of
his head was just below it. His hair was the most brilliant yellow I could imagine and
onto and beyond his shoulders Around his forehead was another gold band that looked
the same as the one around his arms. My eyes met his eyes...the most blue blue eyes I've
seen in my entire life. As our eyes met, he smiled. I smiled back, and saw both the
consistory members heads swivel to the right to look and see what and who I smiled at.
They had not seen my angel. When I mentioned this at a Bible study, someone
said..".The bands on his arms and head were phylactery . That slaves wore them around
their arms if they served their master with their body, and around their head if they served
him with their mind."
I have been told on hearing the tongues that one time it was fluent Russian, another that
it was French. It is my belief that tongues is so that we can go to a foriegn land and think
what we want to say to the persons there, and the Holy Spirit will do the talking. You see
when I would listen to the tape I made of my experience that first day I recognized
names. There were 3 students from one of my daughters classes that had been killed
inside of the last 6 mo. As I thought Oh God the children, and mentioned the names I
heard the names, but the rest of my thought was in a language I didn't understand.
the difference.
I always kept several of the prayer
cards in the pocket of my Blazer.
I purchased so many of the prayer
cards: One day the manager of the store waited on me and asked me why I purchased so
many of them. I told her
what I used them for, and she told me to go back and get the same amount that I had
bought. She matched whatever I bought. I thanked her, kindly.
Getting to the story about my Guardian Angel.
First of all, I was born on
October 2nd, the feast of the Guardian Angel. (Mine has helped me many times. I chose
one of the times, which might have turned out fatal, had not
my Guardian Angel intervened.
I was scheduled to have a LtTKA,on Monday morning. For those of you who
don't know Medical Terminology, the
surgery was a Left Total Knee Arthroplasty. (Knee Replacement)
I was always in excruciating pain. Even a bedsheet would hurt my knee. I worked, but it
was getting
to the point, where I almost needed to be in a wheel chair.
I met my daughter for dinner at my favorite restaurant. We had a nice
long visit and then, each headed home.
On the way home, I fell asleep at the wheel. I drifted into the oncoming traffic......All I
remember, is that A car was coming Head-On towards me.
I swirved to the right, hit the car that was coming Right At me. I hit two other cars that
were in the correct lane. IT REALLY WOKE ME UP!
When the police came, they had
asked me if I was alright. Actually, thanks to my Guardian Angel, I was
relatively okay. I had some bruises on me but it could have been a fatal accident.......if not
for my Guardian Angel. Thank God and thanks to my
Guardian Angel.
Blessed be my God Forever!
My Guardian Angels
Location: Lafayette IN USA
By: Angela Corcoran/catholic.org
A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were traveling through town. We came to a
stop at a stop light. The atmosphere became to still and quiet. I became very uneasy.
Right then I heard a loud screeching noise a felt a huge impact. I remember my body and
head slamming against glass and metal. For some reason I was not wearing my seatbelt
this day (very unusual for me). All of a sudden a bright light with the smiling faces of my
grandmother and great-grandmother wrapped around me like a blanket. I didn't feel any
pain, scaredness, sadness. It felt very nice and warm. It all happened so fast. The next
thing I remember is waking up to a very nice woman holding me and helping me. My
husband was there and my head was bleeding badly. I was a mess. At the time it did not
dawn on me that I had just been saved by my two guardian angels. The doctors and the
rest of the people who witnessed the accident said I should not have survived the accident
and that I should have been hurt way worse. I am suffering some health problems, but I
know that my guardian angels gave me the gift of being here today. They saved my life.
If there is one message I can send to you, it is that everyone has at least one guardian
angel who is always there watching over them.
My Hero
by: Liz Polidan, Source Unknown (www.inspirationalstories.com)
My Husbands Angel
Location: belle vernon pa USA
By: annabelle reiger/catholic.org
On june 19 1993 4 days before our 4th wedding anniversary my husband was diagnosed
with terminal cancer. i was numb, being in nursing i knew what to expect. my ken was a
fighter, the doctors gave him 30 days to live. he surprised everyone and lived 5 month's.
he always said he was going to fight for me. about 4 weeks before he died i heard him
talking to someone as he lay on the sofa, when i asked him who he was talking to he said
no-one. as his condition worsened he was admitted to the hospital. on wed. the24 of nov. i
went to get him some choclate milk which he craved. as i walked into his room a woman
who i thought was a nurse walked by me. i stopped in the doorway and my husbands
arms were reaching out. i asked him who he was reaching for, he said that was his angle
wasn't she beautiful. i turned to see where she went , there was no one anywhere around.
since i was in the doorway i would have seen her. he said wasn't she beautiful, i said yes
she was. then something occured to me. that woman i thought was a nurse had on a long
flowing gown, and she seemed to float. he then told me she was taking him home in two
days. 2 days later i lost my soul mate. since that day i have collected angels. i am a
private duty home health aide. my last six patients were terminal. on every vist to them i
would always see an angel before the patient passed. i have always felt privileged to have
witnessed this beautiful scene. they bring you peace, and help you to prepare. God has
blessed me that i can see his beautiful angels.
My Mom
Location: Phoenix arizona usa
By: Maribel gonzalez/catholic.org
My mom is 55 this year and when she was 53 she went in for a minor surgery and she
was going to be out of the hospital in 2-3 days but it did not happen. Will in the hospital
my mother encountered other difficulties and was unconsious for about a month and a
half and nothing could get to her. It was like she did not want to live and we would go
talk to her comb her her and just be by her side and tell her how much we needed her. But
nothing would make her react. There came a time when i kind of figured she was not
going to make it, and we made a regular routine for that time that we would leave
someone with her while I was a work and go straight form work to the hospital. Will one
day I walked in and my son was combing her hair and she was sitting down and I go is it
you mom and i was so excited to see her sitting and then she said yes. I go how what
happen and she said she had gone but that my grandparents (deceased)sent her back. And
I asked what happened and she sa!Id she was at a big round table with both her parents
and they told her she was still needed down here by her grandkids and she still had things
to accomplish. So since that day I think my grandparents are taking care of my mom.
God sends angel in many forms and I think my grandparents guided my mother and take
care of her.
My Mom's Angel
By: hbuntin@graceba.net (from ainglkiss.com)
My mom use to drop my older brother and sister off at my grandma's house and let my
grandma take care of them while mama went to work. When she got off work she would
go pick my brother and sister up and take them home.
One night when she was going to pick up my brother and sister, a few girls ran a stop sign
and crashed into my mama. The girls were okay, but not able to call 911.
Mama was choking on her blood and about to die when a lady dressed in a nurse's
uniform pulled up and poked mama with a pencil earser so she wouldn't choke. The lady
then called 911 and left.
The paramedics took mama and she was in critical condition. Finially she got out of the
hospitial and the doctors told her if the lady wouldn't have been there mama would have
died and I wouldn't have been born.
To this day we still have no clue who saved my mom on that dreadful day.
My Mom's Angels
By: ellie4068@yahoo.com (from ainglkiss.com)
My mother was a very dearly loved lady. She was not religous but I always saw
something spritual about her. In 1955 or there abouts my brother was born prematurely
and sickly. He only lived about 18 monthes. My mom being the mom she was,was
dealing with alot of guilt even though it was not her fault. The night of his funeral she
was lying in bed awake. In the closet door appeared a large white glowing figure. She
was not afraid.She woke up my dad and he didnt see anything. After the experience she
no longer blamed herself and was at peace.
Her other experience was a couple of weeks before she passed away.She called my sister
who lived 100 miles away and asked her why she was in her room at 2 am and didnt
speak to her? My sister was not there. We believe both times she was visited by an angel.
me she was but not in the sense I wanted her to be.I really wished she could see him. Not
sure of my beliefs of life after death. I knew what I was tought but a little part of me
always wondered. Later that night when all the visitors and my husband left the hospital
the nurse brought Chad in to get some mommy baby alone time. She put his little crib
between my bed and the window. The nurse later came in to take him to the nursery so I
could get some rest. I told her to leave him with me so we could spend his first night in
the world mommy and not strangers.I just needed him with me. I fell asleep for about an
hour as his little clear crib was next to my bed. I jumped up quickly as having the feeling
of somebody standing over my baby.As I looked over to check on him and saw he was
sound asleep and nobody was in the room I looked at the window to find my mom the
most BEAUTIFUL Angel I have ever seen. Okay the only Angel I have ever seen but
either way the most BEAUTIFUL. She was floating in the air with her pink dress that she
was layed out in. She was just floating outside the window coming down to get a glimpse
of wahat would be her last grandchild. I guess nobody not even JESUS was going to keep
her from checking out the newest Angel in our lives. Her wings were the most
beautiful,biggest,whitest,fluffiest things I have ever could have imagined. They were well
deserved by her. She really earned them. Anyway I could not believe ehat I was seeing. I
rubbed my eyes in disbelief or to think maybe I was dreaming as a tear fell down her
cheek she just winked at me blew me a kiss as to say good job kiddo and she slowly flew
up. Leaving nothing but her little pink painted toenails wiggling on the way up. My mom
was ALWAYS barefoot. That was my one request when making funeral arrangements that
she was not going to spend eternity with shoes that she hated even though she owned 500
pairs. We even laughed my brother made the comment she was brought into this world a
pollack and would leave a hillbilly. I have a touch lamp that I bought and whenever my
mom is talked about which is daily the lamp turns on by itself. The kids get excited
because they feel it is her energy around us that makes it turn on and they won't let you
turn it off til bedtime. They say goodnight Granny visit us tomorrow. We Love You.
A short time later the phone rang again and my grandmother said "so, she is dead."
I figured my mother knew she was going to die on my birthday, so she asked the good
Lord to send an angel to watch over me on that day.
My Mother's Angel
by Deedee (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
In 1981, my mother had some surgery and was recuperating. She couldn't drive at this
time, so my sister drove her to her friend's home for a visit in the nearby town. It was a
cold, rainy day, and my mother felt pain around her sutures, but didn't want to let her
friend down. When they got to the friend's home, strangely she wasn't at home. Rather
than drive all the way back, my sister and mother decided to go to a restaurant nearby. At
the restaurant, both of them got out of the car, and just as my sister slammed the door, she
realized she had locked the keys inside. Neither of them had a spare key, and neither of
them were members of an auto club. My sister said she'd go inside to make a phone call
for a locksmith.
My mother chose to wait outside with the car. She sighed, "Oh God, I feel so bad. I just
want to go home." Just as my sister went into the restaurant, a white pickup truck pulled
up next to their car. A man in a white shirt and no jacket came out. (Strange, as it was a
cold day.) He was about 30, very handsome, and asked my mother what was wrong. She
told him they had locked themselves out of the car and the key was in the ignition. The
man went to his pickup and pulled a "slim jim" out of the cab. (A "slim jim" is a metal
tool that is used to unlatch car doors; locksmiths have them, and it's unusual for ordinary
people to have one.)
In one try, he popped open the lock to one of the side doors. My mother said, "Oh God
bless you!" And the man smiled, climbed back into his pickup. He said, "God bless you,
Gina." He drove away.
My sister came out just as the pickup disappeared out of sight. She couldn't find anyone
inside who could help her, and there wasn't a phone inside to make a call. She was inside
for less than five minutes and was prepared to see our mother still outside the car. What a
surprise.
The questions are: How did this stranger know my mother's name? And why did he come
just at the time my mother asked for God's help? He didn't even go inside the restaurant.
Very strange. My mother said this had to be her angel.
My father speaks Spanish so I'm writing for him.well my father is really old and always
been catholic his mother died at a young age it was ruff 4 him but one day i said to my
dad to tell me a good ole story since there was nothing to do he agreed and he said listen
son wen i was a boy a small child my mother had passed but she always visited me at
night and every time shell come and visit me shell rub my feet for a good while my father
said that since he was a child wen he saw his mother come and visit from heaven he
would say these words el musuito since it was so amazing for him seeing his dead mother
and being a child that's what he said. to this day my fathers 76 years old and he tells me
all the time that his mother visits him at night glory to god.
My Mom's Nurse
Location: Maylene, AL USA
By: Linda Driskill/catholic.org
While in Sears shopping with my sister and brother-in-law, my 88-year old Mother
tripped over the metal rod that holds clothes on a rack and cut her foot. My sister paniced
and hurried to a sales\' station to ask for security and help for our Mother. Exasperated by
the amount of time that had lapsed with no assistance, she returned to where she had left
my brother-in-law and Mother. Surprisingly, there was my Mother sitting on a chair and a
lady kneeling down in front of her wrapping her foot with a bandage. My sister ask if she
worked at Sears. No response. My sister ask if Security had sent her. No response. The
lady seemed to not hear my sister, but stayed focus on the attention and medical help she
was providing my Mother. A sales clerk came up behind my sister and ask what she
needed. As she turned to talk to the man, she told him everything was okay as someone
from Sears (she thought) was helping. But, when she turned around, the lady was gone.
She s!
eemed to vanish without my Mother or brother-in-law even knowing where she went.
They said she came up to them with the chair, and motioned for Mother to sit, and then
began attending to her injury. A report was required to be completed and Sears insisted
Mother go to an emergency room. Not surprisingly, when she arrived at the emergency
room and saw the doctor, he ask who had bandaged her foot as obviously, it was someone
with medical training as it was done perfectly. There isn\'t a doubt in any of our minds
that Mother was in the care of an angel, and of course, the care was perfect.
So now its seven months later & I'm still crying,still hurting, I can't function. Thoughts of
jules in my head day & night, night & day, tears on my face started to become normal for
me. Everyone else who loved me was worried that I too would fail due to how sick I've
become from my anemia & other complications. So they decided to plan a vacation to
visit other family members in VIRGINIA for the forth of JULY. While there as we all in
the back yard starting to set fire works off,I decide to take a test shot of it(fireworks)
getting ready to go off & I snap the picture & in my pic I captured an image of an
ANGEL. It was the shape of a woman, she had wings & was standing in the light. With a
glare that shine so bright likes JEWELS would. No one else's camara has captured this
image. The angel also had hair styled the way jules would comb it. It was my most
precious JULES coming across to heal me from the pain of lossing her here on earth. It
was JULES coming to show me that she was still traveling with me. It was JULES doing
what she did best making me smile instead of seeing me cry. Since that day on,I still miss
her being here for me to hug & kiss but she has shown me that I can still tell her that I
love her & she will show me a way that she loves me to, just as we always did. I miss her
calls, her voice,her hugs but somehow,some way I can still hear her laugh & that brings
me comfort & not pain. Rest in peace my most precious JULES til we meet again. I
would have loved to share the picture. Its so beautiful. It is such a clear image of my
guardian Angel.
My Phone Call
By: Barbara/catholic.org
My mother died in 1971, one month before I turned 19..we were all very upset that she
died at such an early age (50). She had just completed college in 1969 and was in the
process of fulfilling her dream of being a registered nurse.
As a nurse, it was required that all nurses and doctors have a routine chest xray every
year. She had been working about a year when her xray was due to be done. She had the
xray and it was discovered that she had numerous tumors on her lungs.
The next week she was scheduled for surgery...it was expected to be a 4 hour surgery...we
knew something was wrong when the doctor came out after only 1 hour. He said that he
had some bad news for us..it was an open and shut surgery..there were too many tumors
to operate....they treated her with experimental chemo. 3 months after the lung cancer
was discovered...they found that she had a brain tumor..this time they operated and
removed it....as the months went by..she was not getting better...they did a CAT scan and
found while the "hole" where they took the tumor out was trying to heal...her brain was
"tearing" at another place..about this time it was discovered she had a tumor that was
inoperable...to make a long story short...she passed away after a long year of fighting the
disease.
My father consoled me the best he could..after all..he was just as upset as I was..he lived
another 8 years and then he went to join my mom.
My husband and I were staying in my fathers house so it would not be empty for anyone
to rob the place. A few days after we buried my dad...my hubby and I were in
bed..sleeping and the phone woke me up. I had to get out of bed...walk down the hall,
thru the kitchen into the dining room to answer the phone. I picked it up and at the other
end I heard a woman's voice.."Barbara" ???..I said..yeah it's me..who is this...She said..it
is mommy...I said yeah.?? what is up?..she said..." it is ok..go on with your life..your
father is up here with me". I said.ok momma...I love you..she said..I love you Barbie...I
hung up the phone and went back to bed..my husband asked me the next morning who
was on the phone..I said ...Mom..she called to let me know Dad was with her...He said I
was crazy....I let it go..I know Im not crazy..he just didnt believe in angels...He and I split
up the next year..
I hope you dont mind me posting my story..Im not Catholic..but I was raised that people
are people..no matter what religion...
God Bless You...
My Purse
By: emcoleman@my.lamar.edu (from ainglkiss.com)
I have an angel story not a miracle.
I was on my way to school in the summer June to be exact. I had turned into the store to
get gas. I had my purse with me. I paid for my gas and left. As I was driving on the
freeway. I noticed that my gas tank was open. I pulled the car over and got out and closed
the gas tank.
Not paying attention I dropped my purse on the freeway. I got half way to school which is
in Jasper texas, a two hour drive. I noticed that my purse was gone. I turned my car
around and proceeded to go back to the store. Upon arrival at the store I thought I might
have left it there so i asked did anyone turn in a wallet.
I didnt care about the $200.00 dollars that was in there, my credit cards and my license. I
had just got paid. I just had cashed my check and I took out my tithes which I didnt have
in my purse. I lost everything except the $20.00 and my drivers license. I got home and I
told my financee which I didnt want to do because he is so negative and is always telling
me about being careless.
My best friend came by and said that the store probably found it and kept the money. I
didnt care. I told her that I know that God had something good in store for me and I
thanked him for losing my purse because it could have been worse. We have to thank him
with the good and the bad. I started praying to Saint Anthony, saint of lost things.
I went to school the next week on Tuesday in June. I was on the same highway and I see
something black in the road. It looked like my purse. I said it is my purse. I got out of my
car and run down the freeway. It was my purse with my $200.00 dollars and my license.
The only thing is that my purse was wet. It had rained. I started praising God. It was as if
God took his hand and reached down from heaven and got my purse when he saw I was
on my way to school and sent it down from heaven. I dont carry my purse today because
it is a blessed article. I hope that you enjoy.
My Salvation
Location: Dallas Tx USA
By: Michael yacques/catholic.org
This is a true account of what happened to me.I was in a very bad place and time in my
life. Alcohol and other problems were eating me alive,eating my very soul. I was
poisoning my body one afternoon with alcohol and drugs and i fell to my knee's.I was
dieing.My brother grabbed me off the floor,and during this time a strong winged angel
with a huge sword came to me ,handing me the sword.I awoke, alive and scared.My
brother told me it must have been St. michael.I saw his picture today, it was him...I am
sober now and alive in Jesus.I have embraced my catholic religion and family.God be
praised! I have never told any one this. They would just think i am nuts, or i was
drunk............
My Son's Angel
by Anne (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
First of all, I have to tell you this about my son. He was always painfully honest to this
day and he is now 23. I was a single parent and never caught that child in a lie in his life
he is to this day very moral. Secondly, my Mother died when I was 11 years old.
When he was seven, he came running in the house on a usual day with an unusual tale.
He said he was out riding bikes and running around like all the kids did, and he said he
was running really fast and tripped on something he didn't see. As he looked at the
ground he was about to hit, there was a 2x4 with a big nail sticking out pretty far -- and it
was headed right for the middle of his forehead. There was no stopping his momentum.
Suddenly, two adult-size hands grabbed him around the torso and set him upon his feet,
just like that -- and there was no one near him at the time. There was no doubt in my
mind that he was telling the truth, not just because of his track record; my heart sensed it
too.
While writing this, it just occurred to me, another incident that happened when he was a
very small baby and that they may be connected. One night, I was down the hall of our
very small house I was home alone with my son; he was about four months old. We had
had a very frightening experience with his alcoholic dad that put my son in jeopardy for a
short time, but he and I were safe now. My soon-to-be ex-husband was now living at his
mom's. So I was alone with Josh. I was back at the end of the hallway sitting on the edge
of the tub running a bath. Where I was, I could see the living room. Josh was in a room
right off the living room in his crib asleep. Suddenly, I knew someone was sitting in the
chair in line of my sight, but there was no one physically there. I turned off the water.
Seeing as my son was in the room next to this thing, I had no choice but to confront.
I walked boldly into the living room and sat down on the couch and looked at the chair. I
said, "What do you want?" The cushion moved. The feeling was the same as if there was
a physical person sitting there. It was incredible and I was not afraid, although it was very
emotional and I attributed it to adrenaline at first. I kept my cool, which didnt last long.
Suddenly, I felt a difference in a part of the room. It was as if a door to another place
altogether had opened up in front of me. The entity, as I will refer to it, came to me and
put its arms around me. As it came to me, the closer it got, the more love I felt so
intensely, and as it got closer I came to know who it was.
It was my mom. By the time she actually embraced me, I was in joyful tears. So intense
was this feeling, it gives me pleasure to think of it and brings me to emotion. She moved
over to the room my son was in. I was overlooking this room and tears were running
down my face. She was next to his crib now, admiring him and telling me without words
how beautiful he was and how loved he was. I saw her smile at me. My heart felt
something I didnt know it was capable of. At this point, I really couldnt take the
emotional ride this was and I said, "This is too much for me. Please come back another
time." And she was gone. Maybe she's been with us all along.
My Special Angel
By: reg.elisa24@gmail.com posted on ainglkiss.com
This happened a couple of years back and when it happened nobody believed me. But I
know it's true.
I have two older brothers and they share a room. One day one of my brothers stayed over
at a friend's house and for some reason I wanted to sleep in my brother's room with my
other brother. Later that night I had a hard time sleeping so I was just laying there.
Then just out of nowhere there was a man sitting at the edge of the bed and I was just
laying there staring at him. I blinked a couple of times to make sure I wasn't just seeing
things. He didn't say anything he was just sitting there with his hand on my foot. It felt
like he was there forever but he was only there for a couple of seconds then he just
disappeared.
Later that year we went to my grandma's house and I was looking at her pictures when I
saw a picture of my grandpa I stood there frozen.
My grandpa died 4 months before I was born so I never seen him before and I was the
first grandchild that didnt see him and I would get always upset when my older cousins
would talk about him and I never got to experience what it was like to have a grandpa. He
look exactly like the man I saw in my brother's room. To this day I believe the man I saw
in my brother's room was my grandpa and he was there to tell me that it's ok and that he
is watching over me too.
downstairs watching TV and my husband had gone to bed. I didn't pay whatever it was
any mind. I figured my son dropped something.
Within minutes, he came upstairs followed by his father. Now, my son has never been one
to make up stories, even when he was younger, so when he told me what he saw, I was
quite unsettled. He said he was lying on the couch watching TV and heard the Christmas
tree making a rattling noise, like someone was shaking it. The Christmas tree was in his
line of sight, but he wasn't looking at it. He didn't think much of it, believing it was Dad
fixing an ornament or something. When he ignored the rattling, it continued and that's
when he looked at the tree.
He said he saw a pair of arms reach up to the top of the tree and knock the angel to the
floor! That was the noise I heard. He was visibly shaken as he told me and I believed him.
I asked if he could tell if the arms belonged to a woman or a man and he said they were in
silhouette, so he could not tell.
I have to tell you that after the holiday was over and I went to take down all the
decorations from the tree, the angel was the last. Before I took it down, I rattled that tree
with all I had to see if the angel would fall, and it didn't even budge.
After that occurrence, my son constantly felt "something" in his room he couldn't explain.
I often stayed with him in his room until he fell asleep because I didn't feel right that he
slept on the second floor all alone. I often woke up in his room the next morning.
One night I had been helping him with a project that was due the next day at school, so it
was already 11:00 p.m. when we finally got into bed. On this night, having argued with
my husband yet again, I had no intention of sleeping next to him. My son and I lay in his
queen-size bed whispering about nothing in particular when we both heard it -- distinctive
and I'll never forget it! A disembodied voice coming from the foot of the bed. It spoke in
a language I did not recognize. If I had to guess, it sounded like an Indian chant. Actually,
the gentleman we bought the house from was of American-Indian descent.
I still remember that night and I'll never forget it. My heart was beating a million miles a
minute. The fear I felt was palpable. I didn't say a thing to my son, thinking maybe he
didn't hear it. I thought, If I ignore it and don't say anything, I can pretend it didn't
happen. I tried to casually continue our conversation when he suddenly asks, "Mom, what
was that?!" I, of course, played dumb, to which he said, "Didn't you hear that voice?!" I
was still trying to keep it together and failing miserably. I jumped out of the bed and
turned on the light soooo fast! I was fully expecting to see someone or something in my
son's room. Thankfully, I saw nothing. That night, we slept with the light on, after I said
about 10 Our Fathers and I-don't-know-how-many Hail Marys. I begged God to keep us
safe and to make whatever or whomever spoke go away!
The next night, not wanting to leave my son alone in his room I was once "shaking in my
boots" as I turned the light off. Sure enough, as soon as the light went out, I heard this
fluttering sound right next to my ear! I nearly jumped out of my skin and turned the light
My Story
By: me/catholic.org
While I was still in high school,one day I was coming home from school angry about
some insignificant thing that happened that day. In that state I was approaching a large
crossroads on my way home. Given the thought I was completely focused on the anger I
felt, I didn't really perceive what was going on around me. All I was thinking about was
how to get home as soon as possible. I remember I saw the red light for the cars going in
the other direction, but the people standing at the crossing were still waiting for the green
light. I didn't care much about it so I (looking at the floor and in my own thoughts) went
crossing the road. Suddenly I felt very warm and "for some reason" I lifted my head only
to see a white van rushing as much as a millimetre away from my face. Not to mention
that I found myself standing a bit further back from where I was standing a second ago,
knowing that I definitely didn't move willingly as I was angry, rushing to cross the road. I
also know that happened only a few days after I read a book about the angels and their
presence in our lives. It was an interesting way of "turning theory into practice", wasn't
it?;)...Thank you, God!!!
My Story
By: mdbchris@yahoo.com posted at ainglkiss.com
This happened many years ago and though I have had Gods answers and divine
protection hundreds of times since this story in particular is a favorite of mine. IT also
seems to be the story God has me share most frequently.
Approximately 12 years ago a relationship had ended between me and a young man,
Eddie. After two years of us dating he renounced God and joined a Satanist Cult that went
to Ireland.
I was beyond being devasated. I had never even heard of someone doing something of
this nature. Despite my upbringing it had also never really occurred to me that there were
people out there that didn't believe in God.
Some say I lost it a bit when this took place but it was by grief that seemed to overtake all
of my actions. I removed things from my home that were given to me by him. I removed
even my couch where he had slept. I was in deep grieving.
I had cut myself off from my friends and as I did for many nights after this I prayed for
God to help me. How could this take place? Would he not send me comfort, even an
angle perhaps as a sign that all would be well?
For months I sat on my living room floor wailing and pleading with the Lord. I
remembered Eddie talking about Arizona as if it were some powerful place. I hated it
because it was this place that he renounced God. Yet, I wanted to see it to know for
myself. So I made the arrangements necessary and I flew to AZ only a few months later.
It was hot and miserable. I failed to see the beauty of the desert. I failed to see the
kindness in others faces. I noticed though how the squirrels would eat from my hands,
something I was later advised not to do. The birds would take bread from my finger tips
and there were the most unusual little bugs that almost seemed playful.
On top of these strange new things it rained close to the entire days I was there. One
would say no way! But yes it rained for the entire stay, except a few hours here and there.
I was miserable. On the sixth day I decided to leave early. I lost my ticket and had to pay
to reissue another one.
When I arrived at the gate the airline hostess wanted to know if it were alright with her if
we left early. I thought I was dreaming she did say early right? Apparently, there was a
storm in Atlanta where I was flying back into. I eagerly said yes.
Once on the Boeing 727 I looked around at the empty plane. There were a total of 7
people on board including the stewardess and the pilots.
I took my seat that had been assigened right next to a man. I thought how silly and empty
flight and I'm sitting next to someone? I would change seats after take off.
The gentleman started chatting to me. He was very nervous about the storms and had
never flown before. His chatter was continual so I decided to have some fun with it. I told
him how in Atlanta trees would blow across the streets and power lines would be knocked
out for days. It was so common it never made the news. Just terrible I would tell him.
He looked on in horror as I broke out laughing. He joined in the laughter and I believe
this was the first time I had laughed since Eddie renounced God.
Arriving in Atlanta to sunny, clear skies I took my bag and got off of the plane. As my
travel companion followed, I noticed he did not have a suit case nor did we introduce
ourselves.
I looked at him and said "I'm sorry my name is Michelle and yours would be?" He smiled
widely and said "My name is Angel."
I can not image the look on my face as I glanced over my shoulder and when I turned my
head back he was gone. The airport was as empty as the plane and he was no where to be
seen or found much like the despair I had been carrying around.
My Visitor in 1975
By: JCLARK121@nycap.rr.com posted at ainglkiss.com
Below is a diary entry I made a decade after I had an experience I'll never forget, that has
helped me and changed my life permanently:
In 1975, as a 16-year-old boy, I had an experience that changed my life, the way I
perceived it, and still affects me to this day. I don't ask that anyone believe it, but I feel I
need to share it. Some may even think it's only a dream, but I know better...
I had built a bedroom in our attic, with my father's permission. Although, it resembled
something more like a tree house inside, it was mine, and I loved it. Our family owned a
large farm and dairy in an isolated valley, near the Idaho/Utah boarder, called Curlew
valley. Our family had its irregular relationships, and dysfunctional moments, but for the
most part, we were very close and worked very hard together.
In this bedroom, I had gone to bed on an autumn night, as I usually did. While in a deep
sleep, I heard someone call my name, I tried to ignore it, then again, and I started to
become more alert. The third time I heard my name, "Jody! I sat up, because it almost
sounded as though it had been a shout. I did not expect to see and experience what was
before my eyes, when I sat up. I saw a young man, who looked very familiar, brown
wavy hair, green eyes, and a deep emanating light coming from within him, that made his
being shine, and the light that surrounded him, lit my room. It didn't frighten me. He
stood as though on solid ground, but was not touching the floor. He was dressed in white,
a robe-like garment. I looked back behind me, while sitting up, and saw that I had sat up
out of my body, which was still lying in the bed.
The visitor held out his hand, and beckoned me to take his, and come with him, because
he had something he needed to share with me. He communicated by thought; there was
no movement of his mouth when he conversed with me. I felt what he said in my heart,
but yet sounded like vocal communication, and the way one would normally perceive it.
Although it had more depth, and you could feel the emotion and or urgency of the
message, as he felt it.
So, I took his hand, and in an instant, we would travel by thought, appearing above and to
the side of each of my family member's beds. He spoke of events and situations that had
occurred in the past, and what was happening now, and where it all would lead in the
future. This, for each member, both parent and sibling, and how they fit into the picture.
Then he showed me where, when and how I was to intervene.
The things he told me, I still carry with me, but only come to me, when the time and
situation is perfect. He told me this is the way it would be, because all that he shared
would overwhelm me, if I were to remember all of it at once.
Before my visitor left me, we appeared back in my attic bedroom. He took both my
hands, looked me in the eyes, with a piercing brilliance of pure love and energy, and said,
"It's up to you now, Jody. You must keep this family together, Love them, teach them
what I tell you, when the time is right." Then he embraced me, and we both wept. Then
he released me, and I laid back into my body. I jumped from my bed, and knelt down
beside it and cried, "God, why me? Why did this happen to me? Why is this my
responsibility?" Then a calming peace came over me, and I felt everything would be all
right. But the love and pureness of the light which for a time, I had been in, still
overwhelmed me, and I cried myself to sleep.
Since then, many things have happened, and I somehow know exactly what to do, and
how, and what to say. And I know where it's coming from. Like I said, many would
scoff, and it doesn't matter to me, I know what happened, and I cannot deny it. It has
made being mortal somewhat frustrating, because of the limitations we have, and how
most conceive life and how to live it. I have been shown, and I know the difference. In a
way, for a long time, I felt I had been robbed of my free agency to choose. But time is
proving me wrong. I am glad for my experience, and will always be thankful that
someone cared enough to warn and help my family.
So like any normal human being, I was NUTS. I dashed through the streets, through the
massive grassy fields and charged inside the library. My backpack was still there, but my
wallet was missing. I literally went back and forth from Dominos to across the street. I
shouted, "Oh my God!" because I was depressed. I thought someone took my wallet. My
manager was getting impatient, but I wasn't going to work until the wallet was found.
While searching for that wallet in the big grassy field, I prayed to God. It was a quick
prayer. I was nervous, very upset, out of this world angry! But while crossing the street
back to Dominos, I saw this man standing at least six feet away from the entrance of
Dominos. He looked like a black middle-aged man with a cap, a vest and regular slacks.
He had his hands in his pockets and he looked my way.
Here's the part where I felt guilty. I didn't wave or say hi, I just glanced away, because
usually in this day and age when a woman just looks at a man they automatically think
the woman is attracted to him so they go and bother the woman asking for their number,
so I didn't want to be bothered that way. (I have been through this so many times on the
city bus and at the bus terminal.)
I almost gave up while standing in front of the register looking outside through the glass
door and windows. I didn't know what to do, but something told me to go back out one
more time. And so I did. I went around to the front of the store because employees are not
allowed to leave from the front door. And I saw something purple where the man was
standing. (The man was gone, by the way.) I raced to it and it was indeed my wallet!
I thanked God so many times. I was overjoyed and relieved! A day later, I had realized it
was an angel, because the more I thought about it the more things added up. The man was
standing in a very weird unusual spot; he was standing in the grass that's kind of close to
the street; it's hard to explain. It's the grass you see when you first drive in and you see
the exit and entrance signs on both sides of the car, it's that grass. So it was quite odd for
someone to stand there and NOT notice a loud purple-colored wallet near their feet.
I had the chills. I believe in my heart that God sent an angel to protect my wallet because
of that prayer. I still can't believe that I saw something that was not of this world, but I
also felt bad for not greeting him. That's my only regret. It would have been nice if an
angel actually waved back at me. Well, at least he looked at me!
My Wedding Day
By: Jennifer Smith Barras/catholic.org
This is more of a moment that i knew God was with me..I arrived at the altar to marry
Mr.Jeffrey Michael Barras, and as I stood in front of him and my eight year old son..i
looked in his eyes and they had glossed over yellow or a copper gold in which his eyes
are green dark hazel. I knew and angel was inside of he, because i never saw a man with
eyes so hypnotizing to me. It was not a hoax or a joke i explain here now it was rescently
and I still feel watched with grace and ultimate God watching over so who is to judge my
faith. I love you St. Michael it felt like looking at you, but if it was God or Jesus who
cares. I am a firm believer with no worries about marriage now, and my son loves him so
funny and we are a happy family now. i get fussed at most so prayers could be needed
here , but angels had to sorround that special day he didn't fuss at me once and I felt his
stare. Love a loving lady in love with angels in heart and maybe i was hallucinating ,but i
swore i saw the gold eyes like a angel or saint. Amen
Nana
By: irishsoftball3@aol.com (from ainglkiss.com)
My Nana and I we were extremely close. When I was born, she spent 6 months with my
Mom to help her with me, her first born. She would come over everyday after work and
watch me and my siblings. I was 5, my brother was 3 and my sister was a couple months
old. She would help my Mom with dinner, while my Dad was at work, clean the house,
do laundry, etc. She was the best!
When I was 6, she passed away. It was really hard. I was young, but I certainly knew
what was going on as my siblings and my cousins didn't understand. The one person who
was a wreck was my Mom. She was the youngest of my Nana's children and they had a
very close relationship.
A couple weeks past and my family was still in distraught. I went to sleep one night and
my dream was a miracle!
In my dream my family was hosting a party of some sort (I never really knew why). So
many people were there! Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, Cousins, Friends, etc. We were
having such a great time, when the phone rang, I screamed to my Mom and told her to
pick up but she didn't hear me. No one heard the phone ring. I picked up and answered,
"Hello?"
The voice on the phone said, "Hi Madison, its Nana!"
Since it was a dream, I didn't get too excited. I just acted like it was normal phone call
and not a miracle call which it was!
"Hi Nana, how are you? Hows heaven?"
"I'm great!", she answered, "Heaven is a lot of fun. God is amazing. How are you? I can
see your having a party! Are you having fun?!"
"I am! It's been fun! So many people are here!"
"I know! I see! Hey Madison, can you do me a favor?", she asked.
Needless to say, the car smashed into my back. I flew up on the bonnet, and remember
trying to cling onto the windshield wipers before the car threw me high in the air! I
remembered as I was in the air I felt strangely calm and was just looking up at the stars.
That's when I hit the floor I was confused as I felt no pain, and I knew I should have!
Then I had people all around me asking all sorts of questions, like what's my home
number. I panicked again and remembered I was late and went to get up, saying that I'm
honestly fine and must get going. As I went to sit up, my whole body felt stiff, and was
forced to lie back down by everyone.
In the ambulance they were really worried about me and wouldn't let me sleep. I was
strapped down all over my body and had a neck brace on, but I felt okay!
Here's the interesting part. At the hospital, a policeman came up to my mum and spoke to
her as he was watching the whole thing on the other side of the dual carriageway, unable
to stop or help me and felt helpless. He told my mum that the car must have been at least
been going 45 miles per hour and it hit me full pelt in my back. He said that he felt sick
as he was positive that I was going to be dead, or at least paralyzed, and that he and his
partner took their hats off in respect to me. He was amazed that I only came out with a bit
of whiplash, and said I was a very lucky girl and that I definitely had a guardian angel
holding my back that night!
Mum said he seemed quite emotional about it, and she believes it was her nanny, as she
watches over my mum and has even got an old photo of herself as a kid and a hazy face
like her nan's behind her shoulder. I've seen this photo and am very thankful she was
around that night!
he really meant to me. I cried because I deeply missed him. I cried because, in my heart
of hearts, I knew I really loved him.
It was then I noticed a flock of small birds soaring towards me from across the river.They
landed on the leafless branches of willow trees all around me. Then one of them gave me
the surprise of my life. It flew directly at me and perched, unafraid, upon my shoulder. It
chirped and chirped as it actually peered straight into my face. I didn't move. In fact, I
was in awe of its candor. It remained on my shoulder for at least a full minute. Then it
lifted its wings and rejoined its buddies. Immediately, the birds flew away. Back across
the river.
Was it a sign?
I have always believed in angels. And I believe my angel was telling me, through nature,
that everything is alright. That my father had received my prayers and was pleased. I
believe on that chilly autumn day, when I opened my heart in truthful prayer, God's love
shone down on both my father and me. And I was granted a small miracle gift of
acknowledgement from above. Nature sent me an angel that day and I am grateful.
Today, I am much closer to my dad than I ever was. And I have no one to thank but an
angel who's sole purpose, I believe, is to watch over me, and guide me, in some cases
with a miracle, to our Lord's universal home. And my father's waiting arms.
Needed Help
Location: Surrey BC
By: Ralph M/catholic.org
My story starts off like any other day, my mother was having a ruff day, everything was
going wrong. From the morning my mother was sick, went to work, picked me up from
home, started to make dinner, and go to the library.
As I went into the car with my mother, it was very tense in it. I tried asking my mom
what was wrong, but all she did was yell out all of her problems. I felt really bad for her
because everyday she was like this. I prayed to God to help my mother in some way.
When we got to the library she was still in a angry mood. It was going to get worse... As
we went back to the car in the parking lot, my mother drove over a concrete bumper in
parking lots. She was furious, yelling, swearing, crying. I tried to calm her down but
nothing worked.(she was always hitting the car into things) We tried to back up and go
over the concrete bumper but we kept scratching the car's bottom. I was standing there as
my mom was on her cell phone with my Dad crying and talking to him. And out of no
where I hear a voice "oh wow" I turn around a man was standing behind me, I never saw
one person at all in the parking lot before, and i didnt hear him walking. But I wasnt
scared at all.
He told us to drive forward because the car's back is higher than the front, so we tried it.
It worked. We thanked him alot for his help.
When my mother and I got into the car we looked around the parking lot to see the man
who helped us, but he disappeared. In my mind I thanked God for that man, then I
thought that could of been my prayer in action, God sent us a Angel to help us!
Not My Time
Location: melbourne vic australia
By: FIONA MALONEY/catholic.org
Around June 2000, i had been quite ill my heart felt like it was pounding out of my chest
i was faint, tired. I put it down to having a new born and 6 other children to raise. I was
not one for seeing the local doctor every time i was unwell. This particular night i fell
into a deep sleep i woke up to see grey bulging clouds out side my bedroom window they
were rolling and it looked like a tornado was forming This circular rotation of the clouds
grew faster and i notice it starting to open, like a whirlpool opening, white light was
trying to break thru>there was silence i couldnt hear then doves flew out of the opening
but all i could hear was the sound of their wings flapping. I was amazed, i then began to
hear music but nothing like I\'ve heard before. The opening in the clouds grew bigger and
bright whit light broke thru and then a person was floating down slowly i realised who it
was it was jesus he has his hands open with white light coming out of his palms and heart
area of his body. i wanted to be with him so terribly the ache was unbearable i tried to
jump up as if to run to him but i was stuck somehow, i turned and i saw my body I looked
asleep i turned back to jesus and tried to go to him> When my nana who died 2 years
earlier stood infront of me and told me it was not my time. With that i woke in my bed,
with mixed emotions. I knew i had to see a doctoR. I went the next morning explained
how i was feeling i had blood tests and found out i had pernicious anemia and that my
count was so low i could of died of heart failure or gone into a coma.So i believe i had
Norah's Life
By: Julie/catholic.org
When I was fifteen, my best friend Cathy came into my life, we have been friends for 45
years. Her mother Norah has always been in the background. About ten years ago we
started to see more and more of each other and share our lives. Details we would laugh
about or cry about. She loved to go out for lunch and talk about her life, I really enjoyed
listening. Norah loved stuff that sparkled. We had a pack, that whoever should pass over
first would let the other one know they were ok. Norah pass over this past April 2011.
She is deeply missed. But shortly after she passed, three times during the night, I saw this
wonderful green sparkly light. Right away I knew it was her letting me know she was ok.
I have not seen her since, but I know she is there.
One Call
Location: Texas, USA
By: gloria barrera/catholic.org
My husband joe, had seen several doctors, all had been told the same symptoms,i had
taken him to the emergency room 3 times. this day he was telling he was just so sleepy,i
told him,i'am changing doctors,this one call was to pulmonary dr. whom i had seen many
years.he saw him immediately,ordered a c/t scan,a blood clot was found in the right side
of his brain.a neurologist, a neurosurgeon were called. he was admitted in the hospita, had
surgery the next day.he was told had he waited a week,he wouid have been dead. angels
around us.
Open My Eyes
By: Marian Grace/catholic.org
One early morning I did not want to open my eyes...for fear the angel would dissapear. I
saw my guardian angel! To describe it--I saw wings that were the span of my king bed
and had beautiful illumination and sparklers at the ends. Colors that were different than
you see right now, more deep and intense and sparklers that were like the kind you used
to play with as a kid, but brighter in intesity. A transparent but colorful body draped in a
flowing pure white gown. The face was so intensely beautiful but I mostly noticed the
wings, because the colors were so spectacular. The angel hovered over me in my bed and
I did not want to open my eyes or wake up, for fear it would go away. When I did open
my eyes, I was face down with the pillow almost covering my head. I turned over and
looked at my statue of our Lady of Fatima and the touch lite was on--without anyone
touching it! This, I shared with my husband and later when I did- the light came on by
itself again. Thank YOU Blessed Mother for showing me such beauty!
Orphanage Angel
By: trampolineone@webtv.net
"Father we thank thee for this food. Amen." echoed the children's voices as they bounced
off the walls of the large dining room at the Jacksonville, Florida orphanage where I
lived.
"Please let there be something good to eat today," I thought to myself, as I watched
everyone, standing at attention behind their chairs. Every child's eyes shut and their heads
bowed.
Suddenly all was silent, just as it was at every meal that we kids ate, year after year, at
this terrible orphanage. I watched from the corner of my eye as Mother Winters, the head
matron, picked up the little gold bell and held it still, for a second, hoping that one of the
children would accidentally sit down before the bell rang and she could send them away
without having their breakfast.
"Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling" sounded the little bell.
I watched as fifty children, six to a table, slowly pulled out their chairs, careful not to
make a sound, and they all began to sit down.
Each child sat down, with their hands folded in their laps, remaining totally silent until
Mother Winters nodded her head so that breakfast could begin.
I reached down and picked up a piece of burnt toast and I began taking very small bites. I
continued to watch Mother Winters eat her own breakfast out of the corner of my eye.
"How could someone who runs an orphanage hate and treat children so badly." I thought
to myself, as I continued to watch her every move.
All of a sudden she looked up from her plate and looked directly at me.
"Oh! God. Please don't let her see me looking at her." I said to myself.
"Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling." went the little gold bell.
Instantly all the children stopped eating and the entire dining-room fell totally silent.
"Evidently we have an IDIOT." she screamed. "Named Dean Kiser who thinks that he can
look around the dining room rather than eat his breakfast." she continued.
I sat there, motionless at my assigned station with my head lowered, I watched as the
small beetle bugs moved around in my corn flakes.
"Ding-a-ling." Went the bell again.
I slowly looked up and I saw Mother Winters motioning for me to stand up with her
finger. I carefully moved my seat back from the table, careful not to scrape the floor, and
I stood up in front of my chair. The entire dining-room remained totally silent. All the
children sat completely motionless as she and I stared at one another.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" she screamed at me.
Every eye in the room was now upon me and they were as big a saucers.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME?" She hollered, again.
"I didn't say nothing Mother Winters. Really I didn't" I told her.
"She's just a mean person." said one of the smaller boys who was sitting at the same table
as I."
"Get your ugly rear-end back over to your dormitory." She demanded.
Keeping my eyes to the floor I slowly walked to the door leading out onto the screened in
breezeway porch. I slightly opened the door, stopped, turned around, and I looked
directly into the eyes of Mother Winters.
Her arm outstretched in front of her, like that of Germany's Hitler, demanding that I obey
her every order without question.
"I said move. NOW!" she screamed at me.
I moved not a muscle.
"NOW! NOW! NOW!" she screamed as loud as she could.
She reached over and snatched up the little dinner bell.
"DING-A-LING, DING-A-LING, DING-A-LING, DING-A-LING." rang the bell as she
shook it above her head, as hard as she could.
"GET OUT OF HERE! GET OUT NOW!" she kept yelling at me, as she continued to
ring the bell.
I opened the dining-room door and walked out onto the porch. I stopped at the door
leading outside the breeze-way and I stood there trying to catch my breath.
I looked straight ahead, moving my eyes from right to left, looking at the large prison
style dormitories which housed the little babies on the right, the girls on the left and my
own two story, white, brick prison directly in front of me. I placed my two hands on top
of my head and I began to cry as I ran, as fast as I could, toward my dormitory.
When I entered the building I walked into the small kitchen, located by the television
room. I opened the small white drawer and I took out a butter-knife. I placed it against
my chest where I always put my hand over my heart while saying the pledge allegiance to
the flag at School. I pressed the knife as hard as I could but it just would not go into my
heart.
"Can I help you son?" said someone standing behind me.
Quickly I turned around and I saw a young woman standing in the doorway, smiling at
me. Her face seemed to have a glow about it.
"What is your name?" She asked me.
"Roger Dean Kiser." I replied, as I tried to secretly place the knife back into the drawer
behind me.
"How old are you?" She said.
"Eleven, Ma'am." I told her.
"How long have you lived here in this orphanage home?" She asked.
"A whole bunch of years now." I responded.
"Do you know what love is?" She said, as she reached out toward me.
"It's a word you say when you like someone." I told her.
"Oh it is so much more than that, Roger Dean." She said, smiling at me.
She stretched out her arm and motioned for me to come to her. I walked over and I stood
directly in front of her. She reached out and she placed her hand on the side of my face.
My entire body tingled and I felt warm and wonderful inside.
"Do you want someone to love you?" She asked me.
"Yes Ma'am, I guess." I told her.
"Then you have to be able to forgive those who do not love you. Do you understand what
that means?" she asked.
"Not really." I replied.
"Can you say: "I love you Jesus?" she asked me.
"I...."
"You can say it." she told me.
"I LOVE...YOU JESUS." I screamed out.
"And Jesus loves you, Roger?" She said.
I fell onto the floor and I started crying as loud as I could. I just could not stop crying, no
matter how hard I tried. Finally I heard the other children coming back from the diningroom. I raised my head to look up at the woman but she had vanished. I got up off the
floor and I walked over to the sink and I began to wash my face.
I have no idea who the woman was, or where she came from. It was if she had just
disappeared into thin air. That incident occurred in 1956. I have never forgotten that kind
look and I have never forgotten that wonderful feeling that she gave me when she
touched, not only my face, but my heart was well.
Our Angels
Location: LaFayette GA USA
By: Kellie purser/catholic.org
On feb 8, 2001 I was admited to the hospital for premature labor with toxemia and
preclampsia. I was not due until May 8 2001. The doctors were very woried that me and
the baby would not make it. I was one of the worst cases they have ever had. I was told i
would been completly bed rested in the hospital for the next two months. On feb 9, 2001 i
was rushed to the next closes hospital that deals with leval 3 nursery in the nicu. At this
time the toxemia had set in so bad that I could not see and could not go the bathroom
anymore. The nurses then started meds. to help me go in to labor but yet relax me. They
told my faimly that they did not exspect both of us to make it. There was more hope for
the baby than me. With in the next 24 hours I could not diolate. My body was shutting
down. I was on alot of meds to keep me and the baby going. On the night of feb 10 2001,
i was buning up with a high temp and was told the baby had to come out the next
morning. At this time i was on a magor muscel relaxer that made me have hot flashes. I
ask my friend that was there with me to open the window. It was 20 degress out side. Oh
it felt good to have cold air come on me. At the same time as the window open four
people walked very gracefully to me (from out side of the window) it is almost as if they
floated to me. the room went from being very small to a huge white room filled with
people. It was weird they all had a glow but i was not scared anymore. Too of the people i
remember to this day what they looked like and what they said. I remember evey detail.
As I was talking to them my friend got scared and went to get the nurses. As they were
walking in i was shaking the mans hand. But I don't recall what my friend and the nurses
said to me or even being there. The nurse shut the window and the people were gone.
These people i belive were angels sent here to help me and my son. The man told me
what i was to name my son and that we would have a hard first years but we would get
through it.!
Boy was he right. That next morning i went in to emergencey surgery. the doctors did not
want me to be awake, but i refused to be put to sleep. Andrew was born on feb 11 2001.
He weighed 3lbs. 6ozs. He had very little heath problems at all. That shocked the doctors.
I stated to get better and with in three days i went home. They exspected me to be there a
long time. It is like someone came and took all the problems away. We were the talk of
the town. My son was the mirical baby he went home on march 3 2001. to this day i look
to see if they are around. with my second child i exspected to see them but i did not see
them i senced they were there. I never got to know my grandparents befor they died alot
of people think it was them. I don't know but what i seen and felt was amazing...
Just then, someone else caught my eye! There she was, floating just like me, but I knew
she was bigger than me, an adult lady. She was absolutely beautiful! She wore a red
garment wrap around her that covered her from the top of her bodice to her feet. She had
another blue wrap that draped over her head and flowed out and around the top of her
shoulders. When I think of it now, she gave the appearance that she was in water, the way
the fabrics just flowed about! She had the most peaceful face I have ever seen to this very
day -- much like the women painted in ancient paintings, or as in angelic images.
Whoever this was, she was floating the same height as I, but just on the other side of
Mary Lou, facing me. She had the bluest eyes and golden, very long, thickish hair that
flowed about her shoulders. She moved her head as she looked at me, as though she felt
sorry for me. Her eyes filled me with a solid peacefulness and complete love! She seemed
to glow, to radiate! I did not feel she was any ghost of any kind, because I knew
immediately that she was "otherworldly". Later on, I would come to recognize her as she
truly was. She was an angel of God!
This whole thing seemed to take a long time, but really only seconds had passed! I looked
at her and I looked at what was going on around us, then I looked at her again. She caught
my eyes with hers and slowly shook her head from side to side. She was telling me it was
not my time yet, and without words or thoughts, I knew instinctively what she meant. She
smiled at me and I wanted to go with her, but as she smiled, suddenly I was back in Mary
Lou's arms and I was not choking anymore!
Just as the firemen ran up, Mary Lou had reached her two fingers down my throat and
gotten the jawbreaker out! I felt pain in my throat and chest, I was heavy, weighted down
in my body. I began to cough and breathe freely again. I remember her thanking the
firemen for coming and then... I don't remember anything more of the incident. It was as
if I went into only remembering snippets of my toddler days, like I suppose everyone else
does. But I never have forgotten the lady, the Angel that God sent for me! I never forgot
the feeling of complete and utter peace and calm, the love I felt from her, but more
importantly, from God Himself!
night way out in the woods. I let it go, knowing my lack of directions and just stated I
was grateful to falling upon the place.
A short time later that day, I was looking out my office window and saw a cloud in the
shape of an angel slowly drifting by. My being was filled with calm and my cry for help
was answered and I was blessed with the angel I had requested for help.
Ask and you shall receive.
The second wreck was very recent, just two months ago. I now have two children, ages 5
and 3. I was taking them to the dentist in another town about 15 minutes away. I was on
the highway going about 60 mph in my little Chevy Malibu, again I was not wearing my
seatbelt (bad I know, but I wear it now). My kids were in the backseat in their booster
seats buckled safely, though. Suddenly a car that I thought was going to stop pulled out
to cross the highway from a side road right in front of me. I t-boned him nearly head on.
Just before we hit, I remember opening my mouth to scream, thinking about the kids in
the back seat, and I suddenly felt that I needed to go left, so I obeyed again and swerved
slightly in that direction. Then just like the accident before, everything went peacefully
dark, and I opened my eyes after what seemed like just seconds to find my face lying on a
deflating airbag. I instantly turned around to see the kids. They were crying, and scared,
but not hurt. I started to get out of the car, but the door kept flying back in my face. The
car had buckled so severly that I couldn't open the door all the way. Finally I calmed
down, slid out the door, opened the back door and got the kids out. The car smelled
horrible after the wreck, I just wanted to get them away from the fumes. The driver of
the other car was already starting to run toward us, to see if we were ok. I've tried to put
the pieces together as to what happened, and after thinking about it, I've decided that
when I hit the other car I flew up and would have flown out the windshield. Instead I hit
the rearview mirrow (which would explain the cut on my head), but then the airbag came
out as I was up in the air (explaining why I had no airbag burns on my face), and pushed
my back down in the seat. I know that God was acting through the airbag, and that was
his hand that pushed me back down into the seat. Later I was informed that by swerving
to the left, my car hit just in font of the driver side door of the other car in the front wheel
area. Had I not swerved, I would have hit him in the door directly, probably killing him.
It is so amazing to think that no ambulances needed to be called, and we all walked away
without any serious injuries.
So where does my Grandma come in? About a year ago I was driving down the highway
bypass around my town heading home when my then 4 year old in the back seat suddenly
said, "hi Grandma". I asked him who he was talking to, and he said, "Grandma". I
responded, "honey, Grandma's at home", thinking he was talking about my other
Grandma who's still living, and I knew he wasn't talking about my mother because she
doesn't go by Grandma. He said, "no mommy, Grandma, right there" (with a little more
frustration in his voice). So I glanced over my sholder quickly at him and he was
pointing at the empty passenger seat as he said it. My Grandma died before I was born,
but I'm so lucky that I have her as my own personal angel in the passenger seat.
Peace
By: Carrie/catholic.org
Some years back I was full of anxiety concerning by husband and his odd behavior. He
had become distant and would stay on the computer a great deal at night. This worried me
and I was unhappy about it. One night I was lying on my right side as usual in the bed. I
felt a present that someone had walked over to the side of the bed where I was laying.
Then a caress along my right side sent a peace through me. Then my left hand was held. I
opened my eyes to see that my fingers were spread apart and my hand cupped as if I was
holding another hand but, I could not see anything. I remember saying to myself, "Am I
dreaming" but, I was fully awake. I then realized that it was of God, an Angel. A peace
went through my hand up my arm and throughout my entire physical and spiritual being
that was so complete and freeing to the point that I cannot fully explain. It was complete.
I felt complete in all ways and totally at peace beyond words. This peace was so beautiful
that it brought tears to the eyes. AWESOME PEACE> I THANK THE FATHER FOR
FREEING ME IN ONE OF MY DARKEST HOURS AND FOR LETTING ME
EXPERIENCE THE PEACE ONLY HE CAN GIVE. I LOVE YOU MY FATHER.
Peace on Earth
Her granddaughter had a unique request for Santa, one very much in the spirit of the
season.
By Bonita Laettner, Angola, New York (guideposts.org)
Snow, reindeer, elvesthe mall was a veritable winter wonderland. At the center of it all
was the perfect Santa with a gentle manner and a real white beard. My six-year-old
granddaughter, Leah, hopped nervously from foot to foot as we waited in line for her turn
to sit on his lap.
I dont know what to say, Leah said, craning her neck around the kids in front of her.
Sure you do, her mother, Leanne, said. Its Santa. Hes already your friend. Youll do
just fine.
I gave Leahs hand a reassuring squeeze. Hell ask you what you want for Christmas, I
said, and you just tell him.
Right, said Leah. Wed gone over and over the toys shed ask for. Her mother didnt
want surprises!
A Chia Pet, Moon Sand and something called Aquadoodle. Leah repeated the list. But a
minute later, when she rehearsed again, she inserted new toys shed just spotted at the
mall.
Ive got an idea, said Leanne, digging into her purse as the line inched forward. Lets
write down your requests so you wont forget them.
Leanne printed the list in big block letters. I couldnt help but laugh. Going to see Santa
was such an important appointment for a six-year-old. Thats how it should be, I thought.
No child should have any worries bigger than that.
The night before, on the news, Id seen clips of a village in the Middle East that had come
under fire. Many of the wounded were children just like our Leah. We want no more
wars! one of them had said. If only, I thought.
Looking around the mall full of magical decorations and happy shoppers I felt safe, as
safe as anyone could be. Everyone in the world should have that kind of security,
especially at Christmas.
Okay, Leanne said. Now youve got everything you want written down here. If you
get nervous you can just give the note to Santa.
Leah nodded and took the list. She read out loud, A Chia Pet, Moon Sand and
Aquadoodle.
Why dont you add a fourth request, Leah, I heard myself say. Ask for peace on
earth. My daughter looked a little surprised by my spontaneity.
Whats peace on earth, Grandma? Leah asked.
Peace on earth means all the people in the world would get along. Thats the true
meaning of Christmas.
Leah nodded seriously. Yes, she agreed. Mommy, put down peace on earth. Leanne
obliged.
Finally we reached the head of the line. One of Santas helpers waved Leah up to Santa
and lifted her lightly onto his knee. Within seconds he had her giggling and chatting like
they were old friends.
Leah shyly handed him her note. Santa adjusted his glasses and read it over very carefully
before placing it on the shelf beside him. Leah jumped off his lap and ran into my arms.
Can we go to the pet shop and see the puppies now?
All that preparation to talk to Santa and now all she could think about was puppies! By
Christmas morning Leah would probably have forgotten what she asked for anyway.
Thats all part of being six years old.
The coming days were filled with the last-minute preparations for the holiday. It was all
worth it as I watched Leah tear joyfully into her presents on Christmas morning. I got
Aquadoodle! she squealed. Its just what I wanted!
Soon the living room floor was covered in colorful paper. Leah had her Aquadoodle, her
Moon Sand and her Chia Pet. It was the perfect Christmas as far as I could see.
And then I noticed Leah, looking somewhat forlorn. She was picking among the empty
wrappings, peeking under the tree at the grown-up presents that were still untouched.
Whats wrong, honey? I asked. Did you lose something?
Leanne came over. Didnt Santa bring you everything you wanted?
Leah sighed. Almost, she said. But wheres the peace on earth?
Amidst the toys and gifts, my granddaughter remembered the true meaning of Christmas.
I said a prayer that others would remember it too. Then, maybe next year, Leah will have
everything she asked for.
more than satisfied that God has plans for me and he will give me the guidance that I
need. Praise God!!!
The man said, "It's okay. We heard you guys say you didn't have money for food, so...."
I can describe him as about 6'2" with a tan complexion, dark curly hair and dark shades.
What was weird is that the woman also had dark shades on. She never spoke, but just
smiled. We said thanks and looked back at the money. We only looked at the money for a
few seconds and looked up to say "bye," but to our amazement, they were gone! They
had been standing there about 10 seconds ago -- there was no way! We looked in both
directions and there was no one. It was like they vanished.
On the way home, we asked our parents if they knew anyone by the description of that
family. Were they some friends because we sure didn't know them. Our parents didn't
either. Who was that family? Where did they come from? Who was that little girl? How
did they know we needed money? And where did they go so fast? I have a feeling that
that ghost family were angels who were there to help us. I cant still cant forget "The
Phantom Family."
When I reached the front of the line and began to order, the whole group got up and
walked quietly out. I put it out of my mind for a minute and began to order when I was
suddenly interrupted by one of the young thugs who asked the young lady taking my
order an absurd question about how to get on I-20 which ran right in back of the
resteraunt. I caught the smile on the young man's face and could see that it was all a ruse
to check me out up close.
All my danger alarms went off; I was being set up for a take down. He then walked out
the McDonalds and I paid for my food. I saw a look in the young woman's eyes that
confirmed what I was feeling and without a word said, I took my order and walked out.
My suspicions were confiremed the minute I walked out. All the thugs were standing in
the parking lot, and as I walked toward my truck they began to walk toward me saying
things I did not exactly hear, but from the low, menacing tone they were using, I had no
question in my mind that they intended to kill me. Strangely, I wasn't afraid. I was born in
NYC and being used to the streets I knew how this was going to go down. I could maybe
disable two or three, but the large number facing me would probably overwhelm me or if
someone pulled a gun as they probably were going to, I would be finished.
So I just stood there about halfway to my vechicle facing this group who had the look of
wanting to kill in thier eyes and being strangely silent. Then another movement caught
my attention from the left. A man dressed in a red long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans and a red
cap had come out from under the overpass and was headed my way. His stride was
purposeful and very determined. Amazingly, when I looked, so did my antagonists, who
by now had me nearly surrounded. Some were reaching into thier pockets for Lord knows
what. The man walked past the others like they were never there, came to me and said
that his car had broken down and asked if I could give him a lift to a mechanic's shop.
I was so flabbergasted that all I could do was stare for two seconds. I then blurted out,
"Sure!" The stranger then began to serenely walk me to my vehicle. I glanced back at the
thugs, and what I saw will always puzzle me. They were standing there looking totally
lost and dumfounded. One of them was leaning against a nearby car like he was totally
winded from a long run. None of them seemed to be looking in our direction, only at the
ground or in confusion to each other.
I gave the man a ride to the spot that he directed me to then he thanked me and jumped
out of the truck and began walking toward a small building with one busted yellow light
on the front. I figured he personally knew a mechanic there and that he would knock on
the front door. Instead, he walked straight down a dark alley. I did not see him disappear
or anything, but everything about his appearance and the effect on the thugs and
departure told me in my heart that I had been divinely protected. I told several of my
encounter and for the most part they agree that the Lord had sent his Angel to stand
between me and certain death that night in Birmingham, praise the Lord.
Pinball Angels
by Josh (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
My van broke down in Tennessee as I drove to Virginia. I hitchhiked to a truck stop after
having the van towed to a local mechanic. I spent my last two dollars on chips and a
drink. I started to ask people if anyone was headed north to Viginia. Nobody would help
me. Hours went by as I looked at magazines. All of a sudden there was a man and woman
with blonde hair wearing all white. They were playing pinball. I walked over and asked if
they may be going to Virginia. The woman said sorry and smiled at me.
I walked back to the magazines. After their game, they walked over to me and asked if I
was hungry. I explained how I was now broke. They treated me to dinner. It was getting
late and they said they lived in the motel next to the truck stop. I was hesitant, but they
seemed very kind. I also needed a shower. I noticed in their hotel room they had no other
belongings or clothes. I asked about this and the woman said, "Don't you know what we
are?" Then the word angels came to my mind and the room seemed to get brighter and
more comfortable.
After I showered and came to my bed (it was a room with two beds) I was worried again
and the guy said, "We install aluminum siding on houses around here, and help out folks
who travel." We watched some TV and I fell asleep. I'm a light sleeper and whenever I
woke up the other two were just smiling peacefully, like they don't really need sleep. The
next day, they bought me a bus ticket. Before I got on the bus, we prayed together. They
reminded me to be blessed and be a blessing. Halfway to my bus I turned around... and
they had vanished.
He said, "When I was about 8 years old, Pop and I were out fishing and that's when he
told me that the pine trees know when it is Easter."
I had no idea what he meant by that, so I pressed him for more information.
He continued on... "The Pine trees start their new growth in the weeks before Easter -- if
you look at the tops of the Pine trees two weeks before Easter, you will see the yellow
shoots. As the days get closer to Easter Sunday, the tallest shoot will branch off and form
pine tree crosses for Easter. By the time Easter Sunday comes around, you will see that
most of the Pine trees will have small yellow crosses on all of the tallest pine shoots."
I turned to look out the window and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a week before
Easter, and you could see all of the pine trees with the tall yellow shoots stretching to
Heaven.
The tallest ones shone in the sunlight like rows of tiny golden crosses
peace and at night the moon would reflect on the water making it look like millions of
glittering lights. We were in Heaven. This was the place I needed to be in order to gain
my strength, draw closer to God and where I always found peace.
In the middle of August 2002, money was non-existent. One of the women from my
ladies only group helped me obtain school supplies in order for my kids to start school
and even though things looked bad I believed The Lord had led me to this home that was
really more than I could afford and I believed with all my heart He would make a way for
me to pay for it. One afternoon after picking my two youngest kids up from school I
noticed my car was on empty. Actually, it gave a new meaning to the words on fumes. I
handed my daughter my purse and told her to dig some change out of the bottom so we
could get gas. I had searched my purse that morning and gave the kids my last $3.00 for
lunch and I knew I had no currency. My daughter pulled three, one dollar bills out of my
purse and said Mommy, why dont we just use this paper money? I asked her where she
found the dollar bills and she told me they were Right here in the pocket, this was
impossible as I had given them the last $3.00 in that pocket for lunch. I felt peace move
through me and knew God was responding to my unshakable faith that He would provide.
On our way home from the gas station, my 7-year old son asked if we could have pizza
for supper. My heart broke a little when I replied that we couldnt afford pizza that night
but I would see what I could do for the weekend. My 9-year old daughter spoke up and
told my son that if he really wanted pizza he should just pray for it because God could
afford it. My son proceeded to lift his little request up to God with all of the faith a child
has. For a split second, I envied his childlike faith and wondered at what point in my life I
lost the ability to just believe. During the course of his prayer, my son remembered we
were out of toilet paper, God, could you please send a little extra money for some toilet
paper because my mom gets mad when the napkins plug the toilet. I was slightly
embarrassed that he would ask our Creator, the Lord of Heaven and earth for such a
thing. My daughter rolled her eyes and began to lecture her younger brother about the
need for some dignity when requesting material things from God. Mom, do you think
God uses toilet paper?, my son asked. Is this a trick question? Well son, I imagine if
there is a need for it here on earth He might I replied. He probably uses Charmin thats
the really good stuff and it has double layers. Had he not been so serious I would have
burst out laughing, but knowing he was seriously wondering about the needs of God in
Heaven compared to those of us on earth, I just let it go and drove home.
The rest of the afternoon was uneventful. The kids went in their rooms and watched
television, my 12- year old daughter came home around 4:00 and as with most preteenagers went to hibernate in her room. At about 4:45 the doorbell rang and my two
youngest children went to look thru the window to see who it was. Fully expecting them
to tell me one of their friends was at the door looking for someone to play with I was not
in any way prepared for what came next. MOM!! The pizza dude is here!!The
who? I asked, not sure I was hearing them right. The Pizza Hut delivery man my
youngest daughter replied. As I made my way to the front door in a state of confusion, my
son came running thru the house and stated Its an angel
God sent an angel to bring us pizza!! I hushed him and went to the door to clear up the
confusion as I was sure this Pizza Hut pizza dude was at the wrong house. My oldest
daughter graced us with her presence when she heard all the commotion Louie, youre a
dork, God doesnt send angels to deliver pizza. She stated Oh yes He does my son
replied. I was worried about the disappointment he would feel when this delivery boy
realized he was at the wrong house but I greeted him and explained that we hadnt
ordered pizza. I know maam he replied Someone called the order in and paid for it
with a credit card, we were asked to deliver to you around 5:00. I must have been quite a
sight standing there with my mouth hanging open in total disbelief with my two
daughters standing next to me doing the same and my son standing behind all of us
saying See, I told you God sends angels to deliver pizza! the delivery boy smiled a
kindly smile, handed me 4 large pizzas and told us to enjoy. The pizza dude angel left
with a wave and I carried our feast into the kitchen while still in shock. The managers and
employees of our three local Pizza Huts had no idea what I was talking about when I
called them to find out who had been so kind. I spent the rest of the evening absorbing the
importance of what had happened to us that day. I realized that the unshakable faith of a
child is what I needed to find and hang on too. While I was pondering these things my
son yelled from the garage Mom! I was looking thru this box and look what I found!!
Four rolls of Charmin toilet paper!!. I had packed the toilet paper in that box some 3years ago when we moved from Delaware to Florida. I broke down and cried thanking
God for the miracles he had showered over us that day. Two weeks later, I was
approached by a woman I had known for sometime, she offered to invest $20,000 in my
business to keep it afloat. That summer of 2002 turned out to be one of the best of my
life. I learned to simply believe no matter what life looks like. God is good and He does
send angels to deliver Pizza. I thank God for the pizza dude angel.
Michele "Shell" Washam is the author of this story, Pizza Dude Angel, and of two books:
A Course in Heartbreak and Protecting Those You Love In An X-Rated World. Visit her
website at Just4Ladies.Com, A Retreat for the Heartbroken.
I Have Seen The Angels Cry, another fine angel story on Kissed By An Angel.
voice telling me to ask God for help. I know that was the voice of my guard!
ian angel. This strengthened my faith in God and my angel.
this event HAD to happen! I didn't understand what I had seen, until it happened. It was
quite a whallop.
The veil between us, and the spirit realm, might be thinning...we're all souls, and we can
all help each other from both sides of the veil. Life is interesting that way.
For me, I was bodiless, but aware that I was in an area that was darkened, and I was alone
except for the entity that was speaking to me. I was at the bottom of a stairway-type
structure and was looking up the stairs but not seeing the one speaking to me. I was very
warm and comfortable, but aware and feeling trepidation of what I was about to embark
on. This entity was speaking to me and giving me a brief description of how my life
would be. I asked for more information, but it was refused. I was basically told that my
life would not be a hard life, but would lack any luxuries and that I would experience
great difficulties at a relatively early age. It seems there were a couple other small details,
but I no longer can remember it quite as clearly as I once did when I was younger.
It appears the information was correct as I'm now disabled and in poor health. I pray to
God every day.
Pregnancy Angel
by Leah (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
The story I'm about to tell you happened around November of 1976. My mother told this
to me. She and my dad wanted a baby more than anything in the world, and they had
been trying for months and nothing was happening. My mom decided to go to the doctor
to see if there was something wrong with her and she found out from the doctor that she
had a small uterus like the size that a child would have, and that chances of her ever
getting pregnant were slim to none.
Well, my parents both are Christians and have a lot of faith and strongly believe that you
should put every problem you have in God's hands and believe that he will bless you and
provide you with what you need. In November they decided to pray about it every night
together because the Bible says that if two or more people come together in His name it
shall be received. So every night they would continue to pray before they would go to
sleep.
My mother is a very deep sleeper, but one night something woke her up, she looked next
to her and standing there was a bright white figure. My mother was petrified and didn't
know what to think. She looked at my dad and he was fast asleep. She looked back at the
figure and she saw something extend in front of it like an arm and it was coming toward
my mom. She closed her eyes and when she did she felt the hand touch her belly and
when she opened her eyes it was gone. About two to three weeks later she found out she
was pregnant, and on August 21, 1977 she gave birth to my sister Lydia.
To this day my mother will tell you that God had answered hers and my father's prayers
by sending them an angel.
It was early summer. The woman who stood at my front door was attractive, tall, welldressed and wore a uniform from the local gas company.
Im here to check your gas furnace, she said with a smile. But I didnt call for repairs,
I said. I had heard stories of scam artists who wormed their way into homes and got
residents to pay for unnecessary repairs.
I dont do repair work, she clarified. Im here to make sure your furnace is safe for the
winter. No charge.
No charge? Okay... but Im not paying for anything I dont need.
We went downstairs to the furnace. She removed the front cover. This furnace is filthy,
she said. It must be at least 30 years old. When did you last get it cleaned?
Oh, so here was the sales pitch. I suppose youd want the job? I asked.
Any furnace company can do it, she said. Make sure to get it cleaned before you turn
it on. Dont forget.
In October, the weather cooled and I called a heating and air conditioning company. A
man spent hours scrubbing off grime. Then he lit a smoke bomb to check for leaks. White
clouds billowed from every vent in the house.
The furnace man looked aghast. Dont turn this furnace on, he said. If you do, you
wont wake up in the morning.
I got a new furnace installed the next day. Thank God that woman from the gas company
came around the neighborhood.
Except she didnt. None of my neighbors received an inspection. The gas company hadnt
sent anybody before or since.
Lauren was sprawled sideways across the backseat with her foot on Matts knee. Were
almost to the school, Marcus, she said. I want to keep my ankle elevated. I think I
might have sprained it on stage.
Thats no good reason to take chances, I said. You never know what can happen on the
interstate.
I looked at Molly beside me in the passenger seat of my moms SUV. At least her seat
belt was on.
Lauren sighed and pulled out the seat belt. I hated to sound like a nag, but safety was
important. I remembered back to my sixteenth birthdaythe same day I took my drivers
test. Mom was so proud when I flashed her my new ID in the driveway, but not so proud
she didnt give me a lecture.
Driving is a big responsibility, she said. You and your friends are precious cargo.
I know, Mom, I said.
Hadnt I proved myself by acing my driving test? What else did I need to be safe? Mom
pulled something out of her pocket. I trust youll always drive carefully, she said. But
I want you to slip this clip on your visor for extra protection.
She dropped a little round clip into my hand. It was a guardian angel. Mothers, I thought.
As we neared our exit on I-35 I glanced up at the clip still fastened on the visor. I hadnt
had any need for a guardian angel yetnot with my careful drivingbut it didnt hurt to
have it. It was like I told Lauren about the seat belt. You never knew what can happen on
the interstate.
I moved into the next lane and turned on my right signal. The fifteenth street exit was
coming up. In a few minutes wed be back in the school parking lot.
I slowed down to take the sharp curve. But when I turned the wheel the SUV
hydroplaned. I hit the brakes. We slid and swerved back and forth over the road. Its
okay! I said as calmly as I could. Its okay!
We fishtailed sharply to the right. Id practiced spinning out of control with my dad in
empty parking lots so Id be prepared for something like this. Now was time to put those
lessons into effect. I gripped the steering wheel tight and turned the wheels hard in the
direction of the spin.
But a slippery interstate wasnt like an empty parking lot. Instead of slowing down, the
car spun faster. The tires on one side ran over the curb and dropped into a drainage ditch.
The whole SUV tilted and flipped. My friends screamed. My door slammed into the
ground.
Then we were upside down. Then the passenger side hit the ground. We tumbled down
the grassy slope, over and over, like a wooden block tossed down a hill. The car was
filled with the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass. My passengers went silent
in shock. We must have rolled over eight or nine times.
When we finally stopped, the drivers side lay on the grass and the front of the car faced
the highway. Glass covered the dashboard and seats like sharp confetti. My heart pounded
in my chest. I twisted in my seat. Is everyone okay? I croaked.
Lauren and Molly hung suspended in their seat belts on the passenger side. Matt, like me,
was on the side nearest the ground.
Yes, Molly whispered.
I seem to be, said Lauren.
Whats that smell? asked Matt. Burnt rubber? Gasoline? All I knew is, we shouldnt be
in this car a minute longer. With shaking hands I got my seat belt unbuckled. Matt and I
stood up. I held Molly around her waist as she unbuckled her seat belt while Matt helped
Lauren.
But when we tried to get out, the passenger-side doors were jammed. The jagged glass
made the windows too dangerous to try to climb out.
I dont know what to do, I thought. How do we get out of here?
I poked my head out the window next to Molly hopingpraying there was someone
outside to help. Whoa! Just outside the car, as if hed been waiting for me, stood one of
the biggest men Id ever seen. He was African-American and bald, maybe in his late 30s,
wearing jeans and a white T-shirt.
He looked about the size of an NFL linebackeronly taller.
You kids all right? he asked in a deep baritone.
Were okay, but we cant get out.
Allow me, he said.
He reached into the car, put his hands under Laurens armpits and plucked her up as if she
were a toddler. He pulled her gently through the window, avoiding all the broken glass,
and set her on the grass. Molly spread out her arms and he lifted her out. Next came Matt.
Then it was my turn.
Im about five feet eleven, but I felt like a baby when he picked me up in his hands the
size of oven mitts. When I stood on the ground outside of the car I came up to his chest.
He must have been seven feet tall.
Youre going to be okay, he said.
The girls rushed me and Matt for a hug and I heard sirens coming our way. I turned to
thank our rescuer, but he was gone.
How could a man that size disappear so fast? I said, looking up and down the service
road for a clue. I didnt even see a car that might have been his.
A couple firefighters jogged up and asked if we were all right. A stranger pulled us out
of the car, I said. Right before you pulled up. The firemen just looked at each other.
But we saw you climbing out of the car when we drove up. There was no one else here.
Maybe I was more shaken by the crash than I thought. But we didnt all imagine the man
lifting us out!
Back home I carefully washed the broken glass out of my hair while my parents went
back to the car to collect my things. The SUV was completely destroyed: windshield and
windows blown out, body dented and the hood creased down to a V right over the
drivers side. Right where I had been seated.
I cant believe it didnt cave in right on my head! I said when Mom described it.
Believe it, she said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out my guardian angel clip.
It was fastened at the exact point where the roof came down, she said. The angel must
have spread his wings to protect you.
Spread his wingsand stretched out his arms to lift me to safety. I was lucky my
guardian angel was with us that day. You never know what can happen on the interstate.
Protection
By: RoCkin x ShaWtii@aol.com (www.ainglkisss.com)
Where I grew up in Michigan with my family, all of whom is religious, we experienced
things that most people would call hauntings. My family and I, however don't believe in
ghosts but instead believe in demons. My father's in a southern gospel group who travels
all the time, it was when he was gone my family and I would usually experience these
things, though my father did sometimes as well. From voices in the basement that use to
torment my friend who lived with us, A presence my father could feel whenever he went
down there to pray, to me waking up in the middle of the night feeling something in my
room sitting on my bed, my dad even had an instance when he was laying in bed where
he felt as though he was dying - he couldn't breathe, his chest felt just as though
something was sitting on it. He tried to reach out for my mom who was laying next to
him and discovered "something" had his arms pinned down. He knew he was having a
heart attack or something, and whatever this was, it wanted to kill him. He started praying
- and soon it was lifted off, God then spoke to him saying "Even when the ones closest to
you cannot help you, I am there, Call on ME". Even my dog could sense and feel these
things and go nuts. Things were happening there as far back as I could remember. One
particular time sticks out in my head, I was about 15 years old and was laying in my
room, with my dog at the foot of the bed, when all of a sudden a crushing fear filled my
heart, I couldn't breath. I was laying on my stomach - and I just remember everything in
the room going off, my TV, my air conditioning in the window, EVERYTHING. I then
felt pressure on the foot of my bed almost as if something besides my dog was there. My
dog at this point stood over me, as if to shield me from something he could see, I looked
back at him to see his hair was on end and he was growling and bearing his teeth. I laid
my head back down, scared to see what was there in my room with me and started
praying. I prayed so hard that night I was physically becoming exhausted. The last words
I remember saying was "Lord, send me an Angel..send an Angel to take this demon away,
Lord protect me" just as I said that I felt my dogs attention turn to the door, as if
something came in, and just like that everything came back on. The TV, Air Conditioning,
even my dog laid back down.
I don't know why these demons chose to torment my family. Most likely because of
what my father did. I thank God for sending us Angels though, that constantly protected
us. Though none of us actually SEEN Angels (though my father did at one time see a
GIANT hand on his shoulder when he was talking to someone who was possesed) we all
felt there presence many times. It just amazes me that God loves us SO much he sent his
son to die for us, but not only that, cares about us enough that he will still individually
send Angels out to protect us CONSTANTLY.
insisted there was, but the security tape only showed the assailant falling when i push him
away, and scrambling off the floor and running for the door. That big, tall man was not on
the tape.
When I told my girlfriend who had been waiting in the car for me what the officer had
said, she looked at me shocked. She said, "I saw him. He was there. In unison we both
said, "it was an angel." I don't doubt it to this day. He came to protect me from harm.
Protectors
By: Paul/catholic.org
When I was growing up in the tiny Island of Tonga. I had three brothers and three sisters.
My dad being a Catholic married my Mom whoo came from a Wesleyan background with
a long line of Ministers in their family.
My grandfather didn't want my mom to marry my dad for they believe Catholics are
nothing but drunks, and they just go and commit sins and go to reconciliation and expect
to be rorgiven and then later on re-offend.
When my mom became Catholic through marriage, her faith was stronger than my dad's.
(FROM MY POINT OF VIEW) She didn't smoke nor drink and was always sacrificing to
have other people's children in our house for studying and boarding. We were poor but we
shared whatever we had. Whether it may be a mutton soup which you'll be lucky to get
some meat or mutton soup.
I have witnessed guarding Angels working though different people at time of need and
desperations. I nearly died from drowing three times twice in Tonga and one in Austrlalia
due to not knowing how to swim and from the strong rip. I have been dead tired from
driving for like hours and fell asleep and woke up and finding myself crossing the red
lights at the intersection unharmed.
MOST Religion says. Why do Catholics pray to other Gods like Mary and the Sanits.
My answer as I was always told when growing up with my faith is that WE are asking
Mary for her prayers, because as a Good son Jesus was he'll do whatever her mom (Holy
Mary mother of God) asks. Also the payers of the Saints and Apostles help. BIG TIME!
The weather was cloudy and mild for early December, somewhere between mid to upper
30s, and while there were a few other fishermen out on the lake, they were a good 200
yards away. All signs seemed to point to a peaceful day ahead.
Still, we were careful as we set up our gear. The ice had buckled in on itself while we
were out the previous weekend, causing an overflow of water to spill across the surface.
The flow started near the shore and worked its way out across the lake. I had to move one
of my tip-ups, as it was in the path of the oncoming water.
Throughout the week it looked like everything had frozen solid once again. Windblown
snow had crusted over where the water had been, making the precarious places on the ice
obvious to anyone who looked.
I decided to test the ice myself. Eric and I were both experienced fishermen, but safety
was not something either of us took lightly.
I set out across a spot where there had been water the week before. Suddenly, I began to
sink as the crusted snow beneath my feet dropped away. I plunged chest-deep into
freezing water. I struggled to get back onto the ice, but I could not get my leg on the side
of the hole to kick myself out.
Grab this! Eric held out an ice pick, getting as close as he dared, but it wasnt close
enough. I was able to grasp the pick, but to pull me out Eric would need to come closer. A
few more steps and hed slip into the water with me.
I let go of the pick and turned again to see if I could get my foot on the side of the hole.
No luck. Icy water saturated my insulated clothes. I couldnt see a way out.
Turning back to Eric I saw a man approaching from behind. Ive got a rope, he said. He
tossed the end to me. I grasped it like a lifeline, and the two of them pulled me out of the
hole. Relief washed over me.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw the stranger with his rope, walking off in the same
direction he had come from. I was too busy counting my blessings to chase after him.
Eric and I called it a day, and before we packed up I looked for the man in the distance,
but he was gone.
The next day, Eric met me out on the lake again. We chose our fishing spot. There was no
way Id let a small accident scare me away from ice fishing for good, but I knew I was
lucky that stranger had shown up.
I could see the hole where Id fallen in the day before. Eric glanced over at it too. You
know, Eric said as we settled in, I never saw that guys face.
I didnt either, I said. Now that I thought about it, the whole rescue seemed impossible.
Wed seen how far away the other fishermen were. It would have taken a miracle for one
of them to have gotten to us with that rope in time to help me.
The stranger seemed to come out of nowhere and to disappear when his job was done.
Thats why I believe God sent me an angel. A miracle on ice.
Pushed by an Angel
by Deb (http://paranormal.about.com/ Your True Tales)
This incident took place about 28 years ago around 1980 in San Bernardino County,
Southern California. I was a single mom and my son and daughter were still babies. My
parents lived in Alta Loma, about 30 minutes from my house in San Bernardino, and they
had babysat the kids on this specific evening.
I drove out to their house very late (like 11:30 p.m.) to pick up the kids and was on my
way back home in my old clunker car (it was one of those yellow "bumble bee" cars -- I
don't remember the make). Anyway, among other maladies the poor old thing had, the gas
gauge didn't work, and I had to guess when to put in gas.
Halfway home, the car started to putter, and I realized I was on empty. I pulled off the
first offramp I could, and it just happened to be one that was slightly uphill. Almost at the
top of the exit, my car died and there was absolutely nothing around except empty fields
and and distant lights at a truck stop about 1/4 mile down the road. There were no other
cars around me. It was pitch dark, other than my headlights. I remember I could hear
crickets, and the babies were sound asleep in their car seats. I panicked because I couldn't
think of what to do. Walking in the middle of nowhere with two kids on each hip after
midnight was not going to work (besides they had their PJs on) and I couldn't (and
wouldn't!) leave them in the car.
I put my head on the steering wheel while saying a short and panicky prayer. I hadn't
even finished when I heard a few taps on my window. I looked up and a young, very
clean-looking man about 21 or 22 years old stood at my window and motioned for me to
roll down my window. I remember I was surprised, but I wasn't even the slightest bit
afraid, even though I normally would have been terrified. He had on clean pants, a dressy
shirt, and trimmed hair. He smelled slightly of soap. He didn't even ask me if I needed
help, he just told me to put my car in neutral and he would push me over the slight hill
down the road to the rest stop where I could get a couple dollars gas (back then when it
was a couple dollars!).
I thanked him and followed his directions and the car started moving. I steered it toward
the lights of the truck stop and turned around to yell "thank you" again to him. He was so
nice! My car kept moving, but the man was nowhere in sight. I mean, this area was
completely remote. There was absolutely nowhere he could have gone that quickly, even
if there was somewhere to go.
