I have had a story to tell for nearly 40 years. I am who I am because at an early age, God revealed himself to me through an incident while I was in high school. It is an event that I have no other explanation for other than to say that I stood with God and saw Him work a wondrous happening that to this day still raises the hair on the back of my neck.
I was in the school band in high school. One day, after leaving the music room to go home, a very strange incident happened to me. On my way home, I noticed a gang member coming towards me. As I saw him heading for me, I was really not afraid and just decided to go to my right and then double back later after he passed. Before I knew it, gang members surrounded me on all sides.
“Leave him alone,” a voice from down the tunnel echoed. Everyone was surprised by the voice including myself. We all looked to see where it was coming from when, out of the tunnel, there came another gang member. Only this member was different. As we all got over our shock of hearing the voice call out, I was relieved, as now I could perhaps find a way out.
The new guy said in a very calm yet deliberate voice, “This one is special; he is not to be touched”. Once the new guy said this, the gang leader began yelling, “Who do you think you are? Don’t you know you are out numbered and that we could do anything we want to do to you?” Then the new guy said with a warming smile on his face, “Are you sure about that, are you sure I am outnumbered?”
After he said this, the gang members and I were totally startled by the fact that now standing next to each of the original four gang members, were four more new guys. And again, each one of them was dressed as a gang member, only clean and perfect in a way. I have no idea where they came from.
Shocked and afraid, I dropped my trumpet case. With this, the new gang leader called me by name in a very calm and soothing voice, said, “Ashley, pick up your trumpet; no one here is going to hurt you. I want you to take your trumpet and go straight home. Your mother has spaghetti waiting for you”. I looked up at him, but still could not move. Then, this guy reached out his hand and touched my cheek. “It’s ok,” he said, “you are protected and no one will harm you. You have a special purpose in life and you will remember this day when life seems hard. Pick up your trumpet and go home now and don’t look back.”
I ran as fast as I could towards the tunnel. I’m not proud to admit it, but I stopped and looked back.
What did I see? Absolutely nothing. There was no one there. I immediately felt a sense of total fear from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes. I felt almost dizzy at the prospect of what I did not see. My sense of fear overwhelmed me as I turned and ran down the street to my house.
When I told my mother the story, she took my hands in hers and asked me; “You know who the new guys were don’t you?” “I have no idea, do you?” I told my mom. She smiled and a very straightforward manner said; “Honey, they were angels. Angels protected you. I have always told you that the angels would protect you.”
Much time has gone by since that incident and I have had many difficulties throughout my life. When life seems difficult and challenging, I think upon that one special day and get a strong boost of courage, knowing that God leads the way, no matter where I go.