Mine Eyes Have Seen

By K. Roy Winstead

She was born in Autauga County, Alabama, on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. At a young age, subjected to a hostile childhood, author K. Roy Winstead would hide in a makeshift wooden tree house. It was there in that pear tree that she would talk and sing to Jesus, trying to make sense of things. Somehow, she believed that Jesus was like an imaginary friend. Only he was real and could hear her. There in that tree house was the beginning of her relationship with God. Follow the author as she takes you on a spiritual adventure through the abounding highs and abasing lows of her life. Beginning from the great and terrible day that she drowned as a little girl, you'll see the impossible turn to possible. From heart wrenching tales of being a pregnant teen rescued by an angel to everything in between. Ranging from a vision dream that conquered thoughts of suicide, miraculous protection from harm when in danger, and answered prayer that found love and sustained it. You'll witness Jesus at work. Taking a final stop, you will taste of delicious mysteries how God can terminate a foreclosure, help you start a business, and even cure cancer. With eager anticipation, you will gaze into the window of an ordinary country girl's life celebrating her victories alongside her. Victories undeniably that could only be orchestrated by the wondrous works of God. While joyfully having your spirits lifted, making you laugh, and bringing hope to your life. It is the author's wish that your imagination will taste of sweet Southern food for the soul consisting of beer, biscuits, and belief. Belief in Jesus!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644587522

Book preview

Life after Death

Okay, so I was five or six years old, honestly I don’t quite remember, when something great and terrible happened to me. You see it was back in the 1970’s when you could let your children play outside without worrying that someone would kidnap them. My brother Marcus and I would ride our bikes all over town. He was older than me. From our home to main street, to the public park, the library and the public swimming pool, we would ride and walk during those long hot Alabama summers. Sometimes, we would take a dive in our local creek to cool down, but other times, when we had an extra three dollars, we would go to the city pool.

Our mother was a very busy woman bogged down with house choirs, trying to help our father run a construction company, and managing us children could be a handful at times, so frequently, she would drop us off at the pool with money to get in and extra for snacks always with one stipulation, Never get in the deep end. My mother never much enjoyed the water probably because she couldn’t swim which if she had, I believe she would have enjoyed spending time with us there. Anyhow, it was a good break for Mom to go get groceries, pay bills, and such.

One summer day, she dropped us off, told Marcus to watch out after me, Y’all stay out of the deep end! and Be good! So naturally, Marcus jumped right in to the deep end as soon as the brown station wagon was out of sight. He could swim like a fish since birth. I would hit the kiddie pool. It was more my speed and was in my comfort zone. Slowly I would work myself into the big pool, an Olympic-size beast that started at three foot deep and dropped to an ominous twelve. I would practice my dog paddling and floating skills never too far from the side of the pool inching myself further and further sometimes all the way to the five foot mark. The place was always packed, children of all ages splashing and having fun, making new besties for a day. Parents and teens were oiled up and sunbathing on the concrete patio surrounding the pool. They had two tall diving boards that only the courageous would attempt including my brother. The snack bar smelt of popcorn while old ABBA and BeeGees tunes played over the loud speaker looping the same track all day.

I was swimming or should I say clutching on to the wall toward the middle of the pool when a pretty little girl with long blonde hair popped up beside me asking me to swim with her. She seemed older but was the same size I was, I was tall for my age. I was friendly, happy to be friends, and agreed to play with her. We were splashing around with some other kids when she said, Hey, let’s race across the pool. Race me. I tried making her understand that I couldn’t swim very well, only dog paddle a little. She assured me that everything would be all right and I could trust her, followed with a smile. I was reluctant so she said, You can have a ten-second head start.

I questioned, What if I can’t do it? I can’t swim very well.

She promised to stop and help me if there was any problem. I wanted a friend badly so I agreed and it was on.

On your mark. Get set. Go! I took off! I was paddling away, water splashing everywhere. A barrage of swimmers like obstacles between me and the other side. Barely keeping my head above water. Every stroke I took was joined with What was I thinking! Only about ten foot in to a thirty-foot swim, I started having trouble. Gasping I reached out toward Blondie as she sped past, neglecting my distress. Not only did she not help as she said she would but instead sternly pushed my head under water with her hand. She glided by like a mermaid holding her breath underwater, eyes open. I could see a smile on her face and a gleam in her eye as she did it. My head was under. It was all over. I was done for!