My car continued to roll down to the truck stop. I don't even know where he came from
to begin with (well, NOW I do!), but at the time I was so grateful to be in a lit area with
people around. The kids didn't even wake up. I've always trusted in God to take care of
us, but in relating that story many times to my children, who are now 30 and 32, they
know for a fact that angels do exist and are sent to us if we just believe. I always thought
it was so amazing that we were sent someone who I would trust instinctively without
question (that area was definitely not a good one).
Since that incident, I've come to believe that we probably encounter angels all the time,
and take for granted who they really are. I think they come in all shapes and sizes, young
and old, sometimes when we least expect it.
Rain was on its way again. I put my feet back on the pedals and pushed.
My tires sped over gullies and bumps, splashing through puddles. Behind me, something
moved. I turned my head to look. A herd of deer! I glanced at the path and back to the
deer again.
I felt a jolt. My front tire had hit something. I jackknifed to the right and flew over the
handlebars. The apple trees and the golden grass swirled into scribbles. I landedhard
and knocked my head. The world went black.
When I came to, the sun had almost set. Waves of pain undulated through my limbs. My
head ached. Rocks poked my body. My bike rested on my legs, the upturned wheels still
spinning. Light rain began to fall on my face.
It took a moment for me to realize where I was, and what had happened. I was just riding
my bike, and then...
I have to get home, I thought. I heaved the bike off me. It took all of my energy. I lay
back down. Blackness began to creep in again. Maybe if I just lie here a little while... The
world receded.
I heard a voice. Are you okay?
My eyes fluttered open and I lifted my head just high enough to see Willow Lane in the
distance. A figure stood on the road. A woman in a bright yellow rain coat. I squinted my
eyes and tried to make out her face, but the oncoming night shadowed her features.
She didnt reach for me. She stood still, totally still, as if a part of the landscape. As if she
belonged there.
Are you okay? she repeated, her voice clear despite the breeze blowing across the
orchard. Slowly, I sat up. For a moment, my physical pain was replaced by a feeling of
warmth. It was as if the woman had knelt beside me and comforted me. But that was silly.
She hadnt so much as moved.
Yes, I croaked, Im okay.
You get home, then. And take care of yourself, she said. She turned and continued
down Willow Lane. I watched her till she disappeared, then dragged myself to my feet.
After a few minutes of deep, deliberate breathing, I made my way through the fields,
heading back to my house.
The yellow lights from my parents kitchen shone through the window and illuminated
the backyard. If I could just get to that familiar light, Id be okay. Finally my hand
grasped the doorknob. I fell into the house.
Kelly! my mom said. What happened? She bent down to pull me up. Youre
bleeding! Soon we were on our way to the hospital. Fat drops of rain hit the windshield
as we drove.
Whos the president? the doctor asked when we arrived at the ER . Whats your
birthday? What is your mothers name?
It took me a second, but the answers came. I put the whole story together for Mom and
the doctor.
I was going to lie there, but a woman called to me. She stayed with me until I was able
to get up.
Who? Was it Gail? Or Mrs. Sunkes? Mom asked, naming neighbors one by one.
I didnt recognize her, I said.
You didnt recognize her? Mom couldnt understand why a stranger would be walking
on Willow Lane. Come to think of it, neither could I. There were no other roads around
ours. No sidewalks leading there. The only people who walked on Willow Lane were the
people who lived on it. And we knew everyone.
Its a good thing you didnt just lie there, the doctor said. You would have fallen
asleep with a minor concussionnever a good idea.
When we returned home, I joined my parents on the couch. My dad switched on a movie.
I grabbed one of my mothers yarn skeins and rolled it into a ball. We sat quietly, grateful
for the calm.
If I didnt see that woman, I might still be out there in the rain, I thought as I rested my
head on my moms shoulder. But instead I was warm. Safe. Somehow, it had never
occurred to me to appreciate that before.
The following morning my mother asked around the neighborhood to find out who had
been out walking at twilight, wearing a yellow coat. No one knew what she was talking
about. She never found an answer.
Turns out, sleepy old Willow Lane had at least one mysterious stranger. And my boring
world held a few surprises after all.
rather than the giver. However, angels are an unforgettable reminder that God truly cares
about every detail of our lives. I haven't offered this story to the public before. Only my
family and a few friends have ever heard my rainy day angel story.
I am visually impaired. I do have some sight, but a lot of things effect it, the time of day,
how bright the sun is, how much contrast is in the environment and so-on.
I was out on the street on an incredibly rainy day. It was mid-winter and, although it was
only 3:30 PM, it was getting dark and rainy. I fear the dusk more than anything else I can
think of. I can see far better at night than when it is dusk.
I was trying to get to a pharmacy where I turned in and paid my utility bill. It was past
due and I wanted to get it taken care of that day, but I couldn't find my way.
I was totally disoriented, although I'd been to that place a hundred times.
The way the area was paved made it hard for me to tell which was the sidewalk and
which was the street. When I was nearly mowed down by a car, I stopped to pray. I was
soaked to the skin, confused and on the verge of tears. I'm a quite independent person,
there seemed to be no way getting myself out of this one.
"Lord," I prayed. "I need your help. Please help me on this lonely rainy day."
I wasn't even finished with the prayer when I heard a robust man's voice.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
I looked up at him. He looked to be in his early 60s or late 50s. He was wearing a blue
raincoat and a blue baseball cap. I think he had a patch on one shoulder. It looked like a
postmans' uniform. He had a ruddy bronze complexion with a shock of white hair just
above the roll of flesh on the back of his neck. Now looking back I think he mostly looks
like a rainy day angel.
I hated asking for help because people get carried away with the helping until I'm
overwhelmed and they ask a lot of irrelevant questions.
"I'm trying to get to Beaverton Pharmacy." I said. "I've got to get there before they close."
"Oh, I know where that is." He said cheerfully.
"Here it comes!" I thought. "Now I'll never get rid of him."
Then, he did the most amazing thing. He turned away from me and offered me his elbow.
I about fell over. My own parents still try to push me ahead of them if they think I need
guidance. Even my boyfriend didn't know how to guide me.
I took his arm. It was warm and surprisingly dry. As we walked, I started rattling away
about how I got myself into this predicament and that I had almost given up and thought I
was going to have to sit somewhere until it got dark in order to find my way home. I
needed to vent. I needed to just be heard without being told what to do or what I should
have done or having to answer the question "How many fingers am I holding up?"
The man never said another word. He just listened. I had a profound and growing sense
that this man knew me very well. He knew me better than anyone else I know. I
wondered if it was an older man from my church, there was no doubt he knew everything
about me.
When we rounded a corner, I recognized where we were.
"Oh Thanks! I know where I am now," I said. As I let go of his arm, I turned to thank
him. No one was there, just the rain. There were no footsteps leading away, not even a
shadow.
It seemed I stood there for the longest time, trying to comprehend what had just
happened. It just couldn't be, but it was as real as everything else around me. When I
thought about it, I hadn't heard any footsteps coming toward me when I was praying. I
had been a little startled in fact because he seemed to just--appear.
Tears welled up in my eyes and I felt like the reality of it might pull me to the ground.
"God? You thought that much of me to send an angel?"
I think I've seen him one other time, possibly two. I'm pretty certain about the second
time. He was walking with a lady. I had a guide dog by this time, but I still some times
get disoriented. He gave me the directions I asked for, then vanished.
Both times, my awareness of this being a supernatural experience was hidden until after
the fact. I think that is how God wants it in many cases as we'd all start seeking after
angels instead of God. I don't think all angels are alike and I definitely think they often
assume a very ordinary appearance in order to not draw attention away from what is more
important. It's not really about meeting an angel. It is about God sending me exactly what
His child needed. He just did it in a more tangible way than usual with His rainy day
angel.
Rapture Drill
By: Amy S.
It was spring break 2011. I was the normal twelve year old girl and I had enjoyed many
activities horseback riding, along with writing my own 80,000 word novel. But on the
21st of March, 2011 I had an incredible God-given vision. Please let me explain:
my Mother and in that second my Mother twisted in her bed. One was like my Moms
bodyguard, staying right beside her. I waved my hand. I so badly wanted to say, Hello
how about me!
Then all of a sudden, the angel that was in my Mother came out and in three seconds it
was on the other side of the bed. I made sure my hand went through them and I felt
nothing except a, Wow! They exited the window, and they didnt even have to walk in
mid-air they just stood still together as they were flying to the hill were other angels were
gathered. The angels that were in the master-bedroom didnt have wings I noticed. I saw a
few angels flying around that did in-fact have wings. The wings were a bluish colour and
they were at the back of course. These angels had their robes trailing on the floor. But
what I did notice was that these angels didnt have sandals or shoes on their feet. Again
they were the most beautiful bright creatures, their robes were bright and they were
transparent and outlined. The colours of these angels are so hard to describe. The colours
were different than earthly colours and they were so beautiful.
My Father opened the bathroom door. I was so scared and frightened that I quickly
looked at him. My eyes were probably bulging out of my head.
You look as if youve seen a ghost! he exclaimed. Why are you disturbing Mom? Why
did you wake up so early? Go to your bedroom.
I remember me thinking, I did INFACT see a ghost more like an angel. But I was so
afraid what he was going to say so I said nothing. I kept my mouth shut and I remember
just looking outside. I kept on looking outside the window. I was afraid to tell this to my
father. I was afraid he would think f me as a crazy twelve year old girl. I was afraid to tell
him that the, rapture, was indeed happening...
My dogs were barking like crazy downstairs. They were extremely hyper. My Fathers
brown eyes looked at me. He held his floss in one hand and a green toothbrush in another.
Go downstairs, and take care of the dogs.
I was afraid to go. I had to be there in the last seconds if my Mother were to be raptured. I
had to watch her leave. But my Father kept on insisting so I went. When I had crawled on
the stairs, I was shaking and crying. Why didnt the angels look at me? Why didnt they
speak to me? Im so un-holy.
I was afraid to head off downstairs so I just looked at my Mother. Realizing she was safe,
I crawled down the stairs that had white carpet spread out on them. When I had gotten
downstairs, I had crawled down on the floor with my dogs. My mouth was just singing
praises to the Most High. I remember just randomly creating worship songs and singing
it. My dogs were barking along too. I remember I started hugging and kissing them
goodbye just in case...Incase if I were to be raptured I wouldnt see them for a while.
When I had gotten to my Grandmas room. I saw that she was still sleeping and she
wasnt woken up from the trumpet. I sat down, on her red couch and I began to scribble
in my diary. I remember writing this as I still have the notes,
Dear Anne,
Id woken up from a trumpet and I looked outside and I could see many angels crowded
around. So I am very excited. Today Im going to up in the clouds and I am going to go
riding horses in heaven.
My writing was all ugly because I was shaking so much.
After a few hours, I had gone to the kitchen to start doing the dishes. I could still see
angels being gathered around the forest area. I concentrated on doing my work. But I was
just so excited so I started to sing songs of praise.
When I looked outside the kitchen window, I could see a man who didnt have wings. His
robe was trailing on the ground, and his arms were wide open. In his arms there lay a
thick book that I could see it was so bright and white. His robes were also bright. He was
the one directing others. The book was wide open, and his head was covered. I did not see
his face and he did not look at me. But his head was covered with something thick and
white. I could see his outlines, his arms, his feet, were transparent and outlined. He was
the only one that wore old-fashioned types of sandals. These types of sandals are the ones
that Roman soldiers wore back in the day.
Jesus, Christ of Nazareth, I whispered to myself now pulling the curtain back. I quickly
ran out to the balcony. I could see him again too. He was walking in midair and many
angels were gathered around him. These angels were being sent out to roofs and stuff.
I came back to the kitchen. My tall fifteen year old brother was there too. Dennis? I
asked. Do you see something over there outside?
I pointed to where I saw the angels. No, only trees, was his reply.
My eyes widened, Nothing else? I asked.
Nothing.
Three days later
I told my Mother three days later, and she told my Grandma and my whole family. Their
response was, Why didnt you tell me earlier?
My answer was, I couldnt I was too scared.
I know God does want me to write this vision out to other people. And I took my chance
at it. Ive always enjoyed writing for school and I know God wants me to use his gifts for
him. Thank you for reading.
Amy. S
A therapist had diagnosed me with depression, but I quit going to my sessions. The only
people I saw regularly were a bunch of friends who spent their lives barhopping.
Drinking didn't make me feel any better, but at least it was better than being all alone.
I reached for a hairbrush, and my eye fell on a photograph on my dresser: Grandpa. He
had died a few years before. If only you were here, I thought, you would know how to
make everything better.
That's what Grandpa had always done for me growing up. My parents had divorced when
I was 3, and my father removed himself from my life. Mom was unstable, sometimes
leaving my younger brother and me for long stretches.
We spent a lot of time with our grandparents. Grandpa was so strong and protecting, I
believed nothing bad could touch me with him by my side. No matter how sad I was,
Grandpa found a way to make me feel better.
"Sometimes we just go down the wrong path, Dumplin'," he said to me one summer
afternoon when I was a teenager. We were out on the dock at my grandparents' lakeside
house. "We come to a fork in the road and make the wrong choice.
"Whenever that happens you just have to admit you made a mistake and find the right
path again. No matter what, no matter how hopeless a situation may seem, you can
always find your way again. God will always help you find the right path."
It was easy to believe Grandpa when he was right there, strong and comforting beside me,
his quiet voice the one I trusted over any other. But Grandpa was gone now. I knew the
life I was living wasn't what he had imagined for me.
He sat proudly in the front row at all my piano recitals and every church choir
performance. Back then, when I dreamed about the future, Grandpa said, "Dumplin', do
whatever makes you happy. It doesn't matter if you're the president or a garbage collector,
as long as you're the best one you can be!"
I wasn't the best I could be, and I certainly wasn't happy. My head was pounding.
Everything seemed hopeless. I thought back to the last time I'd seen Grandpa, after he'd
had a stroke. He was in the hospital. He could barely talk.
He looked up at me with something like an apology when I came in the room. I stood at
his bedside. "Don't worry about me, Grandpa," I said. "I'll be fine." But even as I said it I
didn't believe it.
Grandpa lifted his hand. He pointed at me, then pointed to himself. Then slowly and
carefully he said, "Always be there." I knew what he meant. He would always be with
me. Grandpa had always been my source of strength. I couldn't imagine my life without
him.
I turned away from his picture. Grandpa hadn't wanted to leave me alone, but that's what I
was. I couldn't ask him for help, and I couldn't ask God. It was God who had taken
Grandpa away. Something had to change. I had to change. But how? How could I do it
alone?
Maybe I'd gotten so lost, the right path was gone to me forever. I'd never find my way
again. I went back to bed. I pulled the covers over my head and closed my eyes. Maybe I
could just go to sleep. I was so tired. My head settled on the pillow, and I drifted into the
only peace I knew.
Something was "off." Strange. Was I awake? Or was I dreaming? I was back at the lake.
Waves lapped against the dock. Grandpa looked just the way I remembereda pillar of
strength.
He stood at the end of the long pier. I walked toward him. Water sloshed over my feet,
but Grandpa wasn't getting wet. He was floating above the choppy waterslike an angel.
As I got closer to him the water rose to my knees, then my waist. I was sinking, but I
couldn't go back to shore. I kept my eyes on Grandpa. Why doesn't he help me?
Grandpa looked at me with concern. He reached out his hand.
I tried to move forward. The water rose over my shoulders and up to my neck. It trickled
over my mouth and splashed into my eyes. I tipped my head back. I can't breathe! I was
disappearing under the turbulent waves. Grandpa was close, but at the same time totally
beyond me. I'm drowning!
Grandpa spoke to me in that quiet voice I trusted. "Reach out to me, Dumplin'," he said.
"I can't help you until you reach out."
I looked down. My arms were at my sides under the water. How had I expected Grandpa
to help me if I didn't give him my hand?
I fought to lift it out of the water. Cool drops ran down my arm. Grandpa took my hand in
his firm grip, filling me with his strength. I felt myself rising out of the water...
With a start I woke in my dark bedroom. I looked around me, almost expecting to see
Grandpa right there in the room with me. But no, it had all been a dream. Still, I felt
different. Something had changed. Something inside me.
I sat up. Images from my dream were vivid in my mind: the water, Grandpa, the jolt of
strength when he took my hand. I still felt that strength even though the dream was over.
That's it, I thought. Knowing I'm not alone makes me feel stronger. Grandpa was still
with me, his love was undying. My dream had shown me there was hope for me after all.
That night when my friends called I was tempted to go out with them. Instead I closed my
eyes. I am reaching out, God. Give me strength to do the right thing.
"No thanks," I said. I hung up the phone. I would fill my time with more healthy pursuits.
Like eating regularly, which helped improve my mood. I enrolled in a paralegal course
and never missed a class. I went back into therapy, too. Now I was ready for the help a
counselor offered.
Each change was a step on the path, the path that brought me to the life I have today. A
fulfilling and good life that Grandpa must be proud to watch from his front-row seat in
heaven.
I still make mistakes now and then, but when I do I hear his quiet voice in my heart:
"Reach out, Dumplin'. God will always help you find your way if you only reach out."
Grandpa put me on the right path, and God keeps me there.
Reassuring Angel
By: Maggie/catholic.org
It was a beautiful Spring day here in New England. My husband, myself, a friend & his
wife had been visiting in our garden. My husband & his friend decided to go for a walk in
the woods nearby. After a few minutes we heard yelling from the trail to come quickly.
We ran to find my husband having a severe seizure. I ran back to the house & called 911.
The rescue squad came, told me to gather up my husband's meds and follow them to the
hospital. I was panicking to the point where I couldn't think straight. While in the
bathroom getting the meds, something tapped me on my right shoulder and said in a very
clear, calming voice, "do not worry, your husband will be fine, it is not his time yet." I
turned to thank my friend for her kind words, but no one else was in there with me. She
had stayed in another room. I asked her if she had said something to me and she said she
hadn't. I immediately knew that it had been a angel that had spoken those words of
reassurance to me. My husband was in intensive care for 7 days, but came away okay
from this terrible ordeal. I told the priest at the hospital about the message and he said
that he was not surprized at all. Just thought I'd share this with everyone. Thank you &
God Bless You all.
found. Remembering my dream, I hopped out of bed and raced up the attic stairs. There,
waiting for me on the top step, was Mumsy!
Eventually I got old enough to sleep without a tiger guard. And today I have an attic filled
with my own boxes and old furniture. But I still say my bedtime prayers and rely on
angels to shine light on my fears.
Resurrection Angels
Interview with Donald Pass (angelsghosts.com)
Angels and the resurrection of mankind? One man might have seen both...
Successful artist, Donald Pass of England, began seeing angels in 1969. It was something
that would forever change how he views the world. The visions were not a gift he had
asked for, but they came upon him suddenly after a mysterious man foretold of his future
Relax
By: William Jensen/catholic.org
In around 1986 while I was still single in Indianapolis, IN, I had spent an evening on the
town with a friend where we had consumed too much to drink. He lived on the south side
of town and I on the north side with my parents (I was about 22 yrs. old, fresh out of the
Army). As we wrapped up the evening we were closer to my abode, so we ended up
going there where he slept on the couch. In the morning I gave him a ride home on my
motorcycle. On my back from this errand, I approached the intersection of 38th and
College Avenue, heading northbound. Just as I was about to enter the intersection the
light turned yellow. A big four-door Cadillac on the southbound side had been waiting to
turn left, and as the light went yellow the driver assumed it was her time to move and
began her turn to eastbound 38th St. Due to a northbound car at the same intersection
making its own left turn to westbound 38th St., I assume she simply hadn't see me. I was
traveling about 35 m.ph. and in the blink of an eye I found myself a few feet away from
her passenger-side rear door with no options for escape. Without excitement or fear, an
inaudible voice in my head simply said "Relax" and I complied, making no desperate
move to save myself in the instant that remained before the crash. It is important to note I
was not wearing a helmet. Some time later I awoke, laying on the pavement, my
motorcycle a few yards away laying there smashed completely on the front end. In and
out of conciousness, at some point an ambulance came and took me to a nearby E.R.
where I was examined. I had a significant bruise on my chin and one cracked (not
fractured) rib, but no other injuries to speak of. When the doctor received the details of
the crash, he indicated surprise and told my parents, who had by then arrived, I had
"bones like oak" and was astounded I was in the decent shape I was in, given the
circumstances. I can't prove it scientifically, but if that quiet little voice that told me to
ride it in was not my guardian angel, I don't know what else it could have been.
creating a whirlpool-like hole that dragged us under. Edward was choking and coughing
up water. My son was drowning!
I kicked my way to the surface again and again, but I was getting weaker. God, help us! I
thought frantically. Hands grasped my arms from behind. The grip was strong but soft at
the same time. What a man this must be, I thought.
The water was no match for him. He lifted Edward and me together, as if we were light as
can be. But this is an odd way to carry us, I thought. He set us down gently back on our
beach blanket.
I pushed myself up onto my elbows and shook the saltwater from my eyes. I turned to
thank our rescuerbut there was no one there. Not a soul in sight. My son and I were all
alone.
Edward, crying and spitting up saltwater, was lying safely on my stomach. I wrapped him
in a towel. Just as I finished calming him, I spotted my mothers car awaiting us past the
dunes. Exhausted and relieved, I trudged up to it.
Look what I found today! Mom exclaimed before I could tell her what had happened.
She opened a brown box. Nestled inside was a Dresden angel, cast in porcelain and
coated in a cloud-white glaze. The angels wings were spread, hands clasped in prayer.
Despite being made of porcelain, those hands somehow looked gentle and soft, just like
the hands that had swept us from the ocean. What is it? Mom said, suddenly noticing
my distress.
We had quite a scare, I started. I grasped the figurine as Edward batted playfully at its
wings. I felt the chill of the ocean melting away, warmed by a sun that was reflecting off
the ivory glaze. Even if I sometimes felt lonely, I now knew I was never truly alone.
She had the kind of face I knew I could trust. My husband stayed with the Suburban, and
I climbed in with the stranger. Memorize the mile marker for the tow truck driver, she
said.
The woman stood behind me while I spoke to the mechanic at the dealership. Well send
a tow truck, he said.
Youll be all right now, I heard the woman say.
The mechanic thrust some paperwork into my hands. I glanced at it briefly and turned
around. The woman was gone.
I have often thought about painting her, my mysterious rescuer. But when I sit down at a
blank canvas, brush in hand and try to picture her, I cant. Her features are blurred, like a
figure from a dream.
looking out for me personally. That he had a specific purpose set out just for me. I was
simply hoping to pass music theory. Assuming I ever got to sleep. Now there was some
kind of low rumbling noise. Enough already!
I switched on the lamp by my bed and stomped to the door. Aaron was right behind me.
Someone was going to hear about this.
The doorknob felt warm, almost hot. Strange. I flung the door open. There was a
whooshing sound. Then a blast of heat. Like Id been thrown inside a furnace. Fire!
screamed Aaron. He jerked me back into the room and slammed the door shut.
I couldnt see. The heat had blinded me. I fell to the floor. Weve gotta get out of here!
I heard Aaron yell.
My skin, my hands, my arms, my back. They all felt like they were on fire. The pain was
excruciating.
I slowly stood up and took a deep breath, my lungs filling with smoke. I fell back to the
floor, choking and coughing. Dear God, help. It wasnt a conscious thought. Just a
reaction. I knew the fire was coming toward us. I was going to die. I only hoped it would
be before the flames reached me.
Grab hold of my hand! Aaron said. Were going to have to go out the window.
His voice sounded like it was coming from a million miles away. I could barely make out
the words. I felt a hand grab my arm, pulling me, dragging me, across the floor. With
every breath I was taking in more smoke, my lungs burning.
Get a chair, Aaron said. We need to break the window. Its our only way out. I
remembered the air-conditioning unit in the window. He wanted to break the glass above
it andthen what? Wed have to jump. It seemed crazy. But I knew Aaron was right. This
was our only chance. I had to try.
I crawled across the floor, my hands searching for the chair to my desk that I couldnt see.
There! Got it. I dragged the chair back to where I heard Aaron... Crash! The window
shattered. With my last ounce of strength I used the chair to push myself up.
Lets get out of here, Aaron said. He scrambled out the window but I couldnt do it. My
legs collapsed from under me. I lay on the floor, barely conscious, struggling just to draw
a shallow breath.
I could hear the fire, a rumbling, popping, roaring horror. I knew the door couldnt hold it
back much longer. Its over. Theres no one left. No one who can sa I felt the collar of
my pajama top slide up my neck, something tugging it. Then my body was lifted off the
floor.
seen, I climbed the derrick to take my position to pull pipe out of the hole we were
drilling. My co-workers said, "You don't have to go up. We'd rather take some downtime
than lose a man up there." I brushed them off and climbed anyway. Lightning flashed all
around me, thunder boomed. I cried to God to take me. If I couldn't have my family, I
didn't want to live... but I couldn't take my own life in suicide. God spared me. I don't
know how I survived that night, but I did. A couple of weeks later, I bought a small bible
and traveled to the Peace River Hills where my family has lived for so long. I sat down
on top of one of the green hills and started to read. I had such a warm feeling enter into
me as the sun parted through the clouds and shone on me. It was raining all around me,
but I was dry and warm in my small spot on top of that hill. I now have moved on to a
better life, have met the girl of my dreams and the love of my life, and we have a
wonderful family together along with my two daughters. Thank you, Lord Jesus and the
angels you sent that day to touch my soul!
kidney failure. They did not know what to do. I was really scared. I prayed to God if it
was his time to die, please give me the strength to get thru it.
A few minutes later there was a knock on Rodney's hospital door. I went to the door
thinking it was a family member. It was not. I did not know the young lady standing
there. She was dressed in an old t-shirt and worn out jeans. She asked if she could come
in and pray for my son. Rodney could not be seen from out side his hospital door. She
said she had tried to clean her house for a bible study at her house that night, but God
kept putting Rodney's hospital room number every where she looked. She said it came to
a point that she could see nothing but the room number.
We both went over to Rodney and kneeled down to pray for him. We prayed while
holding hands. While we were praying I felt hands on my shoulder and reached up to
touch whoever was there. But there was no one! At that point I could not say anything but
"Thank you Lord." God sent an angel. Rodney's guardian angel was there and I could feel
his presence.
The young lady finished praying and said, "your son will be fine but you need to take him
to the Birmingham hospital as soon as possible."
I assured her I would.
I moved Rodney to Birmingham and the head urologist told me Rod's oxygen was so low
he should have been comatose for several days prior to coming there. I told him thank
you for caring and that I knew he was going to be fine. His blood pressure had been
220/180 for several days. The doctor told me he could not promise me anything, even 5
minutes much less 30 minutes that my son may live. I told him I understood what he was
saying but I knew Rodney would be fine.
At this point, he put his arm across my shoulder and asked if I needed a shot to relax me.
I told him I was fine, just do what ever he needed for my son. He thought that I was in
denial.
In 24 hours, Rodney had a normal blood pressure again. The doctors had no explanation
for Rodney's illness. But I knew without a doubt that the Lord and Rodney's Guardian
Angel had taken care of Rodney. I also told Rodney that God had a job for him someday.
I am happy to say that Rodney is now active in God's work. He is a wonderful father and
husband also. They attend church on a regular basis. He tries very hard to live a good
Christian life. He tries to help his fellow man in whatever way he can. I have a lot to be
thankful to the Lord. I only share this testimony when I feel lead by God to do so. For
some reason, he wanted me to share this with you. Whatever it is, may someone be
blessed by our blessed experience with the Lord and Rodney's Guardian Angel.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to witness and tell Rodney's angel story.
Roger
By: Johnny.Guerra@Airliquide.com from ainglkiss.com
One day my wifes stepbrother had stayed a-night with us (Roger) He was only around 3
or 4 at the time. Roger really like to come visit and play with our younger son who was
like a few years older then Roger.
They had stayed up late playing in my sons room so I had gone on to bed and some time
in the middle of the night I remember my wife laying in bed and seeing Roger lying on
the bed as well. So I fail back to sleep. And sometime latter I it felt like someone had
pushed me out of bed . I remember saying why did I just wake up like this I mean I
was wide awake! As soon as I said that I heard a voice that said LOOK FOR
ROGER.LOOK FOR ROGER so I jumped out of bed and walk to my sons room NO
Roger. I looked in my room again to see if I just over looked himbut NO Roger.
At this time I woke up my wife and said Where is Roger so she started to look in the
bathroom and relooked in my sons room.
I walked to the living room to find the front door wide open I turned to ask my wife if she
had left the door open when she went to bed. She said no and she walked outside to see if
she could see Roger but she didnt. So she came back in and continued to look for Roger
in the apartment. So I had then decided to look outside myself and see if I could find him.
As I walked out I looked to my right and didnt see him so I looked to my left and saw
him walking down the side walk and was about to turn the corner. I yelled at my wife and
said THERE HE IS..THERE HE IS! My wife ran after him and brought him home. I
Guess he was sleep walking, I dont really know why he walk out of the apartment that
day.
After this experience I think it has made me a more spiritual person. But I always ask
myself way did this wake me up and not my wife? She was lying next to me.
I truly believe it was a guarding angel.
Rose-Colored Memories
She feared a visit to her hometown would prove bittersweet at best, but the lovely aroma
of roses soothed her pain.
By Tanya Richardson, New York, New York (guideposts.org)
Lets get some flowers for your moms grave while were in Temple, my aunt Kris said.
We were passing through Temple, Texas, to drop off my grandmother after our annual
family reunion in San Antonio. Okay, I said, but I wasnt enthusiastic.
I hadnt been back to Temple since my mother had died 15 years ago, and I didnt really
want to linger. This is exactly why I never come to Temple, Texas. Nothing but sad
memories.
We bought a big bunch of red roses at the grocery store. They reminded me of the wild,
dramatic rose bush that grew outside our old house in town, the house where Id spent my
teenage years while Mom battled her terminal illness.
The roses filled the car with their sweet fragrance. I pruned the old rose bush with Mom
every summer. I seemed to always get a few pricks from the thorns, but Mom had BandAids at the ready.
On the way to the cemetery we passed our favorite Chinese restaurant, where Mom took
us on Friday nights as a treat. Egg rolls for me; Mom ordered moo goo gai pan.
The high school football stadium passed outside the car window. Id run on the track
team and played flute in the marching band. I had some great friends and a lot of good
times here, I thought.
At the cemetery, the roses lush petals looked gorgeous on Moms headstone. The visit
wasnt nearly as hard as I thought it would be.
After we dropped off my grandmother, I smiled as we drove out of town. The tough years
of Moms illness were much like those red roses: They had their thorns, but theyd had
their beauty, and their sweetness too.
St. Anthony
By: David Day/catholic.org
St. Anthony came to me while in graduate school in Austin Texas. I had prayed a novena
to Him to help find work and to help start my adult life responsibly. After a job interview,
I went to gas my car, and a thin man suddenly appeared, asking for a ride to a relative's
house. Somehow, I trusted him and wanted more than anything to help him. He was a
vietnam vet named Anthony who was rebuilding his life. He said strange things like
"Austin always gives one a hand up" and "Your cup is empty until you give fully". At his
destination, he hugged me, closed the door, and simply disappeared visually. His hug
relieved all my worries and stress, and I broke into tears of joy. I drove to the nearest
church (it was late at night) and found an open chapel, thanking God and rededicating my
life to Good. I got home to find a message that I had received the job. I went to mark the
day on my Catholic calendar and saw that the next day was June 13, 1991 - the feast of
Saint Anthony of Padova.
my Familys home which is found in Emdiber, Ethiopia. St.Mary was appeard like my
Mother and dressed completly white traditional closing. I was like 100 m far from her. I
saw her from such a distance and I asked myself it is too early in the morning, why my
Mom standing in the garden? Again i was confused because her height was almost twice
the height of my Mother. I said is my Mother such long? As i came closer, she was
smiling. Immidiatly i was filled with mothers love and my sprit told me that she is
St.Mary. Then I asked her are you my Mom or St.Mary? further i continued to beg her
like Please dont leave me alone? Please be with me? and asked Shall I be with you in
the heaven? Then she answerd me yes further I asked What looks like my earthly life?
Is it something that makes God happy? or I am living a sinful life? then she said it is
good. After saying this she dissappeard immidiatly and I woke up from my dream. Since
then, i am using St. Marys Medal.
Prayer: St.Mary! as you promised me to enjoy my heavenly life with you, please pray for
me until i achieve this promise and also remember my wife and all my families amen!
A few years ago, while praying during my hour of Eucharistic Adoration in our parish
church I felt compelled to walk up in the back to the choir loft. From this vantage point
you can kneel, and look down over the pews, and towards the sanctuary. Our church is
moderate in size, not a chapel by any means. I was all alone, during my hour of 5-6 a.m.
It was winter time, definitely still very dark outside. The interior of the church has a
dozen or so light fixtures, each having many lights. During the once-a-week night we
have Adoration, these lights are dimmed. Since I was up in the back, the light was even
dimmer. As I finished the Rosary, I felt compelled to pray the St. Michael prayer. At that
time I mostly knew it, but knowing it was always on the back of our missal, I grabbed it. I
begin the prayer and inside I say to myself I cant read this too good INSTANTLY the
church lights go significantly brighter I say the prayer, chills inside, and begin to exit
the choir loft. At this time the lights go back down to dim.
Think what you will, but of course this happened without me thinking in any way it
was...going to happen! That very day I ordered a St. Michael medal & necklace. Got it,
had it blessed by our pastor, and on the back I had the date of this happening engraved.
St. Michael, pray for us against the evils of Satan amen!
St. Raphael
By: Richard M. Hanisits, M.Ed./catholic.org
It must be 30 years ago that a former student dropped by my office, where I was a
guidance counselor in a Chicago Catholic high school. Passing through town he decided
to pay me a visit. We chatted for sometime when he sorrowfully disclosed that he and his
wife had almost given up in trying to conceive a child. Seized, I guess, by a sudden
inspiration, I asked if his faith was strong; and he said, yes. I said that I wanted to tell him
about a friend of mine, Saint Raphael the Archangel. I narrated briefly who saint Raphael
was and the great things attributed to Raphael by the Church. Then I removed a medal of
Saint Raphael from a desk drawer and handed it to him. I remember I said: " Take this
medal and place it on your marriage bed, and pray to Saint Raphael for the gift of a
child."
Months later the young man called me long distance from a hospital in Baltimore to
inform me that his wife had given birth to a healthy baby girl. He kept in touch with me
for awhile and several times asked for several medals of Saint Raphael. We somehow lost
touch; and sometimes I think that miracle baby must be married by now and perhaps a
mother. Thank you, Saint Raphael, and lead us to those for whom we are looking.
Sarah
By: Colleen Ferguson/catholic.org
It was March 2009 when I was laying on my bed praying to Jesus. After my prayer time I
felt the need to give my daughter to Jesus. I visualized my daughter and myself walking
together. I was taking Sarah to an angel. I envisioned the Angel with wings but as soon as
I handed my daughter over to the angel to my surprise the wings dropped to the ground!I
watched as my daughter and the angel walked away together arm in arm. I opened my
eyes and my eyes began to weep. I then said to Jesus not soon lord not soon that you are
going to have my daughter.
In July this I was visiting family in Newcastle near Sydney. On the 6th July 2009 I
walked to the local shops as usual and after crossing the road and walking a little way on
the shops side walk and thinking about what shop I was going to visit first I noticed a
transparent white cloud surrounding me. I continued walking and thinking isn't this
strange I'm not walking out of it. I stopped and took my glasses off thinking that they
may have been fogged up, I looked around me and the cloud was still there.I stood still
and looked up and around again. My first thought was Sarah. I then dismissed this
thought and continued walking on the sidewalk within the cloud until it suddenly
disappeared.I had a feeling of extreme joy afterward and was walking tall.
I returned to home after the shopping and told my cousin what had happened.And said i
don't know what it means but i feel really good. One hour later I received a call from my
Sisters husband he told me he had bad news. I replied is it about Dad ( he's 83) the reply
was no and could he talk to my cousin. I handed the phone over to him and went into the
bedroom and sat on the bed. I knew at this point that it was regarding my daughter.And i
thought back to the cloud that surrounded me 1 hour earlier. I believe an angel bought my
daughter to me as she wanted to see me before she left.
I caught a flight home and made preparations for the funeral. I was standing out the front
of my home disposing of a bag of rubbish in the bin. I felt an isolated pressure on my
back near close to the right lower shoulder blade. I didn't thing much of it, (the pressure
gave no pain but was like something touching me on the outside) but the pressure became
more intense and pressed further to the inside of my body. I realized then that i was
touched by God.
During the Funeral. Many were crying. I did not cry and i was filled with peace and grace
with an as-surety that my daughter was with Jesus.
After the funeral some people said to me how could i stand up there during the lighting of
the candles and not weep. I said that the Lord is with me. A man came over to me and
said that i was an inspiration to other women. I replied that it is God in me that is
inspirational.
I have had many people ask how they can help and there are a number of ways that
people can help me and others like me.
I suggest donating blood. With the cancer I have it is found in my bone marrow and I
have to get frequent blood transfusions.
By donating blood at your local blood bank you can save up to three lives.
I am as I stated before truly humbled by the love and support of everyone during this
time in my life.
Thank you for hearing my story and for all of your prayers, God bless.
There will be a Benefit Auction and Dinner held for Sarah on March nineteenth. It will be
upstairs at The Eagles in Kalispell Montana, dinner is five dollars a plate and will start at
5 p.m. with auction to follow at 6 p.m.
Auction contributions and donations are being collected, if you would like to participate
you can mail them to:
Sarahs Challenge, PO Box 7414, Kalispell MT 59904.
Saved
By: anon/catholic.org
I believe in angels. I am thankful to my guardian angel for saving me. I was once
involved in a car accident several years ago. A group of friends and I were standing on a
street corner after hailing a taxi cab. We were saying our farewells and discussing what
each of us would bring to a party we were planning on having the following day. Things
happened so fast but to me it went in slow motion. I remember seeing a car in my
periphery running a red light, the next thing I heard was a crash, saw a car spinning
towards us and the next thing I sensed was something next to me (with me)throwing me
into the back seat of the taxi cab. When I looked out of the door I saw a car crashed onto
the side of our taxicab and my friend pinned under the front door of the taxi. To this day I
have replayed that scene over and over in my mind. I don't share the story with everyone
lest they think I am crazy. But I do believe to the depths of my soul and being that the
presence with me was my guardian angel. They do exist. Bless them for taking care of us.
I was hit by a tractor trailer and was being pushed as he was taking my lane over. After
the intial impact at the rear I have a spot that is blank and then the side mirror exploded
and hit and cut my face in a couple places.
I came to at the side mirror exploding, I remember looking out to the side and seeing I
could have put my hand on the name of the company (Their logo) on the side of the
trailer. The trailer was leaning and tilting towards me.
I was terrified as I felt the enormous pressure pulling me into the truck. I heard
somewhere in there being told over and over do not let the tire treads touch. It was going
as fast as the truck tires. I fought and pulled so hard to the left on the left turns of the
curves in the mountains.
I remember the struggle in parts but not entirety. I know I got help to keep away from
those tire treads. I could not have done it on my own. As I have places after where I
remember seeing a corner slanted part of plant. I could tell you it was green.
But that was all I remember seeing. As he was pushing and taking over my lane, I have
another blank spot I cannot recall. I saw those tires in the struggle so close as the water
flew up through the tires. I was scarred to death.
I thought that was it! Only God knows how I survived the accident. I had multiple
injuries and had to have multiple spinal surgeries with fusions, and walk with a cane at 37
because my back is messed up.
But I do see my children and although my loss has been substantial of self and career. By
the Grace of God, I was given more time! I was given life!
I know the angels were guiding and protecting me from me killed. The crank case on the
vehicle was cracked. It wasn't just banged aroung, but the pressure was so great it sucked
in the vehicle and disaligned it.
Following this experience I started getting images in my photo's. This started the night
before my childrens birthday party as I filled the trees with silver shinning stars, and
lights all lit up for a mystical magical fairytale party.
The atmosphere was amazingly different as it was like a fog type in the air. But the air
was light as a feather. I felt like I was just light as a feather and floating. As if I was being
embraced by the foggy like air.
The pictures had kept getting more and more elaborate. I was not the only one who saw
the images. There incredible! So I could easily say our lives are touched by the angels
and they truly are amongst us always!
I had a protection order hearing coming up to keep us safe. I now believe and understand,
by the grace of God I was redemeed to keep my children safe from the seen and unseen.
Saved by an Angel
Location: Lisle
By: John Wagner/catholic.org
It was late Spring about 1962 or 1963. I can't remember for sure. I just know I was very
young (2nd or 3rd grade). Our Church had completed a year or two earlier, a new Youth
Center. In addition to the gymnasium inside along with other activity rooms, there was a
blacktop basket ball court outside. Since the varsity team was practicing inside, we
played outside on this warm Spring day. As we played the ball rolled away and went
across the street next to the court (about 40 feet). The street behind us was a very busy
street, but this side street wasn't, and there was a 4-way stop at the corner. I remember
looking both ways and then running across the street. As I was about to pick up the ball I
felt mild pressure on my right side and hip. All of a sudden I found myself on all fours,
and the basket ball I was about to pick up was 20 feet away. As I ran to pick up the ball a
man who was now stopped on the side street got out of his car and ran up to me to ask if I
was okay. I had no idea what he was talking about. He just said,"I stopped! you ran out in
front of me!" (he was driving a 1958 model, so if you are old enoughto remember, you
know how big those cars were back then). I still didn't know what he was talking about,
but happened to look across the street and there were my 4 friends with their mouths open
and jaws dropped. I then told this very anxious man a couple more times I was okay and
ran back across the street. My friends still stared at me and asked if I was okay. Again, I
was clueless as to what they were talking about. They finally told me I was hit by this car
and flew 20 feet in the air (distance not height). I told them they were nuts, but they all
claimed to have seen it happen to me. Two of them then ran inside our Youth Center
where my mom was working. They told her I was hit by a car, but seemed to be okay. I
walked in a moment later and my mom just thought they were pulling her leg. I was
petrified that I was in trouble for be hit by a car, but since I still didn't really believe it,
my mom was convinced my friends were pulling a practical joke on her.
A few of us still get together once a year, and last summer I asked one of the guys who
was there that day if he remembered. He did and told me the whole story all over again.
Although I realized this miracle of my Guardian Angel many many years ago, I know
first hand, that my Guardian Angel saved my life that day.
Saved By An Angel
By: Kevin Coyne/catholic.org
It started with a early attempt at a whitewater rafting trip with a friend in early spring. My
friend & I planned to go white water rafting. I went over to my friends to get going on
our day adventure. My friend was still asleep & after multiple attempts to trying to ring
his doorbell, call him, tap on his window I almost gave up on our trip. In fact, I remember
a sense of being watched & a feeling that I should just abort my efforts. I sat in my car for
a bit & tried again a couple of moments my friend came to the door & we got packed up.
Note: since it was the first trip of the season we inspected the rafts. Finally, we where off
after a calamity of efforts trying to get organized. On our way to the launch area there is a
huge hill that you go down. On the way down we got a flat tire. We rode down to the
bottom of the hill on the rim & rubber of the blown tire since the only safe place to pull
over was the launch site at the bottom of the hill. Once we got there we inspected the tire
& assessed our options & considered whether to abort our trip. I remember feeling & I
mean feeling an energy that suggested that our trip was not meant to be. But, being a
manly man & my friend not being affected by the inconvenience we decided to move
forward with our trip & we coordinated a pick-up after our trip at the launch site. Finally,
we went to inflate the rafts & neither of them where inflating.
We inspected them both & found a hole in each raft that & debris inside the raft. Mice
had gnawed a hole in the rafts & built a nest while in winter storage. How did we miss
this on our pre-inspection they where pretty conspicuous. My friend new the guy who
managed the launch area, the repair/rental store at the launch site. My friend summoned
his help. He said, no prob I can have those patched in 30 mins & you can be on your way.
So, the guy went to get the materials to fix the raft & after 15 mins he came back saying
his materials to fix our rafts where missing. He had no clue where they where & how
weird it was. I felt the energy all around me saying this trip is not meant to be. It almost
felt at moments as if time was being interrupted like events artificially being altered. I
wanted to scream to my friend this is not meant to be this not meant to be. But, I was too
concerned about all the effort expended already & his enthusiasm to go to say anything.
Anyway, the guy who ran the place said, he I have a couple of demo rafts you can borrow
no big deal. I really felt like saying this is not a good idea this does not seem right going
down the river on equipment we are not familiar with. But, I did not. The guy went to
retrieve the rafts. He came back 20 mins later saying, I can not find those rafts I do not
know where they are. They should be here this is so weird. Maybe I loaned them to
somebody else earlier & forgot? He went back for another 10-15 mins determined to find
them. He came back & sorry I can't find them. While the guy was looking for the rafts the
second time I was telling my friend hey this is not important. Let's just call it a day. The
guy came back still without the rafts. I told my friend this is not to be. So, we put on the
spare & started to drive home. I felt a sense of immediate relief & reflect about how
weird I felt during all the misfortune of our trip.
On the way home I told my friend, Hey, I felt weird like something was interrupting our
trip on purpose. My friend said, that he felt it too but, was too skeptical to say anything.
We both agreed that it was the best thing not to go & we both felt something of a
spiritual/divine nature.
The next weekend we went on your trip the river was running at 20% less than the
previous weekend. A rapid that has always behaved in a benign nature nearly drown us on
that wkd. After we recovered we both said, "We would have died on the same rapid had
we gone the previous weekend".
I am convinced a guardian angel helped us that weekend. And, too many times in my life
I have felt that same feeling & haphazardly either ignored it or acted upon it. Now, that I
have had a reckoning & experience that is beyond a doubt I will always listen to my
guardian angel.
Saved By An Angel
By: Lisa/catholic.org
When I was around 10 years old my best friend (my Bobbsey Twin since we looked so
much alike) and myself decided to go for a bike ride to a park near her home. I did not
have my bike with me and used my friends' younger sisters bike instead. Before we left
the house my friend's mother tried unsuccessfully to raise the seat so it would be easier
for me to ride. No such luck. That seat wouldn't move. We left anyway and after a few
hours decided to head home. The street we headed down had a deep incline and I was
hesitant to go (helmet laws were not in place and neither one of us had one on). I heard a
little voice inside my head saying "don't go." I did not listen to that voice and proceeded
to follow my friend. Within less than a minute I was thrown from the bike onto the
ground. I briefly lost conciousness and when I woke up I could tell I was hurt pretty
badly. A trip to the emergency room revealed something else. Despite the fact that I was
not wearing a helmet I had no head injury. No broken bones or sprains either. My injuries
consisted of two scraped knees, two scraped elbows, a scraped chin and my front tooth
was chipped in half (the dentist fixed that later).
I remember most of the accident like I was behind myself witnessing it. I saw that I was
heading for trouble and I remember the bicycle seat jerking toward the left side. I
remember thinking how I ruined my friend's sisters bike. Strangely enough the bike seat
was intact. It hadn't moved an inch.
I firmly believe an angel was watching over me that day, protecting me. I am forever
grateful.
My parents (unmarried then) were driving to the west side of Chicago on I-57 at 11 a.m.
headed south when their car just died right in the middle lane of the highway. My father
frantically tried to start the car, but with no luck. My mother says she was terrified
because she knew it was a possibility that another car could smash into their car going
over 70 mph!
They said cars were whizzing by and the wind was so great that it would shake their little
car. My father said all of a sudden they looked back and there was a black pickup truck
behind them. The truck was at a "T" shape formation with the driver side door so close to
my parents' back bumper that it could have been touching.
My father said this truck just appeared out the blue with no sign that it had ever been
driven. My father stated that in order for the truck to make that perfect "T" position, it
would have to have made several different maneuvers -- but it didn't! It was like it was
dropped there from sky!
My father told my mother, "What is this fool doing? He's going to get someone killed!"
My father said the man in the truck never got out, never rolled down his window, nor did
the man look my parents' way. The man just stayed looking forward, never even
acknowledging my parents.
My father described the man as having a long neck and sitting at attention like a soldier
that has been given a order. After about 45 seconds, the car finally started. When my
parents looked back to thank the man, the truck was gone! The only way for the truck to
leave was to do a maneuver and drive passed them, but it did not! It just vanished.
My parents now know that the angel was there to protect them, to preserve their future.
Later in the future, my parents became ministers of the gospel and have ministered to
people all over the world. My parents have always been extremely truthful people and
they recall this story as it was yesterday!
well-dressed young man said that this would be no problem, as he was on his way to
SeaTac to pick up his parents who were flying in that night!
Now this was really getting weird, as our house was literally five minutes drive from the
airport! He had a blanket in the back, and insisted that our daughter and I wrap up in the
back. He drove us right to our door and refused to accept any money or our thanks, and it
wasn't until the next morning that we realized we hadn't even gotten this guy's name, and
he had never told us anything else about himself. Since we had become stranded on a
deserted country road that was not well used, this was all way too coincidental to be true.
I know I believe in a force that watches over us, no matter what you might call it, and this
was only one of the times it was proved to me.
Saved By Angel
By: lisa badon/catholic.com
It was a few days after my grandmom death and me and my 3 children were coming back
from store and i didnt put on my seatbelt yet and as i was driving something told me to
put my seatbelt on and at that time someone pulled in front of me and made a complete
stop and i counldn't stop in time and didnt get my sealtbelt on in time but i crash and
somehow i stayed
in my seat and the airbag never came out but we walked away(me and kids)with not a
mark. and i think an angel was watching over us and i think my grandmom was warning
me to put my sealtbeat on cause she knew what was ahead. thank u lord
close my eyes. It was night and they were on the passenger side. If that car wouldn't have
honked its horn and awakened me, I would have crashed off a bridge, and my son and I
would not be here today.
Saved By Poppie
BY JESSICA CHARRON (paranormal.about.com/ Column by Stephen Wagner)
This incident took place in 2003 when my oldest daughter was only two years old. We
were having a birthday party in my tiny third-floor apartmaent in North Adams,
Massachusetts.
My two-year-old daughter, Destiny, was standing on a kitchen chair when she lost her
balance and began to fall. She was going down hard and looked like she would be hurt.
Suddenly, she appeared to stop falling in mid-air and floated to the ground. At least 10
people witnessed this.
She immediately jumped up and happily cried out, "Poppie saved me! Poppie caught
me!"
Poppie is my grandfather who had been dead for many years. Destiny did not know
Poppie. In fact she had never seen a picture of him, or even heard of him.
Two days later, I heard Destiny talking on her little toy phone. I would have thought she
was just playing, but what I heard was a one-sided conversation that children do when
adults are talking to them on the other end. She was not making conversation like she was
playing. She was giving one word responses like little kids do when adults are talking to
them on the other end. She gave simple answers such as,"Yes... No... Playing...
Mommy...."
I walked in the room, and Destiny continued this one-sided conversation, until I asked,
"Who are you talking to?"
She answered, "Poppie wanted to talk to me again." Then she turned back to the phone
and said, "Bye, Poppie. I love you."
Several days later, I woke up to hear Destiny talking in her bedroom, like she was talking
to more than one person. I got up, went in her room and asked who she was talking to.
She told me that Poppie said he would visit with her until I got up. I was freaked out, but
I asked if he was alone. Destiny said, "No Mommy. This time he was with Grandpa."
Grandpa was my other grandfather, also dead for many years. Poppie and Grandpa were
great buddies in life. Destiny did not know him either. I called my mother and asked her
to bring a photo album to my house. We gave Destiny the album to look at. She came
across a photo of Poppie and Grandpa together, and with a huge smile cried out, "Look,
Mommy. It's Poppie and Grandpa. They're nice. I love them so much!"
One night about a week ago I was lying in bed thinking about people and other stuff. I
had just turned off my stereo that I was listening to. So I knew I was wide awake. I was
about to turn over and go to sleep, but then my cell phone, that I had turned off and put
on the charger, suddenly started vibrating. I felt a warm gust of air on my face. My cell
phone turned on and started ringing (the number that popped up was one I had never seen
before). I picked it up and said hello. The voice on the other line said, "You are safe now,"
and then it hung up. I tried to call it back, but it said it was out of service.
The next morning, I woke up and was still thinking about that phone call. I went
downstairs to get some breakfeast and I noticed the door was partially open, just a little
crack. I went down to close it, thinking that my roommate must have left. But he doesnt
leave until noon and it was only 9:30. So I went down and the door had been broken from
the outside. I didnt involve the police because I knew what the phone call was about.
Something or somebody had stopped whoever broke my door from getting into the house.
didn't believe me and kept doubting it saying, "It can't be true. My son isn't bi." These
words hurt me more deeply than you could ever imagine.
After that, I didn't want to live anymore. I went to our garage with a purple tie and
stepladder. I tied it to a big piece of wood that went across the garage ceiling. Before I put
the tie around my neck, I prayed to God to send me to a happy place where everyone will
accept me for who I am.
I stepped onto the stepladder, but before jumped, I felt a rush of cool air, almost as if a
being of love was surrounding me. I jumped off the ladder, but when I jumped I didn't
stay in the air. I immediately hit the ground. The air was still warm. I looked at the tie and
it was cut! Not like it was torn, but as if someone had cut it with a knife. I didn't feel it
snap or anything.
Ever since then, my family has accepted me, and to this day I believe my guardian angel
saved me from my own death.
happened.
Needless to say, our father was angry that we had gone down the hill alone, and with my
sister for being so reckless. But it had just been my sister and I down there when this
happened, and nobody else! Nobody could explain how I got out of the way when I didn't
even know what was happening!
I have felt my Guardian's presence and influence at other times in my life as well, but this
was the first and strongest experience by far.
protected me from my thoughts and worries and pain. The force surrounded me and every
nerve ending in my body tingled, all the hairs on my body were standing on end and I got
"goosebumps" all over. My jaw dropped in amazement, just the fact this was happening
to me filled me with complete Joy. I felt accepted. My heart was lifted higher than I have
ever felt. Words will never ever describe how I was tranformed from a wrecked man and
completely restored to strength in an instant, when I really needed it. All of my personal
issues paled into insignificance when all of this was taking place, the sheer fact that I was
being healed by something other than a human astounded me and completely solidified
my belief in god.
After around 5 minutes and the awe had subsided, I walked to bed and fell into a deep
sleep straight away, I awoke in the morning 4 hours later feeling completely saved, full of
energy and full of love for life when normally I would still be tired.
This was the most amazing moment of my 30 year life. It has renewed my religeous
beliefs completely. I need to talk to a priest about this because I need to know what it
was, initially I thought it was the holy spirit but having read this site I now think it could
have been an angel. Whatever it was, it was real and I have been blessed with it's
presence, to post this real story and tell the world is my sincere thanks to it and to god.
Thank you for changing my life, thank you for letting me see, I will never forget.
from their compound. The noise I would have made hammering and knocking on cars
should have alerted them.The fact I walked freely past the main site office where the dogs
are normally lurking,to my car to get some more tools, then upto their home at the top of
the hill unmolested.
The owners said that even the owners wife does not walk about on her own afer hours.
After the dogs [all six of them] had been made secure, I was escorted back to the main
part of the compound then onto my car.
The owner said he just could not understand how I had been able to walk around the site,
particularly where the dogs roamed, unmolested for 2-hours. I should have been attacked
by the pack and ripped to pieces.
I have no idea. I never saw a dog all the while I was there except when I first arrived
when they were in their compound. I believe my guardian angel was looking after me. I
was very safe. The dogs as far as my angel was concerned, were very secure. They
simply could not harm me.
laying on the bed; it was my mother's. She bought it a few days before my departure. She
was always interested in those kind of things. The book was about angels and was 300 or
more pages thick. I can't remember the name of it. To get rid of negative thoughts and
dullness, I started reading this book, which immediately caught my eye thanks to its
wonderful cover.
I must admit that once touching the book, I got a really strange, eerie feeling, hard to
describe. The first few chapters were about religion and our society, after which there was
a long chapter detailing many wonderful experiences of people meeting their guardian
angels, either in a near-death experience or in normal life, under hard situations. I
remember reading the book and every chapter to this day very well, due to the fact that
the book just stunned me. I was so into it that while reading I paid no attention to the
world around me. I got half way through the book and noticed that time shifted real fast,
and my mother was just looking at me like, "It's time to go to the airport." I got up with a
smack into the face from my good old friend reality.
We were heading to the airport. My aunt was driving and my mother and I were just
looking out of our windows wondering quietly. We got to the airport and we woke up
from the silence because we had to get organized. We were looking at the information
table, searching for my check-in. But we just couldn't find it, so we went to the nearest
info desk where we were told that my flight was cancelled and the next flight only would
be the next day in the evening.
All of this was a pile of stress for my mother, but I got an instant rush of happiness when
I heard this. So we drove back to the apartment and enjoyed our extra time together, had a
good dinner and because we were quite tired, we went to bed early. I read a few more
pages of the angel book and then fell asleep, half an hour after my mother. We slept in the
same room; she slept on the bed and I slept on the floor on a mattress right next to the
bed.
I began to dream, and upon awaking from it the experience happened. This dream was
not like any other dream, it was, should I say, very real. As I said I had trouble in my life
accepting God, and I think the dream had something to do with this. I remember this
dream very well because it is the beginning of my angel experience. As I was falling
asleep, I slowly started to get into my "vision"....
When it started, I found myself falling down through pitch-black darkness, very fast and
unwillingly, and could see a small red dot far below me. As I was traveling, the dot
became bigger and bigger and I realized I was getting closer and closer to it and started
feeling really uncomfortable and warm, almost hot. I didn't understand what was going
on, but I quickly came to the thought that the warmth was coming from this "dot".
When the warmth had become an unbearable heat, I realized that I was being pulled
down to Hell by a force I simply could not fight against. I was at the entrance of it but did
not see anything. I kept my eyes closed from the heat, which did not help at all. I am sure
you know what it is like when you have closed eyes and are close to a large fire.
Suddenly, I felt a strong evil in my whole body - most intensely around my heart. It
simply engulfed me and I started screaming, but it seemed my screaming and fighting
back was futile, for something -- or a few things -- grasped my legs and started pulling
me into the "entrance" with such a force that it completely shocked my entire entity, all
my senses.
I thought that this cannot be, but it was, and in my worst moments, an extremely bright
light, a blinding light, I could say, appeared out of nowhere. When saying "out of
nowhere" I mean as if you were to stand in a dark room and a miniature harmless atom
bomb would explode next to you, just for you to get a better picture. With the light came
absolute silence and peace. I was totally puzzled. The heat disappeared and those forces
around me were harmless.
Then I saw a being in this light, which immediately caught me by my shoulders and
pulled me out of that place and with great speed. I found myself traveling up and away
with a smile on my face. I understood that I had been saved by an angel. I could not see
into the angel's face for some reason; that puzzled me too.
Now, I guess you could say, well what's so strange about that? It was just a nightmare,
which everyone has from time to time. Well, this nightmare was very real, and when I
awoke, I was not frightened at all, but I was lying perfectly calm on my back next to my
mother, fully to my senses wide awake and the fantastic experience was yet to come: I
found out that I could not feel my body. It was a sensation hard to describe. I could not
move for awhile at all. I could only move my eyes. Once again, I remind you that I was
wide awake and full of energy and I was lying on the mattress, but I simply could not feel
any gravitational pull nor the weight of my body. I could not feel any pressure of the
mattress under me. I was just lying there, "floating," and I had a very extremely pleasant
feeling of goodness, tranquility and love, which enveloped me and the entire room.
It lasted for about three minutes, and I can tell you, those were the most wonderful
minutes of my entire life! I just lay there in benediction and looked at my mother as she
was sleeping peacefully. I just smiled and fell asleep like a baby after the sensation was
gone.
The next day, I felt reborn and full of energy, and I understood that I was given a chance
to turn back to God again, and that the angel who was in the room after my dream made
sure that my flight would be cancelled so I could spend another day with my family. We
visited a few friends and enjoyed ourselves as if I was never to fly back to Europe again.
In the evening we got to the airport, but this time everybody was happy and full of joy,
even though I was leaving and wouldn't see them for a long time.
Saving angel
Location: Peterborough Cambridgeshire UK
By: Helena del Pino/catholic.org
A few years ago a friend and I were out for a "walk". However as we were both
wheelchair users it was no ordinary walk. We were deep in the countryside in a very quiet
lane when my friend became tired. As I had an electric wheelchair he held on to mine and
I was able to pull him along. What neither of us saw was a big hole in the road. My
wheels missed it but his got caught and over he went with the wheelchair on top. "O
help" I thought. He was a big man and there was no way I could lift him or help except to
nudge his wheelchair off him. Suddenly from nowhere appeared a beat up old car and a
man got out, picked David up and made sure we were both OK and offered us a lift back
to our car. We declined and while we were checking each other was alright the man
disappeared. Neither in his coming or going did we hear the sound of a car motor or see
the car coming. It was a sudden appearance and disappearance accompanied by the
strongest feeling of wellbeing and safety for us. After we realised we could not see him
we looked at each other and said "An angel came to help us". I have never feared a
challenging situation since.
Saving An Infant
By: Amanda Allen/catholic.org
My husband and I slept with my infant son in a double bed. I knew that sudden infant
death sendrome was more prevalent for children that didn't sleep in a crib, but it was
easier to feed him in the nights when he woke up. In order to make the bed bigger, I
would place pillows against the wall in the crack between the bed and the wall. The
pillows were puffy and had large cracks in them. My husband and I fell in a deep sleep as
well as my son. Then suddenly a glowing light illuminated the room, right at the foot of
the bed and overhead. It glowed so brightly that only a face could be made out in the
center of the light. It was neither man nor womens but perfectly formed. I was not scared
but didn't question what I saw either. It asked me, "Do you love him?" I was confused.
Everything must have seemed like I was dreaming but didn't answer the angel. The angel
then nodded towards my son and asked again, "Do you love him?" As he/she nodded at
him, I turned and looked. His head had fallen down in one of the cracks on the side of the
bed and his nose was burried in such a way that he would not have been able to pull
himself out of the hole covering his mouth. I grabbed him quickly and pulled him away
from the pillows and the cracks of the bed and checked to make sure he was alright. I
looked around the room and there was nothing there. I quickly fell back to sleep, a little
scared and embarrassed that I hadn't take better care of my infant son. I didn't wake my
husband and must have thought it all a weird dream, but it wasn't. An angel came and
woke me up and saved my childs life. I know that God can work in many wonderous
ways, and he didn't need to wake me by the angel. I feel lucky to have witnessed God's
wonderful mercy and my family is so very blessed to this day. Peace be with you. God
has a wonderful mission for everyone. Every life has purpose in God's plan.
continue to walk that route and have never seen this guard or any guard at that location
again. I'm convinced it was a guardian angel from God who protected me from the man. I
also don't think it was a coincidence that it happened in front of the Cathedral.
One of the Civil War soldiers was upset because his tombstone, which was extremely old
and worn out, said "Rich." He was upset because his name was Richard and that's what
he was always called. He was quite upset about it!
I've been given this incredible gift and I don't take it for granted. I'm able to go into older
homes, museums, etc. and see spirits and speak to them. I can see the rooms as they were
100 years ago. I've been very blessed.
You may contact Donna with kind comments by e-mail: couponssaveme@yahoo.com
Sent By God
By: Pinecrestdrive7@aol.com (ainglkiss.com)
I was a very young woman. Age 20 with 2 small children. One was my oldest, a little
boy. The second - a little girl. I was in a domestic violence situation. This night my baby
girl was very ill. She was not breathing very well. I awakened by my husband to inform
him of the baby's illness - only to be turned away and cursed. I dressed my baby boy in
his little snow suit and my lttle girl - I wrapped in a bed blanket. I walked several blocks
to get to a street car. When I got there, a man appeared out of nowhere and
asked..."Where are you going child with those babies on this cold night." I told him what
had happened. Out of nowhere a taxi cab appeared. He paid the fare to Baptist Hospital.
When I turned around to say thank you...he was not there. I got the baby to the hospital.
Her right lung was near collapse and she was suffering from Pneumonitis. I have
remembered his face until today. I knew he was an angel sent by God.
their floor that night. I'm 39 now and I remember it like it was yesterday.
Another strange event occurred shortly after that last one. At this time my parents were
having financial problems, drinking a lot and basically losing their marriage. They turned
to Christianity, which I believe saved their marriage. Across the street from us was an
abused little blonde girl of perhaps five years, the daughter of an alcoholic. One day she
was talking to us all out front on the street, and out of the blue she said, "Last night I saw
angels standing in a circle around your house. They were all dressed in white and were
even taller than your house!" We were stunned, but she was very matter of fact about it,
and went on to another subject. It doesn't seem like something a little girl under her
circumstances would make up. I think they were "assigned" to us when my folks became
Christians. Just my two cents worth.
loving one another." She also believes that each person is important and has a purpose.
Learn more about the author and her book by visiting LillieLeonardi.com
Shrinking cars
By: Penny
Several years ago, I was driving and came to a blind curve and hill. As I rounded the
curve and started down the hill, a car was in my lane. They were passing a semi truck on
the hill. This is a narrow two lane road, with only about a two foot shoulder and a ditch
about 3 feet deep. There is just enough roadway for two vehicles. The speed limit is
55mph. When we were where we could see each other there was no time to react. We
were about ten feet from each other, and neither of us had anywhere we could go. I
swerved hard to the right and as I said these words aloud, "O sweet Jesus", all three
vehicals passed each other safely. My car was a large car as was the other one, and semi's
are huge. I was the only one to react. There is a road sign there and about twelve feet past
the sign is a utility pole. My car missed all of that as well as never leaving the road. If
you were to see this curve you could easily see that this senario is physically impossible.
The only way this could happen is by devine intervention. I spent the next 5 miles crying
and thanking God.
Sight Of Spirits
Location: Saint Louis, Mississippi
By: John Tankersley/catholic.org
I am a security guard at Hancock medical. I was told to go unlock the door for the funeral
home driver to pick up deceased while waiting for herst. Angels appeared and seemed to
be leading the deceased thru the window and then go up in a northeast direction. I have
opened the doors on many occasians but never had a sighting like this. What does it
mean?
All circuits are busy, a recorded voice said. I tried again and again with no luck.
I got the same message at the pay phone at a mom-and-pop shop around the corner. This
city is full of bad connections, I mumbled. The elderly woman behind the counter
looked up. I told her the whole story.
Have you tried the neighborhood called Algiers? she said. Id never heard of it. Its in
the city limits, charming and historic. My niece happens to run an apartment-finding
agency there.
I dialed the number and got connected right away. I signed a lease that afternoon. Then I
met my neighbor, a handsome guy from Texas.
Eventually I left New Orleans with the Texan who became my husband. Some
connections are just that good.
Slow Down
Location: kissimmee florida USA
By: virgen valentin/catholic.org
While driving from work one day I had the music very loud in my car. Suddenly I hear
sirens. I looked on my rear-view mirror to confirm if the ambulance or fire truck were
behind me. But I didn't see anything. Again, I hear the sirens and looked once more and
nothing behind me. Next thing I know a policeman is pulling me over for speeding and I
get a ticket. I know for a fact it was my guardian angel trying to make me slow down. I
should have listened.
Smiling Jesus
By: Luke C
I remember in third grade, We were doing stations of the cross. There were three people
standing next to the image holding either a cross, candel, or a picture of Jesus. I was
holding a picture of Jesus. I remember my arms were getting really tired, but then I
remembered how tired Jesus was on Calvary. I still kept on holding the picture higher and
higher. In most pictures, Jesus isn't smiling at you, but when stations were over, The
picture of Jesus that i have seen over and over again finally started to smile at me. I think
it wasw kinda weird, but now even to this day, I see him smile at me. I ask people if they
see what I see and they say no.
Spared Again
By: Paula Garon
This isn't the first time I survived a car accident that could of been deadly. The first
accident I had was when I was 17. My mom claims it as her story and her angel she
actually saw but either way my life was spared. It was a rainy, hot, summer day in
Florida. I was driving around a curve and the road was slick. I slammed on my breaks and
lost control of my car. I slid into the other lane hitting an oncoming vehicle. I remember
clearly feeling that loss of control and shouting "God help me!" as the car hit the other car
head on and spun around. I hit my ear on the mirror and bruised my body. I remember
laying on the ground with many people standing over me. My mom said when she arrived
at the accident which was less than 1/4 mile from our home she feared the worse. She
saw a crowd of people hovering around me. She said she first saw a woman with gray
slicked back hair and beautiful skin. She said this woman touched her shoulder and said I
was going to be alright. When my mom finally got to me and saw I was okay she was
relieved. She looked back around but could not find that woman anywhere. She believes
it was my guardian angel. I do too!
year-old son had been trapped underneath the automatic garage door for several minutes,
and that when my wife had found him he was dead.
CPR had been performed by a neighbor, who is a doctor, and the paramedics had
continued the treatment as Brian was transported to the hospital. By the time of my call,
Brian was revived and they believed he would live, but they did not know how much
damage had been done to his brain, nor to his heart. They explained that the door had
completely closed on his little sternum right over his heart. He had been severely crushed.
After speaking with the medical staff, my wife sounded worried but not hysterical, and I
took comfort in her calmness.
The return flight seemed to last forever, but finally I arrived at the hospital six hours after
the garage door had come down. When I walked into the intensive care unit, nothing
could have prepared me to see my little son laying so still on a great big bed with tubes
and monitors everywhere.
He was on a respirator. I glanced at my wife who stood and tried to give me a reassuring
smile. It all seemed like a terrible dream. I was filled-in with the details and given a
guarded prognosis. Brian was going to live, and the preliminary tests indicated that his
heart was OK, two miracles in and of themselves. But only time would tell if his brain
received any damage.
Throughout the seemingly endless hours, my wife was calm. She felt that Brian would
eventually be all right. I hung on to her words and faith like a lifeline. All that night and
the next day Brian remained unconscious. It seemed like forever since I had left for my
business trip the day before.
Finally at two o'clock that afternoon, our son regained consciousness and sat up uttering
the most beautiful words I have ever heard spoken. He said, "Daddy hold me" and he
reached for me with his little arms. [TEAR BREAK... smile]
By the next day he was pronounced as having no neurological or physical deficits, and
the story of his miraculous survival spread throughout the hospital. You cannot imagine,
we took Brian home, we felt a unique reverence for the life and love of our Heavenly
Father that comes to those who brush death so closely.
In the days that followed there was a special spirit about our home. Our two older
children were much closer to their little brother. My wife and I were much closer to each
other, and all of us were very close as a whole family. Life took on a less stressful pace.
Perspective seemed to be more focused, and balance much easier to gain and maintain.
We felt deeply blessed. Our gratitude was truly profound.
The story is not over (smile)!
Almost a month later to the day of the accident, Brian awoke from his afternoon nap and
said, "Sit down Mommy. I have something to tell you."
At this time in his life, Brian usually spoke in small phrases, so to say a large sentence
surprised my wife. She sat down with him on his bed, and he began his sacred and
remarkable story.
"Do you remember when I got stuck under the garage door? Well, it was so heavy and it
hurt really bad. I called to you, but you couldn't hear me. I started to cry, but then it hurt
too bad. And then the 'birdies' came."
"The birdies?" my wife asked puzzled.
"Yes," he replied.
"The birdies made a whooshing sound and flew into the garage. They took care of me."
"They did?"
"Yes," he said "one of the birdies came and got you. She came to tell you I got stuck
under the door."
A sweet reverent feeling filled the room. The spirit was so strong and yet lighter than air.
My wife realized that a three-year-old had no concept of death and spirits, so he was
referring to the beings who came to him from beyond as "birdies" because they were up
in the air like birds that fly.
"What did the birdies look like?" she asked.
Brian answered, "They were so beautiful. They were dressed in white, all white. Some of
them had green and white. But some of them had on just white."
"Did they say anything?"
"Yes," he answered. "They told me the baby would be all right."
"The baby?" my wife asked confused.
Brian answered. "The baby laying on the garage floor." He went on, "You came out and
opened the garage door and ran to the baby. You told the baby to stay and not leave."
My wife nearly collapsed upon hearing this, for she had indeed gone and knelt beside
Brian's body and seeing his crushed chest whispered, "Don't leave us Brian, please stay if
you can." As she listened to Brian telling her the words she had spoken, she realized that
the spirit had left His body and was looking down from above on this little lifeless form.
"Then what happened?" she asked.
footprints on our hearts... and we are never quite the same because we have made a good
friend!!
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the
present! Live and savor every moment... this is not a dress rehearsal!
Spirit Signs
Dave Kane (angelsghosts.com)
Can Spirits Make Contact Through Signs?
On February 20th, 2003, The Station in West Warwick, Rhode Island, became the site of
one of the nation's most deadliest nightclub fires, killing 100 people. One of its youngest
victims, Nicholas O'Neill, would soon prove to his family and others that his life did not
end that tragic day. Nick began communicating by providing signs to his parents, Dave
and Joanne.
"41" is an award-winning documentary about the inspiring life of Nick O'Neill. In the
book, 41 Signs of Hope, Dave Kane shares numerous stories of signs from spirit.
Dave Kane learned that his son, Nick O'Neill, would not be easily forgotten, his voice
could not be silenced.
Nick was an actor, a musician, a singer, a comedian, a composer, and a prolific writer.
When he was just sixteen, Nick wrote a one-act play he called They Walk Among Us.
This play is about teenagers who die and return as guardian angels."
Since Nick's passing, his family and friends have experienced a myriad of unexplained
signs and events, most of these connected with the number 41. These occurrences have
not only helped comfort us, but have gone a long way to assure us that our loved ones
never really die. They are still here, around us and with us at every moment of every
day.
The communications from Nick began right away.
Spirit Signs: 41, The Movie
The morning after the fire, psychic-medium Cindy Gilman, a friend of Dave's, called him
to see if she could appear on his local radio show. She was motivated by the recent vision
of a burnt, young man pleading with her to call his father. Unaware that Dave had lost
Nick the night before, Cindy desired to reassure the grieving community about their
loved ones who had died in the nightclub fire. She then realized, it was Nick who had
made contact with her.
41, The Movie and 41 Signs of Hope artwork and excerpts used with permission of Dave
Kane.
The signs came to Dave and his family many different ways. Most interestingly, the
number 41 had been Nick's number, something he would consistently use to let others
know he was with them. His fascination with 41 began when he was young. He noticed it
everywhere around him and would often let his parents know. No one could figure out its
significance.
For the longest time, we tried to figure out what this '41' thing was all about... Now you
might think that after Nick passed we would have forgotten about it. But in the days,
weeks and months to follow, that ubiquitous number 41 seemed to take on a life of its
own. At first, we looked at these 'sightings' and appearances as coincidences. Then we
began to realize that there was much more to this...
In 41 Signs of Hope, Dave takes the time to detail the significance and sightings of the
number 41. However, there were other ways Nick made his presence known. For
example, Dave tells the story of how another psychic-medium, Robert Brown, received
an amazing message that confirmed for the family that Nick was alright. Toward the end
of an amazingly accurate, 45 minute reading with the famed psychic, Dave and Joanne
received definitive proof of life after death.
He wants me to tell you one more thing. He wants me to say, 'The show must go on.'
The words that came forth from Robert Brown dumbfounded the couple. These were the
last words Nick O'Neill had said to Dave before leaving to go to The Station nightclub.
Today, Dave Kane and family continue to be inspired by the signs from spirit that Nick
brings to them. They also know that Nick O'Neill continues to help other spirits reunite
with their families.
Spiritual Moment
By: Andy/catholic.org
I always have this unfathomable feeling, search or maybe you can call it a question deep
inside me , about " How God really love us, He even send his son to save us from our
OWN sins, even up to the death of his only son and the willingness of his son to die on
the cross." I even discussed about it to my Priest friend.
Lent season, one sunday mass together with my family, while responding to the prayer of
our priest, i was looking at the statue of the sacred heart of jesus, as I was looking at him
I felt cold ( cold-warm) but gentle sensation like a "goose-bump" to both of my hands
going upward to my forearm then my entire body...the feeling was so intense and
powerful that I start to cry...overjoyed with the feeling that when I start to sing my voice
crackled, embarrassed to show my face to my daughter, my wife and my mother -in-law
that I was crying I turned my face to the other way ( as I am writing this testimony I
could still remember that feeling..). As the mass ended my wife told me saying " wow,
theres a lot of people attended the mass today" and she continued to say " Praise the
Lord"...as I was listening, I tell to my self " thats the words I was looking for inside the
church" and I replied in a loud voice " Praise the Lord! I was so happy driving home that
day. Finally, I told my family what happened inside church and I reveal it too to my priest
friend and they just simply said " Its a miracle". I dont know if that was the angel who
touches me or God the holy spirit who share his love to me. By the way, I am a new
member of the catholic church. I grow up as a protestant. Now , I cannot stop listening to
the Bible, I even finished the new and old testament, going back to new testament
againAt work, I still keep on talking about God's wonder. I praise and glorify his name
forever. I trust in Jesus Christ our redeemer. May God grant us his peace and mercy.
Amen.
Storm
By: Chole/catholic.org
It was 1995 my dad was very sick for about a year now. one night I went to sleep at about
11 or somewhere around there. My husband gets home around 11:30 P.M I was dreaming
about it raing and storming outside all of the sudden I felt a big gust of wind fly past me
and I woke up. I went out to the kitchen where my husband was and ask him if it was
storming. He said no it wasn't storming. I said well i felt a big wind gust fly by me and it
woke me up. I felt like something was wrong. A bad feeling about my dad suddenly came
over me. I got in my car and drove to my mom and dads house to find my dad lying in his
bed with my brothers and sisters all around him. He said something then died. about 10
seconds after he sat up looked at the cealing and a tear rolled down his face. then he layed
back down again. It has been 11 years since his death and i still remember this story.
Stranded
By: jtownbit/catholic.org
I had left my wallet at the airport in UT, traveling back to WY, the planes stop in Denver.
I was on a late flight, everything closing, without money there was no chance to get
anywhere to wait for the later connecting flight.
A very perfect looking person, like a young student,came up to me, out of no where, told
me his name. He had a hard time taking a vintage classic bookbag off his back and place
it down.He told me that he was praying that morning, asking God what he could do for
someone today. He gave me $20 and a blanket. I tried to thank him and he was like a
solid column. He avoided eye contact, yet still looked at me. I was awed, I couldn't tell
the eyes. He said he would be right over there, waved in a direction and was gone. I had
turned back to get the bookbag and run after him, but the old yet perfect bookbag was
gone. He resembled the angels on some of the holy cards, but was dressed like a young
student, I was a young student. He resembled the ones that were in my favorite angel
books when I was a child.
Nope Mr. Ripley, I did not find an abandoned bookbag with money and a blanket and/or
dream it up either.
God knew I was already scared to death..since I was in a panic, calling my mother
collect, trying to pray for help... God knew that if he didn't disguise the angel, adding the
realism, and not make him look so much like the ones out of the books. God knows I'd
probably would have passed out. It all happened so fast, I hardly had time to Thank God
for the big favor.
I often call joel for help to drive in traffic, I've never been in an accident. He is a travel
angel.
Strange Encounter
By: Trg81164@aol.com from ainglkiss.com
My Name is Teresa 43 yrs old . Back when I was 19 years old and very much in love with
Steven who at the time was my boyfriend. We had broking up and I was devastated. As I
was sitting outside my dentist's office waiting for my sister (who was late) I was crying
inconsolably when all of a sudden someone was tapping me the shoulder As I looked up I
was taken aback cause in front of me stood this disheveled looking man, I guess he saw
how shocked I was and he spoke these words. He said, "my dear everything in your life
will turn out ok you will have a son and name him Paul and he will be very special." With
this shaking my head in disbelief I looked up again and he was gone .
I went home later that day and told my family about my strange encounter and they
thought the gas at the dentist office must've not worn off. We all just dropped the story..
Now jump ahead 9 years later now at 28 I had the most beautiful baby boy you can
imagine. I named him Paul not because of the angel but this was his Father's name. After
the birth my dad who is now in heaven said to me remember what that man told you all
those years ago about having a son and naming him Paul.Well all I'm trying to say is that
there really are angels out there (you got to believe)
PS I never liked the name Paul so it wouldn't have been my choice
Supportive Hug
Location: Dearborn Heights MI USA
By: Debbie Schmidtke
It was 2 weeks before I took the Nursing exam in Pasadena CA when I heard the news
that my Grandmother had a Heart attack and passed away in Michigan. I needed to go
home to be with my family and pay respects to my grandmother. I stayed home for a
week and then went back to CA, 3 days before the State Board Exams.
As I sat there on the very first day of testing - I was a nervous wreck. I think the anxiety
of the testing, as well as all the emotions of losing a Grandparent- that I could not wait to
move back home to see, was too much. So I closed my eyes and said a little prayer. At
that time I felt this warm arm come around my shoulders and rest there.
I slowly opened my eyes to thank, who I thought would be the monitors walking the
floors, and no one was there. Although this caught me off guard - it was very comforting
to believe that my grandmother or other guardian angel was with me at that time.
I passed the boards and think of this moment often.
sitting on the beach and the kids were playing in the waves. The eldest girl(teenager)
went in deeper than the rest and was swimming just behind the breakers. The tide grabed
her and within minutes she was draged out into very deep waters. People on the beach
saw what happened,and started shouting for the lifeguards. All went well and 35 minutes
later she was draged out onto the beach.
This is where her story starts..according to the girl,when the current got hold of her,she
could feel how she was dragged deeper and saw how the people on the beach are getting
smaller.
While she tryed to swim back and fight the tide,a man appeared next to her and told her
all she is doing is to tiring herself out. He told her calm herself down and not to fight the
tide. He looked like a young man but he had a full beard and long hair. After she calmed
down, he told her he can't help her but he will stay with her till they come to get her.
When she was lying on the beach,she said she asked for the blond man to thank him. The
lifeguards that brought her in said, she was the only person out there.
Since my grandmother would be only 10 minutes late at the very most to pick her up, my
aunt never had a reason to fear for her safety while waiting by herself.
It so happened one fateful September night, my aunt waited and waited for almost 20
minutes and there was simply no sign of my grandmother. It was nearing 10 p.m. and
back then my aunt did not even own a cell phone, so she could not contact her mother to
find out what was holding her up. She decided to wait for another five minutes before
deciding enough was enough.
In truth, as she later admitted to me, she was terrified out of her wits for it was already
two minutes past 10 p.m. and she was stranded all by herself on a lonely stretch of road
where drug junkies were known to hang out, and she had a long way to go.
It was when she started to walk off from the spot where she had been waiting that she
noticed a man standing a few metres in front of her, his figure encompassed by shadows.
He walked out into the sole streetlight, putting his features into sharp relief.
My aunt gasped out loud when she noticed his complexion was as dark as the night itself.
According to her, she had never seen a person as dark as that before in her entire life and
his extremely swarthy complexion was the only striking thing about this stranger apart
from his height. He must have been well over 6 feet tall.
He walked over to my aunt and asked her whether her mother was running late, as if he
had known her her entire life. The funny thing was, my aunt did not feel threatened in any
way by the mysterious appearance of this stranger, though she did feel slightly suspicious
and apprehensive about talking to him. So she just nodded.
He then asked her whether she had been planning to walk home on her own. She nodded
again. He then said it was not safe for her to walk home alone at that hour of the night,
and he offered to walk her home. Startled at the audacity of this man who had appeared
seemingly out of nowhere, my aunt somewhat politely declined his offer and said she
intended to wait for her ride to arrive after all.
But then she was in a fix, for she did not want to stay there with this strange man. The
man said nothing. He just stood back a pace and waited with my aunt.
After what seemed like an eternity, though it was only another 20 minutes later, my
grandmother finally arrived. She turned to look at the stranger who had not budged all the
while, jerked her head in some gesture of farewell, she ran to the car and got in.
That's when she noticed something so strange and chilling that it gave her goosebumps.
The stranger, who had been there a moment ago, had just vanished into oblivion. And the
thing is that there was no way he could have left in such a brief lapse of time -- in fact in
a split second! He was definitely nowhere down or up the road, and there were no trees or
any kind of foliage on that particular road to hide him from view.
Needless to say, my aunt was dumbfounded and shaken to the core, but she kept her
silence and did not mention the stranger and his vanishing act to my grandma.
But that was not all. When my aunt finally related the incident to my grandma a couple of
days later, she told my aunt that she had not seen any tall, dark stranger standing next to
my aunt when she had stopped the car in front of my aunt on that night, though my aunt
knew for a fact that he was standing right next to her!
In retrospect, all we could come up with to explain the inexplicable appearance and
disappearance of the man is that he must have been her guardian angel and he was there
to save her from whatever harm that might have otherwise befallen my beloved aunt.
practiced eye catalogued the other injuries. A broken leg, maybe two, along with probable
internal bleeding. But if help came soon, the girl would live.
A trucker had pulled up and was calling for help on his cellular phone. Soon Barbara
heard the ambulance sirens. A few moments later she surrendered her lonely post to
rescue workers.
"Good job," one said as he examined the driver's wounds. "You probably saved her life,
ma'am." Perhaps.
But as Barbara walked back to her car a feeling of sadness overwhelmed her, especially
for the family of the girl who had died. Their lives would never be the same. Oh God,
why do such things have to happen?
Slowly Barbara opened her car door. What should she tell Benjamin? He was staring at
the crash site, his blue eyes huge. "Mom," he whispered, "did you see it?"
"See what, Honey?" she asked.
"The angel, Mom! He came down from the sky while you were running to the car. And he
opened the door, and he took that girl out."
Barbara's eyes filled with tears. "Which door, Ben?"
"The passenger side. He took the girl's hand, and they floated up to Heaven together"
"What about the driver?"
Ben shrugged. "I didn't see anyone else."
Later, Barbara was able to meet the families of the victims. They expressed their gratitude
for the help she had provided. Barbara was able to give them something more - Ben's
vision.
There was no way he could have known what happened to either of the passengers. Nor
could the passenger door have been opened; Barbara had seen its tangle of immovable
steel herself. Yet Ben's account brought consolation to a grieving family. Their daughter
was safe in Heaven. And they would see her again.
