Heaven's Gift: Angels among Us

By Scotty Strickland

Throughout the book of Providence, we constantly saw the great provision of God in the lives of the Jacoby and Bronson families. They were two families whose lives were brought together by marriage and became intertwined in an undying friendship. We saw that God was always there in the valleys and on the mountaintops.

Now in this riveting sequel, we follow the next three generations of Jacobys as they are led by God into great service. As this story gracefully moves to and fro between heaven and earth, we will see how God not only gives us gifts of service but also gives "angels among us."

As you engulf yourself into the presence of those on earth and those in heaven, you will be spellbound by the way God brings them together. It is the author's hope that as you read this story, you will catch a glimpse of the splendor that awaits His children and that you can feel the presence of His angels working peace and protection in your lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098092221

Book preview

cover.jpg

Heaven's Gift

Angels among Us

Scotty Strickland

Copyright © 2021 by Scotty Strickland

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Ministering Angels

Paradise

Season of Sorrow

Face-to-Face

The Calling

Holy Ground

The Purpose

Follow Me

Angels Unaware

The Promise

Angel Spirit

The Revelation

The Teaching

Spirit Training

View From Above

Winds of Change

Heavenly Perspective

Into the Light

The Anointing

Appointed Days

That Day and Hour

Chapter 1

Ministering Angels

Joel’s funeral would be held at his home church in Texarkana. Pastor Johns would officiate, along with Joel’s great-niece, Sarah. She was only fifteen but far beyond her years spiritually. Joel would be buried at Chapelwood Cemetery alongside his beloved Katrina.

As Sarah stepped to the podium in her snow white dress, almost everyone was stunned to see an almost halo-looking glow above her flowing strawberry blonde hair. She began to speak in a crystal clear voice that never raised or lowered but managed to put an emphasis in all the right places. She read Joel’s obituary like a love story about his and Katrina’s life together and concluded with his service to Jesus Christ. As she finished, she paused and then turned toward Joel’s casket and, smiling, spoke. I’m so glad you could be here, Eli. You truly were a faithful guardian.

There were only two people in that moment that truly knew what was happening. Her grandmother, Jessie, who was Joel’s sister and her great-grandmother, Marion, who was Joel and Jessie’s mom. Marion was one hundred now and still moving very well to be burying her son. What they knew was that Sarah could see angels. It was a gift she had since she was about five. All the family knew Sarah was special, but only her grandmother and great-grandmother knew about the gift, and a gift from God it truly was.

As Christians, we all receive gifts from God, abilities to excel in areas that we could never do in the flesh. Sometimes others recognize that we are functioning in God’s power, but we always know it and give all the praise to God.

There is no limit to God’s gifts and no limit to how many gifts each person can have.

Sarah understood that this gift was from God and that she had been chosen before she had chosen God. She remembered how her great-uncle Joel used to say, Have you chosen the one who chose you first? She also knew that she had been given a gift that few receive. This made her feel very special, yet she was not prideful because she knew we were all special in our own way to God.

As Pastor Johns began to speak, a heavenly host of angels filled the building. Only Sarah could see as they began to take their places next to each family member. Even though they were unseen, they were very much felt as they brought the peace of God to each and every one. Pastor John’s sermon was a symphony in motion as he made a comparison between Joel and men of God who served God in spite of great tribulations.

In heaven, Joel was amazed as he and Katrina and his earthly father J.B. became a great cloud of witnesses as they viewed from above. Of course, there was no emotion other than constant joy. That’s the way it was here—no sadness, no sorrow, no disappointment, no pain! Everything was perfect. Even their knowledge was perfect. All the questions Joel had thought he would ask didn’t need answering. He had perfect understanding. Even as he watched his family mourn, there was a certain peace that filled his soul. It wasn’t that he knew God’s plan, but he had perfect knowledge that God had a plan, and it was a perfect plan.

Joel had been here three days according to earth time, but there was no time here. There was no darkness, no sunrise, no sunset, no moon, and no stars. There was only light, but there were no shadows. The light was vivid but not bright. It was warm but not hot. It was like comforting warmth. It was never cold. The only word Joel could come up with was perfect. Yet that seemed to be inadequate to describe this paradise.

At the graveside, Maria sang Amazing Grace followed by Sarah reciting from memory the first six verses of Proverbs chapter three:

My son do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.

This last verse had been engraved on Joel and Katrina’s headstone. The service ended with the playing of taps followed by Pastor John’s closing prayer.

As family and friends lingered to visit and reminisce, Sarah and her grandmother were busy visiting with Trey Quinn. He was a giant of a man who had been saved in prison under Joel’s teaching. He was six foot ten and in prison he had been The Mighty Quinn. Joel had never shared their story with his family. There were so many there whose lives had been change from knowing Joel, but none as noticeable as Martin Duboise, the man who had done more than anyone could imagine to destroy Joel. It was no wonder that most of Joel’s family was avoiding him, and yet there was Sarah praying with a soul that proved the great mercy of God.

Chapter 2

Paradise

As time passed by, Joel became more and more aware of the paradise that heaven is. The main thing he couldn’t get a grip on was how he felt physically. There were no aches, no pains, and no tiredness. He felt as fresh all the time as the best day he could remember on earth. He never had a stiff neck, a runny nose or any kind of sickness. Everything around him brought him constant joy, which led to his mental state being glorious. Joel had dreamed about heaven, but his most beautiful dreams paled in comparison to this. There was no way to judge time because there were no nights, no sunrise or sunset, no clocks or timepieces, no yesterday and no tomorrow. You never needed to eat or drink or sleep. You didn’t go to the bathroom. You didn’t shower or shave or wear perfume. Katrina remained constantly beautiful, and it was all natural.

Katrina had been here a lot longer than Joel, and she was a great help in introducing him to heaven. Very often she and Joel spent time with their parents, his father J.B. and Harold and Charlotte. Her mom, Charlotte, had been here about sixty-five earth years.

Then there was their mansion. Jesus had said, In my father’s house are many mansions. It would have been hard to explain to anyone on earth because the many mansions weren’t structures. It was like everyone had their own space in heaven, a place you could step into in this vast universe and experience anything you had loved on earth. For Joel and Katrina, there were spectacular views of snow-capped mountain tops and beautiful autumn colored trees. There were rivers with awesome rapids and lakes to fish in. There was the most beautiful golf course Joel could have imagined. There were flowers blooming everywhere, of every variety known to man, plus some they had never seen. There were aromas everywhere that touched their senses in such a fulfilling way. Every aroma you could imagine from food to a sea breeze. The list went on and on to include everything they ever dreamed.

Inside their mansion, they could do anything they desired, and yet they loved to walk the streets of gold to see the saints of heaven. It was amazing that everyone here was the same age, probably thirtyish. There was one group of several million that were instantly recognizable not because they were together but because they mingled in everywhere. And it wasn’t because they had some identifying mark, but when you saw them, you just knew they were those who had been aborted before they were born. There was another group who had been small children who died early in their life. These two groups seemed to hold a special