Angel Escorts

Sandi sat by the hospital bed, listening to the faint breathing of her dear Friend, as she lay dying.  She closed her eyes and the tears streamed down her cheeks.  Her heart was breaking.  Suddenly through her grief she felt the presence of angels all around her and an amazing comfort enfolded her heart.

One breath--then another--then none.

Then the angels were gone--and so was her Friend.  These gentle bright beings had come to escort the girl into heaven--leaving a great comfort to fill the hole her friend had left behind.

Her Darkest Hours

This morning I was praying for one of my Best Friends. She is dearer to me than life. My Friend is facing hardships I can only guess at. She feels the darkness closing around her. I have been so burdened and grieved for her sake. 

As I brought my most precious Friend to my Lord, the sun broke through the clouds. Gasping in awe, I snapped this photo. Though I enhanced it a little so you could see what I saw, I didn't need to change much.

The Shepherd Who loves my Friend sends a gift--a message--He brings the light. Light will ALWAYS triumph over darkness. "And the darkest hour of the night, is just before the Dawning light, and now before this moment is gone--get ready! Here comes the Sunrise!"

Light is always stronger than darkness...Our loving Shepherd Who weeps, He Who understands sorrow like no other, comforts and leads His flock. He gently holds the wounded ones close to His heart and tends to their hurts with His own hands.

Dreams

This is not exactly an angel story, but it rates right up there with miraculous happenings.

My brave Father fought in WW2.  He was drafted into the army paratroopers just after his 18th birthday. When he was 19, he faced the enemy in the Battle of the Bulge.   He parachuted down behind enemy lines and was captured by the Germans. Daddy spent nine terrifying months in a Nazi Prison camp also known as Stalag B and Bad Orb.

Not long afterward, Dad's parents received a devastating letter from the army.   Their beloved eldest son was Missing in Action. I cannot imagine how awful that must have been for them.

Then one night Dad's Mom dreamed he stood at the end of her bed.   He told her he was a prisoner of war and that he was alive. The dream was so real, she was convinced she had actually spoken with him. Grandma never stopped praying for her boy. She was not surprised when they informed her that he had been rescued.

When Dad returned home from the war, he described a dream where he'd stood at the foot of his Mother's bed.  He remembered telling his Mother he was alive and was a prisoner of war in Germany. Amazed, they pieced together the timing of their dreams. The truth is, God allowed Daddy to visit Grandma in a dream to let her know he was alright.

What a wonderful blessing of God's miraculous grace to both Mom and Son. How grateful I am for Grandma's prayers for Dad when most people were convinced he was dead.

Today is Dad's 85th Birthday!  Happy Birthday Daddy!

Those Boston Angels

It took an entire week to travel to the East Coast for a variety of drama performances. We were in the scariest and most dangerous part of Boston setting up for a performance that evening. While my family and the "Bish" went out to get some dinner, I stayed in the old building behind the set, carefully applying layers of makeup which would transform me into 99-year old Sarah.

A little later, I heard the heavy front doors open and slam shut, footsteps, whisperings.  I sat still, listening intently.  It wasn't the Bish, or my family.  Those doors were supposed to have been locked.  I instinctively knew something was wrong.   Whoever it was, wasn't supposed to be there.

Darkness and fear flooded the room. I began to pray. As time stretched along with the shouts of the intruders, I felt the prayers of angels joining mine . . . Then suddenly there was a terrified yell, running feet and the big metal double doors slammed shut.

Blessed silence.

I bent my head to thank God--I sensed the glory of the angels' garments scudding in bright streams across the floor.  It was breath-taking.  We kneeled together there, worshiping God, thanking Him for watching over me, this place, my family and our friends.

The evening’s performance was touched by the power of God. Later that night we finished striking the set, packing everything into the big trailer.  The  Bish and a few others joined us to rest and talk after a big job well-done.

Then I noticed the small boy perusing the empty auditorium, awe written all over his face.  “What is it?” I asked.

“I was wondering,” said he, question marks all over his face.  “Who are all these people standing around dressed in white?”  I was dumbstruck. 

They were the angels.  The ones God had sent to do His bidding.  Those Boston Angels, watching over us, keeping us from harm.