Teresa's Angel
By: Teresa Marie Staal Cowley/catholic.org
Shortley after my fourth child was born my husband left our home and spread rumors
around that he left due to me struggling with post partum blues. I had my child by
cesarean section, so I was in great need of assistance. He claimed to be Christian and I am
Christian. I was at the time leading a very large Christian home school group. Our family
was very visible in our community. I tried to receive help from my extended family and
Christian community, but could not get help. I was shunned because it was believed that
God was punishing me for not being a submissive woman and leading as a woman in a
Christian setting. Through the assistance of a Christian woman she informed me of a nonChristian woman's resource center in our community that was led and started by 5
Christian women of different faiths. My first meeting at the center I was asked to enter a
room and wait for a lady named Sherry. They closed the door as I waited. A woman
entered the room I was in from another door. She had no make-up on and yet she was
absolutely beautiful and radiant. She was dressed in white hospital attire with smock,
pants and shoes. She had pale skin and shoulder length brown, straight hair. I informed
her that I was a Christian and she responded with delight that she served God too. We
prayed together and talked at length. She told me the truth and the seriousness of my
husband's situation and informed of how to ask for assistance. When we both felt this
contentment that our discussion was over, I heard the door that I entered the room in
begin to open. I turned and an African American woman entered the room and said,
"Hello, my name is Sherry". I turned in the direction of the young woman I had been
speaking to and she was gone. I told the African American woman of my experience and
thought the woman I was speaking to was her all this time. The real Sherry clapped her
hands and looked up to the sky and then at me and said, "Praise the LORD sister,
Hallejuah, you just had a visitor! Thank-you Jesus for our visitor!" Then she said, "Do
you realize what just happened here? Do I look white?" She left the room and went
around the resource center to inform everyone that they had another visitor from the
LORD!
Thank You
Location: Ipswich suffolk UK
By: Julie Power/catholic.org
My story began whilst befriending someone with very dangerous friends. I fell in love
with him over along period of time. What i didnt know was he had his friends spy on me.
I visited him at his home to be confronted with a very cruel summary of what i felt was a
dissection of my character. I walked away, feeling lost and confused and somewhat hurt!
I went to the Cathedral in Lincoln City, UK, after i left his home. I sat outside for awhile
on a bench. I noticed i was sitting on a terrace called 'Jesus Healing Terrace'. That was my
first realisation that i was meant to be there. I then went into the Cathdral, determined to
admire the architecture and beautiful art work around the building, and take my mind off
the experience i'd just gone through. I stood beside a huge pillar, looked up at the cieling
to take in its glorious work. I felt an uncontrollable sob come up from no where, i couldnt
control it. At this point something caught my eye on the ground to the left of me. It was
so amazing i had to look away, give my mind time to clear and then look back. It was an
Angel. It looked as though it had been sculped by a master craftsman in the ground, but
the eyes glowed an irridescent blue shining light. It didn't look male or female. Its head
was slightly cocked to the right, as though in sympathy and listening. I felt the most
amazing love, compassion, understanding and forgiveness. My legs just gave way... I fell
to the floor, and that was when i heard the singing. It sounded like thousands of Angels. I
later found out i had been standing in a part of the Cathedral called 'The Choir of Angels'
I thank God and Jesus every day for allowing me to feel his unwavering love. I share it
with all i meet, and get very excited telling people how much he loves us all. All we have
to do is open our hearts, and let him in.
Thank you for letting me share my story (If you publish it)
try the Metro, 'make our way to the centre, take it from there'. So we went down to the
nearest metro. It was spooky. It was empty and night-hit. Not a soul in sight. Just looking
at the map gave me the spins. So we walked. And walked. And walked. But guess what?
Nothing! No people. No trains. No story. So we walked some more. Deeper into the
system. The clock was against us now. The metro would be locked at midnight and the
last trains left at ten minutes to. So we got to this end zone. It was all locked up and said
trains due south. I thought 'great, our first night in Europe and we are going to be locked
down here.'' We had walked for 20 minutes and were lost. It's full of windy tunnels and
makes zero sense. So we started walking back and as we did I said a liitle prayer to life. I
said ''Please help us out of this mess''. Then, from literally out of nowhere, a little old
chineese woman appeared from a tunnel and walked towards us. I stopped her and
showed her the piece of paper with the name of the hostel. She smiled at me very
gracefully then without words she turned and walked in the opposite direction. I shrugged
my shoulders at Mark and without hesitation, we followed her. She walked us through all
these different tunnels and up onto this platform. She then turned to me and said with her
arm outstretched ''You take this train''. Just as she said that, the train had pulled in and the
door opened right behind her hand. I hardly had any time to thank her but I grabbed her
warm hand and nearlt cried with gratitude. ''Thirteen stops'' she said. I kept thanking her.
But she just smiled and turned and walked back the way she came. So we were sitting on
th train. Mark was counting stops and I was thinking ''If this is the last train and she
walked us ten minutes in the opposite direction to where she was going, and the metro is
shut for the night, then where is she going?'' mark just laughed. So when the 13 stops
arrived. We got out, walked up the steps and there, right in front of us in large neon
writing, was the hostel we were looking for. We went in. The guy said that my friend had
paid for our room and gave us a key. We went to the room where there was a case of beer
in the shower with a note saying ''If you are drinking these beers, I'm so happy, and so
sorry at the same time - I had to work''. So he also left us the name of the bar and a map.
So we made our way through the streets of Paris. We passed Notredame Cathedrial at 1 in
the morning. It was amazing. Before we knew it we were drinking Guinness at my friends
bar. ''Boy am I glad to see you'' he said. We just smiled and said ''right back at ya mate.'' I
have always been grateful to that angel in Paris. I have every reason to believe that she
vanished into thin air right after that. She's probably in this room as I write this. Smiling
with me.
In the weeks after Dad had the stroke, he remained in a coma. My brother Marty and his
wife, Mary, agreed to share the vigil. I took the day shift and they took the nights. The
time seemed to fly, with pastors, church members and people from the nursing home
coming daily. I passed the days reading to Dad from the Bible and singing. I especially
liked singing his favorites, How Great Thou Art and Heaven Is My Home.
At night, when my brother came in for the switch of shifts, Mary said. Im so glad to be
here for Dad. I never was able to do this for my folks. After a week, the hospital sent a
nurse from hospice to talk to me and give me papers to fill out before transferring him to
a hospice unit the next morning.
Standing there with the doctor who had come from intensive care because he had heard
that Dad was someone important, I said, Yes, he was a pastor.
I asked the doctor, How long can a person last like this without food or water? The
doctor took a long look at Dad, the still clear urine in his drainage bag and lack of
respiratory distress and said, Its going to be a few days yet.
After the doctor left, I was determined to get down to that paperwork, because we needed
it the next morning. But realizing that it was now after 6:00 p.m., I decided to call my
sister, knowing she would be home from work and waiting for the days update. I went
over to the large window ledge and leaned toward the window, where I knew I would
have the best reception with my cell phone.
As I was telling her what the doctor said, I sensed a movement behind me. I turned
around, knowing Dad had stopped moving several days before. The door was closed, no
one had peeked inside to see if I wanted anything, and Dad was lying there just as still as
before. I turned back to stare into the night sky and thats when I saw a reflection in the
window of something behind me. I wanted to see if there was an obvious or natural
explanation for the heavenly phenomena I witnessed in that hospital room.
I quickly looked down the five floors to see if there was any way something was shining
up to that room. Below I saw only the typical street traffic coming and going to the
hospital. Nothing unusual there. As I turned and looked behind me, my first thought was,
"Oh, its you." The memory came flashing back.
In October 1987, I was the night nurse on a Medicare floor, sitting there at 4 a.m.
charting. I looked up at various times to watch the three nursing assistants walk back and
forth across the dimly lit hall in front of me as they went to change linen and turn
debilitated patients. The next sight was strange. I watched the three come out of one
room, cross the hall in single file and go into the next room. They did this several times,
but I looked up and there were four of them. The fourth figure was much taller than the
other three and towered above them. He was a man, but he didnt so much walk as glide
across the hall. I cant describe him, but he was extremely tall and slow moving.
As I sat there, I thought, "They walk with angels and dont know it. Should I tell them?"
I didnt say anything that night. But over the years that sight never diminished from my
memory. Whenever I had a chance to do so, I would tell caregivers, You know you walk
with angels. They may not have grasped what I meant, but I knew. In the back of my
mind I often wondered why God had allowed me to see the angel that night, but as I sat
beside my father, I suddenly understood.
It was so I wouldnt be afraid and Id be clear about what I was seeing. As I watched, that
tall man from years earlier was there. I knew it was an angel; and as he passed directly
over Dad, I was once again caught up in his large size and the slow graceful movements.
I now knew why I saw what I had seen in 1987, and why I saw it now. It was for my
comfort.
I felt a great sense of peace. As the angel appeared to pass right through the wall, I knew I
wouldnt be able to see it again. I turned back to the window. I didnt tell my sister what I
had just seen but said simply, Dad will be gone tonight. She never questioned how I
knew.
When Marty and Mary came for their nightly vigil, I also told them, Dad will be gone
tonight. I knew that God had not only spared Dad from the life he had been so much
dreading, but He had given me what I didnt know I neededcomfort and deep-settled
peace.
I left those hospice papers untouched on the night stand. I took a last long gaze around
the room so I would always remember the look and feel of that night. Marty sat in his
usual place next to the bed. Dad was peaceful and still, his breathing regular as though he
were sleeping. Mary leaned over him, whispering, Take Jesus hand, Dad. Take Jesus
hand.
I said Good-bye, Dad, for the last time and left. He died shortly after I left the hospital.
The90-minute ride home that night was different from the previous seven.
The feeling of comfort, peace, and knowledge of how senseless worry is has stayed with
me every day for the past six years since Dad died. When trouble comes, in whatever
formstanding next to my car with a flat tire, hearing of a loved one diagnosed with
cancer, or family conflictsI take it to the Lord and leave it there because I know He can
and will handle it.
After Dad died, I didnt tell everyone I had seen an angel. Just like many years earlier, I
would mention it whenever someone seemed to need to know. As time passed, I read
Bible passages referencing angels and read a few books about people seeing angels. But I
consciously didnt want to be caught up in the pursuit of angels. However, I have taken
much pleasure in the thought that nurses are referred to as angels of mercy."
word would had witness what I did, I do not think much of it because it was plain and
simple, seeing is believing especially with one of the senses we humans cherish the most,
sight. I personally believe that if any one wants to be a witness to the gifts of god. It will
be granted sooner or later and sooner or later is better than never at all.
want my helpor yours. But could you keep his guardian angel close?
I heard a car outside and sat up in bed. The front door opened and Davids footsteps
sounded on the stairs outside my bedroom. Thank you, God, for bringing him home safe
one more night! I pulled on my robe and went to Davids room.
Are you all right? I asked from the doorway. Its very late.
David blinked up at me. There was something different about him, but I couldnt put my
finger on what it was. It must be the drugs, I thought.
Mom, David said. An angel drove me home from the party tonight. I swear.
An angel? I said. Yes, definitely drugs. I was familiar with their effects by now.
I went to a party out in the woods, David said. I was high. I started to hallucinate. I
thought there were spiders crawling all over my skin.
I shuddered.
I knew I had to get out of there, but I wasnt fit to drive. My car was parked on the
street. Remember how you and Dad used to say I had a guardian angel? I asked God to
send him to help me get home. He frowned, as if he were trying to remember what
happened.
I must have tried to drive, but it wasnt me at the wheel, Mom. I swear I was in the
passenger seat. An angel was behind the wheel!
I walked into the room and sat down next to him. He was my son, and I loved him no
matter what. Even if I hated seeing him like this. Its okay now. Youre home. Youre
safe.
The next thing I knew we were parked in front of the house. Mom, God sent me an
angel. Im done messing up. Im going to change.
Okay, I said, but how many times had I heard this same speech from David? He would
promise to try harder to stay away from drugs and alcohol, but he wouldnt really make a
change. Get some sleep now.
The next day I told Jeff about Davids angel story. He must have still been
hallucinating, I said. Davids angel was no more real than his promises. It was all just a
fantasy brought on by the drugs. Im just glad he didnt get hurt. Or hurt anyone else.
The phone rang and my daughter answered it. David, she called. Its your friend on
the phone!
David came into the kitchen. He looked at the phone and shook his head. Tell him I
cant talk to him, he said.
Jeff and I looked at each other in surprise. David never refused friends calls.
I cant be with those guys anymore, David said. If I hang with them Ill just do what I
always do. He sat down at the table between his dad and me. I meant what I said last
night, he said. I really want to change. But I dont think I can do it alone. I need help.
I grabbed Davids hand tightly in my own. David, we want to help you. If only you
would really let us.
That night David stayed at home. And the next night. And the rest of the week. Every
evening I expected to see him pulling on his jacket to meet his friends, but he continued
to refuse their phone calls. Dont let yourself believe it, I thought as I went to bed one
night, grateful that David was in his own room. Sooner or later hell go back to his old
ways. He always does.
Months went by and David stayed away from drugs. I knew that for sure, because he
never left the house without one of us with him. Just in case Im tempted to get in touch
with my friends, hed explained. He even agreed to attend family counseling sessions
and talk about his struggle to our pastor.
Did David tell you about the angel? I asked the pastor one Sunday.
Yes, he insists he was driven home that night. He wasnt behind the wheel.
He was hallucinating from the drugs, I said. He doesnt remember driving himself
home.
I dont think it matters if its true or not, the pastor said. David draws a lot of strength
to fight his addiction from thinking God sent him an angel. Who are we to tell him it
didnt happen?
A few weeks later I was at the supermarket picking up things for dinner. Just knowing
David would be joining the family around the table made my shopping more enjoyable. I
should enjoy it while it lasts, I thought as I got up to the cash register. The man behind me
in line helped me unload my cart onto the conveyer belt.
David seems to be doing a lot better, the man said.
Oh, do you know my son?
I live in town, the man said. One night several months ago my car broke down up
there in the woods. I couldnt get any phone reception. I asked God to send an angel to
help me and began walking. About five minutes later David crashed out of the trees. I
recognized him, although he was very distraught; He was yelling about spiders crawling
all over him. He handed me his keys and begged me to drive him home. To tell the truth I
was a little afraid of him in that state, the man said, but I knew if it were my son Id
want him home safe.
I stared at him. You drove David home?
Yup. I watched him get inside safely and used my cell to get a ride home myself. David
sure wasnt the angel I expected that night, but he was a lifesaver. My wife and I have
been praying for him ever since.
So Davids angel was real, all this time, I thought as I drove home from the store. He
wasnt a hallucination or one of Davids stories. God had answered Davids prayer, why
couldnt he have answered my own? I believed in Davids angel. I believed God was
helping him. And now, finally, I believed David had left drugs behind him forever.
he had had. I sat next to the head of his bed and talked with him as he dozed. A little
while later, Papaw perked up from his brief nap and peered to the corner of the room then
asked, Tami, what kind of hat are you wearing? I was still sitting up at the head of his
bed, confused at what he was asking. He asked the question again. Leaning against the
wall on the other side of the bed, my husband spoke up, Papaw, Tami is still right beside
you. Well who is that in the corner with that thing on her head? was the next question.
We assured him that no one was there, yet he insisted. Finally, he gave in to
embarrassment and pretended to ignore the thing he could see in the corner of the room.
Our visit ensued a little while longer until Papaw grew too tired to keep the conversation
going, so we said our goodbyes and left him with is hat-wearing visitor in the corner.
This phone call came early the next morning as well. Was the hat-wearing visitor the
Angel of Death again?
I was unable to attend my grandfathers funeral because I was admitted to the hospital for
the premature birth of my daughter, so I never have gotten the closure of his death. The
strange twist is that my daughter, whom I was pregnant with at the time, is the spitting
image of me but has my grandfathers personality. Not only are her mannerism identical
to his, but she likes the same things he did and even says some things only he would have
said. Although they never met, my daughter is my connection to my grandfather. She is
now 3 years old and has an array of imaginary friends, perhaps angels.
God was surely there in her birth because she did not suffer many of the problems that
preemie babies do and she came at a time when my aching heart needed to be filled with
love.
Even stranger Just this past week, my daughter and I visited my grandfathers grave for
the first time since his death. It was a surreal moment for me because I still expect my
grandfather to be sitting on his porch waiting for visitors. I still cant let go. However, as
I was just finishing writing the previous paragraph, my 3 year old daughter walked up to
me with a lapel pin of the Angel of Courage having this inscription: May this angel of
courage help you to have the strength to let go of the past & step into the future. I have
no idea where this pin must have come from, but it must be a sign telling me its okay to
let go of Papaw.
Eureka! Maybe I have encountered an angel or at least a messengermy daughter.
We got to the new house that a family had bought after theirs was completely demolished
by the tornado. We began unloading all of this into their new home.
We went back outside in the 100 degree or more weather to get more stuff when a man in
his middle 20s appeared. He was tall with dark brown hair. He had on a church shirt and
shorts. After awhile of moving things into the house we asked him if he would like a cold
bottle of water. His reply was, "No, thank you. I have some. I just live a couple blocks
away."
So we continued on. When we were finished we said our thank you's. When I turned
around, he was gone. I looked down the street both ways, no one. No cars drove by,
nothing. I then asked my mom and her friend if they saw him leave. They said no.
Later we talked to the neighbor and told him about the man. The guy that helped said that
he went to the same church and knew the neighbor and knew that he played the organ,
even called him by name. Yet when we asked our helper, he kept avoiding answering
what his name was. The guy next door didn't know a man that fit what we had told him.
I truly believe to this day that the man that helped us was an angel. I also believe that
there are many angels in Joplin. I will never forget him.
The Angels
By: k.gammons@att.net http://www.ainglkiss.com/
A couple of years ago, my parents and I was coming home from shoppong. We decided to
take the long way home to skip the highways by taking the back roads.
We heard a big pop and dad got out of the car and saw we had a flat. We were out in the
miiddle of nowhere, no one to be seen or heard. We were far from the nearest home or
stores. WE had no extra tire and it was pitch black outside.
So I got down on my knees parying "God please get us home, please let us get a tire and
be able to come home please."
A few mintues later two young men came out of no where and stopped and asked if we
needed help. They were very kind and gentle. almost non human. They had this glow
about them.They helped us when we needed the help the most. They had a extra tire the
exact size we needed and they put the tire on like they have done it a million times.
We told them thank you, and asked if there was anything we could do for them. They said
no, you all were in trouble and there is no need to thank them. They gave my dad a pat on
the back and gave me and mom a hug and said God bless you, God is with you.
They left and disappeared into thin air. We looked everywhere for them. I don't know
what happened that night but I believe those men was angels. They were watching over
us that night. All I can say . . .it's a miracle.
The Beach
By: kdm428@yahoo.com
Several years ago, while I was pregnant with my son, I went to the beach with my
mother, grandmother, and grandfather. We had left very early in the morning to collect
seashells. I was going through a very hard time in my life. My husband was cheating on
me, I was struggeling financially, and my family did not know of my pregnancy, which is
a story in itself. Anyhow, I remember kneeling down touching the water with my hands
and feeling at such peace. I have always loved the ocean. I began to pray to God, and
asked for his help in all that I was going through. I began to cry while I prayed because I
felt very alone at the time, and quickly dried my tears so that my family would not see
that I was crying. When I was done praying, I stood up and there was this older lady
standing directly in front of me. She handed me a shell. I told her that it was very pretty
and handed it back to her. She insisted that I take the shell. When I asked her if she was
wanting me to have it, I then realized she could not speak English. I took the shell and
thanked her. She then smiled at me with a pleased look on her face. I then turned around
and my grandmother was standing close by. I showed her the shell, and when I turned
back to point to the lady......... she had disappeared out of nowhere. Now, this is also
really weird.......... the only people on the beach during that early morning were me, my
grandmother, mother, grandfather, and another couple. My grandmother and I were the
only ones to see this lady. My grandma and me looked around for this lady and at that
moment we both realized we had just witnessed seeing an angel. My mother and
grandfather had not seen this woman when we asked them about it. After that incident,
things got alot worse before they got better, and they did indeed get better. I feel the angel
was letting me know that I would not be alone in this journey.
I am again going through a hard time, and need protection over my son. I know God and
his angels will be here for me and never leave my side.
This is very true and it did happen.
A while back, maybe a year ago, my mother was so excited to tell my dad and me about
her dream the previous night. She got us all pumped up so we all gathered on the couch
once everyone was awake and listening. She was so stunned at first that she wouldn't tell
us until we nagged her to spit it out. She said that in her dream she stood next to the
Blessed Mother and the Blessed Mother was showing her something similar to a
slideshow except the images where just there, not really solid, or even projected. Anyway,
the images she was seeing were like 150 different images of Mary. Such as Our Lady of
Prepetual Sorrows, Our Lady of Fatima, Mary Mother of God, etc. With each image of
Mary, she would tell my mom her name in the current image and have my mom repeat its
name over and over, "Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of
Guadalupe." After my mom had gone through the whole "slideshow" she said she woke
up, but she had forgotten all the names she had tried so hard to memorize, except for the
ones she had known prior to the dream.
It's simple, I know. But it's still something which can be a gift from God. I DO believe in
angels, I DO believe in signs and visions and miracles, but most importantly, I DO belive
in God the Father Almighty. God bless you and your family...
was almost in sight. But as always, college professors havent much heart and usually
schedule tests during the last three or four days preceding vacation, so sleep was hard to
come by.
Grandma Hendley had sent the funds for Margaretes long bus ride home. As soon as the
last class was over, Margarete made her way to the bus depot loaded down with packages
and a few presents. She quickly purchased her ticket and boarded the bus.
She was thankful that her first choice in seats was availablethe very last seat next to the
back doorwhere she could stretch out and sleep without interruption all the way to her
destination of Mankato, Minnesota. Stretching out with no one to bother her with
questions or break into her sleep felt like such a luxury.
The only sounds that filled the bus were the quiet murmurs of other passengers and the
steady hum of the tires on the highway. Such were the comforting, soothing sounds that
lulled a tired college sophomore to sleep. As she slept, the motion of the bus and her
tossing pushed her shoulders against the back door.
Suddenly, without warning, the back emergency exit door swung open with Margarete
wedged against it! Her head and shoulders hung out the open doorawakening her
instantlyand she felt herself falling into the blackness of the night toward the hard
concrete of the highway.
Her first thought was, Im going to die! She frantically grabbed for the door frame to
catch herself but missed! She prayed the most fervent prayer of her short life in just three
words: Jesus, help me! And to this day, she says she can almost still feel it: a pair of
huge hands caught her and pushed her back into the bus.
She quickly looked around, but no one was sitting near enough to her to have touched
her. When the warning light of the open door flashed red, the driver brought the bus to a
quick stop and came running down the aisle. Stopping short, he took in the sight of
Margarete sitting next to the open door and leaned down to ask her, Are you all right?
I cant understand how it happened. Did you lose anything? Are you afraid? Did you get
hurt?
As you can imagine, he was more than a bit upset with the problem. Still in a sort of
shock, Margarete answered, No sir, no problems. Well, then, how did you manage to
hold on and not fall out? She replied, I believe I had some heavenly help.
sudennly her cellphone rang the caller ID on the number was Francine but Francine died
6 months earlier and her phone was disconnected, but the strange thing is that francine
died in a car accident when she fell asleep at the wheel. i am convinced that Francine has
asked angels to watch over us
The Cook
Location: Washington DC USA
By: Robert Clements/catholic.org
It is the Fall of 1989,I had heard my Aunt was in the hospital in richmond VA. Suffering
from Dibetic complications. One Leg Amputaated the other in question and Health isues.
the tell my mother, Her sister might not make it. A week passed. I finaly cought up with
her son George who at this time was leaving for Richmond that Day. Can I go with you, I
sugested. Yes! I felt good hust to go and to see her maybe this one last time. I live in
Washington DC, and for me Richmond is in the Country. However it is a City. As a child
my mother sent me and my two sisters for the summer. Bare foot Baths in tubs.Pulling
water from the well. It was Heaven little care Cousins Aunts Grandmother. And my
Moms. I look back at this and just Dream! When ariving at the Hospital i noticed it was
as large as Some of the Ones at Home.I was begaining to understand this is life. Where
we are born and wher some die. I was not feeling fear I didn't want to see her.Dying and
in missery. I had never seen anyone missing a leg, or Dying. George went ahead of me, i
lingered out in the hall for a minnute of so. A God sent me a Truth, say your heart speak
your mind. Only good can come from truth and Love. I felt "God is with me" God loves
me. I walked in to her room, and I couldnt believe my eyes. Boath legs were Amputated.
Her eyes closed, but conscience.
What am I to say! Hi Aunt Cleo! She murmered my name, I just stared; How long your
going to be here? She's talking of what I don't want to hear'death'.God is Good. I have
lived a good life. i didn't want to hear this. Cleo! Cleo! George said the medication has
her drousy. Dont talk so loud. I just Want to tell her about the cook out! thats the last
thing on her mind. She softly spoke,"Cook out" yes!!
Youll be around for the cook out. you make the best Potato Salid on Earth, she smiled.
'thats all you think about FOOD' We boath laughed the energy level in the room dubbled
quadrupled. I had changed the subject from the after life to Life. I felt good. Spirits were
up,God was in. when we left i knew not the outcome. Yet i knew I spoke my truth.i knew
I would see her again. In this life of with God. She pulled through and 9 months later we
were all sitting a Georges Cook out. Cleo and all of our family for the first time ever. god
let her see this. And This Story is something in my life that has made Truth my life's goal.
The Dove
By: Michael De La Cerda/catholic.org
It was a late spring day when were all gathered around my grandmother's bed, praying
and softly singing, as she was slowly dying from throat cancer. There was also a nurse in
attendance who was a part of the hospice team. The final moment came along with the
many tears. As she was being taken to the coroner's van, the family, children and adults
alike, lined up on both sides of the walkway leading from her house to the street and sang
her a final farewell. We then gathered in the backyard of her home where we shared the
many stories of her life. There were around 11 of us sitting together in a large circle, apart
from other people in the yard, during this time. Our circle was comprised of mostly the
older grandchildren. As we sat talking, laughing and remembering, we became silent as a
white dove suddenly landed directly in the middle of our circle. We continued to sit
quietly as the dove peacefully walked around the inside of the circle of chairs and after
gracing us with his company inside the circle, found its way to other areas of the yard,
where other children and adults were sitting nearby. It continued to walk around,
seemingly at peace and unafraid of any person in the yard. After about eight minutes or
so, it gently flew away. We were blessed that day with a messenger of peace. God's
reassurance to us that my grandmother was at peace and suffering no longer. And the
manifestation of God's grace upon us was shown to us in a most familiar form.
The Dream
By: Anonymous
Early this year (2010) I had an experience that up till today, I truly believe was my
guardian angel rescuing me from death in my sleep. I was having a dream and I dreamt
that I had come to the end of a road and suddenly everything went dark and it seemed as
if my dream just came to a stop or dead end.. all I remember was darkness and
nothing else. Suddenly, I heard a very loud knock! I awoke with a jolt thinking that
somebody had knocked on our bedroom door. I asked my husband if he heard it because,
strangely he was still asleep (he is a very light sleeper). I searched the whole house and
peeped through the window thinking that maybe the loud knocking had come from our
neighbors house, but there was nobody. When I got back to bed, I remembered my
weird dream and the only answer I came up with was that I had probably died or was
dying in my sleep and my guardian angel woke me up with that loud knocking I heard..
My husband is still convinced I was having a dream, but I know that it wasnt a dream. I
know what I heard and felt and I strongly believe that we all have our very own guardian
angel. Thank you Father for You are good all the time.. thank you for our Guardian
Angels whom you have sent to protect us.
circles. My co-worker Sharon grabbed hold of me and held me tight. I was shaking and
saying over and over "I have to go home, something is wrong something bad is going to
happen". This lasted for about seven minutes. Sharon would not let me go and then
suddenly the feeling left me. We looked at the time and it was 1:45 in the afternoon, the
feeling left me at 1:52.
I suddenly knew that everything was okay. I was working in a location that had no land
line phones and this was before cell phones, so I could not call my husband and check on
him.
I finished out my day at work and as I drove up to my home there were several police
cars in my driveway. At exactly 1:40 pm that afternoon my husband who works out of our
home felt the need to go to the store. He left the house for fifteen minutes. While he was
gone five very aggressive men took an ax to our door, kicked it in and rip out vcr's, t.v.'s
and several other items. They were caught and the police officer came by the house with
the men who were pointing out all the homes that they had robbed in our neighbor. The
officer said that if my husband had been home, they would have hurt him or even killed
him.
I feel that my guardian angel saved my husband by instilling the need in him to go to the
store at that exact time. He still does not know why he went that day. But I am thankful to
my angels for their love and help in looking after my family.
Julie Brown-Williams
"Always Listen to Your Guardian Angel"
This is an angel story that has a moral to it. Always listen to your guardian angel! One
morning as I woke up I heard a voice saying over and over don't get on the boat, don't get
on the boat. So I told my husband about it. That day we were going boating with a friend
who was bringing another friend that we had not met yet with their own boat as well.
My husband and I talked about what I had heard and we made a decision to go met with
them on the beach, but not to get on any of the boats that day. However at the end of the
day after not getting on any of the boats, my friend talked me and my husband into
getting on the boat for just a ride only. We gave in and went.
While they were pulling a tuber in a double tube, the new ski rope, snapped. It snapped
because the tuber had fell off the tube and the boat driver who had been drinking
continued to drive the boat at over 30 mph even after we repeatedly yelled at him to stop.
The tube submerged and held fast in the water, the ski rope had an estimated 4,000
pounds of pressure place on it and it snapped. At first everyone thought someone was
shooting at us. It sounded like two gun shots.
The first of the two gun shot sounds were when the rope snapped and the second one,
when it hit me in the head. It knocked me out and cause great bodily injury to me. I am
disabled now due to what happened. I wish I had listened to my guardian angel.
So everyone out there don't make the mistake that I did. Listen to your guardian angel.
Even if you feel stupid or foolish, don't give in to others wishes around you. Let God lead
the way for you through the guidance he gives you through your guardian angels.
Julie Brown
You may use my name or not. It is up to you. Thank you.
and set up a long romantic weekend in Bermuda. Then things started to go wrong, and it
seemed her plans were ruined... until "fate" intervened:
My husband grudgingly agreed to go, but was concerned with the short time between our
connecting flights. We thought things were going well going into Philly, but there had
been some bad weather and the planes were backed up, hence we were put in a holding
pattern and landed just as our connecting flight to Bermuda was due to board. We rushed
through the airport, only to arrive at the check-in desk as the gate door was closing. I was
devastated and my husband was NOT in a good mood. We asked for new flights, but
were told that it would take two more flights and about 10 more hours to arrive. My
husband said, "That's it. I'm not putting up with this anymore," and started to walk out of
the area and -- I just knew -- out of the marriage. I was truly devastated. As my husband
was walking away, the attendant saw on the counter (and I swear it had not been there
when we checked in) a packet. She was obviously upset that it was still there. It turned
out to be the landing papers packet that the pilot MUST have on board to land in a
different country. She quickly called the plane to return. The plane had been on the
runway ready to start powering up the engines. It returned to the gate for the papers and
they allowed us (and others) to get on. Our time in Bermuda was wonderful and we
resolved to work on our problems. Our marriage has gone through more rough times, but
we both have never forgotten that incident in the airport when I felt as if my world had
collapsed and was given a miracle that helped us keep a marriage and a family together.
The different art formsdrawing and painting, dance and dramagave them ways to
communicate and process their experiences. In order to really understand how this
therapy worked, I had to try it myself. I stared at the blank paper. Drawing didn't come
naturally to me.
"Don't judge yourself," the instructor said. "Just start scribbling!"
I picked up a green oil stick and streaked it across the paper. I made loops and circles
with green and red. I grabbed a new sheet and started again. Bright green and purple
covered the page, and I added a little blue house up in the corner.
I stopped drawing. Where had I seen a blue house like that before?
In a dream! The memory came back in a rush. I was five. My mother had just been
diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She told me not to worry, but I did. Was Mom going to
die?
Then one night I had a dream. I was walking down our driveway. An angel waited for me
at the end. He scooped me up in his enormous wings. He was glorious!
He cradled me in his strong arms as we flew into the sky. Up, up, past the moon and the
clouds until we came to a little blue house amid the stars.
Suddenly I was inside it! And I was no longer afraid. The walls protected me just like the
strong arms of the angel. Inside my star house I felt loved and cared for, completely and
forever. I felt strong.
That dream became my refuge. No matter how I worried during the day, at night I found
comfort in my star house. Finally, I could see that Mom was going to be okay; her disease
was under control.
I forgot all about my star houseuntil that day in my art therapy class when it popped out
in my painting. I felt a rush of comfort and strength, just like in my dreams as a child.
"Now you can see the power of art and dreams," the instructor said when I explained my
picture.
The star house became an important part of my master's thesis. Now that it was back in
my life, I didn't want to let go of the feeling it gave meeven after all these years. I hoped
it would help me teach other children how to find such strength within themselves.
After graduating I had a chance to put my skills to work with children on psychiatric
wards. We celebrated when a child healed enough to leave the hospital.
We also knew the harsh reality. For too many the struggle was far from over. It was a big
step going from a safe, structured environment into an unpredictable world.
"It's so frustrating," I said to another therapist one day. "These kids need a place where
they can transition at their own pace." The words had barely left my mouth when a
thought came to me: Why don't you make a place for them?
That night I lay in bed thinking about my star house. Every child deserved what it had
given me: a feeling of being loved and protected. But I had had an angel to carry me there
on his wings. I didn't have wings. Could I help other children anyway?
God, I thought, I felt your loving protection in my dream. I want these children to know
that feeling too. Help me find a way.
The next day I called a friend who was the director of a group home in Beverly,
Massachusetts, which was not far from where I lived. "That's quite an undertaking," he
said when I told him the idea.
"But if you do it here in Beverly, I could introduce you to locals who could help."
My friend made good on his promise. We formed a dedicated board of directors, wrote a
mission statement with program policies, and developed a business plan. Star House
became a nonprofit corporation.
Then the Office of Community Development gave us a grant to buy ourselves a house. I
began hunting with a real estate agent. Months went by. I saw house after house with no
luck. The few times we did bid, we lost. "It's hopeless," I told the agent after another
afternoon of searching.
"We'll find your house," the agent said. "Don't worry." I remembered trying not to worry
when my mom first got sick. When I was only five and didn't know how to keep my
worries at bay, God had given me my dream.
But now I was all grown up. I would be strong and put all my worries about finding a
house in his hands. Perhaps he would give me this dream too.
"Okay," I told the agent. "We'll just keep on looking."
A few days later we were driving up a narrow driveway. I looked out the car window at a
cheerful blue colonial house, much like the one I had drawn with my oil stick. I opened
the car door and got out slowly. Could this be the house for us? I stepped onto the
sidewalk.
An inviting path led from the front door right to my feetand what was that on the ground
where I stood? A bright blue star drawn in colored chalk.
The homeowner came out and introduced himself. "My daughter drew that star today," he
explained. "She's been practicing, and that's the very first star she got just right!"
Not only just right. More like just perfect. Could there be any doubt we had found our
house? After a quick tour inside, we sealed the deal.
Today Star House has six children in residence, ages 5 to 12. They go to school, play
games, have picnics, make friends and get the intensive therapy they need. When they're
strong enough they will move on to live with families of their own.
But even after they move on, I hope they carry Star House with them, just as I have for so
many years. Star House isn't four walls and a roof, or the furniture or toys donated by the
community. The real Star House is a safe place where everyone feels God's love
and protection.
I thought my angel had built it just for me, but God made the house. All children are
welcome there.
The Highway
By: armymom40@frontiernet.net (http://www.ainglkiss.com/)
I had a truly good Hawaiian friend named Amado. He passed away in Portland some
years ago. I lived an hour and a half away on the other side of Mt. Hood. I owned my
own business and decided to leave that night after closing around 9:30p.m. to head to
Portland for the funeral the next day.
Everything that could go wrong on a trip went wrong that night. I believe Amado did not
want me at his funeral. I believe he did not want me to see him that way.
Driving in the night, I was very tired. I decided that when I got to the top of the
Mountain, I would stop a the only gas station on the mountain and get a cup of coffee.
Well, I slowed down to pull in and noticed they were closed, so I pulled back out on the
road and bang! My transmission fell out. Right there. Had I been going any faster, I
could have been killed. I was scared. I was in the middle of nowhere in the dark on an
extremely cold night. It was then that I noticed a pay phone in my rear view mirror.
What a coincidence right? I called for help and knew it would take the help at least an
hour and a half to reach me. I hung up the phone and out of nowhere there was a man in a
truck asking me if I needed help. Normally, I would have been scared to death, but I
trusted him. He took me to a restaurant about a half a mile away and bought me a cup of
coffee. He never said anything to me that whole time. When we got back to my car he
looked a me and asked "Do you believe in Jesus?". I said "yes". He asked me if I
believed that the Lord protecte us. I also ansered "yes". He pulled up in front of my car
so I could use his headlights to get back in to mine. I thanked him and got out of his
truck. I got back into my car and all of the sudden it was silent and dark. He
disappeared! Evaporated. I looked both ways down the highway. I could see in both
directions at least a mile. I did not hear his truck pull away or experience gradual loss of
light. He just disappeared. I believe this man was sent from God to look after me that
night. Imagine my surprise about a month later when I happened to visit that restaraunt
and found out they close at 6:00p.m and they claimed they have never been open that late
at night. WOW! Know that GOD Loves you and protects you always.
In 1936 an enterprising Veronian built a balcony on a house off the Piazza delle Erbe and
declared it the Casa di Giulietta. Its courtyard is often crowded with people who take
turns posing on the balcony.
That wasnt the only spot where pilgrims might feel a kinship with the tender, angelic
Juliet. For centuries people with romantic troubles had written letters to Shakespeares
heroine. At first they left their letters at the San Francesco al Corso Monastery, which was
said to be the place of Juliets tomb.
Later, when mail service improved, they sent letters addressed simply to Juliet Capulet,
Verona, Italy. Some tucked notes between the bricks in the wall at Casa di Giulietta, or
wrote their messages right on the bricks themselves.
Eventually the house put up panels that could be replaced twice a yearonce on
September 16, Juliets birthday, and next onwhen else?Valentines Day.
The Juliet Club has its work cut out, the American woman said.
The Juliet Club? I asked. Is that something you have in the USA?
No, its right here in Verona, she said. The club receives Juliets mail and responds to
every single letter by hand. More than six thousand a year.
How could such a thing be going on right here in Verona without me knowing about it? I
had to learn more. For the first time in my life, the tourists were directing me somewhere!
I found the Juliet Club housed in a small building on the outskirts of the city. It was
founded in 1993 by a baker, Giulio Tamassia, who remains president. I spoke to one of
the volunteers, Giovanna. We are Juliets secretaries, she said.
She showed me piles of mail in a dozen languages: Italian, German, English, Spanish,
Japanese... Dear Juliet, one letter began, Im writing to you because youre the only
person who can understand how I feel.
So many letters start like that, said Giovanna.
People who were lonely, or were too young and shy to open their hearts to family or
friends, turned to Juliet, a girl who sacrificed everything for love. The girl who said, My
bounty is as boundless as the sea,/My love as deep; the more I give to thee,/The more I
have, for both are infinite.
Angels carried prayers to God and brought divine comfort. Juliets secretaries brought a
different kind of comfort. The comfort that comes from another human being who says,
I understand.
When I saw the archive of answered letters and imagined all those people reaching out
There were a lot of badly made pianos in the world but there was no such thing as a badly
made child.
At dinner, I told my family about the unveiling. Thats when my son-in-law introduced
me to Craigslist, a site where people put up ads for buying and selling. Right away I
spotted some good model pianos, both nearby and in the neighboring states of Kansas and
Texas. Id struck gold!
When I find a deal I drive to the piano to try it out myself. I make any small repairs the
piano might need, clean it up the best I can, and Larry puts it in tune. Now Dayna calls
me The Piano Rescuer for real.
You might say I got that job Id imagined. Truth is, Id had it all along. Bringing out the
potential in a good piano isnt so different from bringing out the potential in a child. And
the angels are hard at work on their musical influences. I hear it in their voices every time
I accompany them in the auditorium.
drive on the shoulder of the road without any concern of any obstructions and that it
would be safe to do so. This occurred instantly. No sooner than I received this
information, the semi-truck and camper was upon us. Sure enough, the camper came out
around to pass the semi,
as if they did not see us. As I pulled over to the shoulder of the road to avoid a head on
collision, the camper was in my lane, passing the semi.
But that was not all; as this occurred, I could see, in my mind, angels and the Christ
swirling around the pickup truck I was driving, as if they were protecting us. Also, I
greatly sensed a love beyond any love I experienced in my life. That love was a love I
desired to have again for it was the love of the Christ.
There is no greater love than that of the Christ for which I experienced.
It was beautiful.
"I'll be ok."
"Is there anything else you need? she questioned.
"I sure could use some food."
"Follow me," she said.
I walked with her about twenty feet, then she stopped under one of the park streetlights.
She held out her hand and said, "Here, you take this letter and give it to the store owner."
I looked at her outstretched arm but saw nothing in her hand. "There's nothing in your
hand," I told her.
"Roger, reach out and take the letter from my hand," she replied.
Slowly I reached out, acting as though I was taking something from her hand.
"Now close your thumb and finger and hold the paper tightly," she instructed.
I closed my thumb and finger as though I were grasping the letter.
"Take it to any store owner."
"What do I say to them?"
"Nothing," she replied.
"But what store do I go to?"
"It doesn't matter," she said, as she smiled.
I turned and began walking toward Five Points. Several blocks down the road, I came to a
store with a woman sitting behind a counter. I opened the door, walked in, and stopped
directly in front of her.
"Can I help you?" asked the woman.
I was hesitant to talk and had no idea what I should say. Very slowly I held out my hand
toward her. I watched her face to see if she might think I was crazy or something.
"Is that for me?" she asked.
"Yes Ma'am. I looked down at the floor.
She reached out and as her hand touched mine, I opened my tightly closed fingers and
stood there waiting. She pulled back, smiled, and looked down at her hands.
She immediately turned and walked to the back of the store. I began to inch toward the
front door for fear she might be calling the police. Just as I made it to the front door, I
stopped as I heard someone call my name. I turned around and saw the woman holding a
paper plate.
"Roger, here is something for you to eat."
"How did you know my name?" I asked her.
"It was on the paper."
"But there wasn't no paper. I didn't see no paper," I told her.
She smiled and motioned for me to eat by twirling her finger in front of her mouth.
Within two or three minutes, I had downed the entire plate of food and several coca colas.
"Are you full?" she asked.
"Yes Ma'am."
"Then it's time for you to go."
I turned to leave when I felt her hand on my shoulder.
"Here, your paper. You almost forgot your letter," she said, holding out her hand.
Again seeing nothing, I held out my hand and closed my thumb and finger as though I
were taking something from her. Tightly grasping nothing more than air, I walked out into
the street and headed back to the park. When I arrived, the old woman was sitting on the
park bench.
"Did you eat?" she asked.
"Yes Maam, and I had two coca colas too."
"Good."
"How do you do that magic?" I asked her.
"Its not magic."
"But how does everyone know my name?"
The Man
By: Anonymous from http://www.ainglkiss.com/
When I was about 3 or 4 me, my mother, and my older brother were on our way to day
care that was located up in the mountains on our indian reservation. I was in the backseat
in my car seat, while my brother was sitting in the front seat. At the time, he was only
about 5 or 6. I was so young, so I don't remember the details of the accident, but I know
our car completely flipped and we landed upside down. The location was a bit secluded,
so it would have been a while until someone found us. I remember being upside down in
my car seat, and all of a sudden seeing a man with blue jeans and a green shirt reach into
our car and pull my mom out. He then preceded to pull all of us out of the car. My brother
injured his head very badly and was bleeding profusely all over his face. The man took
off his shirt and wrapped it around his head. I don't remember most of the details, but I
remember so vividly the man reaching in the car to rescue my mom. Someone finally saw
us and the ambulance came.
No one saw this man except for me and my family. My mom says she remembers him
walking away, no car, no place to go. We were in the mountains, where did he come
from? We can tell he wasn't homeless, because he was very well groomed.
The fact that we ALL remember this man tells me that it's real. To this day we all believe
he was an angel. Everytime I lose faith, I remind myself of this man and the incredible
kindness he showed to us. Someone was watching out for us that day and sent this man to
save us. It wasn't our time to go!
Sue is a very small woman - approximately 100 pounds and 5' tall. Felix is not much
more. My husband Henry is approximately 6' tall weighing in at 240 pounds.
Everything was wonderful - we would slide into the water and swim back up to the boat.
After about an hour of doing this I was tired and decided to go in and make some tea.
Please remember that this house boat is separated in the middle by quarters with a
kitchen, table, bed, etc. The front of the boat was separated by doors and directly after the
doors was where the captain would sit on the right hand side facing the front with doors
and windows separating him from outside. You really could not see from the front of the
boat to the stern in the back where the slide was.
Shortly after my kettle was boiling I heard Felix yelling "get the life preserver" - not just
yelling, but screaming. There was Sue and my husband Henry a few yards from the boat
and unable to swim back.
I ran out the back and Felix jumped in the water (without a life-jacket on). Felix soon
realized that he could not help Henry and Sue because they were too far away from us. At
this point, Henry is holding Sue in the water where the undertow was taking them away far away. It is approximately 6:30 p.m. at night and there was no one else around. Felix
just keeps looking at his wife and best friend and doesn't know what to do.
At this point I ran to the front of the boat and started screaming "God help us please help us anyone can you hear me - they are going to drown." Right then I looked down at
the side of the boat (remember, I'm at the front of the boat) and there are two men in a
canoe. Their first question was "do you need us to start the boat" - remember I had not
taken lessons - Felix was crazy and wouldn't take his eyes off of his wife and didn't think
about starting the boat.
All of a sudden this man is in the boat starting it and we are next to Henry and Sue in the
water grabbing them up and saving their lives.
Henry told us later he was just about to let Sue go as he had no strength left because of
the undertow. I was watching all of this from the front of the boat and proceeded to go to
the back of the boat and when I turned around the canoe was gone and so were the men
who saved their lives. Everyone thought I started the boat and Felix never saw anyone
drive the boat. He only knew it was started and that his wife and friend were going to
live.
Two Years Later
My friend Sue's father passed away when she was nine years old. Sue and Felix decided
to move to Coe Hill, Ontario two years after the above incident. In helping Sue move her
things out of her mother's house one day, Sue was in her mother's bedroom (I had never
been in her mother's home before) she asked me to help her with something. When I
walked in the room I saw a large picture of a man on her mother's dresser and I began to
cry and scream at the same time.
"That angel was not for me or Henry because Henry could have swam to shore alone if he
had let you go - that angel was your father and your father saved your life - the man in the
wedding picture with your mother was the angel!"
ever experienced in my entire life...On the bed, right in front of my eyes laid a white
piece of paper. I even thought to myself, I know that is not that money order. I reached
for the paper, turned it over, and indeed it was the lost money order. It was not there
before I said this prayer, I promise you, it was not! I was so moved by this experience,
that when I went to tell my husband that I had found it, all I could do was cry. I could
only tell him that I prayed and I guess an angel came and put this much needed rent, right
where I could find it. He simply said, baby, I believe you.
I am not crazy. I know that this money order was not there before I knelt to pray. My
personal guardian angel was there for me. I have never doubted the presence of higher
beings since then. And never will! God only gives us what we can handle, and he knew
that this was more than I could bare. He sent my angel, and I will never forget, and will
always testify to this!
back of the car. I could not see their faces as their heads were down leaning into the car.
My mind confused by this sight as I knew there was no one at the rear of the building and
they could not have pass me down the drive because the mirrors of the car were inches
from the sides of the buildings.
Hit the gas flashed into my mind and within seconds I traveled all the way down the lane
to the street and just before I turned onto the road I looked into the rear view and watched
the two hulking men disappear before my eyes. I arrived at the shop just as my wife
exited the shop. It brought my eyes to tears to understand that God new when I was at the
breaking point and sent two angels to lift my car and my spirit.
The sign
By: Wren/catholic.org
One day I watched an old Fulton Sheen show in which he told about making a pilgrimage
for Mary. To show his faith in her he brought no money to pay for his hotel and relied on
her to help him in this area. Towards the end of his trip when he was starting to get
nervous about the bill he met a group of tourists who paid for his hotel and some in
exchange for his translating for them.
This story delighted me. Is it really so easy to ask and be given? I stepped into my lanai
and with a happy, playful voice said, "Ok, God. Show me a sign."
It was a cloudy day and I didn't expect anything because the sky was completely cloud
covered. Then, within about five seconds of my request a large white cloud formed. But it
was not the comforting vision most people would expect. It was in the form of the devil,
and the detail was amazing! I was terrified!
I called out to my husband, but he took his time and it was gone before he got there.
Seeing the seriousness in my face, he believed me and asked what it looked like. I told
him it had the horns and beard but strangely enough, the face looked like his mother's.
This marked the beginning of a very difficult time in my life. A few months later I was let
go from my job and my mother in law, who I considered the most evil person I knew,
started developing dementia. Within two years she was in a wheelchair and on a Holy
Thursday we brought her to live with us. We've been taking care of her in our home since.
Now I no longer ask for signs. The only other sign I've been given is that the purple
passion flower in my yard has been producing red flowers. I take it that she is our passion
and our care of her will bring us, and maybe her, closer to God.
This is the story of how my grandmother's house is haunted by a man. Ever since I can
remember there has been a man, dressed in what looks to be in the 1930s. My
grandmother's house is located at El Paso, Texas.
Not many have seen this man, but those that do always describe him the same way. He is
a white male around six feet tall, wearing a black cowboy hat, and a white long-sleeve
shirt. His face is pale with blue eyes.
He appears in many hours of the day. I have seen him in the middle of the day, as well as
one in the morning. He appears for a brief moment, then disappears and doesn't interact.
He's not a bad spirit, but still scares you for the fact that he's dead.
The thing is, he's been here for a long time, and even though he's dead, we sort of see him
as a silent guardian. He's never been spotted inside the house and has not brought misery
upon anyone. On a certain level, I feel bad that his soul hasn't found peace, and that's why
I have contacted my church. My priest will conduct a blessing in hopes of him finding
peace.
I will update this story once I get my priest to do the blessing. Some of these situations
don't resolve so fast and some become a bit violent. Since he's been here since I can
remember, I think he will understand that I'm just trying to help him.
The Photo
By: Fabios68@aol.com (from ainglkiss.com)
Last month my wife and I were at our daughter's practice dance recital. When we took a
picture with our digital camera, we were amazed. In the photo, we saw a full angel, all
white with wings and another person between her legs. The second person image had a
head, eyes and arms. I took the photo to an expert. He said that he had never seen an
image like it. There is no defect in the camera and also in the picture. My family and
friends cant believe the picture . It seems that the angel wants me to tell a lot of people
and wants to be seen. We don't know what to do with this amazing picture but we feel
very blessed. I havent been to church in quite a while but I went after this picture because
I felt it was sign to keep praying and talk to people. They said that the image between the
angel legs are more spirits. I will like more feedback as much I can get. Thanks.
plaque to me, since my mother had passed away several years before. The plaque always
stayed on the wall, with the angel watching from above the heads of our children at sleep
and play.
On the coldest day of the year in January 1996, our family suffered a devastating house
fire. Unfortunately, it was started by our then four-year-old daughter, who was playing
with a discarded "child-proof" lighter in her bedroom.
I was on the phone when the smoke detector sounded. I was not thinking of the
possibility of an actual fire raging upstairs, since we had problems of the detector
sounding without reason for three days prior. As I approached the stairway, I was shocked
to actually see smoke and the flicker of flames.
My husband had just arrived home from work as I was running out of the door with three
children ...
I didn't have my baby!
My husband ran up the stairs and flew into the room where the fire was. There was our
daughter, still sitting on the floor, cross-legged, staring at the flames that swelled around
her. She was not touched by the flames, heat or even smoke. She was safe!
The next day, my father, oldest brother and I walked through what remained of the wellbuilt older home. As we carefully walked up the ice-covered steps to the second floor, I
caught sight of the plaque on the wall.
It was not burned, but badly covered in soot. Everything around was either melted or
burned, but the angel plaque remained intact.
I took the angel plaque into my hands and held it in front of me as I cried.
"Thank you for protecting my baby," I said softly, looking at the angel plaque. My tears
fell directly onto the completely blackened family heirloom.
Almost instantaneously, a life-sized Guardian Angel began to appear through the
blackness, right before our eyes!
Through the fire, the Guardian Angel protected not only my children, but also the beloved
plaque she adorns.
I still have the angel plaque. It is still blackened, and some of the varnish has chipped off,
but she still watches over my family, as she will watch over the families of my children
for many years to come.
The Queen
by Alastar Packer
This Guardian Angel story begins with someone who's been there forever it seems like.
Sitting on the same table, in the same corner of the same room, at the Methodist Church
where I went to kindergarten as a child. Her face is one that exudes kindness, but her lips
never speak, they only smile. Whether this is a true Guardian Angel experience or
something from the deep subconscious, I don't know, but deep down it feels like the
former.
No wings unfold from behind her arms, for she only wears a medallion on her bodice and
a simple but majestic looking white dress that comes down to her shoes. A small, but
beautiful crown sits atop her short blond hair. She's also petite and appears to be middleaged, but then again, there is a timeliness about her, too. In some ways she seems to
embrace the past, present, and future all rolled into one.
Whenever I was down, or doubting a nice future, this golden lady vision, thought of as
"The Queen," would appear in my mind's eye and smile, and then I would know
everything was going to be alright, or at least feel that it would be.. There was never any
hello, how are you - nothing, no words bespoke her at all. She could impart an energy of
love simply by looking up and smiling. Then the scene would fade away until the next
visitation.
I won't be self-indulgent with the reader by listing all the many times I've walked away
from situations that I certainly shouldn't have, near escapes from a deadly fate you might
say. But without fail, way down inside, there was always a feeling of someone or
something's protection. Most of us have probably had these intuitions after such times,
close calls - a feeling of being watched over that is.
The one personal event I'll use as an example occurred during the rashness of an
unbridled adolescence. To keep the story short, suffice to say a long, thick metal pole
entered the Chevy's left front and punched a hole in below the dash, then tore through the
base of the driver's seat and exited out the left rear of the vehicle. An inch in any other
way but vertically straight down would have meant a horrible death as the place was
rural, it was late at night, and I was some ways from any occupied dwelling.
After the police arrived at the scene - I had to walk between four and five miles to find a
house which somewhat amazingly turned out to be a Highway Patrolman's - said it was a
miracle I'd walked out of the car alive and let me leave, uncharged, with my employer,who told me, "Someone was looking out for you, son." And this from a man not given to
saying such things at all.
How the Stories Came About
The following Guardian Angel stories come from people this author has known and
respected for many years. They are truthful and well-grounded individuals who related
their incredible encounters to me personally: in two cases face-to-face, and one by an email correspondence which will be explained more fully later on in the article. This
person will have their first and surnames substituted as there was a request for anonymity
in the private communication.
Johnny and Gail
Johnny is an 82-year-old African American gentleman full of the joy of life and a
pleasure to be around. He's also very talented individual creatively, which comes as no
surprise considering Academy-Award winner Denzel Washington is a relative, for one
thing.
The man has been a firm believer in God and the Christian bible since a small lad and this
is the occurrence that happened to him that set him on that course of devotion and belief:
As an eight year old alone in his bed one morning, Johnny suddenly saw, vividly and
clearly, three beautiful angelic appearing entities, that slowly glided from one side of his
room to the other, only to disappear through a bedroom wall.
Anyone who knows Johnny well can only assume these spirits or angels have been there
with him all his life, in one fashion or another; he truly believes that they have. Also, it
wasn't long after his angelic encounter that Johnny spotted a little demon-looking entity
staring at him from a tree limb near a pond; his pal saw it as well when Johnny pointed it
out to him. Perhaps there was some kind of spiritual battle going on over him at that time
in his young life.
Gail is a lovely person this writer has had the good fortune to be acquainted with for a
number of years. I still remember well the day she came over for dinner one night, with a
pensive look on her face and an incredibly scary story to tell. While driving her car earlier
that day, through a medium-sized city, she'd completely blacked-out for at least ten
minutes. She recalled absolutely nothing between going blank and coming to while still
driving the car the whole time. However this happened, Gail said she felt as if someone
was protecting her.
In and of itself this sense of protection may not be unusual, but what she further related
certainly makes it seem so. As a six year old she had nearly died of bronchitis and strep
throat in the families farm home. Her largely Native American paternal grandfather had
passed away right before her birth with a promise to always watch over the coming babe.
Gail had never gotten the chance to meet him. At the crisis point in the illness, her
grandpa came into the room and sat down beside the child, telling her all would be well,
imparting knowledge by speaking of things she couldn't possibly have known about
according to her parents. She, too, has felt a protecting presence throughout her life in
many dangerous near miss events.
Guardians can come in many guises, as the next story reveals in spades.
Bonnie's Astounding Childhood Experiences
Bonnie is a friend I've come to know well going on over two years now. She is intelligent,
erudite, and down to earth. Although she graciously agreed to let me tell her amazing
childhood tale, she also requested anonymity which will be respected. However, if her
true identity were known by many who know her, and if she was gotten to know well by
others who don't, they would have no doubts as to her mental stability and honest
intentions. Bonnie did not ask that her story be published, but as one of the most
intriguing this writer has ever heard, the decision was made to reveal what you are about
to read.
When a young girl Bonnie lived with her parents in the base housing of a branch of the
military forces located in the Deep South. Their house was near a golf course and inbetween the two laid a swampy area. All the local kids were warned not to go near the
marsh, as alligators were known to inhabit it. Being a spirited young lass, and desiring the
delicious raspberries about the vines one day, she disobeyed her parents and went there
with a pail. While picking away, she suddenly heard a woman's voice say, "What are you
doing, Brie Collins?"
Bonnie turned to the woman and she was like no person she'd ever seen. The woman was
wearing gypsy-like clothing, mainly of red, with a veil about her head. She was holding
roses, too, while beside her was a huge bush full of pink roses. Bonnie hadn't seen the
bush on arriving so was staring at it, hard. She also asked why the lady had called her
Brie Collins. The woman ignored the question and speaking in a firm but kind voice, told
her to return home at once or she would never eat raspberries again. Bonnie, a bit
frightened, dropped the pail and hurriedly did just that.
Later that evening it was found one of the base's teenagers had lost a foot to an alligator
in the swamp and was laying in a culvert. The most unusual thing about this encounter
was what the woman had said to Bonnie. It was only years later, after being told she was
adopted by her mama and shown the original birth certificate - presumably her mother
knowing one or both parents -- that she found out her birth name had indeed been, Brie
Collins.
While living on the base the TV programs would often be interrupted by what her daddy
called snow. As Bonnie was to later realize, the snow images had nothing to do with the
programming. The freaky part was that often, when the TV was turned off, images would
just linger on the screen and move. Sometimes they would suddenly appear on a screen
that had been turned off for some time. Once when alone with her dad listening to
records, the turned off set abruptly lit up with images of faces. She asked her daddy who
those people were. He made a joke about them before getting up and pulling the plug, but
even then the images lingered on for quite a while.
Another time she was in her parents room when the screen of the little TV there suddenly
turned itself on and brightened up. Bonnie saw on the screen what she took for strangelooking men. There was audio, too, like they were talking, but not in English. Her mama
came in, snapped off the set, and took her out of the room. Her mother never said a word
about the incident but she could tell it upset her mom. The TV gremlins, which is what
her father called them, spooked Bonnie.
To this day she cannot sleep with an uncovered TV set in the room.
All the kids at the base community knew of them. Little men of two different types, taller
silver ones, and large-headed red ones. The children usually referred to them as devils
although the red ones were more mischievous than bad. They walked through walls and
doors and had a habit of carrying things off; things like car parts, but also vacuum
cleaners, knives, and toilet dispenser bars etc. The kids saw them do these things and
could never understand why their parents were at a loss at what happened to our car? Or
who dissembled the lawn mower?
years since she has met many of the people in the dream, most importantly her beloved
husband.
Bonnie shared one more amazing occurrence, but because of this article's length, I will
reluctantly condense it some. The base community was having a Thanksgiving dinner at a
large church when Bonnie got lost in the crowd going to get some oyster casserole. She
found herself pushed by the bigger folk into the basement corridor. She wasn't scared at
first, for there were people there, too, laughing and talking. But having lost her sense of
direction, she became uneasy before bumping into a man carrying a newspaper. He asked
why she was crying and on being told why, turned her around and pointed the way back
into the banquet hall.
While thanking the gentleman she noticed how very vivid his clothing was and how his
skin seemed extremely bright. He then smiled and walked off. Later on in the sanctuary,
Bonnie saw a photo on the wall and asked her mother who the man was. She said it was
one of the pastors (Reverend Andrews) who had been at the church when she was just a
baby. He was with God now, having passed away some years before. The man in the
picture was the same person who had just helped Bonnie find her way back.
I hope the reader has found these stories interesting and in Bonnie's case hopefully as
fascinating as I found it to be. Any thoughts or experiences would be more than welcome
in the comments section - and thanks again to Bonnie for her trust in me to relate all this
and having the courage to tell folks here her amazing, and what I believe, to be a true
childhood story.
Copyright 2014 http://alastar-packer.hubpages.com/hub/Guardian-Angel-Guardian-SpiritStories
her, "Am I alright? Why are you here with me?" She stopped reading, but didn't turn to
look at me. She simply said, "I was sent here to make sure you'd be alright. You are going
to be fine. Now you should get some rest and go back to sleep." She began to read again
and I drifted off back to sleep. The next day, I was having my check up with my doctor
and I explained to him what happened during the night before. He looked puzzled and
checked my post surgery reports and notes. He told me that no nurses or doctors were
stationed to sit with me the night before. I questioned all of the nurses who cared for me;
each said the same, that no nurses or doctors had visited my room that night for anything
except to check my vitals. To this day, I believe that I was visited by my guardian angel
that night. She was sent to comfort me and assure me that I would be OK. Coincidentally,
the time on the clock that night, 2:45 a.m., is the the exact time recorded on my birth
certificate that I was born!
The Stranger
By: Anonymous posted at ainglkiss.com
Last year around October I was cooking something in the kitchen and I left my two year
old son watching cartoons on the couch. My youngest daughter was taking a bath and my
oldest daughter was leaving for work. When she left she didn't lock the door and my son
went running after her. Since he made no noise I didn't notice and kept cooking. I should
have noticed since we live right in front of a street next to a lake.
A few minutes later I hear a woman outside, I go and look at the window a strange
woman was comforting my child on the other side of the street. I go bursting out of my
house barefoot and in my pjs looking super crazy. When I reach the lady she told me my
son was crossing the street heading towards the lake and that she had seen him spend 20
min walking around on the street.
I thanked the woman hundreds of times before she had to go. I still had things cooking so
I decided to go too when I turned around to give her one last thanks she wasn't there. I
have lived in the same house for six months now and have never seen that woman again.
The Two
By: kerry/catholic.org
I was walking to the store to shop. While in the shopping center. Two men I didnt notice
at first walking toward me. I moved to walk around them and one went in front of me
blocking me. And seed hello. It was clear they wanted a word with me. So I asked who
they are and what they want. One gave me there names. Long funny sounding names.
Then I asked whats up. The tall one seed whats up im afraid is your very salvation. Then
they started talking to each other something about shall I do the honors. The other one
seed no we cant.. His Soule still cries to the father. Look. See. He will fail at times but he
will end up succeeding. Nothing.. We cant touch him. After that I decided im on candid
camera or these are the funny people and seed I gotta go see you. One was wearing a grey
suet the other a swet shirt and denims.. And they had what looked like I id tag pinned to
there shirt. I want to make clear that before I saw them I was looking strait ahead they
were not there. Then suddenly there was there. Seemed to come from no where. Was this
a warning
The Visitor
By: Lilliana Olazaran/catholic.org
Our story begins with a troubled marriage and two children, ages 20 and 3. My husband
and I had decided that living in the city had become to much and maybe moving to the
countryside would slow things down a pace or two. We had actually just moved 7 miles
out but just far enough that the countryside welcomed us nicely. We purchased a quaint
little house that sat on an acre and our neighbors were "a holler away". In the first 2 yrs
we did some "remodeling" and set up my husbands business towards the back of the
property. What followed the next two years made me question my faith. There were
changes that were inexplicable, to the point that my son questioned me-looked for
answers from me. Things that i had seen in movies or read in books but never that made
me believe that they really happened; like, the bump in the night, the sound of someone
dragging something large like a sled across the roof of the house, the constant rearranging
of the silverware, the "visitor" in the kitchen, the big black dog amidst my dogs, the cat at
the window, the pacing in the dining room and the door that would be open/unlocked
every morning. Every night I prayed for the safety of my family and that the activity
would stop, but to no avail. The year that followed became more of a challenge. We
noticed that my husband began to change to the point that we could not even breathe. He
became verbally/physically abusive, vile, belligerent-someone we didnt recognize. For 5
months he would come home and stir things up, leave and the activity would start. At 3
a.m. the activity was at its highest then at 4am my husband would arrive and the activity
would stop. One midnight, about a week after Christmas, we were outside and i was
watering the glass and plants while my son was playing with his new camera and we
spoke about some things while my 3 yr old played on the porch (it was intolerable in the
house). To change the subject, my son suggested we take different pictures of the water
cascading for the kodak pic contest. He mustve taken 50 pictures. When we went to
develope the pictures, 6 pictures had images-images that made me fear. I spoke to a
clergy for the Catholic church and they asked me to present the pictures to them. They
looked at the images and all froze with a look of awe. They then told me I had captured St
Rafael in those images. I cried. Suddenly the fear, the question of "does GOD hear me",
the doubt - all left me and just like that i thought to myself, "am I worthy of God sending
me an archangel"? The clery asked me what had transpired to bring forth this outcome. I
explained from the day we moved in to this moment. I didnt understand how they knew
this was St Rafael. In the pictures taken, the light rays had a green tinge to them. The
clergy showed me his facts and compared to my pictures. I felt a great sense of relief, i
went home and shared this with my father and son. The activity continued until the day
we packed up and left - yes, my husband stayed behind as well. I now lead a much
happier life with my dad and children. The pictures stayed with the clergy.
The Voice
Location: Cross Plains WI USA
By: Camilla O'Brien/catholic.org
I was married in 1985 at the age of 18. I married a boy I had known since the age of 5.
We had some problems and separated in 1987. It wasn't my choice to separate, and I still
loved him very much.
I moved in with my mom, and Howie moved in with his parents. I worked third shift at a
hotel about an hour from my mom's apartment. I had to pass Howie's mom and dad's
house on the way to and from work.
One morning, on my way home around 6 a.m., I stopped at a four way stop. There was a
horrible accident across the road. There was a car in the ditch and it was upside down. All
you could see were the tires and alot of smoke. The firecrew and ambulance crew were
there. Like any passerby, I was going to stop and walk over to the accident scene. As soon
as the thought came into my head, I heard a voice, it said, "Go home. Do not stop here.
That is Howie in that car. Just go home." I listened to the voice and when I passed
Howie's mom and dad's place, I saw a strange white car parked in front of the house, but
Howie's truck was parked in the driveway, so I thought I must have imagined what I had
heard. I went on home and at 9 a.m. that morning, the doorbell rang at my mom's place. It
was the town police officer asking me who Howie's last dentist was because he had been
in an accident that morning and they needed his dental records to identify him. The
accident had been terrible, and he had been driving his mom's car, which is why his truck
was in the driveway. He had been burned beyond recognition. I am thankful to The Voice
for not letting me get out of the car.
It was Saturday morning at North Yorkshire's deep coal-mine Kellingley colliery, the
weekend was the time when coal production stopped and much needed maintenance was
carried out. The mechanical Fitters and the Electricians were the people that ran the mine
on weekends and the work they carried out was vital to the safety and the continued
prosperity and coal production of the mine. Harry was ; although very young, a seasoned
and well respected Electrical and qualified to isolate high voltage so that other
electricians could work on the cables and equipment switch gear etc .
(It gets a bit technical here !!) Harry was assisting a young electrician to install a 100
metre very high voltage cable, deep underground on the third level 84s district; they had a
team of 6 men to assist. When the cable was installed Harry said to the young Electrician
we should test this cable first by using their meters before putting the power back on ,but
the young Electrician said it will OK and it was his district so Harry agreed but added if it
is faulty we will be in trouble, but went ahead and returned the power anyway. But as
Harry had predicted the cable connections were faulty and all the machinery did not work
correctly so they were now in deep do do ... Harry said "look I will walk out over a mile
and knock the power off and you can test the cable". Harry did this but unfortunately
knocked the wrong switch off and told the young electrician to test the cable, which was
still live.........11000 volts (I hope you have understood the story so far because Harry had
to explain it in detail to me???)
After Harry had been on the telephone to young electrician telling him it was safe to work
on the cable,( Which was still live ) a voice came over the mines Tannoy system asking
Harry to check that the power was really off?? Harry spoke to the voice saying yes it was
off but the voice was insistent. Harry was confident that the power was off but the voice
told him you must check it !!!
Harry casually checked the power and found it was still on !!! His heart raced and he ran
to turn the correct switch off and he did this with seconds to spare before the young
electrician and the crew would have been killed ( Harry knew how close it was through
technical reasons I do not understand) But what made the whole incident beyond belief
was the tannoy that the voice told Harry to check the power was off ,was not connected to
anything it had no power connected to it at all in fact the following week it was Harry's
job to connect it to the mines tannoy system !!!!
Harry said I have spoken to a Guardian Angel this day. It saved the lives of all the men
on the district and stopped me from ruining my life .. (He was in shock for weeks after) I
hope you understood the events that took place and I hope I have explained it correctly.
room, watching her telivison program. It was late, and they would be getting ready to go
to bed. My grandfather, who we called Ba, got up to go to the door. He looked out the
window, and there was no one there. He sat back down, and continued to sit and do
whatever he was doing. A few minutes later, he got up again, walked to the door, looked
out the window and there was again no one there. He went to go sit back down.
Then he got up and went back to the door for the last time. He got up to go to the door,
and as he turned around he fell to the ground.
The doctor said he died of a heart attack, perhaps a stroke. But the rest of us know, that it
was the angels who came to get him and bring him home.
He knew they were comming, thats why he kept getting up, waiting for them. He would
have let them in, and instead he let himself go with them.
Sixteen months later, he came to get my grandma. She had woke up in the morning, made
herself breakfast and sat down to watch the morning news. She nodded off to sleep and
met her husband of 58 years.
farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I told him to take the cow instead.
Things aren't always what they seem."
Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way we think they
should. Just trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not realize it
until much later.
Thoughts of My Angel!
Location: Bayonne New Jersey USA
By: Marsha Neuschwanter/catholic.org
While in despair and out of a job, I looked to the Heavens above. I prayed, to my
Guardian Angel Gabriel, in which he sent me so much love. I asked him to find a job for
me, in a lace place near my home. I looked in the yellow pages and found a number to
call. I spoke to a lovely lady. She said I had the job! Then I got off the phone and just
began to sob! She said to wait for three months and call her back again. I started to go to
school for computers then I got a call from her. It was part-time, until someone came
back. I wanted to take that job but, was training for computers. I did go for the interview
and she said, keep me in mind. She gave me her card with her name on it. While walking
out of the Lace Place, I looked upon her card. Her name rang out so in my mind, I'm
never alone and this is true her name was GABRIEL and he was with me too!!!I don't
lose sight of my angel for he'll be with me my whole life through!!!
Timothy
Location: Jacksonville, fl usa
By: Richard burditt jr/catholic.org
I was taking a break during my wifes labor nearing our babies birth.she was in labor for
15 hours and I decided to make a fast exit and go home to feed our dog.at the house
shortly after feeding the dog, I lay down to rest for a few minutes. I will never forget
what transpired. I was relaxing when a strong voice came into my conscience saying
"Your son is entering the world" That my seem coincidental to most yet 2 seconds later
the phone rang and i listened to the nurse tell me that I was the father of a beautiful baby
boy!
His birthday is in January and as we are approaching his 9th year of life i become more
convicted in the faith and know wholeheartedly i am the father of a special boy who
always has his angel nearby.....
To The Rescue
By: Marjorie Navara/catholic.org
My Angel Story is really about three encounters that I had with Angels.
#1: My Dad died 20 years ago and he had cancer and was in Hospice in the Hospital for 6
weeks. During that time, my Mom stayed with him every day except for one day. He died
in July and in February she had a Stroke and was still getting over the affects of the
stroke and she was tired the day she didn't go to the Hospital. When I went to tell my
Dad, he said not to worry because his Mom was with him. I was a bit confused until he
assured me that his mother, who had passed away before my parents were married, was
with him and as I looked up to where he was looking, I saw her image and she nodded
and said she would stay with my Dad while I went to work. I never told anyone of this
encounter and when he was dying, he was again looking in the corner of the room and his
mom was there again and said everything would be OK, it was his time to go. Both my
Mom and I were with him when he died, peacefully.
#2: For several years on a Sunday in September, our local Catholic Church would have a
Fall Dinner. At this particular Dinner, I was selling tickets for the meal and when my shift
was over, my Mom who had been sitting with me, wanted to go home because she was
tired. My Mom had Osteoporosis and walked with a walker and since our church had no
elevator, she was carried by wheelchair into and out of the church. But with everyone
busy, she didn't want me to burden anyone and she said that she would climb the stairs to
the outside door. Well, I managed to get her upstairs, but I knew that she wouldn't be able
to walk to the car and she said that I should go get it. I was reluctant to leave her alone
and out of the corner of my eye, a lady came and said: Go, and get your car, I'll stay with
your Mom. So, I did. When I brought the car up to the church and I was putting my Mom
in the car, I turned around to thank the lady and she was gone. It was like she never
existed and even Mom said that she hadn't noticed anyone around her. But, I knew, her
angel was with her when she needed her.
#3: My Mom had to have surgery in 2004 for a torn ligament above her left knee and she
ended up in a nearby Nursing Home for Therapy. This happened in October and she was
home by December 15th, just before Christmas. She was doing pretty good and one night
before Christmas, I awoke and saw an angel sitting by my Mom and she told me to go
back to sleep because it wasn't her time yet. She was tired but on the mend and enjoyed
Christmas Eve day with the family. Then at night we would start to plan what she wanted
for her Funeral Mass. I'm not real sure why, but it was urgent for her to have me write
down everything she wanted and so I did. She asked me if I thought I could play the
Organ for her Funeral and I said yes. And I did. Except the song that I played and sang
while her casket was being closed, to this day I have not been able to play again. It was:
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman. Both Mom and Dad always liked listening to me play both at
home and in church. My sister, who had retired and was living with us, was angry that we
would even consider doing this, but Mom and I knew that it was the right thing to do. On
January 20th, my sisters, I have 2 and I went to daily Mass. The Mass intention was for
my Mom. When we got home, I had brought Holy Communion for her and she was still
in bed and I asked her if she wanted Communion right away or after I had washed and
dressed her for the day. She said she wanted it right away. So, I gave her Communion and
while she was saying her prayers, I went to get the water ready for bathing her. After I
was done and she was dressed, I turned to take the water into the Bathroom and as I
looked back at her, she was having a Massive Stroke. You have to know my sister, when I
called her in to stay with Mom so that I could call 911, she broke. All she could ask Mom
was why she couldn't talk and Mom looked so afraid. It was a very icy morning and when
the ambulance came, I wanted to go with her, but again her angel told me to stay and give
the paramedics all of mom's medicines she was taking and that she, the angel, would go
with her. My sister was of no help. I stayed with my mom for 10 days in the Hospital
before I said that I wanted to take her home. Mom had expressed to me beforehand that if
at all possible, she wanted to die at home and I felt I had to make it happen. So, on the
28th of January, I brought her home along with a Hospice Nurse and the nurse was with
us for 2 full days and then on Sunday afternoon I called the Hospice Nurse and asked her
to come back that Mom was having a really hard time breathing and her Blood Pressure
was all over the place. So, she came back and I got the rest of the family over to the
house and at 11:45 pm at night, my Mom took her last breath. She never regained
conscienceness after she had the stroke on the 20th. Each day I would pray the rosary for
her at her hospital bed, each night I would sleep in her room and during the day one or
the other of my 2 sisters would stay with her. I am the youngest in my family and have
never married. I'm not sure, but I always knew that God put me on earth to take care of
my parents and it was something I'll always treasure. Because my Mom died in January,
we had to hold off on Burial until April. The months in between, I felt like something was
missing - not settled. After we were able to bury Mom, the angel came one more time and
told me that they were safe and not to worry anymore. All their pain and sorrow were
gone. I was both happy for them and sad for me. My Mom passed away in 2005, 8 years
ago, and when you lose both your parents, I know what it feels like to be orphaned. But, I
do hope and really do know that I will be reunited with them again. I'm just grateful that
the Angels helped me to see that God will and has taken care of us for all time.
My stories end there. Just a foot-note. I am caretaker now for Cats, some 25 of them. I
guess God has given me a new job of taking care of animals that need food and friendship
and it works both ways. The first cat that I had came the year my Dad passed away and
she just died last July. I thought when she came that she was a 'male' turned out she was a
'female' and she was pregnant and had 5 babies and over the years she pretty much
produced all of the cats I now have. Its difficult to say, but she taught me to be humble, to
give and expect nothing in return, and to care for others no matter if they are humans or
animals. She will always have a place in my heart.
God Bless all the 'little' Angels that God sends our way.
Touched By An Angel
Location: Omaha Nebraska USA
By: Debra Sueper/catholic.org
Starting ten years ago my mother Rose Margaret passed away suddenly after a short
illness. This was devastating for our family. Then two years after that my father Dale
passed away after a short illness. This left my family feeling lost. I am the oldest of four
adult children and I now felt the reality of our mortality. Several years later After
watching the nightly news and after listening to all the bad things happening in the world
I went to bed feeling sad. I started saying my nightly prayers and cried and told my
parents how much I loved and missed them. I must have fallen asleep during this time
and the next thing I remember was waking up startled and with eyes wide awake saw
white translucent angelic looking spirits floating above me. At first I was scared and
opened and closed my eyes several times, then the next thing I remember was the touch
of a hand on my right shoulder, at that very moment I had a sense of pure calm and peace.
I remember feeling like everything was going to be okay and I closed my eyes and fell
asleep. I remembered this experience the next morning when I woke up and felt like I had
experienced something very special. This reaffirmed my belief in angels.
Touched By An Angel
Location: Winston-Salem N.C. USA
By: Tina Willis/catholic.org
This story is short but beautiful. I took ill back in 1995-2001. I was in need of a spiritual
connection, and started to pray. I knew i had to get into a christ believing church, so I
wanted some inspiration from God. I had it on my mind for quite some time at this point.
I went out riding with a friend this one evening around 6:00. We went by a church that
had just been rebuilt. I often would see it and wanted to check it out. We were looking for
the times of service on the outside and as we were looking at the sign outdoors I saw
spiritually two angels with wings whom were small like the age of a 9 or 10year old
child. They were talking and I could see them spiritually they looked up at us and a sense
of peace came over me. They were standing behind two short bushes. I knew my prayers
had been answered. I was due for surgery and I just knew everything was going to be
okay. I almost jumped out of the car and kept looking back. That church has over 3,ooo
members today and that day it only had about 100. I know i was touched by those two
angels.
school I was so close to quitting and that was the day I met my best friend who inspired
me and told me never to give up on my dreams because I had to power to make them
come true. The one thought in my mind when I came to her funeral was she had to be to
be thanked for what she had done for me throughout high school and the following 1 and
a half year. My way of thanking her but I truly know there is never anyway that I could
fully but if not for her I would never be going to Minnesota to chase my dreams of
college hockey and NHL. The moment I went up to place my jersey over her peaceful
body I was shaking so much but then it stopped and the warmth came back feeling I was
being held by her just like it was for real and I recognized her hug but no one was their
but her family and friends til her sister came to help my finish placing my old high school
hockey jersey over her like a blanket. When it was finally over when everyone left the
church, I was alone and the last to see her in her casket before the reverend came in to
close it.
I told her thank you for her kindness throughout the years where I heard a voice that said
" John I maybe an angel and my mortal body in my casket but I haven't left you, I won't
leave you til you join me here in heaven". I felt that touch again as if it was her hug as I
continued to feel it all the way to her grave where we all said our final goodbyes. I
walked to my car and sat inside then I heard the voice again " John there is no need to say
goodbye I am here with you together we shall be til the end" I felt a warmth on my right
hand but cold on the other, I asked "savannah is that you?" as I began to cry the voice
replied "yes its me, do not cry because I am still here by your side and Jesus commanded
me to stay by your side til it is your time and you have much to live for with great
rewards ahead". There I knew It was my best friend who never left me as she always
promised. I now realize the day I met her she was meant to be my guardian and as I write
this I feel her standing beside me with a smile on her face even though I am in tears. She
will never leave me
Thank you Jesus for blessing me with my best friend to be my guardian angel I cannot
wait to finally join you all when it is my time
my time life. I treasure all my gifts from God and thank Him for sending them to me.
Two Angels
Location: north lauderdale florida USA
By: kenneth briganti/catholic.org
my wife and i have been married 18 yrs and have been trying to concieve right away but
do disapointment after disapointment could not then finally my wife concieved and all
was going well until she hemeraged once again she kept saying the babys gone but i kept
saying despite all the blood the baby was still there and it was and she went of course to
the hospital and the were going to perform a dandc but wanted to check just to be sure
and i was right the baby was still there but it did die and the sack came out before they
discarded it we had to know it was a little boy about 10 weeks old he was our angel but
something told us to have faith because soon after my wife conceived again to full term
actually he overbaked his head was to big to pass through the vagina so my wife was c
sectioned on the last day of the year my son kenneth a briganti was born into the world
also about 6 weeks out we did a sonnagram and the doc said see the little turtle it was a
boy and as the sonnagram ended he seemed to wave as to say ill see you in a cuple weeks
mom and dad and he did healthy happy very smart my wife homeschools him but now at
4 hes gifted but that angel whom we had a few short minutes sort of said have faith so
after 14 yrs our angels both brothers are with us
Two Stories
By: tj22mm@hotmail.com (from ainglkiss.com)
I was a 20 year old single female when I moved out of my parents house for the first and
only time. My first apartment was a small one bedroom in a not so good area of the
biggest city in Kansas. I was moving in there completely alone, except for the constant
wave of friends that showed up around the clock to keep me company. My apartment was
maybe 550 square feet and was only $250 a month for rent!
My first apartment always had some weird vibe about it, like scary weird. I wouldn't
sleep in my room at night if no one else was there, I would sleep on the couch. One night
I had a couple of friends over watching a movie with me. I was tired and since they were
there, I went to bed. My friend, David had a key, so I knew he would lock up after the
movie was over. My other friend came into my room and I was half asleep, he said he
was leaving and goodbye... I didn't open my eyes. My friend, David, came in to tell me
goodbye before he left, and again, I didn't open my eyes. Then I knew I was all by myself
and I went to sleep. What seemed to have been like 30 minutes later, I felt someone
staring at me, so I opened my eyes since I was supposed to be alone. There was a girl
standing next to my bed. I felt a sense of completely calmness. She was wearing blue and
white flannel pajamas, she was thin, and bald and she had blue eyes. She said her name
was Danielle, and she was 21 when she died of Leukemia in California. She set at the
edge of my bed and talked to me. The only thing I can remember her saying was not to be
afraid, that she was not there to take me. I found it really odd that she would say
something like that to me, at that time, I was also 21 or 22, and lived in Kansas. She then
told me to go back to sleep now, and I laid back and was asleep. I then woke up SCARED
to death!! I called my friend, David, and had him come back over and stay on my couch.
It has been 10 or 11 years since this happened and I can still remember it just as clear as
the night it happened. I talked with both of the friends that were over that night and asked
them if they noticed anything strange or different, they both said that they did, that there
was someone or something there watching us. I don't live in that apartment anymore, but
I WILL never forget what happened there.
Another time while I was living there, I was moving in a couch by myself from my truck
to my apartment. I had it almost completely in my apartment, but was completely
exhausted and drained. Some man showed up out of the blue and offered to help me, I
lived in a not so good area of Wichita at the time, so everything in me said to tell him no,
but I said sure because I was so exhausted. He pushed it into my apartment and when I
turned around to thank him, he was gone. I went out to the street and tried to find him,
but it was like he vanished!
by Carla Foft
My husband and I had been having significant difficulty achieving a pregnancy. Medical
tests indicated that we both had serious medical problems which might make conception
impossible. This was especially true on the part of my husband. After much soul
searching, we agreed to try artificial insemination with donor sperm at a medical facility
in Lubbock, Texas.
I was required to perform a chemical test of my urine each morning, during my suspected
fertile time. This test was supposed to indicate whether I was ovulating or not. I had done
this for two months, traveled to Lubbock and gotten inseminated twice, and had still not
become pregnant. I talked to my husband and told him that I was ready to give up the
attempts and to adopt children instead. He wanted me to try one more time, so I agreed.
The morning that I was to perform the test, I prayed for Gods guidance because I still
wasnt comfortable with going for the insemination. I sensed no definite reply, so I started
to perform the necessary test. The test tube slipped from my hand and shattered on the
floor. I did not have another test to use. When I told my husband what had happened, he
said I should go ahead with the procedure as my temperature chart had indicated that I
should be within the fertile time frame.
I started my drive to Lubbock and was greeted with a torrential downpour which flooded
the highway. I came to a point where a policeman was stopping traffic and asking people
to turn around due to a very deep puddle in the road. I told him that I would pay for a tow
truck if I flooded out and had to be rescued. He wasnt happy, but he allowed me to
continue.
I made it through the puddle, which was so deep I could see the water lapping just a few
inches below my window, and continued on my way. After I drove through Lamesa,
Texas, my two-year-old car just stalled without warning. I barely had enough power to
steer it to the side of the road before it died and the steering locked-up. A state highway
maintenance crew drove up behind me almost immediately and asked if I needed help.
Now, you must realize that this was all before the common use of cell phones. I told them
I was having car trouble, and they used their radio to contact the Ford garage in Lamesa
to send a tow truck to my rescue.
The tow driver was friendly and a little talkative. He asked where I was going but didnt
ask what my business was in Lubbock. When I got to the Ford garage, they quickly found
the problem, replaced the part, and sent me back on my way. I was able to get about 10
miles further down the road before the car died again. Once more, I was able to pull over
before it locked-up on me. This time, I was rescued by a helpful, elderly man in an old
farm truck. He took me directly to the Ford dealer in Lamesa and they had a different tow
driver take me back out to my car.
On the way back into Lamesa, with the car in tow, this driver kept saying that they would
get me fixed up quickly, and I could get on my way to Lubbock and still be there well
before 5:00 PM. Just then, the tow truck chugged to a stop, and the driver realized that he
was out of gas. He had to hike back to the closest farm house to call the Ford garage for
assistance. Soon, a vehicle arrived with gas for the tow truck. The man who put it in was
the original driver who rescued me the first time. He traded places with the other driver
and proceeded to tow my car back to Lamesa. As soon as we were moving down the road,
he turned to me and asked, Do you get the message that you arent supposed to go to
Lubbock today? He didnt say, Do you think maybe you arent supposed to go? or
Do you get the feeling that you arent supposed to go? He actually used the words,
Do you get the message that you arent supposed to go to Lubbock today?
