Life is a precious opportunity for spiritual growth. Family, friends, pets, and those whose paths we cross all provide us with a chance to grow in our ability to give and receive love, which ultimately helps us nurture a deeper relationship with God. Often it is when we are faced with the possibility of losing life that we develop even more gratitude for it.

About twenty five years ago, when my wife Diane and I had two young children, I contracted a life-threatening blood infection. Our family doctor sent us directly to the hospital so that I could receive antibiotics intravenously. I was admitted into a room, hooked up to an IV unit, and then watched Diane take Sam and Michelle home for the night. As they walked away down the long hospital hallway, my heart sank as I realized how serious the situation was. The precious future with my young family was unexpectedly at risk. I then had a very direct conversation with the doctor. He gave me a fifty-fifty chance of survival, depending on whether or not the infection reached my heart that night.

I lay awake much of the night, checking the progression of swollen lymph nodes. What had started on the back of my head had made its way down my neck to my left arm pit as it neared my heart. I admit I had never been much for prayer to that point in life, but in that moment of crisis I turned to God. When I did so, I soon became calm and peaceful even though that could have been my last night in this lifetime. The peace came from a growing certainty that God was right there with me and that my life was safely in his hands. God made this clear to me. In my time of great need God’s loving presence filled my heart, pushing out fear and worry. My biggest concern was for my wife and children. I asked God if I could please survive to help Diane raise Sam and Michelle. At that moment I knew even more deeply that God loved me, was right there with me, and was listening to my heart’s prayer. I was comforted by God’s closeness. I soon began to feel better and stronger. I knew in my heart I would live even before the doctor confirmed it the next morning. I fell into a sound, healing sleep for the rest of the night. God blessed me with a miracle healing.

Since that critical night in the hospital I have lived a life full of God’s blessings. Diane and I have shared the joys of raising our children. We have cherished many pets that open our hearts. God has blessed us with wonderful friends and good health. We look forward to grandchildren someday. In these ways my spoken prayer that night has been answered many times over. But God has blessed me beyond what I could imagine for myself.

God had also heard other prayers in my heart. These prayers were buried so deeply that I did not yet know they existed. God put the Prophet into my life as the key to them. Since then the Prophet, Del Hall III, has helped uncover these deeper prayers. I have a prayer to know God closely and feel His love deeply. The Prophet is teaching me to look deeper at life so that I can more clearly see that my life is literally in God’s loving hands, an answer to this prayer. The Prophet has also lifted me into the Heavens where I have been immersed in God’s Love many times. I had another prayer which is to tell God that I love Him. The Prophet answered this prayer by teaching me to sing HU, a love song to God. Also, the Prophet has lifted me as Soul into the Heavens so that I can directly tell God that I love him. The Prophet is my link to God. He is the way to God. He is the distributor of God’s Love and blessings to me and all Souls.

I experienced God’s loving Presence that critical night in the hospital. His Presence brought me peace and comfort. God heard and answered my spoken prayer that I survive. He not only gave me the longer life I asked for, but made it an abundant life full of love, joy, peace, security, knowingness, and countless other blessings. The Prophet has taught me that God is always with me, not just when I am aware of it in a time of dire need. He has shown me that God hears all my prayers and knows which, when, and how to answer them. That night in the hospital was the first time I knowingly experienced God’s loving Presence and felt such peace and comfort in an extreme circumstance. Through the teachings of the Prophet and singing HU every day, I am increasingly aware of God’s blessings that sweeten every aspect of my life. God has blessed me greatly in so many ways as He blesses all His children. I am very grateful to be aware of His blessings!

Written by Irv Kempf

Read more wonderful stories of God’s Love and blessings HERE.