Angel's Guiding Hand

SOME OF THE most fascinating and uplifting stories of the unexplained are those that people perceive as being miraculous in nature. Sometimes they are in the form of answered prayers or are seen as the actions of guardian angels. These remarkable events and encounters lend comfort, strengthen faith - even save lives - at times when it seems these things are needed most. Are they literally from heaven, or are they created by a little-understood interaction of our consciousness with a profoundly mysterious universe? However you view them, these real-life experiences are worth our attention.

The Home Run

While many of these kinds of stories are life-altering, or otherwise deeply affect the people who experience them, some involve activities as seemingly inconsequential as a kids' baseball game. Consider John D.'s story. His baseball team had made it to the playoffs, but was struggling in one of the semi-final games. John's team was at bat in the bottom of the last inning with two outs, two strikes and three balls, bases loaded. His team was behind, 7 to 5. Then something very unusual happened:

• Our second baseman called a time out so he could tie his shoe. I was sitting on the bench when suddenly a strange man I had never seen before appeared in front of me. I was frozen still and my blood turned to ice. He was dressed all in black and he spoke without even looking at me. I was not very fond of our batter. This man said, "Do you hold courage in this boy, and do you have faith?" At that, I turned to my coach, who had taken off his sunglasses and was sitting right next to me; he didn't even notice the man. I turned back to the stranger, but he was gone. The next moment, our second baseman called time in. The next pitch, our batter hit a home run out of the park, winning us the game 8 to 7. We went on to win the championship.

Angel's Guiding Hand

Winning a baseball game is one thing, but escaping serious injury is quite another. Jackie B. believes that her guardian angel came to her aid on two such occasions. Most interesting, her testimony is that she actually physically felt and heard this protective force. Both happened when she was a child of kindergarten age:

• Everybody in the town used to go to the hill by the post office to sled in the winter. I was sledding with my family and I went to the steep part. I closed my eyes and went down. I apparently hit someone going down and I was spinning out of control. I was heading for the metal guard rail. I didn't know what to do. I suddenly felt something push my chest down. I came within less than a half inch of the rail, but didn't hit it. I could have lost my nose. The second experience was during a celebration of my birthday in school. I went to put down my crown on the bench at the playground during recess. I was running back to play with my friends. Three boys suddenly tripped me. This playground had a lot of metal things and wood chips (not a good combo). I went flying and hit something about 1/4 of an inch under my eye. But I felt something pull me back when I fell. The teachers said that they saw me sort of fly forward then fly back at the same time. As they hurried me to 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."