I simply smiled at him and answered, Yes, I do.
I had to call my husband to come rescue me, and it took them a week to get the part in to
fix my car the second time. We later had to go back to pick it up. I told my husband what
had happened, and we agreed to quit trying artificial insemination.
About a year later, I became pregnant the natural way, by my husband, and we eventually
had a beautiful daughter who was later followed by a handsome son. Neither my doctor,
nor his, could ever explain why he no longer suffered from the condition which had
caused his temporary infertility problem. I believe that God had tried all that day to let me
know that I wasnt to continue the insemination path and that the tow truck driver was an
angel there to insure that I got the message not to go to Lubbock.
But, on the way home, with the empty gas tank, I sputtered to the interstate, praying the
whole way. "Lord, you promised to take care of me if I moved out, and right now, I need
gas, "badder" than anything else. Will you please help me? Without gas, how can I attend
college? Without gas, how can I get around? I have no one else, Lord, but You here in
Baltimore with me. All my family lives down south, and I really hate to contact my mom,
dad, or anyone in my family to help me financially, so Lord, I need you to really do
something."
At that time, my car just DROVE into a gas station(for gas). I really don't remember
doing it, it was really like it did it on its own, but when I got there by the pump, I was
like, "Lord, why did you have me come here? I ain't got no money."
Then, a thought entered my mind, "Look between your seats."
I did, and to my surprise, I found one dollar and thirty five cents in change. Change.
Nickels, dimes, and pennies. I was like so excited. It was like I had won the lottery or
something.
Then, I proceeded to get out the car, only putting one foot out, and all of a sudden I saw a
tall man, dressed in dark clothing, approach my vehicle.
I was driving a yellow Geo Storm at that time. I was a tad bit concerned why he was
coming to my vehicle, but I really tried to overlook him. When all of a sudden, this man
came between the two pumps on my side, and he was standing right smack at the driver's
door on my vehicle.
I got out the vehicle, stood up, didn't know why I was doing it, but it was like something
made me do it, and looked him in his eyes.
The eyes were the same type of eyes the lady in my speech class had. I really didn't notice
it as much with him as the speech lady, but noticing it was there. I couldn't help it, but
because he immediately started conversating with me, it took my focus off his eyes, onto
listening very intently to what he had to say.
Mind you, now, I'm unaware that God could do things like I'm about to tell you. The
church I grew up in all my life, never taught nothing like this. There were no Hollywood
or sitcom shows on TV about the supernatural existence of the Lord. I was dumb to these
types of things, but after what God had done with the speech lady leading me to the 1st
awareness of God's Divine direction and protection and provision, I knew God would do
things for those He loved, but I was thinking it would only happen once in a lifetime. I
never assumed it could possibly happen to the same person in the same day!!!
To the contrary, God is soooo awesome, He'll do it for as much as we need Him to, if we
just trust Him to do it, and not get in our fleshes, limited understanding, and limited
provisions.
Anyways, this man...He said to me as we were standing there face to face with each
other, "Ma'am, please, please, please, don't think I am a bum. But I need your cash?"
I looked, and said, "Sir, I don't have any money. You are really talking to the wrong lady
today. All I have is this little change that I found in my car to place in my gas tank, to get
me around from college and back."
He looked at me, seriously but sincerely, "No....ma'am, I don't want your money, I need
your cash."
I was sooo very confused, but was patient to understand what he meant, so I asked him,
"Sir, I am not understanding you."
He said, "See, I was coming home from work, and my car broke down on the highway
with a flat tire, but all I have are credit cards, and I went to the gas station across the
street to buy a can of Fix-O-Flat, and they won't accept credit cards after a certain hour in
this city, so I saw you, and walked across the street to you, hoping that you would let me
put whatever amount you were going to put in your tank, on my credit card, and then you
just give me your cash afterwards, and we'll call it even."
I thought about it, but didn't make any move, I just stood there, when he said, "How much
were you going to put in your tank?"
I said, "All I have is this $1.35 in my hand, and it's all change."
He said, "Ok, good. Then it's a deal." Then, he quit looking at me, went straight to the
cashier, gave her his credit card, came back to the pump, started pumping, and passed a
dollar and thirty five cents on the pump register.
I was like "Why is this man going past what I have?" At least I thought this in my mind,
but didn't say nothing. Concerned, but not that concerned.
Then, he kept pumping, pumping, pumping, and not once paying an ounce of attention to
me. You would have thought that it was his car and I was the "intruder", but the other way
around.
He was so focused, like he was on a mission, and I thought to myself, was this guy like
the speech lady who, too, was on a mission to help me.
As I watched, tears began to roll down my cheeks, because I discovered, God had done it
again. He had sent someone to help me, for I asked Him to when I was leaving that
engineering meeting sputtering with no gas in my tank and no money in pocket to supply
that need.
God sent this man, I was thinking, and I was in awe of God's goodness. Literally, it was
too good to be true. Up to that point, no one ever took care of me in such a powerful,
spiritual way, and I knew that I knew I was hooked on Jesus for life.
The man filled up my tank, walked over to the cashier, paid on his credit card, came back
to me, looked up at me, and the eyes glared greater than they had glared the whole time
talking to him, as if God Himself was staring at me, and piercing my soul, and he said,
"That'll be a dollar and thirty five."
I was balling with tears of awe and wonder, handed him the money, and he reached out,
before taking it from me, he said, "God is good isn't he?" And then walked a few feet, in
the complete opposite direction of where his car supposedly was, and vanished in thin air.
This time, I saw it with my own eyes. This man, too, WAS an angel, and I have never
been the same since that night, September 16, 1996. Thank you for reading!
this unit yesterday, I was here and we didn't have student nurses or anyone like that. I
came into your room several times to check on you and didn't see two young men in here
taking care of you".
Those two young men were correct, it wasn't long before I was discharged. I'll never
forget my two wonderful angels and the help, care and love they bestowed on me that
day. I was a young man then and so were they but they didn't act like most young men
did, they were completely devoted to me and I could feel the love radiating from their
hearts and I could see the glow radiating from their faces! I'll never forget them.
Uncle Mike
By: Rebecca Cory in Brandon, FL/catholic.org
In 2004, my Mom went to CA to visit her bother (my Godfather) who was dying of
cancer. Us Kids had to spend two and half weeks with our Dad so our Mom could make
the trip (yes, my parents are divorced). I was 12 at the time. The day uncle Mike died, my
dad had taken us to Chuck-e-Cheese (the one here in Brandon,FL). When I was in the
tunnels and slides, I suddenly started to think of Uncle Mike and I could feel someone
right next to me (I couldn't see the person). All of a sudden I heard a Male voice in my
right ear say: "he is Dead". When I came out of the slide my sister told me that Mom just
called and said that Uncle Mike just passed away. I think the person I heard was my
guardian angel.
was walking down the street in the middle of road. This woman stopped and got her to
the side of the road.
I then asked the famous question that all mothers ask their children.."Why did you do
this"?..She answered..."Mommy its ok...Uncle Jim holded my hand"..I almost passed out.
The police officer, asked who Uncle Jim was..and I told him.. The police officer stopped
dead in his tracks and said we are planning his funeral (Jim had been an active member of
the fire company). I said I know..and Maylynn doesn't know he's died. The woman who
stopped and got her said...she was walking with her arm outstretched as if she was
holding someone's hand.
The event which could have been the second tragedy in my life that day became the
greatest blessing I've ever known. Her encounter created a sense of peace with all of us
that were grieving..we knew he was ok. Now throughout all of Maylynn's medical crisis
we know her angel, Uncle Jim is with her always...he's holding her hand.
Unexplain Incident
By: Roda/catholic.org
Me and a group if friends were walking at Julian. They all cross the street including my
husband and my son. I was left behind. I failed to cross the street. The sports van in my
right back up from 0 mpg to 25 or 30 and hit me. Everything feels like it stop in motion.
My friends, husband and son were about to scream and everybody looks at me. It was a
busy day. I felt surrounded by a bubble and being move from where I stood to few feet
away from the van. The driver were in panic and ask me if I was hurt and handling me his
wallet with all his information on it. I couldn't understand why? But I told him It's a busy
street and be careful with driving and I dismiss him. His mouth fell open and with
disbelief. Everybody in the van watch me cross the street . My husband hug me and ask
me if I'm in pain. Everybody where in shock but can't understand why? They all saw me
being struck but the way I reacted towards the incident were different. I told my son I felt
like flying and wrap around the bubble . I ask them if the incident really happens to me.
They all said yes. I waive at the driver after I cross the street .his face were still in
disbelief.
Unknown Messenger
By: Rose/catholic.org
I was born and raised Catholic. I was baptized and received my first communion. For lots
of reasons when I was a teenager I turned away from the church. I ran away from home
got pregnant and married at a very young age. I did lots of dumb and horrible things
during my teenage years and young adult life. For some reason I came out pretty much
safely from every stupid choice and situation I had put myself in.
After going through two ruined marriages and having two daughters whom I taught a
very liberal and non religious life style. It came to a point that my daughters where both
headed in bad directions. Especially my youngest daughter. I felt horrible for the way I
raised her. She was treating myself and my oldest daughter horribly, drinking, doing
drugs and flunking out of school.
The people that I worked for at the time are very spiritual and religious and offered bible
readings and study in the morning an hour before work for all who wanted to attend.
They even gave me a bible to read.
After one very bad experience with my youngest daughter. I began to beg God for
forgiveness. Praying and asking him to help my family especially my daughters. As I was
crying I finally opened up my bible to a random page and read:
Matthew 7:17-19
17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good
tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does
not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
I was confused because of my ignorance of the bible.
I went to work that morning and one of my fellow co-workers who also had been invited
to bible study came in the office with bible in hand and quoted that very text of the bad
tree not bearing good fruit, he was saying it in a kinda joking fire and brim stone way. He
obviously did not know that I had read that in the depths of my despair. When he said it
though I left my desk and went to the ladies room and sobbed. I don't really know if it
was a coincidence, God trying to communicate with me or now that I am learning about
Angels was it my Guardian Angel trying to help me.
I know that scripture is warning people about false prophets but at that moment, to me it
meant that I was a bad tree who was bearing bad fruit (my children) because of what I
was teaching them.
Since then I have had lots of strange "signs" when I am in despair and praying about
something.
I am truly grateful to my Guardian Angel for listening to me and answering me in
different ways.
Unseen Hands
By: jeffrey2300@gmail.com posted at ainglkiss.com
Hi, my name is Geoffrey and this took place in 1984. I had left my job as a volunteer
worker in Orange County California and was heading to Great Falls, Montanna where I
had been told a job was waiting for me. I had no money so I decided to hitch hike.
I eventually found myself on a highway where there was not much traffic and I was
worried. I was praying all the day while walking, praying that someone would give me a
ride. As the day was nearing its close, I became even more worried. I could not see any
gas stations nor houses, and it was getting cold. I recall that the highway was on a plain,
with mostly brush on each side, but it was elevated above the plain, so I ambled off a few
feet and got on my knees, and prayed asking God to please help me, and impress
someone to give me a ride, and to not let me die of hypothermia. (That night some snow
flurries did occur!)
While praying I could hear a car, and I attempted to arise from my feet. Now this may
be difficult to believe, but to this day, I remember clearly feeling like two hands on my
shoulder, preventing me from standing. This puzzled me, knowing that I had not heard a
car for some time I said aloud, "God, please help me, this may be my last opportunity to
find a ride. Again an attempt was made to stand and again, I felt gentle but firm as though
two hands were on my shoulders and I could not stand.
Now if this was not amazing enough, I could hear the car pulling over, its wheels
crunching in the gravel as it was pulling off of the paved part of the highway. On my
third attempt to stand I could do so easily, and the man got out of his car. As I stood up, I
thought, "He must have seen the top of my head and pulled over", for he had pulled over
right at the spot where I had been praying. I said in a loud voice, "Thankyou!" The man
was obviously startled, and said, "Thanks for what?" (He apparently had pulled over to
obey the call of nature.)
I said,"Thanks for pulling over to give me a ride" to which he replied, "I don't give people
ride, I never have and I never will." So I sadly walked down the road, but as I walked I
then heard him shout. "But I will give you a ride."
I told him, "You know, it was no accident that you pulled over where you did, as I was
praying for a ride." I then explained to him how I had attempted twice to stand as his car
was approaching but had been able. Then he told me, that had I stood up, he would never
had pulled over there but would have continued down the highway. Then the thought
occurred to me that truly a miracle had occurred, and that my prayer was answered in a
wonderful manner.
I eventually made it to Montana, the job was not there as I had expected, but a kind lady
from Germany named Franciska took me in that night out of the cold, letting me stay in a
little trailer she had in her back yard, but I will never forget that day, when I believe that
unseen hands prevented me from arising from prayer, and impressed a stranger to pull
over exactly where I was praying for a ride.
Unwanted Angel
BY THOMAS K.(paranormal.about.com/ Column by Stephen Wagner)
It was July, 1995, as far as I can remember, and this took place in Louisville, Kentucky. I
had got a letter from a church out in California, but I can't remember the name of it. It
had a small sealed envelope in it with instructions on what to do with it. I read them and
it said not to open it, that I was to put it under my pillow when I went to bed. It gave me
some prayers to say over it, and I did exactly as instructed. The letter said an angel would
appear to me. So I said the prayers after placing the sealed envelope under my pillow and
fell asleep about 30 minutes later.
I slept for about two hours and was awakened by a very bright light in my room. Above
my bed, a man was floating in a very bright, almost blinding light. I could not move, and
when he bent his head down and looked at me, I began to scream at the top of my lungs...
and it went away.
I don't know if it was an angel or not, but what scared me so bad was the fact that it had
no face or its face was distorted. I would swear it was my dad, who had passed away in
1990... but why would he come back and scare me like that? Or perhaps he did not intend
to scare me. I just don't know but I will never forget what I saw that night.
The next day I asked my brother and his girlfriend, who were upstairs that night watching
TV, if they heard my screams. To my surprise, they heard nothing. I do not drink or mess
with drugs, so I was straight that night and I know what I saw.
Uva
By: vivisiliceo@yahoo.com posted at ainglkiss.com
I had five children, all under ten years of age and I was pregnant with my sixth child.
We were living/hiding from my brutal ex-husband in an old house that was scheduled to
be demolished, and therefore I paid no rent.
Various family members would stop by every now and then to bring the children and I a
bag of potatoes, some vegetables or eggs, since I couldn't collect the court ordered child
support money from my husband and risk uncovering our whereabouts.
One day after bringing us a bag of groceries, Aunt Henrietta tried to comfort me with the
old refrain, "No matter how bad it is, someone always has it harder." Somehow I'd never
felt better to think that someone was suffering more than I, and I said as much to Aunt
Henrietta. But she went on to tell me about a woman she had recently met at the
Greyhound Bus Station while waiting to pick up a friend.
Aunt Henrietta sat at the coffe shop counter when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
"May I kindly have fifty cents to buy coffee and some toast," she asked in Spanish.
"I turned to see a short, heavyset, most unattractive woman before me. Her face was
scarred badly and she appeared to have lost most of her teeth," related Aunt Henrietta.
The woman who introduced herself as Uva (which means "grape" in Spanish), explained
that she had come by bus to the United States after some American Tourists had
contracted her in Mexico as a housekeeper and nanny, and had provided her with a oneway ticket to their home city. When she arrived and called her would-be employers, they
told her they had changed their minds and wouldn't need her after all. As a consequence,
Uva had been begging for food and sleeping in the ladies room of the bus station for over
a month and had no idea what to do, since she didn't speak English and knew no one in
that city.
I was appalled and asked Aunt Henrietta what had finally happened to Uva, and she
replied that as far as she knew Uva was still living at the bus station. I asked my aunt to
take me to the station right away to see if she was still there. When we arrived, I saw
Uva and immediately ran to her, hugged her and told her she was coming home with me.
Uva was elated and relieved.
Aunt Henrietta worried that now I had another mouth to feed, but I told her that so far
God had provided and would now include Uva too.
Uva proved to be a ray of sunshine. She was always happy, and loved to sing and dance.
The children loved her and she them.
Once morning she said to me, "I have been gathering bottles all week and have enough of
the deposit money for you to take the bus into town and get a job." I was startled by this
declaration and objected, "But Uva I don't have any type of training and why would
anybody hire me?" Oh you'll be hired because you're pretty," she said. "Now put on
your best suit and let me fix your hair. When you get into town, get off in front of that
huge drugstore (Walgreens). Turn around and follow that little side street behind the
pharmacy. Soon, you wll see a "Help Wanted" sign in a little shop, and that is where you
will work."
I followed Uva's instructions and found the sign in the window of a flower shop. I told
the woman inside that I was there for the position. I was honest about my lack of
experience and she dismissed me right away, but before I left, a cheerful man with bright,
red hair stepped out of the back room and ask,"What have we here, Dixie?" Dixie told
him she had interviewed me for the job, but found me lacking and would not hire me.
"But I'm the manager, Dixie," he argued, "and I say she's hired." "But why?" asked
Dixie. "Because she's pretty," replied my new employer.
My new job enabled Uva, the children and I to move closer to town, and into a nicer
home. For a time, all was improved, until I came home one day and found Uva crying.
"I have been told it's time to leave you," she cried. I asked, "Who said it's time?" But
Uva would just shake her head.
I had saved a little out of each paycheck for Uva, who had refused payment for her
babysitting and help during those months that she was with us, and I offered the money to
Uva, who flatly refused it, until I told her it was important to me that she take it.
The next day on our way to the Greyhound Bus Station to drop off Uva, she asked Aunt
Henrietta to stop the car and drop her off a few blocks before the station. I got out of the
car to give her a hug, and then Uva hurried around a building and into a back alley. I
couldn't bear to let her go, and followed Uva closely behind. But when I turned into the
same alley, Uva had vanished. I walked all the way to the bus station, but there was no
sign of Uva. I waited at the station and Uva never arrived.
I had set out to rescue a stranger in dire need and that stranger had instead rescued me.
In restrospect, whenever those of us who knew Uva remembered her, we all agreed that
there was something very special and glowing about her. She brightened a room simply
by entering it, and we felt so much love and happiness in her presence.
HEBREWS 13:2 "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares"
and thanking God for intervening on our behalf. As always my Guardian Angel was
working on my behalf. This experience left me thinking of what had in store for me after
this war.
I noted this over twenty years ago, he said, when I saw an image very much like the
one youre describing. Jim could hardly believe it. He looked at the underlined text.
And an angel appeared to him from heaven, and comforted him (Luke 22:43).
The brief verse described Jesus suffering in the garden before His crucifixion. Jim was
flooded with understanding. God had not sent an angel to banish His own Sons pain, or
even to lift it, for this was not in the heavenly plan. But God had sent an angelto His
Son and to every grieving personto simply be there, with comfort and understanding.
Life is sometimes difficult, Jims angel had been telling him, but you will never go
through it alone.
Waking Up in Heaven
In this excerpt from The Best Angel Stories of 2014, a woman describes her near-death
experience and meeting her angels.
By Crystal McVea (guideposts.org)
During a hospital stay, I left my body for nine minutes and went to heaven. I was
instantly aware of two beings in front of me who were to my left, and I knew right away
they were angels. But they werent just any angelsthey were my angels.
I recognized them immediately. There was so much brightness coming off them that I
couldnt make out any features. But they werent shapeless blobs; they definitely had a
form, which was roughly that of a human body: long and slender. The being on the right
appeared a bit bigger than the one on the left.
They didnt move or hover or anythingthey were just there. And what I instantly felt for
them was love. A great, sweeping love for my angels overwhelmed me.
It was like they were the best friends I could ever have, though the word "friend" doesnt
come close to describing them. The angels were my protectors, my teachers, mentors,
heroes, my strength, spirit, heart, everything, all rolled into one.
I felt like they had been a part of my existence and my journey foreveras if they had
been by my side for every tear I ever cried, every decision I had ever made, every day I
ever felt lonely, not only on Earth but through all eternity.
I felt so unbelievably safe and free in their presence, so happy and fulfilled. I understood
why they were thereto greet me upon my arrival and guide me back home. They were
the best welcoming committee you could ask for.
Whats more, I realized there was instant and complete communication between us. What
do I mean by that? Imagine a button you can press; as soon as you press it, you know
everything there is to know about someone, and they know everything about you. Or a
password that, if you let me use it, gives me instant access to everything youve ever said
or thought or felt or written or believed in your life: past, present, and future.
Instantly, I would have a more complete understanding of you than is possible on Earth.
Well, that is what this was likea sensation that everything we were, everything that
mattered, was passing freely between my angels and me, strengthening our profound
connection and an eternal bond.
There was no room whatsoever for secrets or shame or misunderstanding or anything
negative. There was just this wonderful, beautiful, nourishing sense of knowing.
I wish I could say I recognized them as people I previously knew on Earth, but I didnt.
Many who have died describe seeing a favorite relative waiting for them in the beyond.
They talk about the amazing joy of such a heavenly reunion. I would love to have been
reunited with my precious grandma Ernie, but I wasnt. Im not saying that doesnt
happen; it just wasnt part of my experience.
Still, meeting my angels left me overflowing with joy. They never left my side, and I
knew they never would.
War in Heaven
By: Yohan ben Mich-el/catholic.org
I was in the basement of a friends house watching him and his buddy plan madden (a
football video game). Suddenly an angel appeared on the screen, an androgynous being
made completely of light, similar to the intensity of moon light, with light pulsing
through it. If you hold your hand under glass with rain running over the glass, this is how
the light appeared to flow through this angel. At first I looked down immediately,
assuming my eyes were playing tricks on me, but when I looked back the angel spoke.
"Believe what you see."
Then I bore witness to something which can only be described as ultra violent. In the
background men in red, stretching all the way to the horizon, were shouting "Allah
Ackbar". Men in black were fighting them and losing. Then, one of the men in black
killed all the enemies surrounding him and pumped his fist into the air and shouted
something. Suddenly the colour of the black men changed to green and not one was slain.
This is a microcosm of the vision. You may claim I was only watching football but if only
you could sense how serious this was meant to be. I was shocked.
I believe this is a war between men where the Almighty will be proved. Do not doubt,
these events occur after death but before judgment, at least this was the meaning I took
from it. A war in heaven.
Watching My Back
By: Amanda Joiner/catholic.org
: I am an active person, I ride my horse, enjoy taekwondo, go to college, write, and read. I
love my horse and he's a 14 year old gelding and was faily skittish in his younger days,
but his fears only peek up out of his calm exiterier rarely now. As much as I love my
horse and believe myself a skilled rider, I can't explain how I haven't fallen off him more
often. I should have had at least one injure more then a bruise, I should have fallen off
this most recent time, but I didn't. All I can seem to remeber is him swerving and starting
to slide to the left exspecting to be looking up at him any second, but it almost felt like
something pulled my back squarly on his back. I didn't feel any pressure, nor did I feel
pain, I just know I should have fallen, but I didn't. I'm asuming that this and occasions in
taekwondo where things could have been a lot worse is because some overworked but
diligent angle has been watching my back and trying to keep me intact. So I thank them,
whatever their name is.
Watching Over Me
Location: Saginaw MI USA
By: Dick Baker/catholic.org
Oftentimes we don't realize there is a power watching out for us, until we reflect back on
our lives and see the twists and turns that our live takes.
I have all my life been blessed with good health. Have been blessed with a wonderful
wife and 2 fine children, have always been blessed with good jobs to support my family. I
had a job with a company for 25 years when in 1996 I lost it due to downsizing. Needless
to say I was very upset about this. Well, I decided I would be an over the road truck
driver as my skills were as a machinist and manufacturing was drying up. I went to truck
driving school and obtained my CDL and hooked up with a trucking company in
Tennessee. I was with a trainer for 3 weeks and came to the realization that truck driving
was not for me. I had very little (none) time for myself, so I left that and came back home
to Michigan. My wife and I talked about what to do, and talked to my son who lived in
Washington state. He said that Boeing had so much work they were hiring all the
machinists in the area and machine shops were begging for workers. Well my wife and I
moved out to the Seattle area after securing a good paying job, sold our home and off we
went.
We moved out there in fall of '96 and in the spring of '97 I had an appointment with a
doctor to have my annual physical, but first I had to fill out a history for him. While
discussing this history with him he asked why I take 12 aspirin a day. I told him my father
had died of an aneurysm and my doctor in Michigan said to do this to keep my blood
thin. Ihad been doing this for 15 years. This doctor asked if I'd ever had an ultra sound to
check for an aneurysm, I said no, as my other doctor had not suggested it. Well I had the
ultra sound and it showed I did not have an aneurysm, but it showed I did have a tumor in
my right kidney. I now had to see a urologist who set me up for a biopsy. The biopsy
showed it was malignant, but as luck (or something else) would have it the cancer had not
spread. I had surgery within the week and had the kidney removed and was back to work
in 3 weeks feeling great. Recovery was great. I now had to once a year get an ultra sound
on my remaing kidney to make sure there would be no bad things on that. That fall we
moved back to Michigan as we never could get used to all the rain in the Seattle area.
It was on October 1st of 2004 I was walking my dog when I coughed and spat up blood. I
got in to see my doctor and she thought I had a sinus infection and prescribed antibiotics
to clear it up. She also wanted to know when my last chest xray was. She scheduled me
for an xray and it showed something there, so then I went for a cat scan and it showed a
big tumor in my left lung. I went in for a biopsy and it was cancer, but, it hadn't spread
(luck)? I underwent 7 weeks of radiation that knocked the tumor down 75%, then 3
months of chemo that finished it off. I always felt good, never sick all during the
treatments. I have a cat scan every 3 months to make sure it hasn't come back.
I really, firmly believe that I have an angel watching over me to keep me well until I do
whatever I am supposed to do in life.
heaven and was watching over us, I was too afraid to "see her." My husband & 2 boys
had moved away from the first place we had put roots down on our own, we hadn't sold
that house, and were renting an apartment in a new city. I was desparately alone,nearing
the point of a breakdown,sitting in my bed in the middle of the day, crying til i couldn't
cry anymore. I felt a presence and looked up and saw four angels holding hands in a
circle above me, and I was not afraid. One of them spoke to me and said that everything
was going to be alright. I know now that God really does watch over us, and that we are
never alone.
I was on my raft when the waves started coming, and I guess they were too much for me
to handle because I got knocked off. I tried to grab on to the side railings (about 3 times)
but the waves kept pushing me back and then pushing me underwater.
Now I really thought I was going to drown and panic came over me. Just as I was
reaching for the railing for the third time, a hand grabbed my arm and pulled me up onto
the concrete sides. I was so embarrassed but relieved to be back on land. The man who
pulled me up was blond, very tan and wearing red shorts. He was the wet n wild angel
that God sent for me. He asked me if I was ok, and with my head hung down in
embarrassment I shook my head yes. When I looked up again to tell him thank you, he
was gone. My wet and wild angel had vanished.
I looked all the around the area, even in the water to see if he jumped in there, but could
not find him, and the Wet 'n Wild lifeguards all wore blue shorts. To this day I like to
think of him as my guardian angel, cause without him I surely would have died.
theres corroboration, such as newspaper clips or onlookers or medical reports, Ill use
them as well. But there are moments when Im unprepared: Someone approaches me at a
book signing when I have neither notepad nor tape recorder, or phones in on a radio show
where I am a guest, or speaks up at a lecture, to tell a story of her own.
Invariably, during the hubbub these people get away before I am able to jot down their
full names and addresses. But their stories are too good to go untold.I may not have all
their names right, but the facts are exactly as they were related to me.
During a book signing in Lexington, Kentucky, a group of women gathered around my
table to tell about their neighbor, Barbara, who had not been able to come and tell me this
story herself. Barbara was driving her six-year-old son, Benjamin, to his piano lesson.
They were late, and Barbara was beginning to think she should have canceled it. There
was always so much to do, and Barbara, a night-duty nurse at the local hospital, had
recently worked extra shifts. She was tired. The sleet storm and icy roads added to her
tension.
Maybe she should turn the car around. Mom! Ben cried.Look!
Just ahead a car had lost control on a patch of ice. As Barbara tapped the brakes, the other
car spun wildly, rolled over, and then crashed sideways into a telephone pole. Barbara
pulled over, skidded to a stop and threw open her door. Thank goodness she was a nurse
she might be able to help these unfortunate passengers. Then she paused. What about
Ben? She couldnt take him with herlittle boys shouldnt see scenes like the one she
anticipated. But was it safe to leave him alone? What if their car were hit from behind?
For a brief moment,Barbara considered going on her way. Someone else was sure to
come along. No!
Ben, honey, promise me youll stay in the car! I will, Mommy, he said as she ran,
slipping and sliding, toward the crash site. It was worse than shed feared. Two girls of
high school age were in the car. One, the blonde on the passenger side, was dead, killed
on impact.
The driver, however, was still breathing. She was unconscious and pinned in the
wreckage. Barbara quickly applied pressure to the wound in the teenagers head while her
practiced eye catalogued the other injuries. A broken leg, maybe two, along with probable
internal bleeding. But if help came soon, the girl would live.
A trucker had pulled up and was calling for help on his cell phone. Soon Barbara heard
the ambulance sirens. A few moments later, she surrendered her lonely post to rescue
workers.Good job, one said as he examined the drivers wounds.You probably saved
her life, maam. Perhaps. But as Barbara walked back to her car, a feeling of sadness
overwhelmed her, especially for the family of the girl who had died. Their lives would
never be the same.
O God, why do such things have to happen? Slowly Barbara opened her car door. What
should she tell Benjamin? He was staring at the crash site, his blue eyes huge.
Mom, he whispered,did you see it? See what, honey? she asked. The angel, Mom!
He came down from the sky while you were running to the car. And he opened the door,
and he took that girl out. Barbaras eyes filled with tears.Which door, Ben? The
passenger side. He took the girls hand, and they floated up to heaven together. What
about the driver? Ben shrugged.I didnt see anyone else. Later Barbara was able to
meet the families of both victims. They expressed their gratitude for the help she had
provided.
Barbara was able to give them something more: Bens vision. There was no way he could
have knownby ordinary meanswho was in the car or what had happened to either of the
passengers. Nor could the passenger door have been opened; Barbara had seen its tangle
of immovable steel herself. Yet Bens account brought consolation to a grieving family.
Their daughter was safe in heaven. And they would see her again.
be able to feel and hear the spirits that I have come to know over the years. I have your
interest now dont I?
Everyone loves to read about people who are different. When you read this you will find
by the end of the book that I am not insane. Even if you are then convinced that I really
am, I will not have a problem with that because you have read my words and they may
have helped you get over some of the fears that you have had all your life.
I must say that is truly the basis of my book. I have been a Christian all my life. I have
gone to many different churches and I have found that they all have one very distinct
concept. They deal in fear. I was afraid to live because I would be sinning and I was
afraid to die because I was a sinner and I knew I was going to go to hell. What a horrible
dilemma. Here I am a child of God.
I have been given a mind and feelings and emotions and then I am told that there is only
one way to live and that is as a sheep. I must follow my Shepard with eyes closed and
without a second thought to where he will lead me. I am still a Christian and I know
without doubt that God exist. I just cannot with good conscience follow all of the beliefs
that some people are able to follow without question. For those people I have only
complete respect. I wish I were someone who could read the Bible and know without
question that every word within was correct and true. I would love to be able to open the
book and understand all that is being said. The fact of the matter is that I am not. I have
searched my entire life for a truth. What I have found is that there are many truths, mine
is only one example.
Love is the basis of my belief. It is pure and simple and it is what I believe God is,
complete and unconditional love. I do not believe that God punishes you and I do not
believe in a hell. I know that this is a very dangerous belief for some. The church has to
convince you that there is a hell so you do not kill others or lie or cheat or steal or any of
the other so-called sins that are out there. I also know that some must have this belief
only because it is so simple and unchallenging. I really am not saying anyone is wrong in
what they believe. Everyones reality is different, does that make them wrong? Of course
not, it only makes them different. That is one other thing God has blessed us with. We are
all individuals and with that small amount of individuality we have the ability to think for
our selves.
There are many books out there today that talk about what it is to die, where you will go
and how there is no need for fear. My book is not very different from some of those
books. The main difference I want to show is that you dont have to be a psychic to know
the truth. The truth is within all of us. You only need to open your heart and you will also
know. Personally, I use automatic writing to reach my higher self.
Automatic writing is when you relax your mind and allow the spirits, or your
subconscious to write the words you will then see on the paper. I say it is either a spirit or
your subconscious because I truly am not sure where the writing comes from. I do know
that it comes from another level of consciousness. I began to do automatic writing in my
twenties. I was married for the first time and I wasnt working. I had already had my
experiences with witchcraft, ghost, and many other aspects of the occult. In my teens I
had called myself an atheist and began practicing witchcraft.
Even during this time frame I never stopped praying. I would tell a friend that I didnt
believe in God and then I would pray for him to forgive me for saying those words. I
guess I wanted to be heard and that was a definite way of getting others attention.
I studied many books on the occult. I tried experimenting with things I knew very little
about. One of my Aunts was just as interested and we would try to work a Ouija board or
send each other mental presents. The mental presents were very interesting. We would
form the present in our minds giving it size, color, texture, taste, and smell. We would
make it consist of all the senses and emotions that encompass our existence. We would
then wrap it in a pretty package with bows and ribbons and have the others name on it.
We would then let the gift grow by forgetting about it for a couple of weeks. Neither one
of us let the other know what we were sending. When we felt that it had grown enough
we would then send it to the other. The first time my Aunt sent me energy. I was at work
when I received my package. I began to shake and felt as though I couldnt sit still. At the
time I didnt know she had sent her package out and I didnt know what she had sent me.
I didnt know what was wrong with me and thank God it only lasted for a short time.
When we talked later that day I found out why I was feeling as I had at work that day. My
package was also a success. I sent her husband a nice strong dose of the emotion love.
They had been having marital problems and I wanted him to treat her the way he had
when they first got married. Her husband brought home flowers and they had a wonderful
evening of lovemaking. I loved the idea that we were able to do this with our minds but
saw very little benefit in it.
Knowing that there were forces out there that I didnt understand I continued to study
books and experiment when I was able. I had read a book that covered the subject of
automatic writing and decided to give it a try. I was successful almost from the beginning.
I loved to be able to sit and write down answers to questions that had perplexed me
throughout my life. I wrote for many hours and became very enlightened. There was only
one problem; when you have few questions, you get few answers. I was still under the
influence of the churches that I had attended throughout my life and carried a lot of fear
with me. I was not about to challenge God or any of his messengers. I was very careful
about what I asked and never once did I dispute anything that was written. In all actuality,
my automatic writing lasted only a few months. I wanted something more concrete as my
proof. I decided I would attempt to do astral projection.
This was much more difficult for me. I tried for years to get out of my body with only
one
successful journey that I was aware of. The churches had done a very good job with me
and I was terrified to actually leave. I had discussions with a man of God and was told
that anything occult was from the Devil and that regardless of what was said it was only a
trick to get me to give myself over to him. He was completely convinced of this and it
put enough doubt in my mind that I feared trying anything for many years to come.
As my fears subsided a bit I would from time to time attempt to leave my body but I had
all most completely forgotten about the automatic writing that I had been so successful
with. As the years passed I continued to read what I could about this life, the next life and
how God fit into the scheme of it all.
I had completely stopped going to church (not that I didnt believe that God existed but I
couldnt find a church that had the same believes that I did). When my youngest son
came of school age things changed a bit. I wanted him to be able to make his own choices
concerning God and the religions, so I enrolled him in a Lutheran School. One of the
criteria in the school was that the parents of the children enrolled become a member of
the church. I started my classes and decided that I would bite my tongue when things
were said that I disagreed with. All went as planned except when the time came for me to
join I was told that I couldnt because I was living with my sons father without the
benefit of marriage. The church would not sanction living in sin.
All this took over two years for them to decide. During this time frame my father became
ill. I knew the power of prayer and asked the church to say a prayer for him. I was told
that they only prayed for members. Needless to say I left the church and put my son in a
public school.
I felt I had tried to open myself up to the beliefs that society accepted. I also knew there
was a reason that it had turned out so bad. I didnt know what the reason was but I knew
that I didnt belong in a church where they taught love but lived without it. I continued
my quest for answers.
Society was becoming more open to Eastern religions. The occult, as it was called for the
many years that I had tried to study it. I was able to find books about seeing auras, and
books that taught you how to leave your body were readily available. Angels where
becoming an accepted thought form. While reading a book about angels and how to
contact them, I was again
introduced to automatic writing. It was given as a way to communicate with your guides.
I picked
up a pen and gave it a try. What I discovered was I had not lost any of my writing ability.
The energy that directed my hand at age twenty was still alive and very willing to answer
more questions. The difference is I have many more questions now than I ever had as a
woman in my twenties. One of the thoughts that have been expressed to me through my
writing is that I need to write a book. Here I am and with the help of my Angel I am
going to try to dispel some of the myths and fears that our society has instilled in the
minds of Gods children.
Closing Doors on Our Fears
One of the biggest deterrents from doing anything within the realm of the occult is fear.
Its not surprising considering that we are told from the day we can understand that there
is good and there is evil. God is good but he can be evil if you do not do what he says you
must do. The Devil is just plain evil. So there you have this conflicting idea of what God
is and what he is all about. I was, and still am, to a point, so filled with fear that I am still
not able to leave my body or to see an aura. The aura is the colorful electrical field that
surrounds us.
When I was a child I can remember flying over the fields that surrounded our farmhouse.
I can still see the apple orchard and the little stream that was at the edge of the woods not
too far from our home. Was this a dream? When I was a child I believed it to be. I now
believe that I was out of body and actually flying over our land. I sometimes get angry at
the society that told me this was crazy and that people were not able to fly. As I said
earlier, I was able to get out of my body one time in adulthood. That had given me the
proof that I needed to know it is real.
I am here to try to help you release yourself from the fears that have been embedded in
your subconscious for so many years. While thinking about doing this, I have to once
again smile. How do I (someone who has not been able to release themselves from many
of these fears) propose to help anyone else beat his or her fear? The truth is I have always
been better at giving advice than I have been at taking it. Besides, I have the Angels
helping me and they are not afraid of any of the things that we as mortals fear.
One of the fears that caused me to pause when thinking about automatic writing was the
fear of being possessed by an evil entity. I should say at this point that I am of the mind
that thought is.While doing astral projection a person only has to think about where they
want to be and that is where they are. I have been told through my writing that possession
is not possible but because I still carry some of the fears with me I had my own doubts.
To safeguard myself I turn to prayer. I personally know that prayer is very powerful. A
person can have anything they want through prayer. After I say my prayer I relax with
pen in hand and either ask a question or let the words appear. It is a simple process but
will not be obtained if there is too much fear.
People have been told through out their lives that anything having to do with the occult
will bring disastrous results. Then you throw in all the teachings about any deviation from
God being a sin, the only out come is fear. What do we have to base any of our beliefs on
except fear? I was talking with my son just a few days ago. I was telling him that when
he was young he was fearless. I had commented many times to family members just how
fearless he was. Then it seemed almost over night he feared everything. He went from not
noticing the dark to needing a night light. He was afraid to walk anywhere in our home
even in the daytime. After we had our discussion I began to think about it a little deeper.
It was then that I realized his fear coincided with him going to a Lutheran School.
What happened to my fearless son? The school began teaching him that there is a God
and there is a Devil. That sin exists in all of us from the day we are born. They told him
that God would punish him for any and everything he did that wasnt God-like. There is
no one in this world that can live up to the code the church would have us believe we are
supposed to live up to. According to them if you even think an unclean thought; you are
just as guilty as if you acted out said thought. I say that is ridiculous. If you take
everything the church teaches, you would have to conclude that God is a big prankster.
He is going to take a man and give him individual thought and then he is going to punish
this man for having the thoughts he has given him the ability to have. I cannot get into a
mindset of accepting that this is who my creator is. The God I worship is a God of love
and understanding. Does he want me to lie or cheat or steal? If that is who I have written
myself to be then yes, that is who I must be.
The Way I Understand It
I am going to try to explain how I see our Heaven and our part in this realm. We have
God who is at the center of our existence. He is the main man, the head honcho; however
you want to refer to him. He runs the show. Below him there are angels and many other
entities, with you and I being one of these other entities. The Angels are beings that
generally do not take physical form. Unless they are doing work that requires them to
become physical they remain unseen. Their main purpose is to assist those of us who
have decided to come back here for another round or to help those who have crossed over
adjust to being home with God again. After we die, we go to heaven if you will. There,
we look at our past life and see where we made our errors and where we learned our
lessons.
When we have completed this we are ready to decide what it is we need to do to take our
next step. The main objective is to become closer to God. With each graduation (death
and or completing a knowledge base) we move closer to God. Now we have to decide
whether we need to come back here or whether we can learn what we need from other
areas.
Think of life as a big classroom. We are all in school from the day we are born. If you
were going to go to a college you would decide what classes you are going to take before
you signed up for the courses. It is something like that. If you wanted to be a teacher, you
would take elective classes with your major course of study in teaching. The objective is
to be a teacher but there are going to be many lessons before that can be obtained. Life is
like a large school.
So now you have decided what it is you need to learn this time around. You choose who
you think would be the best family/ person to help you achieve that goal. There are others
who help you find the appropriate family. This is only one of the many jobs that the
Angels do. Right now I want to get an understanding of where we fit in our existence.
All right, lets say we have chosen where we would best fit on this material level to
acquire the knowledge we need to move up. We are then born into the family we have
chosen. I have to smile when I hear children say, I didnt choose to be born, or I didnt
choose to be born to you, the fact is you did. Everyone chooses his or her family while
here on earth. Why would anyone choose a family that would abuse him/her you may
ask? The answer is simple; the lessons they need to learn require them to live such a life.
Lets say that the person in question needs to learn forgiveness. What is the best way for
someone to learn anything? It is through living the ordeal. If I have never had anyone do
wrong to me, I have never had to forgive, so I would have no idea what forgiveness was.
have three people sitting in a room and something happens, each one of them is going to
see the event a little different than the other. It doesnt make anyone wrong; it only makes
him or her different. Different is good, it is how God created us and it is the way we
know one from another. The point I am trying to make is when the multitude was
watching Jesus turn the water into wine and filling the baskets with bread. How many
different concepts of that event would there have been? I am convinced the event
happened but was it exactly as it is written in the Bible? You take the different versions of
the event and then add in a translation of those events not once but many times and I have
to ask just how accurate could it actually be? The argument that I get from the people
who can see the bible as the only truth is that the translations where done by Gods hand
through a mortal man. Having the ability to do automatic writing I can say it is not
flawless. There are many times when I am writing and I know that it is
me who has just written a word. There are times when the word that appears says one
thing but when I ask for a confirmation of my understanding I get an entirely different
meaning.
I want to be understood when I say I think there are flaws in the words in the bible. I
truly have a fear for my life just by writing this. I know the depth of some children of
Gods commitment to those words. I commend you on your blind faith. I am not by any
means saying you are wrong.
As I stated previously I am only giving another possibility... We have the translations of
the Bible and now we have to look at who is doing the translating. Being a woman I have
had to question being second to a man within the words through out my life. Why would
God say that I have to be a servant to my husband? Why would God say that any man
should be a servant to another man?
I have to very honest here. I have never read the bible from cover to cover. I base what I
am saying on the teachings of the churches that I have attended. I have been, what I felt,
attacked by people who are portraying them selves to be carrying the word of God. Love
thy neighbor, but only if they can do something for you or agree with your beliefs.
I guess my biggest concern when it comes to the Bible is the way it portrays God. I will
not be convinced that God has human characteristics. It is especially difficult when I look
at life as a school. When you are in school you are there to learn. While doing your
lessons you sometimes make mistakes. The teacher does not punish you for those
mistakes, they take you by the hand and they show you the correct way to accomplish
your goal. Why would God do anything less?
God is love and understanding.
While in my classes to become a member of the church where my son went to school, the
subject of children being born out of wedlock came up. As I stated I wasnt married to his
father, (the reason they wouldnt let me become a member). I asked the teacher (our
pastor) if he was trying to say that an innocent child of God would be condemned to hell
because I had committed adultery. His answer simply was, yes he would. It is written in
the bible. Again I will not ever be convinced that my God would send a child to eternal
little gnawing in the pit of our stomach. The little voice that tells you something is right
or wrong. That little voice can be taken in two styles. One is from God or our angels and
the other is from what some call our ego. That is the material us, the physical side of our
being. The one that holds the fears and doubts that this world and society instill in us
from birth. This world contains the negative side of us. Here we are able to learn through
experience. How better to learn, than to live it. If someone tells you not to touch the stove
because it is hot, you have no concept of what they are talking about until you touch it
and get burned. That is how we learn. There are some who would not touch it. They can
learn from being told but do they actually know what hot means? I am not sure. The best
way to learn anything is by experiencing it. I am sure not every experience we have
while here has been written as something we need to go through but I am
sure that with each experience we learn a valuable lesson. I will say again that we are in
school and need not fear death. It is only another part of living. It actually is the best part
of our lives, we get to graduate and go home.
Death is not easy to deal with on any level. Even with the knowledge that it is only a
transition it can be overwhelming. One of the most difficult things to deal with is when
someone you love is dying a slow death. I have had this experience and know that there
are many unanswered questions concerning the suffering that someone may go through
preceding their death. I was informed that this is sometimes a very necessary part of the
process. In some circumstances the person who is going to pass over is very earth bound.
When you are born into this world your memories of life on the other side is erased. That
is so the memory doesnt interfere with your lessons while you are here. You are also
given a survival instinct to help you want to stay here. Some people have a difficult time
letting go of this material level. It would be quite a shock to a being to just be pulled out
of their body without any forewarning. While there are many who do pass in moments
there are some who need that transition time. Its a very difficult time for anyone who has
to watch their loved one suffering but it truly is in the dying persons best interest.
Rules For Living
There are some rules that I call rules for living. They are rules that I guess I would say
should be added to the commandments that God set forth years ago. I will not comment
on the Ten Commandments because I believe that whether they were originally Gods
words or something man added as each interpretation took place they are still very
important. These rules that I am talking about are rules of nature so to speak. They are the
simple things that man needs to keep in mind in everyday dealings with this world. The
first rule for living is prayer. Prayer is one of the most powerful ways a person has to
accomplish any thing they need to accomplish.
If you are trying to get over fears or if you just need a break from the life projects you
wrote before you came here, prayer is the way to accomplish it.
I guess I had better explain what I am talking about when I say a break from our project.
As I stated earlier we have all written out what it is we need to do while we are here.
What lessons we need to learn. There are times while we are working on these lessons
that they can become more than we feel we can bear. You have to keep in mind that you
worked these lessons out while you were in a very wonderful place. The idea of the
chores at hand didnt sound as difficult as some turn out to be.
Just look at it as if you where planning your classes for school. You felt sure you could
take all the classes that you signed up for but once you start them you realize that you
have taken on just a little bit more than you should have. You have a choice of either
working harder than you planned or dropping a class and taking it at another
time.
You are here to learn and sometimes the lessons you have chosen can be quite
overwhelming.
Again I will say you wrote out these lessons while in a place where the memory of how
difficult it can be are just that, memories. So you have a choice here to work harder or
take the lessons at another time just as you would in school. All you have to do is pray
and let God know that things are a little bit too hard for you right now. Tell him that you
need a break and he will be more than happy to accommodate that request.
Prayer is real and prayer will give you what you need. All you have to do is ask and you
will have. I have personally been in situations in my life where I didnt think I could go
on. Prayer is what got me through them, and prayer can get you through any thing that
you have to deal with also. God wants to hear from his children. I try to look at it as
having a conversation with my physical father. I share my happiness with God and I share
my sadness with him. Sometimes I sing his praises and there are other times when I am
angry with him and tell him that. God knows that we are in a very difficult place. He is
here to help you and he has also sent us many other helpers. All we need to do is ask for
the help we need and it is there for us.
The next rule I want to talk about is suicide. It is a not a choice for us. This is when
asking for a break from our lessons would come in very handy. Some times things seem
so hopeless that the only choice we feel we have is to take our own lives. I will repeat it is
not a choice.
If you have chosen specific classes to accomplish your goal of say being a lawyer, and
you fail one of those classes, what happens? You will have to retake that class. If you fail
in life and that is what is happening if you commit suicide, then you will have to repeat
the entire course. I guess you could look at it, as the time you have already spent here as
wasted time. I look at how difficult my life has been. I look at what I have been through
and think about having to do all of it again. It doesnt matter if I checked out after many
years of hard work. You have written when you will go home and if you go home prior to
what you have written, then you will have failed and you will have to take the course
over. Suicide is not the answer to any of your problems. Ask God to give you a break,
prayer is the answer.
The next rule concerns judging others. It is not up to anyone to judge another. The only
one who can judge me is me. I believe that is one of the most broken rules there is. I
know that even as strongly as I feel about it, I still find myself from time to time, judging
the actions of another. It is difficult to not do. We are told that doing certain things is
wrong from childhood. When we see someone do one of those things, it is just our nature
to point it out and say, Hey thats wrong. That is not our job. We are here to learn. We
do not know what anyone elses lessons are so how can we say they are wrong.
Do as you would be done by. If everyone lived by that rule God would have to come up
with another training place for us. The world would be such a nicer place we would have
a hard time getting our lessons learned here. It really speaks for itself. If you wouldnt
hurt yourself, why would you hurt anyone else? If you dont want to be talked about, why
talk about someone else? The sentence speaks for itself. Try to be the best you can be in
all that you do and allow others to be who they are without your interference.
The End
While doing some of my writings I was given some very sound advice and I believe these
words are written for anyones benefit. I would like to share them.
Thank you, for believing in us, belief is the first step to understanding.
God establishes life and then it is up to you to learn the needed lessons.
Take life as it comes and learn from it all that you can.
Close doors and add direction.
Look for the benefit in all that you do.
Establish sound advisers and listen to their advice.
Dont be afraid to do everything that you want to do, your lessons are steadfast.
God leads and you follow, be consistent with your beliefs.
There are many other messages that I have received from my angels but I will save them
for another time. I wrote these few words for my close family and friends with the hope
that they will move one step closer to God. Whether it is within their own church or
within there own subconscious -- the truth is there for all who want to know it.
when my pregnancy test came up negative. All that day they checked every two hours, at
nightfall my husband had to leave and I was alone, scared and all I knew to do was pray.
I started praying, and when I did an angel came to me, the room became warm and the
dim light that was burning at the time lightened up the whole room. She brushed my hair
back and calmed me with soothing words. She told me not to worry, believe and all
would be ok.
The next morning when I woke up, the bleeding had stopped and the doctors couldn't
figure out why the test kept coming back positive. I told him it was because I would be
back there to have my baby.
She was born 6 months later and is now 29years old. My angel still comes at times when
I am distressed, but she calms me and I always know things are going to be ok.
While in France
By: Nita C. Hicks/catholic.org
In 1992 I was in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. I was there to visit my dying sister. Sis
was married to a Frenchman. I had been saying the Rosary every day praying for sis's
healing and restoration to God. I had used my sons small college fund to take my
handicapped elderly mother to say goodbye to sis. The first time mom and I went to be
with her while she had chemo, we got lost trying to take a city bus to her hospital. That
bus driver let us off at the wrong stop. We were left out in the country, in a tiny suburb of
Paris. Not in the town where we were suppose to be. We walked for many miles in the
August heat. Mom with her crippled arthritic legs and cane. And me practically in tears.
We wandered about, until a taxi stopped and asked where we were going. We told him,
and he took us there. By then we were exhausted, hot, thirsty, ill. We went in to see sis.
And the shock of seeing her attached to the chemo was a finishing blow to mom. As soon
as we left sis, and went to wait in the lobby, mom warned me she was going to pass out. I
hurried over to the French receptionist, and tried to tell her what was happening to mom.
Just then everyone started yelling in French. I looked at mom and she had passed out. I
ran over to her. By the time I got to her a tall, slender, black haired man, in an exquisite
black suit just took charge of the situation. He started speaking orders in French.
Everyone obeyed him, and it was all handled quietly and peacefully. Mom came to and
they gave her water and wiped her head. Everyone became quiet and peaceful. Order was
restored. Mom was going to be fine. Everyone was chatting on in French. So I wanted to
thank the young doctor who helped mom. He had disappeared in the crowd. So I asked
the receptionist about the doctor, she said she thought he was my husband! I said no. She
did not know who he was. He was not one of their doctors. I asked around. No one knew
who he was.
When we went to the Louve a few days later, in some of the paintings, were angels, who
looked identicle to the young "doctor". Except for the clothing. I have prayed about it.
And the answer I keep getting, is that it was an angel assigned to help us through our
ordeal in France, to protect my mom, so her burden would not be too great for her to
handle. Sis died one year later in France. Her husband allowed my mom to send for sis's
body so mom and sis are buried next to where I will be buried, in Oklahoma.
Wings Of Love
Location: Roscommon Michigan USA
By: Mike Fisher/catholic.org
There is an old saying that "in the night death , a listening love will hear the rustle of
wings". True!
My Father had heart problems for about twenty years. In 1989 on a warm August night in
northern Michigan my Father suffered his last of a long series of heart attacks.
My Mother and Father were visiting me at their cabin in northern Michigan.For some
reason I slept on the couch that night. At around 2-3 a.m. I was awaken by my Dad sitting
in a chair next to the couch. I Asked if he was alright and he said he couldn't get enough
breath. I woke my mom and we rushed him to the hospital, a twenty minute drive from
the cabin.The road was a two lane rural road through a forested area ,it was very
dark.After about 10 minutes driving at about 70mph. I heard the sound of wings , it
sounded like a large bird, my mom heard it too.So noticeable I abruptly slowed the car
down. I was worried I might hit an owl I thought.
My Dad toppled over onto me and took his last breath,I moved him backover to the
passenger side while still driving. We got him to the hospital but there was already too
much damage to the heart from previous heart attacks.The Dr. and hospital staff did all
they could . My dad had died.With my mom on the sad ride home we talked of my dad's
and our lives.It wasn't for a few years later it dawned on me that when owls fly you can't
hear their wings ?
was welcome to the can of gas she'd just taken from her truck. I carried the can and she
followed me back to my rental. We talked while I poured gas, but I don't remember any
of the conversation. When I was done, I walked back to her truck, can in hand. I put it
back in her truck, thanked her profusely. Somehow, it never occurred to me to offer her
any money for the gas. She got in her truck and drove up the off ramp.
I hustled back to my car, ground the starter some until it finally cranked up. I immediately
drove up the hill, following in her tire tracks, as I had just remembered I'd not paid her for
her kindness or the gas. I hoped to catch her and repay her.
As I reached the top of the small hill where the road crossed over the interstate, the tire
tracks just disappeared! They weren't blown away, not covered with snow... they just
stopped. I looked back and I could see two sets of tracks with mine more or less
following hers. I followed the tracks up the hill to where I was and they just ended a few
yards in front of my car.
I guess I kind of freaked out. I ran to where the tracks ended, shivering and REALLY
cold, as the wind was steady and frigid. I knelt down exactly where the tracks ended. Up
to that point, the snow was packed and I could still see the tire tread pattern. Then... they
just disappeared. No more tracks. No impressions, no compacted snow... no NOTHING! I
looked around. I had followed her up the hill not more than a minute or so after she drove
off. There were no tracks going down the other side, which was the on-ramp back to I-80.
No left turn or right turn tracks at the cross point of the road crossing the highway. No
tracks at all.
She just disappeared. Her AND the truck.
I went back to the car, which was still running. I looked back down the hill, still saw two
sets of tracks, the footprints we'd made walking around, even the imprint of where I'd set
the can down when I reopened her camper shell to put the empty can back in. It was all
there, her footprints, my prints, the tires, the can imprint, even the spot where I'd spilled a
bit of gas when I was pouring it in my tank.
I got in the car and just sat there for a long time. I was just too stunned to think. I started
to reconstruct the events and realized I didn't have any recollection of what she looked
like. Or, how she was dressed, color of her hair, sound of her voice. It was like even
THAT had also disappeared, but from my memory. Remembered a truck with a shell, but
then couldn't remember the color, the make, anything at all about her or the truck. I
started shivering, although the car was warm. Hair on my neck and arms stood up and I
FELT very odd. Best way I can explain it. I FELT odd.
There was this moment of calm and I found I was panting for breath as though I'd run a
mile. I tried to control my breathing, still feeling very strange. Lightheaded, which may
have been from hyperventilating, I guess. Finally, some minutes later, I put the car in
gear, drove across the road and reentered I-80. I made it to the car rental agency, turned
the car in, called for a ride home. While I was waiting, the rental agency guy asked me if
I'd smelled gas in the car. I said no, but I'd already told him about running out of gas just
outside town. Didn't tell him about the assistance I'd received. He said there was a gas
leak in the engine compartment and a puddle of gas was under the vehicle where I'd
parked it.
I started to tell him about the "guardian angel" who'd come to my rescue, but I didn't.
Sounded crazy to me, what would it sound like to him? I've told a few people about this
incident over the years, but even with the retellings, it still gives me shivers every time I
think about it. I have no lucid or believable explanation for what happened. I'm not the
hysterical type, of that I'm sure. Up to then, I did not believe in "angels." I do now. I
know I have one. I KNOW I have one!
was Catholic but also Pentecostal and had run for her life over the Brooklyn Bridge as a
cloud of debris and dust hurtled toward her. She finally outran the cloud and had time to
turn to look at what was unfolding. It was then that she saw thousands of angels riding
the clouds, bearing spirits of the newly dead to a gigantic figure of Jesus. This had truly
touched me becaue I had seen the Associated Press photograph reprinted in Newsweek of
a diablolical head in the dust alongside the World Trade Cecnter smirking evilly. I had
wondered where God was that day and now I knew. Of course, he was there.
But still I fretted over my co-worker. What about someone who was agnostic?
My friend, Ronnie, told me this story. A Catholic priest had also witnessed the crashes
from the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge and felt complelled to say the prayers of Last
Rites as the buldings fell and long afterward. He said them, she told me, so that all the
souls who needed it could go to heaven.
These healing words lifted a five year burden from my hear. That she should have learned
of these two miracles and been able to repeat them to me was a thrid miracle.
I know that Andy who was truly one of God\'s special people was only being called
home. His guardian angel and the angels of my best friend, her friend, the priest in
Brooklyn, the angels of all those people trapped in the world Trade Center towers and on
the planes, and finally my guardian angel were all taking part in God\'s plan to protect, to
deliver, and to comfort.
Going to lay the ground-work... this is very important - you see when this occurred - I
looked at EVERY ANGLE for an explanation.
My profession - Network Engineer... means very analytical...
OK here goes:
I was sharing a two bedroom townhouse with the owner - she had been on vacation with
boyfriend - (US Open Tennis) - gone over 5-6 Days already.
The day in question was a Sunday - I worked graveyard shift at a Data Center. Had to be
at work at midnight.
My accommodations in the townhouse provided its own bathroom - shower & Large full
length mirror two sinks etc.
The bathtub / Shower - had one of the round single-style central faucet - Pull out to turn
on water - rotate right or left to adjust hot & cold water.
I worked Sunday - Thursday...
Back up to last Tuesday - about a day AFTER my roommate left town.
The knob of the faucet - Broke - could not adjust water temperature...just could turn on
the water by pulling it out.. but rotating.. it just spun...like it was stripped.
The problem was it was on full-blown HOT....that was it. could not adjust the water
temperature of the shower - only the option - Hot..Damn Hot!
Now that Tuesday.. ended up bathing in the kitchen sink - ( never considered using her
bathroom - this was a straight roommate situation - this is why I chose to wait before
attempting any repairs - it was her townhouse..)
Now for Wednesday night - & everyday there after until Sunday...I devised an ingenious
plan.
I turned the gas Hot water heater OFF - left it off.
Then when ready to shower - turned it on... turned on the shower.. waited until it started
to warm up...took a quick two minute shower.. wahlah...!..Worked like a charm...
until Sunday night.
So its Sunday night..10:30pm or so.. about an hour before I would leave for work - woke
early from the power nap before work.
Time to start getting ready for work - ready to take a shower - Went to turn ON the Hot
water heater - and it was already ON - this was kind of creepy because fairly certain I had
turned it off after using the shower the day before.
So now I have to turn off the Hot water heater - & drain it out in order to take a shower.
So turned it off... turned on the shower - Full Bore...Running out the Hot water.. knew
this going to take some time - because I had to do the same thing the night following
when the faucet originally broke (Tuesday) - (before I got the idea to leave the Hot water
heater off).
10-15 minutes it starts running out.. jump in quick shower & out.
The steam created by running the Hot water heater dry... was Very thick, hung heavy in
the air. Bathroom door was open... the air began to clear.. that's when I noticed it.
On the mirror - it definitely had structure... this a very large mirror - fixed directly to the
wall (adhesive stuck the mirror flat to the wall - which was a solid concrete load bearing
wall).
On the mirror, the steam began to dissipate... yet there was something visible, appeared
structured in the steam - resembled... splotches:
##### ####
### ###
#### #### ###
You see.. the moisture molecules in the air generated from the shower adhere to the glass
of the mirror.
When I first exited the shower.. the entire mirror - end-to-end - was blanketed with steam.
As the air cleared - the steam on the mirror also cleared... Entirely.... except the splotches
of steam held firm.
Now I am standing there..thinking.. what fool wrote on the mirror?... but it was not
legible... I was really perplexed - then remembered - NO ONE had been in the house but
myself - No ONE - and these splotches WERE NOT there when I had to run out the hot
water heater last Tuesday.
Standing there in a towel - staring directly at these splotches - got my nose right up on
mirror...
This was REALLY strange - you see, the whole bathroom & mirror was steam free..
completely - yet the steam splotches held firm.
Could not detect any substance on the mirror - this was the opposite of writing with your
finger on a steamy mirror.
These were large splotches of steam - stuck on the mirror.
I am Staring directly at it..eyes an inch from the mirror... when I noticed the splotches
began to change..
The steam on each splotch - began to evaporate - symmetrically from the outside,
gradually moving toward the middle. Think of a circle that gradually shrinks - (its radius
decreasing while the center remains fixed).
Staring straight at this... the shrinking splotches began to resemble...letters.
I first noticed the S -....it rapidly became very clear - this was a message.
I literally jumped back - my towel dropped to floor, standing butt-ass naked - this was
unbelievable The splotches had evaporated to form letters. The letters formed a message
that was perfectly clear:
JESUS DIED
FOR YOU
SEEK YOUR GOD
I was totally stunned... I wish I could say I dropped to my knees in prayer. ( why this
frightens me today..others have had a Leap of Faith on much less evidence.. I was
adamant - This was some kind of joke..
How the hell (excuse the pun) did this unknown jokester pull this off?
Took a paper & pen & recorded the exact script of the lettering.. it was not bold like this
type face - but kind of cloudy like... but unmistaken the statement was perfectly clear.
NO ONE had been in the house... my roommate was not religious in anyway.
This mirrored had been fully steamed days before and nothing. After at least a few
minutes... The letters slowly began to evaporate - from the outside until it was gone.
The mirror had ABSOLUTELY nothing on it that could be detected.
Immediately began to run this through my brain.. ok someone HAD to get in here.. so lets
say they did. What did they put on the mirror that would cause the glass to maintain the
conductivity which would cause the water molecules to fixed for extended periods &
NOT evaporate as the room & the surface cooled?
Remember - many products can be placed on the mirror to prevent steam adhering to it creating the message IN the steam.
This case - the letters WERE the steam.
At this point... decided going to be late to work.... fire the water heater back up... heat the
water....turn on the shower full bore - close the door - completely steam up the mirror....
there it is.. again!
OK.. lets do it a third time - Again the message is there.
After a couple more times.. definitely noticed the message was getting 'weaker' - not
lasting as long before dissipating.
Went to work... the next day called two people - one a close friend - the other my recent
ex-girlfriend. They both came over - steam job was repeated - & appeared. Their
response was less than expected.
My friend called me an asshole & stated this was not a funny joke & stormed out.
The Ex - about the same response - accused me of playing a parlor trick in order to get
back together with her.
'cave' opening was just under the leaves. As she passed, she fell into the cave, hurt her
right leg, and scratched her face and most of her body, but nothing really serious.
It was moist, dark, and a terrible stench because there were bats in there bats. She could
see the light coming from above her, and tried to climb, but
her leg wouldn't let her, so she sat and cried calling out for her parents.
She then started to pray, and continued crying. She was terrified and cold, and afraid of
the bats, which hung all around her. Then she heard the voice of a man, calling out her
name! She screamed at the top of her voice, "I'm here, please, I'm here." She saw a
shadowy figure climb into the cave. The man was smiling like 'nothing terrible
happened". She felt relieved and asked if her parents were there; the man answered no,
but told her they were worried sick. She noticed that the man was dressed, not like a
ranger, but rather in white t-shirt, white pants, white sneakers and white hat. He picked
her up like she weight only ounces, carried her up with lots of ease, and before she even
noticed, they were outside. She told him, she couldn't walk, and he answered, 'I know,
dear, don't worry about that'. He carried her through a passage in which she noticed that
he would actually walk around some places, instead of walking through them! She was
so pleased with him, that she didn't even ask why. He then sat her on a rock, and told her
to wait there....she screamed for him not to go. He then smiled and said, "I will be
back..."
After about 10 minutes, she was found by rangers who proceeded to take her to her
worried parents. They were getting ready to leave in their car, when she said, that she
was 'waiting' for the 'nice' man that saved her...the rangers looked at each other and said
they had closed that path, so that nobody could go in there. Still, her parents waited a bit,
but insisted with her that she needed to go to a hospital; so they left.
At the hospital, she got a cast on her broken leg, and treated for her scratches. Two days
later they all left for home. One night, she heard someone calling her name from her
yard. She looked outside her window, and there was that man again; smiling and waving
his hand. She tried to open her window but couldn't, and when she looked again, he was
gone. Her mother got up from bed and asked her, who was calling out to her, so she
asked her mom if she had heard it. The mom said yes, but that she had looked out her
window and didn't see anyone, so, she thought the person must have left already......which
made her go to Mrs. Richmond's room to see who it was. She then told her mom the
story, and her mom said that was not possible, because no body, not even the police and
rangers in El Yunque knew that.....angel?
Your Angel
by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown
Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born. So one day he asked God: "They tell
me you are sending me to earth tomorrow but how am I going to live there being so small
and helpless?"
God replied, "Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you
and will take care of you."
"But tell me, here in Heaven, I don't do anything else but sing and smile, that's enough for
me to be happy."
"Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will feel
your angel's love and be happy."
"And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me, if I don't know the
language that men talk?"
"Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with
much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."
"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"
"Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."
"I've heard that on earth there are bad men. Who will protect me?"
"Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."
"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."
"Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way for you to come
back to me, even though I will always be next to you."
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be
heard, and the child in a hurry asked softly:
"Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."
"Your angel's name is of no importance, you will call your angel: Mommy."
As I grew older, however, I fell away from my talks with God, and I stopped my prayers.
My faith waned and my heart hardened with the wrong groups of kids and sinful desires.
But, my faith is back now. One thing that always helps bring me back, when I have a
weakness of faith, is something that happened during one afternoon walk through the
desert. As I wandered along a narrow path through some olive trees and sage brush , a
little voice in my head said, "You should watch for snakes." This voice was not a thought.
We all know the pattern of our own thoughts. We recognize them as being self-generated.
But this voice was not mine. I looked down to see a long rattlesnake stretched out,
directly in my path, warming itself in the hot sun. I froze, terrified. For a long moment I
couldn't move - scared of the snake, but also petrified that something had just spoken to
me.
One could call it a coincidence. People who walk through the desert are always watching
out for snakes - this just happened to be an instance when there was one lying in my path.
Here's the thing: It happen a split second before I stepped on it. The voice was not mine. I
believe it was an angel. I will always be grateful to the angel who spoke to me. Not just
for the safety he or she provided me at that moment, but for the faith that moment has
instilled in me. And there is meaning in that warning: "You should watch out for snakes."
Indeed, we should watch out for them, and we should watch out not to let ourselves
become one.
No Title
By: Amy/catholic.org
I just found out I was expecting another baby, I just took the pregnancy test in the early
morning while my other children were sleeping. I was shocked to find out it was
positive.I allready had 4 other children to care for, and was nursing my 11 month old son
at the time. so I was scared saying, how am I going to do this.How am I going to afford
another, It was a windy morning and I was looking out the window looking out at the
quiet small town and my back yard. I noticed a bird on top of a big pine in the back yard.
I stared at the bird thinking how beautiful. How strange it was still staying on the tree top
with all the wind that was blowing. A peace came over me and I felt that this child was
meant to be, and I would deal with it, whats one more child.
Anyway, Emalie was born , my beautiful baby girl, and on her arm, almost as a tatoo, was
a tiny bird simular to the bird I had seen the morning I found out I was expecting. She is a
very sweet girl and loves jesus allready and is only 4 years old. I really think that the bird
on her arm and that I had seen that morning was a symbol of the holy spirit. I have since
had one more beautiful baby after her, his name is timothy and is almost 2. He is a special
needs child and I am so blessed to have 6 beautiful children that God sent me. This was
all Gods plan and I am ever greatful, and know that I am on the path to Gods will. praise
Jesus.
one would tell me where Chetty went. Whenever my family went there for visits; he'd
always want me to go out and swing with him.
After he died, we went to his house for a visit and I was so lonely, I decided to go outside
and swing. As I sat there remembering how it use to be, Chetty walked up to me and an
Angel was holding his hand. She had beautiful long blonde hair and was dressed in a
long white gown. She never said a word, just smiled, but Chetty looked at me and said
"I'm not in pain no more". He and the angel turned and walked until they simply faded
away.
I finished out my day at work and as I drove up to my home there were several police
cars in my driveway. At exactly 1:40 pm that afternoon my husband who works out of
our home felt the need to go to the store. He left the house for ten minutes. While he was
gone five very aggressive men took an ax to our door, kicked it in and rip out VCR's,
TV's and several other items. They were caught and the police officer came by the house
with the men who were pointing out all the homes that they had robbed in our neighbor.
The officer said that if my husband had been home, they would have hurt him or even
killed him.
I feel that my guardian angel saved him by instilling the need to go to the store at that
exact time. He still does not know why he went that day. But I am thankful to my angels
for their help.
disabled now due to what happened. I wish I had listened to my guardian angel.
So everyone out there don't make the mistake that I did. Listen to your guardian angel.
Even if you feel stupid or foolish, don't give in to other's wishes around you. Let God
lead the way for you through the guidance he gives you through your guardian angels.
his dog about 12:30 AM and we left him our name and phone number. We continued our
search through the night, but we didn't find our doges.
On Monday I came across an email that shared Angelic information with naming about
15 Angels. I called out to each one of them with tears streaming down my face and
demanded that I get my puppies back home safe and unhurt where they belong. That
Monday afternoon the man we ran into Saturday night called me and said he saw a sign
stating two Jack Russells were found and he gave me the phone number from the sign. I
immediately called the number and sure enough this wonderful family had found my
dogs and took care of them for the weekend. I believe in all my heart that the Angels sent
us in the direction of this man, for the Angels knew my heart was broken and they were
just waiting for the word from me to assist.
I know there are people suffering in this world and would think that loosing dogs is
nothing compared to the suffering of others but this was MY heartache and there is no
suffering too big or too small that the Angels wont help with, all you have to do is reach
out. I am living proof that they are, not just with returning my dogs but in other areas of
my life.
Concerned "Stranger"
I was having a very tough day. Trying to stay sober and deal with the loss of my true love
and job at the same time. I begin to speak to my higher power over a span of three
months until one day I felt so helpless and doubtful. I remember getting down on my
knees begging for my creator to connect with me so I would know that he was there and
that I was truly not alone. That day I saw seven rainbows at different times. What made
me think the most was when a stranger in a green car saw me parked on the road. I was
crying and praying. He pulled up next to my car, he said "I saw you here and wanted to
see if you were okay!" I said "Oh, yes I'm okay. He then asked again," Are you sure that
you're okay?" and again I replied "Yes". He then said "Okay, you have a great day."
Instantly it lifted my spirits and I smiled at him with tears in my eyes and told him to
have a good day too. As he was driving away we both looked at each other in the rear
view mirrors as if something told us to. As I was driving away it dawned on me that what
if he were an angel checking to see if I needed help. This person. who I've never saw
again, made me feel so happy and at ease. Just stopping to see if I was alright was all I
needed to know that my higher power had connected with me through a stranger who I
feel was an angel.
Survival in Vietnam
I don't know if this was an Angel or my father who had recently passed, but I was
stationed in Vietnam from 1970 to 1971 at the time that the United States was beginning
to pull out of the country. I was a First Lieutenant in charge of a 5 ton truck company
running convoys to bring goods, equipment, weapons, jet fuel and supplies to different
bases in the lower three Corps.
I was assigned to bring an artillery company out of the mountains back to my base at
Long Bien. While leading the convoy on the road back to Long Bien, I felt a cool breeze
run up my back. We were in the sweltering jungle, there shouldn't have been a cool
breeze. I immediately felt that my convoy was to be ambushed down the road. I halted
the convoy in the middle of the jungle to review my ambush instructions with the troops.
We mounted our vehicles and proceeded down the road. Not 30 minutes later, we were
ambushed. Because we were aware of the possibility of the ambush and were just
recently prepared with instructions, we were able to get through it without incident. We
returned fire and drove back the Vietcong giving us the time to escape the ambush zone.
This happened 3 times in the year that I was there. I credit this cool breeze for the
survival of myself and my troops.
she "feels" exactly what her children are doing behind her. I felt a large being who
expanded huge wings and wrapped them around me. It was a feeling of comfort I never
felt before. Then I realized the path I was taking home and the fact that I was standing in
the middle of a dark alley. I shudder to think what was down that alley that this being
was protecting me from.
"What was I thinking?" I said, leaning on the fence with other folks who were watching.
"I'm 42. How can I expect to compete with the likes of these people?"
"Don't you worry," the woman next to me said. She pointed to a white-haired man riding
his horse through the iron posts in the L-shaped entry gate. "That fella's a championin
his seventies! This is one sport where age doesn't matter."
The man galloped out and expertly wove his horse through a cloverleaf pattern. I didn't
have youth or experience on my side. Lord, am I gonna just make a fool of myself? If so,
I guessed I might as well get it over with.
I saddled Wrangler up and mounted her. We headed into the entry gate and waited our
turn. My legs bumped against the iron posts as she moved toward the circular arena. Each
little jolt made me more nervous.
How can I maneuver around the ring, I thought, if I can't even get through the gate
without knocking into things?
The judge gave us the go-ahead. I took a deep breath, leaned forward in the saddle and
urged Wrangler into the ring. We trotted up to the first barrel and I pulled out the flag. So
far so good. Now if I could just put the flag back into the second barrel without dropping
it and getting disqualified.
I squeezed my legs against Wrangler's sides, giving her the signal to speed up. Wrangler
trotted faster. I leaned over and stuck the flag into the sand. I did it! I was nowhere near
the pace of a champion at full gallop, but I thought I could hear Lloyd and Colton
cheering in the stands.
Wrangler and I neared the exit gate. I tugged the reins gently. "Good girl," I said, patting
her neck. We turned the sharp corner of the gate, and my leg bumped against the iron
posts.
I guessed there was just no way I was going to learn to clear those posts. At least we
didn't lose points for it, though. That wasn't part of the competition.
Wrangler and I became regulars at the Saddle Club Play Days, and little by little our
times improved. Still, I felt like we had catching up to do.
One day Wrangler seemed especially eager to get into the ring. I walked her through the
L-gate to do a practice run on the barrels. As usual, my leg bumped against the iron posts.
Still haven't gotten around that! I thought.
We galloped up to the barrelsour trotting days were behind us. I leaned forward as we
reached the first one and kept my eyes on the second barrel I planned to lead Wrangler
around.
But Wrangler had other ideas. She headed into a cloverleaf pattern, curving around the
first barrel. She zigged, I zaggedand slid halfway off the right side of the saddle. My feet
popped clean out of the stirrups!
Instinctively I gripped the saddle horn until my knuckles were white and held on with my
legs. C'mon, Amber. Get yourself upright!
Wrangler spooked. She ran at full gallop around the north side of the arena. I squeezed
my legs around her sides to hang on. Wrangler felt the familiar signal to go faster. "No,
Wrangler!"
She rounded the east side of the arena at top speed. Lord, how do I stop her? I gripped the
saddle horn with all my might. Suddenly I was sitting square in the seat again. How on
earth?
I tugged the reins to slow Wrangler down. Nothing happened. The curb chain that
attached to Wrangler's bridle had broken. She couldn't feel my signal to ease up. My feet
pressed against her sides. I couldn't find the stirrups at this speed, much less slip my feet
into them.
Like a runaway car with no brakes, Wrangler ran around the south side. I reached blindly
with my feet and they slipped snugly into the stirrups as if someone had guided them in.
The gate was coming up fast with its iron posts that I never failed to knock into no matter
how slowly Wrangler and I walked through. At this speed the posts could break my legs!
I could get knocked off the horse from the blow.
I braced for the impact. Wrangler rushed into the gate, past every post, turned a sharp
right at the L and continued on to a clearing. Once she was out of the ring she slowed to a
stop. Not one post so much as brushed my legs!
A man from the club hurried up to me. "Are you all right?" he asked.
I slid off the saddle, nodding slowly. "Just a little dazed," I told him.
The man whistled. "Guess you found out what a good rider you were today!"
I didn't know about that. I still didn't have youth or much experience on my side. What I
did have were angels, guiding me through one hairy adventure. Lloyd and Colton thought
that was better than any catching up I could do.
I repeated the Lords Prayer till the mumbled words became a steady hum. Dad looked
me square in the eye. I must have fallen asleep from exhaustion, he said. Because the
next thing I knew, I was back home, here in this house. Grandpa sat across from me. In
this rocking chair.
Remember what you learned in the Boy Scouts and on the football field, Grandpa said.
You cant quit.
I didnt know if I could do it. I didnt think I could. I was scared. Your grandpa patted
my knee. I believe in you, he said. And Im out there with you in spirit. Just promise
you wont lose faith. Never stop believing you will make it home alive.
I could picture Grandpa, giving Dad the courage he needed. Dad painted such an image,
it was almost as if I were dreaming myself.
Dad continued. When I came to, I had the strength and the will I needed to complete the
mission. I got my men into position before dawn.
He rocked forward and handed me the calendar. After the war was over, Dad said, I
told Grandpa all about my dream. Your grandpa just about made my jaw drop when he
told me I had appeared to him one night when he was dozing in his chair.
Grandma had gone to bed, he said, and I came and stood by the stove and we talked. He
said I had asked him for help and he encouraged me. When Grandpa woke up, it struck
him as so odd, he marked it down on the calendar.
Dad pointed to February 6. The same night I was sick with malaria, leading my troops.
The same night I had my dream.
I held the calendar up close and squinted at Grandpas lightly penciled script. I could just
barely make out, David dropped by today.
Grandpa was with me in spirit back then, Dad said. I believe hes here with us now.
Dad was right. Heaven was as close as the calendar in my hand.
Wonderful Coincidences
A Miraculous Midnight Roundup
Only trouble could come a-knockin' at this hour, but she didn't expect to learn that all her
horses were out of their corral.
By Monica Flynn, Mansfield, Georgia (guideposts.org)
Barking dogs jolted me out of a sound sleep. The clock read 1:23 a.m. Must be a raccoon
outside, I thought, rolling over. Too bad the dogs are inside!
Id had a full day at work downtown before coming back to Dogwood Sport Horses, the
breeding farm that my sister owned. When I came home Id gotten the horses their
nighttime rations and moved them into the pasture with a windbreak to shield them from
the predicted cold.
My work day was over. What could be the problem at this time of night?
The dogs kept it up. Much as I wanted to deny it, this was no theres-a-raccoon-outthere alarm. I dragged myself out of bed and pulled on a robe.
Loud knocks sounded at the front door. This cant be good. Shouldnt everyone be asleep
now?
The dogs crowded around the front door. A dark figure loomed on the stoop, backlit in the
bright moonlight. It wasnt Raphael, the hired hand. He was too tall and thin. I turned on
the porch light. But I hesitated to open the door. What could a stranger want at this hour?
I was all alone in the house.
Do you have horses? the man called through the door. A lot of them? Because theyre
all out on the road!
Oh my gosh! I went up to the bedroom and pulled on shoes. Horses out in the road? In
the middle of the night? How did that happen?
I stumbled outside in my black rubber muck boots and robe. Even with the ropes I hastily
grabbed, I must have looked like the last person capable of handling a horse crisis.
My names Benjamin, the man said, politely ignoring my outfit. I drove around that
curve by your driveway on my way home. Some of the horses meandered out in the road
right in front of me. I thought they must have gotten loose from someones stable. Good
thing I came to your house first.
Thank God you did, I said. Fourteen horses were scattered on the grass and across the
road, with the majority in the newly planted field on the other side.
A herd of horses will usually follow a leader, so I slipped a lead rope over a brown mare
and walked her toward the pasture, hoping others would follow. Benjamin stood in the
middle of the road to keep the horses on either side and flag down any cars.
People had been known to speed down our road this late at night. A collision with the
horses could be fatal to the driver and the horse. Good thing Benjamin was going slowly,
I thought, leading the mare through the gate into the pasture.
One down, thirteen to go, I thought, but a moment later that same mare trotted past me
again. Obviously there was a gate open somewhere in the pasture, but I had no idea
where.
While I was still trying to figure out what to do, the horses in the field bolted down the
road that led to the neighboring town. Oh, no! I cried. If they went down the road wed
never catch them again.
I watched helplessly as the horses galloped off, their hooves pounding the concrete, but as
they hit the curve of the road they slowed and stopped before turning around and coming
back toward Benjamin. Thank you, God! I said, because I didnt see who else could have
stopped them.
Leaving Benjamin with the herd, I went to the assistant managers building and woke
Raphael. The horses again ran off as I returned with him, but once again stopped at the
curve as if theyd hit an invisible barrier. They trotted obediently back to Benjamin.
Can you get them back in the pasture? I asked Raphael. Ive tried leading one horse
inside, but the others dont follow.
Dont walk the lead horse, he said. Just stand with her and wait for the others to calm
down.
Raphael stood with the mare. Almost immediately the other horses relaxed. Seeing my
chance, I got some grain from the shed. Come on, I said, holding it in my hand. Right
in here. Like obedient schoolchildren the horses followed me across the road and into
the pasture.
Now how do we keep them in there? I said when we were all in the pasture. We have
to find the open gate.
Could I have one of those? Benjamin said, pointing to the lead ropes still draped
around my shoulders.
Do you have experience with horses? I said. I dont want you to get hurt.
I used to work at a horse farm down the road, said Benjamin. He pointed to a gate on
the other side of the pasture. The chain had broken, leaving it swinging in the icy wind.
Ill tie that shut.
You really were the perfect person to happen by tonight, I said when Benjamin had
secured the gate.
I dont know why I did happen by, he said. I was on my way home from college for
the weekend. I make the drive all the time, but never on this road. I cant explain why I
did tonight.
I could explain it. The horses would have been long gone by the time Raphael or I woke
in the morning. Anyone of them might have been killed on the roador killed someone
else.
Instead they were safe in the pasture and I was going back to bed knowing that while I
might sleep, Gods angels never do.
didnt care. Me and God know how big the fish was, and thats all that matters.
I was impressed by how well Miles had handled his frustration, but I couldnt help but
wish hed been able to offer some proof of his champion catch.
His mom bought him a disposable camera to take to the pond on the outside chance he
caught another big one. I hoped that would solve the problem.
A few day later Miles came home with another fish story. I couldnt get the camera out
of my bag in time, he said.
Sure you couldnt! said Tommy, grinning. Just admit it already. No picture, no fish.
Oh, I got a picture all right, said Miles. The fish was wriggling around on my line
while I wrestled with my camera bag. When I was sure Id have to give up and throw it
back, a lady came walking by with a little white dog. Ive never seen her at the pond
before.
She pulled a camera out of her pocket and offered to take my picture. She says shell
come back to the pond tomorrow and give it to me.
The story sounded a little fishya lady walking by at just the right moment? With a
camera? But sure enough the following afternoon Miles brought home a picture of
himself with a very impressive fish.
Guess we cant argue with this one, Mark said. Its right there on film. I wonder who
that lady was. I wondered to myself if the angels at that pond carried cameras!
Miles continued to fish at the pond and he took lots of pictures for his scrapbook.
Sometimes his family still teased him about the ones that got away. It was all in fun, but
Miles didnt like anyone thinking he was a liar, even as a joke.
God knew he was telling the truth. People were harder to convince.
On the last day of summer vacation I went over to the house in the late afternoon. Miles
came bounding through the door. From the look on his face, hed caught a big one.
The biggest one of all, he claimed. I was lying on the bank looking up at the clouds
when I felt a tug on my line. I really had to wrestle with it. With my other hand I tried to
find my camera. I felt all around my bag and even dumped it out on the bank. But the
camera wasnt in my bag!
So no picture, said Tommy. No picture of the biggest fish ever.
Looks like it, said Miles, with a little smile. Guess youll just have to believe me
because I say its true. He trotted up the stairs to get ready for dinner. Miles didnt seem
upset. He changed clothes, did his chores and ate dinner without bringing up the fish.
But after dinner he got on his computer and called us into the room.
I forgot to finish telling you about what happened today at the pond, he said. A man
came running down to the bank as I was about to let my big fish go. The mans house
overlooks the pond. Hed seen me searching for something and thought I was in trouble,
so he came running out.
Miles tilted his computer screen so we could see the e-mail the man had sent. Miles
clicked on the photo attachment: a shot of Miles at the pond. In his hands he held the
most enormous trout stretched across his chest. The fishs head was in one hand and the
tail in the other.
It was sure lucky Mr. Stevens looked out his window at just the right moment, wasnt it,
Dad? Miles asked. You see, hes a photographer. He was in such a rush to help me he
didnt stop to take the camera from around his neck.
It was more than lucky, Mark said, staring at the picture.
Another angel at the pond! I said. The family laughed. Tommy held up his hand for a
high five with Miles.
No one ever would have believed there were fish that big in that little pond. They
wouldnt have believed there were angels there either. Miles had proved them wrong.
say hello.
To this day I cant recall a moment when Ive felt more peaceful than that afternoon at the
bottom of the ocean, sunlight shining down like shafts of heaven through the water. If Id
made a wish on my angel starfish, it would have been to feel that peaceful always.
One minute I was in the water watching the fish, and the next a lifeguard was carrying me
back to shore. He rubbed my chest and I spit up saltwater. Dad and Joel were shaking
with fear after nearly losing me. My adventure, and the overwhelming sense of peace,
was over.
