My True Guardian Angel and Christmas Angel Story
Christmas Angels do Exist
This post is really personal, it opens up a lot about me. I am a bit shy to share it, but my guarding angel and god deserve the recognition. The story starts with some ugly essential background setting details, please read through it. The amazing miracle comes up a little later on.
a
We won’t be defined by it, but my sons and I were severely abused for many years. Finally in 1991 I managed to get the boys and I into hiding. With three little boys, two coats and a piece of junk car; we managed to run away and hide just before Halloween.
I got the court orders for custody, the oh so useless restraining orders and three little boys 11, 10 and 7 who wanted to go trick and treating.
Almost to the end of the Ugly Background Story
My ex is conniving enough to volunteer to work for a Loomis distributor on his holidays. It seemed so silly, I was not able to figure out his motivation. One day out of no where he calmly asked if I wondered why he worked his vacation for free. “I did it to learn exactly where the safe house is. I delivered there today, if you run there I will know exactly where the boys are and how to get to them.”
He kept me in line with death threats on my sons, it was both very effective and very real. When I talked to the crown counsel, they hid us in a neighbouring small town where my ex didn’t know the location of the safe house. Calling my Mom I explained we are safer than we had been in a long time, that the boys were with me and she would not hear from me for awhile. But please not to worry we were safe and staying safe. Click. No one knew where we were.
Now lets get to the happy part.
In the new city, the agency with the safe house gave me a job next door. It was a split shift that allowed me to go pick the boys up and drop them off from school in a company car. I was so to the bone terrified, especially for my eldest son as he was the main target.
You can only give little boys so much information and they were so determined to go trick and treating. Bribes of free candy from Mom was not cutting it.
Then the miracle happened.
The Mizpah safe house allowed me to have the biggest room and moved all the boys beds into one room so I knew where they were. Our security was in each other, life was better when we were all together. I was sitting on the bed visiting with the boys and sewing salvation army pantyhose to a bodysuit for a spider costume and feeling glad to be there.
This massive wide warm hand pressed me on the shoulder. “It’s going to be okay”, he said. “You and the boys are safe.” Startled I looked around and saw no one, but the hand remained with me. The pressure and warmth of the hand stayed with me. I could FEEL it.
The day of Halloween I prayed and told God how terrified I was, that the boys had lost so much, how they wanted to go out, but I needed them safe. The angel with the hand told me, ” You won’t see me and other people won’t see me Leanna, but if there is danger for you and your boys I will appear. I promise my appearance will frighten anyone away who tries to harm you.”
I had such a strong feeling of comfort and security that my fear actually lifted.
I took the boys out trick or treating, my angel squeezing my shoulder. They got their candy and had as normal a Halloween as they could have given the circumstances. My terror disappeared, poof gone, because I felt I had serious back up. I was cautious, still am, but no longer terrified.
I will skip the ugly court battles, the criminal court nightmare and all the rest of it. Lets just say my angel hung out pretty close to me for about two years. Although I felt him, I never saw him. The boys knew about our angel, but only my youngest who was 7 ever mentioned seeing him.
Moving on to the Christmas portion of the story.
I was working in another city, still hiding but on the path to my tomorrows, I had a job, had bought the boys beds, they were in a Catholic School that knew the history and really protected them. Life was a whole lot better.
I had gotten a tree, one string of lights and just like the movies the boys and I had decorated it with popcorn garland and home made whatevers. We had a turkey, presents for them, we had no table but we had a plastic Christmas table cloth to do a picnic style dinner. We were covered, with the exception of a tree top. Try as I might I could not locate one I could afford and I absolutely had less than $5.00. It had all went to the festivities. I bothered me but I had to let it go, priorities right?
I worked for persons with disabilities and the community had donated all kinds of things for our Christmas party door prizes. They were first aid kits, flash flights, gloves, a car jack and one angel tree top .
Each table had one lucky winner. You turned over your paper dinner plate, if you had a number written on the bottom of your plate, you won the coordinating numbered prize.
It wouldn’t be an amazing life altering Christmas story otherwise, but I did turn my plate over, I did win and it did coordinate with the Christmas Angel tree top. I was so excited, I knew god and my angel had worked a miracle.
Tears still come every time I think about my drive home that night. In the quiet I realized that the tree angel was a message. I pulled over, crying and begging him not to go and leave me. The voice came back saying ” I will come if needed Leanna, but you don’t need me all the time anymore. It’s going to be okay. Others need me with my special gifts more than you do now.”
Today I know how blessed and lucky I was to have the experience but on that drive I was so desperate for him to stay with us. To give me his strength and protection.
The last time I was really aware of him was about 14 years ago, I was singing and dancing in my bedroom all by myself (yes I am a geek ). I felt a wing brush across my face. I exclaimed “Oh my god your here”, he danced to Muddy Waters with me. I never felt the hand, he was different this time. I didn’t see him or hear him, he came to me as a feathered wing brushing across my face. But he was there.
My Christmas tree angel is 25 years old now. I treasure her beyond measure and so do my boys. She still lights up and will be my tree top always.
Angels exist I promise you they do, the strength of his presence was strong enough I had no worry betting my children’s lives on it.
Here’s the tree top I have to remind me of God and my angel’s love every year.
a
a
Merry Christmas
Leanne your story is truly touching it brought tears to my eyes. I can not begin to imagine what you and your boys have been through. Your àngel is beautiful and true symbol that we are surrounded with angels. Like you I have felt the presents of my guardian angel especially during my work as a nurse. He has guided me and provided help when I needed it most to help me provide the best care my patients needed.