Triumph Over Evil

 It is time for another angel story.  This wonderful story of  an encounter with pure evil vanquished by God's power and love comes from Melinda.  She is a courageous young woman who's life inspires me. Here is Melinda's amazing Story:

My husband was out of town, and except for the two dogs I was alone in our old two story home. Prior to this night, I had been being drawn to religious things, books, churches, things connected with God. I guess one could say I was definitely "seeking" as I really did not know Him.

I was tired and fell asleep downstairs on the sofa. I woke up about 4:00 a.m., and decided I better get upstairs to bed as I had to get up early to go to work.  I could not fall asleep right away. I lay there and the dogs were soon snoring lightly beside me. They were large dogs, one a lab mix, the other a husky mix. They took up most of the bed, so I felt protected with my dogs around me.

I was almost asleep when I swear I saw a dark form come in through my bedroom window. My heart pounded and my logic tried to figure it out. I wondered if I could call for help without anyone hearing the phone. I tried to think of what I could use for protection.   Oddly enough, I noticed the windows were closed and my protective pups had not awakened.  They were not barking, but still slept soundly beside me.  

Yet I still had the overwhelming feeling that someone, or something was hiding behind the bedroom door.  I wondered if what I felt was real--My brain went into overtime...playing out all types of scenarios and possibilities. I remember even thinking maybe this was one of those alien abductions. After all wasn't that how they were always described?

Then with an incredibly quick motion a big, dark, black, thing leaped onto my chest. I refused to believe it was real....yet I could feel its weight on my chest...the sheer pressure of the thing.

I was afraid to move--afraid to open my eyes.  Though I felt fully awake, I still thought I might be dreaming.  I knew I had to determine if what was happening was real. I was trembling.  I decided if I could reach out and TOUCH the thing through the covers, then it must be real. I slowly moved my right arm and hand to touch what felt like a thigh across my chest. To my horror I felt something SOLID!

I couldn’t help it, my eyes popped open. Big mistake! I was consumed with terror as I stared into the most evil looking eyes I have ever seen.  The more fear I felt, the heavier the thing became. It seemed its strength grew from my fear.  Another part of my mind noted my dogs still remained still and sound asleep beside me on the bed!

I did not know what to do. I was so afraid.   As the thing grew heavier and heavier, I realized I was having a harder and harder time breathing. I KNEW I could die right there in my bed and no one would be the wiser—and who would believe such a story?  I, myself barely believed it was real, yet it was happening to me.

I thought about all the things I would be leaving behind...worrying about my dogs and what would happen to them...all my "stuff" and what everyone would have to do, going through it all.

All these thoughts ran like lightning through my mind, as this darkness, this frightening creature-force-being-presence grew stronger and stronger. I could not move any anything except my eyes and they were still locked into that terrifying gaze.

I decided to shut my eyes and NOT acknowledge its presence... I refused to feed its strength by giving it more of my fear.  But the terror seemed overwhelming.  I suddenly realized I needed  help if I was going to survive.

I began to pray to God.   I prayed for His help--I asked for His forgiveness of all the things I had ever done wrong...I told God, I did believe in Him and in His power and protection.  I said, I could not battle this evil thing without His strength.

Then unbelievably the ceiling of my bedroom rolled back like a scroll.  The corners of the room were held open by shining angels. I remember they looked right at me....such brilliant light all around them, illuminating their faces and bodies. In that instant, I also felt the presence of God.

Such bright light and peace....I could FEEL His presence and smile...His love...His protection. I lay there, the weight of the thing still pressing me down.  Yet I was filled with the most incredible sense of peace I have ever felt in my life. I was so relieved....was so assured all would be well and taken care of if anything did ever happen to me.  If I died that moment, I no longer cared.  I smiled...I clearly remember that smile coming across my lips....and being surrounded by that extraordinary warm, bright light. As God’s peace surrounded me, the evil being grew weaker and its weight began to lift.

I watched as the thing became a mere puff of black smoke which quickly rolled up and out of the top of the ceiling where the angels were. In an instant....the angels let go of the scroll and the glory of God and the angels vanished and my ceiling became a ceiling again.

