Miracle Monday: Entertaining Angels

I walked into my bedroom one morning, hearing my four year old chatting. She wasn't having a conversation with me or talking to herself.
I wondered, mystified, "What in the world? Who is she talking to?"
I asked her, "Who were you talking to Sadie-lyn?"
She replied, "My angel."
I said, "Okay, well what did the angel say?"
She confidently said, "Jesus loves me."
She never pretended to have an imaginary friend.
In prayer I ask God to dispatch angels around our home.  I truly believe she saw an angel.  God gives his angels charge over us to keep and protect us.  Another favorite angel story is about how Alma Nolan was visited by an angel. Alma Nolan's was a beloved saint of God who lived in Mindin, Louisiana.  Her nightly routine was to kneel by her vanity bench in her bedroom.  Alma kept this consistent bedtime ritual throughout her life.
She lived alone and her prayer always ended with this request, "Lord, send your angels to watch over me through the night. In Jesus name, amen."
One night she was startled as she turned to get up from kneeling. She saw a big man standing in the doorway, leaning against the door frame.  She knew all the doors and windows were secure.
She fearfully stammered, "Who are you?"
With a warm gaze he replied, "You asked for me to visit, didn't you?"
Looking away for a moment, she turned back to reply, but he was gone.  What had been invisible for years, became visible in a moment. Alma Nolan saw an angel, and her request to God had been granted.

"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them." Ps. 34:7 ASV

Miracle Monday: Treasure in the Sand

Treasure in the Sand

"Despise not the day of small things..."

As experienced by Thomas Walker  (aka: Dad)

As Winter's chill crept through Central Florida that February 1989, the icy wind of despair was sweeping my heart.  I enjoyed metal detecting as a hobby and I figured since jobs had been few and far between, maybe I could find something of value on the beach.  My life goals were disappearing.  Everything I tried to do seemed in vain. I loaded up my metal detector and headed for New Smyrna beach. The beach was desolate when I arrived. I set up the metal detector and began scouring the sand for treasure.  Everything seemed futile...even this day of treasure hunting. Clouds covered the miles of sand.  Any trace of sunshine was lost as thoughts of doubt swirled through my mind.  All of a sudden something caught my eye. A worn out index card was peeking out of the sand. I had no idea how an index card had survived beach conditions. The card contained scriptures. I read the front side of the card Matthew 6:31-34.  

"Therefore, take no thought saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek;) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

I turned the card over.  This side of the card contained the scripture Psalm 37:4-5.  

"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass."

I did not walk away that day with a handful of gold, but I gained something priceless.  I returned home with a treasure from God and a renewed hope that everything was going to be alright.  I carry this card in my Bible as a reminder. God sees us, He knows us and He cares. 

On a cloudy day

As I walked the beach

All hope seemed dismal and out of reach.

It seemed like despair had overtaken my soul,

I was losing my footing 

With no purpose or goal.

When like a beacon of light

God spoke to me there

His message was blowing 

In the salt spray air.   ---Thomas M. Walker