Back in the waiting room, a woman sat down beside me. You look busy, she said.
I was journaling, I said. The woman seemed curious. I was writing about the day I
nearly drowned as a child. Dont ask me why I felt compelled to journal about it now. In a
doctors waiting room, no less.
I realized the woman had gone quiet. Her smile had faded. I lost my four-year-old son to
a drowning accident forty years ago, she said.
Im so sorry, I said. How terrible it must be for her to be reminded of it! I was suddenly
embarrassed.
I know hes in heaven now, she said. But what still haunts me is thinking about how
much he suffered, how scared he mustve been.
May I read you something? I opened up my journal. I read my story as Id just recalled
it: how I let the water take me without fear, how being at the bottom of the ocean was an
exciting adventure, how I had never felt more peaceful.
My father was terrified that day, I said. But its one of my happiest memories.
Do you think it was like that for my son? the woman asked.
I believe that in those last few moments of life, God wraps us up in a soft, protective
embrace of divine peace. A peace unlike any weve felt before. Just like I felt at the
bottom of the ocean, I said.
Thank you, she said, tears in her eyes. I feel like Ive been carrying around a weight
for forty years and its finally been lifted.
I remembered the brush of those fish tails against my skin, like angel wings. And this day
I felt the brush of wings again. Because angels had orchestrated this encounter. To lift a
weight from a mother who had carried it for too long.
The Song
By: fionaleigh@live.com (from ainglkiss.com)
Our Grandfather has been fighting stomach cancer for years and on March 21st of 2006
the battle ended for him. Before he died mom went to visit him and he told her, she will
be fine with his death if he gave her a sign that he was ok.
About 2 weeks later my mom was at work and the song Angel, by Sarah McLaughlin
came upon the radio and ray a sun shine came across her face. As this happened, she had
the feeling that her dad passed. She turned to her co-worker and said her dad just passed
away. Five minutes later she got a call from her sister saying that their dad had passed
on.
We said our sad good byes but we knew he wasn't in pain any more and he was in a better
place.
A year later, at the first anniversary of his death, my mom was near the radio and what
came on was the song Angel, by Sarah McLaughlin and it was the 9:15am and it was the
time that her dad died. She got goose dumps and she looked up and said thank you dad.
When he got in I handed him $5.00 and told him I hoped that would get him through the
day.
He smiled broadly and thanked me graciously when we got to his vehicle.
I hope that I brought a little sunshine to him because he certainly brought it to me and
made my day glorious.
I thought back to just how busy the gas station was that morning and was very glad he
picked me to talk with and had not been rebuffed by someone else.
A miracle-apparently its in the eyes of the beholder.
I reached the door to the clinic and stopped short. A few feet away, nibbling at a weed
growing out of the concrete was a little white goat. Where did you come from? I said,
picking up the leash attached to the collar around her neck. I looked around for her
owner, but the lot was empty. Obviously the little goat had gotten loose.
The staff was surprised when I walked into the clinic with my new friend trailing behind
me. The receptionist, the doctors and the patients rushed to pet her. Does anyone know
who she belongs to? I asked.
Nobody did. Someone needs to take care of her until we find her owners, the
receptionist said.
I will! I said. I have plenty of room at home. You have my number if the owner comes
by.
Why did I volunteer? I thought after Id said it. Oh, there was nothing strange about me
wanting to care for an animal. Back home I had a couple of dogs and a small flock of
chickens. But lately Id neglected them along with everything else. So why did this little
goat capture my attention?
Shes lost, just like me, I thought. Maybe I couldnt find my own way back home, but I
could help the little goat find hers. Ill take good care of you, I told her. I promise.
After my session I brought the goat home and introduced her to my dogs, Veda and
Victor. This is Gurdy Goat, I said. Doctor Gurdy Goat.
Veda and Victor were not as happy about our guest as I was. Every time I turned around
there was a bleat or a growl that signaled another altercation. Maybe we all need to go
outside, I said. I snapped leashes on Veda and Victor. I held the dogs in one hand and
Gurdy in the other, careful to keep them apart.
I followed one of the paths I often walked in the mornings. Victor and Veda veered this
way and that, checking out all the interesting smells along the ground. Gurdy stayed by
my side and nibbled the tasty flowers we passed. With two dogs and a goat to keep an eye
on, I couldnt let myself get distracted by my problems.
I gave the chickens fresh water and feed. Focusing on that simple chore made me think
about the other things Id neglected: the laundry and dirty dishes piling up, the unopened
mail in the front hall. These routine jobs had seemed impossible the last few weeks. Now
for the first time, I felt the strength to get started on them. Youre some great doctor, I
told Gurdy. Already youve got me feeling better.
Back in the house I clicked on my computer and checked my email. There were a lot of
messages, many concerning my work at church. But something was different. I didnt
feel overwhelmed. I answered one, then another, and on down the list. I was far from
caught up with everything in my life, but Id made some positive progress. If I did a little
"Now if they ever do come," she said, "your father will take all the credit!"
Last December Dad was very much on my mind. I'd planned a family get-together at my
house for the holidays, but Dad wouldn't be there. He'd died the year before.
Mom had found a new companion, a childhood friend and a widower as lonely as she
was. She was obviously happy, and I was happy for her. But I struggled with accepting it.
Wasn't it too soon to find another partner in life?
My holiday preparations included the birds, of course. Winter can be a hard time for
them, so I filled the feeders to overflowing and clipped on extra suet cakes. The day
before our celebration, I made napkin rings and place cards.
I felt uneasy as I went around the table putting the cards by the dinner plates. Especially
when I put someone else's at Dad's usual chair. How would he feel about that? I wished I
knew. "God, help me accept this. For Mom's sake, at least."
I walked through the family room for a last-minute check. Something caught my eye at
the window. A bright yellow and black bird perched on the feeder. Too big to be a
goldfinch.
I didn't want to move, afraid I would scare him off. But he wasn't bothered. He seemed to
be trying to get my attention. Then I knew. An evening grosbeak! After all this time.
He glanced over his shoulder. Now he'll fly away, I thought. But I saw what he was
looking at. A female sat in our lilac bush. She flew to the feeder and perched beside her
partner. They stayed there, just looking at me, as if trying to make a point.
"Eighteen years I've lived here," I told them, "and finally you've come. In a pair, no less.
I'd love to tell my dad!" Unless, maybe, he already knew.
"Yes, Dad," I whispered. "This is quite a surprise." And, I supposed, the timing of my
visit from the grosbeaks couldn't have been more appropriate.
Someone else would be in Dad's chair this holiday, but I got the distinct feeling it was
okay with him. We're meant to be in pairs. Mom understood. Wouldn't she laugh when
she heard why I understood that now, too?
Tomorrow would be the anniversary of his sudden death, at nine years old. My husband
and I saved keepsakes from Lee around the house to keep him close, but at times like
these mementos were nothing compared to feeling like he was really here with me.
God, I need to know my bond with Lee is still strong even though he is in heaven.
A flicker of motion near a pot of petunias caught my eye. A tiny, pale blue butterfly, no
bigger than my thumbnail moved from bloom to bloom. Strange, I thought. Ive never
seen a butterfly like that before.
I watched as the creature fluttered over to me. I extended my index finger. The butterfly
landed on it! The butterfly flitted away, only to return to my fingertip again and again, as
if playing a game. Finally my winged friend flew up to the bridge of my nose and rested
there.
I held still, hoping to prolong the magic of being eye to eye with a butterfly! Seconds
later the creature flew away, never to be seen again.
What had just happened? I sat dazed for several minutes before heading inside. On the
refrigerator, among many family photos, I noticed a faded paper butterfly. Lee had given
it to me one Mothers Day. Tears flowed from my eyes as I read the words written there:
Butterfly, go to my mother and whisper that I love her.
Now I understood. God had answered my prayer with a beautiful message delivered on
the wings of one of his most heavenly creatures.
about my prayer and the butterfly when it flew up and hovered in front of her nose! This
must be your butterfly, she laughed. It was! The butterfly brought us all a little peace
that day.
When we chose Charlies plot, my sister spotted a yellow butterfly flying past. And then a
friend surprised me with a beautiful butterfly necklace. But it didnt stop there. The
following week I opened a grief catalog from Charlies hospice center.
Right there on the page was a T-shirt emblazoned with their symbol of hope: a bright
yellow-flecked butterfly. What the caterpillar calls the end of life, the Master calls the
butterfly, it read.
My eyes welled. I bought the T-shirt, and Ive been into butterflies ever since: necklaces,
a purse, even a shower curtain. Theyre my symbol of hope too. And an answer to my
prayer.
markingsa Bernese Mountain Dog. The special collar distinguished him as a therapy
dog. I gazed at Mike, awake but dazed.
Id been a dog-lover all my life, but what could a therapy dog possibly do to help my
husband? The dog seemed to read my thoughts. He had a job to do and he got to it.
Purposefully, he stepped into the room, handler in tow. I sat quietly watching this welltrained beauty. Maybe petting the dogs soft fur will give Mike some small comfort.
As the dog headed toward Mikes bedside, he suddenly stopped. He padded over to my
chair and looked into my eyes. With that, the dog nudged his head against my waist, as if
asking for a hug. I put my arms around him and buried my face into his thick, velvety fur
till I felt the gentle pulsing of his heart.
I am here, its rhythm seemed to say.
My whole body relaxed. My stress lifted away. Mike smiled from the bed. The dog let me
hold him for as long as I needed to. When I finally released him, he put his paw on my
knee and looked up at me. I turned to his handler. How did he know that I was the one
who needed him?
Gabriel always knows, she said.
I stroked the dogs neck. Gabriel. My angel dog. The Lord knew how to soothe me. Hed
keep me strong while my husband regained his health. On that I could depend.
It was my children who had convinced me to get a dog for company. My husband, Bruce,
had died from cancer only a few months ago, and shortly after that Gucci died too.
I felt so alone, I couldnt even sleep in my own bed. I spent nights huddled on the couch
in the living room, listening to the sounds in the dark house that now seemed huge and
threatening. My grief counselor said this wasnt unusual.
And my daughter agreed. It just takes time, Lindsay said. But when I looked around at
all the evidence of Finns mischiefteeth marks on the sofa, stray socks hed tossed
around, heaps of shredded tissueI wondered how much time?
Having a larger breed was supposed to make me feel safer, get me out of the house. But
to me it meant long walks every hour, lots of dog food and my furniture being turned into
chew toys. Some days I could barely care for myself. Finn was just too much.
I knew this was a bad idea, I thought. From the first minute, I knew. Id let the kids
convince me, sure I was so lost without Bruce I couldnt trust my own judgment.
I hung up the phone. Finn rolled happily in his pile of tissues. I felt defenseless. And
alone. God had felt so close all during Bruces illness. There was nothing I couldnt
handle with God.
But when Bruce died God seemed to leave with him. Then I didnt even have Gucci. It
was too much to bear. I need to feel God close again, Id confided to a friend at church.
I need him to wrap his arms around me.
She immediately hugged me herself. Thats what friends are for, she said. But friends
hugged friends all the time. I needed something special. Nothing less than an angel
enfolding me in his wings would do.
I dropped down on the sofa and reached for a tissue from the box on the coffee table.
Finn wagged his tail, sending bits of toilet paper flying. Despite the mess, he was
adorable.
He deserved to be loved. And everyone loved him. Except me.
Woof! Finn bounded into the living room. Before I could stop him hed swiped the
whole tissue box right from under my hand.
Finn! Lord, I cant handle this! Where are you? I pushed myself off the couch and
followed Finn into the hallway. In just a few seconds hed torn open the box. Tissues
already covered the ground like snow, but Finn was hard at work making an even bigger
mess.
I sunk down to my knees in the pile. I picked up one of the shredded tissues on the floor
and cried into it. Lord, why did you leave me? Finn picked that moment to lunge for the
tissue box one more time. When he missed he grabbed the leg of my jeans instead and
tugged.
Stop it! I shouted. Id never sounded so angry, even to myself. Just stop it!
Finn cringed and whimpered, backing away. His big brown eyes were full of hurt. He
didnt understand what hed done wrong. It wasnt his fault I was suffering. And now he
was suffering too.
Im sorry! I said. Come here, baby. Its okay.
I scooped him up into my arms. I knew what it was like to feel alone, to cry out for
comfort and get nothing in return. No one should feel that way, especially not a big, silly
Labradoodle puppy. Im sorry, I cried. Im so sorry.
Finn wiggled up my body and licked my chin. He pressed himself up until his neck was
nestled right next to mine. His curly haired paws slipped around my neck. His back legs
wrapped around my waist and he buried his nose in my hair. Whats he doing? Finn held
me tight.
All at once I realized what this was. A hug. Finn had wrapped himself around me in a
hug! Finns furry paws might as well have been angels wings. Here you are, Lord. Right
here with me. Just like youve been.
Im going to make this right, I said to Finn, squeezing him tight. I promise.
I had to find Finn a good home. Over the next few weeks I showed him around the
neighborhood. I hired a trainer to teach him not to tear up paper. By myself, I got him to
ring a bell by the door when he needed to go out.
I wanted whoever adopted Finn to know what kind of special dog they were getting. Then
a friend put me in touch with a woman who ran a Labradoodle rescue group. She knew
just the right home.
Its a lady who recently lost her own dog, she said. Shell take him everywhere. Hell
never be alone. No one could love him more than she will, she assured me.
I looked over at Finn, snoozing at my feet. He was an angel, just like my daughter had
envisioned. Once again I was tempted to ignore my better instincts. Should I keep Finn
after all?
Are you really sure this lady is the best thing for Finn? I asked.
I know absolutely. You see, shes my mother.
Finns new owner came to get him a few days later. When I saw the way she looked at
him, with a love unencumbered by grief, I knew it was the right thing to do.
My house was empty once more. But I wasnt alone. Finn had given me a hug that could
only have come from God, and renewed my faith in him. It would take time to get
through the worst of my grief. But I could do it. Finn and I were both in Gods embrace.
Id need an angel to carry me. No way could I get that far on my own. Before my surgery
Id barely noticed the grassy meadow only blocks from our house, a peaceful, open space
dotted with wildflowers, tall tufted hairgrass bobbing in the breeze.
Now that short walk might as well have been a marathon. Still, I had to walk somewhere.
Every day I trudged a few steps more, closer to my goal, my legs so heavy it was as if
they were filled with lead.
In two weeks time I stood at the edge of the meadow, breathing hard. I got here, I
thought, but I dont have the strength to enjoy it. I considered the words from Isaiah.
Mount up with wings? Hardly.
I was about to turn to go home when a movement caught my eye. I stood stock-still,
staring. Was it just the wind moving the tall blades? No. Something was moving in the
grasssomething big.
Through the blades a tail flicked. Two pointed ears sailed above the grass. Then, just a
few yards away, in clear sight, appeared the noble face of a bobcat. I caught my breath. A
bobcat!
I wasnt frightened, despite how close the animal was. I was stunned by its power and
beauty. Id never seen a bobcat before, especially not in our residential neighborhood. But
there was no denying the one in front of me.
I watched in awe, marveling at the strength of his muscular body, until the bobcat turned
and slipped away in the grass. In the quiet I realized that my breathing had slowed. My
legs no longer felt like lead. Perhaps it had done me good to stop and rest.
But as I stepped into the meadow where the bobcat had been I felt more than just rested. I
felt rejuvenated. For the first time since my operation I enjoyed the sensation of walking.
The crisp air on my skin, the swish of the grass against my legs, the strain of my muscles.
To run and not be weary... I almost remembered what that felt like.
The next day I had no trouble getting out of bed. Youre early this morning, said Doug
when I pulled on my jacket for my walk.
I glanced up at the clock. I guess I am, I said. I hadnt told Doug of my
accomplishment in case it was a fluke. I wasnt sure my newfound energy was here to
stay. But now I felt more confident. I finally got to the meadow yesterday, I said. Im
going to walk back there today.
I took my time, enjoying the sights and sounds along the way. What awaits me today? I
wondered.
At the edge of the meadow, I scanned the tall grass. There was no sign of the bobcat, but I
felt his presence as I walked around. It was almost as if he were watching me,
encouraging me in my recovery, reminding me that God made all his creatures strong.
Including me.
I returned to the meadow every day, reciting Isaiah 40:31 as I walked: Trust in the Lord
and he will renew your strength. You shall mount up with wings of eagles.... I didnt see
the bobcat on my visits, but walking had become a reward in itself. I held on to Isaiahs
promise.
Together, Doug and I explored areas far beyond the meadow, and the chilly days of
winter gave way to spring, then summer, then falluntil it was winter again. Exactly a
year from that first day I made it to the meadow. It seemed only right to celebrate by
returning there that morning.
Thank you, God, I thought as I gazed out on the familiar trees, grass and...what was that?
Something moving. Something big. A tawny tail appeared above the blades. The bobcat
raised its head and looked at me, almost as if he knew I would come.
Thank you too, I thought. The Lord had sent an angel to carry me after all.
Jumbo Love
Listed in: Inspirational Stories
Author Unknown
An Indian man was trampled to death trying to break up a love affair between a tame
elephant and her wild 3,600 kilogram suitor from the jungles of south Bihar.
The irresistible force of love between elephants is something the villagers of Gumla, in
northern India, wish they had avoided. It is rare for wild elephants to develop crushes on
domesticated pachyderms.
But when a bull elephant happened to spy an attractive she-elephant named Madhubala, it
was, well, love at first sight.
Even though Madhubala was chained to a tree, the bull elephant refused to leave her. At
first the villagers tried to lure away the heavyweight stranger with a banana bribe. It was
not food the elephant had on his mind.
Angry and scared, villagers and police began tossing firecrackers and flaming sticks at
the wild male. As the furious elephant charged back to the jungle, he crushed a forest
ranger, killing him.
The bull elephants retreat was only tactical. The lovesick male sneaked back later that
night and freed Madhubala by smashing her chains. The two lovers eloped.
Madhubalas keeper, Mahedi Hussain, tracked her down in the jungle after a week and
brought her back to the village. The she-elephant, alas, remained lovelorn. She even
turned up her trunk at a bunch of bananas, her favorite food. Finally, her plaintive trumpet
calls were answered.
The avenging lover swept down on the village last Friday like an army tank, flattening
huts and scattering people into the forest. As the United News of India reported: The
elephant returned to Gumla in a rage, demolishing walls and anything that stood
between him and Madhubala. The act, many said, would have done credit to any film
hero who had been denied his love.
With Madhubala loose again, the reunited elephant pair slipped off into the dense trees.
This time, the elephant-keeper is in no hurry to bring her and her trouble-making
boyfriend back again.
She closed her eyes as she drank. Then she looked up and softly chattered. I tried to
recreate the low, friendly call, like her raccoon mama would.
Margaret had been resting in our home for a week when Elissa called. Im cooking
dinner, but I have some questions about this lasagna recipe, she said. Can you help
me?
Finally, I thought. I walked her through the steps. Got it, she said. Wish me luck!
Elissa was learning her way around the kitchen. My own kitchen was emptywhere had
Margaret gone? I found her sitting on the living room floor. She rose up on her hind legs
as if to say, Hi!
Now that she was more active, Margaret was more a toddler than a baby. She explored
every nook and cranny and followed me everywhere. She outgrew her formula and
developed a sweet tooth, always trying to get treats like cookies.
Too much people food isnt good for raccoons, I told Margaret after she served herself
a big helping of cake. Follow me. She walked with me into the backyard. I began to
turn over stones.
This is how raccoons look for food, I told her. You need to find grubs and worms. Not
cake! She tilted her head at me, and then scurried off.
Summer wore on, and Margaret kept growing. One evening I picked her up for a quick
cuddle. She sank her teeth into my hand. Oww! I yelled, quickly putting her down.
Shes getting to be too wild, Merle said. She needs a place outside. He made her a
nesting box with a latched door, which we kept open. Margaret came and went as she
pleased, returning to the box only to steal a daytime nap before running off to explore the
woods.
School started up again in early September, and I only rarely saw my little raccoon
although she was hardly little anymore. God, watch over my Margaret, I prayed, once
again finding her nesting box empty one day after school. Keep her safe.
I came inside to a ringing phone. It was Elissa. Mom, she said, Im supposed to bring
the hors doeuvres to a party weve been invited to, but I have no idea what to make!
What are you looking for? I asked. Pigs in a blanket? Something fancier? I grabbed a
cookbook and settled in at the kitchen table. Surely this would take a while.
But it turned out Elissa didnt need that much from me. Once wed picked a dish she was
ready to try it on her own. Thanks, Mom, she said. Gotta run! Soon Elissa would be
an old hand at hors doeuvres.
Its nice to talk to her for any reason, I thought. As I hung up I wished Margaret could call
me and let me know how she was doing. Shes climbing a tree or digging in the soil.
Acting like an adult raccoon.
Several days later I checked the nesting box again. Margaret was there, but something
was wrong. Wounds marred her face and throat, and her coat was caked with mud.
Margaret, what happened?
Hearing her name, she held out an injured paw. I carried her inside. Its okay,
sweetheart, I told her as I set her in her old cardboard box and prepared her formula.
Poor Margaret, Merle said, watching me feed her. I bet it was a bigger raccoon. They
dont like strangers on their turf. Thats a lesson Margaret probably never learned, being
here.
This has always been her turf, I said, stroking her fur. She was safe here. Life is too
hard in the wild.
Every day I rushed home to her after work, and tended to her just like I did when she was
a baby. Each day she grew stronger. I returned her to her nesting box and latched the door
shut to keep her safe inside.
Early one evening, the air crisp with autumn chill, I went out to check on Margaret. As I
approached, she extended a paw through the fencing. Her big black eyes pleaded with
mine, her message clear. Please let me go.
But she didnt know about the dangers out there. What if she met another raccoon? Or
didnt find enough food? Or got hurt? She was safer in her nesting box. Safer, but not
happier. I reached for the latch and opened the cage door. Margaret scurried out and
limped into the thicket. She never looked back.
You couldnt keep her forever, I reminded myself, blinking back tears. God gives us our
babies so they can learn to be free.
I slowly walked back inside to my quiet home. In our hallway, I passed one of Elissas
wedding photos. She looked so happy. Radiant. Strong. You raised her to be strong, I told
myself. So she could take care of herself. And she knows she has you if she needs help.
Just like Margaret.
Years have passed since I last saw my raccoon. I know shes okay, because shes living
the way God intended her toout on her own, experiencing the world. She broke away
from what was familiar and started her own life.
Perhaps somewhere deep in her memory there stir dim visions of the humans who loved
her when she was a baby, and who were there for her in her time of need. And my other
baby? Elissa is now a mom herself, learning the lessons of letting go that God sent a furry
Love Bird
Squirt was always there to lift her spirits.
By Linda Wagner, St. Peters, Missouri (guideposts.org)
Animals were always welcome in my house. So when a little girl in my son Eric's
kindergarten class found a cracked bird's egg on the ground, she brought it right to our
front door.
"Can you take care of it, Mrs. Wagner?" she asked, offering up the challenge in her
palms.
The egg was hatching right before my eyes. A tiny beak pecked out through the shell. "I'll
do my best," I promised, and took the lost little creature in. I found a plastic dish and put
the egg inside. Peck by peck a wet brown chick fought its way out. She was no bigger
than a nickel.
My husband, Dan, watched over my shoulder. "Tiny little squirt, isn't she?" he said.
"She sure is. I think that's what I'll call her. Squirt."
I hunted down an eyedropper just small enough to fit in her beak. The pet shop didn't
carry baby bird food, but the salesman thought kitten formula might do the trick. Squirt
seemed to like it.
We set her up in a cage with newspaper lining. Every day I drove home from work on my
lunch hour to feed her.
One afternoon my son Jason watched me give Squirt her daily bath. Her happy chirps
made me believe this was the high point of her day. I splashed water with my fingers in a
saucer. Squirt fluttered her wings beside them.
"I hope she stays right here with us forever," said Jason.
"Squirt's going back to the wild as soon as she's ready," I explained. "That's where she
belongs. God wants us to love all his animals just the way he made them."
I didn't tell Jason that I wasn't looking forward to losing her either. Squirt was like no
wild bird I'd ever seen. She rode around on my shoulder, sang duets with me as I did
laundry. At dawn she hopped onto my pillow and sang when I opened my eyes.
In the evening Squirt flew into a wicker basket hanging on the living room wall. She'd
made a nest inside it and didn't ever come out after sundown. Nobody had to teach Squirt
that flying around the house in the dark was dangerous. Instinct took care of that.
Dan chuckled one night watching me give her a gentle good-night kiss on her beak, even
though Squirt didn't know what it meant. "Now the baby's all tucked in," he said.
I laughed. "Don't worry. I'm not getting any ideas about putting any babies to bed. Our
family of four is enough."
But not long after Dan and I got a big surprise: I was pregnant! Planned or not, I was
overjoyed by the news. Squirt watched with great interest as I sorted through old infant
clothes and furniture, preparing for the exciting new arrival.
Six weeks into my pregnancy, I started spotting. We took the boys to a neighbor's and
Dan drove me to the emergency room. "There's really nothing we can do this early," the
doctor told us. "Just go home and try to get some rest."
It was late when we got home. I checked on Squirt. She was sound asleep in her nest. I
climbed into bed. The bleeding only got worse.
Dan called the doctor. I wasn't going to have a baby after all.
"Ask him if we can see him in the morning," I said. "I can't face another hospital trip."
The doctor told Dan to try and keep me comfortable. He hovered around me, wanting so
much to help. But Dan could not do any more than the doctor could.
A part of me had died. I lay in bed with a cold, empty place inside me. A place meant for
my baby. Not even my husband's love could reach it. God, please let me feel your love.
Something rustled on my pillow. Squirt? Not at this hour. No way could she fly to me
through the dark house. But when I looked there she was, right on my pillow. She leaned
forward and touched her beak to my lips.
"Dan," I whispered, "Squirt just gave me the sweetest kiss."
Warmth flooded all through me, straight to that cold place I'd thought was chilled forever.
God had found a way to reach me: with an impossible kiss that only his love could make
possible.
It took a while, but eventually Dan and the boys and I got used to our little family of four
again. And Squirt was always there to lift my spirits on the bad days.
After five years with us, something must have told Squirt she was ready. A flock of birds
flew overhead one day and Squirt joined them.
I waved good-bye from the front porch as Squirt soared across the blue sky like a
promise. Where she flies, God's love goes with her. There's no place on earth it can't
reach.
The night was unseasonably warm when I stepped out the kitchen door. A white form
stood out in the darkness. Something was resting in Renards napping spot. I blinked
hard, thinking my eyes must be playing tricks.
But no. As I moved closer I saw that there was something there. An animal, in fact. But
not a doga goose. A snowy white goose.
The little bird honked in the most distressed way. He was desperate to get somebodys
attention. Where had he come from? There were no farms nearby. Nobody who kept
geese. He had to be wild, but what kind of wild goose looked as pristine as this?
I stepped forward slowly, not wanting to scare him. Instead of backing away the goose
marched over to me. He went past me into the backyard, looking over his shoulder as if
he wanted me to follow.
So I did. Where is his flock? Where is his mate? What does he want? The goose walked
until he came to our gazebo and sat down in the grass. I ran into the house, filled
Renards dog dish with birdseed, and brought it out with some fresh water.
The goose bent down his long neck and sipped at the water. Then he stood up and
reseated himself in the water dish.
I couldnt help but laugh, he fit the bowl so snugly. He seemed to agree. He got up a
moment later and shook himself, throwing me a look that seemed to say, Do you have
anything in a larger size?
I had no intention of leaving this show. I sat down on the grass. Where did you come
from? I asked. The goose cocked his head before making a chirping sound, as if
considering the question before answering.
I didnt understand his answer, not speaking goose myself, but I couldnt resist asking
more. Where are you going? Do you like the gazebo? The goose answered each
question with the same serious chirp.
It reminded me of the way Renard used to listen when I spoke, how we understood each
other without words. When I looked at my watch I couldnt believe how much time had
passed while I sat with this funny little goose. Id really better go now, I said when the
goose blinked his eyes sleepily.
I got up and started to the house. To my surprise the goose ran after me, honking. Whats
going on? asked Jerry at the kitchen door.
I introduced him to my new friend. We had a long chat, but hes still got more to say....
The goose honked for a few more minutes. When he was finished, he marched away.
I expected him to wander out of the yard, maybe even fly off. Instead he curled up in the
driveway in the very same spot Id found himRenards napping place. From a distance
those white feathers looked exactly like Renards white fur. I could almost believe it was
Renard sleeping there peacefully.
It wasnt just that he looked like Renard. It was that for the first time since Renards death
something was making me smile.
I kept that picture in my mind when I got into bed. In fact I got up several times to check
on my mysterious visitor. Each time I looked he was right where Id left him, curled up in
his soft feather circle.
At around 6:00 a.m. I awoke to his honking. The honks got fainter and fainter, and I knew
my evening visitor was taking his leave.
I glanced at the calendar beside my bed, a red heart marking Renards birthday. What
more could I wish for him than perfect peace with God and the angels in heaven? A
white-winged visitor had assured me that my angel Renard was curled up on a cloud in
the best place any of us could ever imagine.
cooperate with me. I had to struggle just to swing them over the side of the bed. I
managed to stand. Get to the bathroom, I thought. Just turning in the right direction
almost knocked me over I was so off-balance. I managed to shuffle toward the bathroom
door.
Thud.
My shoulder hit the doorjamb. How could I miss the door? I took a step back and tried
another time. Once again my shoulder hit the door. I didnt feel it at all. In fact, I couldnt
feel my shoulder, my arm, my fingers on the left side of my body. It was like a great
emptiness hung where my arm should be. I tried to squeeze my fingers together. They
wouldnt budge.
Stroke! I thought, my nurse training kicking in. My mother and grandmother had both
died from strokes. Could that be happening to meat 46? I had to get to a hospital fast.
But how? No neighbors, no phone
Well, God, I mumbled, weve got to do something here. I need help!
I pulled on the easiest clothes I could find and slipped my feet into sandals. I moved
carefully to the door.
Scarbelly!
The old doe was waiting on the deck. Her fawn stood at her side. Four more deer
crowded behind them. They werent the rescue team Id imagined, but they were all I
had. Look, I have to get to a doctor, I said. Now.
The deer flicked their ears, watching.
If I could just get to the road at the top of the hill, I thought, I could flag someone down.
Could I make it that far? I had to try. The longer I went untreated the worse the damage
could be. I moved stiffly off the deck and onto the lawn, forcing my left side to move.
The deer were close behind me.
The lawn stretched out before me like an ocean. Ill never make it all that way!
I put my hand to my face, ready to cry. That wont help! I told myself. I rubbed my eyes
and looked down at the gravel road. I was standing at the edge of it. I looked over my
shoulder at the expanse of lawn and my house in the distance. How in the world did I get
here? I didnt remember walking that significant distanceand it would have taken ages.
But here I was, and so were the deerright beside me. Scarbellys deep brown eyes
looked into mine. Did you carry me? I said.
She blinked her long lashes. She was so close I could have touched her.
A cloud of dust in the distance! I waved frantically as the car got closer. The driver smiled
and waved back at me, but he didnt even slow down. He couldnt even tell I need help!
Another car went by. The same thing happened. Again and again.
I have to go out to the middle of the road, I said. Theyll either stop or run me over. If
I dont get help I might not make it anyway.
I pulled myself into the road. The herd of deer walked forward, keeping pace with my
own tortured steps. They huddled close around me, surrounding me with a protective
circle in the middle of the road. The heat from their bodies warmed me. Their soft sides
rose and fell in a calming rhythm. I felt their gentle breath on my skin.
A truck appeared in the distance, moving toward us. If this one doesnt stop I dont know
what Ill do.
I raised my hand and held it straight out in front of me. The deer stood still as stone, not
budging even as the truck came at full speed. Thank goodness, it slowed and stopped. The
driver stuck his head out of the window and stared at me, a woman surrounded by a herd
of deer.
Please, I said, I need to get to the hospital. I think I had a stroke.
The drivers eyes moved to the deer and back to me. He opened his mouth, but no words
came out. He shook his head and climbed out of the truck, hurrying to open the passenger
door.
The deer parted to let me get to the truck. The driver eyed them the whole time he helped
me inside. The deer eyed him too, but they didnt run away as they usually did when
faced with people. People besides me, that is. The driver got me safe in the passenger seat
and got behind the wheel. He shifted into gear and beeped the horn as gently as he could.
Only then did the deer lower their heads and step gracefully off the road.
I lay my head against the car seat, exhausted. Thank you, God, I prayed, for your
beautiful creatures who watched over me like you do.
Tests at the hospital proved I had had a stroke. You should have a good recovery, the
doctor told me. Youre lucky you were able to get here as quickly as you did. If youd
waited you might have had serious long-term damage.
I might have been lucky, but the situation was nothing short of angelic.
First grade was a notable year for me. I learned to read, and I was introduced to Mr.
Bunsen the Rabbit, who got into all sorts of adventures.
One night I finished up my homework and got into my pajamas. Then I got down on my
knees to say my prayers. Reading was new for me, but I was an old hand at praying. Id
been going to church since before I could talk.
Momma said going to church was one of the most important things a person could do, so
if the doors were open we were there. I knew God listened to all our prayers, both in
church and at home. And tonight I had a very special prayer to make. I want a rabbit of
my own, I said. I promise Ill take real good care of him. Ive got plenty of room for
him. I wont let him get into any scrapes as bad as Mr. Bunsen does. And dont worry
about Buzzard. Hes a bird dog. He likes rabbits just fine.
When I was under the covers Momma came in to kiss me good night. What did you pray
for? she asked, tucking me in.
I prayed for a rabbit, I said. A rabbit of my own.
Momma didnt seem to think my prayer was quite right. Now, Van, she said, thats not
the kind of thing we pray for. Things for ourselves.
Okay, I said, but my mind was full of rabbits. It was too late. Id said my rabbit prayer,
and I knew God heard it. Even if Momma didnt think it was a proper prayer.
I didnt bring it up again with her the next morning. Nor did I tell any of my friends about
it at school. I just waited for Gods answer. When I got home Momma was at the door.
Ive got something to show you, she said. I followed her into the utility room. Buzzard
trailed behind me. Momma reached into a shoebox on the washing machine and pulled
out something small and furry. It wiggled in her hand. A baby rabbit!
Early this morning I came out to do some washing, she said. Her voice was hushed, the
way she sounded when she talked about miracles. Buzzard came in and laid this wild
baby rabbit at my feet. Momma put the little rabbit in my hands. God answered your
prayer, she said, mystified. I guess God does answer rabbit prayers after all!
Truth be told, I didnt understand that a miracle had happened. Id never doubted God
would give me a rabbit, so I wasnt surprised that it came in a bird dogs mouth. It made a
big impression on Momma, however. After that day, whenever she wanted to remind us
God loved us, shed say, Remember the rabbit prayer. Momma told the story to my
own children to teach them just what faith can do.
But when Momma died, my rabbit prayer faith seemed to die with her. She and Daddy
were just starting to enjoy retirement. I felt like God had betrayed me and I was angry.
Too angry to pray about anything.
The day of Mommas funeral the family gathered at her house. I sat in the corner, away
from all the talk of heaven and the joy Momma must have found there among the angels.
Joy I couldnt share. My brother-in-law, David, a minister, arrived at the house. Hed
gone by the cemetery to see if the grave was ready.
Its a very peaceful spot, he assured us. In fact, somebodys already moved into it.
Remind me to speak to the attendant before the funeral about the baby rabbit.
A what? I said, the words cutting through my anger. What do you mean? What rabbit?
Where?
Down in the bottom of the grave at the cemetery.
This I had to see. And sure enough, there he was. No bigger than the rabbit Buzzard laid
at Mommas feet all those years before. I gathered him up in my hands. Remember the
rabbit prayer, I could hear Momma say.
I took the rabbit back with me to Mommas house and held him for a long time,
welcoming back that same faith Id had in first grade, when Gods love was as real as
Mommas and miracles happened every day.
Wings of Comfort
In this excerpt from Angels in Disguise, a grieving woman's heartache is soothed by a
butterfly.
By Anne Culbreath Watkins (guideposts.org)
I huddled miserably in my porch chair, staring out across the rain-drenched fields. A few
days earlier, a car accident had taken the life of someone I cared about. As if that wasnt
bad enough, it had been raining for more than a week, and my soul felt as dreary and gray
as the weeping sky.
From inside the house, the telephone shrilled a summons and I rose to answer it. As I
spoke to the caller, I let my gaze wander around the room. To my surprise, I noticed a
large black butterfly perched on the screen of one of the open windows. Hoping not to
frighten it away, I tiptoed quietly to the window and studied my visitor.
It was a beautiful specimen. There were powder-blue markings on the topsides of the
broad, dark wings, and pale orange blotches on the undersides. Curiously, the butterfly
uncurled its long proboscis to probe the fingertip I offered.
When my phone call ended, I turned all my attention to the lovely creature. What are
you doing here? I whispered. The butterfly daintily explored the screen, placing its feet
carefully at the edges of the tiny openings. It seemed in no hurry to leave, and indeed
appeared to be taking notice of me.
After what seemed like a long time, it fluttered its wings and lifted off. The papery rustle
of those lovely wings sounded like music to me, and I realized that for a brief time, I had
forgotten the ache in my soul. Then it came crashing back, like relentless waves on the
ocean shore, and I returned to my chair on the porch.
A hummingbird feeder hung a few feet from where I sat, and busy hummers buzzed all
around it. The rain hadnt dampened their spirits, and they squabbled noisily around the
nectar ports. Normally I would be laughing in delight at their antics, but now I watched
them through a haze of tears. Blurry little birds dipped and whirred, and I wondered if
these tears would ever stop.
Abruptly, the phone rang again. I sighed and went to pick it up. It was my husband, and
as we spoke, I stepped into the kitchen. Perched on one of the back window screens was
another black butterfly! It looked identical to the one I had seen before, right down to the
ebony legs and the white dots that sprinkled its body.
The butterfly strolled casually around the screen and then turned its face toward me.
Youre not going to believe this, I told my husband. But theres been a big black
butterfly circling the house and landing on the window screens of the rooms Im in!
Allen laughed.Maybe its following you.
Maybe, I said. Or maybe its trying to tell me something.
Could be, Allen agreed.
We finished our conversation and I turned my attention back to the lovely winged
creature watching me from the window screen. I rested my forehead against the screen
while the butterfly walked about. It seemed comfortable being so close to me, and even
occasionally unfurled its delicate proboscis to touch my skin.
Its presence was somehow reassuring, and I wondered again why it seemed to be
following me from room to room. When it finally took flight, the same whispery rustle I
had heard before sounded, and strangely, I felt comforted. Rain pattered against the trees
in back of the house and fell in long straight sheets to soak the front yard.I settled again in
my favorite porch chair and watched as colorful butterflies danced around in the droplets.
I didnt know that butterflies could fly in the rain, yet these were.
Bright yellow wings flashed against the gray that colored the world, and I marveled at
their determination. A sudden whir of wings close to my head startled me and I ducked.
The never-ending hummingbird battle raged on, regardless of the fact that I was in the
midst of their battlefield,and I wondered how they kept from doing each other real harm.
Then, to my amazement, the big black butterfly appeared. It fluttered and floated, angling
its way toward the hummingbird feeder. It ignored the fussy little birds that attempted to
drive it away, and settled at one of the feeder ports. I could see it flicking its tongue
against the port as it sipped the nectar. That was the first time I had noticed a butterfly at
the feeder, and certainly the first time I had ever seen one eating there. Just then, three
hummingbirds perched at the other ports and began to sip too.
I was stunned.These tiny birds, who never even wanted to share the feeder with each
other, were peacefully enjoying refreshment alongside the black butterfly. What I would
have given to have a camera to capture this unbelievable thing that was happening right
before my surprised eyes.
All too soon the meal ended and the hummers took to the air again. The butterfly lifted
off, too, and drifted about on the shifting air currents. I held my breath as it slanted
toward me, and then watched in delight as it deliberately perched next to my arm. In
wonder, I reached out a fingertip and carefully touched the butterflys silky body. It sat
still and let me caress it for several seconds before it flitted away.
That black butterfly stayed on the porch with me until it was almost dark. I stared in awe
as it danced and dipped and hovered in my space. Several times it landed on porch
furniture near me, or on the wall behind my head. I watched the butterfly until it was
nearly too dark to see. The last glimpse I had of my visitor was when it perched on the
porch rail one last time.It dipped its wings in farewell before sailing off into the dusk. It
had been an amazing afternoon.
One determined black butterfly had accompanied me for hours. A butterfly and three
hummingbirds had dined together,and I had witnessed butterflies dancing about in the
rain. And although I still had plenty of grief to handle,for chunks of time on that rainy day
my attention was diverted and my heartache soothed. My bruised and battered spirit had
been lifted by lovely wings of comfort.
Yellow Butterfly
By: litlmama24@houston.rr.com
My grandmother and I were very close towards the end of her life. She loved my
husband, at that time he was my boyfriend. While planning for our wedding, my
grandmother grew ill. On her death bed, she told my husband to promise to bring God
into my life. He promised her that he would. That promise he has fulfilled. On the day
of our wedding, a yellow butterfly was seen during the whole ceremony (which was held
in my parents' back yard). During important parts of the ceremony, the butterfly would
land on my butt. We thought it was pretty funny. Nothing could keep it from going right
back. After the wedding, we greeted our guests and kept seeing that butterfly around us.
We all made jokes about it. Then during the pictures, that butterfly landed on my
husband's shoulder. We have a picture of him smiling with a bright yellow butterfly
beautifully positioned on his shoulder. We never thought too much of it.
We have been married almost seven years now. It seems that everytime I cry out for God
to help me through a little crisis or even a big one, I can look up and see a bright beautiful
yellow butterfly. I have seen it more than 100 times during my marriage. I cannot
remember seeing one around me at all till my wedding.
I am not sure if its God telling me things are going to be okay, or my grandmother with
God's help showing me that everything will be okay.
Who really knows. All I know is I love that yellow butterfly. To me it means
"Everythings going to be alright."
An Answer to a Prayer?
By:JCT3D@aol.com (aniglkiss.com)
I have two stories, neither of which I have shared with anyone outside of family and close
personal friends for fear they would think I was nuts. As I have matured over the years I
have come to realize that God did not show me these things to keep to myself, but to
share with others.
The first occured back in 1984, I was dressed up and ready to go out on a first date with a
young lady and was on my way to my sisters house to pick up some flowers. My sister
had just recently moved and I had only been to her house once before. I turned onto a
street and after a couple of miles, realized I had made a wrong turn. It was a two lane
asphalt road with ditches on either side. On the right, as far as I could see was forest, on
the left, an eight foot chain link fence with barbed wire surrounding a junkyard with no
building or gate in sight. I saw no intersections nor drives ahead in which to turn around
so I attempted a 3 point turn in the road.
For several days preceeding this, it had been raining and the ground was thouroughly
saturated. As I was turning around the road caved in underneath me and the front of my
car went into the ditch. I was driving a new 1984 Camero Z28 with a HO engine (both
large and powerful) and the car was positioned in such a way that the back passenger tire
(power tire) was off the ground and the middle of the vehicle was bottomed out on the
road itself. I tried several times to back out the car, but it would not move at all. In
frustration, I jumped on the back of the car, but could not make the wheels touch the
ground. There was nowhere for me to go and no one in sight for me to seek help.
I prayed to God to send a car or wrecker, but none showed. I finally decided I would
have to go down into the ditch and mud to locate something I could set my jack ontop of
and try to jack my car up and drive off the jack. No sooner than I opended my trunk, out
of nowhere came this "man" (there were no streets or buildings anywhere nearby from
which he could have came). He was about 6' tall, early thirties, slightly built (maybe 140
to 150 lbs) light brown skin (possibly black or middle eastern) with a beard and dressed
like a bum. He asked me to get in my car. I did, and he went down into the ditch and
placed his hands on top of my hood. He then told me to back the car out. I started to tell
him I had already tried and he interrupted, commanding me to "back the car out", I did so
(with faith) and as easy as could be, the car backed out, no scraping sounds no bumping
or grinding, as if I was on level ground. Now, no "man" could have picked the front of
that car up, nor pushed a car that was bottomed out "up hill". I offered him money and a
ride, he turned both down and just asked me to "praise God" I got into my car but
decided to get right back out and make him give me the opportunity to pay him back, but
he vanished just as he had appeared. And I KNEW at that moment that I had been visited
by an angel. So now, I am doing as I was instructed, praising God and passing this story
along.
Some of these particular divine intervention stories below come from Island Baptist
Church Camano Island, Washington so have more of a religious favor. (Shirl's opinion)
that he loved God so much, and he was happy to go home. That's when it hit me - God
had brought me here to learn about Him and His Son.
I started finding my way to God my Lord by studying the Bible. I went to a rally in April;
it was so powerful and incredible. I was listening to the speaker, but in my heart I knew it
was God who was speaking divine to me. In the beginning of June, I decided to be
baptized. I read my Bible more often, and had Bible study with my Aunt and cousin at
night. On July 17th, I was baptized. It was by far, the most incredible divine thing I have
done. I went to camp at a Lake Retreat this summer and had a blast there and learned a lot
more about God. I am so thankful that the Lord brought me here, and I am so thankful for
Island Baptist church and my family. Thank you and God bless!
"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
"The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah
40:8
Angel Help
By: smangela7@aol.com (from ainglkiss.com)
I have 3 short stories that could be dismissed as coincidence but I beleive in GOD and
Angels and like to think and beleive it was an Angel that warned / helped in each
instance.
Story 1: Lost Angel
I was about 20, driving home from my friends house, it was the first time at his house, he
lived about half hour away from me. First let me point out I HAVE NO SENSE OF
DIRECTION!! I get lost very easily. Going there I was with him, I was on my own
going home. At that time there were no cell phones, GPS or computers. On the way
home the highway split, I realized I went the wrong way when nothing was looking
familiar and it was a looooooooon stretch of road with no service stations. I started to
freak out and started praying to St. Anthony (the saint of lost things and souls) to please
help me find my way back home. Well....shortly after I said the prayer, I see from a
distance a car pulled over on the shoulder, now it was very late at night and no cars on the
road. So I pulled up next to this car and notice and elderly couple with the interior light
on reading a map!!! I couldn't beleive it!!! I told them I was lost and need to find route
80east, they said they were lost to and were going the same way for me to follow them. I
followed them until I saw signs I knew then quickly passed them up to beep and say
thanks. BUT the car I was following was NOT THEM it was a black car (like theirs), but
they were not in it, a man by himself was driving. I was following the wrong car that was
going in the right direction I was!!! I beleive my Angels disguised themselves as an
elderly couple so that I felt safe enough to approach them and ask directions to get me
back home!!!
Believing
by: Author Unknown, inspirational stories.com
A young man who had been raised as an atheist was training to be an Olympic diver. The
only religious influence in his life came from his outspoken Christian friend. The young
diver never really paid much attention to his friend's sermons, but he heard them often.
One night the diver went to the indoor pool at the college he attended. The lights were all
off, but as the pool had big skylights and the moon was bright, there was plenty of light to
practice by.
The young man climbed up to the highest diving board and as he turned his back to the
pool on the edge of the board and extended his arms out, he saw his shadow on the wall.
The shadow of his body was in the shape of a cross.
Instead of diving, he knelt down and asked God to come into his life. As the young man
stood, a maintenance man walked in and turned the lights on. The pool had been drained
for repairs.
of the worst ones. I had so many things on my mind. I was in a life or death situation with
graduating. Because I didn't pass the ISTEP that is required in the state of Indiana even
though my grades where good enough, I needed a 90% attendance record for all four
years. My life personally was going down the drain.
I cried and cried about my problems just about every night. Just about two in a half weeks
before graduation I had a dream.
In my dream I was sitting in the living room doing my homework. I had this weird
feeling that someone was staring at me and I hesitated to look up, but I did. The person
that was standing there was my mom. I was completely lost of words. She came to me,
grabbed me by the hand and took me outside on the porch. She looked at me and gave me
a little smile and she just hugged me for about 2 long minutes.
She didn't say a word to me. She gave me that look as if she was saying, "Don't worry
about anything, its going to be alright." I just looked at her and she looked so good, like
she did before she was diagnose with cancer. She let me go, kissed on my forehead, and
walked away. I screamed and hollered and she never said a word, I was asking her,
"Where are you going?," "Will I ever see you again?" She said nothing.
As she was leaving she began to dissapear the futher she was away from me, she turned
around smiled and there where wings on her back, and it was all white outside. She was
my angel. She came to tell me not to worry so much. And sure enough, I graduated, and I
also got a few scholarships, that I didnt think I would get. What a wonderful Mom I have!
we walk in, the strong tree that holds your swing, the blue sky, the fluffy clouds and
everything lovely." What about the creek?" asked the little girl; "The creek too, but the
loveliest gift of all is allowing us to talk with him whenever we wish. He is always
listening for his children." "Does He like to listen by the old trunk, Gramma?" "Yes, He
loves to," Gramma whispered.
Of all the beautiful things Gramma Eliza did for me during my young childhood, the
wonderment of the secret place around the old trunk is perhaps my most tender and
precious memory. It was there I was introduced to the nature of God.
When the Lord calls for me and I cross over into my eternal home, I won't be at all
surprised if He sends Gramma Eliza to welcome me. I think she'll hold out her hand,
smile tenderly and say, "Come child, let's go talk to God."
"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into they close, and when thou hast shut the door,
pray to they Father which is in secret; and they Father shall reward thee openly." Matt.
6:6.
of my days of service were drawing to a close, the story of Miriam, who at the age of
ninety-three led the Israelite women triumphantly through the parted waters of the Red
Sea to the promised land, made me realize that I was not done serving. I must remain
open to the Lord's leading in my life and in this way experience much that He still has for
me to do for Him. I praise Him for His faithful direction throughout all of my days. What
joy and blessing I receive as I see to love Him more and serve Him better everyday.
* We realized that God still had work for us to do, to accomplish His glory.*
Grandma Lois
written by Tim Pearce. (angelrealm.com)
A couple of years ago, my grandmother, Lois Dadisman, passed away. In many ways it
was, as one would expect. We cried and hugged and shared many stories, which would
then cause us to laugh and think of happier times. It was a time where we felt a great loss
here on earth. But it was also one of the most powerful experiences of my life.
We were very close to our grandparents even though they lived in Ohio. We spent many
summers with them and those times were some of the most cherished from my childhood.
Grandma had a contagious laugh, was a fantastic cook and always called me Timmy. I
always felt a sort of special connection to grandma, because I am Timothy and she was
my Grandmother Lois.
On the day that she went to be with the Lord, we were all gathered at her bedside. Mom
and Dad, my brother Jeffrey and his wife, Linda, myself and my wife Kiki, were keeping
watch. Grandma had slipped into what seemed like a coma and had been unresponsive for
several days. But, we did what we could to keep her comfortable. We also took turns
reading her scriptures, one of Grandma's favorite things, and holding her hand.
Late in the afternoon we could tell that the Lord's divine timing was near. We gathered
closer as we held each other and held on to Grandma. Her breaths were coming further
and further apart now. I thought of the scriptures she had asked us to read to her in the
hospital and repeated it in my mind. It was Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ
and to die is gain." These words gave comfort and I knew that this was a fact in my
Grandmother's heart.
I have lost several people in my life, but I had never been with one of them when it was
their time to go. I was more that a little nervous. I am not sure what I expected, and then
grandma opened her eyes, her beautiful smile lit the room once again and she reached out
as if reaching to Jesus and breathed her last.
What a precious moment in our lives. We still share the story with one another to this day.
I will never be the same, as my hope and faith were strengthened that day. When I think
of my grandmother's last moments here on earth, I am reminded of the chorus of an old
hymn:
Lost
written by Lynette Borelis (angelrealm.com)
This is just one of my testimonies that Jesus answers prayer. You see, I once was lost, but
now i'm found. Thanks be to God! Here is my divine intervention story of being lost.
A long time ago, I lost custody of my three children. I was lost and wanted to give up on
life. In fact I did. I turned to drugs instead of God and in turn, I not only lost custody of
my children, but I lost myself also. I didn't want to live any more, and tried to kill myself.
However, instead of killing myself fast, like I thought would happen with the choice of
drugs I was using, I was killing myself slowly, which made me lose my self respect and
my family. I wanted to die, and on several occasions, I would ask God to take me home. I
just wanted to be home with Him. However, I was lost and it was my will to die, but it
was not God's will, so my life was spared. He had more divine work for me on this earth.
I believe I was sent on this earth to help others out. But I didn't understand why, when I
couldn't even help myself out. All my life, I tried to help people, any way and every way I
could. Sometimes, I just ended up hurting them instead. However, my intentions were
good.
My Daddy told me once that he had a dream that I died because of drugs, and he begged
me to get off of them. He told me he believed that I was stronger than that, and that I
didn't need drugs, and that he was praying for me.
His divine prayers have been answered. The Bible says that God answers prayer in His
perfect timing. Thank God for His divine intervention. I have been clean and sober for
116 days today, July 17th, 2004. And I thank God for sparing my life and for sending me
to my sister, Lona. Lona has been such a blessing to me. She has helped me have a closer
walk with God. Our God is an awesome God who has a never ending, unconditional
divine love for us all, and He loves us all the same. Yes, I was lost, but like that lost sheep
that the Shepherd found; Jesus has sent Lona to help me find myself. I also want to thank
Island Baptist Church for your support and prayers. You all are such a blessing to me.
Now that I am found, I pray that you all can be a witness to my new divine life, and help
me to better serve our Lord Jesus Christ. I have faith that He is going to use me to help
others that are lost. Praise be to God!
Editor's note: Today and everyday, Lynette continues to experience God's divine strength.
He has given her a new song; she is full of joy, and she gives God all the praise and glory.
Praise God
written by Tonya Haskin (angelrealm.com)
In September 1998, praise God, Roger and I discovered that we were pregnant for the
second time. Neither of us were Christians at the time and the news was good but
unexpected and it put me into a tailspin. We were both working full time. I was
commuting to Bellingham Washington and was away from home 55 hours a week. Roger
was gone 70 hours a week. We had a live-in nanny to take care of four year old Natasha,
and almost eleven year old Christopher - a stepson, who was dealing with several issues
himself.
I was overwhelmed. Roger and I were becoming isolated from each other. We both had a
divorce in our pasts, so I knew that wasn't the road I wanted to go down again. But I was
not making it by relying on my old worldly philosophy of "pull yourself up by your own
bootstraps".
At work, an angel was passing around Family Life Marriage Conference brochures, and I
knew Roger and I just had to go. Praise God for this angel that was so kind. I didn't want
our new baby to come into chaos that existed in our current home. I was so adamant
about this conference, that I was bold enough to talk to Roger's new boss and demand
that he come home early from a trip to California for training to attend this weekend
conference... and he actually listened.
At the weekend conference, Roger and I turned both of our individual lives over to the
Lord and He unified us. We came home and made several huge faith commitments to
Him and our children; and with His help, we have kept those commitments until
today ...Praise God.
As always, Satan attempted to attack our new faith immediately with the news that our
unborn child could have a condition called "chromosomal X" The doctor gave us the
option to go for further tests at Children's Hospital with the end result being an option to
abort this beautiful child should he/she be afflicted. Roger's first words on the subject
was, "We are going to keep and love this baby whether it is healthy or not"...so as a new
Christian couple we prayed to our loving Father that our baby would be safe and that we
would be prepared for anything. Nathaniel, that beautiful baby, is as healthy as they come
...again, we praise God for that!
Our next leap of faith was to have Roger stay home for nearly four years getting his
degree on-line, doing "The Spot" ministry for the two of those years, and raising our
children. Our income was cut in half, but the Lord saw to it that we never missed a
payment even though our earthly budget indicated that we would be $400 short every
month.
Finally, within the first year of our reborn lives, we went through a nasty court battle with
our stepson Christopher and his biological mom and grandma. And to make a long story
short, we continued to pray at every turn and decision. We came out of that evil spiritual
battle even closer to each other and to our protective Lord.
Now, we are making another leap of faith and listening to our Lord as He tells us that I
need to be a full time mom. With this new set of decisions and uncertainties, Roger and I
both know that we will be taken care of by the same Lord that has protected and provided
for our children, our finances and our every need...as long as we seek Him first.
Praise God!!!
And praise God for the angel at work that day, who was passing around family life
marriage conference brochures.
other in service to the Lord. After meeting and marrying my husband Frank, both of us
had came from previous marriages where in vain we tried to hold them together, to no
avail. We entered into a life of raising seven children, both of us needing to work, living
through all the ups and downs of a very hectic lifestyle. We both knew and loved the
Lord, but for too many reasons only turned to Him in time of need, or to praise Him when
things went well. Our attendance at church was sporadic and sometimes pulled in
directions that was not very satisfactory for our spiritual lives.
After the children were raised and on their own, we moved to Camano Island, it was here
we met Pastor Rick. Thru Rick showing us the way to praise Him praise the Lord, we
experienced a turning point in our lives. After attending an Easter service, we realized
that what we had been missing and what we so desperately in need of. We made a
decision to re-dedicate our lives to the Lord, praise Him. That has been the most eventful
and satisfying part of our lives.
We are continuing to grow and learn each day of the Lord's plan and his unfailing love for
us. We still have our ups and downs in life, but know He is there leading the way.
Praise the Lord!
Rescue Me Story
written by Ron Howell (angelrealm.com)
Just a few years ago, my life was on the mountain top, everything seemed to be going so
well for me. In fact, I specifically remember one Sunday morning as I was walking alone
up to the youth center at church to teach the teen guys' Sunday School class, I was
praising God because everything in my life seemed so great! I was thanking God for
blessing me with a great family, a home on acreage, a great church, a great job with great
benefits, I was the chairman of the deacons board, chairman of the shepherding board, a
Sunday School teacher, leader of men's ministries, etc. Life was great!
This is my divine intervention story and how God did rescue me.
Not too long after that, tragedy struck and my great life began to crumble around me. My
worst nightmare...my marriage began to fall apart. Trying to save my marriage, I quit my
steady job and started a home business so I could spend more time at home with my
family. Things only got worse. Before long I resigned from leadership and teaching
positions at church, my marriage tragically ended in divorce, I lost my home as a result
and my family was splitting up. I now found myself in the deepest, darkest valley of my
life. Everything that once seemed wonderful in my life, was now gone.
I've always considered myself to be a strong person and strong in my faith, but at this
time in my life, I felt so weak. For the first time in my life, I began to question God,
"What are you doing??"..."Why did you allow this to happen?"..."What did I do to
deserve this?"..."God, are you here?" I needed to be rescued.
I struggled for some time in sharing this story, not knowing how to put it into words. But
the one thing I do know how to share is the grace, love, mercy and strength, that God
over abundantly gave to me during this dark hour of my life. I'd like to be able to tell you
that I was strong and tough during this time. But the truth is, I've never felt weaker.
Maybe you are going through a tough situation, maybe you've already been there. I hope
that the lessons I learned during my walk through the valley will be an encouragement to
you.
One thing is for sure, something you can always count on is whether you are on the
mountain top or in the deepest part of the valley or anywhere in between, God is there
with you. He promises to never forsake you and He proved that to me! One of the first
lessons that I learned and am still learning, is my need to totally depend on Him. I have
always been in control and able to solve my own problems. At this point, my life was in
turmoil and completely out of my control and my only option was to put my life
completely in God's divine hands. This was and is a huge challenge and struggle for me. I
knew it was the right thing because of my faith, but doing it was another thing. I prayed
and cried and begged God to rescue me.
Everyday, it was a struggle to even get out of bed, much less function. Again, I'd like to
tell you that I picked up the pieces of my life, pulled them together and climbed back on
the mountain top myself. But, as I look back, I clearly see, it wasn't me, it was clearly the
hand of our merciful divine God! You see, God had given me a great gift called friends
and from the beginning of the tragedy in my life, my best friend called me every week,
for two and a half years, encouraging me and praying with me and always helping me to
remember that our strength comes from God and helping me to focus on my kids. My
pastor, also my friend, was always there and available, standing firm with me in my time
of need. My church family, always praying and constantly lifting me and my family into
the presence of God, always encouraging me...He was rescuing me through my friends,
through my family (even though my kids were suffering more that I was), through my
pastor, through my church, through His Word and prayer. I don't know how people make
it through tragedy without friends and their church. Sadly, maybe they don't. I praise God
for His mercy and grace, and all of my friends and church family that did rescue me.
These are gifts that I will cherish forever!
I can't end the story though, without letting you know that I am now on my way back up
the mountain. In fact, God has brought a new friend into my life and we will be married
in four weeks from the date I am writing this testimony. What an awesome God we serve!
I want you to know that whatever you go through, don't go through it alone. Learn to trust
and lean on God, cry out to Him, and He will rescue you!
"I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of
the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place
to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see
and fear and put their trust in the Lord." Psalm 40:1-3
another member in the household, Terry left very sad. The dog did not give up so easily.
He followed Terry home, and started to whine. Being so sensitive, Terry could not leave
the dog out in the cold, so she picked him up, and brought him into her home. Her mom
took one look at the dog and screamed. Terry told her that she would get rid of him the
next day. Her mom cleaned her hands, and looking into the dog's eyes, made her way
around him.
Terry noticed her mom's behavior, so she asked her what was wrong. Her mom
answered, I don't know! But one look at that dog, and my skin crawled up, and my heart
skipped a beat! Terry laughed at her mom, and answered, Mom! We've had so many
animals in this house, how come you feel this way about this precious little dog!? The
mother looked at her daughter kinda strange, and simply walked away.
Before Terry went to bed, she gave the dog a bath, and food, and introduced him to her
cats. The dog started to bark loudly and the cats hid underneath the sofa; very natural,
Terry thought. She then locked him in her room, and they both went to sleep.
It was Saturday, so Terry didn't have to get up early, but when she did, she noticed that
the dog was not in her room, but her door was locked. Confused she immediately
thought that her mom had let him out, so she went to the kitchen. Her mother was no
where to be found, so Terry looked for the dog and the cats; neither were home. Terry
and her mom would often leave each other messages on the refrigerator door, so Terry
checked there, but there was no message.
The door bell rang and Terry hurried to see if her mom was just returning, but Terry then
remembered that her mom had keys! She opened the door, and there were three men in
front of her smiling and asking her if she would go to the hospital close by. Terry's heart
almost stopped, but the men told her that her mom was all right.
What do you mean, my mom is all right!?. The men then told her that her mom was
attacked by the dog that she had kept in the house, and that unfortunately, the dog had
killed her two cats. She started to cry and became quite agitated, so the men asked her if
she wanted them to drive her to the hospital. Terry left with them and went to see her
mom. Just before she went into her mom's hospital room, she looked back to thank the
men and to ask them who they were; but they were nowhere to be seen.
Before Terry could speak, her mom told her the weirdest story she had ever heard. This is
what Terry's mom said, Honey, the cats are dead. Don't talk, just listen to me first. Last
night after you closed your door with the dog inside, I put Tiny and Tiff in my room
because I just didn't feel comfortable with that dog in the house. Just after midnight, I
heard a scratching on my door, but somehow I knew that it had to be that dog, so I didn't
open. I then called out your name, thinking you were in the kitchen and the dog had
gotten out; but you didn't answer. I got scared for you, so I prayed and after doing so, I
opened the door. The dog was right in front of it, and pushed his way inside growling all
the time. The cats hid underneath my bed, but the dog got in there and killed them. I ran
calling you as I went to get the broom, but you just didn't seem to hear me. I then
grabbed the broom and started to walk to your room, when I felt the dog jump really high
up in the air and grabbed my shoulder with his teeth. I screamed, but you didn't hear me!
I fell to the floor and that's when the dog attacked my neck. Terry, you will not believe
this, but that dog's eyes were red as rubies and his mouth was full of blood! Terry's
mom began to cry and Terry held her hand and looked at her in disbelief. Her mom then
continued her story, I don't know who they were or why these men came, but I saw three
men, dressed in white. I have no idea how they got into the house either. One of them
picked up the dog, and immediately that dog turned from a furious beast into the nice
little dog that he was when you first brought him in! They told me not to worry, and
then the man with the dog handed it to the other two men. They took the dog out, while
the other lifted me up and took me into a car and brought me to the hospital; I have some
stitches on my neck and several other places, but nothing really serious. I begged them to
wake you up, but they insisted that I needed to get to the hospital first, and that they
would inform you about it later.
Terry was shocked into disbelief. The dog seemed so docile, and she started to cry
because of the death of her cats and the terrible ordeal her mom had to live because of
her.
The doctor then came in and told Terry and her mom, that if she didn't get to the hospital
in time, she would have bled to death, because the dog had bitten her close to the aorta.
He then said he needed to talk to the person who brought her to the hospital, because if
that dog was still around, he would need to report it to the A.S.P.C.A. Terry and her mom
looked at each other and neither knew what to answer. Terry's mom said that the men
who brought her to the hospital had taken the dog, but that she didn't know what they had
done with it. Terry then told her mom and the doctor that three men dressed all in white
had come to tell her what had happened, and that they took her to the hospital. The
doctor then asked if she knew their names, and Terry said that they simply left without
saying good-bye or waiting for her to say thank you.
The doctor then made his calls and got an investigation started about the dog, but till this
day, the dog from hell has never reappeared. Terry still blames herself and can't explain
how she didn't hear her mom's cry for help. But stranger still, the cats were no where to
be found, and underneath the mother's bed, there was no sign of blood! Terry and her
mom have come to the conclusion that the three men had to be angels from God!
As a result, she cannot walk, knit, sew, write, cook, etc. Her days are spent sitting,
reading, watching television and sleeping. She gets very frustrated that she can't be on her
own and she misses her friends in Ohio.
So what do you buy your soon to be 86 year old mom for her birthday? She has what she
needs and doesn't want anything. Several times I heard her tell someone else that she
wished she could have a small dog to sit on her lap. But, she knew she couldn't because
she couldn't take care of one. I got permission from Dennis, my husband, to look for a
small dog. Calling was tiresome and I got more recordings than real live people! I was
becoming discouraged and said a very short prayer as I finally hung up the phone. "Lord,
please help me find the right dog, and soon."
The next day I drove Mom to Mount Vernon to go to Wal-Mart and have lunch. On a
fluke, I stopped at Petco and gave Mom a reason for my running into the store. I talked
with a young lady who worked there and asked if she knew where I could look for a
small dog:
** with a good temperament,
** who was not a puppy and was good with children and babies,
** who was not a barker,
** who was house-broken and very well behaved.
It was necessary I have a dog like this because I have plenty to do already. After my little
speech, she looked at me and said, "I think I have the dog you're looking for. You see, I'm
moving and I'm looking for a good home for my dog." Scooter came to live with us two
days later. He's a very cute little, brown Chihuahua Pomeranian mix. Mom was very
surprised when I carried the little dog in and sat him on her lap. We all love him and it is
as though he's always lived here!
God hears and answers our prayers, both large and small, sometimes exactly the way we
ask, but not always. But, He always always answers - in His time, in His way, and His
way is always best.
"Call upon me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou
knowest not." Jeremiah 33:3
The Lamp
By: MNielson@qsd.wednet.edu (from ainglkiss.com)
My parents both died 3 years ago, and only 4 months apart. I had been the closest to
them of all my siblings. My father had cancer, and had lived with it for 6 years. He was
tired of being sick, and we knew that he would eventually pass away from the disease,
since the kind he had was incurable, but treatable. So, when dad died, he was tired, and
ready to go, and died so peacefully with all of us around him. I missed him so much, but
I knew by the look on his face when he died that he was now in a much better place. My
mother, however, was diagnosed with the same cancer the day my dad was buried. It was
a shock, and she was devastated, not only by losing her husband of 57 years, but by that
fact that she would have to leave my children and not see them grow up. She was not
ready to die, and she looked into my eyes as she died like she was trying to tell me she
wasnt ready to go. I was very unsettled. The months passed, and I mourned terribly for
both of them. However, I usually thought about my dad more, because when I would
think of my mom, it made me upset, she wasnt ready! I prayed and prayed for a sign
that she was OK, and that she knew I could be OK.
Night before last, I was asleep in my bed. My 5 year old son had climbed in bed with us.
We have a lamp by my bed that is old, and wont turn on easily. I was awaken suddenly
by a bright light, when I sat up, that old lamp was on, and shining so bright it was
blinding. I reached over and shut it off so as not to wake my son. I layed back down
puzzled, and looked at my alarm clock, it was 3:38 am. Then I realized the date was
January 21. The exact date and time of my mothers death. Three years ago. I suddenly
felt like my chest was full, and my heart was going to burst right out. I realized my
mother had come and let me know she was OK, and that I should be too. I will never
ever forget that feeling, or forget the brightness of that light.
The Stranger
By: DENN423@aol.com
It was ten minuts before nightly church servise and I sat on a bench waiting for the priest
to enter. A tall elderly man walked in the church hall way and smiled. He stopped for a
moment and put out his hand to touch mine. His hand felt cold and his face was very
white. He wore a long outdated coat and said not a word. A small table was at my right.
He looked down at the table touching all the religious cards. Then in a low voice he
stated,''life is hard isn't it.'' I replied, ''yes it is difficult but we will make it.'' He kept
looking down at the table and said not another word.
I could not get over how silent and slow moving this man appeared. A few more moments
past. Then I stated,'' Life is difficult but by the grace of God we will make it.'' He replied,
''that's what I wanted to hear.'' He then turn to me and smiled and left the church
and belonged to an organization that went out of its way to log on miles helping people
who needed transportation for medical purposes and that he would like to fly me to my
treatment on days he could get away from work. It was a great deal of apprehension that I
agreed to fly in his extremely small and very old plane.
The first several flights we took were in beautiful clear weather. The pilot commented a
number of times how unusual that was because it was always very stormy the first part of
April. During these clear flights I enjoyed breathtaking views of the snowcapped
Olympic Mountains, Juan de Fuca Strait and the Hood Canal. And while I was enjoying
the view I was becoming accustomed to the flight and learning to trust my pilot.
Then, came the bit of rain and clouds. The next week it was overcast and part of the trip
was taken in heavy rain. Then came the day when nothing was visible once we were
airborne. We flew the whole trip in an angry gray sky with rain pelting our little red plane
so loudly we could hardly hear the warnings coming over our headphones of approaching
aircraft.
Then it was time to land. Nothing was visible. It seemed completely insane to head
straight down at breakneck speed. There was nothing to do but trust the pilot and his
instruments. I knew there was ground somewhere down there but I wondered if he really
knew how far down it was and when to level off to land. Eventually we could see little
glimpses of light and then the runway. We proceeded to a safe landing.
One day, toward the end of the six weeks, when I thought I had become very brave about
all the flying, we came in for a landing off the strait, heading for the tiny airstrip on the
cliff above Sekiu. There were some unusual air currents in play that day. As we tried to
land, our little plane was shaken violently and it swung out of control. The pilot had all he
could to keep us right side up as we headed down. It was a relief to be safe on the ground
again.
Walking with God is like this. When I'm ready, He sends a bit of "cloud" into my life and
I learn to trust Him. Then the dark storm clouds come and God and I walk through them
together. The day comes when my whole world is shaken and it seems there's no way out;
and I learn to take another step of trust with God's divine intervention.
our church. We were asked to consider opening our home to new converts who needed a
home. At the time, Vern's Dad lived with us and we had five children. So, we were a large
family. Also, at the time, Vern was in a transitional job situation so our income was rather
uncertain. We talked and prayed and decided we should do this. With two of our
daughters sharing a bedroom, we had an extra bedroom available, but, no beds and little
money available to by beds. So, Vern and his Dad went out looking in thrift stores. They
found one set but it was too expensive. While Vern was telling the store owner why he
needed the beds, Dad was engaging a man outside the store in a similar conversation.
This man responded that he had two extra-long twins that he would give to us for free. As
it turned out, this man had been Marian's neighbor when she was a little girl. When Vern
returned home with the news, Marian's response was, "We don't have any sheets or
blankets to fit that size bed." At 9:00 p.m. that same evening, Vern suddenly said, "I feel
that God wants me to go get those beds, and he immediately set out to get them, arriving
back home at about 10:30 p.m. Not only did he bring the beds but all the bedding needed
and all were free. We set the beds up that same night. We had no sooner accomplished
this when the phone rang. Our pastor was calling to ask Vern to pick up a girl who needed
a home right away. Our first girl, Pat, arrived just after midnight. Nancy arrived a few
days later.
Not only did God provide the beds and bedding, but, also enough food and other
provisions during this time of need. He also provided His special grace to our family
during the coming months. He showed us that nothing is impossible when you are in
partnership with the lord.
With God
written by Debbie Wolf (angelrealm.com)
This a personal story, but as Jon and I celebrated our 10th anniversary (Nov. 2004) and
watched our wedding video recently, I was reminded of God's power and divine
intervention of love. And, I share this hoping it will be an encouragement to those dealing
with the "same old issue or thorn" for seemingly too long...
Tears of joy streamed down my face through the entire length of the wedding - my own
wedding. All traces of make-up were washed off by the time we were pronounced 'Man
and Wife'. The day we waited for over ten years had finally arrived.
Our decade of dating was characterized by an intense desire to know and follow God's
will. I was attracted to Jon's strong zeal and passion for God when I first met him during
my freshman year in college. Of course, his athletic and academic abilities helped! Right
from the beginning of our friendship, I exercised extreme caution, as I knew our
relationship would cause a huge problem with my very traditional and close-knit Chinese
extended family. I was determined to seek God's divine intervention before becoming too
entangled emotionally.
The closer we drew to God and the deeper we studied the Bible, the stronger we felt He
was leading in our relationship. Because of extreme external pressures, several times we
terminated our relationship and trusted that God would bring us back together if it was
His will. I felt fiercely attacked and deeply wounded by family members; and felt awful
for many hurtful words that were blurted out of my mouth during our numerous very
heated, emotional and prolonged evening discussions. My greatest internal inflictions
happened after these late night intervention talks with family. Since none of my friends
were up during those early morning hours, I poured my heart out to God in my journals,
and He pretty much had that book memorized by then. I eventually filled up 30-40
journals. We sought much divine intervention, as we were both very active in our church
and knew friends were fellow BSF discussion leaders. Lots of people were praying for us
regularly. In the meantime, we were fighting the tides of passion and leaning on God's
grace to keep us out of sin.
During that time, God provided me with a job that took me to Asia frequently. The trips,
although laden with responsibilities, were a time to get away to just breathe. I spent
extended time with God on each trip - on the long flights and the quiet weekends. Jon
traveled around the world with his job also. It was interesting and frustrating to have
phone conversations from Casablanca to Beijing with the phone line being cut off with
every sound of thunder, which seemed like every two minutes. Besides work, we would
talk about things like his Moroccan-style haircut; or how he got out of getting a traffic
ticket by playing a dumb American; or how my hotel cleaning lady used the same cloth to
thoroughly wipe the toilet as she proceeded to wipe down everything else in the room,
including the water glasses!
Learning to keep our relationship on an open hand was tough. Every time I felt my hand
wanting to hold on to it, my hand would be painfully pried open. However, I knew that I
didn't want our relationship unless it was God's best for both of us. Choosing His second
best was just too costly.
There were so many divine Bible passages I studied that offered just enough hope for
each day. I was very encouraged by a story from the life of King David, as recorded in 1
Chronicles 12 and 1 Samuel 2-5. Before David became king, God gave him success in
battle, and he became a favorite in the eyes of all of Israel. This made Israel's king at that
time, King Saul, very jealous. King Saul made deliberate choices to distance himself
from God. Because of his jealousy of David, David had to flee for his life, and lived in
exile for many years while King Saul continued to hunt him down. David wrote many of
the Psalms during these difficult years, reflecting his loneliness, betrayal and pain. Many
of the psalms end in triumph, as his faith in the almighty divine God was renewed.
As the story goes, nearly ten years later, David was finally crowned king of Israel. There
was great rejoicing in all of Israel. God had given him over 150,000 mighty warriors.
They all ate, drank and celebrated with David for three days. "Also, their neighbors from
as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels,
mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil,
cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel" (1 Chronicles 12:40). I tried to imagine the
great celebration. I tried to imagine how David felt after all those years of running for his
life. God's divine blessings were probably far beyond what David was capable of
imagining. That day, God opened the floodgates of heaven, and showered down heaps
and heaps of blessings on David and his family.
God's divine intervention provided me with hope for my situation through this story. I
restrained myself to imagine any details, because I didn't want to build false hopes, but I
knew God's divine plan would be best in the end, no matter what that may be.
Finally, God's leading seemed to be changing from "Trust Me and give it up", "Focus on
Me" and just plain silence, to "prepare for action, you have My blessing". So, Jon under a
strong sense of God's divine leading, proposed (for the fourth time). I was flooded with
peace, and accepted. Two months later, here we were, standing in front of God and men.
Declaring what we believed, strongly, without a shadow of doubt, to be God's leading us
in our lives.
There were at least 10,000 angels present singing praises to God along with our hearts.
The warm sun reflected the full glory of the fall foliage on this November day. All who
were dear to our hearts came from near and afar to witness our union. I didn't think it
possible to experience so much joy, it was overwhelming. It could not be more obvious to
me, that by God's divine grace, He had chosen to open the floodgates. We were drenched
from head to toe, from the inside out with His divine blessings. After accruing so many
frequent flyer miles, hotel points and vacation time, we could basically go anywhere in
the world for an extended honeymoon-- this was among His many blessings.
This day gave me a small glimpse of that glorious day to come, when we are to enter the
bright pearly gates and walk on the shining streets of gold. After all the struggles and
victories in this life with God by my side at every turn, I can't wait to come face to face
with my King, my best friend. All tears will be wiped away; all pain and suffering will be
replaced with rejoicing and with crowns. The Bible describes this divine day as a radiant
bride meeting her bridegroom.
Today, ten years and four children later, I still pinch myself sometimes in disbelief that
Jon and I are actually married. I will probably be pinching myself in heaven too, even
after settling in, as I take in the beautiful and breathtaking realities!
I learned that God wants to bless His children beyond belief, like David. Waiting for
God's perfect timing can be so hard. However, as the Bible says, everything is beautiful in
His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11a). If we persevere and remain faithful to Him, our blessings
one day will be so great, it will be on a totally different scale!
Sometimes even miracles take a little time, and with a tear drop we shedd in life, thats
when we know happiness is just a tear drop away...I was four years old when I got on top
of my mothers dresser in my room, she was gone for a couple moments to do something,
and I was thristy, I saw a bottle of some sort of liquid on it, and it was orange. I thought It
was orange juice..I got up the dresser and drank it half way (it was about 1LTR) and I got
sick, then i passed out I was rushed to a hospital, and all I rememeber was this blur of
white light in the room, for moments the doctors lost me, because of the poision, these
two angels stood by Jesus and he said to me I could not stay It was not time, he said that I
needed to stay to help people, and to live up to the plans he has for me. l get married,
have children and to have a job..I was taken down to earth again by the two angel and felt
like i was pulled back into my body, with a rush of air, I was alive, I made it..I did not
die...today I am alive and I pray to the Lord each and everyday..and each and everynight..
I believe in Jesus and I love him very much, and though I wonder what those plans will
turn out to be and what they will be like and when they shall come, I know I am alive to
make a difference, and to change peoples lives, like the Lord has changed mine..I am an
adult now, and my mother and I talked a few days ago about me, somehow the topic came
up from when I was little, but the things I onced remeber I forgot, and the Lord through
my mom helped me to remember. that he will never leave you nor forsake you and
nothing on this earth nor in the pass present nor future will change the way the Lord loves
me, nor will his love ever stop. the joy of the Lord will be my strength and each day of
sunshine and rain will both help me grow..my mother told me the Lord wanted her to
name me andie..and he told my mom when I was a baby that he has plans for me..and
now I am alive and loving to say miracles do happen, God does excist and angels do live!
and there is a hope for you and plans that God wants you to meet with him. I love you all
very much and hope my true story has also made and impact on your life, as it has for
mine..may all your hopes, dreams, and plans be as the Lord wills, and as you wish..may
truth and wisedome come from, the smallest Iris..God bless..
Julie, My Angel
By: khl1@uswest.net
In 1996 my children and I were hit by a drunk driver going70 mph. My 14 year old
daughter died instantly, my son was seriously injured while I also died at the scene. As I
traveled down a dark tunnel toward a brilliant light, I saw my daughter Julie. She was
magnificant with sparkling eyes beautiful glowing hair and the biggest smile I have ever
seen.
She turned to me and said, "No Mom, you must go back. You have somuch work left to
do. This is my time, I love you so much but you must not comewith me." As she turned
and began to run toward the light, I was yelling for her butthen she was lifted up in the air
and through the light. I then remembered asking for help to breath.
The nurses asked me later who I had been yelling at in the car, I said I was talking to my
peaceful angel.
Six months later, while I was recovering at home, I was awakened by noises in the living
room. When I got up, there was nobody there.
Feeling now fully awake, I sat in the kitchen and began crying.
When I looked up, a bright glowing being was hovering in the center of the room. She
made her way into the kitchen and raised herself above me. Her hair was of golden
sparkles and the biggest wings I thought I would ever see. She motioned for me to pick
up a pen and I wrote the following poem:
To my mother whom i love,
Look to the universe up above,
For when you look you shall see
What is truly my own destiny.
Even though i am too young you say
I must follow and obey,
For the many times you weep for me
Please remember you will always see,
For as my soul has been rehearsed
I truly have become an angel in the universe.
When I finished writing this, I looked at the angel. She raised her hand and with a wave
and a smile, she was gone. I truly believe it was my daughter or one of my guardian
angels letting me know that Julie is truly safe and happy.
Thank you,
Elana Kemple
ever happens anyways." I wasn't even done thinking when I noticed that their was a
Cadillac driving really fast, and about to run the stop sign right in front of us, when
everything happened so fast. All I remember saying is "That car is not going to stop!" The
car hit my door, and we were ejected from our car. I remember still holding on to my son,
I could see the pavement of the road right in front of me while we skidded on the street. I
had my baby wrapped up in a very thick Mexican blanket. All of a sudden I felt as if
someone gently took my baby from my hands. At that moment I fainted. I woke up
moments later hearing my self say Natus name. My baby father found me, under our own
car. The car ended up at the other side of the road where it spun and ended up hitting a
telephone pole. He pulled me out from underneath the car. Blood fell all over my face
from a huge cut on my head that I got from the windshield. My son's father took off
running to look for him, since we had no idea where he was or how he was. I attempted to
get up and run too, but as I proceeded, I fell. My ankle was broken. I kept looking until I
noticed that he had found my son. He was running around in circle hugging, and kissing
him. At that moment I fell such a relieve. This is what I was expecting to happen. My
baby was found on the side of the road just sitting their, not even crying. The police was
instantly on scean. The car that crashed into us was stolen car that the police was after.
The car we were in hit the telephone pole right were the baby's car seat was. We all
ended up all in the emergency room. I ended up staying a good 2 weeks in the hospital.
My ankle was shattered, and I had road rash all over my body. My baby on the other had
had a cracked skull, and a few scratches. I'm very grateful that his angel was their to care
for him I truly believe that he was saved by his angel. Years later I was speaking with my
best friend about the car accident when my son 7 yrs old at that time said to us that he
remembered the accident and the angel that helped him. We both got chills and started to
cry.
I just give thanks that he was okay, and that his guardian angel was their to take care of
him. He is now 13, and I always tell him that it was a miracle he survived, and that he
was kept here for a reason. He is meant to be someone very special.
Touched by Angels
By: halexander@norcoind.com
I believe I had an experience with angels. It was October of 1996. I had went to work at
6 a.m. as usual and I wasn't feeling well. I ended up leaving shortly after arriving. As I
was driving home, I went straight past the road that would have taken me to my house
and instead continued to go straight into the town of Cassopolis. A few short minutes
later I was pulling in to the driveway of my Aunt Helen's house. I remember thinking to
myself, "How did I end up here?" I had no intention of going anywhere except home and
back to bed. But I was already there and had been missing my aunt for quite some time.
You see, she was very sick. She had emphysema and wasn't expected to live much
longer. Before I go any further about this day, I would like to give you a brief history of
my relationship with my aunt. She wasn't actually realted to me by blood. Only by love.
When I was born in 1975, my grandparents' neighbors were very happy. They naturally
became my Godparents. From the day I was born, they lavished me with love and
attention. Their youngest child was around the age of ten so I was the baby. I was at their
house I would say about 95% of the time during my childhood. I remember being told
that one winter when I was only a little baby I was living in Edwardsburg with my
parents. It was about a 20 minute drive from where my Godparents lived. Well, there
was a really bad snow storm and my aunt said to her husband, "Jack, there is an awful
storm and Heidi is all the way in Edwardsburg." So they got in to their truck and
basically plowed their way to Edwardsburg to pick me up to be with them. Then when I
was around the age of seven, my mother got re-married and we moved to Nevada to
where her new husband had gotten a job. I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay in my little
safe haven in Michigan. I couldn't bear to be away from my aunt Helen. When I lived
there, after I got let out of school, I would walk home. Many times on the way home, I
would stop at a pay phone and stand on my lunchbox to reach the phone and call my Aunt
Helen collect and tell her how much I missed her and wanted to come home. She used to
cry and cry because she wanted me back home where I belonged. With her. Shortly
thereafter, we did move back home. That was one of the happiest times of my life...when
I saw her again after having been away from her comforting arms for almost a whole
year. To a seven year old, almost a year seemed an eternity. As the years went by and I
grew older, the times I was there were a little less frequent. I had moved back to
Edwardsburg with my mother and started school there. I began to make friends and the
older I got, the more I began to go out. Being a teenager and worrying about boys and
school, that was my life. I still visited her. Just not as often as I once had. I just knew
that whenever I needed her she would be right there always. Being older now and
knowing what I didn't then, I should have continued to spend as much time as I could
with her. But hindsight is always 20/20, right? After I graduated from high school, she
got sick. It was only the beginning. I think I knew deep down, but I wouldn't accept the
fact that she wouldn't be around forever. She was by far the most important person I had
in my life, although I loved my real mom and my family to pieces. We just had a special
bond, my aunt and me. I even used to call her "Mommy" when I was younger and
sometimes still did. I thinks he liked it when I did. For a while, I stayed with her every
weekend, at least one night. I would sleep in the recliner next to her bed in the living
room. Even being 20 years old, it still comforted me to have her near me as I slept. As
time went by, I got more and more busy and didn't stay as much.
