I've often wanted to tell someone about my spiritual experience, but it's not an NDE. Rather, it's a religious experience or a vision. I lay awake one night praying, with my husband asleep at my side. I was in a crises period of my life, a time of personal despair. Like many, I was questioning why I was on earth. I sincerely wanted to get closer to God. Feeling alone and unloved, I desperately needed his divine unconditional love. I felt that if God didn't come to my rescue, I would die inside.

God must have opened my spiritual eyes and allowed me to see into the spiritual realm, because a divine being visited me that night by my bedside. It came cloaked in a gray mist or cloud and talked to me, or rather to my inner spirit. The communication was a telepathic clear voice between the heavenly being and my inner spirit. Wow! I was and still am totally amazed that my spirit has its own voice. It was very clear although it was not verbal. We were talking but I never opened my mouth.

I want to call this spiritual being an angel. Just like in the Bible in Isaiah 6: 6, the angel touched my mouth with what I believe to be a piece of coal - it actually clicked on my teeth. I was awake during this experience, lying flat on my back, face up, yet unable to move anything but my eyes. I saw only the bottom of his long light gray robe, which had blue circular stripes around its bottom. He had on sandals, just like men wore in biblical times. I remember my face had a mild burning sensation for the following three days. This happened when I was 43. I'm now 52.

My personal life took a major turn for the better after this experience. I came to realize that I'll never be alone, unloved or unprotected. I know now that everything happens for a much greater divine purpose. I have been a cheerleader for the Lord Jesus Christ and always will be. The spiritual message to me was a simple one: that I was already forgiven of all my sins as soon as I repented, and that I was to give unconditional love to everyone, just as God gives it to all His creation. It's time I shared my experience, to strengthen the faith of anyone who might read this.

Gloria E. Joyce
gloria.joyce@aliant.ca

Posted Oct.1, 2004