Just because we’ve never sensed the presence of a loved one who passed away years ago doesn’t mean they haven’t visited us in the past or won’t in the future. Some readers have told me they desperately want to encounter a family member or friend’s spirit, and they’re upset because it hasn’t happened. I believe [...]
If you’ve read A Reluctant Spirit or have heard me talk, you know that I no longer fear death. I see this event merely as a transition, when we leave our physical shells behind and experience a realm of freedom and love. It’s not that I wish for an early death. No. I see having [...]
I used to view people who had different spiritual beliefs with skepticism and fear. I kept to my own kind—because I thought everyone else was going to hell. Then a realization occurred to me: I recognized my behavior as bigotry. And, it startled me. That was in 1989 while I was on a safari [...]
If you had asked me eight years ago if I lived fearfully, I would’ve said, “Absolutely not!” I might’ve added I was cautious, but I certainly hadn’t seen myself as someone scared all the time. Ironically, it was after I spent a crazy, other-worldly night in the haunted Goldfield Hotel that I realized that multiple [...]
As I stepped over the threshold of the Goldfield Hotel in 2007, I would’ve thought the notion of learning something from ghosts was preposterous. Heck, I didn’t even believe the paranormal existed. But after 12 hours of encountering spirits at almost every turn, I had a lot to reconcile with my views on reality and [...]
While at a recent literary event, a natty, elderly gentleman with a smile as wide as the Mississippi handed me my memoir to sign. He told me his name was Herbert.* As I wrote, he spoke softly into my ear so no one else could hear. “I agree with what you said. Love—it really does transcend [...]
Like other Christians, there have been times when I felt spiritually assaulted by the dark side. And, although it’s only happened a handful of times, it usually occurs when I’m on the cusp of an enlightening breakthrough. I’ve pondered how God, who loves us unconditionally, would allow Satan and other negative energies to prey on [...]
For decades after joining a church whose pastor preached a message of fear, I kept God at a distance, as I was frightened by the Almighty. Even though I only belonged to this congregation for a little more than a year, the preacher’s messages crowded out what I’d known instinctively by feeding into my insecurities. [...]
Thank you to Nichole Diaz for writing this guest blog. Her method for handling darkness is inspired and I’m thrilled to have her share her philosophy with us. As a little girl, my fear of the dark overwhelmed me. I’d stay awake as long as possible to keep an eye open for whatever was watching [...]
One of the most emotional paranormal experiences I had was the instant I became a Born Again Christian. Ironically, that event led me to a church whose pastor taught that all supernatural occurrences were of Satan. Below is a scene from “A Reluctant Spirit” (which was deleted during my last rewrite) that illustrates the power [...]
