It was late one evening, dark and cloudy and I was driving our new Landrover over to my sister’s house. To get there I had to maneuver down a narrow country road and cross an old bridge with one-way access and a traffic light at either end. The lights were in my favor; green, it was safe to go but a voice was nagging loudly as I approached.

“Stop...pull over to the side of the road...” the words were clear in my head.

“No...!” I replied to no one in particular, not sure who, or from where the voice came. “I’ll scratch the car on the hedge...” But then it came again.

“Pull over now!” It was persistent...insistent.

Drawn now to follow the urging I slowed the car to a sudden stop, steering it right into the old and thorny hedge which edged the narrow country road. It was then that I screamed. Out of nowhere a large white van came bombing toward me against the traffic lights. If ever there was a moment when life slowed down then this was it. Everything seemed to happen at half speed. ...it’s going to hit me head on... I heard a loud bang and screamed again, shaking uncontrollably. But then it was gone. I watched in the mirror, stunned as the van disappeared into the distance. Someone was in a real hurry tonight!

But then I wondered; why didn’t he stop to see if I was okay? How did the van driver not know that he had hit my vehicle? He must have known surely? Too scared to stop and check I waited as the lights changed to red and then back to green before driving slowly on to my sister’s house.

As I pulled up outside the house my sister came out to greet me. I didn’t get out of the car at first but seeing her smiling face through the window I had the courage to emerge.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, concerned when she saw my face. I burst into tears. Together we checked the car by torchlight. I had to buy an expensive replacement for my wing mirror which had smashed back against the car after being hit by the van but there wasn’t another mark on the car...and more to the point, there wasn’t a mark on me.

Two cups of coffee later we were still talking about what had happened. Where did the voice come from? How was it that I ended up being compelled to follow the instruction even though at first I didn’t want to? Would I really have wanted to confront the driver who hit my car while I was all alone down a country lane...in the dark? Probably not!

Over the years I’ve read of thousands of similar stories from people who heard a voice...or were given instruction or reassurance from an unknown stranger who disappeared immediately afterward. Angels are part of almost every culture around the world – even if they are not known as “angels,” many religions have celestial protectors working with the highest light, the ultimate Source, our Creator.

Angels are real beings and part of their role is to take care of their human charges. Millions around the world have seen, felt or heard angelic beings. They pull people from burning cars, lift them out of the way of oncoming danger and push them back into their bodies during near death experiences.

I’ve never forgotten my experience that night and my postbag is full of stories from my readers who’ve never forgotten their angelic encounters either! The proof is all around us. It’s time to sit up and take notice!