This takes me back to that day in 1996. Like I said before, I left work and ended up at
her house. I still haven't a clue how. I went in and stayed with her all day long. Her
hospice nurse was there for a little while too, and then she left. It was just me and my
aunt alone and we talked and reminisced about when I was little. She told me how much
she loved me and enjoyed watching me grow up. I remember thinking how much I
enjoyed our visit that day. I didn't even feel sick anymore like I had earlier. For some
reason I felt fine as soon as I walked in her door. After a while, I had to go home. So I
kissed her goodbye and was about to leave. What she said to me, I will never forget. She
said, "I think the angels sent you to me." I didn't really know what to think of it then so I
just smiled and left to go home. When I left, she seemed fine. She was talkative and was
like her old self again. I felt so good to have spent the day with her and I remember
telling myself that I had to definitely go over there again soon. I just didn't realize how
soon it would actually be. I was only home for a couple of hours when her son called.
He told me that she had passed away. He was always a joker so I told him to stop lying
to me and that I had just left her and she was fine. I told him how mean it was of him to
say that to me. But I knew. I knew he was telling me the truth. I just didn't want to
accept it. My mother took the phone out of my hands and I dropped to floor and just
started to scream. This was all too much to bear. I got dressed and my mother and her
sister took me to the place I had left only a few short hours before and as soon as I
walked in the door and she wasn't there, that is when it hit me the most. The fact that she
would never be there ever again. I still haven't felt that much pain before in my entire
life. Only later did I realize that she had seen the rest of her family just the day before. I
think she was waiting to see me one last time. I think she knew it was ok to go to God.
Her family was going to get through it, although it would never be easy. She was the
thread that held everyone together. When she went to God, everyone felt so lost. I know
in my heart that angels did send me to her on her last day here on earth. And I feel
forever blessed that I got to say goodbye to my aunt, my Godmother, my best friend. I
hope my story inspires someone to reach out to a loved one whom they have lost contact
with. Everything happens for a reason even though sometimes it takes years to figure out
what that reason is. The angels must have known all the love in my heart I had for that
woman and knew I would never forgive myself had I never had a chance to say goodbye.
I Believe, Do You?
By: fcf52@sbcglobal.net (ainglkiss.com)
On January 27, 2004 I was given one of the most precious gifts I have ever received from
a total stranger. This gift was feathers of an angel. Because you are very special to me, I
am sharing this gift with you.
The total stranger was an elderly woman who came into my store in Lawton, OK on this
date. She recently lost her husband after he suffered on his death bed for two weeks. He
feared leaving his wife alone because she walked with a cane and he worried about how
she would get along without him.
One evening while she and another couple visited with him, he asked his wife if she
could see the angels in the room. She said "No, but if you say they are there, I believe
you." Then the visiting gentleman motioned toward the floor. On the floor were feathers
all around the bed.
He has since passed away. The lady to this day finds feathers all around her home. She
picks them up each day, only to find more the next day.
One day she had to pay her water bill, but her bank statement did not reflect enough to
pay it. She called the bank to verify her balance. To her surprise, the banker told her she
had $600 in her account. No deposit had been made since the statement. She looked
down at her statement and there were new white feathers where none had been only
moments before. I believe, do you?
The Feather
By: kerkes@msn.com (ainglkiss.com)
So many trying times are going on with so many loved ones. I said a short prayer and
asked the Angels to help. I walked down my stairway and saw a small white feather
filtering down. I got to the bottom and looked up, wondering where this may of come? ( I
do not have anything with feathers). All, I have now is a big smile on my face!
I will never forget the Angel in White that smelled like peaches and cream that awful
night.
The woman spoke softly to Hannah in Chinese, pausing occasionally to wipe away a tear.
After a few minutes she said something to the interpreter. Shed like to keep in touch
with you, the interpreter said.
We exchanged addresses, but I was afraid to press for details. We said good-bye and
gathered our luggage for the final leg of our journey. The three of us returned to Kansas
as a family, just as Doug predicted. Hannah had a lot to get used to in America. But little
by little she made herself at home.
One day, a few months after our return, I received a letter. Its from the woman we met
at the hotel, I told Doug as I looked it over. Theres a translation in English, andoh,
Doug, look at this!
My hands trembled as I flipped through the packet of photos from the envelope: Hannah
as an infant in her crib, Hannah hugging a stuffed animal, Hannah playing in the park,
Hannah in the young womans arms, grinning from ear to ear.
The life I saw in these pictures was nothing like the lonely world Id imagined for
Hannah in the orphanage. These are the memories she carried with her from China, I
thought. This was what Hannah was doing while I prayed for her.
I dont understand. How is this possible? asked Doug.
I read the letter out loud: The Chinese government had declared the year Hannah was
born The Year of the Family. The young woman, MoBin, wanted to do something to
honor that, so she volunteered to visit the children at a local orphanage.
Among the children in Wuzhou Welfare Yard, I was attracted by a baby lying on a bed,
MoBin wrote. Her intelligent large eyes and curly hair were so lovely that I liked her at
the first sight.
But Hannah was very sick. The staff didnt have much hope she would survive. MoBin
begged permission to take her to a doctor. For six months MoBin cared for Hannah at her
own home and returned her to the orphanage strong and healthy.
MoBin continued to visit her, taking Hannah home with her on the weekends. I called
myself her Auntie MoBin, she wrote. It broke her heart to say good-bye to Hannah, but
MoBin was happy Hannah would have a family of her own to love her.
Doug and I would be eternally grateful to this selfless young woman. She was an answer
to my prayer, an angel for Hannah on earth.
the weather cooperates on my day off! I thought. I was ready for some serious R & R, so
Id start by treating myself to an early lunch at the new caf.
Our town was small enough that a new eating establishment was big news, and Id been
looking forward to trying the new place for weeks.
I drove over and sat down at a little table by the window. Burgers! I thought, checking out
the menu. I slapped it back on the table and looked around for the waitstaff.
The place wasnt busy, just a couple of stragglers from the breakfast rush finishing up
their eggs. Why was no one coming over to take my order? I probably caught them off
guard, I figured. They arent expecting any lunch customers yet.
So I waited. And waited. And waited. Ill just stick my head inside the kitchen and let
everyone know Im here. I got up from my table and walked to the back.
Sorry to bother yall, I said, but could someone take my order?
Why of course, the cook said, nodding at a young woman with a notepad and pencil in
her apron. Shell be right out to help you.
I returned to my seat. And waited. And waited. Now I was getting testy. All I wanted was
a nice relaxing meal on my day off! Didnt I deserve that?
Finally the young woman came out. She was obviously distracted. She didnt even say
she was sorry for the slow service. These werent the manners I expected from someone
in a small Southern town. She was quickly bringing storm clouds to my sunny day off.
What do you want to drink? she asked in a deadpan voice, not even bothering to make
eye contact.
Coffee, please, I said. And Ill have the burger with fries too.
She got me a cup of coffee and went back to the kitchen. Then I sat there waiting so long
I almost checked my watch to make sure my day off wasnt over. Id been on the verge of
getting up and walking out when she appeared with my food.
She set it on the table with no fanfare, no apology, no smile. Halfway through my burger I
reached for my coffee and realized my cup was empty. Naturally the waitress was
nowhere to be found.
I dont think Ive ever been to a restaurant where the waitstaff didnt come back to check
on me, didnt offer to refill my drink.
I noisily rattled my empty cup against the saucer. The burger was good, but the service
was so poor my taste buds were dulled. Thanks to this waitress my special lunch on my
Id come as a single mom to Canyon Lake, in the Texas Hill Country, where trailer parks
offered affordable living. Problem was, I couldnt find work.
I told myself to stay confident, to believe things would get better. But I was running out
of hope as quickly as I was running out of money. My hand trembled as I turned on the
radio, hoping some music would calm me. God, I have to hold things together for my
kids.
The Train song Calling All Angels filled the car. One of our favorites. Ashley hummed
in her car seat. I need a hand to help build up some kind of hope inside of me. Tears
welled in my eyes as she sang along to the chorus. And Im calling all angels. Im
calling all you angels.
Its going to take more than a song to build up hope inside of me, I thought. Angels
wouldnt help me put dinner on the table. My sons were waiting when Ashley and I came
in. Whens dinner? they said.
It was still late afternoon, but they were growing kids, always one step ahead of me as far
as food was concerned. In the old days I baked pastries and pies just for the pleasure of it.
I always had fresh baked goods for them for a snack.
Now my pantry was nearly empty. A bag of sugar, some flour and not much else.
A couple of overripe bananas sat on the counter. Just the way I used to like them for
baking, I thought. I opened the fridge. Job hunting had so overwhelmed me, I didnt even
know how many eggs Id find.
Hmm, I thought. Flour, sugar, these eggs Im going to whip us up some banana
muffins! I called to the kids.
Muffins for dinner! the boys said. Cool!
Soon I was lost in my recipe, pouring the dry ingredients into measuring cups and
mashing the bananas with a fork. As I scooped the mixture into the muffin tin I found
myself singing, Im calling all angels. Im calling all you angels.
If only I could believe angels really were out there looking after us. These muffins would
last a couple of days at most. Then what? I put the muffins in the oven and sat down with
the help-wanted section.
I circled a couple of ads that looked good, but I was beyond hope. I wondered if Id ever
find work again.
Twenty minutes later the house was filled with the sweet smell of bananas. I pulled two
dozen big muffins out of the oven to cool. As I flipped them out of the pan I suddenly
thought: Wrap them up, put them in your wicker basket and sell them.
Sell them? I thought. To who? I pictured myself at an intersection with a basket full of
muffins. Then I remembered seeing homemade cookies by the register at our convenience
store.
I wrapped a dozen muffins individually in plastic and got my wicker basket down from
the closet. At this point I was willing to try anything.
Ive got to run an errand, boys, I said as I grabbed my car keys.
I got in the car, put Ashley in her car seat in the back and stared at the basket full of
muffins on the seat next to me. Okay, angels, I said, here goes. I drove to a
convenience store nearby. I gathered my courage in the parking lot and walked in with
my muffins.
Tasty, the manager said, trying one. Ill take them all. He opened his register and
counted out some bills.
Heres my number, I said, jotting it down on a napkin. Call me if you want some
more.
I drove straight to the grocery store. With the money the manager gave me I bought more
baking supplies and a whole chicken for the kids. If those muffins sell I can make more
tomorrow, I thought. It was the first thing Id dared to hope for in weeks.
Id barely gotten dinner in the oven when the telephone rang. It was the manager of the
convenience store. Believe it or not, weve sold out of your muffins! Any chance of
bringing another batch by tomorrow?
Yes, sir! I said. Maybe the angels really were at work in my life!
I hung up the phone and turned to the kids. Mommy got a job!
For the next year I sold muffins to all the convenience stores in my area. Eventually my
baking business outgrew my tiny trailer, and I rented a funky old fixer-upper where I
could launch my new store. I expanded into pies, cakes and cookies, and called it Mrs.
Bushs Pie Company.
Now, 10 years since I sold that first banana muffin, people from all over drive to Canyon
Lake to buy my homemade goodies. Life for the kids and me is sweeter than I ever could
have hoped. The angels knew better.
"Another year, another Home and Garden Show, I said. My husband, Charlie, sold and
installed patio enclosures, so each year we sat in one of his models while people checked
out his merchandise.
Sometimes it meant a lot of sitting and waiting for customers to show real interest, and
that gave us time to talk. Our conversation lately had centered on one sad topicour
young granddaughter, Rachel, who had died less than a year ago.
Her bright smile, her laughter and best of all the hugs she used to giveCharlie and I
would never tire of recalling every tiny detail about the child we loved so much and lost
so early. We had our memories if we couldnt have that little precious life itself.
Oh, but what I wouldnt give for one last hug from Rachel, I thought.
A family with three little boys stopped by our booth. The youngest looked like he might
have been about three, just like Rachel.
Charlie and I watched him pal around with his brothers. Then, in the blink of an eye, the
little rascal pulled the sliding-glass door of the patio model shut with all his mightand
locked us in!
The boys father quickly took the boys hand and reopened the door to rescue us. Sorry,
folks! he said.
Just as the family was walking away, the boy turned and ran toward me. He opened his
arms wide as I bent down. He gave me a long, tender hug, just like the kind I used to get
from Rachel. Then he ran back to his parents, and they were gone.
God hears every prayer, no matter how big or small. Getting a hug from a child seems
like a small thing under the circumstances, but God knew it was a big deal to me.
A Heavenly Pointer
By Christina Friberg, Wheat Ridge, Colorado
What better way to celebrate the beginning of summer than by setting up my outdoor
furniture on the deck? I unstacked the chairs and arranged them around the table. All I
needed was my new blue-and-white-flowered patio umbrella. Its going to look so pretty,
I thought.
I searched the backyard shed. I was sure Id put it there for safekeeping. I hadnt even
taken it out of the box. I stumbled around for 20 minutes looking for that umbrella. Ill
have to settle for my old one, I thought. It was tattered and faded, but it would give me
some shade.
One sunny afternoon I went out on the deck to enjoy it. Something was missing. The
wind had blown my old umbrella to the middle of the driveway! The pole was nearby,
broken in half. Lying there, it looked like an arrow pointing to the shed, its doors blown
wide open. I wondered how Id missed the windstorm.
I went over to close up my shed. Standing just inside the door, against the sheds brown
wall, was a long brown boxmy new umbrella. Maybe I didnt have it to start out the
summer, but I had it just when I needed it.
A Homeless Man
By: lass@frontiernet.net (ainglkiss.com)
On the way home from a nearby town, I stopped at the usual convenient store near the
interstate to get gas.
The pumps were all full because many out-of-state travelers were getting gas as well.
The "old" me was wanting to get upset and impatient. I began to think the other drivers
should have been courteous enough to pull away from the pumps and then go in to pay
and take care of other business such as shopping, restrooms, etc.
Instead, I decided to find "good" in the bad situation so I focused on the gospel tape
which was playing -- a new one I had just purchased in town.
I looked towards the door of the building and watched people, hoping to see the driver of
the car at the pump in front of me coming out to move his car.
That's when I saw him.
A homeless man sitting on the pavement against the front of the building. He was
bothering no one, just sitting there. It was very obvious he had not had a bath in days. A
drink cup from the store set beside him. (It would not dawn on me until later, that - unlike
other homeless people I have seen or hitch-hikers - this man had no "belongings" with
him. No bags, no change of clothes, nothing).
I automatically turned away. I certainly wanted no "eye contact" with him. The human
part of me wanted to totally ignore him.
But God spoke to my heart and the Spiritual part of me wondered, "Does he know God
loves him?"
I made up my mind, as I sat there waiting to get gas, that when I went in the store that I
would get him a bag of food and something to drink. I also planned to share the love of
God with him.
The next thing I knew, an unmarked sheriff deputy's car pulled up in front of the store.
The officer got out and was talking to the man, who had stood up. It appeared the
conversation was not cordial. The man started walking away.
I wanted to go ask the officer if I could just buy the man some food, but I could tell that
was not a good idea from the officer's demeanor.
I watched as the man was leaving the parking lot and approaching the interstate just yards
away. I knew by the time I got inside the store he would be gone and I would not know
which direction he took.
Finally, it was my turn to get gas. I hurriedly pumped what I needed and pulled away
from the pump. I went in and gathered some non-perishable food and orange juice for the
man.
I went back to my car and found $7 in cash. I dropped the money in the bag and set out
looking for this man whom I didn't even want to look at earlier.
I went across the interstate overpass towards the town from which I had come...the
direction the man was facing when I saw him last. I knew as tired as he looked and as
slow as he walked, he probably had not gotten very far. I was thinking -- Did he go
towards town? Did he go under the interstate overpass to find shelter and rest for the
night? Did he go north or south on the interstate? Had someone else stopped to help him?
I drove past where he probably would have made it had he gone back towards town. All
the while I told God, "God if you want me to help this man, you have to help me find
him."
I turned around and went back towards the interstate. There was another convenient store
on my left - did he go there? I stopped and went inside. He was not there. I continued my
"mission."
As I pulled out of the parking lot, I was approaching the northbound entrance to the
interstate. "God should I turn here or cross the bridge and go south?" I asked. I repeated
my earlier statement and said,"God if you want me to help him with this little bit of stuff,
you have to show me which way to go."
I crossed the bridge and turned south. Just ahead, I saw the man as he walked in the
emergency lane.
I pulled over and he came back to the passenger window which I had rolled down about
halfway. My Bible was visible on the passenger seat beside of me. He did not attempt to
get in my car but as he leaned down I told him I had some food for him.
It had to be God using me as a vessel because I surprised myself when I said, "You know,
I have to go to the next exit to turn around to go home, "I'll let you ride that far." (I would
not have offered on my own!!)
I never pick up anyone for any reason. It is not safe!!
Stray people, never...stray pets, almost always!! I even stop to help turtles across the road.
Although he looked and smelled awful, he was so polite and so thankful.
During the next 8 or 9 minutes, we talked about God and how much God loves him.
While I talked to him, I knew there was something about him that seemed "familiar." I
couldn't figure it out. He had shoulder-length brown hair and a full beard. Although he
had an odor about him, he looked relatively clean. I kept trying to figure out what it was
about him that seemed familiar.
Just before he got out of the car, we exchanged first names.
I couldn't speak or move when he told me his name. I didn't catch it at first because he
spoke in a low tone and did not look directly at me. When I asked him again, he said,
"My name is Eric."
He had turned to face me when he spoke his name again in a louder tone. When our eyes
met, I knew that it was his eyes that looked familiar.
He had light green hazel eyes, like those of my nephew Eric, who had died in an
automobile accident in the early 90s. I told him about that.
We held hands and prayed together, our fingers intertwining.
The last words I told him were, "Jesus is coming soon...make things right with God and
stay focused on Him....and I'm going to look for you in heaven." He said, "Sylvia, I'll
look for you in heaven, too."
I had pulled into the parking lot close to the road instead of the building. As I pulled
away, after he got out, I looked back to get one last glimpse of this strange but familiar
man. He could not have made it to the building before I glanced back to see him.
He was not there ... it was as though he had disappeared into thin air.
Needless to say, a man named "Eric" is now on my prayer list, even though I do not know
if he was a real person or an angel.
This story is true. It happened July 19, 2003, on I-65 in Alabama. How do I know?
Because I was the driver of the car!
the class who deserved something special it was him. Of course I couldnt make Willies
big wish come true.
Nobody was more dashing and heroic than those pilots battling in the skies of Europe and
Asia. My uncle Marion was an officer at a flying school in Alabama, training to be an
aviator. In his crisp uniform he looked like a movie star. I knew how courageous he must
look in his leather flight jacket.
Mom, I said that night as she was making supper. Do they make flight jackets for little
boys?
I dont think so, Mom said. But Ive been thinking about Willie too. Why dont you
write to your uncle and ask if theres something he could send from the airfield?
Good idea! I said. Right after supper, with Moms help, I wrote a letter to Uncle
Marion. I explained about the gift exchange, and told him about Willies wish. Im going
to get him a pair of warm red socks from W.M. Moore, I wrote.
Two weeks after we mailed my letter, a package arrived from Gunter Army Air Corps
Flying School in Alabama. Inside was a gift wrapped up with a bow. The label said, To
Willie Evans. There was also a letter for me.
Please make sure your classmate gets this gift, but do not tell him who its from. Uncle
Marion wanted to remain anonymous.
On the last day of school before Christmas break, we gathered around the tree. By then
there were piles of presents underneath it. We sang carols and Mrs. Virginia read us the
Christmas story from the Bible. After that we were ready to open our gifts.
One by one we went to the tree and found the present that was meant for us. Soon the
room was full of excitement as kids opened their gifts: I got a beautiful set of ribbons for
my hair. The boy next to me did tricks with his new yo-yo. Willie showed everyone the
thick wool socks I got him.
When everyone had a gift, one mystery box remained.
Who is that gift for, Mrs. Virginia? someone asked.
My mother frowned, as if in confusion. This present is for Willie Evans, she said.
For me? Willie said. But I already got these warm socks!
All eyes were riveted on Willie as he went up to the tree to receive his awesome present.
It must be from Santa, one girl said.
Santa doesnt arrive until Christmas Eve, someone else said. Maybe an angel left it.
He never tired of telling the story of the miracle mystery present. And neither do I.
Because that Christmas, an angel, my uncle Marion, strengthened the faith of a shy little
boy named Willie, and answered two prayers, Willies and mine.
A Motorcycle Miracle
An angel changed this rebellious teens life by saving it.
By Joan Wester Anderson
John was a teenager in the 70s, raised in a very religious family. But he was more
interested in hot cars and pretty girls. My faith was very superficial, he says,
consisting mostly of a strict adherence to the rules except when my parents werent
looking.
Shortly after getting his driver's license, John landed a well-paying job at a local grocery
store chain. Soon he talked his dad into letting him buy a motorcycle. Now, my
independence was complete, John explains. I earned my own money. I was buying my
own vehicle. I felt like an adult. (And at six feet tall and 250 pounds, he certainly
looked like one!)
So one day when Johns mother forbade him from visiting his girlfriend after school, he
was immediately rebellious. Im going, and nothing you can say or do will change my
mind! he shouted. His mother, stunned, began to cry. John had never defied her. But
now her son was storming out the back door. Ill be home by ten! he shouted over his
shoulder.
After school, John went to his girlfriend's house in a nearby town about 30 minutes away.
The teens spent the evening together watching television. I was so wrapped up in her
that I paid no attention to the time, John says. Finally at 9:45, he headed home.
But getting home normally took a half hour. To shave time off his drive, John decided to
take a shortcut across a highway closed for construction. Veering around the yellow-andblack striped barricades, John sped up to about 70 miles per hour. A few moments later,
he lost control and the motorcycle began to flip.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl, John says. I hit the pavement, head first, and
tumbled down the highway, head over heels. I remember seeing the moon pass my
knees! And as I rolled to a stop, I remember the extreme silence of the night. Clothes
torn, John was bleeding from head to toe and could barely move. He was also in the
middle of nowhere, on a detoured highway, with no hope of traffic coming by. Would he
die, he wondered hazily, before the road crews discovered him the next morning?
As I lay there drifting in and out of consciousness, I saw two very bright lights
approaching, John says. It was a car, and I knew I needed to stop it. Shakily, John
stumbled to his feet, stood swaying in the middle of the road and waved his arms for a
moment, then fell again onto the pavement. But the driver had apparently seen him, for
black darkness, a single naked bulb powered by a solar battery the only light. When I
imagined life in the bush I hadnt thought about Christmas.
Silent night, holy night... The tinny sound of my battery-operated tape player seemed to
emphasize how alone I was here in a village so primitive, so far from anything Id ever
known. There seemed no way for Christmas to find its way here.
How I longed to be home in the Windy City, Michigan Avenue lit with thousands of
Italian lights, the glow from the miniature bulbs like angels, snow gently falling from the
sky.
Living near the equator, the native people didnt even have a word for cold. I remembered
days before trying to teach one of them about snow. I tossed handfuls of packing peanuts
into the air. Snow, I said over and over. He looked at me utterly befuddled.
I took him to my mini-fridge and held his hand against the freezer element. Hot, he
yelled, jumping back in alarm. The concept was beyond the people here.
There had been so many things to adjust to since Id arrived in July. Nothing could have
prepared me for such stark isolation. The missionary couple and their four children were
the only people who werent born in the village.
Id made friends among the 200 or so native people, but we had little in common. Theyd
never been to a mall. Or a Cubs game. Never eaten a Chicago deep-dish pizza. Or gazed
down from the top of the Sears Tower. It was all as foreign to them as lighting a
Christmas tree.
But it was more than that. After dark no one went outside for more than a few minutes,
the risk of being bitten by a disease-carrying mosquito too great. And night in the village
was dark. No street lamps, no headlights, no lights in apartment windows.
The village, ringed by dense foliage and tall grass, was only accessible to the outside
world by plane. It was a two-hour walk one way to the river for water. I felt so trapped,
even the ever-temperate climate seemed oppressive.
At home Id be making sugar cookies right now, I thought. I had learned to eat the local
delicacy of roast grasshopper, but that was no treat for Christmas.
My mind went over everything I would be doing back in Chicago, bundled up in my
parka. I peered intently into the night, imagining I was outside of Marshall Fields
department store, its windows blazing with lights shining down on mechanized santas and
bears, nutcracker soldiers and ballerinas.
That glow. It seemed the very essence of Christmas, the star, the sky filled with angels,
the triumph of light over dark. My imagination was no substitute for the real thing.
If anything, inside my cabin, my gloom had only grown. There wasnt even the distant
glimmer of a bonfire to break up the darkness. Just a solid black wall. Nothing to do but
go to bed. I switched off my tape player. Then the overhead light.
I turned and looked back at the window
Wow! Just outside my door the night was lit by a cluster of thousands of miniature
blinking...Italian Christmas lights? Here? No, these lights were even more beautiful.
Breathtaking. Like nothing Id ever seen in Chicago.
I looked closer. They were fireflies. And yet...Id never seen lightning bugs in New
Guinea. God had sent me my very own holiday lighting displayon angel wings!
Christmas had come. Just as it had to a tiny, dusty village so many years ago.
There were no malls, no crowds of festive shoppers, no tree that first Christmas. Just
Gods angels announcing the true light of the world. This was going to be the best holiday
ever.
God
By Pauline Weaver, Penn Yan, New York
Night covered the Pennsylvania valley around my house, dark and velvet soft. It was just
before dawn, but I couldnt sleep. I was too anxious. In a few weeks I would be married.
My fianc and I were deeply in love, but was that enough?
In the Mennonite culture, marriage is forever. There were no second chances. My own
parents had raised 11 children, and weathered illness, tight finances and even a barn fire
together. Could I trust my soon-to-be husband to be supportive during challenging times?
I wasnt sure.
We were very young: I was 20, Kenneth was 19. We had no money at all. We were
starting out with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Youre not ready, my parents had
warned. What if they were right?
I breathed in the early spring air and tried to concentrate on all the good things about
Kenneth. His joy, his optimism, his excitement at the prospect of our life together. In
order to marry Kenneth with my whole heart, I had to trust him completely. Trouble was,
I didnt trust anyone completely. Not even God.
At the church I grew up in God wore a stern face and made strict rules. As a teenager Id
rebelled, asserting my independence and exploring life outside my Mennonite heritage.
Now Id returned to the church, and returned to God. But I still thought of him as that
stern face in the Bible storybooks of my childhood. I called him my father, but I couldnt
imagine him thinking of me as his daughter, listening to my prayers or caring about my
problems.
Id turned away from him once. How could he trust me not to do it again? And if God
couldnt trust me, how could he support me? How could I trust myself to be making the
right decision? If my parents had doubts about my marriage, I couldnt imagine God
giving me his blessing.
I leaned against the fence post and looked out at the surrounding farms. Not a single light
shone in any window in the valley. No other living creature was in sight. I wrapped my
arms tightly around myself.
With no one else to turn to, I found myself praying as I never had before. No formal
church rituals or fancy language. Please, God... I couldnt even put my plea into words. I
just gave everythingmy fears, my doubts, my hopesup to God.
I felt a touch on my shoulder. A touch as real as if someone had walked right up beside
me. A touch so real I turned around and looked up.
There was no one with me. But I felt an arm from above wrap around my shoulders in a
gentle hug, soft as an angels wings. My heart filled with peace and love greater than I
had ever known.
God listens, I thought. He cares. My father loves me. I knew it with the all-trusting faith
of a child.
Eventually the hug faded and I went inside. But for the rest of the day, whenever I
remembered the sensation around my shoulders, the inner peace returned anew. I tried to
act normal, but I would never be the same. I believed wholeheartedly that I had a true
blessing on my marriage. I trusted my future, my God and myself.
Almost 25 years later, the young man I married has turned out to be more faithful and
loving than I ever could have dreamed. We have weathered many storms and shared
much happiness, all of it together, safe in Gods embrace.
An Angelic Announcement
By Loraine Stayer, Merrick, New York (guideposts.org)
This is a hard night for me, Lord. I was saying my evening prayers, looking out the
window, watching a tree sway back and forth. I should've been long asleep like my
husband, but how could I relax? Our daughter Miriam was at a hospital two states away,
about to give birth to her first child.
Like any other grandmother-to-be, I was filled with excitement and butterflies. I wished I
knew how she was doing moment by moment, but since Miriam and her husband follow
a strict Jewish tradition, they don't use the phone on holy days.
Just my luck it's a holy day! I thought. And I'd certainly pestered the nurses enough. I'd
just have to wait it out and have faith that everything would work out okay.
I sat down on my bed. God, I whispered, give me strength and peace of mind to fall
asleep tonight. By morning I would learn all about my beautiful new grandbaby and hear
about the birth from my daughter. What would it be, a boy or a girl? Just so mother and
baby were healthy, that's what mattered.
I slipped under the covers and glanced at the answering machine. Don't even look at it, I
told myself. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath...
But what was this? I found myself sitting in my dining room. I had to be dreaming. That
was it. But everything seemed so real. Suddenly an angel appeared before me. There was
no question as to his nature. He had no wings but wore a yarmulke. A long, bright scroll
unfurled in his hands, and he sang out, "You have a grandson."
I woke up with a start and looked around the dark bedroom. The clock radio read 5 a.m.
My husband slept soundly beside me. I pulled the covers up to my chin, thinking how
An Angelic Garden
A bed of roses planted by an angel.
By Jeanette Thorngate, Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Funeral arrangements for my husband of 57 years overwhelmed me, even with my son
and his wife at the funeral home helping. We left feeling low.
On our way back to the car we passed a residence with a garden full of roses in every
color. The gate was open. We couldnt stop ourselves from walking through. Just as I bent
over to smell a lush red blossom, the owner came outside.
Were sorry, my son said. We just came from planning a funeral, and these roses are so
beautiful...
Thats why I leave the gate open, the woman said. She handed her pruning sheers over
to my son. Cut yourselves a big bouquet.
A few minutes later we got into the car with an armful of roses. God had planted a garden
just where we needed itand assigned the most caring of angels to watch over it.
An Angelic Thanksgiving
By Lonnie Parker-Janszen, San Antonio, Texas (guideposts.org)
Another Thanksgiving without Mom, I thought, picking halfheartedly at my turkey and
stuffing. This was a particularly hard holiday since Mom's death because food and family
were her hallmarks.
Mom worked as a short-order cook at the old H.L. Green drugstore in downtown San
Antonio. I would grab a seat on one of the big swivel stools, and no matter how busy
Mom was behind the counter she'd always stop to hug her "babies" and fix us a grilled
cheese or a thick milk shake. Always there with a kiss or a kind word or some little treat
to make us smilethat's the sort of mom she was.
The sort of mom she was, I reminded myself, pushing away my barely touched plate. I
need to feel that love again today.
After dinner my husband, Andrew, and I decided to drive to Fort Sam Houston National
Cemetery where Mom was buried. I must have been preoccupied with memories of her
when I drove right past the entrance to the cemetery.
"Don't worry," Andrew said. "Turn in here." We rounded a corner and saw a big yellow
"Garage Sale" sign.
"A garage sale on Thanksgiving Day?" I said.
Andrew shrugged. "Why not?"
We continued to wind our way through the neighborhood hunting the road to the
cemetery, but eventually even Andrew admitted we were lost. And everywhere we looked
we kept seeing those darn yellow signs. Plus one of our infamous Texas thunderstorms
was brewing, hardly ideal conditions for visiting a cemetery. Looked like my plans were
all wet. This was exactly the kind of moment when Mom would have done or said that
little something to make everything seem okay. What I wouldn't give, Lord, to feel Mom's
loving presence once more.
The cemetery would have to wait. Andrew agreed. "I know you're disappointed, but we
might as well stop at that yard sale before it rains," he said. "We can't seem to get away
from it."
"Sure," I said.
We pulled up to the curb and got out. I wandered through displays of used clothing,
dishes and toys. On one table I spied a bag of old tin cookie cutters like the ones I'd lost
in a flood years ago. Mom was always buying me cookie cutters to replace them, but I'd
never found ones I liked as much. She never gave up, though, as if she could make me
feel better with the perfect cookie cutters.
"How much for the cookie cutters?" I asked the woman running the sale.
She examined the bag. "Those were my neighbor's. Let me ask."
The woman handed me the cookie cutters while I waited. I hadn't noticed before but
printed on the bag was the name Jennie. I looked up to heaven. Mom, are you trying to
tell me something? That was Mom's name, too.
And only Mom would know they were exactly like the ones I'd lost. Now it really felt
like a day for giving thanks.
Michael cast a worried glance at the pine trees. I knew what he was thinking: How could
we find her in there? Maybe she curled up in the truck, he said.
Kristi wasnt in the truck. We yelled into the pines and got no answer except echoes. We
walked to the nearby train tracks and saw no one. We shone flashlights on the ragged
lakeshore but found nothing.
Lets drive out to that old airstrip, I said. She likes to walk there.
We checked the airstrip, then the small dock where Kristi liked to sit, and finally the local
lovers lane hangout for kids. We still didnt find our daughter.
Never had Alaska seemed more isolated. Kristi could be miles away. Every possible
danger ran through my head as I looked up and down the empty highway: bears, moose,
violent people. Is she on foot? In a car? With a boy? Partying? I looked out at the snowpeaked mountains in the distance.
The northern lights danced above them, cold and unsympathetic. How could any child be
safe in this barren wilderness?
Lets go home, Michael said, sounding as worried as I felt. She might have come back
by now.
If only wed never left Oregon, I thought as he turned the car around. I could have kept
her safe in Oregon.
The house was empty as ever when we got there. We called the state police. They drove
out and questioned us about where Kristi might have gone. The lights of their squad cars
looked puny beneath the light show in the sky. Well check all over, a policeman
assured us.
Michael walked the lakeshore again while I sat by the phone. Please, God, I prayed,
staring at it. We need your protection. Kristis all alone. Im all alone.
By 3:00 a.m. Michael and I were numb. The police had found no leads. Nobody had seen
a 13-year-old girl walking the highway. Michael scrubbed at his face with his hands. He
looked exhausted.
Why dont you lie down for a while? I said. You can stay here and listen for the
phone. Im going to take the truck up to the highway. She has to come home from that
direction.
I grabbed the keys to the truck and left Michael on the couch, sitting with his head in his
hands. He looked so small and helpless. We were both small and helpless in this huge,
empty country. How could I expect to watch over my young daughter out here in the
wilds of nature?
I took the car to the entrance of our compound and scanned the highway, not wanting to
miss a single car or the sight of a girl on foot. The radio was my only company. The black
road stretched out in both directions as far as my eye could see. Far above me the
northern lights shimmered. Would they guide me to Kristi?
My eye fell on one straight, sword-like streak in the sky, just outside the truck window. A
thin, pointed band that began at the horizon and went...how far up? I twisted my neck
around to look through the windshield, but I still couldnt see the end of it.
I got out of the truck. Frost crunched under my feet as I walked around to the front,
resting my hand on the fender. The streak went all the way across the sky, end to end
across the heavens.
As I looked at it, it changed before my eyes.
Far above my head an angel was suspended. He looked like some kind of warrior. His
wings spread from one side of the horizon to the other. Every feather in his wings was
perfect, crystalline light. His chiseled features were confident and sharp.
I didnt know whether to laugh in delight or fall to my knees at this tremendous being
taking up the entire sky. Even the great state of Alaska shrank in size beneath his
magnificent wings.
For the first time since Id found Kristis bed empty I no longer felt helpless or afraid.
How could anyone be afraid with this magnificent creature keeping watch? I could almost
feel his strong arms around me, hear the crunch of his mighty feet on the snowy ground
in the distance.
Crunch!
The sound came againit was footsteps! And they were getting louder. They came from
over by the train tracks. Kristi! I ran forward to meet her as she came out of the woods,
shivering in her hooded sweatshirt and bedroom slippers. Her tear-stained face was cold
under my hands.
Im sorry I scared you guys, she said. I just needed to walk.
I wrapped my arms around her and led her back to the car. I put the truck in gear and
looked up to thank my warrior protector. But he was already gone, replaced by the
dancing curtain of lights. I could just make out what had been the tips of his wings
disintegrating into a smoky green haze.
I thought about my warrior a lot over the next two years as Michael and I struggled to
help Kristi find her way. It wasnt easy. But when I doubted I had the strength to go on, I
remembered an angel the size of Alaska was watching over me. And Kristi.
Neither I, nor my daughter, would ever truly be lost again.
An Angelic Turnabout
A woman's prayer for help is answered with a gust of wind.
By Sue Groves, Cameron, New York
The old wooden shed in our backyard was falling apart. We could get one from the
store, my husband, Fred, suggested one afternoon. The ones you put together yourself.
DIY.
I groaned. Do-it-yourself never appealed to me. Too many things could go wrong. But
that weekend we bought a new shed. The assembly was even harder than I imagined. By
the time we put it together we were exhausted. All we had left to do was anchor it to the
ground. We can do that tomorrow, Fred said.
But when I looked outside the next morning, the night wind had blown the shed 15 feet
away from where wed left it. It lay upside down in the grass. I called Fred to the
window.
We cant flip it over again without breaking it, I said to him. Do we have to take it
apart and put it back together again? Fred shrugged. I cant face having to start all over, I
thought.
I went off to church, kicking myself for letting Fred talk me into this project. God, I
prayed, we cant do this ourselves. Can you send us some angels to help? Amen.
When I got home I went to find Fred in the backyard. The shed was sitting upright again!
How did you do it?
I didnt, Fred said. The wind picked the shed up and turned it upright again!
Our DIY project turned into a DIA project: Do it, angels!
I loved that about my dad. He was the kind of father who made you feel that no matter
what you did, you were loved.
On the last day of his life, Mom called to let me know that she didnt think Dad, a World
War II pilot and outdoorsman, would be around much longer. During the day, she had
heard a loud thump in the kitchen.
When she went to investigate, she discovered that a bird had hit the window, leaving the
imprint of its wing.
Logically, it was probably a mourning dove who had just taken a dust bath, but I have
never seen or heard of one leaving an angels print. The print lasted for a long time, but
there were no traces of a bird outside the window.
We know that God sent an angel to take my 92-year-old dad home so that he could fly
and hike again.
An Angel Story
The author site: http://www.JoyfulChristianLiving.com (ainglkiss.com)
My wife and I were living in northern California (near Sacramento). I was a freelance
Web designer and worked part time selling ads on the back of cash register receipts.
Nevertheless, I was struggling financially. I needed a "regular" job so I took a look in our
church's employment bulletin and saw there was a job working in an art gallery of
Thomas Kinkade. I called them, made an appointment and, mid-morning the next day,
was on my way for an interview.
The appointment was downtown Sacramento. I wasn't exactly sure how to get there but
felt I could wing it okay. I'm a songwriter and suddenly, as I was driving on the freeway, I
was hit with sudden inspiration of songs. Oh, how I wished I weren't driving so I could
write the inspirations down. I sang these wonderful made-up songs to my heart's content,
then the inspiration left me.
I pulled into a metered street-side parking space what I thought was near the art gallery
(which was in a downtown mall not directly accessible by car). I knew I would have to
walk. Unfortunately, I didn't have any change for the meter. Noticing a large office
building, I walked in..but it was all dark except for a lit area to my right. Management
offices, I thought. Someone will have change.
"Hello. Anyone have change for the meter?" I shouted from just outside the office door.
"Yes," said a tall man who had come forward. "I believe I do." He dug into his pockets
and came up with a handful of change. I gave him a dollar but he fidgeted with the
change--almost as if he didn't know what the change to a dollar was. I helped him by
reaching into his open hand and taking the proper change then I thanked him.
Another man was in there, also. He was looking for change in a desk drawer in the back
but quit when I got the change. The first man produced a key to the restroom for me at
my request, also. After that, I put change in the meter and headed to the interview. It was
a long walk--maybe 15 minutes. I had the interview which went well but that did not turn
out to be my next place of employment.
I walked back as fast as I could knowing my meter was going to be running out. As I
arrived to my car, I noticed the man from the building who had given me my change,
standing there beside my car. I was curious, then, as I walked up, he said, as he held out
his hand, "I just want you to know we're praying for you!"
I said, "I knew there was something else about you," which didn't make sense to me then
and doesn't to this day but it was all I could think of to say.
Within the next 3 days, I answered an ad on the Internet and landed a job with Sprint. I
worked for them for 2 years as my wife battled cancer. We moved to Nampa, Idaho where
she had a health crisis and we decided she should go to Austin, TX for some alternative
treatment. Meanwhile, I had landed a job working for a DirecTV call center there in
Nampa, ID.
To wind up the story, eventually I ended up flying with our 6 year old daughter to Austin,
TX where I stayed by my wife's bedside for 5 weeks as she courageously battled her
cancer, finally succumbing to it. Praise God for the hospice there. And praise God for my
wife's courage and closeness to God in her last days. But, I also praise God for my angel
encounter when I went to that job interview years ago.
That special moment with that special message from the angel stands out like a bookmark
in my mind. For a brief time, God sent his messenger to tell me they were praying for me.
There was no rhyme or reason for that message other than God knew it was needed to
bolster my strength for the coming events that were about to change my life.
I can't tell you how often I've thought of that encounter and wept with joy that God cared
enough to send someone to remind me we are not alone EVER. I believe what was true
for me, is true for everyone. As I think back to the sudden inspirational moments in the
car on the way to my appointment and the way the man didn't quite know what change to
give me and his reassuring message by the side of my car when I returned, it all adds up
to a caring, loving, nurturing God who loves us all dearly.
For a detailed account of the miracles surrounding his life, please visit his extensive
website, Joyful Christian Living.com (http://www.JoyfulChristianLiving.com)
Angelic Watchmen
An endangered child is delivered to safety by mysterious men.
By Karen Barnes Jordan (guideposts.org)
We considered our neighborhood safe. Our nine-year-old son Adam often rode his bike
with friends, but our six-year-old daughter Tara stayed close to our home.
During our years spent attending seminary, we lived in low-income housing in a North
Texas neighborhood, without any trees or much grass in the yards. Everyone had an
almost identical, small house, with similar-colored bricks and roofingtract housing at
its bestand thats all we could afford.
Late one summer afternoon, Adam failed to show up for our evening meal. When he
didnt respond to his dads calls to come home, I asked Tara, Will you go find your
brother? Tell him to come home for dinner.
As she walked toward the door, I added, Stay out of the street. And come straight
home.
Tara skipped out the front door, excited about her assignment and the opportunity to tell
her brother what to do.
A few minutes later, Adam bolted through the doorwithout Tara. So I asked him,
Where is your sister?
His sword was really longfrom his waist to the ground. As Tara described the sword,
she bent over to her side and reached to the ground with one hand and up toward the sky
with the other.
I listened silently as Tara finished telling her story. One of those big men smiled and told
me not to be scared anymore. He told me to throw my stick down and go home. When I
turned around, I saw you, Mommy.
I saw Tara throw down her stick, but I didnt see any men. What on earth had just
happened to my daughter?
When we reached our front door, Dan opened it with a perplexed look on his face.
I said calmly, Tell your daddy what happened.
Tara retold her experience. We didnt say much then but sat down and ate. Afterward,
when Dan and I were alone, I asked, What do you think about Taras story?
I think two angels saved our daughters life.
Ive never talked about angels to Tara, have you? At that time and as far as we knew,
Tara hadnt been exposed to any teaching that would lead her to make up such a tale.
We didnt share Taras experience with many of our family and friends because we feared
their doubts or their abilities to grasp what we understood as Gods protection for our
daughter.
When I have shared the story, Ive received mixed responses. Some rolled their eyes and
hummed the theme to the Twilight Zone. Others asked diagnostic and psychological
questions.
However, a few believers accepted it as a true story of an angelic appearance that resulted
in changing our familys understanding of God and the supernatural.
Later, while I searched the Scriptures for answers to my questions about Taras visitation,
I noted a similar story in Genesis 19, when God sent two men to protect Lot and his
family and lead them to safety.
Could Taras two big men be the same two messengers? I dont know. But since that
daymore than thirty years agowhen Im afraid or anxious, God reminds me of the
two big men that He sent to protect my daughter and send her back home to safety.
Our church choir was small, but we worked hard on our Christmas program.
If we do our best, God will do the rest, I told them at each rehearsal.
But just a week before we were due to perform, several members of the choir came down
with a cold.
I dont think Ill be able to sing at all next week, one after another told me in a raspy
voice. Were down to only a few people, I thought. Has all our hard work been for
nothing?
The morning of the performance, a mountain pass got snowed in and eliminated two
more members.
All we can do is our best, I told the remaining choir members right before the program.
God will do the rest.
I couldnt imagine how that might be possible, though. What did I expect, after all. A
Christmas program miracle?
We gave it everything we had, but nothing could make a handful of members into a full
choir. If only the audience could have heard us at top strength, I thought when it was
over.
One of the congregation approached me.
Mrs. Johnson, he said, that was a tremendous program! Never have I heard such
beautiful Christmas music.
He is just being polite, I thought. But then several other people came up to tell me the
same thing. They were way too enthusiastic for mere politeness. The audience had heard
something remarkable.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing hadnt been a part of the Christmas program that year.
But I believe thats exactly what happened. Angels sang to fill in the gaps in our choir.
Wed done our best and God had done the rest.
As I made my way downstairs, it occurred to me that I hadnt heard the bus go by, the one
my husband Chris took each morning to his office in the city.
Chris would be the first one to run in and call an ambulance, I thought. The bus stop was
right on the corner, one house from ours.
As my thoughts raced, so did my heart. I went to my front door. My now panicked voice
pierced the warm air and brilliant sunlight of a perfect June day.
Is it a man? I yelled to the people surrounding a body lying on the side of the road.
Without waiting for an answer, Does he have a mustache?
Yes, yes, a serious face turned toward me.
I ran out to the street. A man lay in a fetal position. I couldnt see his face, but I
recognized his clothes.
Chris! I screamed and raced toward him. I cradled him in my arms. Blood ran from his
ears and his eyes were closed. I cried. Im here. Hold on, honey. Youre going to be
okay. Hold on. I need you.
I have no idea how long I held him, but I looked up to see an ambulance and EMTs. One
of them gently asked me to move away and I did.
Chriss eyes rolled as if he fought for consciousness.
I left him with the EMTs and raced to my neighbors house. I asked them to watch my
children. When I returned, Chris lay on a gurney and they were lifting him into the
ambulance.
I want to get in. Im his wife
Sorry, maam, but you cant. The situation is too critical.
Although he didnt say so, it seemed obvious to me that they didnt know if Chris would
make it to the hospital alive, and they didnt need to try to calm a hysterical wife inside
the ambulance.
They rushed off to the nearest state trauma hospital. I followed behind inside a separate
emergency vehicle.
Oh, God, no. Please, God, no. How could this be happening? We were a happy family
with three girls, ages two and almost four, and my fourteen-year-old stepdaughter. Chris
had a good job that he liked, and I was thrilled to be able to stay home raising our
children. My life had seemed so good and normal.
Oh, God, Ill do anything. Please let my husband be okay. With my hands shaking, I
cried as I raced toward the hospital. It took nearly a half hour, and I continued to cry out,
Please let him live.
At the emergency room entrance, several attendants rushed to the aid of the EMTs to get
my husband inside the hospital as quickly as possible. I learned later that just as the
ambulance pulled in, Chris lost consciousness.
The next several minutes were filled with a flurry of hospital personnel asking me to fill
in paperwork. I signed legal waivers so that no one would be held responsible for the
outcome of the necessary brain surgery, not even the doctors. They laid out everything
that could go wrong, but no one advised or encouraged me.
Lets just get through this next step, the attending physician said when I begged him to
give me hope. Were going to operate to relieve the pressure on your husbands brain.
And then what?
Well let you know when hes in recovery.
No matter how many times I asked (and in my anxiety it was often), the answers were the
same: No, we dont know what his condition is now. Yes, its true that he might not
survive.
I could respond only with a nod and sit quietly and pray. The word had gotten out and our
family and friends gathered in the private waiting room. We cried, prayed, and offered
words of encouragement to each other.
The morning passed slowly. A doctor or nurse occasionally came into the waiting room.
The most information I received was from one nurse, who said, Hes doing all right. The
surgery is progressing.
Still no promises. I stopped asking, thankful to know that so far Chris was alive.
Your husband is out of surgery, a nurse told us. That was the first piece of good news.
Chris had survived the surgery. That was all she could tell us.
A doctor stopped in to tell me Chris was in critical but stable condition. He had survived
the surgery, but the next few days would tell whether he would live.
A nurse finally led me to the ICU for a five-minute visit. Before I went inside she said,
Youre going to see a lot of bandages. She must have seen the fear in my eyes because
she spoke slowly and with a kindness in her voice. Your husband is in an induced coma
to keep him still in the aftermath of the trauma and surgery. Dont be afraid to talk to him.
He can probably hear you.
I entered the sterile room, and my husband was unrecognizable because of the swelling,
bruised eyes shut tight, and the mummy-like bandages wrapped around his head.
Hi, honey. Its me, Elise.
I touched Chris with trepidation. I didnt want to disturb his battered body.
The monitors beeped. The multiple intravenous lines ran from various bags and bottles
that apparently dripped life back into my husbands body by way of the arteries near his
heart.
I was able to make the five-minute visits several times. When evening came, the doctor
advised all of us to go home. They didnt want us to wear ourselves out. I understood
their words, but I didnt want to go so far away. I felt I needed to be close to the hospital.
I stayed with my sister, who lived about half the distance we did from the hospital. I slept
for a few hours only because deep exhaustion took hold of my mind and body. I called
the nurse in the ICU within seconds of waking. Chris had made it through the night. I
sighed in relief.
Chris was stable, the nurse told me. When I arrived there, he was still in a coma and
looked monstrous. They moved him to a private room and I sat at his bedside throughout
the day. Chris fidgeted, his legs shifting from side to side. The nurse assured me this was
not significant. Its likely involuntary, she said.
I drank Diet Coke and moved food around on a plate in the hospital cafeteria. Back at the
room, I greeted immediate family as Chris mother, several brothers, and my sisters
arrived. Death was still possible, so all of us knew this could be our last visit with Chris.
I love you, I said many, many times. Despite my own uncertainty, I added, Youre
going to be okay.
I told him what happened, so that when he came out of the coma, the knowledge of his
accident would already be planted in his mind.
As the day turned into night, I felt I needed to get home to my girls, yet I was afraid to
leave Chrisafraid that he might die in the night. I couldnt do anything for him, but I
still felt I needed to be with him as much as possible.
But I had to care for our children. I arrived home to hugs and kisses and one freaked-out
teenager. We sat at our dining room table as I ate a little and told the girls that Daddy was
away for a short while. I dont recall what I said, but I was thankful that at least two of
them were too young to really understand. I felt numb, but strangely at peace.
That night, I fell into bed right after my call to the ICU. Fear greeted me as I closed my
Angel of Vietnam
By Joan Wester Anderson, Prospect Heights, Illinois (guideposts.org)
In the late 1960s my husband and I were raising four sons. Television news was filled
with devastating reports of the war in Vietnam. My heart especially reached out to the
children in that faraway country.
My husband was a Korean War veteran, and we had always felt drawn to Asian culture.
Now, with little possibility for another child of our own, I dared to hope that a
Vietnamese child waited for us. The girl I'd always wanted!
I'd seen a story on the news about a humanitarian group that rescued children from
Vietnam. One morning I phoned the group's office. The woman who answered refused to
take my application.
"You couldn't be considered as adoptive parents," she explained. "You have four children.
An orphan saved from this war-torn country would go to a couple without any children."
Of course. Wasn't I being selfish, wanting another baby when I had been so blessed
already? And yet there was a nagging in my heart. I called other agencies, but the
response was the same. I hung up the phone after the last lead. God must be saying no.
Perhaps he had another purpose.
The little girl I envisioned was only a product of my imagination. But just in case, I
prayed, let an angel in Vietnam watch over her.
In 1972 I gave birth to a healthy baby daughter. I was overjoyed. My heart settled. God
had given me the girl who'd been missing from our family. He'd had other plans, after all!
We quickly adapted to life with our new brood of five. Meanwhile, the war in Vietnam
raged on.
By April 1975 the Americans were pulling out of the country. Operation Babylift was
under way: Military planes were scheduled to fly several thousand children to the United
States.
I watched television each night as vast throngs, mostly women and children, flooded the
highways in Saigon in an attempt to flee the conquering North Vietnamese. Buses, tanks
and broken-down trucks carried hundreds of people, all hoping to reach a U.S. helicopter
that would fly them to safety.
Thousands more fled on foot, without possessions, water or food, dodging bullets at the
same time. Desperate mothers passed their babies over barbed wire to strangers at the
American Embassy.
Others attempted to balance themselves on swaying gangplanks to reach the safety of a
boat. Many more toppled into the water below. By month's end the fall of Saigon was
complete. It seemed as if even the angels had left Vietnam.
I couldn't get those desperate pictures out of my mind, and that nagging feeling returned.
If America had airlifted so many children here to the U.S., wouldn't they need homes?
"Dear God," I asked one morning, "was my timing off all those years ago?" Was there a
little girl out there somewhere who needed us now? Many agencies were handling the
influx of needy children and churches volunteered to sponsor families. I started
telephoning again.
"Our first job is to find foster homes for these children while we try to locate their
relatives," a social worker explained. "It's important to reunite as many families as we
can. This may take years." Then she paused. I knew what was coming next.
"Anyway," she said, "your family is far too large to be considered for placement."
Her rejection stung. Was there ever a limit on love? Still, it was time to concentrate on the
treasures I already had. It was time to give up the dream. "Good-bye, little girl," I said in
my heart. "May your angel keep you safe."
Years passed, and the children grew up, left home and became independent. Our third
son, who had learned martial arts at an early age, spent a year teaching in Japan, as well
as visiting China and Korea. I was not surprised when he announced that he was bringing
a special girl home to meet us.
"Anh grew up in Texas," he explained, "but she's Asian."
Anh was lovely, and our family liked her right away. But it wasn't until our second or
third evening together that I had the chance to ask about her life.
"My father comes from Korea," she explained. "When he was on a business trip to
Vietnam he met my mother. They eventually got married there, and my two older brothers
and I were born there."
A funny tingling started at the back of my neck as I quickly calculated the years. "That
must have been during the war," I said.
"Oh, yes," Anh said. "I was only 2 when we escaped. My father was stranded in another
country and couldn't help us. It was during the fall of Saigon."
Shivers ran up my spine. Those television news reports from all those years agoit was
entirely possible that I had seen Anh's mother, one of those struggling to save her
children. "How did you get out?" I asked.
"It was amazing," Anh explained. "My mother told me she saw a man in the shadows,
watching as people tried to cross the narrow gangplank to board a boat. It was impossible
for her to hold onto me and my two young brothers.
"She asked the man if he would take the boys and get them on. He took them by their
hands and walked away. Mother prayed she had done the right thing."
"And then?"
"When we reached the deck of the boat my brothers were already there waiting for us."
"You found them so easily in all the confusion? But how?"
"We never knew," Anh said. "The man who helped us didn't wait around to explain."
But I knew. Tears stung my eyes. The angels had not left Vietnam. They worked their
quiet miracles in the midst of devastation, just as they do in every disaster.
And there was at least one special angelthe angel I had asked for long ago to watch
over a little girl. This girl. Her angel had been with her all her life.
God had known how much better it would be for Anh to be raised with her reunited
family in a welcoming community in Texas. It was there that she grew to be the confident
and charming young woman who would be a wonderful wife to my son John.
My Vietnamese daughter wasn't a dream. God hadn't said no. It had simply taken 28 years
for me to understand how he'd answered my prayer. I didn't mind. Some things are well
worth waiting for.
I strolled slowly up and down, digging my toes into the wet sand. The smell of the salty
air and the roar of the surf soothed me. What a delight it would be to have a little
companion on my beach visits. I just have to be patient, I told myself. Ill have
grandchildren if and when its meant to be.
I sat down on a sand dune. As I stared at the sea I suddenly felt blessed to have the
healthy family I did have. Two sons, 16 and 22, and a daughter, 14, and my oldest son,
Mike, whod been married three years.
I got up to continue my walk, but I only made it 20 yards before I stopped in my tracks.
Someone had written the word grandma in the sand. It felt like a sign. When I got home
Mike called. He usually called once a week to check in. It was always good to hear his
voice.
Hi, Mom! he said cheerfully.
I couldnt resist asking. Do you have any news to share? I said, remembering the
writing in the sand.
No, Mom, he said, laughing. No babies. Youll be the first to know. I promise. Mike
and his wife were good-natured about my prodding.
Oh, well, I thought. I guess the sign was meant for someone else. Some lucky lady, that
was for sure. Youre all I need to be happy, I said. It was true.
Thanks, Mom, he said. Well see you later in the week.
We were all getting together to celebrate my middle son Marks birthday. By the time he
blew out the candles on his cake, I was so caught up in celebrating the family I already
had Id forgotten all about my walk on the beach and the writing in the sand.
Mark opened his presents, and last, a card from Mike and his wife. Am I the first to
know? Mark asked after reading the note inside.
Mike and his wife looked at each other. No, Mike said. Mom was!
Yes, Mark was going to be an uncle, and Mike was going to be a father after all. Hed
found out just after hed called. Thirteen years later I still walk the beach, only now I
have not one but half a dozen grandkids on the journey with me. Some lucky lady for
sure.
I dragged myself out from under the covers. I used to wake up excited about the
possibilities of a brand-new day, but lately Id been depressed. Im just feeling unloved,
Lord, I thought as I went into the bathroom to splash some cold water on my face.
My husband and I had grown apart. Wed stopped being loving like we used to be. I
doubted our marriage would survive.
Drying off my face with a hand towel I opened my eyes. There in the middle of the
bathroom floor was a leaf. How had the wind blown it all the way inside? I wondered.
I bent down and picked it up. Two big curving slopes at the top came together in a point
at the bottom. A perfect heart! All at once, a sensation of love swept over me. My
husband and I werent feeling as close as we used to, but an angel wanted to remind me
that Gods love never waned. He had good things in store for me this brand-new day.
Eventually my husband and I did divorce, although we remain friends. But Ill never
forget my heartshaped message, and know that I am always cherished.
Autumn Light
By Virginia Kester Smiley, Webster, New York
Just for me, a special solo. That's what Miss Van D surprised me with at the end of junior
choir practice one late-autumn day. She had chosen me over the seven other girls I sang
with.
"Your hymn will close a service with Reverend Wilson next Saturday," she said. "You'll
do a beautiful job, Virginia, I'm sure of it."
My best friend, Alice, raised her hand. "Where will the service be?"
"At the People's Rescue Mission," said Miss Van D. "On Water Street."
A couple of girls gasped. Water Street was in a bad part of town. Dangerous people lived
there, I'd heard. On the street, some of them. I'd never been anywhere near there at any
time of year. But how awful it must look now, with the trees bare and winter on the way.
"We can't go there, Miss Van D," a girl named Annie said firmly.
"It's scary," said Jenny from the alto section. I kept silent, but I agreed. I didn't want to
sing a solo in such a place. Not for people like that.
Miss Van D pushed her dark-rimmed glasses up on her nose and frowned down at us.
"You don't want to sing for people less fortunate? Who don't have warm homes or enough
food to eat? Or the comfort of knowing that they're loved as all children of God are?" It
wasn't so much that I didn't want to do it. I didn't see how I could.
Before dismissing us, Miss Van D handed me a packet of crisp, new sheet music. I traced
a finger over the lilies on the cover and the fancy green script that said "Leave It with
Him." Leave what? I wondered.
I ran outside into the autumn air and kicked dry leaves all the way home. Up in my room
I read through my song. It was about leaving our troubles to God like the lilies do.
I thought about lilies blooming in a summer garden. What troubles did anyone have when
the sun was shining and the days were lazy and long? The lilies had it easy. Everything
changed in the fall. School started. Night came early and cold. And now this! I imagined
myself onstage in front of all those scary people. I couldn't sing in such a dreary place.
Not alone.
I was in big trouble, and there was nothing God could do. The night before the service I
lay in bed, listening to the autumn wind whistle outside my window. God, how will I get
through tomorrow's solo?
By the time I climbed into the church van, I was almost relieved. I wanted to get this over
with. Nobody said much. I stared out the window, streaked with rain. The sky grew grey
and dull. The farther we drove, the more run-down the streets became.
We pulled up in front of an old brick building and stepped carefully on the sidewalk
covered in soggy leaves. In the meeting room, rows of folding chairs faced a makeshift
stage with a piano and a wood table. A picture hung over the door, but the light was too
dim to make it out. Nothing came through the dusty windows but gloom.
I took my place with the other girls onstage. A group of men shuffled in. None of them
smiled. One man in an old baseball cap was waving his arms, talking nonsense. To my
horror he sat down in the front row. He glared up at us, talking to himself.
Finally Reverend Wilson came in. He spoke quietly to the man in the cap and ushered
him out. The other men weren't any less intimidating. They eyed us, mumbling and
fidgeting in their seats.
Miss Van D played the first notes of our opening hymn. The room quieted. I sang fine
with the rest of the girls, but what would happen when I was left alone?
Reverend Wilson gave a short sermon. I was next! I swallowed hard when he finished his
blessing. Miss Van D announced my name.
Clutching my music until my fingers hurt, I stepped forward. All eyes shifted to me. My
knees trembled. Miss Van D taught us to look out at the audience when we sang. But
when I did I saw wrinkled, scrunched-up faces. My throat tightened. God, please take
care of me like you take care of the lilies!
I raised my eyes over the audience's heads. My gaze fell on the shadowed frame over the
door. I can't do it. Sunlight flashed through the windows behind me. A single ray, like a
spotlight, fell on the picture. For the first time, I could see what it was. An angel! A
beautiful autumn angel, looking down on all of us in the room.
A breeze lifted her hair, and she stretched her arm out, beckoning, her wings wide open
behind her. Her beauty transformed that dreary room into something grand. Someplace
peaceful and trouble-free. I opened my mouth and sang. "Yes, leave it with him, the lilies
all do, and they grow..." My voice was clear and strong. "For they grow by his might,
sweetly grow..."
The last piano notes faded, and I dared a peek at the audience. The men were smiling.
"They loved your song," Alice whispered behind me. I looked up at my angel, but she
was hidden once more in the shadows. The sun must have moved on. But God let the
autumn light reveal her just at the right moment.
I walked off the stage and out of the room with a spring in my stepsmack into the man
with the baseball cap. I stepped back. He took off his cap. "Missy," he said, "I listened
from the hallway. You have the voice of an angel." He ducked away, but not before I saw
the tear in his eye.
Miss Van D slipped an arm around me. "Glad we came?"
I nodded. God loved these men and he would care for them with all their troubles, just as
he cared for the lilies. And just as he cared for me.
Banking on an Angel
A woman is made to feel like a million bucks by a heavenly teller.
By Phyllis Swenson, Fairfax, Virginia
Banks have never been friendly places in my view. What did an institution built around
money care about someone like me, who was struggling to make ends meet? That
September day I went in to deposit my meager check, I got in line feeling insignificant.
It wasnt just the bank. So many things lately had conspired to make me feel unimportant.
Id struggled for months to find a steady job with no luck. I lived in constant fear of
losing my house to foreclosure.
Even the weather seemed to be trying to tell me how little I mattered. In August wed
experienced a 6.0 earthquake, the likes of which the State of Virginia hadnt seen for over
a century.
One week later Hurricane Irene came to town, followed by a tropical storm that flooded
the streets and knocked out power. The forces outside me were stronger than I was. Much
stronger.
I moved ahead in line, one customer closer to the teller. How could I hope to stand up
against all the forces in the world and in my life?
I knew the answer, of course. No matter what fierce forces there were in the world, God
was stronger still. If I relied on him there was no storm, no bad economy, no hardship I
couldnt weather. But how can God really have time for me? I thought as I reached the
head of the line.
How could a being so powerful he watched over the whole world, also watch over me?
The Bible promised that he did. But I couldnt even get the bank to see me as a person
instead of an account number. How was it possible that God had time to care for me in
more than just a general sense?
Next!
The light above the far window flashed and I stepped up. I laid my deposit slip on the
counter. Sign the back of the check, please, the teller said.
Id never seen this particular man at the bank before. He was an older gentleman, tall and
skinny, a little odd-looking with his round glasses. Like a character out of a Dickens
novel!
I slid my check and deposit slip over the counter. The teller busied himself stamping
forms and entering figures on his computer. Then he turned back to me with a wide grin.
Ms. Swenson, he said. You are our most valuable customer.
Is he trying to be funny? I thought. How can I be your most valuable customer? I said,
somewhat annoyed. Im depositing a small check. Im hardly important, much less
most valuable.
The bank tellers big smile turned sad. He leaned closer over the counter. You are
valuable, Ms. Swenson, he said. There wasnt a trace of humor in his voice. Id never
heard anyone sound more sincere. Youre valuable because of who you are.
He handed me the receipt for my deposit. I folded it up and stepped away from the
window. Thank you, I said. I really appreciate that.
Have a good day, Ms. Swenson, he said. His big smile was back.
I walked away from the window, taken aback by this strange conversation. A great feeling
started to bloom inside me, a feeling of worth. My bank account was still as small as ever,
but suddenly I felt like a millionaire in my soul! Just because of who I was!
I walked out of the bank with my head held high. At the door I paused to talk to the
manager. You have a great teller working here, I said. He really made my day.
Who? the manager asked.
I pointed to the far window, the one where Id just been standing. It was empty. He must
have stepped away, I thought. It was the older gentleman, I said. The one with the
glasses.
The manager frowned. Theres no one like that here.
Sure there is, I said. Heres my receipt. He looked it over.
This is valid, he said. But all the tellers working today are women.
I looked at the empty window. The funny-looking man wasnt there. Was I the only one
whod ever seen him? Thank you, I told the manager.
I stepped out onto the street, still feeling like a millionaire. Insignificant? Not me. God
had sent an angel to make sure I knew it.
Biker Angel
By Michelle Skaletski-Boyd, Columbia Falls, Montana (guideposts.org)
It was my husband's idea to celebrate my 34th birthday with a vacation trip to
Yellowstone and the Teton Mountainson our Honda Goldwing motorcycle. Steve lived
and breathed motorcycles. In nine years of marriage, I'd learned to like them, too, but a
three-day journey from our home in Wisconsin was proving to be a long ride. "We'll
finally get some time alone together," Steve had said. "What more could you want?" For
me, there was one thing more I wanted. A baby.
Tests showed that Steve and I were both capable of having children, but so far nothing
had happened. And it wasn't for lack of trying. Steve was resigned to letting nature take
its course. But I wanted us to be a family. A family with kids. I'd tried talking about
adoption, but Steve always said it wasn't an option for him.
By that third day into our journey, I was exhausted. Camping by the roadside, eating
snacks at convenience stationsI was ready to be there. I switched on the microphone in
my helmet and buzzed Steve on our intercom. "I'm so looking forward to Jellystone," I
said.
"Yellowstone, silly," Steve said.
"Right." At this point I couldn't even think straight.
"We don't have far to go. Hang on and enjoy the view," Steve said, giving me the thumbs-
up. The scenery whizzed by without my paying much attention. If Steve only understood
how much I want a child, I thought. Sometimes it was hard for me to think of anything
else.
I leaned around Steve to see if there was a sign for Yellowstone. Up ahead was a giant
roadside billboard featuring a smiling toddler in a diaper. The message read, "Adoption Is
an Option." Not for my husband, it wasn't. Dear God, please help me accept the things I
cannot change.
We were weary-eyed and numb when we finally pulled into a campsite just inside
Yellowstone National Park. It was crowded, and we'd neglected to make reservations.
"What if there's no room at the inn?" I said.
Steve handed me his wallet. He stayed with the bike, and I went to the ticket window.
"You're in luck," the attendant said. "We have one bike spot left at No. 9. There's a bear
box to protect your food."
I told Steve about the bear box. "What's that all about?"
Steve chuckled. "Bears live here," he said. "We're just visitors."
We unhitched the trailer and popped open our tent. "Evening," said the old biker camped
next to us.
"Evening," I said. Right away I noticed that his motorcycle was just like ours, only older.
Steve helped me open the tent, then reached for a soda from the cooler. "I'm going to talk
to our fellow camper," he said. "I'll leave you to set up, if that's all right."
"Sure," I said, waving him off. Now that we were here, I was determined to have a good
time. My worries would be waiting for me when we got home.
"Nice bike," I heard Steve say.
"Name's Ed," said our neighbor.
I finished unpacking and joined the men. Ed was as passionate as Steve about
motorcycles. He was from Saskatchewan, Canada, and had been biking for years.
"Travelin' solo lately. The wife likes to stay home with the grandkids," he said. "A fella's
gotta get on his scooter and see what it can do, aye?" Ed stood up and danced a little jig.
"How long you two been married?" he asked.
"Nine years," I said.
"Kids?" Ed asked.
Steve was silent. "It doesn't seem to be in God's plan for us," I said.
"Yes, indeed," Ed said. "Eleanor and me were married near 10 years and feeling like
something was missing. You know the feeling, aye?"
"All too well," I said.
"I wanted nothing to do with children unless they came from me. Stubborn, aye?"
I couldn't help reaching for Steve's hand. Ed kept on: "Finally I gave in. We adopted a
little girl. Best decision we ever made."
Steve stood up, turned around and kicked at the dirt.
"Not adopting would have meant no grandchildren," Ed said. "Life without a child is one
thing. Being alone in later years is another."
Steve turned back.
"It's something to consider," he said. "See you in the morning, aye?"
Steve ushered me into our tent. "That was weird," he whispered. "A stranger on the road.
Riding a bike like ours. Talking about adoption...and making a lot of sense. Maybe I've
been stubborn, just like Ed was."
I couldn't believe my ears. Was Steve changing his mind?
In the morning we saw Ed before he left. He looked at Steve. "Did you give any thought
to what I said?"
"It's definitely something to consider," Steve said. "Definitely." Then Steve and Ed shook
on it.
"Don't wait too long, aye?" Ed said. Then he winked at me. "Have fun in Jellystone," he
said. He waved goodbye and rode off on his bike.
"Did he say Jellystone?" I said. "Was he for real?"
"Maybe," Steve said. "A real angel."
I thought of the smiling baby on the billboard. Thank you, God. Adoption was now an
option.
Chaperone to Heaven
By Renee Coy, Strafford, Missouri (guideposts.org)
I was clearing up the breakfast dishes when the phone rang. Somethings happened to
your mom, my dad said. He was trying to keep calm, but I could hear panic in his voice.
The ambulance should be here any minute.
A rush of cold swept through my body, as if I could feel the blood draining to my feet.
Ambulance?
I found her collapsed on the floor. Hurry over! Im alone here.
I stumbled upstairs, jerked on my shoes and ran out to the car. Luckily my family all lived
close together. My parents were only a few minutes away. I pulled out of my driveway
and sped down the two-lane highway.
Mom hasnt been well since the accident, I thought as I drove. Shed been hit by
lightning and hadnt truly recovered. God, be with her!
The front door to the house was thrown open when I arrived. I found my dad performing
CPR in the hallway. Mom was stretched out on the floor in front of him. He looked up at
me as I entered, his eyes full of anguish, his face white to the lips, sweaty with fear. I
knew Id carry the picture of it in my mind forever.
Hang on, Mom, I said, dropping to my knees to help Dad with the compressions. One,
two, three I counted them as Id been taught in a life-saving course Id taken at school.
But would CPR be enough to help Mom? I touched my fingers to her wrist. No pulse.
Dear God, help us! I said. Help her, God!
I leaned out the front door to search for the ambulance. The two-lane highway stretched
out in both directions. Empty. About a hundred yards west, a gravel road turned off it
toward a creek and picnic area. All quiet. Not a soul to be seen. How long since Dad
called for help? I thought. When will they get here? God, we need you! I said. I started
to turn from the doorway. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flurry of movement across
the road. Suddenly there was a man there. Alone. Where did he come from? Not a second
before the road had been empty.
The man took slow steps one way, then turned on his heels and walked in the other
direction. He held his hands clasped behind his back, his head hung low as if in serious
contemplation, and he paced. Back and forth, slowly and with determination. Why was
this stranger pacing in front of our house? I knew everyone in our small community. Id
never seen this man in my life.
Its no use! Dad said. The man was still visible through the open door. He looked
agitated, as if waiting for something. I hear the ambulance! I said.
The white vehicle pulled up with its whirling lights and screeching tires, and a team of
EMTs jumped out.
I stepped out into the yard and looked up and down the highway, and down the gravel
road. There was no sign of him. One second he was there, and in the next second he was
gone. As if he had vanished right before my eyes. Everything about this stranger was
adding up to something incredible. This was no man.
That night in bed I went over every detail of what Id seen, from the flutter that had
announced the strangers presence to the kindness in his eyes. I knew he was not a man.
Nor was he a healing angel sent to save Moms life, or a warrior angel like Id read about
in the Bible. This was a different kind of angel. An angel who waited to escort Mom to
her new home in heaven.
The tree was central to our holiday. I didnt want the boys to feel ashamed every time
they looked at it.
More bumps and bangs came from the living room. Then Dan and John passed through
the kitchen, carrying the tree between them.
Were going to nail the bottom part back on again, Dan mumbled, not meeting my eye.
Laddie barked in encouragement.
Oh, my, I thought, how can we make a short tree taller? We had a terrible problem on our
hands.
Just this past Sunday our minister had preached a sermon on problem solving. The best
solution is always the creative one, he had said.
But I couldnt lower the ceiling, I couldnt raise the floor. There was no way to undo the
damage done. Thats why you have to be creative, I thought.
If I couldnt fix the problem, maybe I could get creative with it. A thought came to mind,
as if an angel had whispered in my ear: Turn the problem into the solution.
Dan and John trudged back up from the basement with the tree, still as short as ever. It
didnt work, John muttered, kicking at the door.
I followed them back into the living room. We cant make the tree taller, I said. But if
we put it on the coffee table, itll appear that way.
Dan turned his head sideways, measuring the distance with his eyes. We could put the
lights and ornaments on before we lifted it up.
We wouldnt need a stepladder to put the angel on the top, said John. Hey, it just
might work!
Laddie wagged his tail. Pussy B. stepped over the tools to inspect the table. Lets try it,
said Dan.
I left the boys to figure out the details while I started dinner for the rest of the family.
When Bob got home I met him at the door.
The boys brought the tree in this afternoon. Wait till you see! I said, loud enough for
the boys to hear. Youre in for a surprise, I added in a whisper. Prepare yourself.
I led Bob into the living room, and caught him when he staggered slightly at the sight of
our big, glorious fir now squatting, plump and compact, on top of the coffee table. Dan
and John held their breath.
Then Bobs voice boomed out, hearty and rich. What a good idea! he declared, as if the
boys had exceeded all his expectations. Why didnt I ever think of such a thing?
John broke into a grin. Dans chest swelled with pride. David squealed. Laddie ran
around the coffee-table tree. Pussy B. batted at a low-hanging branch.
Even the best Christmas traditions sometimes went wrong. But ruin Christmas? No way.
Not as long as there were angels to inspire creative solutions!
I cant wait to hear all about it, Tante Helga said. We hugged her good-bye and set off
on our excursion. The chairlift swayed gently, carrying us over the treetops, higher and
higher, above the timberline.
Look, I said to Sandy beside me. Below us blue gentians and alpine laurel bloomed
among the rocks. Above us, almost close enough to touch, was a powder blue sky and in
the distance snow-capped peaks stood guard.
Cool, said Sandy. I agreed.
Near the summit we feasted on a lunch of black bread, cheese and cold cuts, then drank
our fill from a clear, pure mountain spring. The boys chased after each other, while the
girls picked bouquets of wildflowers. Far below us birds circled lazily over the valley.
In a meadow we spied some brown cows, their eyes large and gentle, their colorful bells
serenading us as they grazed. No one seemed to be watching them but I knew that milk
cows were often let loose on the high alpine pastures where they could eat their fill of
meadow grasses.
High on a hill was a lonely goatherd, I sang out.
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo, the kids answered.
I looked to Wolfgang to join in, but he was staring at the sky. A storms moving in, he
said. We need to find the trail and head down.
I glanced upward. Black clouds blotted out the sun. In the distance we heard the rumble
of thunder. Lets hurry, I said.
We quickly reached the trailhead, Wolfgang in the lead, his long legs stretching farther
with every step. Fat raindrops splattered on my arms.
We reached the forest, hoping for safety, but under the canopy it was nearly as dark as
night, broken only by jagged flashes of lightning above our heads. We could barely find
our way.
Wind lashed the treetops, branches bent and swayed madly. The rain fell in sheets, pelting
us as we zigzagged down the switchback. My feet stumbled against rocks, yet there was
no choice but to press on. Every minute we were outside increased the danger of a
lightning strike.
Im scared, Sandy cried. My feet cant go this fast.
Ill carry you, Wolfgang shouted above the din. He lifted her, holding her tight against
his waist. But we need to go faster. The storms getting worse. Our best chance is to go
having fun.
His voice was gentle and soothing, almost like music. The stress of the storm had melted
away. I felt completely at ease, as if we were spending the afternoon with a dear friend.
We barely noticed that the rain had ended and the thunder had wandered off, grumbling to
itself.
I looked out the window. The late afternoon sun shone brightly through the curtains.
Tante Helga! Shed be worried about us if we were late.
Your clothes are dry, our host said, as if hed read my mind. Youll be fine going
home. Just follow the path to the bridge, then turn left and it will take you to a road that
goes right past your aunts house.
Perfect. We said our good-byes and set off down the trail. It wasnt until we reached the
bridge that I wondered: How had he known where we were staying? Tante Helga knows
everyone around here, I reminded myself. She must have told him about us.
I turned around for one last wave but saw no one. No house. Not even the clearing. The
trees are probably blocking my view, I thought, but funny, I hadn't even noticed that we
were back in the forest.
We found the road and soon were back at Tante Helgas, just like the woodcutter had said.
Youre totally dry, she said. How did you miss the storm?
We told her about the house in the woods. Her face grew more puzzled with every word.
I know the cottage youre talking about, she said, but it burned down fifty years ago.
But the old woodcutter, Sandy said. Was he a ghost?
Tante Helga shook her head. Nein, she said. Not a ghost. An angel. Sent to watch over
you.
I thought of the prayer Id said, lost in the crashing of the thunder. God had heard every
word. Hed given us shelter even in the midst of the storm.
Delicious! hed say, pressing the last crumbs of my latest confection into his mouth.
My wife is the worlds best baker!
Oh, you. You always say that, Id say as I scrubbed my mixing bowls. Mike was my
biggest fan.
After Mike died, it was hard to muster up the energy to continue baking, much less
compete. With the county fair looming, I sat at the table and looked around my quiet
kitchen. Mike would be so disappointed if I didnt at least enter this years competition, I
thought.
I had all the ingredients for the cocoa cake right in my cupboard. I dug out my measuring
cups. Soon I had a bowl of brown batter. But when tried to preheat the oven, the digital
display stayed blank. The oven wouldnt heat. I called my son, who came right over to
have a look.
Looks like the thermostat is totally shot, he said. Its an old oven, Mom. Youll have to
buy a whole new appliance.
I couldnt believe my rotten luck. If Mike were here, hed find a way to help, I thought.
Out of frustration, I grabbed the oven knob and gave it a hard twist. The digital display
flashed. The oven was working!
I poured the batter into a pan and popped it in. The rich scent of warm cocoa filled the
kitchen.
I did have to buy a new oven, like my son had told me. But my old oven won me a third
blue ribbonwith a little help from heaven.
Sadly, Dad passed away in 2009. Not long after, I was leaving work when I saw
something shiny lying in the grass. I bent down to get a closer look. A paper clip! Oh, I
miss you, Dad, I thought, remembering his quirky obsession.
Soon paper clips were showing up everywhere: on the empty passenger seat of my car, in
my wallet, in the middle of a freshly vacuumed carpet. You never know when you might
need one, I thought the day I picked up a clip that had somehow gotten into my jewelry
box.
Thats when I got the idea to string them together. I call it my Hellos from Harry chain
and now it measures over five feet long. I miss Dad every day but whenever I add another
paper clip to that chain, Im reminded that hes never very far away.
Getting Timmy ready for bed that nightlike every nighthad taken almost an hour. I
gave him his medications, checked his IV tube, drained his catheter, tested his reflexes,
massaged him with lotion. Even the slightest mistake could be serious.
Before I climbed into bed, I opened my door so that I could hear Timmy down the hall. I
had to be ready for any emergency.
I switched on my reading light and picked up a book. Suddenly, a loud sob shattered the
silence.
Timmy! I jumped to my feet and dashed down the hall to his room. He was lying right
where I'd left him, crying.
"What's the matter, baby?" I asked, taking him gently in my arms. "Do you feel okay?"
He nodded, but kept on sobbing, his little body shaking. Was it something serious? I felt
his forehead. Normal. Timmy choked back his tears.
"Why are you crying?"
"I don't think I can go to heaven," he said at last.
"Why not?"
"Because my wheelchair won't fit into that box they send you in," he said. "How can I get
to heaven without my wheelchair?"
I was relieved. I could handle this. I thought fast.
"You don't have to worry," I told him. "You won't need your wheelchair. You'll be able to
walk and run, just like other boys."
"My legs will work?" he asked.
"That's right," I said, "and you'll have wings. You'll fly."
His eyes widened. "Really?"
"Really. The angels will bring you wings, when the time comes. And that's how you'll get
to heaven. You can leave that old wheelchair behind!"
He buried his head in my arm, and I rubbed his back until I felt him relax. I gave him a
few extra kisses and laid him down on the pillow. Then I tiptoed out of his room and back
into my own bed.
I shut out the lights, but lay there a long time. I'd just done a good bit of mothering. I
knew that. But it was easy to explain death to a five-year-old. How could I understand it
myself?
My story about angels' wings might have been enough to comfort Timmybut did he
really know what death meant? Did he realize I wouldn't be there to care for him?
The thought of leaving Timmy alone, even in heaven, terrified me. Lord, I just want to
take care of my son. How can I do that if you take him from me?
I rolled over and squeezed my eyes shut. Then I sat up.
Timmy was crying again. I hurried down to his room.
"What's wrong, honey?" I whispered, sitting on the edge of his bed. He reached up and
clung to me, but he didn't speak. "Tell me," I said. "What is it?"
He buried his head in my shoulder, then looked up and said, "Mama, I don't know how to
fly."
I leaned back and stared at his face. To Timmy, those angels' wings weren't just a story.
They were real. He wasn't worried about whether or not he would get them, but only how
to use them when he did. That's how strong his faith is.
Timmy knew that God would take care of him. And when the time came, if the time came
for me to let go, God would give me my own set of wings. I wrapped Timmy in my arms.
We would be separatedbut not forever. And someday we both would fly together.
highway. She also helped me take down the plywood panels the previous renters had used
to block most of the windows.
"Why was the house all boarded up?" I asked.
"There goes my phone," Marie said, hurrying off. But her phone hadn't rung. Later I
wondered if the tenants had boarded up the house because they were afraid of Carl.
I was in my kitchen about seven months after moving in when I heard Carl shouting
angrily. Then silence, followed by more shouts. A few minutes later Marie came running
across the driveway, her long, graying hair loosened from its combs.
"We had a little argument," she said. She looked as though she'd been crying. I asked if
Carl had hit her. "Of course not," she said. I wasn't so sure.
Paul Bailey and Matthew Nelson were Marie's childhood friends and both were worried
about her husband's behavior tooand her safety. Paul, who lived just up the road, was a
bantam-size, take-charge guy who wore a diamond earring in his left ear. Matthew, who
lived with his wife in Lubbock, was a gentle, heavyset, long-haul truck driver. I liked
both men, even if Saint didn't.
Saint's grudge was with Matthew. Unaccountably, the big guy was afraid of dogs, and
dogs can sense attitudes. Anytime Matthew came near our property, the hair on Saint's
neck rose and he went into a barking frenzy. It was his "Matthew bark"not the joyful
greeting he gave most people, but a low half-bark, half-growl.
On May 10, 1994, around 8:00 p.m.maybe three weeks after the shouting episodeI
was driving home from my job as a medical technician in Lubbock when I was startled to
see Marie running down the highway through the semidark toward me. I pulled over and
Marie scrambled in. Her blouse was torn, her hair disheveled, and there was blood on her
face and hands.
"Carl's gone crazy!" she sobbed. "He beat me up and smashed the Cadillac!"
The story tumbled out: Carl was drinking and taking drugs again. When Marie
reproached him, he began to push her around. Marie ran outside and got into her Cadillac.
Carl came after her. He jerked open the car door, grabbed her by the hair, threw her on the
ground, jumped into the car and drove it through the side of the garage.
While he struggled to get the dented car door open, Marie ran out to the road. Crouching
in the drainage ditch, she'd seen Carl's Bronco roar out of the driveway and turn west.
I wanted to go straight to the police but Marie didn't want "to get the whole world
involved." Instead, she asked me to drive her home; before Carl got back she'd pack a bag
and find a safe place to stay.
Reluctantly, keeping a wary eye out for Carl, I turned into our drive. I could see the rear
bumper of the silver Cadillac protruding from the splintered wall of the garage. Marie ran
into her house. When she came out carrying an overnight bag, she told me she'd reached
Matthew's wife, who had invited her to stay with them. The minute Matthew got home,
his wife said, she'd send him over.
Marie had also phoned our neighbor Paul and asked him to come over while we waited.
Paul arrived and wanted to know, "Where's Carl's gun?"
Marie ran back into her house and came out, her face ashen. The gun was gone.
"Let's go to your place, Amanda," Paul decided. "We'll wait inside for Matthew."
Saint barked his friendly greeting as I unlocked the door and entered the dark house. To
ease our minds, I went into each of the three rooms, Marie following close behind, and
switched on all the lights.
It was from the bedroom window that I saw them...
"Look!" I whispered to Marie.
Standing shoulder to shoulder around the house, just outside the fence, were scores of
magnificent glowing figures. Twenty feet tall or more, they were luminescent against the
darkening sky, as if their bodies were made of light. They stood with their backs to us,
facing outward; each one carried a shield and a long spear at his side. Strangely, I felt no
surprise at seeing them. It seemed right and natural that they should be there.
"Look at what?" Marie asked.
"Those men...angels...whatever they are. Marie, there must be a hundred of them!"
Marie stepped to the window and peered out. "Are you feeling all right, Honey?" she
asked. "There's nobody out there." She took me by the arm and drew me out to the
kitchen. "Amanda thinks she sees angels in the yard," she told Paul.
Paul looked out the kitchen window, then at me. "Yeah," he said. "There are only two
chairs in here," he went on, clearly happy to change the subject. He went and got the
rocker from the living room.
It was completely dark outside now. Nine o'clock came, and no Matthew. Then, around
9:15 p.m., Saint gave his Matthew bark.
"He's here," I said, jumping up to grab Saint by the collar. "Hush, Saint!" But the dog
kept up his low, ominous growl.
