Dont Let Go

I love what Jacob tells the angel in the famous story that describes them wrestling together on a riverbank: "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

What courage and determination that statement showed in Jacob! Not only was he willing to actually wrestle an angel (and an angel who may have been God himself, appearing in angelic form!), but Jacob was also committed to holding on until he finally got the blessing for which he was searching.

I think the physical wrestling that went on that day is wonderful metaphor for the spiritual wrestling that we often do in prayer with God and his angels. We want to be blessed -- and if we don't let go, that's likely to be exactly what will happen.

Immediately after Jacob makes this incredible statement to the angel, the angel gives him a new name that reflects a blessing, and says he is doing so "because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome."

Whatever you're wrestling with God and the angels in prayer about, be persistent, and trust that you'll ultimately be blessed for your faith. Don't let go!

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A Ladder to Heaven

We know by faith that angels are constantly traveling between the universe's dimensions, hard at work answering prayers and fulfilling other missions. Usually, angels go from heaven to Earth and back again without us seeing them in transit. But the prophet Jacob had an amazing dream about angels who are busy ascending and descending a ladder between Earth and heaven.

I've often wished that I could visit heaven temporarily, or even just peek inside to satisfy some of my curiosity about it. But if I had access to a heavenly ladder -- or even a heavenly window -- I suspect that what I would see would leave me with more questions than answers. And just one glimpse of something so wonderful would also leave me with a longing to stay in heaven permanently, without returning to Earth to finish out my life here. That's a dilemma many people who have gone through near death experiences report struggling with when they visit heaven and discover that they must return to Earth for a while.

Honestly, as much as I'd like to visit heaven, I'm not really ready to ascend a ladder there. But what fun it is to learn from Jacob's dream about the awesome travels that angels are constantly making between heaven and Earth!

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The Greatest Angel

When is an angel not really an angel? When he's God appearing in angelic form.

That's called a a "theophany," which means God appearing to and communicating with people directly. Both the Bible and the Torah describe that happening when an angel called the "Angel of the Lord" appears.

The new profile "Meet the Angel of the Lord" describes this greatest angel of all.

This month, I'll be featuring lots of new articles about the Angel of the Lord, and I've just posted them on the site. I'll be blogging about them individually but wanted to let you know that the series is up for you to check out now. Hope you enjoy!

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Energy All Around

The concept of matching different kinds of crystal rocks (which can store and amplify electromagnetic energy) to certain types of angels (whose energy vibrates at the same frequencies) is a fascinating idea.

At first, it's hard to imagine that energy really goes back and forth between angels and crystals in precise and powerful ways, because we can't actually see it happening. But neither can we see many other kinds of energy that moves through the air around us: from cell phone and TV broadcasting signals, to sound waves and microwaves.

Energy is all around us, constantly at work -- and most of the time we don't see it with our physical eyes. When we consider that, it's not so unreasonable to explore the connection between angels and crystals. You can learn about that connection in the article "What is an Angel Prayer Crystal?".

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In the Blink of an Eye

None of us can know when our lives on Earth will end and our time in heaven will begin. It may happen suddenly, without warning: in the blink of an eye.

That's how it happened for the prophet Enoch. One day, Archangel Haniel showed up with a fiery chariot, and just like that Enoch left Earth and arrived in heaven. Enoch's situation was unique, of course, because he made the transition without actually dying first. But just like often happens for others, Enoch's departure was sudden and unexpected.

It's a good idea to pay attention to our relationship with God every day, since none of us truly knows if that may be the day we go to meet him. An angel can arrive at any moment to escort any one of us into the afterlife. Are we ready?

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Looking in the Right Place

One of the main ways that Archangel Haniel communicates with people is by giving them a fresh sense of joy, and she does that by directing them to the source of all joy: God.

