“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:14, NIV).
In the days when I was young and bold, or as my mother would objectively say, “careless,” I ventured out from my hotel room at 2:00 a.m. I thought to myself, Niagara Falls is a completely safe place. Especially in July! So, why not? Needless to say, I went on a solo adventure, uninhibited of any possible danger.
Ninety minutes into my city voyage, I realized I may be lost. I reached for the hotel map I had in my pocket, and it was gone! Trying not to panic, I mentally retraced my steps and headed back cautiously. Maybe, in my rush to leave my room, I had left the map on the tabletop.
As I was orienting myself, my thoughts went back to my mother. I remembered her expressing, “We are going to Niagara Falls to have a mother and son time together.” She wanted us to have a closer relationship. Shame unexpectedly swept over me. While my mother was sleeping, I was selfishly doing “my own thing.” I stopped and asked God for forgiveness.
In what can be seen by many as a faith-destroying time, stories of answered prayer and God’s love continue to shield me, protect my faith and remind me that God still exists and is bigger than life itself.
Story by Jenevieve Lettsome & V. Michelle Bernard / Cover photos by Brad Barnwell