I started for the door but Paul stopped me. "Don't open it till you know who's there!" he
warned. I went to the window. I could see the shining beings keeping guard around my
fence, but no one else. Finally I let Saint go.
"What was that all about?" Paul asked.
"I don't know. There's no one out there , but..."
"Your angels?" said Paul.
Another 45 minutes passed. Ten o'clock. I made a second pot of coffee. "Why don't I take
you to Matt's place, Marie?" Paul asked, but Marie was sure Matthew was on his way.
Then, a second time, the hair on Saint's neck bristled and he began his Matthew bark. We
waited for our big friend's voice or knock, but once again we heard nothing. At a quarter
to 11, Saint repeated his performance. "You say Saint only barks like that for Matthew
well, where is the guy?" Paul wanted to know. "I'll bet it's Carl out there."
"Saint never barks at Carl," I said.
At 11:30 Marie gave in and agreed to go to Paul's house, where there was a sofa bed in
the living room. They asked me to come too, but I wanted to stay in case Matthew finally
showed up. Paul looked out the window. "Are they still here?"
"Yes," I said, "and I've never felt safer."
Paul and Marie left. I washed the coffee cups, put the rocker back in the living room and
got into bed. As I closed my eyes, I thanked God for sending his angels to protect us.
Then I turned out the light and immediately fell asleep.
Next morning I ran from window to window to see if the luminous beings were still there.
I counted only four of them now, one at each corner of the fence. Guess we don't need a
whole army now, I thought.
Paul phoned; I told him that Carl hadn't returned. A few minutes later Paul drove Marie
over. "How are your angels this morning?" he asked with a smile. I told him four were
still here, keeping watch. "Sure," he said.
Around 10 o'clock Saint began growlingthat unmistakable Matthew bark. And this
time, through the kitchen window, I saw our friend on the front steps. I put the dog in the
bedroom and all three of us went to the door to greet him.
"Where were you last night?" Paul demanded.
"Where was I?" Matthew asked. "Where were you? That's the question."
"Right here," said Paul.
Matthew laughed. "No, you weren't. I came by three times and there was no one
here...except that dog, raising a ruckus."
Paul sat down hard on the sofa. His jaw dropped as Matthew described how he'd come by
at roughly 45-minute intervals the night before. "Your cars were here. That's what was so
strange," he said. "Saint would have eaten me up if I'd tried coming inside, but I walked
around and looked in all the windows. The rocking chair was in the kitchen," he added
with a puzzled frown. "The place was empty, I tell you. If you were here," he said, "you
were invisible."
I stared at him. "Then you had to be invisible too, Matthew," I said. "We didn't see you or
hear you."
"But if Carl was out there somewhere" Marie began.
"And if we'd opened the door to let Matthew in..." said Paul.
The four of us sat blinking in the bright May morning. What mysterious protection had
hovered over this house? It was Paul who told Matthew about the angels circling the
fence.
There was much we didn't understandhave never understood, and maybe are not meant
to understand. We'll never know what danger waited out there in the dark. Carl says his
mind was so fogged by drugs and alcohol that he has no memory of that night.
But whatever the evil, it could not find us; scores of shining beings had made us invisible.
*Names have been changed.
Lifeguardian Angel
By Danita Cahill, Lebanon, Oregon (guideposts.org)
A day of swimming! My friend Melinda and I giggled as we splashed in the swimming
hole of the Siletz River in Siletz, Oregon. Her mother and uncle waved from the bank.
We werent the only ones whod decided to make the best of a sunny summer afternoon
the swimming hole was crowded with adults horsing around in the water or dangling
their feet over the edge of the rocky Siletz riverbank. One couple in particular caught my
attention. They were sitting on the rockiest slope, and the man was wearing swim trunks.
Id never seen a man so muscular! To a 9-year-old girl like me, he looked like the circus
strong man.
Come on! Melinda called as we splashed. Lets swim out a ways.
Okay, I said, follow me! I dog-paddled furiously into deeper water. I thought I was a
decent swimmer, even if my dog-paddling and poor imitation of the breaststroke made up
my entire swimming repertoire.
Melinda and I paddled about happily until I felt a suction pulling at my feet. It was as if
something was trying to drag me under. My mind raced for explanations: Eels? Giant
leeches? The Loch Ness monster!
Whatever it was I wanted to get away from itfast. But when I tried to tighten up my
dog paddle the invisible creature pulled at my feet even harder, like a great underwater
vacuum. I didnt know anything about undercurrents, or how quickly one could pull a
swimmer beneath the water and downriver. I just knew I was in trouble. Help! I yelled.
Water poured over my chin and into my mouth. I gagged and spit. Melinda tried to help
me. In my panic I grabbed at the first thing I couldMelindas hair. I dunked her under.
Help! she screamed. Youre drowning me!
Melindas sister and her uncle ran from shore and swam out to me. Now I was truly
desperate. I clawed and scratched at their faces and arms, trying to attach myself to
something solid. The undercurrent pulled at them. They were no match for its vice grip.
They couldnt save me! I was so scared I barely knew what was happening.
All I knew was I couldnt fight any longer. My arms stopped flailing. I relaxed my head. I
sank below the surface and began a slow descent to the bottom. I watched the last of my
air bubbles float to the surface, where the sun was turning the water a beautiful green hue.
Im going to die, I thought.
Just then an arm wrapped tight about my waist. My body was yanked up through the
water. In seconds I was breathing in air and looking into the face of my rescuer. It was the
circus strong man! From the riverbank! He flung all 80 pounds of me over his shoulder
like a sack of feathers.
When we got to shore everyone was waiting: clapping or holding their breath or sighing
in relief. I opened my mouth to thank my rescuer, but when I tried to make a sound I
could only wince and clutch at my raw throat. The strong man laid me down on the dry
riverbank and Melindas family covered me with a blanket.
Are you all right, Danita? someone asked. Thank God that man was here today,
someone else said. I lay on my side, coughing up water. Between coughs, my eyes
searched the crowd for the strong man. But he was nowhere to be seen.
As soon as I was able to stand, we all got in the car to go home. On the ride back my
mind was full of questions: Who was the strong man? How was he able to save me when
no one else could? And why hadnt the man stayed around for me to thank him?
Throughout my childhood I thought often about that day on the river, and when I grew up
and got married I told my husband about the experience. Have you ever considered that
the strong man could have been your guardian angel? he asked.
But I saw him on the beach, I said. Everyone did.
He was on that beach for a reason, my husband said. Dont you think God put him
there?
A man acting as a guardian angel? Id never thought about it that way before. Many
people tried to save me and failed. Luckily there was a man on the river that day, with the
strength of an angel.
While Becky talked on the phone, I dwelled on my worries. God, where is Ashley? Is she
safe?
I dont know how long Becky spoke to the woman on the phone. Tears streamed down
her face.
Did the woman know Ashley? I asked when she hung up.
Becky shook her head and told me the story. Driving past the cemetery, the woman
noticed fresh flowers on a new grave. A group of people filed up to it. At least she
thought they were people. As she got closer she saw
Becky paused. What? I said.
Angels. A community of angels surrounded the grave.
The woman had to stop the car to pray. Even though she had no idea whose grave it was.
Afterward she stopped in Roys Market. The folks there were talking about Ashleys
accident.
The woman asked where she was buried. To describe the exact spot in the cemetery. It
was the grave the angels had visited.
For the first time since her death I cried tears of relief. Ashley was in heaven with God
and his angels. If she couldnt be in my arms, at least she could be in his. I could hold
tight to my grandson, grateful that I still had a piece of Ashley with me on earth.
The tombstone was finished weeks later. The balance had been paid anonymously. But
Becky and I knew who was responsible. She dug out the number and called to thank her,
but the number no longer worked.
I didnt need a phone number to thank God for her. One of Ashleys angels, sent to bring
me comfort.
My Angel
By: lovingmy_god@yahoo.com (ainglkiss.com)
Eight months ago as I was leaving work and walking to my car. The parking lot is
located across the street. There are two ways to get there, either crossing the street or
going underneath through a tunnel which leads you to the parking lot. I always took the
tunnel as it was safest. This one day I started to walk towards the tunnel as usual when
something told me to just cross the street. I thought it was weird that "I" would be telling
myself this but did it anyways. I was crossing at the light and there were no cars in site. I
could see headlights but they were really far off. The light was not for me but I crossed
anyways. I ran across, "just in case". As I made it halfway across I stopped and looked
for cars. Still they were way off so I began to run again when all of a sudden I felt like I
ran into a moving train.
I was struck by a car. It felt as though I literally ran into a wall as hard as I could. My
first thought was, "I don't believe this, I'm actually being hit by a car". My next thought
was of my 18 year old son. I have always been a single mom so my son and I are
extremly close. I thought "oh god, I can't leave him". This was all within about 3-4
seconds. The next thing I knew I was falling to the ground. It was as if it were in slow
motion. I remember it felt that way and thinking oh god, please no. As soon as I finished
that thought, I felt someone put their arm's around my waist as if soften my fall and
literally felt someone lift my chin up. My face did not touch the ground at all. I fell to
my knees. Before I hit the ground in slow motion I watched my tennis shoe come off of
my foot and fly in the air into the bushes. I though I was going to die. As I fell to my
knees, I paused for a moment and thought "I'm still alive". I looked for cars and there
were none coming so I quickly got up grabbed my stuff that fell out of my purse and
limped to the sidewalk. A woman going down some stairs heard impact of the car hit me
and ran back up the stairs to see if I was okay. She brought me my tennis shoe and she
kept asking me if I was okay. I told her I was okay. I looked at my hands and they were
bleeding, a toenail was ripped off my toe,my knee was about the size of a grapefruit as
well as my ankle. The woman who hit me FINALLY pulled over. I always believed she
was going to take off but decided to pull over when she saw in her mirror the woman
talking to me, maybe thinking she was a witness and got her plates. She still was going
to leave but I told her I needed her name and number. Thank god she was honest. I
ended up driving myself home as I had stayed at work later than usual and didn't want my
son to worry, so I drove myself home. I tried to call him on the way home on my cell,
and as luck would have it, my battery died! As I drove home I thought aboout what had
happened and it hit me. It had to be an angel that put his arms around my waist and lifted
my chin up! There is no other explanation. This is the real miracle. I sobbed all the way
home. You see, had I been ONE single step ahead of myself this car would have hit me
from my side, I would have went flying in the air only to land where I did. Praise god
there were NO cars coming!! Had there been any cars, when I fell to my knees they
would have ran me over and killed me. I went to the E.R. and had no fractures
whatsoever! Alot of really bad sprains but no broken bones. This street I was hit on is an
extremly busy street. How could there have been no cars? Every day at that time it is
always very, very busy. When I returned to work I was told by several people that many
people have been struck at that same exact intersection and died. I was told I have been
the only one to live and tell about it! I have no doubts in my mind that I was touched by
an angel that evening. I think about it and it brings a smile to my face. Who would have
ever thought being hit by a car would bring a smile to your face? It's not being hit that
does it, it was all the things that happened and didn't happen that brings a smile to my
face. No one can ever tell me someone wasn't watching out for me that day!
My Angel Story
By: Anonymous (ainglkiss.com)
I was born into an awesome family. I loved them very much and were all close...but
mostly I was close 2 my grandfather. My grandpa was in his mid-70's when he came
down with lung cancer. I was only 7 at the time but I definitely knew what he was going
through. One night, he stayed the night at my house in his hospital bed. I have no idea
why exactly he picked to stay at my house because we have such a big family but he
chose us. I was getting ready to go to bed, and I was giving my mom, dad, and grandma
kisses good nite. Whenever I went up to my grandpa and gave him a kiss good nite he
gave me the biggest hug and kiss and said goodbye. I said, "Goodbye?" Then I thought
he was joking because he always plays around like that. So I scrunched up my nose and
giggled and said I love you grandpa, and went to bed. While I was sleeping, I was
awakened. I don't know what woke me up exactly, but it just happened. There was a
beautiful being in my room she was the MOST gorgeous thing I have ever seen in my
entire life and still the most gorgeous unto this day. She had this amazing calmness and
beauty to her. If you're wondering if I got scared I didn't. I didn't feel any fear what so
ever. I felt calm and under protection and I felt love. Real love. I looked at her and in her
eyes I could see what was going on downstairs. I could see my grandma next to my
grandpa's hospital bed crying and I was confused. Then, I saw my mom sit beside her and
start crying...while my grandpa was just lying there lifeless...Then the Angel spoke to me.
She said,"Taryn, no matter what happens don't cry...Jesus will always be with you...and
He loves you more than anything." Then she left. And all I remember is closing my eyes
softly and drifting asleep thinking about tomorrow. When I woke up the next morning, I
saw my mom and my grandma next to my grandpa's hospital bed and they were crying.
Then that's when I found out he had died that night. I will never forget that night and that
beautiful angel that spoke those amazing and sweet words to me and from then on I could
not only hear but feel God saying, "I love you my child, I love you."
My Angel Story
By: Rocko1245@aol.com
My daughter, Kathleen, was 15... too young to seriously date, but she had a boyfriend.
One evening, when I was leaving to pick up my son, Paul, from baseball practice, she
asked if she could just go with her boyfriend to pick up his little brother at a friend's
house. She said they would come right back. I said, "Alright, just make sure you wear
your seat belt, and come right home."
It was my father's birthday and my youngest daughter, Therese, was already at my
father's house, waiting for us to come over with the cake I had yet to pick up at the store.
I left to pick Paul up at school, but decided to take the highway, rather than the shortcut
along the back roads.
After leaving the school, Paul and I ran in the store for the cake and some last minute
goodies. As we were getting into the car, we heard and saw paramedics, fire trucks, three
ambulances, and of course, a multitude of police cars.
I got a sick feeling in my stomach and said to Paul, "Somebody needs our prayers,
quick." I wondered if there was a fire, or a bad car accident. At one of the intersections, I
had to stop to let more emergency vehicles through, and prayed, and asked my guardian
angel, whom I call Martha, "Those people need you right now, go to them.."
We stopped at my parents to drop off the food before going home to pick up
Kathleen, but my father met me at the car and told us to postpone the party because
Therese had fallen asleep.
"Which way did you go to the school?" he asked, "because, there was a bad accident
on the back road, I heard someone was killed. It happened just about the time you had to
pick up Paul at the school and I know you always go that way. I was so happy to see you
pull in, I had a gut feeling it was you."
As Paul and I drove the short distance home, I could see our house was dark and
when Kathleen is home alone, she always burned every light. As I turned off the ignition,
tears fell, "It was Kathleen," I told Paul, "I know it."
I ran into the house and checked our answering machine, no one had called. I
breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that someone would have called by now. "Paranoid",
that's what Kathleen always called me, and that's what I was telling myself, "You're just
paranoid!"
Then, the phone rang. It was her friend's mother, who worked in the emergency room
of our local hospital. She only told me that the three of them were in an accident and were
being transported to the hospital.
I didn't call my husband at work, nor my parents. Paul and I just left for the hospital.
As I pulled into the parking lot, one of the paramedics, someone we have known for
years, met us at our car. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he said with tears streaming down his
face. The next thing I remember after that, was talking to the doctor in the hallway of the
ER. He asked me if I believed in God, and with that my knees gave way. "No," he said,
"you don't understand... do you believe in divine intervention?"
I stammered, a weak, "Yes," not having a clue what he was talking about. He smiled
at me and asked, "Do you know what shirt your daughter is wearing tonight?" Nodding
no, he told me to go down the hall and look. "Your daughter is blessed with angels, and
so are you. From what the emergency personnel told me, there is no way that your
daughter should be alive, let alone only have a few scratches."
Kathleen was laying on a cart, waiting for more x-rays. When I got to her, we both
sobbed. As I was hugging her, I had the urge to check her shirt and unzipped her jacket. I
read the words, "Jesus Saves". I knew then, what the doctor had meant.
All three were treated and released.
On the way home that night, Kathleen told this story: "It was really weird, about a
quarter of a mile before the accident, I said, 'Wait, we forgot to put our seat belts on, my
Mother will kill me.' Then, a car was coming towards us in our lane, he swerved, and I
knew we got hit on the passenger side of the car, where I was sitting. We got hit a total of
three times, because the car kept spinning in a circle. I felt his little brother's hand on my
shoulder, holding me tightly in place.
"But, Mom, after it was all over, I could still feel these hands on my shoulder, holding
me tightly. I looked and his little brother had flown out the back window of the car, as we
later found out, on the first spin.
"It was an angel, Mom, I know it!"
I knew it, too, especially when we went the next day to look at the car, it had been
split in half, right underneath my daughters seat.
The driver of the other car, witnesses said, was traveling 90-95 miles per hour and the
point of impact at that speed was directly at Kathleen's door.
The police report stated that the car door was found fifty feet away from the accident
scene with the seat belt attached. So, when the door broke loose, "the hands" were the
only thing that saved my daughter's life.
The Lord knew, long before I did, that my child was in trouble, and I will always
praise Him for saving her life and restoring mine.
I have been meaning to write this story for the past couple years. Kathleen is 25, now
with a child of her own. I am sure she will be calling upon her guardian angel many,
many times.
My Angel Story
By: jamelalove@hotmail.com (ainglkiss.com)
My marriage has been in turmoil for over a year. God has continuously led me to stay in
the marriage, even when many times I don't want to. One day I fasted for insight as to
what I should do--no one knew that I was fasting. A few weeks prior to this day I awoke
feeling that I should go to an "estate sale", which is a sale of a person's estate/personal
effects, many times a deceased person. After starting my day, I forgot to go, but that
evening, my sister called saying that she had just visited the best estate sale she'd ever
been to! Immediately, I remembered that inclination I had felt to go to the estate sale. I
asked my sister if it was too late for me to go. She said it was, but maybe we could call
the house and try to stop by the next day. That is not a normal occurrence with estate
sales. Usually, once they are over, they are over. We called and the daughter of the
deceased woman said that we could come over. She was very nice. We took boxes of
spiritual/metaphysical books home and also had a nice evening of conversation with the
woman and her sister.
I was slightly confused because I had no idea why the spirit led me to go to this sale in
the first place. Both the women that we visited were divorced and had endured similar
trials in their marriages that I was going through so I thought maybe that was a sign for
me. Both of them thought they had stayed too long in their marriages.
Now this day that I fasted, I was taking my son to the library. I had had a conversation
that morning with my husband about financial support from him. He told me that
although he didn't have much to give me, he prayed for all of us everyday. It was
somewhat comforting to hear, although I thought he was just trying to get out of assisting
us, too.
On the way out to the library, I decided to read one of the many books I had gotten from
the estate sale. I went in to grab the book, called "A Brush With Angels" and when I
opened it there was a bank envelope inside the cover. Written on the envelope were the
month and year of my wedding (11/97) and inside the envelope--$600!!!!!
I took this as confirmation of what the Lord had been telling me--to stay within my
marriage--and also that he recognized my fast. The number 600 was important because
God had used the number six in other instances in relation to my marriage. Also, I was
able to learn the significance of not telling anyone about my fast. Later, He even gave me
a scripture that says, in essence, go pray and fast privately and I will reward you openly
for it. That is exactly what happened because I told everyone that I knew about the
money I found, but because I had said nothing to anyone earlier, I knew that the Lord had
heard my prayers.
Second Story
A few weeks later, still in distress about my marriage, I called a phone line for prayer in
tears. The woman who prayed with me stayed on the phone with me because she realized
I was very upset. She kept pleading with Christ to give me a sign that He was with me. I
calmed down, hung up and went into my job. The first thing I saw when reaching my
desk--another angel book--with a rainbow on it, which God has also used as a sign with
me. It was just a used angel book, but no one to this day at my place of employment has
claimed that book or can explain where it came from. It still sits on my desk!!!
Floating in the air, I watched the doctors operating, passing instruments and checking
machines. Then a bright white light appeared. I moved toward it down a long tunnel. At
the end was Jesus. He took me by the hand and walked me down a red carpet. Rows of
angels stood on either side waving to me like I was their friend.
"Welcome, Kyle!" they said. Then I saw my Uncle Sterling, who had died several years
before. I raced into his arms. Uncle Sterling held me close, and said gently, "You'll have
to go back, Kyle. It's not your time."
"No way!" I shouted. "It's true, Kyle," a man answered. His voice sounded familiar. I'd
heard it before...that night, in my room when I was five. "I have a special plan for you,"
he said.
I tried to remember those words when I went back to school, which was worse than ever.
Steroids I took to reduce post-op swelling had made me put on 40 pounds, and I had to
wear a helmet to protect my skull.
My brain tumor never went away completely, and doctors believed I didn't have long to
live. My eyesight got so bad I had to walk with a cane. I was in and out of schooland the
hospital.
By the time I was in fifth grade, I'd lost many good friends, all with terminal diseases like
me. But at school I was the boy with the brain tumor. The boy who was different.
That Christmas, my family, whose extra money all went toward my treatment, was
"adopted" by the students of Shadle Park High School. We got a care package with a
holiday dinner, toys for Libby and a Shadle Park sweatshirt for me. I took it straight up to
my room to try on. Pulling it over my head, I pictured myself as a teenager at Shadle Park
High walking proudly down the hall in a sweatshirt like this.
Against all odds, I walked through the doors of Shadle Park High as a freshman four
years later. Sure, I wasn't exactly one of the crowd, but I wasn't going to let that stop me
now. I attended football games, pep rallies and school dances, where I stood to the side,
tapping my cane to the music, occasionally finding a girl willing to dance with me.
Sophomore year I started helping out with the adopt-a-family program that had provided
me with the Shadle Park High sweatshirt. Still, there were times I envied my "normal"
classmates. Just once I want to be Kyle, instead of "the guy who's dying," I thought one
afternoon as I sat in the library.
Someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was Principal Arndt. "Kyle," he said, "we're
having an assembly on Friday. Would you give a talk on the adopt-a-family program?"
Normally I might have been reluctant to get up in front of the whole school, but the
adopt-a-family program was important to me. Besides, hadn't God said he had a plan for
Feeling different, which I'd always thought kept me isolated, was the very thing that
brought me closer to them. They were experiencing these feelings for the first time, but I
was already an expert! Who better to help them than me?
Finally I was just one of the crowd. And part of a very special plan.
The sun made dappled patterns on the sidewalk. "I've never been down this street," I said,
as Mark led me around a corner.
"There's something here I want to show you," he said. He pointed toward a two-story
house. A "For Sale" sign was out front. "I saw it in the real-estate ads yesterday," Mark
explained, handing me a flyer with details about price. "Something told me we should
come see it."
I could tell from the sidewalk it would be perfect for our family. Big yard, lots of space,
two stories....Hold on, what am I thinking? "Mark, we can't afford a bigger house," I said.
"The payments are double what ours are now."
Mark peered over the fence into the backyard. "Let's ask for a tour," he said.
I shook my head and turned my back on the house. "I refuse to start dreaming about the
impossible," I said.
Over my loud protests, Mark called the agency and arranged to look at the house that
same afternoon. Just as I feared, I loved it: four bedrooms, two and a half baths. There
was even a fenced-in backyard for our cocker spaniel. "I might as well dream about living
in a castle," I sighed as I climbed into bed that night.
"You did dream about living in a castle," Mark reminded me.
That was different. God spoke to Joseph and King Nebuchadnezzar through dreams in the
Bible, but not to moms in Missouri! I thought I'd laid the matter to rest until two days
later. We got a call from the agency. The Jennings, who owned the house, were in a hurry
to move. They'd dropped the price.
"It's as if the house is meant to be ours," Mark reasoned. Could he be right? God, I know
we can make do in the house we have, but....I stopped short of asking him for more.
Please help me be happy with what I have.
The kids wanted to see the house, so we all walked over together. They immediately
began choosing bedrooms. "We're here just for the fun of it," I warned. "We are not
moving." Mark and I wandered into the backyard. I'd never seen so many flowers: red
and peach roses, and purple mums.
And what was that climbing up the trellis? "Mark!" I said, tugging on his elbow. "It's a
clematis vine just like in my dream!"
"No dream, miss. This is a proper English garden," a clipped British voice said behind
me. I spun around. Your Majesty? No, it wasn't Queen Elizabeth. But the older British
lady wasn't far off in my American eyes.
"I'm Mrs. Jennings," she said. "I do hope you take the house." Mrs. Jennings explained
how she met her husband when he was in the Air Force and stationed in England.
"Hey, Susan," Mark called from over by the fence. "The neighbors have a fishpond.
You've got to see it!"
"Oh, you should see it," Mrs. Jennings said. "A lovely pond, filled with koi."
An English lady, a flower garden, and a fishpond full of koi. My dream was coming true
before my eyes. This can all be yours, the mermaid had seemed to say, but I hadn't
believed her. How many gifts had God tried to give me only to have me refuse them
because they seemed out of reach?
I'd thought I was making his job easier by not asking for much. Maybe I'd just been afraid
he'd say no if I did ask.
I crossed the lawn to where Mark stood. "Let's take the house," I whispered. "I believe it's
meant for us."
Mark slipped an arm around my waist. There was no sign of my mermaid among the
golden koi, but something told me she wasn't far away, probably rejoicing at the message
she'd finally been able to deliver.
I saw one of my friends standing nearby. A good man, a widower, up in years, poor in
health. Suddenly I understood the presence of the fedora-clad angel.
Youve come for my friend.
No.
Then the dream did what only dreams can do. It dismissed everyone but the visitor and
me. The crowded sidewalk became a quiet boulevard, so quiet I couldnt mistake his next
words.
Max, I came for you.
Curiously, I didnt resist, object or run. I did, however, make a request. When he agreed,
the street suddenly filled, and I began going from person to person, saying good-bye. I
told no one about the angel or the hat or where I was going. As far as others knew, they
would see me again tomorrow.
But I knew better, and because I did, the world righted itself. As if the lens of life had
been out of focus, with a twist the picture cleared. Follies and offenses were forgotten.
Love was amplified.
I shook the hand of a harsh critic, gave my wallet to a beggar. I embraced a few
coldhearted and hot-tempered folks. And to my dear ones, my wife and daughters, I gave
a prayer. A more simple prayer I could not have prayed.
Stay strong. Trust Christ.
And then the dream was done. I was awake. And within an hour I had recorded every
memory of the dream. Its lingered with me for years. Like a favorite song or sweater, I
return to it.
Cant say I do the same with other dreams. But this one stands out because it resonates
with a deep desire that you might share: a desire to face death.
Deatha new adventure in existence. No need to dread it or ignore it. Because of
Christ, you can face it.
I did. Not long after I had my strange dream, I was scheduled for heart surgery. Any
procedure that requires four hours of work on your heart warrants added prayer.
On the evening before, my wife and I, and some friends, offered our share. We were
staying at the hotel adjacent to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. I needed to go to bed early.
But before I could sleep, I wanted to offer one more prayer...alone.
I took the elevator down to the lobby and found a quiet corner and began to think. What if
the surgery goes awry? What if this is my final night on earth? Is there anyone with
whom I should make peace? Do I need to phone any person and make amends?
I couldnt think of anyone. (If youre thinking I shouldve called you, sorry. Perhaps we
should talk.)
Next I wrote letters to my wife and daughters, each beginning with the sentence, If you
are reading this, something went wrong with the surgery. Then God and I had an honest
talk.
We began with a review of my first half century. The details would bore you, but they
entertained us. I thanked him for grace beyond measure and for a wife who descended
from the angels. My tabulation of blessings could have gone on all night and threatened
to do just that.
So I stopped and offered this prayer: Im in good hands, Lord. The doctors are prepared;
the staff is experienced. But even with the best care, things happen. This could be my
final night in this version of life, and Id like you to know, if thats the case, Im okay.
And I went to bed. And slept like a baby. As things turned out, no angel came. I saw no
fedora. I recovered from the surgery, and here I am, strong as ever, still pounding away at
the computer keyboard. One thing is different, though. This matter of dying bravely?
I think I will.
May you do the same.
Back at home, I put away the groceries while Gabriel played with his blocks. He was so
content, I even had a chance to return to the entry on the life of Saint Nicholas. His feast
day? Wouldnt you know it: December 6, the very day I met one of his modern helpers.
When we got home Casey was still up. She gave me a big hug when I walked in the door.
Did you have dinner, honey? Barry asked her, kissing Casey on the forehead.
Yes, Casey said. I just didnt want to go to bed without telling you good night.
Shes such a sweet girl, I thought. We have to come up with a good plan for her future.
She deserves that.
Lets get creative, I said when Barry and I got into bed. For Caseys sake. She needs a
life of purpose, one she can be proud of.
Barry and I knew better than anyone how important that was. Wed built our own internet
jewelry business from scratch. The early years were a struggle, but the satisfaction we got
from our work made it all worthwhile.
Casey cant start her own business, I thought as I drifted off to sleep. God, help me find
something thats right for her.
Months passed. Barry and I couldnt come up with any concrete solutions. In the spring
Casey stayed with a caregiver while Barry and I went out of town to a jewelry trade
show. It was good for us to get away and recharge. Wed just been going around in circles
on what to do about Casey.
After a long morning viewing products and talking to suppliers, we slipped away for a
quick lunch. Remember our first jewelry show? Barry asked.
Of course, I said. Ten years ago.
Our business was just getting started then. According to the rules of the trade show, we
werent even big enough to attend. But we bought two plane tickets to Las Vegas anyway.
If God wants us to make this business a success hell find a way to open doors for us,
Id told Barry on the plane.
Sure enough, the attendants at the front desk let us in because their manager wasnt
available to check our credentials! The contacts we made at that show were crucial in
growing our business. Barry was able to leave his regular job as a software consultant and
come on as a full-time partner with me.
When Casey started public school, I reminisced, I needed a new projectjust like
Casey will when she graduates. If I started my own company back then, why cant I start
one for Casey?
Barry thought about it. We could certainly launch a company and help run it. We could
hire a good manager. But what kind of company? And what would Caseys role be?
I didn't have all the answers, but I knew we were on to something. By the time we
boarded our plane home from the trade show, we were committed. The company
whatever it wascould employ other special-needs adults. But the product would have to
be special too.
A kitchen-based business would create a lot of little jobs, jobs that almost anyone with a
disability could perform, Barry said.
Casey and I love to bake cookies together, I said. Why dont we call the business
Caseys Cookies! With the name alone our new company seemed to come to life. We
couldnt wait to tell Casey.
Barry and I funded the initial startup costs and got down to business as soon as Casey
graduated.
Just like the jewelry business, there were a lot of challenges: finding a good, affordable
commercial space; developing recipes that made Caseys Cookies competitive in the
marketplace; and, naturally, preparing Casey for her new career.
What if I dont know what to do? Casey asked me the first morning we drove into work
together.
Well figure this out together, I said. Papa and I didnt know anything about the
jewelry business when we started, but we managed, and so will you.
Will it be like when you and I bake cookies at home? Casey asked.
Pretty close, I said. Only your friends from school will be there to help us.
Right! Casey said, her eyes lighting up.
Caseys Cookies started out with just three employees: Casey and two of her former
classmates. Orders were slow at first, until angels spread the word of what our nonprofit
was all about.
Reporters at local newspapers and television stations picked up the story. CNN did a
segment on Caseys Cookies, giving us national recognition. Local businesses helped by
making a point of patronizing Caseys Cookies.
We sold cookies in hospitals and coffee shops, to schools and doctors offices, and online
at caseyscookies.org. Grant money helped make ends meet. Now we employ seven
peoplefive of them with special needsand we make eight different kinds of cookies.
Casey has the life we always dreamed of for her. A life full of purpose. And full of angels
too.
Coached by an Angel
An office worker prays for help in learning to use a computer.
By Kaaren Mils, Miami Beach, Florida (guideposts.org)
Computers were not my thing, but my supervisor was determined to change that. Itll
make your job easier, she said. Youll see.
My heart raced. Using a computer might not sound difficult to most folks, but to me it
was downright scary. In my 10 years working at the box office for the Miami City Ballet,
Id only ever used a typewriter. I was pretty quick on it too.
The computer was intimidating. All those extra keys! The mouse! That big screen! I was
in my seventies. It was too late for me to learn something new. Ill do my best, I said
nervously. God, I hope I dont disappoint her!
By the end of the first week all my fears were proved right. I just couldnt get the hang of
things. Id type in someones ticket information, click on a box to save it, and poof!it
was gone. Sometimes I worked myself into such a tizzy, my hands shook while I tapped
the keys.
For the first time, instead of looking forward to coming into work, I was anxious.
Frustrated. Annoyed. Ill never figure this out, I thought as I switched off the machine at
the end of yet another bad day.
That night before bed, I reached for a book on my nightstand. Next to it was a little
pamphlet on angels that Id bought a few months earlier. I thought Id misplaced it, but
there it was, like some sort of sign.
I flipped through the pages and came across a chapter that listed the names of angels and
the specific areas they helped with. Call on Ariel if you need courage or confidence, it
read. I closed my eyes.
Lord, I prayed, please send your angel Ariel to help me. Shes my only hope. Thank you.
Amen.
The next morning at work I sat down at my desk, my eyes fixed on the computer screen.
Okay, Ariel, do your stuff, I said. I reached for a stack of reservations. I can do this, I
thought, feigning confidence.
All at once, a gentle peace washed over me. My hands steadily glided over the keyboard.
I could hardly believe it! I almost felt like I was at my old typewriter.
I finished up, then saved the information and printed it. Piece of cake! It was like Id been
using the computer for years.
That afternoon my supervisor stopped by my desk to check my work. Wow, Kaaren!
I was a 21-year-old corporal in the U.S. Army, on patrol in the remote Kasserine Pass in
the mountains of Tunisia.
Earlier that night, February 20, 1943, a full North African moon had lighted up the arid
landscape, but now heavy clouds created a wall of darkness. I strained to see what might
be in front of me.
With my rifle cradled and ready, I stepped forward a few paces, then waited, trying to
listen. Any mistake could bring sudden death. The darkness that covered me could also
hide German soldiers.
That day the First Division of the U.S. Fifth Army, known as the Big Red One, had been
attacked by the full force of Field Marshal Rommel's famed Afrika Korps. "Hundreds are
dead," we were told. Hundreds more had been taken prisoner.
But no one knew what Rommel'sthe "Desert Fox"next move would be. The men in
Company B frantically dug foxholes and set up defenses. Our commander called four of
us to his tent.
"Find the Germans," he said. "Learn their plans." We saluted and went out into the night,
out into the no-man's-land between us and the enemy.
After a while I became separated from the others in the darkness. I was on my own for an
hour or more. In my slow pursuit I'd encountered only scrub brush, rocks and sand. Then
I realized the clouds were parting again. The brilliant light of the full moon swept over
the ground.
My stomach knotted. I froze in place. I was a sitting duck, a perfect target for the enemy.
I carefully scanned the landscape in front of me.
There! A figure in the moonlight. Only yards in front of me. The light glinted off the
swastikas on his shoulder patches. A German soldier!
He raised his arms, aiming his machine pistol directly at me. I jerked my rifle around and
fired at him. The sound of bullets cracked back and forth through the air. A blow to my
hip knocked me to the ground. My rifle went flying. I couldn't move my legs.
Dear God, is this where I'll die? I looked up. The German slowly approached, his pistol
aimed at me. I waited for death. The soldier stared at me and lowered his gun.
"Corporal," he said, speaking to me in perfect English, "how badly are you hurt?"
"I'm not sure. I feel numb from my waist down."
He looked at me silently. I could see the soldier clearly in the bright moonlight. We
seemed to be about the same age. He was more than six feet tall and strongly built. The
border on his shoulder patches meant he was a corporal, just like me.
"I know where a British aid station is," he said. "I'll take you there."
I must be dreaming. The soldier holstered his pistol and reached down to grab my arms.
He raised me to my feet. "Can you walk?" he asked. I shook my head. The feeling hadn't
returned to my legs. He took hold of my right arm, and slipped his other arm under my
right leg.
"Up you go," he said. He swept me onto his shoulders, and secured me in a fireman's
carry. Then he started walking.
The walk was a blur as I drifted in and out of consciousness. How far we went, I will
never know. But the soldier breathed heavily under my weight, growing tired. Several
times he stopped to rest, lowering me to the ground. Then he hoisted me up on his
shoulder and we set out again.
The soldier talked as we stumbled on. "I am Alois Wagner," he said. "My home is in
Germany." I told him my name. "What do you do in America?" he asked. "I like to fish," I
said, "and hunt." "For me, the same," he said. How could this man be my enemy? I
wondered. He was more like a brother.
Clouds covered the moon again, bringing more darkness. The German corporal slowed,
moving cautiously, searching for the best way forward. I became aware of lights and the
shadowy shape of tents.
"Halt!" A command was shouted out in the night. Corporal Wagner shouted back: "I am a
German soldier. I have an American here who needs help." I heard British voices. Dim
figures emerged from the darkness and surrounded us.
Corporal Wagner carefully lowered me to the ground and then stood tall beside me. He
stunned me with his words: "I surrender!"
We were put on cots side by side in a medical tent, and our wounds were treated. My shot
had grazed his ribs. I'd be taken to a hospital to have bullets removed from my hip. We'd
both be all right.
"Gott ist mit uns," Corporal Wagner said. "God is with us." I looked at my rescuer. "Not
all Germans agree with Hitler," he said quietly.
Before he was taken away, he tore off a shoulder patch from his uniform, and handed it to
me. "A memento of our meeting in Kasserine Pass," he said.
Eventually I tried to trace Alois Wagner through the POW camps. I learned he was first
sent to England and then to Canada. But there the trail reached a dead end. I believe he
survived the war, and I hope he's had a good life. Gott ist mit uns, as he said.
I still have his shoulder patch. The swastika was originally an ancient image of the cross
before Hitler and the Nazis corrupted it and turned it into a symbol of pure evil. Yet
Christ said, "Love your enemy." For some reason, Alois Wagner did.
Forever Sisters
By Lori A. Kennedy, Magalia, California
Another sleepless night. Tossing and turning with muscle spasms and body aches. My
Lyme disease had flared up again. I'd been taking antibiotic cocktails twice a day for a
year, but the disease had gone undiagnosed for too many years before that. I'd become a
prisoner of my illness. I had to quit my job. I couldn't get out much. My husband was
more of a caretaker than a companion. None of our children lived near enough to visit
very often. What was the purpose of my life anymore? I wondered. I couldn't even get a
decent night's rest.
I got up and pulled on my robe. A computer waited in a small room down the hall. It took
me into other worlds, to help block out the pain. I surfed the Internet and ended up in a
chat room for women. But it was empty. Just like my life.
Tears slid down my cheeks as I stared at the blank screen. I typed a message. "I don't
know how to suffer with grace. I don't want to live any longer. God, if you are
everywhere you will see this."
I buried my face in my hands. When I looked up I saw that the name Barbara was on the
screen. "I'm not God, but I want to talk to you," she wrote.
Barbara in Tennessee chatted with me in California for an hour. We wound up exchanging
e-mail addresses. Finally I went back to bed and slept better than I had for a long while. I
knew I'd found a friend.
Barbara was my first thought when I awoke the next morning. I turned on the computer
and wrote to her. From then on it was California to Tennessee and back again every day.
"Today was tough," Barbara wrote one evening. She worked in social services, just like
me before I was sidelined with Lyme disease. She told me of a sad situation I'd seen
many times on the job. That wasn't all we had in common. Barbara and I discovered we'd
both been born in Pennsylvania and had lived in many of the same places. She also had a
grown child she didn't see often enough. Barbara and I could talk to each other about
anything.
"We're like sisters who were separated at birth," I told her more than once. We each had a
telephone plan with a special 20-minute rate. We called once a month. One of us set a
timer for 20 minutes, then the other would call back so we could talk for another 20
dream.
On the day of Barbara's funeral the doorbell rang. It was the mailman with her missing
birthday gift, delivered first to a wrong address.
My hands shook as I opened the box. Inside was a heart-shaped pin of small rubies, with
a note tucked underneath: "Bought this at a two-fer sale. One for me, one for my sister." I
would wear mine every day.
I called her daughter to tell her I had gotten this gift at last. She told me that Barbara
made a special request to be buried wearing her own heart-shaped pin. "So my sister can
find me in heaven," she'd said. I have no doubt of that. God helped us find each other
here on earth. He knew the perfect setting for our big plans to meet.
created something beautiful that would never be finished. All because of me.
The least I could do is finish it for her. The thought of doing this one good deed for
Mamaw put needle and thread in a different light.
I hunted around for thread to match the binding. In a comfy chair I spread the quilt across
my lap. Working the needle through the cotton binding, I surprised myself. Sewing felt
natural, peaceful, even after all this time.
When my stitches came out crooked I pulled them out and stitched again until they lined
up straight and strong. What would Mamaw say to see me sewing after all these years?
The answer came to me like a picture in my mind: Mamaw in a sewing circle of angels. I
had to smile as I pushed the needle through the fabric, perfectly straight, twelve to an
inch. Just like Mamaw had taught me.
Nobody would notice my perfect stitches when I was finished. They would only see a
beautiful quilt. But I would know the care and love on the inside, and so would Mamaw.
Just like she would have known the care and love inside me that horrible day all those
years ago.
Ever the good seamstress, Mamaw had always cared most of all about the things nobody
could see. Why had I thought she would judge me any differently?
These stitches are for you, Mamaw, I thought. Im so sorry I wasnt a better nurse that
day.
And as I stitched, the angels seemed to bring back a message from the heavens. She
knows. Youre forgiven. With that my heart was mended.
Afterward I let go of the guilt I carried ever since that day. In nursing, like sewing, Id
learned from my mistakes. And with each days experience I became a better nurse.
Today Mamaws Lone Star quilt lies on my bed waiting for me each night when I get
home from a long, fulfilling day at the hospital. Other sewing projects are scattered about
the house. Mamaw and I are sewing together again.
From then on Old Toy Trains was the sound track to our family tree-trimming party
until a water leak in the wall destroyed all my favorite vinyls.
Many Christmases later my husband, Woody, and I woke up early on a Saturday to trim
the tree. I hummed Old Toy Trains as I put on the coffee.
I still miss that darn record, I said. In all our married years, I dont think one Christmas
went by that he didnt try to find that record. It had long been out of print and hours of
searching hadnt produced a copy.
Ill pour us a cup of coffee, Woody said. Why dont you go in the garage and get the
decorations out?
When I came back inside with the ornaments, my mouth fell open. Old toy trains, little
toy tracks... little toy drums coming from a sack... carried by a man dressed in white and
red... Was I really hearing my special song? On vinyl?
Woody held up the familiar record cover. I finally found it, the original vinyl record and
cover in mint condition!
My favorite Christmas song was just like my sweet husband: an oldie but a goodie!
Listen as Glen Campbell performs "Old Toy Trains"!
it even more.
That evening I got in the elevator with a coworker and made chitchat to get my mind off
my long ride home. One of my kids is sick, he said. With all these deadlines coming
up at the office I sure hope I dont catch it.
I was glad to help a friend in need. My spirit lifted a bit when I reached in my purse for
the trusty packets of Emergen-C I always keep on hand. But what was that I felt? My
iPod!
I would have kissed itif my coworker werent standing beside me watching! I handed
over the packet of vitamin C. Modern technologys great, but sometimes you need the
old-fashioned kind of help: friends and angels.
me. Now, I know this isnt very originalcountless people have felt the same thing. But I
relate it here because so many people think about death the wrong way. They think of it
exactly the way I did when I was sixteen. They think of it as black nothingness.
But theres a lot more to reality than what our senses can detect. In fact, the idea that
death represents the end of all thinking and knowing and caring and being is the opposite
of the truth. Its completely contrary to what Christianity teaches.
According to most central doctrines of the faith, the moment of death is not quiet or still
at all. Its a time of extraordinary activity. In fact, its probably the busiest moment of our
lives.
When a person dies, theres not a single solitary second when he feels nothing. The
whole period of passing over from the old life to the new is seamless and
instantaneous. God doesnt allow you to skip a beat. Yes, your body may be dead, and
your friends and family may be standing around you, looking down, sobbing silently, and
reflecting on the mystery of life and the finality of death, and other such solemn topics
but to you, the person lying there, the reality is much different.
At the very moment you die, your soul is liberated from your body. And your soul
remains very much alive. It doesnt die. Remember, the human soul has a beginning but
no end. It was created by God to be immortal.
So when it leaves the bodywhen it shuffles off this mortal coil, as Shakespeare said
it has no problem existing on its own, because thats its natural state: to live.
Nor will you be alone when you diebecause your guardian angel will be there with
you. An angel was especially given to you by God at the moment you were conceived in
your mothers womb, and this angel has been at your side ever since. He has been
standing right next to you during every important event of your life, and he has helped
you countless times, even though you may never have known it.
The whole purpose of his mission has been to assist you with the ups and downs of life
and to help you make it to Heaven. Does it make any sense that he would abandon you at
the very end? Of course not. Hes going to be right there with you.
And even though hes a pure spirit, in some mysterious way youll be able to see him,
know him, communicate with him and recognize the role he has played in your life.
Highway Angel
By: Anonymous (ainglkiss.com)
In 1984 I was a student enrolled in a community college. Mom did not have a lot of
money at the time but she gave me what she could for tuition, books, and supplies. I
received a grant and was a work study student to support my educational and personal
expenses. Money was tight and I was on a strict budget. I was on my way home back
from school when I ran out of gas. I pulled over on the shoulder of a major interstate. I
did not have a cellular phone and was beginning to panic when I noticed that a highway
patrolman had pulled up behind me. I smiled as he approached when I wound down my
window. I was so embarrassed when I told the officer that I ran out of gas. I told him
that I had a couple of dollars and would appreciate it if he go to the gas station. The
highway patrolman smiled, nodded, and left. A few minutes later, he came back with a
container of gas to put in the tank of my car. I told the officer that I thank him very much
and did not know what I would have done if he did not stopped to help me. The highway
patrolman smiled, nodded, and left.
When I continued my drive home, I thought about how the highway patrolman never said
anything and come to think about it, how lucky it was that he pulled up behind me as
soon as I ran out of gas. Suddenly, I realized that luck did not have anything to do with it.
God let me know that He loved me enough to send me a personal highway patrolman to
guide, protect, and yes, give me gas to get me safely home.
I think about that highway angel from time to time and I know that God is still patrolling
me through life even now, even until the end of time.
Sincerely,
Cathy from I-95
A house would be a new start, Dad had insisted. Its like preparing the ground for all
the blessings to come. Besides, hed added, you need a garden for your angel. The
angel had been a gift from Mom and Dad, a foot-tall stone carving. Id collected angels
since I was a little girl. I knew Dad was right: What better place for an angel than in a
garden, surrounded by flowers? And so wed moved to a new house.
The angel hadnt gotten near any flowers, though. She sat in the garage, gathering dust. In
our old home I could look out at her in winter and trust in springs promise. Her presence
announced there is a garden here even when no plants were growing. I no longer
trusted in that kind of promise.
I walked back toward the house, the muddy ground sucking my boots down with every
step. As I passed the garage I caught sight of my angel. She looked as hopeless as I felt
but surrounded by concrete and metal. Even the soggy garden is more likely to sprout
flowers than the garage, I thought.
I went in and kneeled down beside her. Dare I risk my disappointment if I set you in a
garden that will never bloom again? I asked. I brushed the dust from her flowing gown
and carried her around to the front of the house. I put her down outside the big bay
window. There is a garden here, I said as I brushed the dirt off my hands. Maybe I
dont have my flowers, but I do have my angel.
The weather wasnt any warmer or brighter, but for the first time in weeks it felt like it
might be one day. Just maybe. This is what hope feels like, I thought. How I missed it.
The following week held no change in the weather. From the bay window I checked on
my angel. Shes no match for this weather, I thought as I fixed dinner one evening.
The late school bus pulled up out front, dropping off my 14-year-old after basketball
practice. Heavy footsteps pounded up the walk. Wipe your feet! I ordered as
Mackenzie burst in through the door.
Mom! he cried breathlessly. There are flowers!
Flowers? I repeated. What did that mean?
Outside, Mackenzie insisted. There are flowers in the yard!
Maybe you saw dandelions, I said. Theyre just weeds, Mackenzie.
No, come and look, he insisted. He tugged me by the arm to the front of the house. My
hands flew to my mouth. Hundreds of tiny, delicate flowers dotted the lawn. They looked
almost like violets, but were the color of summer clouds. Id never seen flowers like them
before. They were so fragile I couldnt imagine how theyd grown in all this rain and
cold.
And even more amazing was where they had sprouted: in an almost perfect circle around
my angel. There must be more somewhere, I whispered as I bent down to brush the
petals with my fingertips. Mackenzie and I scoured the entire yard, front and back. There
wasnt a single bloom except for those growing around the angel.
I guess the angel brought life into the garden, I said.
Mackenzie nodded. She must have planted the seeds herself.
Planted the seeds, I thought as we went back inside. Seeds, like hope, couldnt grow
unless you planted them. Id planted mine when I moved my angel even though I didnt
believe the garden would bloom. That simple act had planted a seed that created all these
flowers. Who knew what else that faith could bring to my life if I only let it. Id been
waiting for a new life to give me hope again. Now I saw hope was the only thing that
could give me a new life.
I couldnt wait for Dad to see the angels flowers. Each one a promise of the blessings
sure to come.
One day, I came to see her and she cried out for me to hurry. "He came to see me last
night," she told me. "God, he sat right there and visited with me. I'm going to die but it
will be all right. Until he comes for me I'm to tell everyone how much he loves us." She
glowed and was full of hope and love again.
"I asked about you" she said. "He told me that you will be all healed and that no one
would ever know that you had polio. He told me you would walk, and even run.".. she
looked at me... and then she said, "When you can run, oh...climb a high hill, take the
ribbon from your hair and say 'I'm Donna, run for me."
These are words, but the memory of Donna floods back whenever anyone says, "I would
never have guessed you had polio. You walk and run just fine." Donna changed my life,
she was my angel.
dedicated my first album, Small Town Girl, to her. The last song on the album, "My
Angel," tells the whole story. There's an old dirt driveway I mention in that song. It ran
straight from the main road to the front door of Grandma and Grandpa's house. Grandma
had an easy chair that looked out the big front window, and her view went straight to the
street. Whoever was coming, she could see from a long way off.
Grandma could see a lot of other things coming too. Like what I was heading for in life.
My dad's house was right across the way, just a big field between the two, with a path
running through it. After Mom took off and Dad's troubles got worse, I got to know that
path pretty well. Seemed I was running toward Grandma's more often than heading home.
Life was confusing back then, and I didn't ever know what to expect from one minute to
the next. By the time I started school, I was living with Grandma and Grandpa full-time.
There was a little shelf of kids' books right inside their door. My favorite was a songbook
full of hymns. Amazing Grace, Jesus Loves Me, all those old favorites.
Grandma and I would sit together on the porch with that book in our laps and sing our
way right through it. I got lost in those songs. If I was feeling sad, mixed-up or scared
before we started, by the time we were a couple bars in, my troubles took a backseat.
There was a power at work in those songs that you can't put words tothat you just feel
in your bones. I knew Grandma felt it too. Grandma used those times to help me build up
my confidencesomething any child from a broken family can always use a little extra
of.
Everyday when I got off the school bus, there was one thing I could count on: Grandma.
She was at the end of that old dirt driveway, waiting just for me. Year in and year out. No
matter what. When I stepped off that bus I knew I'd see hereither looking out from the
big picture window or, if the weather was warm, standing in the front yard. She was
always there.
Grandma had had a rough life herself. You know the expression "dirt poor"? Well, that
was my grandparents. They were teenage sweethearts. They knew from the moment they
met that they were going to get married, but they weren't looking at a whole lot of options
in life. Grandpa quit school real young when he got tired of being teased for wearing the
same clothes everyday. He couldn't even read till Grandma taught him. He got his GED
thanks to her, and later on his electrical license. Grandma knew how important it was to
have someone rooting for yousomeone who believed in you 100 percent. And she
believed in me every bit as much as she believed in Grandpa.
In all the years I knew her, Grandma's health was never good. She had rheumatoid
arthritis and gouta painful combination. She was in pain much of the time. I mean,
really hurting. Not that she ever admitted to it. Even if she'd been awake till 4 a.m. with
her arthritis, she was always up the next day to get me ready for school, almost as if she
drew some kind of strength from her pain. And don't think that we spent all our time out
on that porch, either. If she was feeling well enough she'd take me out back to pick apples
or plant daffodilsour favorite flower. Daffodils, Grandma told me, are the flower of
hope. We planted bulbs all around the house. "All you have to do to know that God is up
there watching out for all of us," she told me, "is look at a daffodil in bloom."
But then Grandma was diagnosed in 2002 with an illness she couldn't smile her way
through: lung cancer. I was 15 and a sophomore in high school when she passed away.
After a funeral there's always tons of relatives milling around, tons of food. But there
comes a time when the last of the friends and guests have left, the last of the leftovers
have been eaten and it's time to move on. Time to get back to lifeor what's left of it. For
Grandpa and me life was Grandmaend of story. Everywhere we looked in that house
there was something that reminded us of her. The night of our first real supper without
Grandma neither of us could sit down at the dining room table. We both just sort of stood
there, staring at it. There was my chair. There was Grandpa's chair. In between was
Grandma's. Empty. Like the house. Like our lives. "Grandpa, it's too lonely in here
without Grandma," I finally said. "Let's just go eat in the living room."
That's what we did toothat night and the ones after it. If I thought I knew what
emptiness felt like before, I was wrong. When I came home from my first day of school
after the funeral, I looked down that dirt driveway. For the first time no one was waiting
for me. I loved Grandpa dearly, but Grandma looked after him just as much as she did
me. Who on earth would care for us now?
It was a long time before Grandpa and I moved our meals back into the kitchen. And just
as long before I could walk down that long driveway and feel at peace. But in time, I
could. Along with everything else, it turned out Grandma had been passing along another
gift to me over those years. Something I didn't know I was getting, but that was flowing
into me with every song we sang on that porch. Strength. The kind of strength that comes
from only one place. The peaceful place I lost myself in when Grandma and I were
singing those hymns. The strength of faith.
Another spring came, and one day, walking down that long dirt driveway, I could see that
the daffodils were up again, bright and cheerful as ever, all around the house. Grandma's
flower of hope.
In the fall of 2005, with the memory of all those porch songs in my heart, I made the long
drive to Greensboro, North Carolina, to try out for American Idol. And the rest, as they
say, is history. Much as he hates to travel, Grandpa flew to Los Angeles to watch me
perform. How much do I wish Grandma could've been there too? Well, I don't need to tell
you. But, in a waya very real wayshe was. There isn't a time I open my mouth to
sing I don't feel her right there beside me.
Just as sure as she sat there with me on that porch swing, Grandma's still rooting for me,
believing in me 100 percent. She's there for me. Always. My angel.
Always There
By Kellie Pickler
Every day when school got out
Matthew's Tree
By Edward A. Joseph, Yonkers, New York
The dogwood tree is as high as our house, and when it blossoms in the spring, my wife,
Susan, and I are overwhelmed. The luminous white petals of the flowers spread out like
large four-leaf clovers against the blue sky. Seventeen years ago I could never have
imagined its beauty.
The tree was planted in memory of our son Matthew, who died when he was 18 years old.
He was a beginning freshman in college. His body was discovered on the ground outside
his dorm on the last day of October in 1989. We were told that Matthew had either fallen
or jumped off the roof after a night of heavy drinking. Over time I tried to fit together the
pieces of my son's short life. I learned that Matthew used his charm and good looks to
hide a deep depression from most of us who thought we knew him. The evidence
indicated that his death was not accidental. I had been a teacher for years. I thought I
knew everything about children. How was it possible I didn't know my own son? If I'd
been a better father, would he still be with us? Why did it end in this terrible way? There
were no words to express my grief. I couldn't find words even to pray.
The following spring Susan and I decided a living memorial would honor Matthew in the
best possible way. We chose a mail-order dogwood tree for an area near the house. I don't
know what I was expecting, but when it arrived it looked like nothing more than a fivefoot stick with pimples. "That's it?" I said skeptically. "Give it a chance," Susan said. "It
will grow." But I was disappointed. "Nothing will ever come of that stick," I said. I
ignored it for a day before I planted it.
I watered it every day all summer, but it still looked like a stick in the ground. A dead
stick. What more could I do? I was frustrated. With the tree. With myself. "I should have
done more for Matthew," I said to Susan one evening. There had been signs. He started
drinking too much in his senior year of high school. We took him to a counselor, but
really I was more concerned about my work. It had always come first. When Matthew
won the cross-country championship at school, I had been too busy working to go to the
race.
The weeks of summer went by, and the stick mocked my pain. I hated the thing. Pull it
up! I said to myself. Throw it away! But I couldn't destroy the tree because we had
chosen it for Matthew. Please, God, show me your way.
September arrived with its coolness and changing leaves. Soon a year would have passed
since Matthew's death. I stared at the stick in the ground. I wanted to cry and let my tears
bring it back to life, to bring my son back to life, but I knew that was not possible. I
reached out and gently pulled up the dead stick.
I walked toward the backyard to throw it away. I looked down at the thing in my hand.
What was that? It was so small my first instinct was to ignore it. But I looked again. A
small green bud grew at the base of the stick. I got my clippers and carefully cut off the
dead parts above it. What was left was no more than a few inches high. But there was that
small, green, oh-so-delicate bud. I replanted the piece of wood with a newfound sense of
hope. Maybe this could still be the living memorial for Matthew that we'd planned. Did
God know how much I needed it? Could I somehow believe my son had found the
happiness in heaven that he hadn't known here on earth?
Today the beauty of the tree is beyond imagining. A gift for my son has become his gift to
us all. The seeds of change, growth and healing are ever present in our lives. Matthew
will always be with us. His tree shows the power of hope itself.
They gathered around me like eager children, tails wagging, tongues hanging out. Well
go down by the stream so you all can get a drink, I said. Then well cut across the
mountains and head for home.
At the stream I filled my canteen. Then I hitched my rifle on my shoulder and called,
Lets go home! We started climbing. As we came up over the top of Chestnut Mountain
I got a chance to observe the storm more closely. It had intensified since I saw it in the
valley. It was dangerous, yes, but it was also beautiful. Crooked lightning forked from
one cloud to another, making them glow in a mixture of yellows, blues and whites.
The dogs disappeared ahead of me. Theyd make it home long before me. I stopped for a
sip from my canteen.
Crash! Thunder boomed above my head, so loud the ground reverberated under my feet.
A flash of lightning bleached out the sky. My whole body tingled. I looked up into the
heavens. What is that?
A bright, luminous sphere descended from the clouds. Id never seen anything like it. I
was terrified. The phantom ball hovered a few inches above the ground, then moved
around the mountainleaving a trail of flames in its wake!
Fear gripped me. I was too scared to run. I could only watch in horror as the sphere
spread fire along the mountainright across the path to the other side and home! Once it
had cut off my escape the ball disintegrated before my eyes.
At last my legs started working. I raced off in the opposite direction, back to the creek
where wed stopped to get water. The flames advancing behind me, moving fast over the
ground. I remembered an old story my father told me. I was only a little boy, Daddy
had said. I was walking home with your granddad one stormy night when a ball of fire
came out of the clouds. It traveled over the valley, right into an abandoned cabin. A
second later the cabin was completely consumed by flames.
Daddy had seen the mysterious fire too! Hed even discovered its nameball lightning.
Daddy and I can have a long talk about it when I get home, I thought as I reached the
stream. If I make it home!
The tiny stream was no firebreak. At best it would be a temporary stopgap to slow the fire
down. My chances of outrunning the flames on foot ranged from slim to hopeless to
none. I dropped my rifle into the water. Normally leaving that rifle behind would be
unthinkable. Now, with the heat of the fire bearing down on me, I just couldnt carry the
extra weight. I could only hope Id live long enough to retrieve it again. I looked over my
shoulder as I laid it down. The flames had topped the crest of Chestnut Mountain. The
race was on!
I pumped my arms and legs and kept my eyes on the far ridge. I was young and athletic,
but the mountain was steep. My breath came in short, raspy gasps. A sharp, stabbing pain
pierced my side. But I couldnt stop. Ahead, at the top of the next ridge, was a large
outcropping of rock. If I could make it there, I thought, I might have a chance. If the
rocks could provide protection from the fire.
I ran, I stumbled. I crawled when I had to. Finally I reached the stone formation. I
crawled into the center of the rocks and collapsed. I looked down at the valley around me.
The forest was an inferno. The fire had followed the natural terrain of the hollows,
completely surrounding my little island of stone, and the flames were getting closer. I
huddled down in a crevice and covered myself with my coat. The air around me got
hotter as the flames closed in. Its like hiding in an oven, I thought. I just might be roasted
alive here!
My legs prickled as the heat penetrated my trousers. I tucked my legs up as close as I
could to my body. Thoughts of home rushed into my mind. My mother, my father, my
sisters, my little brother, Buddy Earl. But that wasnt the home I was going to now. I was
headed to my home with God. If it was my time, I had to accept it.
I threw back my coat and raised my arms to the sky. Please, dear Lord, accept me into
your presence and take care of my family!
I held my breath. I heard a strange sound, like the fluttering of a thousand wings beating
together.
Then came the rain. Not a light rain like a shower on a spring day or a summers
afternoon, but a great deluge. The skies opened up and water poured down in a torrent. I
ducked my head for fear of drowning in it. The rocks around me sizzled and steamed
when the blessed rain touched them.
When the downpour stopped and I could raise my head, I saw the valley around me
blackened and charred, but safe once again. On shaky legs I made my way back to the
stream to retrieve my rifle, then down the slope toward home. I opened the back door and
found Mama at the kitchen sink. Id never been so glad to see her.
What happened to you? Mama asked, frowning at my still-dripping clothes. Howd
you get so wet?
Caught in the downpour, I said.
Downpour? said Mama. We didnt get any rain here. This side of the mountain didnt
see a drop.
Guess my guardian angel knew where that rain was needed most.
A miracle healing, doctor called it, but I was far from being my old self. I didnt even
know my old self. My entire life had been wiped from memory. Everything I knew, Id
learned after waking from the coma.
Eventually I was able to go home with Shannonmy home, though that wasnt how it
felt. It was as foreign to me as any highway motel. I continued with my therapy, but my
memory didnt return. In fact, sometimes Id forget things Id learned the day before. But
little by little I took important things to heart: My elder daughters name was also
Shannon. I lived in Ventura. Collin was afraid of the dark.
Before my illness, I worked in customer service at a computer call center. Now our
family had to rely on Shannons salary as a salesclerk. No matter how many hours she
worked we couldnt pay all those hospital bills.
We lost our car. We lost our house and had to move. I considered asking for my old job
back. You say I was good at it, I told Shannon as I set off in the morning. Maybe I can
be again.
I got in the car with the best of intentions, but 20 minutes later I called Shannon. Where
am I going? I asked desperately. I returned home in defeat. How could I possibly hold
down a job?
Shannon suggested I talk to my brother. Before you got sick you worked too much and
stressed over it, Bob said. Maybe you should look on this as a new beginning. Youve
been given a fresh start.
Bobs advice sounded good, but where to begin? How could I build a new life in my
condition? That night I lay in bed, unable to sleep. I walked aimlessly around the house.
Show me the way, I thought.
I passed the twins room and poked my head in to make sure the boys were sleeping okay.
Especially Collin. But when my eyes adjusted to the darkness I gasped.
Collin wasnt alone. An angel sat with him, cradling Collin in her arms as he slept. I
stood in the doorway for several minutes, taking in the beautiful vision.
Back in my own bed, I wondered, Did I really see an angel? I felt an incredible peace. I
felt as if I was being held in the arms of an angel. An angel who was there to comfort me
when I felt I was living in the dark.
For the first time in weeks my mind was not preoccupied with my problems.
At breakfast, Shannon was a little skeptical. Are you sure you didnt dream it? she
asked.
But I knew what I saw. I would never forget itand for me that was something special.
Ill show you what she looked like. I used the boys colored pencils to make a drawing.
You can put it on the refrigerator with their artwork when youre done, Shannon said
with a smile.
I worked on my picture for hours. She didnt look exactly like the angel Id seenno
way anyone could capture her, but she was close enough. I showed Shannon. She
frowned down at it. Bill, this is really good.
Thanks, I said.
No. You dont understand. Youve never been able to draw before. Even your stick
figures were crooked. How did you make this?
She showed the drawing to everyone. You should make it into a template and cut it out
of wood, one friend said. Ive got some plywood and an old scroll saw I dont use
anymore. Youve got that tin shed in the backyard to work in.
Bad idea, Shannon cut in. She explained that I was one sorry fix-it man and an accident
waiting to happen with power tools. Sorry to have to break the news, honey, she said.
Ive always loved you anyway.
For the first time since I woke up from the coma, I felt like I knew something Shannon
didnt. I know I can do it, I said. I need the saw.
Shannon found directions online. I traced my drawing onto a piece of plywood. Shannon
stood beside me holding her breath while I carefully made my first cut.
The moment saw touched wood something happened in my mind. I didnt struggle to
follow the shape. Instead of cutting the angel out, I cut out pieces of wood. Like puzzle
pieces. I barely noticed as they fell to the ground at my feet. Instinctor was it
something else?guided my hand on the saw.
When I was finished I gathered up all the pieces. Over the next three weeks I arranged
them and glued them together untilto my complete surpriseI had a wooden angel. It
wasnt the angel in my drawing. It wasnt the angel who held Collin. It was my angel.
You did it, Bill! Shannon cheered.
I could barely remember putting the angel pieces together. But I remembered that feeling
as I put the saw to the wood, of someone else guiding my hand. This was my new
beginning.
I made more angels. Shannon glazed them, and we gave them to friends, to family, to
everyone who had helped me come so far in my healing.
Eventually Shannon showed them to friends who ran a gift store in Ventura. They gladly
took some to sell on consignment. When the store was featured on the local news, my
angels were front and center.
I still make angels every day. I go into my shed, close my eyes and say a prayer. Then I
let my artistic angel (who is quite handy with a scroll saw) create through me.
Ive learned to face life the same way I face those jigsaw puzzle-like blocks of wood.
With prayer and trust in my angel. The darkness doesnt seem so scary these daysto
Collin or to me.
My Heavenly Visitors
By David Waite, Witney, Oxfordshire, England (guideposts.org)
That Christmas got off to a promising start.
Alison and I and the childrentwo of our four were still at homehad picked out a tree
and its lights were twinkling merrily in the living room. I had lit a fire to take the edge off
our raw English air. And then 12-year-old Matthew hesitantly asked me a question that
would have been perfectly natural in any other household: "Dad, would it be all right if I
put on some Christmas music?"
"Of course," I said, too quickly.
I braced myself. As strains of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" began to fill the house, a
familiar gnawing sensation grew in the pit of my stomach. Not again, I thought.
Christmas carols were one of the triggers that could inexplicably bring on a severe
anxiety attack. I slipped out of the living room and met Ali in the hallway.
"Are you all right?" she asked. I shrugged. "Do you want to turn off the music?"
"I can't do that," I said. I went upstairs to my office. Work would keep my mind occupied.
I tried to focus on a newspaper feature but succeeded only in staring at the impatiently
blinking cursor of my computer.
I had hoped the old fears would not plague me this Christmas. All my life I had been
beset with vague apprehensions and the awful depressions that followed.
The roots weren't hard to find. Born prematurely 49 years earlier in the village of Styal
near Manchester, I spent the first three months of life fighting to survive. I had been born
with a shortened and twisted right leg that, later, made walking difficult. In my first week
at school a girl pointed at me. "You're a cripple!" she said. She hobbled off in a perfect
imitation of my limp that set the other kids laughing.
Being lame of body was not half as bad, though, as being crippled in spirit. My mental
woes may have been inherited. My granddad suffered from free-floating fears and so did
my father. Dad was so tense that he and Mum were in constant rows, yelling at each
other, slamming doors, hurling crockery, then continuing the battle with silence that could
last for weeks.
My first serious depression occurred in my early teens. Dad was the village bobby and on
his salary we couldn't afford psychiatric help, even if he had believed in it. Antidepressant
drugs were in use by 1960, but I was wary of trying these early experimental medicines.
There were glimmers of hope. I became a Christian at 18, and for a while I believed this
commitment might help me get better. It didn'tnot for more than 30 years. Of course I
prayed about my anxieties, always in private because I was far too shy to bring up my
need at church.
When I married Alison I hoped I was beginning a new, healthier chapter in my life. But
along with the joy of a wife and growing family came responsibilities that made the
problem worse. Six weeks was the longest I could go without suffering an acute anxiety
attack. Little things set the explosions off. A bill coming due. A Christmas carol.
The family was ready to leave for church one summer day when I realized my cuff links
were missing. It didn't matter because I was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, but I held us up
until the cuff links were found.
I was spoiling things for everyone. The best I could do was keep out of the way while
depressed. Soon I was spending days on end in my room, as my family waited for me to
come around again.
Then on December 15 last year, a few days after the renewed battle with Christmas
carols, I was putting my good foot, the left one, on a step when I stumbled. Searing pain
shot through my leg. Within an hour I could not use the leg at all. It was just the kind of
incident that usually sank me into a depressive state. Ali offered to pray not only for the
leg pain but also for the funk that would almost certainly follow.
What good would prayer do? We had asked God to help us so often. But this time he was
about to answer, and in a fashion I could never have anticipated.
Ali prayed for me and my leg did get better, but not the signs of oncoming depression.
That evening, just 10 days before Christmas, as we were getting ready for bed, Ali
remembered that because of the cold weather she had not opened the windows as she
usually did to freshen the room. She picked up what she thought was an air-purifying
spray and sent a mist all over the room. But the spray turned out to be a sore-muscle balm
with a dreadful menthol smell that I've always hated.
"Whew!" I said. "I'll have to sleep in Daniel's room if I want to get any rest." Our oldest
son, Daniel, was in London and his room was empty.
I kissed Ali good night, walked to Daniel's room and turned down the spread on his
narrow bed, which was right up against the wall. I climbed in, turned out the light and lay
there staring into the darkness. I was unusually warm and comfortable but still fretting
about all sorts of things...bills, a close friend in hospital, an assignment that was due.
At first, the way you can sometimes sense a person looking at you, it seemed to me
someone was in the room, focusing attention on me. I thought Alison had stepped in.
"Ali?" I whispered.
There was no answer, not a rustling of clothes, not a stirring of air, and yet I knew beyond
a doubt I was not alone. A friendly presence was near me, at the head of the bed. Had
Daniel come home unexpectedly? I whispered his name. Nothing. Maybe it was one of
the younger children. "Matthew? Caroline?" No answer.
Slowly I became aware of a second unseen being in the room, this one at the foot of the
bed. It seemed to me the two creatures were facing each other. And then I knew there was
a third presence too, and a fourth one, these last two facing each other on the left side of
the bed...impossible since there was no space between the bed and the wall.
I wanted to call Ali, but there was something so benevolent, so full of promise about the
four lively presences that I didn't want to do anything that might risk driving them away. I
lay perfectly still, strangely warm and expectant.
And thenhow did I know this, since I could not see them?the four creatures began to
move toward one another, two on each side of the bed. Their progress was slow and
deliberate. They passed one another, turned and repeated the traverse three, four, maybe
five times. Every time their paths crossed I felt as if I would burst with joy.
Then abruptly the room was empty. I knew it as surely as I had known a few minutes
earlier that angelic creatures were there. The room was back to normal and I was alone
again, yet still filled with ineffable joy. Should I go tell Alison? But tell her what? That I
had been visited by four beings I couldn't see? Still debating, I fell into a deep sleep, the
best I had had in years.
By the time I surfaced, the children had already left for school. "You'll never believe what
happened last night," I said to Ali. I told her as best I could about the mysterious visitors
God had sent me. Alison did believe it and was delighted at my newfound joy and peace,
though perhaps wondering, as I was, if this calm would last for more than a few days.
Our doubts were misplaced. I enjoyed every minute of the Christmas season. December
was followed by a long gray January and February, two months that in the past had been
times of distress but were filled with an exultation new to me. The joy even survived a
devastating bout I had with the flu. Winter gave way to a spring, a summer and then an
autumn of freedom.
Though I can't be sure how long this freedom will last, I am beginning to believe the
victory is permanent. It's not that I've shed pressures like bills and problems at work. But
today I confront these issues with a positive attitude unlike my past fearfulness.
Christmas is once again just around the corner. Thanks to my heavenly visitors, I'm
anticipating another joy-filled season and I am going to make a statement to that effect.
This year I have bought a present for the entire family, a small but very special gift I hope
we will use a lot...a CD of the world's best-loved Christmas carols.
My Mother
By: rdhsketcher3@hotmail.com (ainglkiss.com)
My mother was more than a mother to me, she was also my best friend and companion.
She was full of life, compassion and fun. We grew even close after my father passed
away about eight years ago. Eventually all that was left in our house was myself, my
mom and my 17 year old daughter, Ashley.
She had always been very healthy and when she needed her aortic valve replaced, we
were surprised. She went through the surgery very well and was even the life of the party
at my older daughter, Heather's, wedding. Then during a check up masses were
discovered in her abdomen. She went through chemotheraphy and went into remission.
But a week before Christmas a year ago she came downstairs and couldn't find her robe.
Ultimately she was diagnosed with multiple brain tumors. In a matter of days she was
going through oral chemotherapy and radiation to the head. I stopped working to take
care of her. I took her to the doctors, for treatment, whatever she wanted. She didn't have
balance any more so I had to keep an eye on her when she would get up. My daugher,
Heather, and I tried to bring her bed downstairs but she wouldn't hear of it. Eventually
she was hospitalized with a kidney infection and almost died. I had no choice but to
order a hospital bed for her. It was delivered and I set up the family room as comfortable
as I could for her. She was disappointed and scared, knowing how sick she must be to
have to be in this situation. I told her the important thing is that we were together. She
agreed.
The first night I was so concerned about her I pushed the couch up against her bed so I
would be sure to hear her if she needed me. It was late and the room dark. My youngest
was up in bed, and my mom was sound asleep. I laid down with our little dog at my feet,
and felt my hair fall. But it didn't fall, someone stroked the side of my head several
times. I sat up looking around. My mother was asleep. Our dog was cuddled up in her
corner of the couch, the room was quiet and empty. I felt a peace all around me.
I don't know who that was. If it was an angel or my dad, but I absolutely do know that
someone stroked the side of my head. I thanked whoever it was and went to sleep.
The next year was difficult, and eventually I purchased a blow up bed and slept on the
floor next to her. My goal was to give her the best days that I could, and make her laugh
at least once a day. She loved to shop. So I put the wheelchair in the trunk and every day
we would shop, do lunch, or sit out on the patio. She loved flowers so my younger
daughter and I planted all kinds of flowers. The flowers took over and for some reason
hundreds of snap dragons grew in the rocks that surrounded the bushes all around our
house.
Then by the end of summer she was getting weaker, not a lot, but she told me she was
slowing down. One night my older daughter had a dream. My mom and dad were in the
kitchen opening a present addressed to them. I told her maybe that meant grandma was
going to die on Christmas. My daughter didn't like that so I dropped the subject. A week
later I had a dream and saw my dad. I hugged him, and actually felt him. His lower eye
lids drooped and the whites were red, just like my mother's looked when she was tired,
and he told me I would have to handle the bathroom duty. I purchased a computer chair
and would roll her to the bathroom. I wanted to keep every thing as normal and allow her
to keep her dignity as much as possible. Then a week after that my son had a dream
about my dad. He called me and said he never dreams about grandpa. He said my dad
had told him he needed his advice. He had to yell at grandma and tell her if she is going
to do something she needed to do it right or not at all. He asked what I thought that
meant. I said I didn't know. But I told him and my other family members I didn't like
the idea of being alone when she passed away. Not after working so hard to let her live.
As life became more difficult I often would think of the night someone had stroked my
hair. I could still feel the gentle strokes, and I felt honored for the experience, and it gave
me confidence to continue on.
I know my mom was fighting to go on and tried her best, but she just grew weaker and
weaker. I decided I would have to have everyone over for Christmas Eve and Christmas.
We always opened our presents on Christmas Eve. So the whole family, over 30 of us,
came over on Christmas Eve. She was so weak she had trouble even closing her mouth.
My heart broke that whole day as I went through the motions of Christmas. Just when it
was time to open the gifts...my mother struggled for air, and passed away. She didn't
want to go, but if you are going to do something right....
I miss her.
said. They dropped into their seats. Right away their eyelids started to droop.
Dont get too comfortable, I said. Were going to do some trabalenguastongue
twisters. That will improve your pronunciation.
But Seora Allen, a lanky boy in the back row said. We just had lunch. We need a
siesta.
Theres always maana for exercises, his friend beside him agreed with a yawn.
We had the same argument every day. Teenagers just couldnt digest their lunch and learn
Spanish at the same time. We need to wake you up, I said. Lets sing a song.
The class groaned. Their regular teacher relied more on the textbook, but I found art,
music games and group activities much more effective. In my class we left our books
closed and tried simple conversations. We played bingo with colors, days of the week or
different foods. We sang songs in Spanish.
Usually all the activity kept the kids focused. But not in this class. When we finished our
song, I turned to write on the board. Immediately I heard whispering andeven worse
the telltale rustling of paper that meant the kids were passing notes to each other instead
of paying attention.
Cell phones had been banned from the classroom, thank goodness. But that didnt stop
kids from texting the old-fashioned way, on scraps of paper.
I think we need to go over the rules of this class again, I said sternly. As I listed them
off on my fingers, the kids repeated them with me. Pay attention to the lesson, only one
person talks at a time, do your own work and no writing or passing notes in class!
I spent the rest of the hour walking up and down the rows. The second I stopped moving
the notewriting would start.
By the end of the class I was the one who needed a siesta. Sometimes teaching was like
performing, and a difficult audience made it all that much harder. They werent bad kids,
I knew. There were a lot of things contributing to their lack of attention.
It was a beginner class, so all the material was new. Some kids picked it up more quickly
than others. Plus there was that after-lunch laziness. Add to that an unfamiliar teacher
who did things a new way and these teenagers had almost too many reasons not to pay
attention.
Ive got until Christmas break to get through to them, I thought as I packed up my
materials for the day. God, help me reach them!
I returned to school the next day determined to take control of the class. There were some
bright spots. Some of the kids got really into a new word game. The next week I invented
an exercise where students had to write about a random person cut out of a magazine.
What did the person like to do? What were his goals in life? Who were her friends and
family? Everything could be written in the present tense to make it easier for beginners.
That exercise yielded some great work.
Unfortunately, only a few of the students here and there seemed consistently interested.
As great as it was to have a few of my students come in for tutoring, midway through
December the class as a whole seemed just as disengaged as ever.
Maybe Im just not a good enough teacher, I thought when I came into class the last day
before Christmas break. I dreaded handing out our final test. My other classes had all
gone pretty well, but the third block felt like a test I had already failed.
Buenos das, Seora Allen, a girl sang as she came into class. I know todays our final,
but I think it would be more culturally correct if we had a siesta instead.
That was one joke I never wanted to hear again. I passed out the tests with strict
instructions. Dont look at anyone elses work. If you finish before everyone else you
must sit quietly. No talking while other students are working.
The kids bent down over their tests. For a while the only sound was the scratching of
pencils on paper. Then one by one students finished. To my right I heard the hiss of
whispering voices. Girls! I said sharply. No talking allowed during the test.
The two culprits giggled andwhat was that on the desk? A note! During the final! I
really have failed. Give me that note! I snapped.
The girls looked down. It isnt a note, one of them said.
Well, whatever it is, put it away! I said, completely out of patience.
When the bell rang the kids were glad to turn in their papers and go. The girls I had
snapped at stayed behind when the others had filed out of the classroom. The girls
dropped something on my desk. A note? For you, they said on their way out.
I eyed the note suspiciously. I had spent a whole semester trying to bring these kids in
line. Who knew what it might say! I took a deep breath to center myself and read:
Dear Seora Allen, Thank you so much for all that you have done. You are such a great
teacher and third hour appreciates everything youve done for our class.
"All of your games and activities really helped us get a better understanding of the
language, and we also appreciate all your patience and hard work. Youre an awesome
sub! And we all hope you continue teaching. From, Your Third Hour.
The note was signed by everyone in the class, from my early-morning tutoring students to
the class clowns in the back. Sometimes we dont know the progress were making. Until
a class full of ngeles finds a way to get through to us.
Perfect Choice
By Kimberly Wencl, Owatonna, Minnesota (guideposts.org)
Teenaged girls giggled around my sister and me at the mall. They walked together in a
tight group, swinging bags of merchandise: clothes, make-up, jewelry. Any minute I
expected to see my own daughter Liz come around a corner with a group of her friends.
But Liz wasnt here, I had to remind myself. Just the day before shed died in a fire in the
duplex she shared at college.
Lets try this one, my sister Sue said, guiding me into a shop that looked familiar. Of
course. Liz had worked here during high school. A true clothes-a-holic, shed loved the
discount the job got her on the merchandise. Most of her earnings went right back to the
store. Now I had come here to buy her one last outfit. The one she would be buried in.
Can I help you? the salesgirl asked.
Just looking, I said. I felt numb and far away. Sue had driven us to the mall because I
didnt think I could focus on the road. In fact, I couldnt really focus on anything. I
couldnt even cry or get angry. At the funeral home Id sat in silence with my husband
and my father while the director went over all the details. Youll need to bring in some
clothing, he explained. Any time in the next couple of days.
Id sat like a statue, not really understanding. It wasnt until I got home that his words
actually registered: Liz needed new clothes. Her entire wardrobe had burned up in the fire
with everything else.
I flipped through the racks around me in the store. How many times had Liz needed new
clothes? She seemed to come up with a reason every other week. My daughter was a
champion shopper. She often gave her still-wearable clothes away to friends to make
space in her closet for something new. Liz didnt get her love of shopping from me, I
said, holding up a dress for Sues opinion.
I thought back to the last time Id visited this very mall with Liz. Lets make this quick,
Id said when we arrived. To me shopping was a chore to be taken care of fast.
Ive got a list of all the stores I want to go to, Liz replied. When we finished at the first
one Liz took a couple of things up to the counter. Could you put these on hold for me?
she asked the saleslady. Ill be back before you close.
Why didnt you just buy them? I asked as we left.
I dont know if I will, said Liz. I need to see everything before I decide. She dragged
me all over the mall. She tried on more outfits than Id worn in my entire life. If shopping
was a sport in the Olympics Liz would win a gold medal. She put clothes on hold at
several stores. Only at the end of the day, when her mother was about ready to collapse,
did she return to buy a chosen few.
By that time Id seen so many clothes I couldnt tell what was special about the ones she
brought home. Only Liz knew why they were exactly right. I put the dress back on the
rack. Sue agreed: It just wasnt Liz. How could I ever pick the right outfit without her?
The clothes in the store swam together, like a jumbled mass of fabric.
Liz, youve got to help me here, I thought to myself. I have absolutely no idea what to
pick.
Sue and I moved through the store. I let my eye rove over the racks. A pair of khaki pants
caught my eye. I grabbed a pair in Lizs size. A few minutes later I reached for a pale blue
sweater. Thats pretty, Sue said. Lets get that.
I have no idea if this is what Liz would want, I admitted.
I saw Liz in my mind picking through racks of clothes. That was when she was alive, I
reminded myself. Maybe she cant care about things like that anymore. I guess it doesnt
really matter if I dont get it right, I said. Once I had wished my daughter didnt care so
much about clothes. Now the thought of her not caring, or not being able to care, was
unbearable. It meant she no longer existed, not on earth or anywhere. I would never see
her again.
The funeral went smoothly, not that I would have noticed any mistakes. Nothing mattered
to Liz anymore. Why should it matter to me? The day after the funeral my sister-in-law
stopped by. Karen was the family photographer. Shed gone through her collection for
shots of Liz I might like.
I found one from last Christmas when Liz was over at my house, she said, digging into
her purse. I dont think youve ever seen it.
She passed me a photo. There was Elizabeth smiling and happily sitting on a couch with
her cousins. It took me a moment to focus on anything besides her face, but when I did I
couldnt believe it. Liz was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a pale blue sweater. Almost
identical to the outfit I had bought. What were the chances?
You werent on your own, I realized. Sue had done her best to advise me, but in the end
Id asked for Lizs help. An angel with good fashion sense had helped me choose the
perfect outfit for my daughter, the champion shopper. No longer with me on earth, but
alive as ever in heaven, where one day I will see her again. No doubt she had a new outfit
all picked out for the occasion.
I looked up to see a small church with a white board out front. It read, If youre looking
for a sign, here it is.
I couldnt figure out why moving home was part of Gods plan, but I did it. And I
continued to audition like crazy while working a full-time job. Three years went by. And
my dream? It felt further away than ever.
I could think of only one last shot: Move to New York City. But how? I could never
afford the rent.
About a month later there was a knock on our door. It was Jen, a friend I hadnt seen in
years, and her mom. We were in the neighborhood, Jen said. Hows everything? I
told her about my impossible plan to move to the Big Apple.
Get out! she said. I live there now. You can stay with me for free as long as you need.
I couldnt...
Jen insisted. I took the 72 dollars I had left to my name and went for it.
Every day I anxiously checked audition listings. Two weeks after I moved, a posting
online jumped off the page: Cirque Dreams Holidaze national tour. Video submissions
only. National tour! My heart leapt.
I submitted a reel of footage, showing my vocal range. The next day the casting director
hired me. I was floored. My parents were thrilled.
Now, I stood on stage in my wings, wondering if my dream would really take off. I took a
deep breath and launched into O Holy Night.
An adorable little girl in the front row followed my every move. I stepped closer, looked
into her eyes and sang. When I finished I took a bow, turned her way and winked.
She shyly glanced at her mom as if to say, Did you see that? It was like she really
believed in Angel, in me. A peace enveloped me, and I knew, without a doubt, that this
was Gods plan for my life. Mom was right oh-so-long ago: If you can dream it, you can
do it.
Today Im performing in plays and shows around the citythe work hasnt stopped!
Broadway will come too. I know it. All good things do, as long as you believe.
Any minute now, my sister-in-law, Virginia, would be arriving for the weekend and I
wasnt even dressed yet. There was too much to get done and no one to do it but me.
I still needed to wipe down the sink in the bathroom and put out a guest towel, set a box
of tissues on her nightstand, make sure there werent any wrinkles in the bedspread.
Id lived by myself since my husband died 26 years earlier. Times like this I wished I had
someone to rely on for help.
The smell of corn bread and chicken casserole baking in the oven wafted through the
house. An apple pie Id just finished putting the top crust on was ready to go in next.
Even though it was a lot of work, Id planned a big lunch, like we do in the South.
Dont worry about entertaining me, Virginia had told me the last time we talked, but I
didnt want her to think Id forgotten my manners. I mean, everyone likes to feel like
theyre being taken care of. I sure would, I thought as I wiped down the counter.
