Divine guidance

May 1, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Many people believe they have received messages from God

By Helen T. GRAY

McClatchy Newspapers

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

Years ago, a friend attended a meeting where a speaker derided people who thought God spoke to them.

My friend smiled to himself. He had just written his first book, “God Speaks to Me.”

In the Bible, God spoke to many people.

In recent weeks, Jews observed Passover, recalling their deliverance from Egyptian slavery, a move that started with God telling Moses to be the human instrument of liberation.

And Christians observed Easter as the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The story tells of God speaking to Mary and then Joseph through an angel, who conveyed the message that Jesus would save his people from their sins.

But does God speak to people today? And if so, how?

These were the questions posed to readers and others in faith communities. From nearly 100 responses, we learned that many people believe they have received divine messages. And the means of divine communication were quite varied.

Some said they have heard an audible voice and others, a voice in their mind or spirit. Some received messages through people.

Divine guidance also came through the Bible, prayer, dreams, visions, writings, music and sermons. Others said they received signs, and some felt God’s presence.

Here are stories of God speaking.

FROM RUSSIA, AND GOD, WITH LOVE

In March 2004, Debra Diebold of Blue Springs, Mo., was watching a television show about a family that had adopted a girl from Russia.

“For years, I had wanted to be a mom and had prayed that God would make a way for that to happen,” she said. “I was riveted by their story. Without realizing it, I had tears streaming down my face.”

At the end of the show, the host said she knew someone was watching who wanted to be a parent, and maybe that person should consider overseas adoption.

“I believe that God spoke through her right to my heart,” Diebold said. “It is one of the few times in my life I have been sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that God was speaking to me.”

Her husband, Steve Diebold, said that in May 2005 they were at an orphanage in a Moscow suburb, walking to a room to meet a 9-month-old boy.

“As soon as I laid eyes on him, a bright light and a lightning bolt went off in my head,” Steve said. “The lightning bolt shot through my body, going out my fingers and my toes.

“Then I heard a voice saying, ‘Don’t be afraid to take the boy as your son; everything is going to be OK.’ I will never forget the exact words that I heard, and I know in my heart that an angel had a message for me from God.”

Debra said everything about the adoption process fell into place, and now they have a beautiful 5-year-old son, Gabriel.

DOGS AND TODDLERS GO TO HEAVEN

Jan. 12 was the 12th anniversary of the death of Brian Wineke’s 18-month-old son, Tanner. Wineke of Overland Park, Kan., who operates a mobile dog-grooming business, said he hoped his story would comfort others who have lost a child.

“I always believed that my son was in heaven with God. Then one night, God let me know for sure.”

Six months after his son died, Wineke was at the home of one of his favorite customers. There were two Brittany spaniels in the house, and one, Lacy, had numerous health issues.

“As I was grooming her, I knew in my heart it was the last time I would see her. She knew it also.

“Lacy stood there so proud knowing how good she was going to look entering the kingdom of heaven. I told her that everything was going to be all right and that she would be young and healthy again.

“I really loved that dog. She died a week later. I was lying in bed that night with my hands in the air asking God to take care of Lacy.”

Wineke said he then thought that his son and the dog did not know anybody, other than God, in heaven.

“So again, I raised my hands in the air and said, ’Tanner, you go find Lacy.’ At that moment, God granted me a vision.

“The room went black and in the middle of the ceiling there was the most beautiful color blue I have ever seen. On both sides of the blue there were clouds.

“I saw my son on one side of the clouds looking toward the other side. He had grown. He looked to be about 3 years old and was wearing blue jeans and a red shirt.

“There on the other side of the clouds, I saw Lacy. She was young, healthy and looked exactly like I had groomed her. The dog was happy and free of pain. I saw Lacy jump over the blue section into the arms of my son.

“They had found each other in heaven. I realized what a beautiful thing God had done. For a brief moment, God gave me a look into heaven to see my child, and what better gift for a boy to have in heaven other than a dog.

“Believe me, for those who have lost children, there is a God in heaven who is taking care of your child, and there might just be a dog with them.”

THE PROVERBIAL WAKE-UP CALL

Roy Wisecup of Kansas City, Kan., said he had no doubt that he had had an experience of divine intervention about 25 years ago.

He was living in a duplex with a basement garage, where he let a friend work on his car because it was cold outside.

The friend had shown up with a carload of help and another carload of friends. The house ended up being full of people upstairs and down, and Wisecup was busy trying to be a good host.

The work was finished about midnight, and everybody had left by 1 a.m. A tired Wisecup then went to bed.

“About 3 in the morning, my telephone rings,” he said. “I get out of bed and go into my kitchen to answer the phone. I have a phone next to my bed, but for some reason I got up, walked into the kitchen, turned the light on and said, ’Hello.’

“Realizing there was someone there, I said ’Hello’ several more times, until I realized I heard something hissing in my kitchen. Then I smelled gas. Looking at my stove, I realized one burner was turned about halfway on.

“Still no one was answering on the other end, but there was somebody there because they hadn’t hung up yet. I hung up the phone, turned off the gas, which had filled my kitchen by now, opened a window and went back to bed.”

The next day Wisecup began to think about what had happened. He wondered why he had gotten out of bed and gone to the kitchen to answer the phone when all he had to do was roll over and pick up a phone.

“If I hadn’t gotten up, I may not be here today,” he said.

“And who was that on the other end of my phone? Why didn’t they speak? Why did they stay on long enough for me to pretty much wake up and realize something was wrong?

“Bottom line is, God called me that night and saved my life. There’s no doubt about it in my mind.”

A RENEWED SPIRITUAL REALIZATION

Kara Hawkins of Shawnee, Kan., said that about 12 years ago, she was at her lowest point when her marriage was failing.

One day as she sat in her car waiting for her counselor to arrive for their appointment, she was thinking her world was falling apart and wondering how she could go on for her children’s sake.

“I remember looking out over the open fields across the way, and as clear as day, God — as the Great Spirit in the American Indian spirituality tradition — said, ‘You have always Father Sky as your father and Mother Earth as your mother.’

“I knew at that moment that that was true and no matter what, I could go on, and that would always be enough to get me through.”

“Those words abide with me to this day, and I am ever thankful for that beginning point of my new life, learning and appreciating the wonder and joy of God’s blessings provided to me every day.”