Far too often, we're tempted to look in the wrong places for joy, and end up with only transitory happiness (at best) or nothing (at worst). Searching for joy in our circumstances (from relationships with people to our jobs our hobbies) will always leave us feeling disappointed, because circumstances change constantly. But unlike happiness, joy goes beyond changing circumstances: It's rooted in God's love for us, which will never change.

My role model growing up was a lady who radiated joy in her onscreen performances: Ginger Rogers. But that joy didn't come from her glamorous Hollywood life (which actually presented lots of pressures and challenges). Her joy came from her relationship with God. Ginger taught me to go straight to the source of joy -- God himself -- rather than look for it in anything lesser. I hope you do the same, and enjoy a life filled with joy, no matter what circumstances you encounter!

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Recognizing the Archangel of Prayer

Since Selaphiel is the angel of prayer, the most common sign of his presence is an urge to pray about someone or something. Whenever I get an urge to pray, I try to stop what I'm doing and pray silently right then and there about whatever specific prayer topic has entered my mind. Sometimes I discover later when talking to people I've prayed for that they especially needed prayer at the exact time when I sensed an urge to pray for them!

The article "How Do I Recognize Archangel Selaphiel?" describes some of the signs that people may experience when they encounter archangel Selaphiel (who is also known as Zerachiel).

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The Giver not the Gifts

When the high priest entered the tabernacle seeking God's guidance during biblical times, he looked at the 12 crystal gemstones on his clothing that God had instructed him to wear. Sometimes, God would answer the priest's prayers (on behalf of the Hebrew people) by lighting up various stones with the Shekinah (the physical manifestation of God inside the earthly tabernacle).

God sometimes used the stones to communicate his answers to prayer, but the stones themselves had no power other than what God had given them when he created them. The priest looked at the stones for answers, but he knew that the answers came from God, not the stones.

The priest, and the people he represented, placed their trust in the Giver, not the gifts.

God didn't intend for people to place their trust in the crystal gemstones themselves; they were only tools he used to communicate with people. Instead, God called people to trust him to answer prayers, since he had created people as well, and knew what was best for them.

That's crucial to remember when using crystals as prayer tools to connect with God and his angels. In my own life, if I'm wearing my amethyst (my favorite crystal) when I pray, I never place my trust in the amethyst. No matter how beautiful or inspiring it is, it doesn't have any power beyond what God himself has given it. 100 percent of my trust goes to God, whom I know will answer my prayers whether or not I'm wearing an amethyst when I pray.

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Your Best Daily Decision

The most important decision you can make each day is choosing to think positive thoughts. That's because your thoughts lead to your attitudes, which then lead to your actions, which ultimately shape the course of your entire life.

Thinking negatively will draw you down a path that leads to the ugliness of a negative life. But thinking positively will inspire you to develop a beautiful life that will bless you and those who know you.

Archangel Jophiel focuses mostly on beauty in her work, and it's interesting to note the approach she takes to beauty: Jophiel helps people learn how to think beautiful thoughts. When God sends Jophiel out to help people, it's usually to help them beautify their minds.

The article "How Do I Recognize Archangel Jophiel?" describes some of the possible signs of Jophiel's presence.

When you wake up each day, you can either choose to let negative thoughts like worries or resentments flood your mind, or you can begin the day with prayer, asking God or archangel Jophiel to help you think positive, beautiful thoughts. When you chose to pray and dwell on what's positive, you invite real spiritual power into your life that can make your life a beautiful one!

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From Worst to Best

Years ago, when I first read the famous story about the prophet Abraham nearly sacrificing his son Isaac to God, I was shocked by what a terrible father Abraham seemed to be. Someone who would be willing to kill his own son seemed like the worst father imaginable.

Frankly, I was even taken aback by God himself in this story. Why would God ask Abraham to do such a horrible thing?

Now I understand that God never intended Isaac to die or even be harmed. He was testing Abraham's faith in the most extreme way -- checking to see if Abraham trusted him completely. When Abraham passed the test, God intervened and announced his mercy. God later blessed Abraham by giving him so many descendants that Abraham has become known as one of the greatest fathers of all time.