But I couldnt remember the last time that had happened. Being single Id gotten used to
taking care of everything myself.
Besides, this weekend was special. Virginia was coming for my oldest grandsons
wedding. I had my gifts wrapped in the front closetan album filled with family photos
and a quilt Id had made out of a quilt top my husbands mother passed down to me years
ago.
Id heard about a group of quilters at the local senior center and brought the quilt top to a
woman there. Its gorgeous, I said when I went back to pick up my finished quilt. Like
something you would hang on a wall.
You should see some of the quilts the other women here make, she said. In fact were
having a show on Friday.
Normally I would have dismissed the ideaFridays were busy for me. But it sounded
like something Virginia might like, so I wrote down the time of the show.
I opened the oven to check on the casserole. In the background the radio, always tuned to
WYEA, my local classic rock/oldies station, played just about the only thing that would
get me to slow down: Elvis! Love me tender, love me sweet...
Theres no one like Elvis, I thought, turning up the volume. I wasnt into all the
collectibles other people bought, but his voice made me feel like a teenager. Too bad the
phone rang, interrupting his song.
What now? I thought. Hello?
Im sorry, I think I have the wrong number, a man said. But I wonder if you could
help me anyway.
The last thing I had time for was helping someone else.
Im from out of town, the man explained. I could hear the sound of cars in the
background, like he was on the road. I read that theres a quilt show at a senior center.
Do you know anything about that?
As a matter of fact, I do, I said. Its on Friday.
Would you have the phone number? And do you know if its open to people from
outside the area?
Well, I imagine it is, I said, rummaging in a drawer for the paper where Id written
down the information about the show. The place is called the Coosa Center, but I dont
have the phone number.
My mother makes the most beautiful quilts, the man said, his voice as slow as
molasses. I opened the oven door to look at my casserole as he talked. She could really
use the money from selling them.
A woman on her own with bills to payI knew how that felt. She was just taking care of
herself. I checked the phone book, but found nothing for the Coosa Center. Call me in
five minutes. Ill find the number.
I hung up and called the library. The reference desk said theyd call back when they had
time. Meanwhile I took the corn bread out of the oven. Why isnt that man looking up the
number himself, I thought. You cant just call a stranger and expect her to help you.
I turned on the faucet to clean the dishesthat gave me an idea. The place where I paid
my water bill was across from the senior center. They might know the phone number.
I grabbed my latest bill and gave them a call. We get this question a lot, the woman at
the water company said. Its listed under West Coosa Senior Center.
Id just written the number down when the stranger called me back. This will mean so
much to my mom, he said. She makes Elvis quilts. You ought to come see them.
Elvis quilts? I said. Well, now Id heard everything.
Virginia and I visited the show on Friday. Quilts filled the senior center, each more
beautiful than the last. But one quilt in particular caught my eye right away.
It was bright red, with piano keys cascading all around it. And in the center was Elvis,
dressed in a red sports jacket and tie, hips swiveling, a microphone in his hand. I was so
awestruck it took me a second to figure out who the man standing beside the quilt must
be.
This must be your mothers quilt, I said. And you must be my wrong number! The
man smiled a little sheepishly.
To be honest, it wasnt a wrong number, he said. I had no idea who to call for what I
needed. I just asked God to guide me and punched in a random number. He put me right
in touch with an angel.
I couldnt believe it. He just dialed any number and trusted someone would help him?
That was crazy. But it worked. God had put him in touch with just the right personme.
If God would help him, maybe hed help me the same way. Maybe I didnt have to handle
everything myself.
The Elvis quilts were a big hit at the show that day. But for me they were something
more: a reminder that the world is full of angels ready to help us if we have faith enough
to ask them.
With one glance at our uniforms, the nuns could see we were Americans. Welcome,
they said. Guten Abend! Willkommen! Bon jour! they added, in a happy blur of
German and French. We quickly summoned the others in our unit, and all of us cold,
exhausted medics moved into the warm, candlelit building.
More white-robed nuns welcomed us. More smiling faces framed by high headdresses. In
one corner of a room was perhaps the most startling sight of all: a Christmas tree,
glistening with sparkling ornaments and candles.
The men and I looked at one another. No words were necessary, except for our prayers of
thanksgiving. This was the most beautiful tree wed ever seen.
Come, said the nuns, leading us through glass doors. We entered a large room, and all
of us stood dumbfounded.
The room contained a combat soldiers ultimate dream: real beds, complete with blankets,
feather mattresses and pillows. We had slept fitfully for weeks on the icy ground or
crouched in the back of a truck.
I looked up to see a statue of Christ gazing down from the marble mantel of a fireplace,
seemingly pleased at our awe and delight. This indeed must be heaven, I decided.
Our chaplain led us in a prayer, and each of us lit a candle and placed it on the mantel at
Christs feet. I no longer felt so far from home. My thoughts were with my parents, and
my dear Lois, my wife of only two years. I saw the others close their eyes, and I knew
they were with their loved ones too.
Buzz bombs could still be heard, roaring somewhere above us. We were in the middle of
the most devastating war in history, but how could this be more like Christmas Eve?
As if in answer, the sweet strains of a childs voice began to fill the room, floating
through the open door. It was a refugee girl singing Christmas carols and hymns in a
language I didnt understand, but celebrating the same sacred birth recognized around the
world.
The nuns later explained that the war had displaced thousands of children, and we GIs
were invited to the cellar, where some 80 frightened orphans had been given sanctuary.
Packs of gum, chocolate and smiles gradually broke the language barriers, and soon the
kids were climbing onto the soldiers laps.
The clowns in our outfit made the kids laugh with their antics. One, with his harmonica,
had them singing American songs like Jingle Bells, Ive Been Working on the
Railroad and Red Sails in the Sunset. We even sang O Tannenbaum and Silent
Night in German!
Finally the nuns sang a good-night song with the children and all of us GIs dispersed to
that glorious bedroom, where we slept soundly under the watchful gaze of Christ.
It was Christmas after all, and the miracle was real to me in a way it had never been
before. We were not lost, as Id feared, nor would we lose this war.
On this holiest of nights, wed been led to a place of sanctuary, and greeted by angels at
the door.
Secret Garden
By Lynn Halloran, Frankfort, Illinois (guideposts.org)
Darkness had finally fallen over our street.
I stepped onto our porch and scanned the road. No sign of activity. No neighbors putting
out trash or pulling out of the driveway. I made a run for it, grabbing the letters that had
been sitting in the mailbox since noon.
I couldnt go out during the day. It was too risky. Someone might see me and strike up a
conversation. As I closed the front door behind me, I imagined their questions. Hows
Bill? they might ask. I havent seen him around. Or Has Bill lost interest in
gardening? Your yard looks like an abandoned lot!
None of our neighbors would be so rude, but they must have wondered what was going
on. I glanced out the window at our front lawn. The moon cast a spotlight on grass grown
knee-high and flower beds tangled with weeds. Flower beds that usually looked like a
spread in Better Homes and Gardens by this time of year. The neighbors must have
noticed that this year was different.
What was different was that Bill had cancer. None of the neighbors knew. I didnt want
them to. It would make the cancer real. So for weeks Id kept his condition a secret. The
countless doctor appointments, the hours I spent flipping through magazines in the
waiting room while Bill received chemo treatment. The even worse times when Bill was
at home suffering the aftereffects while I sat helpless with fear beside him.
Youve got to help me, God, I thought as I tossed the mail on the table in the foyer. I
dont have anyone else.
I glanced out the window again. Our brown garden stood out so much against all the
well-tended yards on the block. Id always felt so at home here. Now I felt like I didnt
belong.
Bill shuffled into the hallway. Somethings wrong, he said.
Bills face was pasty, his forehead dotted with sweat. I punched 911 on the phone, hands
shaking.
Within minutes an ambulance pulled up, sirens screaming. Paramedics ran to the door.
They loaded Bill onto a gurney and gave him oxygen. As they wheeled him out, I saw
Steve from next door on his own doorstep. His wife, Miki, was with him. I ducked into
the house and grabbed my purse. I ran out to the car, refusing to meet the eyes of Steve or
Miki or the dozen other neighbors who had also come out on their porches in their
nightclothes to stare.
I felt like a criminal making a getaway. These people were our friends and Id shut them
out. I fumbled with the keys but I was too slow. Miki tapped on the window. Lynn, she
asked, her voice full of concern, whats wrong with Bill?
I couldnt think of anything else but the truth. He has cancer, I said. Its My throat
closed up. I sped off after the ambulance. He has cancer. Its real. The secret was out.
There was no going back. Bill had cancer. How could I ever face it?
Bills doctor was waiting at the hospital. Well get his blood oxygen levels stable, he
told me. He should go home tomorrow afternoon.
I settled in for another night in a waiting room. I tried to keep my mind blank, but I kept
thinking about Billand our neighbors. I imagined them back on our little suburban
street, talking about the tragedy wed brought to it. They would worry. I couldnt deal
with anyones worry but my own. How can I reassure them, I thought, when Im barely
handling this myself? I wanted things back the way they used to be, when the only thing
the neighbors wondered about Bill was how on earth he managed to make his garden so
beautiful.
By mid-morning, Bill was resting so I left to refresh myself at home. I turned onto my
street and almost slowed to a stop. My yard was full of people. A utility van blocked the
driveway, its gigantic doors open. A man from down the block unloaded a flat of flowers.
He passed it to one of the wives from across the street, who passed it to her husband and
so on into our garden where a neighbor patted it into the ground. Behind him another
neighbor cut the grass to the trim even length Bill always preferred.
I sat behind the wheel, open-mouthed. Miki opened the car door. Why didnt you tell us
Bill was sick, Lynn? she asked as she gathered me into her arms. Steve stood beside her
with his electric hedge trimmer. We would have helped sooner!
I relaxed into her arms. I hadnt realized how tired I was until I had a shoulder to lean on.
Instead of adding to my burden, Mikis concern made me feel relieved.
Were here now, said Steve. And well get this place into shape.
You go inside and rest, Miki said, shooing me to the house. Now.
I left my neighbors with their rakes and garden hoses and drew myself a nice lavender
bubble bath. Then I slipped into bed for a rest.
I awoke hours later. The yard was silent. I went downstairs and stepped onto the porch.
The lawn was manicured. The shrubs neatly trimmed. Black-eyed Susans, hostas and
coleus peeked out from a fresh bed of mahogany chips. Pink and purple impatiens
bloomed beside snowy white begonias. Fat clay pots dotted the patio, overflowing with
trailing vines and red geraniums.
When I picked up Bill at the hospital he knew something was up. You wont believe
your eyes, I promised. I watched as we turned onto our street. Bill sat up in surprise.
Then his eyes filled with tears. This is just He couldnt finish. He didnt have to.
I pulled into the driveway. We sat there for a long time, my head on Bills chest, drawing
strength from the garden finer than any other on the block.
Id feared that our friends knowing my secret would make Bills cancer real. But nothing
was more real than God who, like our neighbors, had found the perfect way to show me I
wasnt alone, that I was part of a community in good times and bad. I was surrounded by
love. It was blooming all around me.
When the kittens were about six weeks old, Gracies mom gave us a call. We decided to
get another cat, she said. Could Gracie pick out one of your kittens?
Sure, I said. I knew which kitten Gracie would want. But the kids had lost so much. I
couldnt ask them to give up their favorite kitten.
I gathered everybody in the backyard. Weve been shown a lot of kindness since the
storm, I told the kids. Now we have a chance to give. Gracie is going to take one of our
kittens home.
We have to give her the white one, my son said. One by one, the others agreed.
Id lost a lot in the tornado, but I still had the best kids in the world.
new season. A feathery joy billowed up, and I surrendered with an ease that surprised me.
Thank you, I said to the old man. My family must be wondering where I am.
In the evening, we broke camp, loaded up and drove home. Bill reached for my hand as
the children slept in the backseat. The peace and silence said it all: Everything had
changed. My professional aspirations had shrunk to their rightful size in the context of
Gods grace.
I had a brand-new yoke, one that was a perfect fit, tailored by God for my growing family
and me.
Read an excerpt from Robin's book, The Song of Annie Moses.
Read Robin's story, "The Blessing of Music."
Listen as Robin shares how she was inspired by her grandmother, Annie Moses.
Thanksgiving Restored
A woman is reminded that blessings abide, even in tough times.
By Gail Tucker, Louisville, Kentucky
Normally, Im the first one to be in the Thanksgiving spirit, but as I pushed my cart
through the grocery store I wished we could skip it this year. I passed the turkey, stuffing
and pumpkin pie without a glance. Mom wouldnt be with us, and neither would anyone
else. What kind of Thanksgiving was that?
Mom was in the hospital and not doing well. Our two sons were living out of state and
wouldnt be able to make the long drive. Friends had invited us over, but I wasnt feeling
up to it. Im just not very good company right now, Id told them. Distraught was more
like it, with not much to feel thankful for.
I tossed a head of lettuce into my cart to go with the roast I had at home. Turkey and
fixings could wait till next year. With just Dale and me to cook for, why make a feast?
I wheeled my cart into the checkout line. The woman bagging groceries chatted with the
couple in front of me. Yall havin guests? She sounded genuinely interested. Friendly
and warm. For a minute, she almost made me forget about my troubles.
Hi, there! she said, smiling when it was my turn. You plannin on cookin at home
today?
Yes...yes, I am, I said.
Hmmm...say, do you like turkey?
about all the medical bills piling up, she confided during one visit. Can you please pray
for us?
So I did. Every day. But I wanted to do more. Friends of ours shuttled her kids to afterschool activities, others cooked meals and baked desserts.
Now, as Jerry can attest, Im no cook. I am an artist, though. One night, lying in bed, I
tossed and turned. Lord, help me use my art to help Susie. My mind drifted to a stainedglass class Id taken a while back. I usually worked with oil paints, but there was
something about the way sunlight shimmered through the glass that felt peaceful, almost
healing. What else was peaceful and healing?
Angels.
The next morning I got right to work. I used an aqua shade of glass (Susies favorite
color) for the body and a silvery pearl glass for the wings. It was a long, painstaking
processlining up the pattern, cutting the glass, foiling the sides. I worked a little bit at a
time. Susies angel stood just over a foot tall and I topped her off with a golden halo and
added a holder for a votive candle.
A couple of days before Christmas, I brought the angel to Susies hospital room. I made
this for you, I said.
Oh, Bobbie! Susie gasped. I love it! Put her on the table over there so I can see her all
the time.
Whenever Id visit Susie, shed tell me how much she loved the angel. I thought she was
just being sweet. One afternoon, though, she mentioned that someone had asked her
where they could buy one. I told them you made it for me, she said. And they asked
me where you sell them. You really ought to make more of these.
More? I loved making the angelbut it had taken me almost 20 hours. There was no way
Id have the time to make more and keep up with my other artwork. I was about to tell
Susie it was impossible when it hit me: Id round up the folks who asked her about the
angel and teach them how to make one too. Then we could sell them and give the money
to Susie and her family to help with her medical expenses.
I invited about a dozen womenmostly Susies friends and familyover to my house.
Right there in my living room, we cut shapes from sheet glass and wrapped the edges in
foil. Even Jerry got in on the act, helping us solder the pieces together. I told Susie about
our stained-glass operation. She was thrilled! Within a few months we presented her
family with a check for two hundred dollars. It wasnt much, but it was a start.
Word of mouth spreadfast. Soon we had 30 volunteers and an assembly line that
outgrew our living room. Jerry and I cleared the clutter out of our basement and set up
shop down there. It really looks like an angel factory! Jerry said, laughing, when he
ground for heart-shaped rocks that I collect. As I picked up a few "heart rocks," I spoke
to God and the powers that be," asking for "a sign from above" to let me know that God
and the angels were there and that I was making the right choice moving in with my
boyfriend. Right after I asked for a sign, something sparkly caught my eye. There,
hanging on a scrap piece of wood leaning against the fence was a crystal angel Christmas
ornament. I was amazed and awestruck. I couldn't stop smiling and my heart was so full
of happiness I felt like my chest would just burst. I couldn't ask for a more "crystal clear"
sign than that! Just to make sure I wasn't crazy, I took the ornament and asked my
boyfriend and the friends helping us move if they had placed the ornament there.
Everyone said they'd never seen it before, and when I told them my story, they were just
as amazed as I was. We took it be a true sign from above, and this made me very happy!
"The city of L.A. is 468.7 square miles," she explained. "I figured it would take
approximately ten angels per square mile to have an impact. That means 4,687 angels,
total."
When she went to clean up for dinner, I looked around her studio. Plaster, pigment and
rubber molds littered the place. Row upon row of drying angels sat in mute attention
along shelves and on pallets on the floor.
"My assistants and I make each angel as an act of prayer," she said. "We believe that one
role of the artist is to promote healing in a community. That's what we are trying to do."
On the way to dinner we stopped off to buy gas. I was impressed by Jill's fearlessness in
this part of the city. Downtown Los Angeles can be daunting after dark. No one lives
thereexcept a handful of artists and some homeless people.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when a burly, unshaven man appeared out of the dark to
ask the time. But Jill was utterly unafraid.
We drove to a brightly lit noodle restaurant in Little Tokyo. In the booth she and I talked
about the riots that had rocked the city in the spring of 1992. I didn't move from my
house for days, riveted by the images on television. Jill ventured out almost immediately.
"I sat by the TV for a while," she said, "until the numbness started to get to me. At that
point a friend and I drove down to Watts to see if there was something we could do.
"I'll never forget it," she went on. "There were people from all over the city who had
come down to help clean uppeople who would otherwise never consider driving to
Watts."
Shortly thereafter, a magazine cover blared, "Has the City of Angels Gone to Hell?" Jill
was incensed. "What the city needed was healing, not more hurt.
"The rest of the year was difficult for me," she said. "I kept trying to force myself into my
studio, but I wasn't motivated. I didn't feel creative. It was all I could do to drag myself
out of bed to drive to my job as a waitress at my parents' restaurant."
At this point Jill excused herself from the table. She went out to her truck and came back
holding one of her angels. She gave it to the head busboy, who beamed with delight,
hugging the bright-pink figure to his stained apron.
"That's Mario," Jill said when she returned to our table. "I'd promised him an angel. He
got number 4,508."
Jill then described the cement angel that began her mission. She had bought it on impulse
at a craft store, painted it pink and put it on a shelf in her bathroom. That could have been
the end of it, except that something insistent, almost urgent, told her to share the angel.
But how?
Then late one night, when Jill was driving home after work, the L.A. skyline looming
above the freeway beckoned to her. In a moment of inspiration an idea came to her.
Finally she knew what to do with the angel.
The plan was simple: Place pink angels in every square mile of the city. The first four
angels went out at dawn on April 29, 1993, the anniversary of the Los Angeles riots.
Jill set them on the front stoop of the First A.M.E. Church in South Central L.A., where a
banner above the church read, "Brothers, Come Help Us Stop the Madness."
Working alone and relying on her waitress's wages, Jill was able to place 40 angels in six
months. Then she won a grant for $4,500, all of which she spent on materials to make
more angels. Her modest income now went to hire a full-time assistant.
By the seventh month, the two of them were able to distribute 300 angels.
The only snafu came when Jill sat 60 angels on the steps of City Hall on the eve of
elections in November 1993. Before anyone arrived for work the next morning, all 60
were gonethey had been confiscated by the night watchman. "I call them my fallen
angels," Jill said, laughing.
By then the local media had begun to write about the angel phenomenon sweeping the
city. Jill's grant money had run out and she had started using her Visa card to make more
angels when CBS News Sunday Morning aired an eight-minute segment about her.
"My phone started ringing off the hook. It rang for three weeks straight. People called
from all over the country wanting angels, offering to make donations."
All told, she received $6,000 in the mail. Besides money, the publicity brought in
volunteers. "People wanted to help distribute angels. We started sending out ten trucks
with two humans and eighty angels aboard each one, on the second Sunday of every
month."
Jill and I paid our bill and got up to leave. One of the other customers approached her
shyly. "Are you the angel lady?" he asked.
Jill smiled and nodded.
"Oh, thank you!" he blurted out. "I came across the ones you put near the Laundromat in
Silverlake and I was in such a terrible mood that day. Seeing them there, so bright and
pink and peaceful, turned my day around."
Each of Jill's angels is numbered on the bottom, and its placement in the city is recorded
with a photograph and logged in a ledger. Jill then enters that information into a computer
on a software program donated to her by Thomas Bros. Maps.
At the end of her project she'll be able to print out a huge map of the city with exactly
4,687 angel placements marked on it.
"When it's over, all I'll have left will be this map and the photographs of the angels," said
Jill. "But I will have fulfilled my role as an artist to help bring together our city."
Back in her studio I asked her what she thought angels were.
"I have heard it said that angels are God's thoughts passing to man, and man's thoughts
passing to God," Jill told me. "These angels are my prayers of peace for the people of Los
Angeles."
It was well past midnight when I headed north on the freeway to return home. As I drove,
I glanced up at the sky and saw stars. A feeling of love swept over me. Angels were
everywhere.
reacquainted myself with my writers group, and even did some gardening, my symptoms
slowly fell away. For me, proper treatment started with a doctors prescription, but I
believe my angel was the perfect home remedy.
couldnt stop talking about the orphaned babies the group had spent time with. Mom,
she said, there were so many. I held them. I played with them. I made them laugh and
coo.
Thats nice, honey, I said. Shell be a good mother someday, I thought. Until then she
had a lot to learn about babies. I certainly had no desire to return to the days of diaper
changing, bottle washing and constant supervision. My son, Zach, was 11. He and Maddi
were fairly independent now. I liked having that freedom for myself and more time to
spend with my husband, Lance. My family was exactly the way I wanted it to be.
Maddi kept talking. I have an idea, she said. I set my heart on it the minute I walked
into the orphanage in Shantou. She grabbed my hands, her eyes bright. Mom, she said,
lets adopt one of those babies.
Maddis confession startled me so much, all I could do was laugh.
She looked crushed. Im serious!
I know, I said. But we could never do something like that.
Tears welled up in Maddis eyes. Wed save a childs life, she said. I put my arms
around her. She made me proud. Shed had an unforgettable experience seeing those
abandoned children. Anyone as loving as Maddi would want to rescue them too.
As the days passed Maddi held fast to her idea. She didnt let up. Several times a week
she asked her father and me if we could adopt a baby from China. Ill help take care of
her, she offered one evening at dinner. I promise.
Lance could tell the subject was beginning to irritate me. No, Maddi, he said. Its not
possible.
Why not? Zach chimed in. Now we had both of them to contend with.
Children need parents, Maddi cried. You of all people should know, Mom! Tears
streamed down her face, and she ran from the kitchen table, leaving her dinner
untouched.
Lance and I sat quietly. My daughters words had hit home. I understood very well the
benefits of adoption, and Maddi knew it. I was adopted myself. My blonde hair and blue
eyes didnt match Mom and Dads. We looked nothing alike. But there was no doubt in
my mind. We were family.
Maddi has thrown me for a loop, I said to Lance. This idea of adoption. It seems
crazy. He agreed. For us, having a son and daughter was just perfect. Presumably, we
could have more children of our own, if we wanted. I was 39, but it was still possible.
A few days later we went to my parents for the weekend. They were eager to hear about
Maddis trip. She was the center of attention, especially when she talked about the
orphans of Shantou. I wish Mom and Dad would adopt a baby, Maddi said to them.
I wanted to crawl under the rug.
Thatll never happen, her grandpa chimed in. Your moms too old.
Wait a minute, Dad. You think Im too old to raise another child? You were forty when
you adopted me.
That was different. This isnt something you want to do, is it?
On the way home Maddi sulked in the backseat. I couldnt help feeling sorry for her. She
hadnt wavered from her wish in the three months since shed come back from her trip.
Teasing me in the corner of my mind was a thought. Maybe its not such a bad idea after
all. I could never mention this to Lance. He would never agree to it.
After our confrontation that night Maddi didnt talk much about adoption. Funny thing: I
thought about it more. I saw an Asian child with Caucasian parents at church and my
mind raced. They did it. Could we? What was I thinking? I didnt want a baby! Anyway,
there were already kids right here in my own city who could use a good home. But
thoughts of adopting a baby from China had infiltrated my mind.
The dreams began. Twice I woke up with odd images. I couldnt remember the specifics,
but I knew I had dreamed about adoption. A third dream was vivid. I stood at a counter in
a lobby, waiting with strangers. A woman approached. She had brought me a baby who
looked just under a year old. She was reluctant to let go of the child. When she handed
her to me, the baby put its arms around my neck. We hugged each other.
Immediately I awoke. An incredible feeling of love washed over me. Somehow I knew it
wasnt just Maddi who wanted our family to adopt a baby. Maybe God wanted it too.
Lord, I prayed, please show me if this is truly your will.
A few days passed before I got up the nerve to talk to Lance. I told him about the dreams,
especially the third one. Its the weirdest thing, I confessed. I cant stop thinking about
adopting a baby from China.
Lance was quiet for a moment before he spoke. Ive been thinking about it too, Andrea.
This was the confirmation I needed. Lance and I had never taken Maddi seriously when
she brought up the idea. In four months God had changed our hearts.
We called the children together to tell them. Maybe for the first time in her life, Maddi
was speechless. Zach shouted, Yes! My parents were delighted as well. After applying
with an agency we waited a solid year. In October 2004, the four of us flew to China to
bring home 10-month-old Emma. The nannies at the orphanage lingered in the doorway.
The woman who held our baby seemed reluctant to hand her over, just like my dream.
Once Emma was in my arms, I stroked her black hair and looked into her dark eyes.
Lance, Maddi and Zach moved in close.
Holding my new daughter, I felt the overwhelming love I remembered from my dream.
There was no doubt in my mind. Emma was heaven-sent. My family was exactly the way
I wanted it to be.
unselfconscious at her shoeless state, and I can only imagine the glow she must have felt
at seeing my sister light up.
As she disappeared, my father wondered what she had been waiting for, as she left as
soon as she had offered her gift. It was almost as if she were a red-shoe angel, magically
waiting to give Angel this odd gift.
My father, still terribly embarrassed, nevertheless was deeply moved at this selfless gift
from a complete stranger. Angel stood, clutching her new red shoes and wearing a big
grin that reached all the way to her deep blue eyes. You dont even know if theyll fit.
Dad attempted one last weak argument against the gift. They will. Angel assured him
with a confident smile. Help me put em on. Dad got her seated and then loosened the
laces and tried them on her size five-and-one-half feet. Like Cinderella, it was a perfect
fit. I told you, she grinned up at him. They were meant for me. My sister had an
almost magical belief in everything. After her treatment, Dad brought her home and they
told me the story of the mysterious woman and her generosity.
I listened in amazement and wondered if the woman had any idea of the impact her gift
had on our family. That a total stranger would take the shoes off her feet and, without
hesitation, give them to my sister was incredibleI think maybe even the gift of an
angel.
Its been almost two years since my sister passed away. I often reflect on her great impact
on the world and of the impact of the world on her. She looked for the good in people and
found it more than most of us ever do. I sometimes think of those red shoes too. Angel
never got to wear them much, as her feet swelled from her medication and the red shoes
didnt make it onto her feet again. But they stayed prominently displayed in her bedroom,
right up until the day she left for bluer skies. Always a reminder of the good in people and
the earthly angels who walk in and out of our lives all the time. Angels bearing gifts of
red shoes are probably a rarity these days, but I know of at least one.
Pinned inside her mangled Mercedes, seriously injured and fading fast, Katie Lentz
turned to her rescuers on the lonely open stretch of Missouri highway and asked them to
pray.
Struck head-on by a drunk driver on Sunday morning, emergency workers had been
battling for an hour and a half to free Lentz, but to no avail.
But as they joined hands a Catholic priest appeared, even though there were no
bystanders and the road was blocked, who offered a prayer and an instruction to the
rescuers that they would now be able to free her.
Suddenly, heavy equipment needed to cut through the metal arrived from a nearby town
and Lentz was pulled from the wreck in time to be saved - but when they turned to thank
the priest, he was gone.
'He came up and approached the patient, and offered a prayer,' Chief Raymond Reed told
KHQA-TV.
'It was a Catholic priest who had anointing oil with him. A sense of calmness came over
her, and it did us as well.
'I cant be for certain how it was said, but myself and another firefighter, we very plainly
heard that we should remain calm, that our tools would now work and that we would get
her out of that vehicle.'
That is when officers from the neighboring Hannibal Fire Department arrived with their
jaws-of-life and Lentz was pulled to safety and put into an air ambulance to hospital.
Turning to thank the guardian angel who had arrived from nowhere at their lowest ebb,
the emergency crews could not find him.
The highway had been blocked for a quarter of a mile each end during the hour and a half
rescue and no bystanders and parked cars were anywhere near the crash site on Highway
19 near Center.
'We would like to find this gentleman and be able to thank him,' Reed said.
'As a first responder, you don't know what you're going to run into. We have a lot of tools,
and we have intensive training.
'In this particular case, it is my feeling that it was nothing more than sheer faith and
nothing short of a miracle.'
Lentz suffered several broken bones to repair her legs, but her friends and family say that
her spirit has been boosted by the apparent divine intervention.
'Both of her legs are very damaged,' Lentz's friend Amanda Wiseman said.
'Her wrist is broken, several broken ribs, so she's had a lot of broken bones to deal with.'
Chief Raymond Reed said rescue crews were struggling to cut through the strong metal
of Lentz's Mercedes.
'It was a very well-built car, and when you compact materials like that one, they become
even stronger because you're cutting through multiple things instead of one layer,' Reed
said.
Reed says Lentz was pinned in between the steering wheel and the seat and the prayer
was offered just as he was told by the paramedics that Lentz was failing.
'Where did this guy come from?' Lentz's friend Travis Wiseman asked.
'We're looking for the priest and so far, no one has seen him. Whether it was a priest as an
angel or an actual angel, he was an angel to all those and to Katie.'
The driver of the other car in that accident, Aaron Smith, has been charged with a DWI,
second degree assault and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway.
There are several Catholic churches in the area to Highway 19 - the nearest being St
Paul's - however, the mystery priest has still not come forward.
nervous to eat anyway. It was up to me to keep these children safe. And calm. Wed lost
power earlier, and with it the heat.
Already our breath hung in the frigid air. How long could the kids hold out in this chill?
And what about my own kids? Id called my wife, Faithe, but that was before I knew
about the Kuntzes.
Faithe was home alone with our two young boys. Had they lost power? Were they cold?
When I left the house in the morning Faithe was full of plans for Thanksgiving. I wasnt
feeling very thankful now.
I picked up the phone to update my wife. But when the operator tried to place the call,
nothing happened. That lines dead, she said.
Back at the Musser house, Faithe heard someone yelling. Her neighbor Bert Zook was
standing out in his yard, hollering over the howling wind. Davids stuck at the school,
he told her. Your phone line is down, but he got through to my house.
Faithe waved and went back inside. Send your angels to protect my husband, she
prayed. He seemed so far away trapped at the school. Could angels even reach him there?
Did angels have snowplows?
She surveyed the food for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Normally shed be getting ready for a
house full of guests by this time. Baking apple pies, rolling out the crusts while David
peeled and sliced the apples. But no one was going to come to see them this year, not
even for roasted turkey.
She felt so lonely, even with her two boys playing by the fire.
Just then there was a knock on the door. She opened it and was startled to find two young
men and a young woman huddled together on her porch. They were covered with snow,
their cheeks red from the wind.
Were college students, one of the men said. We were on our way home for the
holiday and my car slid into a ditch. Would you have any room for us?
Why of course, Faithe said. Come in and get warm by the fire. Ill make a pot of
coffee. Here I was feeling lonely, she thought, and now I have unexpected guests. She
almost had to laugh.
Fresh coffee made, she was just pouring when again there was a loud, urgent rapping.
My delivery truck spun off the road, said the man outside the door. I saw your light
on. Would you have a place I could stay?
Im sure we can figure something out. Do you like coffee?
Faithe had prayed for angels to protect her husband, but God had also heard her silent
plea for company. Now she had a house full. Where were they all going to sleep? Plus she
needed to get started on something for dinner.
She was walking to the kitchen whenNo! It couldnt beshe heard the sound of feet
stamping on the porch.
Two men, linemen for Kansas Power & Light. Our truck slid into a ditch, one said.
Inside the schoolhouse it was freezing. I racked my mind for ideas to keep the kids
moving. Wed played tag. And Duck, Duck, Goose. Simon Says. What now?
I found some candles and lit them. I pulled the heavy curtains from the windows down
and draped them around the children. But still they couldnt stop shivering. I could feel
the fear, a deepening sense of dread, building inside of me.
Soon it was pitch dark, save for the flickering light of the candles. We huddled together. I
could hear little Twila sniffling, trying not to cry.
I thought about Faithe and how she was coping all alone. And these childrens parents.
How frightened they must be. Id never felt more alone. Cut off. From everyone.
I heard rustling. The door flew open and a shadow filled the doorway.
Uncle Harry! the children all shouted together.
Ive come to get you out of here, Harry Kuntz announced. Mrs. Kugler called me and
swore she couldnt sleep knowing you were here. She made me promise to come after
you. So I hitched up the horses and, well, we better get going.
Mrs. Kugler was the communitys most vocal resident and no one refused her requests.
She had in mind where everyone would safely stay out the night.
We held each other in the back of the wagon, while Harry urged the horses, a team of
Percherons, through the drifts. Finally we reached Brian Currans house, where Harry
dropped off the older kidsand me. From there I could make it home in daylight, once
the snow stopped.
The younger children he took to Jimmy Wicks house. They would be well taken care of
until their parents made it over. Laying in a warm guest bed that night, I thought about
everything that had happened. Boy, would I have a story to tell Faithe. Shell never
believe it, I thought as I drifted to sleep.
Late the next morning I rode up to my house astride Brian Currans horse. By then
Faithes unexpected guests were gone, but she told me all about them over a meal of
"But, Dad," Zach said, "someone was sitting in the seat next to us."
Wow, could I really have been that caught up in the game?
"I didn't see a soul. Who was it?"
Zach grinned. "It was Paw, Dad. He was sitting right here with us the whole time. We
finally did get to see that Giants game, the three of us."
I pulled Zach close. People around us must've thought we were feeling very emotional
about the Giants' win. But only the two of us knew the truth: We were living a gift from
above. Well, maybe three of us knew it. "Maybe that old man had it all planned all
along," I said as we were leaving the stadium.
"I think that angel flew back up to heaven with Paw," said Zach. "They're probably
rehashing the game." Just like Zach and I did all the way home.
Angels had helped us find it after all. They were watching over the little family in the
manger, and my little family too.
Times are easier now. Mom and I still take our evening walk. And our angels walk with
us.
Was it an Angel?
By: royls@wron.net (ainglkiss.com)
When I was saved, it didn't happen in a church with all the fancy fixin's we take for
granted today. It was at an evangelistic meeting held in the one-room schoolhouse where
I received my elementary education. The flooring was tongue-in-groove, and about
once a year the board of education would provide enough used motor oil to soak up the
wood (to preserve it, I suppose). This was done during the summer vacation.
When I felt the call of the Word of God and His Holy Spirit calling me to Him I went
forward and knelt at an altar made up of old weathebeaten benches. I've often wondered
why it didn't cross someone's mind to lay some gunny sacks (or something) down to
serve as a kneeling pad, but it didn't. We had to kneel on that oil-soaked floor.
Well..... I only owned one good pair of Sunday-go-to-meetin' pants; light colored with
small checks (if I remember correctly), and I was on my right knee (that's the way I
knelt) two nights seeking the Lord. The Lord graciously gave me the Victory the second
night, and I was gloriously saved.
The right knee of my good pants was terribly soiled by the old black floor. I didn't think
much about it until Sunday morning when I was getting ready to go to Sunday School.
Didn't matter 'cause they were the only decent pants I had to wear, and I wasn't about to
miss Sunday School.....
I don't know why I did it, but I went right up to the front row and sat down. I don't know
why I didn't cross my left leg over the right -- but I did the opposite; and the soiled spot
on my trouser leg was there for all to see. I was a little embarrassed about it and felt a
little ashamed that I didn't have another pair of pants to wear to Sunday School. I was
sitting right in the light of a window too. I guess some of the more affluent folks felt
sorry for the little guy who didn't have a mother to see to it that he had clean clothes to
wear to church. My mother had been in Heaven several years by that time.
A little gold colored butterfly flew into church and winged its way up to the front row
and landed right exactly on the soiled spot on my trousers. I didn't move..... I just sat
there in awe, looking at this pretty little gold butterfly perched on the soiled spot, lifting
its wings up and down. Others saw it too.
Then the butterfly spread its wings and flew away. I was unable to see which way it
went. It just seemed to disappear.
I've told this story to a few people, and at my request a few have given their
interpretation or thoughts on the meaning (if any) of this little golden butterfly landing
on the soiled spot on the knee of my trousers.
The boys quieted down. Their baby sister was thankfully asleep. But for how long?
As crazy as these three children could get, I was nothing but grateful for the job. Id
budgeted my years in nursing school down to the penny. Then at the end of the spring
semester, 1973, Id learned I needed to take a summer course on microbiology.
I had no idea how I was going to pay for the fall term until, on the very first day of my
summer course, the professor made an announcement.
As some of you may know, my wife recently passed away. Now it looks like Im losing
my summer babysitting help. I dont know how to prepare for this class if I cant find
someone to look after my kids.
I certainly sympathized with his situation. Time for my own studying was at a premium. I
couldnt imagine how hard it was with three children. Especially when hed just lost his
wife. That poor family! I volunteered that very day for the job.
How about a snack? I asked the boys. Peanut butter sound good?
They raced each other to the kitchen. I win! they both shouted when they got there.
Shh, I said before they could start fighting in earnest. Your sister is napping.
Id grown to love my job. Some days, instead of going to class, I was allowed to go to
Professor Gains house, where I was free to study as long as the kids didnt need my
attention. I fixed the boys a snack, put the baby down for her nap, popped in a load of
laundry and hit the books.
Once, on the day of a quiz, I turned on some cartoons for the boys, locked my textbook in
the trunk of my car, set the oven timer for 20 minutes and got to work. Professor Gain
graded my test when he got homea perfect score!
As the weeks went by I learned more of Professor Gains history. His wife died of an
infection right after the baby was bornthe very same kinds of infections I was studying.
That made me more determined to be the best student I could be.
But that wasnt always easy with a busy house like this. As the boys finished their snack
one day, I heard the baby stirring. I took her into the living room and held her on my lap
with my textbook beside us. I had an exam coming up and I wanted to ace it. So far I had
a solid A average in class.
The baby squirmed on my lap and knocked my textbook sideways. Maybe you can help
me study these germs, I said.
I wiggled her fingers and sang, Pata- cake, pat-a-cake, bakers man, lets wash your
hands as fast as we can; Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, not for me, scrub those awful
germs and watch them flee!
The baby giggled. Maybe Ill learn these names after all, I thought.
I was confident when I arrived at Professor Gains house that morning, my textbook
locked safely away in the trunk of my car again. Hed left the exam on the kitchen
counter, along with a note that the baby was running a fever.
She was a little warm when I touched her cheeknothing serious, but she was sure to be
cranky. Out in the living room the boys started quarrelling. You spilled grape juice on
the carpet!
Nuh-uh! You did! Im going to tell!
I blotted up the spill as best I could and ordered them to settle down. Ive got a test to
take, I said. I need to concentrate.
I stomped back into the kitchen with the soggy paper towels. I heard a quiet voice behind
me. Things are always getting broken since Mama left, one of the boys said.
Suddenly my exam didnt seem so important. Ill fix you some more grape juice, I said.
Why dont you see whats on TV? Or we could play catch outside?
The day flew by. When I wasnt cheering up the boys, I was comforting their cranky
sister. Finally I could put it off no longer. I gave myself two hours and started my exam.
Right away the phone rang with a message for Professor Gain. Then a salesman appeared
at the door. Id barely sat back down when the phone rang again. The baby started to cry.
Ringing phones, crying babies, doorbells...it all swirled around in my head blocking out
anything about infections. Clostridium perfringens? I read off my exam when I got back
to the kitchen table. I tried to answer an easier question, pressed too hard and snapped the
point off my pencil. Great, I thought.
I could see my A average slipping away. All that studying for nothing. It wasnt fair! The
other students were being tested in a quiet classroom.
I marched into Professor Gains office in search of another pencil. I spotted one on the
desk, right next to...
The class textbook. Everything I needed to ace my test was right there. Clostridium
perfringens? The textbook could tell me what it was.
I stepped closer to the book, then looked quickly over my shoulder. I was sure Id felt
someone come in the room. But there was no one there. Nobody was watching. Nobody
Whale Sighting
By Marilyn Carrier, Bordentown, New Jersey (guideposts.org)
Small-town life never seems to change. I barely had to think about my daily routine as I
went through it one morning in early spring. Grab a cup of coffee; make breakfast; kiss
my husband, Tony, good-bye as he left for work; clear the table; do the dishes. Next was
my list of errands to get done around town.
I got in the car and drove past the old Roebling's factory, left behind from the days when
Bordentown provided the steel cables for the Brooklyn and Golden Gate bridges,
transporting them on the nearby Delaware River. The factory was long-closed now. I
doubt anything exciting has happened around here since, I thought as I pulled up to my
regular dry cleaner.
The man at the counter barely looked at me as I handed him my ticket. It was just the
same at the supermarket. The cashier wearily rang me up. The woman behind me gave
my groceries an impatient shove up the conveyer belt and started unloading her own
"I heard that Helis came here from Greenland," a man said.
"Or Russia," said a woman with a toddler around her leg. "My mother-in-law actually
saw him break the surface. He blew a spray through his blowhole!"
"I want to see the whale! I want to see the whale!" her little boy shouted.
His mother squeezed his hand tight. "And I want to see the whale, too, honey!"
"So do I!" I announced. Well, why not? It wasn't every day a whale came to Bordentown,
New Jersey.
The next day was Saturday. Usually Tony and I spent the day doing things around the
house. "How would you feel about going for a drive this afternoon?" I asked as we
finished breakfast. "Maybe go down to the river?"
A smile broke out on Tony's face. "You mean go whale watching?" he said. "It's a date."
The shore was crowded with people by the time we got there. Several film crews were set
up with bright lights. A lot of people had cameras. One family with children were
crowded by a telescope. The children bounced around while their dad set everything up.
The fresh air blew in off the water, ruffling my hair. I took in a long, deep breath. We
should get out here more often, I thought.
"See anything yet?" a woman with binoculars asked me.
We shook our heads.
"Me neither," she said. "But I'm sure he'll be up sometime."
"We saw him," two older women said proudly. In five minutes there was a whole circle of
people swapping "fish" stories: people who saw the whale, people who knew people who
saw the whale, people who thought they saw the whale, people who were convinced
they'd see the whale if they were patient and kept looking. Tony and I joined right in.
We never saw Helis that day, but it still felt like a holiday. Tony and I started driving out
to the river more often. Whenever there was a new Helis sighting we'd go directly to the
spot. As the weeks went by, the weather got warmer and the trees began to blossom. I'd
lived here for years. How had I never realized how beautiful Bordentown was in the
spring?
More and more I appreciated the small-town world around me. It became part of my daily
routine to smell the fresh air, gaze at the trees, feel the sun on my face. I wasn't the only
one. Store owners took breaks to walk outside and stretch. The baker sold whale cookies
in Helis' honor. Our minor-league baseball team, the Trenton Thunder, stopped playing
when Helis appeared near the field. They ran over to get a lookand the opposing team
ran right along with them, much to the coaches' frustration but to the crowd's delight!
Driving home along the interstate one evening in late spring, I marveled at how different
life seemed since Helis came to town. How could a beluga whale have such an effect on
people? I glanced at the river, orange and gold in the sunset. Something erupted through
the surface. Helis's huge white head sparkled in the sun. He spouted a great fountain from
his blowhole into the air. I held my breath as he rolled in the water. His fins were so
graceful. They're like wings, I thought. Angel wings.
I knew my face was shining, just like that woman in the bakery. I had seen something
special. Right here in Bordentown, New Jersey, where every day seemed special now,
whale or no whale. What might tomorrow bring?
I was 22 years old in 1944, a corporal in the Signal Company of the 28th Infantry
Division. Liberated Luxembourg became a haven for soldiers on leave from the front
lines.
The men in my unit were sent to Wiltz a few days before Thanksgiving. That peaceful
mountain town was paradise after months of endless warfare.
Wiltz had suffered four years of German occupation, brutally punished for its staunch
resistance to the war. People had been shot in the town square, and most of the men had
been either forced into the German Army or sent to concentration camps.
The good people of Wiltz treated us Americans as friends sent from God himself.
One day my buddy Harry Stutz had an idea. "I think we should give this town a
Christmas party," he said. "A St. Nicholas Day."
Harry explained that St. Nicholas was the European origin of our Santa Claus. He was a
fourth-century bishop, now the patron saint of children.
"For hundreds of years here in Wiltz," Harry said, "they had a celebration on the 5th of
December, the eve of St. Nicholas Day. A man dressed as St. Nick paraded through the
town and gave candy to the kids."
Then Harry's face became serious. "Kids here haven't celebrated St. Nicholas Day for
nearly five years because of the war," he said. "Some of them have never seen St. Nick at
all."
Harry made arrangements with the local priest, Father Wolffe, to send invitations to the
townspeople. All of us in the division donated candy from our rations and some of our
gifts from home.
I asked Harry who was going to be St. Nicholas. "You, Dick!" he said, grinning. "You're
tall, like Father Wolffe. You can wear his fancy robes and a bishop's hat."
"Wait a minute," I said. "I've never even played Santa Claus."
"You gotta do it," Harry said. "For the kids of Wiltz."
For the kids. He was right. But I couldn't help thinking of Christmas back home, how
much we missed our families. How much we hated the war that had cost the lives of so
many.
Who knew when the war would end? Any day we could be back on the front lines. We all
needed Christmas. It wasn't just for the kids.
"Okay," I said. "I'll do it."
On the chilly afternoon of December 5, I was picked up in a jeep and driven to the
ancient castle overlooking Wiltz. It was now a convent. Father Wolffe and two nuns
greeted me at the door.
Inside I put on a white cassock and robe over my uniform. The robe was decorated with
red and gold embroidery and trimmed in lace. The nuns helped me with a wool cape that
was waist high in front but trailed dramatically behind me.
One of the nuns handed me a lump of rope. What was this? I'd learned some German
during the war, but I couldn't speak the language of Luxembourg. The nun held the rope
to my face.
"Oh," I said. "A beard!" The rope was tied in place with a ribbon. It hung under my nose
down to the middle of my chest with a hole cut for my mouth.
Finally I put on the high, pointed bishop's hat, called a miter, then stepped back to admire
myself in a mirror. "Perfect," said Father Wolffe. I hoped I looked like St. Nicholas,
because I sure didn't look like me.
Waiting outside the door were two little girls. "Your angels," said Father Wolffe. They
were all in white. Cloth angel wings were held in place with white ribbons tied in a bow
in front.
I sat in the back seat of the jeep with my angels on either side. We drove to the center of
town. Women and children lined the streets. I saw no men except soldiers from my
division.
Nevertheless, the scene was a festive one. A soldier strummed a guitar, and the kids sang
songs and danced. The moment the children saw me, their faces lit up and they cheered.
My buddy Harry stepped from the crowd: "Okay. Do your stuff, St. Nick."
I climbed out of the jeep and walked toward the people. My angels held my robe so it
wouldn't drag on the ground. I was astounded by the happiness in the children's eyes, as if
they'd waited forever just to see St. Nicholas.
Using my German, I asked the name of every child, making sure to address each one and
offer a treat. I made the sign of the cross, blessing the children as I passed.
Later we returned to the castle. More children were assembled there to meet St. Nicholas.
They all wanted to sit on my knee. I smiled and nodded as if I understood every word. I
kissed them or gave them a pat on the head.
In my whole life I could not recall ever seeing anything more beautiful than the children
of Wiltz.
Father Wolffe came to me afterward. "We will never forget the generosity of the
American 28th Division," he said. "The children will remember this all their lives."
Until the telephone call from Wiltz in 1977, I thought everyone had forgotten that St.
Nicholas Day. There were so many terrible memories. The Germans bombarded the town
less than two weeks later, killing many people, even some of the children I had held on
my knee.
"We have restored Wiltz," the man on the phone said with pride. "And we have a
celebration every year honoring the American St. Nicholas. You brought such joy to us
that year."
Joy? Was I hearing him correctly?
"Now that we've found you," he continued, "we want you to return to Wiltz. Will you
come celebrate with us in December? And will you again be our American St. Nicholas?"
I hesitated for only a moment. "Yes," I said. "Thank you."
"You are the original," the man said. "Many people here in Wiltz remember you
personally, including your two angels. They now have children of their own."
My angels. Grown older, just like me. Old enough to know that in spite of absolutely
everything, the joy of Christmas lives forever.
My parents came to America from Mexico with high hopes for a better life. The only
place they could afford to live was Aliso Village, a public housing project with L.A.s
highest gang-related murder rate. My dad started working in construction. Soon he was
tempted to make more money selling drugs. He became a dealer then an addict. He took
out his anger on my mom and my siblings and me. Our house became a place of fear.
My refuge was art. I loved to draw and people told me I was good at it. At Delores
Mission Catholic School I was always asked to draw pictures of the Virgin Mary for
school posters on her feast day. With a pencil in my hand all my troubles seemed to
vanish. Until one day in eighth grade a teacher caught me drawing in class. He took my
picture away and ripped it up. I flew into a rage and hurled my desk at him. I was
expelled that day and sent to see the priest at Delores Mission Parish. Father Gregory
Boyle told me he couldnt do anything about my expulsion but he encouraged me to stick
with art. You have talent, Fabian, he said. Dont waste it.
Unfortunately I did waste itat first. I transferred to the local junior high school and fell
in with a bad crowd. I began spray painting graffiti and joined a gang. Soon I was in and
out of juvenile hall. Father Boyle tried to help again. He convinced my probation officer
to let me apprentice with a local artist named Wayne Healy.
Wayne was a famous muralist whose work has been exhibited all over the world. He
agreed to take me on as a favor to Father Boyle. In his studio a new world opened up to
me. Wayne taught me to paint and I met other artists and students my age who, instead of
joining gangs, had gone to prestigious art schools. I won an art competition sponsored by
a local congresswoman and attended a reception in Washington, D.C. I participated in
another competition in Rome. I even helped Wayne paint a mural inside Eastlake Juvenile
Hall, where Id once done time. Soon I was getting mural commissions.
I couldnt handle the pressure. I tried to leave the gang, but heres the thing about gangs.
Theyre violent but theyre also like family for kids with nowhere else to go. Outside the
gang I felt alone. I didnt believe I could really become a successful artist. I was sure I
would mess up one of my commissions and I started drinking and doing drugs.
Sure enough I fell behind on assignments and the jobs dried up. I was too embarrassed to
go back to Waynes studio. I couldnt beg another favor from Father Boyle. I moved back
in with my mom, who lived on her own after the death of my father. I was in my early
thirties. I felt like a total failure.
Mom told me she would kick me out if she ever caught me getting high in her house.
That didnt stop me. One day I was hiding in her attic smoking methamphetamine when
Mom came home. My mind was distorted by drugs and I became paranoid. I bashed a
hole in the floor of the attic and suddenly I fell into the living room, scaring Mom. Before
she could stop me I fled from the house and began running blindly through the
neighborhood. I was consumed by fear and shame. I found myself at a park alongside the
freeway. A horrible idea began to form. My life was worthless. Id blown every chance.
Why not end it all?
I ran through the park, sloshed across a shallow lake and climbed an embankment leading
to the freeway. I shimmied atop a retaining wall and dropped down onto the pavement.
Cars whizzed past. In a strange trance I walked out into the traffic. I waited for a car to hit
me. I crossed one lane, a second lane, a third lane. Just as I was about to reach the center
divider I saw a turquoise Chevy Suburban racing toward me. I knew it would hit me. I
closed my eyes. Everything became silent.
I opened my eyes. I was standing on the center divider. The Suburban whooshed past. I
was alive! I looked around. I saw clouds in the sky. I heard birds. I felt a sense of total
peace descend over me. What had happened? I had no idea. All I knew was that the
despair that had driven me to run onto the freeway was suddenly gone. In its place was a
realization that what Id been calling missed chances throughout my life were actually
moments when God was most encouraging me. Father Boyle, Wayne Healy, even my
eighth grade teachereach of these people, in their own way, had helped me to see who I
was and what I was good at. My life wasnt a waste. It was a journey and I was slowly
getting closer to my goal. God was my guide. He wouldnt let me down.
By this point the Highway Patrol had arrived and stopped traffic. Enough of my gang
member instincts remained to make me want to avoid the police at all costs. I ran back
across the freeway and disappeared into the neighborhood. I called my mom from a pay
phone. Mom, I almost got killed today! I cried. Where are you, my son? she asked. I
told her. Stay right there, she said. Im coming to get you.
A few days later I enrolled in a Salvation Army drug rehab program. The program lasted
six months. Many addicts come out of rehab and go straight back to drugs. Not me, not
after what happened on that freeway. I went to Homeboy Industries, the gang intervention
program Father Boyle had started. Father Boyle gave me a job answering phones. I
worked my way up to become a substance abuse counselor. I returned to painting and
soon had my first mural commission. An L.A. real estate developer who saw some of my
work hanging in a cafe at Homeboy Industries offered me studio space at one of his
downtown lofts.
These days I paint both murals and oil canvases. You can recognize my work by
something I try to include in almost everything I paint: that moment in life when Gods
presence becomes unexpectedly apparent. Many of my paintings depict gang members or
scenes from my former life. But theyre not scenes of violence. Theyre scenes of
transformation, that moment when someone on the wrong path suddenly sees the right
road and decides to take it. Thats what happened to me and I want to share the news that
change is possible with as many people as I can.
Everyone has angels watching over them. Look closely and youll see exactly what I
mean.
Angels of Prayer
Praying with a woman in dire need, I feared I'd gotten in over my head.
By Rebecca House, Chelsea, Michigan (guideposts.org)
At a retreat I volunteered one afternoon to work in the prayer room. As I was sorting
through requests a woman appeared in the doorway. Is this the chapel? she asked
nervously. Yes, I said. Can I help you? She introduced herself as Mary, and we
moved to a small table in the back. As she told me her long, tragic story, two women who
knew her well joined us. We pushed our chairs close so we could fit around the table. I
feared I had gotten in over my head. I wished there had been a minister to pray with us.
When Mary finished talking, the four of us closed our eyes and prayed, begging for the
forces of good to overcome the evil that had brought such sadness to Marys life. When I
lifted my head, I was surprised to see her look so relieved.
A few days later a friend who had been at the retreat called. By the way, she asked,
who was that man in the chapel with you?
What man? I asked.
The middle-aged guy with gray hair, slightly overweight. He had on a plaid shirt and sat
at the table with you and Mary and the two other women.
But there was no room for anyone else, I thought. Later I spoke to another friend who had
been there that weekend. She had come by the chapel while I was praying with Mary and
had seen other men besides the one with the plaid shirt. They looked like ministers to
me, she said, so I figured you were doing all right.
I thought about one description of angels in the Bible: Are they not all ministering
spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14).
They had been praying at my side.
Praying in a Jungle
Listed in: InspirationalStories.com
By Mark Mascarenhas
I want to relate an event which happened nearly 10 years ago. I was 9 at that time, still a
small child back then. It happened in a village in Alibaug a place in Maharashtra in India
during the summer holidays.
We (my mom and me) were at the beach for quite some time when we decided to go
back. Normally, after walking for about 10 minutes, we would reach the hotel.
My mom asked her friend where our sandals were (we were still at the beach). Her friend
pointed in some direction, and my mom then went there. However, soon mom realised we
were lost.
We were now in a quite a big jungle. And since it was noon, the ground was quite hot and
my mom had to carry me. I was scared. I didnt understand then, our plight, mom was in
a big jungle with her 9-year-old kid and completely lost.
I was scared and didnt know what to do. So I began to pray. As a child, the only prayer I
knew was Our Father and God Our Protector (Psalms 92). I dont remember which of
the two I prayed, but I do remember my mother telling me that as soon I had finished
praying, a woman stood before my mother. The woman gave mom her chappal (slippers)
and told my mom that she had crossed an entire village and currently was in a different
village. That woman safely took us back to the hotel we were staying at.
My parents told me it was that kind woman who helped mom back then. However, I
know it was Master Yahuwah (LORD) who helped us.
downtown.
It was a four-door, white model, stick shift, fender skirts, loaded with everything, and,
since my parents didnt drive, it more or less became my brothers car.
Having a car but not being able to drive didnt bother my father, but it didnt make sense
to my mother.
So in 1952, when she was 43 years old, she asked a friend to teach her to drive. She
learned in a nearby cemetery, the place where I learned to drive the following year and
where, a generation later, I took my two sons to practice driving. The cemetery probably
was my fathers idea. Who can your mother hurt in the cemetery? I remember him
saying more than once.
For the next 45 years or so, until she was 90, my mother was the driver in the family.
Neither she nor my father had any sense of direction, but he loaded up on maps though
they seldom left the city limits and appointed himself navigator. It seemed to work.
Still, they both continued to walk a lot. My mother was a devout Catholic, and my father
an equally devout agnostic, an arrangement that didnt seem to bother either of them
through their 75 years of marriage. (Yes, 75 years, and they were deeply in love the entire
time.)
He retired when he was 70, and nearly every morning for the next 20 years or so, he
would walk with her the mile to St. Augustins Church. She would walk down and sit in
the front pew, and he would wait in the back until he saw which of the parishs two
priests was on duty that morning. If it was the pastor, my father then would go out and
take a 2-mile walk, meeting my mother at the end of the service and walking her home.
If it was the assistant pastor, hed take just a 1-mile walk and then head back to the
church. He called the priests Father Fast and Father Slow.
After he retired, my father almost always accompanied my mother whenever she drove
anywhere, even if he had no reason to go along. If she were going to the beauty parlor,
hed sit in the car and read, or go take a stroll or, if it was summer, have her keep the
engine running so he could listen to the Cubs game on the radio. In the evening, then,
when Id stop by, hed explain: The Cubs lost again. The millionaire on second base
made a bad throw to the millionaire on first base, so the multimillionaire on third base
scored.
If she were going to the grocery store, he would go along to carry the bags out and to
make sure she loaded up on ice cream. As I said, he was always the navigator, and once,
when he was 95 and she was 88 and still driving, he said to me, Do you want to know
the secret of a long life?
I guess so, I said, knowing it probably would be something bizarre.
he was afraid hed fall on the icy sidewalks but wanted to keep exercising and he was
of sound mind and sound body until the moment he died.
One September afternoon in 2004, he and my son went with me when I had to give a talk
in a neighboring town, and it was clear to all three of us that he was wearing out, though
we had the usual wide-ranging conversation about politics and newspapers and things in
the news.
A few weeks earlier, he had told my son, You know, Mike, the first hundred years are a
lot easier than the second hundred. At one point in our drive that Saturday, he said, You
know, Im probably not going to live much longer.
Youre probably right, I said.
Why would you say that? He countered, somewhat irritated.
Because youre 102 years old, I said..
Yes, he said, youre right. He stayed in bed all the next day.
That night, I suggested to my son and daughter that we sit up with him through the night.
He appreciated it, he said, though at one point, apparently seeing us look gloomy, he said:
I would like to make an announcement. No one in this room is dead yet
An hour or so later, he spoke his last words:
I want you to know, he said, clearly and lucidly, that I am in no pain. I am very
comfortable. And I have had as happy a life as anyone on this earth could ever have.
A short time later, he died.
I miss him a lot, and I think about him a lot. Ive wondered now and then how it was that
my family and I were so lucky that he lived so long.
I cant figure out if it was because he walked through life,
Or because he quit taking left turns.
Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who dont.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance, take it and if it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.
ENJOY LIFE NOW IT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE!
It does not take bravery to transition. It takes fear. The fear of spending one more day in
the wrong gender. Janet
Preface
In 1974, when I was twenty-five years old, I passed through a premature midlife crisis. I
had pursued a career in teaching to please my mother, and then a career in acting to
please myself. Neither one really satisfied me, and I was confused about what was next.
The suggestions I received from family and friends only exacerbated the confusion. I
didn't know where to turn for answers and so I started to pray for guidance.
After several weeks, I received three clear "messages"--from what divine source I was not
really sure--that answered my questions. The first stated, "You are a catalyst for
discovery." The second said, "You will work in growth and development." The third came
through loud and clear, "You have a gift for working with people."
I knew these three messages were the answer to my prayers, but I didn't know how to
deploy them. These three "revelations" didn't point to an industry or provide me with a
job description, so I was left trying to figure out what to do. I formulated a sentence: "I
am a catalytic agent who works with people in their growth and development."
From that moment on, the messages came to me on a regular basis. They led me to create
my seminar, the Inner Negotiation/Self-Esteem Workshop. In addition to the messages,
people also started coming to me--to learn how to find their own inner answers. I started
seeing people in one-to-one sessions to help them discover their own messages. Shortly
thereafter, these same people requested a course in which they could quiet the voices of
the mind and listen to their inner spirit. Subsequently, when I received requests from my
clients, I responded by creating the programs they requested. People heard their inner
directives, received answers to their questions, and, in turn, told their friends. And so my
consulting business was launched, as well as a subsequent training program to teach other
people how to do the same work I was doing.
One day, as I sat designing the training program for the Consultants Training, the Rules
for Being Human came through me onto the paper. I thought, "I have been asking for
these answers my whole life, and finally they have been delivered to me." The Rules
answered the fundamental question I'd asked, "What is the purpose of life?" Delighted, I
decided to include them as a handout in the three-month training course.
In the last twenty-four years, the Rules for Being Human have circled the globe-photocopied and passed from friend to friend, transmitted via the Internet, printed on
brochures and on page 81 in the book Jack Canfield wrote, Chicken Soup for the
Soul®, where the Rules were attributed to "Anonymous." One day Jack called to say
he'd heard from Dan Millman, the author of The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, that I was
the author of the Rules for Being Human. Jack asked if that was true. When I
acknowledged that I was, Jack apologized and offered to give me credit in the next
printing.
Years have passed since that day. The most recent message that I have received was to
write a book about the ten rules, so they can be passed on to everyone who is looking for
a template for living a happy life. My hope is that this book will be a spiritual primer for
those who are just setting out on their path, and a gentle reminder for those already well
on their way.
Enjoy Ten Rules for Being Human, share them with others, use them to initiate
conversations you have always wanted to have. Most of all, apply the Rules to your own
life. Learn the lessons, listen to your messages, align with your spiritual DNA, and fulfill
all your dreams.
Blessings on your journey,
Cherie Carter Scott, Ph.D.
Introduction
"Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood."
Helen Keller
Life has often been compared to a game. We are never told the rules, unfortunately, nor
given any instructions about how to play. We simply begin at "Go" and make our way
around the board, hoping we play it right. We don't exactly know the objective of playing,
nor what it means to actually win.
That is what Ten Rules for Being Human is all about. These are the guidelines to playing
the game we call life, but they are also much more than that. These Rules will provide
you with a basic spiritual primer for what it means to be a human. They are universal
truths that everyone inherently knows but has forgotten somewhere along the way. They
form the foundation of how we can live a fulfilling, meaningful life.
Each Rule presents its own challenge, which in turn provides certain lessons we all need
to learn. Lessons are what you learn when you come up against problems that need to be
solved and issues that need to be exorcised. Every person on the planet has his or her own
set of lessons to learn that are separate and unique from everyone else's, and these
lessons, as you will see in Rule Four, will reappear until they are mastered.
The Ten Rules for Being Human are not magic, nor do they promise ten easy steps to
serenity. They offer no quick fix for emotional or spiritual ailments, and they are not fasttrack secrets to enlightenment. Their only purpose is to give you a road map to follow as
you travel your path of spiritual growth.
These Rules are not the oppressive rules and regulations that tell us what we should or
should not do, or think, or say. These Rules are not mandates, but rather guidelines as to
how to play the game. There is nothing you absolutely must do. I hope this book will help
you to become more aware of them. By learning the valuable lessons and wisdom they
offer, your journey on this Earth might just be a little bit easier.
Rule One: You Will Receive a Body
Rule Two: You Will Be Presented With Lessons
Rule Three: There Are No Mistakes, Only Lessons
Rule Four: A Lesson Is Repeated Until Learned
Rule Five: Learning Does Not End
Rule Six: "There" Is No Better Than "Here"
Rule Seven: Others Are Only Mirrors of You
Rule Eight: What You Make of Your Life Is Up to You
Rule Nine: All Your Answers Lie Inside of You
Rule Ten: You Will Forget All of This at Birth
Suddenly, work wasn't exhilarating as much as it was stressful and exhausting. For more
than a year, I tried to successfully juggle work, Charlie's therapies and, when he was 9
months old, a second pregnancy with my daughter.But I come from a long line of hard
workers, and quitting wasn't an option.
Oh, and I did my best to keep up with laundry and exchange substantive grunts with my
husband as we passed each other on the way to bed.
But I come from a long line of hard workers, and quitting wasn't an option.
Besides, what would I quit? We needed the income, I needed the stimulation and reward
of contributing at work not to mention having grown-up conversations that did not end
with, "Oh, and can you empty the Diaper Genie before you go?" And, of course, I am
eternally grateful for the children who have improved our lives in countless ways.
(For the record, I only want to quit them between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. each night, when
they hit Whine Time. Other than that, they are my precious cherubs and I wouldn't trade
them for all the Rue La La boxes in the world.)
A glimmer of hope
Something had to give. My colleague, Abby Buford, was expecting her first child the day
after we were expecting to welcome my daughter, Mary Emma, to our family. Abby and I
had worked together for 5 years and shared a mutual work ethic. I think we also respect
each other's capabilities and have the utmost trust in each other.
With that foundation, she tossed out the idea of a job share and it seemed... well, too good
to be true.
Pursuing the dream
We work for a Fortune 100 company that, at that point, had made notable strides toward
supporting work/life balance in recent years, but a job share... well, that seemed like an
impossible dream.
We crafted a proposal and, like communication junkies, er, experts, we tried to anticipate
every possible flaw in our proposal that someone might spotlight on the path to denying
our dream.
Here are our top 5 tips when it comes to pursuing a job share
CHECK IN^
Do this only for your own peace of mind, but don't respond unless absolutely necessary.
Your counterpart is in the office while you are not. She is equipped to handle whatever
comes your way during your off time or if she isn't, a quick call or email is
appreciated.
STAY CONNECTED^
This can be in person or via emails and even texts. Abby and I have lunch on Wednesdays
as we transition. Our chats allow us to catch up on workplace changes, projects and
points of interest.
Sometimes, our chats focus primarily on our children and their rapid changes. The point
is, we care about each other and are as interested in each other's personal lives, as well as
what has happened at work over the past few days.
COMMUNICATE^
This means beyond your job share partner.
Abby and I have a fabulous boss who wants our arrangement to work as much as we do.
We all understand we're setting a precedent, so we'd better do it right.
It's also important that our whole team understands why our job share success requires a
team effort, and can be either a team win or a team challenge (in our industry, we avoid
fail).
Successfully executing a job share takes a supportive team, and thankfully, we've got it.
KEEP COMMUNICATING^
So, you've got an awesome boss and a fab team. Don't stop there! Share your share news!
Shout it from the rooftops, or at least while in line at the cafeteria!
Letting colleagues know your work arrangement accomplishes two things:
It evokes the warm, fuzzy feeling that we all work for a great company willing to look
outside the 9-to-5 box to support employees and...
Sharing lets your colleagues know when they can expect to reach you, or when it might
be [insert job share partner here] returning their call.
BE COMMITTED^
No, not to the asylum (although that might have been my next stop if not for this job
share!).
Make sure you communicate to your entire team that, while you're in the office, you are
100 percent there. Abby and I both have taken on outside commitments that have really
helped us feel fulfilled professionally, but those passions don't come to work with us.
For me, well, you're reading my outside passion for Abby, she has been able to fulfill
her dream of opening her own boutique PR and marketing firm.
You may be asking: "What? You've both taken on... other jobs? Not quite. We're
following other passions, which are extensions of our day jobs and nicely fill the hours
when children are napping or playing.
Who wins?
Hands down: We all win.
Sure, it wasn't easy when we started. We worked out a few kinks and figured out that,
truly, we were better suited to manage our own projects vs. share projects. (That kinda
sorta falls into the win column for the office, but when our own win is being able to
spend time with our children, it's so worth it!)
Abby sums it up nicely: "LOVE the ability to be at home with [my son] and spend time
[at the office] as well. LOVE the flexibility. LOVE I have a good friend and colleague
who wanted to engage in this adventure with me!"
LOVE the ability to be at home with [my son] and spend time [at the office] as well.
LOVE the flexibility. LOVE I have a good friend and colleague who wanted to engage in
this adventure with me!
Imagine if more employers saw the benefits to supporting this model? If you're a mom
who once had a career or currently works full time, stop for a moment and consider the
possibilities.
Benefits for employers
From an employer perspective, embracing the job share concept does several things:
It shows flexibility and support for your employees.
It helps retain good employees you know, the ones you see leaving the company when
their maternity leave ends because they can't stand handing over the kids for 50 hours a
week?
It keeps those employees engaged and up to date on new processes, so when the kids
enter school and it's time to return to focusing on career, they're not playing catch-up (and
neither are you).
I'll just say it: No one (I'm sorry, Dads), and I mean no one multi-tasks and prioritizes like
a working mother who does not have the luxury of working late. I thought I was good
before. Now, I'm freaking Wonder Woman. (To give credit where it's due, all the
magnificent multi-tasking in the world isn't enough if you aren't backed by a supportive
team, and by God we have the best!)
Welcome to 21st century workplace
It's an understatement to say the world is constantly changing, but I'll say it anyway.
As the definition of family evolves and work/life balance becomes even more precious,
employers and their teams can benefit from taking a fresh look at what used to work.
Today, I'm as connected from my kitchen island as I am in a cube sometimes, even
more so, because home lacks a ringing phone and distracting but necessary social drivebys.
Alien Encounters
Abduction or just contact with a strange figure during the
night
from: phenomenalog.com/
This experience occurred on the Tue 16 Mar 2010 03:00
Lasting between 30 minutes and an hour
Gulf Breeze, Florida, United States of America
I fell asleep in my recliner at approximately 9:00 PM. My dogs slept on both sides of my
chair on the floor.My boyfriend was on the couch next to my recliner and he was asleep
also.
At approximately 3:00 AM, I awoke to a horrific, jabbing pain in my mid-lower back
right on my spinal column.Upon awakening, I can vividly remember sitting up and
grabbing my back at the same time. As I turned to sit all the way up I saw a "large human
like figure" turn away from me and proceed to walk toward my front door with some sort
of very large, clear syringe he placed on his right hip like a gun would be placed for
carrying purposes.I remember trying to scream out, and pointed at the same time but
"nothing" would come out of my mouth no matter how hard I attempted to shout. I could
not produce even a whisper. It was as if he possessed some sort of power over my actions
until he was out of my sight. He never once turned around where I could see his face, but
he was all "black" and "soldier like" in his walk, like on a mission he needed to complete.
He was very muscular and strong in appearance. I remember immediately grabbing my
arms and saying to myself, "Oh my God, I am not dreaming, this really did happen and
this alien creature just inserted something into my back; or took something out." I had no
further pain from that episode and could not bring myself to even tell my boyfriend about
it for approximately 6 months thinking my family would think I was insane.
One of the weirdest things about the situation was that both my dogs never even budged,
nor did my boyfriend wake up during the incident. I was in total disbelief, yet not scared
for some odd reason, maybe because he never showed his face, I dont know. However, to
this day, I don't know if he possibly abducted me during the night and had just finished
bringing me back to consciousness by inserting some sort of medication to awaken me or
not. I "do know" for a fact that he had just finished using that large syringe on me
because I watched his motions intently and he was walking away and at the same time
placing that syringe to his hip "holster.
The last thing I saw was him walking towards the front door, but right before he got to it
he veered to the air-conditioning vent as if he had come from it, possibly from
underground. I wonder.
I then faded out for approximately 30 minutes and awoke with a very clear, vivid
remembrance of this event. I never believed or even thought something like this could be
true, but I now KNOW they are out there and in OUR homes at their own leisure!
They are "quiet," "meticulous," "strong," "unafraid," and I think "curious" in nature. They
seem to be in a "time zone" that only they are familiar with, and seem to have that
mastered so well as to quietly appear as they "need or want to" then disappear without a
trace.
Things are still happening here in Gulf Breeze and now in my new residence as "glowing
type" foot prints are appearing continually everywhere on my carpet during the night!
I am not a storyteller and would LOVE to take a polygraph so badly. People believe me; I
do not know if there has been some sort of government cover-up about this UFO issue,
but why would we have full-grown aliens walking around right now in our homes of all
places. They had to grow to get that big, so there has to be many, many more of them,
right?
OMG! I do not know why "I" am being targeted as an "experiment" to "him" or "them,"
but it is not ending for me, I really am not scared because I have never lost faith in my
God above, he has his hand on me, but I really, really need some help on this other issue.
I am not a gossip or yapper, and would not be writing this if it were not true, but heed my
words now: we ARE being watched and experimented on. I just dont know why or what
they want.
Be safe and please believe this is no joke folks, I now know they DO exist.
Thanks to UFO Casebook and MUFON CMS.
Entity climbed on me .
This experience lasted between 1 and 5 minutes
Added : Thu 29 Sep 2011 14:00
Added by:Spacechild
Then years later climbed on my then wife.
About 18 years ago I had gone to bed just like any night. I do not take drugs or drink. I
went to sleep and some time during the night I felt something crawling up on me. It
started at my lower legs and was crawling up to my chest. I could not open my eyes. It
felt like it was some kind of hoffed animal. I wanted to move but could not. I was
thinking what the heck is this what is happening. It semed to last for a few minutes then
the weight of this thing was gone. I then could open my eyes and there was nothing.
Years later I had gotten married. We had been married for about 3 years. I never told my
then wife anything about that night of this entity. I just forgot about it. Me and my wife
went to sleep. At one point of the night my wife hit me and yelled. Oh my God honey
there was some hoffed thing just crawling up me it felt like it was about 40 pounds. This
had not happened to me other then that one time years before and now years later was on
my wife. What it was I could not say. I could not move as I said nor could she till it was
gone. But as time has gone on cannot be sure. But I believe now it was a alien being.
Why it was crawling on me then years later my wife is hard to even guess. It could be
something as simple as just wanting to feel the warmth of a human body. Or who knows
maybe one day I will have a answer but for now just another wierd day of the unknown
for me and others.
And this body will have to be left behind. That a new body to be able to handle a life
somewhere else and many places do to go. That this body needs to much nourishment
and gets illnesses that are not a long time life anywhere. So I guess after all my years of
training in martial arts all the weight lifting, mountain climbing and being active will not
count for anything.
Just one of those human things I guess. I got used to the idea over the last few years that
when my time is finally here to leave. Any body will do just fine.
Me and my brother are still close. He is a minister now and a proffesor at the Valley
Forge Christian Bible College in PA. The difference between us now is he believes the
beings I have come in contact with are up to no good. He does not have expereiences.
The only experiences he has had in the past - and there were several - were with me. He
believes if the beings wanted to take us why not give us a choice and come to the door in
broad day light.
My oppinion is when my mother took me to the doctor to get shots at 2 and 3 years old I
had no choice either. Did this mean my mom was up to no good or evil. No it does not.
It may be different because the beings are not our mother or father and so some believe it
is kidnapping or molestation of some form. I just look at it different.There are over 6
billion of us living on this planet. If we could take all the knowledge from every human
being all 6 billion, put it in a mega computer, we would have all the information known
to us today. Now take that computer and ask it .. Is there any form of life that looks
human on mars? The answer would be.. not enough information.
So I cannot judge beings who bring us back after a abduction.
I cannot judge beings that in the past I believe have save my life from a fall going
backwards off a 60 foot tower head first to the concrete bellow, only to be flipped over at
the last second and turned around to land on my feet never falling over and getting a bad
sprained ankle when death would have happened. Many people in the past have been
saved by what they say were angels from God, or a spirit of the old ones. Just as the bible
and old writtings tell us things like a shield of fire from the sky came down. The only
thing that is different today then in years past is our words. Say the words ufo 500 years
ago. Not one person would understand that word. Can these beings be angels on a level
just not as how we have been trainned to think of angels? So for many they are evil in
some way. Who knows. I can only speak for myself whether angels or aliens. I am glad to
have a form of contact. I am even more glad they bring us back and do not just throw us
out in space and just fly off. Its not like they can be caught by our planes. But everyone
will and has their oppinions and so it must be. For we are all different. I am going home
to see my mom on the 26th of this month. My brother will be coming down to visit. I am
looking forward to showing him the 25 pictures I have taken. After our little conversation
on the phone the other night, I can here his voice going up in pitch already now. If he gets
out of control I do have my line ready. Is this how God and Jesus would want you to talk?
Did not God make those beings too? Then I will say does God make mistakes? He will
say no. Then I will say so everything is going as planned so be happy. Yes interesting
indeed.
I was very young might have been 6 or even a little older. Who keeps a date in there head
when they're so young. I was sleeping when a great pain woke me up. It felt like a very
blunt pain just inside me bellow my spine. I woke up from the pain seeing a small little
ball of light go right threw the window. The window was not open it just went threw it. I
was crying and screaming. My mother came into the room from her room and held me
and asked what was wrong. I said I had a pain and a light went out the window. She held
me for a few minutes and said I was just having growing pains and a bad dream. The pain
was gone and I just went back to sleep. It was not until a year or so later I had the second
experience. I was at my sisters house. She lived in Shirly Massachusetts. My cousin was
there he was a year older or so than I. My sister and her husband said would you like to
put up a tent and sleep in the back yard. Being boys ofcourse we said yes. It's not like
today were kids would say no I want to play video games this was in the 60s. My uncle
put the tent right on the edge of the wood behind there house. It's about 75 feet from the
house. At that time there was no homes very close. It was very country. When it was
getting dark we went to the tent had a flashlight my uncle gave us. We were playing with
cards fish and old maid. At one point my uncle went on the porch and started howling
like a wolf. We just laughed and kept playing cards. A while later we heard something
coming threw the woods crunching little branches as it walked .There was a sound that
was being made like someone blowing into a empty bottle. I said to my cousin it's uncle
coing to scare us threw the woods. Lets wait till he gets real close to the tent and instead
of him scaring us we will yell and scare him first. When the sound was pretty close but
still in the woods, we both yelled and started laughing. But then uncle came out on the
porch and said knock it off we are trying to sleep. We both ran out of the tent told my
uncle what we heard. He said it was maybe a bobcat or something. He said let me put on
some cloths and we will see if we can find some tracks or something and to make sure it
does not come back. We started walking in the woods. There was a clearing back there.
As we got closer my uncle was looking on the ground with the flashlight. I saw a big
white ball of light. I said to my uncle and cousin look a helicopter. My uncle looked and
said it cannot be a helicopter it is making no sound. It was just sitting there. I being a
pretty spunky kid in those days took the flashlight and pointed in the direction at the ball
of light and yelled death beam. In a flash it was just gone. You could not tell whether it
went up or in either direction just gone. We went back to the house and my uncle said to
get the sleeping bags and sleep on the living room floor. I often wonder why some of us
have had so many experiences or contacts or abductions. Every time I think why? Is it our
blood type is it our DNA? Is it this or that. I just cannot even guess without just then
saying and checking others I have met over the years certain questions of Blood types or
other things we may have in common. Every time I think I find maybe a connection it
goes south and away. I do not regret having my experiences. They have gotten more
intense over the years. All that it has done is make me have more questions. Many times I
think ok experiences are getting more intense am I going to die here pretty soon or what.
But then another year goes by and another. I am sure one day I will find out, but probably
at that time I will not be able to tell anyone about it unfortunatly. The only thing I know
for sure for me personally I have become a better more understanding person to others as
a result. So for me personally that is a good thing. Does this make me feel I am better
then anyone else. No just the opposite I feel I should be better than I am now. Because if I
am better now than I was years ago then I need to be better tommorrow than I am today.
up I noticed a black like real thick smoke floating right by my window with red eyes. I
freaked out and fell back in my body. Then when I woke up I looked up and it was still
there. It stayed there all night. There was a terrible feeling in the air but it didnt seeem
like it wanted to hurt me. I finally just turned on the light and it was gone.
Then I started researching everything tuesday and learned all kinds of information. Then
Tuesday night I was sleeping on my side and suddenly I awoke and knew it was there. I
turned and looked and sure enough it was there. I was fully awake then.. Then last night I
was sleeping on my back I woke up scared I was having a heartache.. My heart was
beating so fast it was more of a hum. I was freaking out and then I hear a voice he sounds
totally cool like hes trying to help calm me down.. woah woah man.. Chillout. Its okay
bro. youre good Then it changes tone and says youre not from here please calm
down I was just sitting listening to this voice with no body.. Then I started felling crazy..
I saw an array of lights around me but very very dim.. I could just barely see it. And the
voice says. Calm down were gonna take you I said No what? Is this real? Prove this is
real or im yelling for my mom cause Im having a heartattack I started to move around
and he says stop moving or we cant take you They werent saying this aggressively
They were just kinda asking me to come. But I moved to much and my heart beat
immediately but the voice stayed just saying calm down Calm down I just kept saying
Prove this is real. Prove this is real. Then something took the shape of a mans face in
the corner but no more voice after that..
As I laid there I noticed it looked like I had strange letters and designs tattooed all over
my arms I was examining it and it seemed to have a metallic green look to it. Shining in
the little bit of light in my room. so then after looking at it for about 5 minutes I turned on
my light and it was gone. I still feel like something is with me.. Im not exactly scared
just curious as to what this is all about.
Can anyone give any insight? Sorry for long post. I wanted include a lot of of detail.
Please help me understand whats going on. Should I stay still and let them take me next
time?
Tales Of A Wanderer
This experience lasted more than a year
Added : Sun 27 Mar 2011 20:20
Added by:LoriCordini
My story is a life-long one. I am putting it in book form, because it is far too long to put it
in its entirety. Firstly, my "gifts" are ancestral--that is my mother, great-grandmother,
myself, my daughter and my grandson are all "Keepers of the Light." More on that
another time. As a child I experienced contact with off-world beings, saw off-world crafts
and had an understanding of the Universe through my off-world family. The first
memories I have are when I was about 5 years old. The most intense and life-changing
experience occurred when I was in my thirties (I am now in my late 6o's)--my Avatar pic
different 'shapes' resulted because there was more dried blood in different areas of the
shapes. For example, one mark might kind of resemble a number "3" because there was
more dried blood on the right half of the circle than the left half. Another shape might
resemble an "S" because there was more dried blood on the upper right corner, in the
middle, and on the lower left corner of that particular mark.
Apparently whoever punctured my skin used some kind of instrument and must have
moved it around when they used it on me and pressed harder on some parts of the shapes
than others. That would explain the dried blood being heavier in some areas of the shapes
than others.
I also vaguely remember something about extreme heat being applied as well. Very likely
the blood was cauterized as soon as it oozed out of the punctures on my skin. That would
most likely explain why it wasn't smeared and didn't stray outside of the lines of the
circular shapes.
My impression is that human beings were responsible for this incident and not aliens.
And I would suspect they were some kind of government/military personnel. I believe
that my memory must have been erased after the incident so I wouldn't remember them
doing it.
My theory is that most likely they nabbed me as I crossed the highway to the hotel that
morning. Some kind of mind control to lure me to some vehicle probably and then under
that control driven away to some remote location, tortured there (basically branded much
like an animal), memory erased and then returned to where they picked me up. The mind
control wore off and I continued walking to the hotel with no clue that anything had
happened or how much more time had passed.
It is even very likely that I arrived at the hotel later than I expected and automatically put
it down to the 'fact' that I thought it was earlier than it really was. Maybe even
considering that the clock in my hotel room might even be wrong.
The marks were still on my thigh several days later when I got back home and they were
there even a few days after I got home. But they eventually faded away. I did not
photograph them but I did make a sketch of them as they looked on my thigh. I don't
know where the sketch is. But, I probably still have it somewhere.
This incident was a primary incident that is proof to me (even if nobody else believes it
happened) that 'something' is going on with me and my suspicions are not unfounded that
it does have to do with UFOs, aliens, government/military secret organizations and
activities, mind control and other nasty things and that I have been dealing with this since
I was a small child. I would say that they have a huge file on me somewhere. lol
Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got jack into the
cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so
most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The
manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by the table. "What's going on here,
officer?" He asked. "What is allthis. Is this man in trouble?"
"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.
"Not in here!" The manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for
business."
Old jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't
want to come here in the first place."
The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy
and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"
"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings
in one of my banquet rooms."
"And do you make a good profit from providing food at the weekly meetings?"
"What business is that of yours?"
"I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."
"Oh."
The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the
cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a
meal, officer?"
"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."
"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"
"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."
The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."
The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.
"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at
the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you
remember me?"
Old jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes "i think so -- i mean you do look
familiar."
"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger
days when you worked here, and i camethrough that very door, cold and hungry."
"Ma'am?" The officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently
turned out woman could ever have been hungry.
"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job,
but I couldn't find anything. Finally i was down to my last few cents and had been kicked
out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and
nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that i could get
something to eat."
Jack lit up with a smile. "Now i remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter.
You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was
against company policy."
"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that
i had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and
enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when i looked over, i saw you
put the price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything would be all
right."
"So you started your own business?" Old jack said.
"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own
business that, with the help of god, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a
business card. "When you are finished here, i want you to pay a visit to a mr. Lyons. He's
the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find
something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the
funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live
until you get on your feet and if you ever need anything, my door is always opened to
you."
There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you," he said.
"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To god goes the glory. Thank Jesus. He led me
to you."
Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their
separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.
"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something
that i will never forget. And... And thank you for the coffee."
She frowned. "I forgot to ask you whether you used cream or sugar. That's black."
The officer looked at the steaming cup of coffee in his hand. "Yes, I do take cream and
sugar -- perhaps more sugar than is good for me." He patted his ample stomach.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"I don't need it now," he replied smiling. "I've got the feeling that this coffee you bought
me is going to taste as sweet as sugar."
-- Author Unknown
Article - Mousetrap
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a
package. "What food might this contain?"
He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a mousetrap in
the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is
a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house." The pig
sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about
it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow. She said "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no
skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face
the farmer's mousetrap alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap
catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a
venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The
farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.
Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet
to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so
friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock.
To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.
So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide
enough meat for all of them.
So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you,
-- remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.
We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another
and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
Each Of Us Is A Vital Thread In Another Person's Tapestry; Our Lives Are Woven
Together For A Reason. -- Author Unknown
END