I panicked. Under water with no wall in sight. I went into dog paddle overtime, getting nowhere. The more I paddled, the more I stayed the same. I looked up to the top, bubbles exploding, blue sky, It was so close, right there. The surface. Exhausted I thought, Oh well, someone will save me. So I exhaled. I was totally calm unafraid for some odd reason. As I sucked in a strange but surprisingly natural feeling lung full of water, the next thought in my head was Ooh fishy! Somehow, I was thinking it was fun to be breathing like a fish and that I could continue doing so! Wow, I was very naive! After a minute of enjoying being a fish, I breathed out again. On second inhale, everything went black.

Next thing I knew, I was over the pool. I’ll just say it floating. Floating over the pool. My mind said, What? I was looking out toward the creek that runs behind the property. I could see the sky and clouds shine but in a more beautiful way than they had ever before. The only way that I know how to describe it was there was a rainbow prism effect on everything! It was like looking through a kaleidoscope. The trees in the park to my left even sparkled. My mind said, What! again followed with a Wow!

Confused but feeling great, I looked down at myself, you know in the way we check ourselves out making sure we look okay, and to my amazement, I was nowhere to be seen! Invisible! Wow! again. Invisible but somehow I could feel my body, better than ever! It was radiating with energy! Like goose bumps times ten flowing from head to toe. I could feel my legs, my arms, my torso moving and bending at my will and all moving independently, but somehow I was nowhere to be seen. I didn’t understand it. I didn’t care. It felt amazing!

Slowly lifting by an unseen force, I noticed that I was getting higher about as high as the trees. I was not afraid, feeling comforted neither hot nor cold but somewhere in between, a warmth of being hugged by a greater love. I was consumed with a feeling best described as new love or butterflies of excitement safe and secure I didn’t resist. I happily went. It was truly the best I have ever felt and the happiest I have ever been in my life! Suddenly I heard a lady let out a bloodcurdling scream! I look down, see my little pale body on the concrete patio, think, What? Oh no! I’m going to be in trouble! and instantly the fantastic was all too quickly all over.

Pain! The worst pain I have ever felt in my life. As I spit up a lung full of chlorinated water confused as to what just happened, I wondered why a life guard was sitting on me and who were these parents surrounding us. My throat and chest felt like it had been ripped open as my right shoulder burned scratched up from being dragged across the dry concrete while being pulled from the pool. The guard asked if I was okay, as I jumped up acting like nothing had happened, totally embarrassed by the crowd, trying to hide my face.

I nodded fine as I fled to the girls’ restroom, seeing my brother’s disapproval on the way. I rushed over to the sink washing my face stunned at how blue my lips are. Like I’d been eating blue popsicles, I thought. Under my eyes dark circles Like a vampire, wow! Someone stuck their head in the room notifying me that my mom was on the way. Oh no, I said, I’m really in trouble! with an incredibly sore throat. A few minutes later, the brown station wagon whipped up, Mom with a disturbed look behind the wheel. Nothing was said when we got in the car. The ride home was silent and it was never spoken of again, but a week later, I started swimming lessons.

Eventually, I would get to know the lifeguard, Ms. Connie Medlock, who saved me that day. She would become my homeroom teacher at Prattville High. She said that when she spotted me, I was not floating on top of the water but had sank to the bottom like a stone. No one knew how long I had been under there. The little blonde-headed girl was never seen again as I suspect she was a demon from hell sent to snuff me out long before my time. Nevertheless, what the devil would use to destroy us God will turn it to our advantage. Now I know there is life after death unquestionably. The enemy cannot trick me and make me question it.

Jesus said, I go to prepare a place for you that were I go you may be with me. I know beyond a certainty that our loved ones who have gone before us are alive, that our spirit lives on. That there is a utopian place, and I was headed there if only just for a moment or two and it was incredible! Yes, we live on and it makes me fearless. I look back now and I realize that I could have died! That I did die and somehow everything was all right. So if you have lost a loved one and are unsure of things, please be comforted in this knowledge that there is life after death. It was the best experience of my life; strangely, I can’t wait to do it again, and I am so thankful that God allowed me to go through it!

Granny Roy

At the age of about eight, my grandmother invited me to church with her. It was an odd request; she had never invited me alone, always the entire family. Usually we would all get dressed up in our Sunday best clothes and accompany Granny on Mother’s Day or Easter just a couple times a year, having our own Baptist church to attend. I had never even been to Granny’s house very much but only a few times spending the night with them twice.

I remember my Granny, Bertha Lee was a great woman, super spiritual. Always praying aloud and singing hymns. She never wore pants or jewelry, only a simple wedding ring on her hand. Even in the garden, she would wear a skirt, making sure to keep it pulled down. I inherited my red hair from her, but I had only known her to be silver. She was kind and timid, constantly trying to feed us, saying softly that Children need to eat healthy while making us choke down cornbread with milk, a favorite old-timers Southern staple. Us children would silently