It has been a long time since I’ve told this story to anyone. Because of my experience that night I have never been the same.   I know God watches over me and over those I love.  And I am incredibly grateful for His Presence in my life.

You can find Melinda's wise and insightful blog at Breathe!!  Please drop by with an encouraging comment for this remarkable young woman.

Invisible Wall

We were on tour, well on our way to California, where we had two weeks of drama performances scheduled.

It was late when we arrived in Grants Pass at the Super 8 Motel. My husband pulled the van and trailer in front to sign in, while the children and I waited in the van.   Through the big double glass doors, we could see him talking to the clerk inside.

Suddenly a small red car screeched into the parking lot, slamming to a stop next to us. A bony young man, with longish hair slicked back behind his ears, jumped out the passenger side door.

He did not see us through the tinted windows of our van, but we saw him. It was obvious something was not quite right. His eyes were open so wide the whites of his eyes glittered around his pupils. There was a weird clacky, jerky energy about his movements.

The man stood with clenched fists, his knees flexed. Then to our astonishment he ran full tilt at the double doors. And bounced off them. My husband and the clerk, talking and laughing inside, didn't seem to see or hear him. The thin man gave the doors a dirty look, clenched his teeth and tried again.

The kids and I watched open mouthed, as he flung himself toward those glass doors over and over again. It was as though there was a thick invisible wall which wouldn't let him pass. Hidden inside the van the kids and I stifled our laughter. He would stop, look baffled, then in a kind of frenzy try to shoulder his way through. But the doors would not give way.

Finally the man stopped, grinding his jaw from side to side. Seething with frustration he glared at the door, shouted a few choice expletive deleteds, spun on his heel, ran back to the car and sped spitting gravel around the corner to the parking lot behind the building.

Later I asked my husband if he noticed anything. But he and the clerk had been oblivious to the drama at the double doors. After we'd settled into our room, I discovered I'd left a small suitcase in the van. Normally I would have gone out by myself, but I felt so uneasy I was compelled to ask Alan to go out with me. We took time to put anything out of sight a thief might want. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that red car sitting in the shadows of the trees at the back edge of the parking lot.

The next morning we awoke to the sound of sirens. The Motel was swarming with policeman. Someone had smashed in the windows of every car parked around our van and trailer. The robbers had stolen stereos, luggage, and money. They took whatever they could pick up, tear out and take away. But our van and trailer were untouched.

Angels? I am convinced an Angel stood in front of those double glass doors to prevent something terrible from happening that night. Angels walked with my husband and me to the parking lot and back. They instructed us to tuck away anything a thief might want. They stood guard over our van and trailer.

I often wonder what that young man must thought, as he kept bouncing off that invisible wall of protection God had placed in front of the double glass doors of the Motel.

Woodland Protector

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I think I was around 12 when it happened. My siblings and I, along with our cousins were all set to go down to Deer Valley. It was a favorite place of ours, where the mud flats created from the bubbling spring formed next to a stream where huckleberries grew on a giant log bridge span. We would build forts from fragrant fir and cedar branches. We gloried in exploring the surrounding woods.

                       

But this day was different. We stood in the sunshine at the road at the top of the trail and a darkness seemed to fall over the forest. Each of us, as we'd start toward the trail to Deer Valley, felt an uneasy fear and a curious reluctance to go down that trail and would turn back. It was as though there were an invisible wall through which we could not pass.

Finally we gave up trying. For all seven or eight of us to agree to that was a bit of a miracle in itself! But we did and we all trouped back to the house where we played games in the big circle lawn instead.

Later we talked about what happened--it was then we realized we'd all had the same strange uneasy feelings. We had all felt an invisible wall had been erected at the top of the trail. It was as though an angel barred our way, to keep us out of harm's way.

Years later Mom told me about a car chop shop located just a few yards from the trail to Deer Valley. Police had stormed the woods and several people had been arrested. It was functioning right around the time we were kept from going down into the woods. The criminals had a sophisticated operation going, they'd even cut down trees and put a driveway into the wooded area so they could not be seen.

For years I've wondered what terrible danger we would have dealt with that day if we hadn't been stopped in our tracks. Though sometimes I get really curious, I thank the Lord for protection from the danger we never had to face.