Abraham turned out to be one of the best fathers imaginable, because of his strong faith in his heavenly father: God.

This Father's Day, we celebrate many admirable qualities about dads. But I believe that the best fathers are those who choose to trust God, believing that God can change the worst to the best in any situation.

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Gods Confidence in Us

When God appeared to the prophet Moses in the form of an angel, speaking from the famous burning bush, God called Moses to do something great: lead the Israelites out of slavery and into freedom.

Moses' reply shows how overwhelmed he felt: "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?' Sound familiar? How often has God called you to do something, yet you didn't feel up to the task on your own. That's happened to me plenty of times.

But the good news is that we never need to do anything alone. God shows up wherever we are (Moses was just going about his work as usual -- tending sheep -- when God called out to him), and makes what's ordinary in our lives extraordinary (God appeared as an extraordinary flaming angel inside an ordinary bush).

God's response to Moses says it all: "I will be with you." God promises to be with us on our journeys through life -- always available to encourage and empower us. God knows that we can do whatever he calls us to do when we rely on his help. God believes in us, and wants us to believe in him.

We can be confident because of God's confidence in us.

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The Blessing of Laughter

I've had an embarrassing problem for many years: I laugh when I'm nervous.

On stage when I sang in various choral groups, I laughed during moments of stage fright, but usually I could hide my face with sheet music. At work when I was on staff at a national magazine, I'd sometimes laugh when it was my turn to talk about my ideas in meetings, but my coworkers were understanding.

Still, I'll never forget the time I attended a friend's funeral, got nervous when his mother began crying at his grave, and began to laugh uncontrollably. Talk about inappropriate! I quickly walked away from that situation so I wouldn't upset the other mourners, but it took me a while to stop laughing (even though I really felt like crying, instead).

Why do some people, like me, laugh in situations that make us nervous? Because laughter releases stress.

Laughter can be a blessed way to escape the stresses of life (although I'd never recommend laughing at funerals). Usually, humor helps us see a larger perspective on stressful situations, so they don't overwhelm us.

Archangel Barachiel (also known as Barakiel), the angel of blessings, often inspires people to laugh. So laughter is one of several signs of Barachiel's presence. Read more in the article "How Do I Recognize Archangel Barachiel?"

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Energy All Around

The concept of matching different kinds of crystal rocks (which can store and amplify electromagnetic energy) to certain types of angels (whose energy vibrates at the same frequencies) is a fascinating idea.

At first, it's hard to imagine that energy really goes back and forth between angels and crystals in precise and powerful ways, because we can't actually see it happening. But neither can we see many other kinds of energy that moves through the air around us: from cell phone and TV broadcasting signals, to sound waves and microwaves.

Energy is all around us, constantly at work -- and most of the time we don't see it with our physical eyes. When we consider that, it's not so unreasonable to explore the connection between angels and crystals. You can learn about that connection in the article "What is an Angel Prayer Crystal?".

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Recognizing Archangel Phanuel

There are numerous times every day when my conscience speaks to me about whether something is right or wrong, and many times daily when I'm encouraged by a fresh sense of hope. If you reflect on your days, I think it's likely to be the same for you.

Some of those times may be signs of archangel Phanuel's presence around us. The article "How Do I Recognize Archangel Phanuel?" describes how Phanuel (the angel of repentance and hope) communicates -- and believers say that God often assigns Phanuel to speak through our consciences about sin or deliver a fresh sense of hope to us, among other things.

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Amethyst Crystals

Amethyst crystals are said to be especially powerful to use in prayer for spiritual wisdom. Their energy works best within the yellow angel light ray, led by archangel Jophiel.

Since I love the deep purple color of amethyst, it has been my favorite type of crystal for years -- long before I learned about its metaphysical properties. I was fascinated to discover that Catholic bishops have a tradition of wearing amethyst rings, because of the crystal's association with spiritual wisdom.