Hi Marjan: I love hearing other people’s angel experiences. I would expect that their are many angels visiting patients and guiding those who care for them. As a nurse you must have seen many miracles performed. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Leanna
Instead of coffee, my mug is filled with tears this morning. Thank you for having the courage to share your story. I believe in Angels too, in fact as I type this I smell the tobacco (the sign I know mine is around) in the air. Such a heart wrenching and beautiful story and I’m so glad it had a happy ending. He’s still there 25 years later, keeping watch from a top your tree. Merry Christmas my friend!
Hi Marie. Isn’t that wonderful. I believe I have Angels near me. But the one from so long ago was sent for a specific purpose.
I am so glad you shared your angel experience with me. Blessings pretty lady. Leanna
Leanna- God is Awesome and Good……ALL THE TIME!!!! What a blessing to have had an angel come to you and your boys. I am always in awe every time I hear or read stories of how God works in our lives. Prayers of thanksgiving for God’s hand in your terrible situation. Thank you for sharing your story. It is important because sharing these stories gives hope to others. Love, hugs, and prayers to you and your family. Merry Christmas!!
I am so glad you shared this Leanna. I had a young women come to me last week at my home selling magazines to make a commission because she was wanting a college education and had escaped her abusive husband with her three children. She wants to be a counselor to others who go through what she did. Her bright smile despite her circumstances, her strength, her truly wise spirit just moved me. After donating and sitting on the porch with her and talking we hugged and she went on but I was the one who felt blessed to have gotten to be in her presence. So grateful you have found a home of love and safety now and you still have your angel. God is real and He never leaves us. He has angels around us as one of my favorite verses says Psalm 91 Psalm 91
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
I wrote a song about this called “in the Secret Place” Love you!
This psalm is an exact description of our circumstances so long ago. Under the worst of circumstances god provided me with the best of blessings.
At the time I was so overwhelmed but now I can look back and feel blessed. Thank you so much for sharing this psalm.
I will say a prayer for the lady who visited your home. Hugs Leanna
Oh Leanna, bless you and your boys! My eyes are filled with tears as I write this. Your angel was and is watching over you. Thank goodness that you believe and are open to this special kind of spiritual assistance. You obviously are a wonderful mother and a savior to your children. Your story is truly what embodies the Christmas spirit. God Bless you and your family and Merry Christmas to all…
Hi Janice: This happened to us so very long ago, now I find the ugly parts are history and the memory of my guardian angel is still very strong.
I glad your recognize the joy in my story. I am pretty darn lucky to have been given that gift.
I was shy to post this. Thank you for letting me know my telling of the story at Christmas was what embodies Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well. You can be assured my sons who don’t “read blogs” will see this one printed out and know your kind wishes. Merry Christmas to you and yours too!!!
Leanna, you are a strong woman and what a beautiful blessing to be able to sense your angel in such a close way. I believe in angels, and that they are here to help us and guide us and give us the support that we need. Thank you for sharing such a personal and inspiring story.
Hi Jasmine: As a little girl I use to say the guardian angel prayer but never really thought about angels much. That certainly changed permanently.
I hadn’t asked for an angel, I just didn’t know what I was suppose to do. God certainly knew what I needed though. Thank you for commenting, because of the comments I am glad I spoke up and shared about it.
Hugs and thanks Leanaa
Leanna what a harrowing and inspiring story. I am so glad you are safe and sound with your boys and you were able to leave and start a new life. I too believe in angels and their power. And I know he has given you the strength to move forward in your life and leave all the ugly behind. Thank you for sharing your story with us it takes a lot of courage to put it out there.
Hi Mary: Yes I was a bit shy about it because this isn’t part of the “brand” I guess you could call it. Its much more personal to me than that and I was a bit shy to make my story feel glib or commercial (not quite the right word.
I was putting up my angel and though the guard angel and my miracle deserved acknowledgement because I had a venue to share it on.
With the gentle encouragement of the Party Bloggers Group I went ahead and posted it. Glad that I did.
Hugs Leanna
I felt a blessed presence as I read your message today. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Kitsy: Thank you for reading my story. I was putting the angel out and decided the angel and god deserved my acknowledgement and praise.
I am pretty quiet about those days, but the angel is a truly beautiful part of my past.
Thank you for letting me know you felt a presence while reading.
Merry Christmas, Leanna
Your story brought tears to my eyes. I know stories like yours all to well (worked in a state agency for many years). I am so glad you gave the boys such love and caring and a good life once you got away. Angels do make all things possible.
Hi Debra: Thanks so much for reaching out. I saw your comment before I ever put this out on facebook or anywhere.
I hope it does reach out to some women out there, but I did Not want it to come across as a lecture to them. They don’t need to be told what they need to do, they aren’t stupid but its very dangerous to leave.
Your comment made it much easier for me to share the story this morning.
I really am blessed for my angel. I am sure he knows I am telling his story.
Thanks again for writing me. You made my morning already.
Hugs Leanna
This is a truly God-filled story/experience. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Stacie: Thank you for commenting. It is a life changing story for me. I won’t ever forget it. I am so blessed for the experience and for having the tree angel as a physical reminder.
Merry Christmas Leanna