The Hidden Gem

I've been a Christian since I was 14 years old and know that angels do protect us. This event happened in 1991 and saved not only my life but the life of five of my students.

Several years ago while I was teaching in Salford (England) I had booked a field trip into Manchester for a group of year 11 students (16 year olds.) We were going to visit Manchester Cathedral and then The Hidden Gem (a Roman Catholic church with a fantastic atmosphere of prayer). The students were studying Religious Education to GCSE level (High School diploma.)

The paperwork had been done, the itinerary filed, insurance paid and the mini-bus booked. That particular Friday when I got out of bed I felt fine and was really looking forward to the day.

However, when it came to leaving the house I suddenly felt weak and very very sick. I could hardly walk and I had to turn round and come back inside. I felt fine again. Twice more I tried to leave the house and twice more had to return, so I reluctantly made the decision to phone in sick and set work for the day for my teaching groups. As soon as I made this choice I began to feel marginally better but went with the decision to stay at home. I felt strongly that if I went out the door I would be very ill again.

Two hours later and feeling fine again, I made a coffee and turned on the T.V. The time was around 10.30.a.m..... just the time (according to the itinerary) that we would have been leaving the Cathedral and walking towards Deans gate (the connecting road to the Hidden Gem).

Suddenly there was a newsflash. Terrorists had planted a nail bomb in a waste bin just near to the Cathedral which had just detonated with catastrophic results. People were killed. A second nail bomb detonated near Deasgate a few minutes later, aimed at killing those who had escaped and run from the first blast. If we had been on that field trip we would have been directly in the blast area and would have been cut to pieces.

I can still remember the sense of awe, thankfulness and recognition that I felt as I realized that God had preserved not only my own life, but that of five fantastic teenagers.

This is just one story that I could share of guidance and preservation. I have learned over the years to recognize the promptings of God either through the ministry of His Holy Spirit or his angels (messengers).

Faith is a gift of God and doesn't depend on experience, but experience validates our faith and confirms what we know to be true of Him and His love.

God bless you on life's road,

Adrian Matthews.