On February 1st, 1996, while working as a Physical Therapist for a temporary placement agency, I found myself working in a nursing home in downtown Milwaukee on a Saturday. In the afternoon, I left the facility to take my lunch break, and I found a remote area to park, because I had a strong desire to be alone to pray. I found myself in a parking lot by a small bridge going over a creek into the park. It was very foggy. When I saw the park sign, I realized that this was the park that has been in the newspaper
of very recent, with crime and murders taking place! It was a little eerie to realize this, plus the heavy fog made it unsettling, but I needed a solitary place to pray, so I got out of my car and started walking across the bridge.
I stopped in the middle of the bridge and stood overlooking the creek. At that time, I had a deep burden for the souls of my extended family. As I prayed for them, I felt filled with the Holy Spirit and I prayed a dramatic prayer! I said “whatever it takes Lord, whatever it takes, even if somebody has to die to wake them up, please save my family!” While praying this, I immediately heard the voice of God inside of me saying “How about you”? I was surprised and amazed that He turned it around this way, but I realized
it was a fair call. Jesus had given his life for the life of the world and I realized it was fair for Him to ask me to give my life this way. I realized this was a very heavy situation, but I had no hesitation and I was willing to do what was required of me. I said “Oh Lord.. of course. Why would I suggest taking the life of one of my family members if I wasn’t willing to give my life, myself.” I wrote a letter to my dear wife on the notepad that I kept in my shirt pocket, explaining the situation. I expressed my love and wrote my “good byes” and tucked the note pad back into my pocket. Then I began walking across the bridge, through the dense fog, into the park. I thought God would bring one of the hoodlums by to take my life, but I trusted God fully and was at peace and without fear. Only a few moments after I walked off the bridge into the park, I looked over and down the path to the left and saw faintly, through the dense fog, a very tall figure (about 9 feet tall) walking towards me! I said out loud: “Wow, the Lord has sent the angel of death to take me. As the tall figure came closer and got within about 5 feet from me, I was able to see clearly. It was a tall, kind looking man with his toddler son on his shoulders! They walked by slowly with calm, serene and loving faces, and the man simply said “hello” as he walked by, and I said “hello” back. He looked and talked with a surreal calmness, peace, and love. I realized at that time and I still believe today, that that man and his son were angels. They continued walking calmly and peacefully down the path in the other direction and faded out of sight. After this, the Lord released me. I was amazed while walking back across the bridge, realizing that the Lord had tested me, to see if I was really
willing to give my life. I was so comforted that I passed the test, and that the Lord had spared my life. When I got to the middle of the bridge again, I looked toward the park where I came from and there was a paddy wagon police vehicle driving on the grass along the creek and under the bridge that I was standing on, continuing down along the creek, patrolling the park. This verified to me that there was real danger in that park, but I also saw it as symbol of protection from God.
As I stood on the bridge overlooking the creek, I pulled out my small New Testament Bible that I kept in my pocket. I needed to see if God would give me a particular Reima word to seal this dramatic occasion. In my amazement, when I opened my Bible to the middle, my eyes immediately locked in on verse 17 of Psalm 118, which says: “ I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” This was indeed a direct word from God for this occasion, but also a prophetic word for my life! The Lord had already begun doing miracles in my life and he would be doing many more. From this time forward, I knew that God had pre-ordained my future with amazing testimonies that I would one day declare! At that moment of time, I
only had a small glimpse at the incredible journey that was ahead.
