God Stories

A couple of weeks ago, I finished reading "God Stories: Inspiring Encounters with the Divine" by Jennifer Skiff (award-winning journalist & CNN correspondent). Really fascinating real-life stuff. So very, very moving. I mentioned this on my Facebook page, asking my friends if any of them had ever had a "heavenly encounter." I have to say I was surprised by the people who responded. They most definitely were not the ones who I anticipated to share their stories . It served as this amazing reminder to me that things (like my preconceived notions, in this case) are never, ever what they seem. Note to self: Stop pretending that you have everyone figured out.

Mostly, I loved discovering MORE people--that I (already) thought very highly of--who have a life routed in faith. I think we've been so"trained" by society to keep things like faith and politics under wraps in our work-world (to remain politically correct) ... that we start to wonder if anyone has faith anymore. I do, anyway. But, I know I couldn't get through a day without faith and trust. So it's always like finding a long-lost family member when I discover someone else who shares that belief.

I liked this book for many reasons. #1--I love that the author is a seasoned and professional reporter for a major news outlet (that tells me she's skilled at research, not writing from emotion and that she has been schooled in objectivity). #2--I kept thinking this is exactly the kind of book I would've loved to write! (I have a passion for getting to know individual stories; I'm always asking questions and I'm searching for proof.) #3--I love the different voices, from people of all walks of life who live all over the world. #4--I have some God stories. (Kindred souls!)

I've held onto my God stories like little treasures over the years, telling only one or two people. Why? Maybe I'm afraid they'll come off as ridiculous, though they are EXTREMELY real to me. One, in particular, stands as my absolute proof that there is a God and that he is active in my life. I had that experience 10 years ago and I still can't tell that story without crying. But I'm not ready to share that one just yet. (Sorry.) So I'll share another.

When K was about 3 years old, my Mom would have these frequent discussions with him about guardian angels. She would tell him repeatedly that every human being has at least two guardian angels watching over them. She would encourage K to think of what their names might be ... so that he would know how to address them when praying. At first, he came up with silly names. Then, one day, he told her his angels were named "Lucky" and Love." About this same time, I happened to be reading a nonfiction book in which the author also claimed that we each have guardian angels watching over us--and that we should pray to them. ("Okay. That's odd," I thought. "Wonder if Mom has read this!?")

So, one day during my drive to work (my normal prayer and meditation time), I came to a stop sign and was thinking ... "Hmmmm. I wonder if I have guardian angels. That's silly. I would need proof." At that moment two deer (does) walked out in front of my car, crossing the road. They stopped in the center of the street--both turned their heads in sync toward me and we made eye contact. Time stopped. No one moved. After that frozen moment, the deer turned and walked away. For the first-and-only time in the 9 years I've driven that route (and stopped at that 4-way-stop every day), there were no other cars. Nor any people in sight. And that's in front of a busy carryout that is usually hopping at that time of day.

I know what you are thinking. Coincidence, right? Here's what I've noticed since. Most days while driving that route, I look for deer ... on the road, in the fields, in the woods. Nothing. But on those days when I'm feeling lost, or I'm on the cell phone crying to one of my sisters and not thinking about anything but the darkness that I'm drowning in that day--I'll glance over somewhere along my route and there are deer. They are always in groups of two or more. They are always looking at me. And I'm instantly flashing back to that frozen moment in time at the stop sign in front of the carryout. Wondering. Knowing.