I had personally heard of literally dozens of divine encounters from all kinds of individuals before encountering one for myself. Although I truly believed the stories I was hearing, it was only after my own experience that I understood the depth of meaning that these encounters have for individuals firsthand. For a number of years I was very close to a woman named Angela Marsh Peterson. Angela lived for ninety-eight years and had a very full life. An amazing woman from many different perspectives, Angela's life included many of the possible experiences available to a woman in the twentieth century: motherhood, career, travel, the military, owning her own business, divorce, the death of a child, founding her own museum, teaching, serving as a house mother to college students, living overseas; the list goes on and on. Because of her incredibly varied life, Angela had been encouraged on, at least, a dozen different occasions to compile her life's story. Although there were numerous attempts, the story was never completed. Then Angela and I met, and something clicked. For more than four years we worked on her story, which was eventually published as One Woman's Century. Although Angela never lived to see the book in print, she did read all but the last thirty pages or so.
About one year after Angela's death, I was asleep, or so I thought, and I had a dream. In the dream I was slumbering in the bed; the lights were off. I could see myself, the room, the bed, and a flicker of moonlight through the window. All at once, as though bathed in bright light, Angela appeared in the bedroom. She was smiling, energetic, and no longer crippled over with her ninety-eight years. She thanked me for finishing the book, leaned over, and gave me a very brief kiss on the lips. As soon as her lips touched mine, it was like being shot full of electricity! I sat up immediately in bed, wide awake, fully conscious, and very much aware that I had just had a divine encounter of my own. Not only had Angela come to give thanks but her presence reassured me because at that time I was losing one of my very best friends to cancer. The Divine in spirit is interested with the concerns of the material world.
On a number of occasions, Edgar Cayce told stories of his own divine encounters throughout the years. Those experiences began when he was less than two years old and had “invisible playmates” that he eventually recognized as young children who had passed away and were not quite ready to move on to the next experience in consciousness. As a young boy, he had an encounter with an angelic woman to whom he told his dream to be helpful to people, “especially children when they were sick.” She acknowledged the dream, promised it would be answered, and then disappeared. As an adult and an accomplished speaker, Cayce occasionally had the experience of lecturing to a room of people and becoming aware of the fact that “invisible people” would come in and take seats where no one was sitting in order to listen to what was being said.
I believe that these stories give credence to the ever-present reality of the Divine in our lives. Sometimes they come in the form of chance encounters. Sometimes they are the flicker of a dream or a simple divine insight. Sometime they are an angel that we entertain unaware. Sometimes all we have to do is look beyond ourselves and we will find the very thing we need. But the fact is that the Divine is very much cognizant of us; perhaps the time has come, at last, for us to become cognizant in return.
Kevin J. Todeschi
Executive Director and CEO
Edgar Cayce's A.R.E./Atlantic University
 | Preface |
I am honored to have been asked to comment on Josie Varga's Divine Visits, a wonderful undertaking which provides real-life stories of extraordinary individuals who have experienced a divine intervention in the form of visitations by guardian spirits and angels. My work as a physicist and neurological surgeon has inexorably led me to the study of after-death communication, the existence of the afterlife, and the importance and function of guardian angels. On my office desk sits a glass 3D sculpture of German painter Bernhard Plockhorst's Schutzengel. It shows two children being protected by a guardian angel as they cross a damaged footbridge. For the past year, as patients describe their automobile accidents, I let them see and hold this small piece of art. Almost to a person, they report the awareness of some sort of divine intervention at the time of their injury. Some have described the vehicle being steered or moved by unseen forces. It is quite interesting to see that this is almost universal in cases of serious and life-threatening injuries. This has helped me to understand that everything happens for a purpose and that there are no coincidences.
The history of the Catholic Church shows that the Feast of the Dedication of St. Michael is among the oldest feasts, and as part of it, there was a tribute to the angels with an acknowledgment of their protective office and intercessory power. Angels have been with us, well described in the literature, and I will venture to say that at some point in one's life, the appreciation of guardians and angels begins to shine like a beacon as we awaken to the existence of the afterlife. In this fifth work by Josie Varga, the topic of divine intervention is covered from many different viewpoints. According to the author of this fascinating book, “Life never ends and love never dies, and that nothing can break the bonds of love—not even death.” There is a love expressed in these stories of interventions which comes in various sizes, hues, appearances, and races. They are anecdotal stories indeed, but what faith can we place in them?
I was privileged to be one of the keynote speakers at the First International Conference on After-Death Communication in Phoenix, AZ, April 2012. I concluded my first presentation on the afterlife with a mention of Dr. Michael Newton's Journey of Souls and the importance of examining the time-between-lives. I met author Robert Schwartz, author of Your Soul's Plan: Discovering the Real Meaning of the Life You Planned before You Were Born, who also writes about the period between lives. One thing is clear from their work and that of many others: All of us have guardian angels and guides. We need to understand and to fully appreciate how the process of divine intervention works. One day we, too, will appreciate such intervention. That is where this book is very helpful—it shows us how divine visits occur.
Do we need to call on the angels or will they simply show up when their intervention is necessary? Well, it depends. You will learn about the subtle ways in which they might make their presence known. You will also learn of the stupendous ways in which forces that seemingly violate the laws of physics are brought into play with lifesaving results. You will also read about cases in which calls are put forth and the angels promptly respond.
After reading this book, you will appreciate the fact that there is ample evidence to suggest that there is an afterlife and that angels appear when needed. They come when called upon and can assist without being asked. This wonderful book contains numerous stories of angelic visitations—all inspiring in their own right; however, the author's own angelic visitation as she lay on the radiology table, visually seeing and interacting with the orb, will move you. My eyes filled with tears of joy and understanding as I read her description of this life-saving event in the chapter “Beyond Words.” You will find the pages of this book filled with tales of total love and compassion.
With knowledge, fear tends to dissipate. Please enjoy your read.
John L. Turner, MD Author of Medicine, Miracles, and Manifestations: A Doctor's Journey through the Worlds of Divine Intervention, Near-Death Experiences, and Universal Energy. www.JohnLTurner.com
| Introduction |
For God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways.
With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
Psalms 91:11-12
The word angel is derived from the word angelos which means messenger in Greek.