ANGEL'S WINGS

Last summer, I had the honor of being able to attend a Songwriter's Conference at Mt. Hermon Conference Center in the mountains just outside of Santa Cruz, California.  Bob and I drove down and he stayed with my brother in Lost Gatos.

When Bob dropped me off at the conference center, I felt like a little girl being dropped off to kindergarten...first day of school.  I did not know anyone at this conference.  I sat in my room near tears when I decided this was a good time to pray.  My first comment to God was..."What have I done to myself?...I don't even know my roommate!"  I slowly got control of my panic and asked God to take care of me.  I asked Him to send me someone nice!!  Shortly after I prayed, there was a very energetic knock on the door.  I opened the door to find a bubbly vivacious personality who preceded to hug me.  Hug me!!  She said, "I am so excited!  I have been praying for you!"  I was stunned!  Within a few short minutes, I knew she was going to be my new BFF.  We laughed, talked and sang just like we knew each other from our past.  Isn't God good?!  I soon found out that she was a "who's who" in the Christian music world.  She was connected with the the "big names" that came to the conference.  We would be walking along and people like Don Moen, Director of Integrity Hosanna or Paul Baloche, Singer, Songwriter and many more would shout her name out and she would immediately introduce me to them calling me...her new very special friend!  I would tease her after the people would leave.  I would grab her garment and pretend that I was gleaning fame from her!!  It was fun.

I am writing this story not because I want to tell you about the great classes, awesome worship or fabulous solos.  I am writing this to tell you a story that has changed my life.

The last night of the conference was powerful.  The worship and the speaker was very moving.  Paul Baloche came in later to talk about his music.  He would tell how and why he wrote them and people that helped him write them.  After he did that we started worshipping with the songs he wrote.  It was an exceptionally moving worship time and no one wanted to stop.  Paul asked the keyboard player to continue playing and asked anyone who wanted to leave, to leave quietly.  No one left.  People started praying all over the building.  There were people in the aisles on their knees, people prostrate on the floor, people standing with arms raised singing...the air was palpable.  People began praying with each other...some were total strangers.  I started reaching out to people I didn't know.  I prayed for a young girl in front of me who was all alone.  God was dealing with me with some things that have plagued me for years...He told me to breathe in deeply and I did.  He told me I was breathing in "faith".  Then He told me to blow it out and told me that was "fear".  Between praying, crying, singing...I whispered to my roommate that I felt there was a much bigger plan for us besides "building our songwriting skills".  We were to be there to experience  God in a great way!  I started sensing something even more awesome.  I envisioned that angels were covering the amphitheatre.  Their wings were locked together...like a blanket of wings.  It was like a "spiritual lockdown".  He did not want anyone to leave until all experienced Him.  I leaned over and told my friend what I was envisioning.  Her eyes got huge and she smiled and nodded.  Later, I found out right before I told her that, she was praying that God would show her what other's were experiencing.  This amazing experience was still going 45 minutes after Paul had left the stage.  When we left, there were many people still worshipping.  While we were walking out...I felt like I was floating.  Outside the amphitheatre, many people were quietly whispering about what transpired earlier.  I shared what I had envisioned with a gal from one of our classes.  She asked me if I had talked with the man with the white shirt.  I looked surprised and asked her, "Why would I?"  She said he was going around trying to find out what people experienced.  The next thing I knew, the man was right next to me and said, "Did you hear them?"  I said, "What?"  He said "Wings!"   I told him I didn't hear anything.  He asked me what I envisioned and I told him the story of the angels.  He smiled and said..."That is what I heard!"  He was sitting in the back of the amphitheatre where it is open to the sky.  He said he heard wings...lots of wings.  He looked around both sides of the amphitheatre and saw nothing.  He then envisioned there were angels and he sensed that they were covering the amphitheatre like a blanket.  I looked surprised when he told me that.  I think he thought I didn't believe him because he pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket and read it to me.  The paper only had a few words on it...sound of wings...angels...blanket.  I was amazed!  He hugged me and said, "I love you".  When I turned around, he was gone.

As I layed in my bed that night, I still felt like I was floating.  It was a strange feeling really...I felt held and comforted.  The words to a song came to me..."I Will Never Be The Same Again".  The last thing I said to God was "I won't...I promise".