Listening to the Holy Spirit: A Testimony
I awoke on a Sunday morning feeling tired and not willing to do much. I knew the 9:30 Mass was beginning soon and I needed to be there for “Abba’s Hands” prayer room. I had become mindful of how a member of our parish kept coming into my thoughts the day before. I asked myself “I wonder what is going on with her?” I pondered it throughout Saturday as she kept coming into my thoughts. Through my tired and lazy being this Sunday morning came the very powerful thought of “You need to get dressed and get over to the parish!” The thought was continuous and became stronger as I thought I could ignore it. Again, the same parishioner kept coming into my thoughts only with more intensity. I gave up the mental fight and chose to go as I listened to the Holy Spirit. In all honesty, who am I to attempt to ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit!
I drove over to the church. The 9:30 Mass was still being celebrated. I went to the Abba’s Hands prayer room and stood there wondering what it was that the Holy Spirit needed of me. Then, I understood within a second. The very parishioner I had been thinking about began to walk towards me. Now, as she was coming everything around me became blurry, quiet, all I saw was this one woman, this most beautiful spirit. She came up to me and with tears in her eyes stated, “Please, can you teach me how to pray?” Now, when the Holy Spirit is working through me I become covered with goose bumps from head to toe. This process had begun. I listened to the call and this beautiful woman needed help.
I sat with her in the prayer room. She began to tell me her story. As I was listening, I was also praying. “Jesus, what is it that you need me to say?” Her story was very tragic and not even 24 hours old. Her daughter’s father-in-law had lost his life in a motorcycle accident. She was speaking about her grandchildren who had lost a grandfather they loved. She shared some memories the children would have of him. The children still did not know what had happened. “How are we going to tell them?” she posed. She knew she would need to be strong for her family but, she did not know how she would do this.
She continued with her story. I sat with her holding her hands and what continuously came into my mind was “healer.” It was a strong thought and kept coming. (Now, when the Holy Spirit is at work you have the strong and continuous thoughts until you share them with whom the message is for. Sometimes it is not for a person but, for a situation you may be needed at.) I shared this word “healer” with her. I told her she would be the one who would be the healer, the strength, within this very tragic situation. She would be the person everyone would lean on. She then looked up at me and stated; “As I hear you say healer, I am hearing the word ‘mother.’” The Holy Spirit was now working though her. All of a sudden I knew what she needed to pray. She is the mother, and she would need to pray to our Holy Mother Mary to receive her love and assistance. Again, the goose bump highway was at work. With teary eyes she looked at me and said; “Yesterday at 3:15 I was in this very room for confession. My Penance was to pray to Mary. At this very time the accident had occurred. I did not know it yet. I received the call when I left here.”
The clinical piece of me knew she was still in shock and in the numb phase of grief. The spiritual part of me knew she needed to lean on the love of Jesus and Mary. We talked a bit more. We prayed together. She hugged me and left to go be with her family. I sat down and thought through the experience that played out. I had listened to the Holy Spirit. Through my spiritual being the Holy Spirit gave this beautiful woman the answer she had come to hear. Because I had listened, I was there to receive her and guide her as the Holy Spirit wanted. I left the prayer room and standing there was Father Tom. I told him about what had just taken place. He had told me he was not supposed to be there. He was waiting for someone. The “someone” he was waiting for had left without him noticing. He was there to receive this story of how the Holy Spirit works miracles though us when we truly listen and understand our spiritual calling. At his prompting I am beginning a “Miracle Journal” to record my experiences in the spirit. Through Father Tom, the Holy Spirit gave me a directive. I will listen. Only the Holy Spirit knows where this will all go. I believe people need to hear what the Holy Spirit can do when one listens to his promptings. Thank you Holy Spirit, Thank you Jesus, Thank you Mother Mary In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, AMEN
I awoke on a Sunday morning feeling tired and not willing to do much. I knew the 9:30 Mass was beginning soon and I needed to be there for “Abba’s Hands” prayer room. I had become mindful of how a member of our parish kept coming into my thoughts the day before. I asked myself “I wonder what is going on with her?” I pondered it throughout Saturday as she kept coming into my thoughts. Through my tired and lazy being this Sunday morning came the very powerful thought of “You need to get dressed and get over to the parish!” The thought was continuous and became stronger as I thought I could ignore it. Again, the same parishioner kept coming into my thoughts only with more intensity. I gave up the mental fight and chose to go as I listened to the Holy Spirit. In all honesty, who am I to attempt to ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit!
I drove over to the church. The 9:30 Mass was still being celebrated. I went to the Abba’s Hands prayer room and stood there wondering what it was that the Holy Spirit needed of me. Then, I understood within a second. The very parishioner I had been thinking about began to walk towards me. Now, as she was coming everything around me became blurry, quiet, all I saw was this one woman, this most beautiful spirit. She came up to me and with tears in her eyes stated, “Please, can you teach me how to pray?” Now, when the Holy Spirit is working through me I become covered with goose bumps from head to toe. This process had begun. I listened to the call and this beautiful woman needed help.
I sat with her in the prayer room. She began to tell me her story. As I was listening, I was also praying. “Jesus, what is it that you need me to say?” Her story was very tragic and not even 24 hours old. Her daughter’s father-in-law had lost his life in a motorcycle accident. She was speaking about her grandchildren who had lost a grandfather they loved. She shared some memories the children would have of him. The children still did not know what had happened. “How are we going to tell them?” she posed. She knew she would need to be strong for her family but, she did not know how she would do this.
She continued with her story. I sat with her holding her hands and what continuously came into my mind was “healer.” It was a strong thought and kept coming. (Now, when the Holy Spirit is at work you have the strong and continuous thoughts until you share them with whom the message is for. Sometimes it is not for a person but, for a situation you may be needed at.) I shared this word “healer” with her. I told her she would be the one who would be the healer, the strength, within this very tragic situation. She would be the person everyone would lean on. She then looked up at me and stated; “As I hear you say healer, I am hearing the word ‘mother.’” The Holy Spirit was now working though her. All of a sudden I knew what she needed to pray. She is the mother, and she would need to pray to our Holy Mother Mary to receive her love and assistance. Again, the goose bump highway was at work. With teary eyes she looked at me and said; “Yesterday at 3:15 I was in this very room for confession. My Penance was to pray to Mary. At this very time the accident had occurred. I did not know it yet. I received the call when I left here.”
The clinical piece of me knew she was still in shock and in the numb phase of grief. The spiritual part of me knew she needed to lean on the love of Jesus and Mary. We talked a bit more. We prayed together. She hugged me and left to go be with her family. I sat down and thought through the experience that played out. I had listened to the Holy Spirit. Through my spiritual being the Holy Spirit gave this beautiful woman the answer she had come to hear. Because I had listened, I was there to receive her and guide her as the Holy Spirit wanted. I left the prayer room and standing there was Father Tom. I told him about what had just taken place. He had told me he was not supposed to be there. He was waiting for someone. The “someone” he was waiting for had left without him noticing. He was there to receive this story of how the Holy Spirit works miracles though us when we truly listen and understand our spiritual calling. At his prompting I am beginning a “Miracle Journal” to record my experiences in the spirit. Through Father Tom, the Holy Spirit gave me a directive. I will listen. Only the Holy Spirit knows where this will all go. I believe people need to hear what the Holy Spirit can do when one listens to his promptings. Thank you Holy Spirit, Thank you Jesus, Thank you Mother Mary In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, AMEN
-Deb Carney, a Disciple in Christ