I lived at the bottom of an old coal mining town called Helensburgh, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Helensburgh is a beautiful town with lots of Australian Eucalyptus called Gum Trees. The trunks of these evergreen trees are usually smooth, white to cream-colored and grow very tall.
This working class town has seen a boom in population over the last 10-15 years as it is just outside Sydney, making it an affordable and alternative place for young families to live. The town is very hilly with an elevation change of 450 feet from the bottom to the top.
When I was young, there was a public swimming pool located near the highest elevation of the town which I loved to visit. We lived near the lowest elevation of Helensburgh. My father and mother were often busy working and so, even as a young eleven-year-old boy, I was allowed to embark on the mile-long walk up two steep hills from my house to the pool.
On one hot, Australian summer day I decided to visit the pool for a refreshing swim. So, off I went, with a backpack on my back walking up the road in the middle of the day. Summers in Australia are very hot, the sunshine much harsher than in Canada and the UV rays are much more intense. This is due to Australia being closer to the equator and the sun therefore being more directly overhead. This was a particularly hot summer day in the middle of January.
I don’t remember all the details but I do remember it was a scorcher. The town had minimal footpaths in those days up the steep hills so I would often walk next to or on the hot, black tarred roads. There was also minimal shade from trees next to the road up to the pool. I made it up the first big hill and I was getting more weary than usual from the intense heat. I prayed for God to send help in getting me to the top of the next hill.
Moments later, an old, small red car pulled over with a nice older man sitting there in a white singlet and shorts. He asked if I needed a ride. Growing up, I had always heard about ‘stranger danger.’ However, I remember feeling so much peace about the situation and saw it as an answer to my prayer. I decided to accept the offer and he drove me up the next big hill. We had a pleasant conversation on our way.
When we arrived at the pool, I thanked the man as I exited his vehicle. I went for a nice, cool dip, which was so refreshing. After an hour or two of swimming in the revitalizing water, the evening breeze started to blow and the day started to cool. I walked back down the two hills to my home, refreshed and ready for a nice dinner with my family.
During dinner, my parents asked how my day was. I told them my story about the hot day, my prayer and the appearance of the nice, old man who gave me a ride to the pool. I was expecting their delight on hearing how God had answered my prayer and how I was relieved from the hot weather. However, they were not happy at all.
My parents asked, “Who was that man?”
“I’m not sure!” I answered. “I’ve never seen him before but he was just so nice.”
They became so worried that I had hopped into a stranger’s car that they started to barrage me with questions. All of their concern caused me to be upset and I started to cry. I was a strong boy from playing rugby at an early age so, even at eleven years old, I was confident of my decisions and thought I could easily stave off an attack. I didn’t think their worry was justified but I understood their concern and promised to never do that again.
I never saw that man again. And for a small coal mining town it would be likely that I would have seen him again. On my walks and rides and drives over the following ten years I was consciously and subconsciously on the lookout for the man and the small red car. I never found him, nor did I see the small red car again.
I’m not sure if this man was an angel but, on the balance, I believe he was. Do I have evidence that he was an angel? No. But could he have been? I believe so. He was a peaceful and kind man and I was thankful for how God answered my prayer that day, providing me relief from the heat.
Billy Butler
*****
Once we get to Heaven and God shows us a reel of our life, we will discover how many times we were rescued, protected or redirected by supernatural means. What a divine privilege it is that, during our time on earth, God gives us snapshots into the supernatural realm, unusual happenings that announce that Heaven is present and involved in our lives.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
Psalm 91:11
If you would like to share a personal story of supernatural protection or angelic activity in your history, please reach out. Private message me on Facebook messenger or through my email – collreim@gmail.com – and I will explain the details. I would love to share your testimony on my email newsletter story edition and on my blog as an encouragement to others. As it says in Hebrews 3:13, Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today’.