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Aquamarine Crystals

Aquamarine crystals are said to be especially powerful to use in prayer for courage. Their energy works best within the blue angel light ray, led by archangel Michael.

When people use aquamarine crystals as tools to pray for courage, they often pray either for the courage to express spiritual truth or the courage to pursue creative projects. Both are vital ways of making God known to others, since God is reflected both in his principles and in his creative spirit at work in the world.

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No Outcasts

People can be incredibly cruel to each other: labeling, slandering, gossiping about, and shunning those who are different from them in some way.

Thankfully, God isn't like that.

People sometimes view others as outcasts, but no outcasts exist from God's perspective. The story of how the Angel of the Lord helps a mistreated woman named Hagar shows that God is willing to care for anyone who has faith -- not just certain types of people.

Hagar famously told the Angel of the Lord (who was God himself appearing in angelic form): "You are the God who sees me." May we ask God daily for the wisdom to truly see the people we encounter -- to realize that God made them in his image -- and to treat them accordingly!

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Heavens Olympics

Many athletes at the current Olympic games in London are no doubt relying on God and their guardian angels for inspiration, encouragement, guidance, and protection while they compete.

It's not just the athletes who have demanding jobs to do; the Olympic organizers do, too. Overseeing logistics for thousands of athletes from 204 different nations -- plus coaches, volunteers, and others -- is a massive undertaking.

Archangel Barachiel, who tradition says oversees all of the universe's guardian angels, has an even bigger job. While Olympic organizers supervise thousands of people, Barachiel supervises so many angels that they're too many for human beings to count.

Even stronger than Olympic athletes, guardian angels work hard every day to perform daring missions like rescuing people from danger and motivating people who urgently need hope.

Heaven's Olympics are taking place every day!

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Extrasensory Perception

One of Archangel Raziel's signature signs is the gift of extrasensory perception (which is popularly known as ESP or the sixth sense). Believers say that when Raziel is communicating with them, their ability to perceive knowledge beyond their five physical senses grows stronger.

Extrasensory perception is an ancient and fascinating phenomenon. People seem conflicted about it: many are skeptical, yet also report experiencing some type of extrasensory perception in their own lives that they can't explain.

As a girl, I enjoyed playing a card game with friends that claimed to test and prove our extrasensory perception. I can't say whether or not the game actually did what it claimed to do. But it did show me that real power existed in my own mind -- a power that I believe all of us have, if we tap into it.

Raziel reminds us how powerful our minds truly are, and how much we can grow from using our minds to seek spiritual knowledge and wisdom.

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Souvenir Stone

The black stone of Kaaba is a souvenir of an important story in Islam. It's a physical reminder of how Muslims believe that God has been at work since ancient times, through the prophet Abraham, Archangel Gabriel, and others.

When worshipers express their reverence for the stone through the ritual of tawaf, they're showing how much they appreciate the story behind it. Remembering the story, through the stone, draws them deeper into faith.

What souvenirs do you have of how God has worked in your own life? It may be something that represents a crisis you went through successfully with God's help, such as a scar from a past surgery through which God healed you. It may be something that someone who inspired you to draw closer to God gave you. It may be something that symbolizes how God has answered a specific prayer in your life.

No matter what items remind you of God's faithfulness to you, it's important to take them out and reflect on the stories behind them every now and then. Remembering the past through souvenirs can help you go into the future with a fresh dose of faith.

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Crystals

The practice of using crystals when praying for help from angels is an ancient and fascinating one.

Next month I'm going to feature crystals and angels, but in the meantime, I'm posting some profiles of various crystals that people use in prayer. Eventually you'll find lots of crystal profiles on the site.

Some of the ones I've just posted include:

Aquamarine

Amethyst

Rock Crystal (also known as Crystal Quartz)

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