Sound Grace
Stories
Sharing Visions
Divine Revelations, Angels, And Holy Coincidences
Twenty-four years ago, my younger sister Charlotte died. A few months after her death, I found myself lying awake in the middle of the night, unable to relax. My heart felt wide open -- gaping after something. In the dark and quiet room there suddenly started a crackling noise, like fire. It grew very loud. I looked around, but the room was still the same. No glint of fire. I knew I was awake because I could feel the bed sheets, blink my eyes, and pinch myself. The crackling sound that I could hear so clearly was not in the room in the physical sense. Nothing was burning; no "thing" was crackling. And yet my physical ears could hear the crackling as though flames were surrounding the bed, as though I were in the middle of raging fire.
I began to realize that this was a spiritual sound, or that I was hearing something non-physical. I was filled with joy, disbelief, and absolute wonder. I lay reveling in the waves of crackling, not knowing what it was, but feeling that I was connected both with God and with Charlotte. The crackling continued for some minutes and then slowly faded and came to a stop. I felt let down, but I sensed that, for a brief time, I had been in God's holy space with Charlotte.
This experience has been my treasure. I believe that God, through the crackling, reached out and embraced me in that time of grief. I also believe that Charlotte touched me, however strangely. I've wondered about the significance of the crackling -- was it fire? Purifying flame? Whatever logical interpretation there may be, most precious to me is the wonder I felt in the midst of that inexplicable ocean of sound.
The loud "crackling" has never recurred. There is, however, an inner sound that I hear in quiet, when I listen with heart and spirit. This sound is at the core of my prayer life, for it brings me into Christ's presence. Though it does not come loud, like crackling fire, it is always there when I listen for it. It is the sound of peace and healing. It is the sound of God's love. And it is here.
I began to realize that this was a spiritual sound, or that I was hearing something non-physical. I was filled with joy, disbelief, and absolute wonder. I lay reveling in the waves of crackling, not knowing what it was, but feeling that I was connected both with God and with Charlotte. The crackling continued for some minutes and then slowly faded and came to a stop. I felt let down, but I sensed that, for a brief time, I had been in God's holy space with Charlotte.
This experience has been my treasure. I believe that God, through the crackling, reached out and embraced me in that time of grief. I also believe that Charlotte touched me, however strangely. I've wondered about the significance of the crackling -- was it fire? Purifying flame? Whatever logical interpretation there may be, most precious to me is the wonder I felt in the midst of that inexplicable ocean of sound.
The loud "crackling" has never recurred. There is, however, an inner sound that I hear in quiet, when I listen with heart and spirit. This sound is at the core of my prayer life, for it brings me into Christ's presence. Though it does not come loud, like crackling fire, it is always there when I listen for it. It is the sound of peace and healing. It is the sound of God's love. And it is here.
