The summer of 1997 was an unforgettable one. June started out joyfully; however, it ended very sadly. Two families, who were close to our family, lost a child that June. One family lost a baby girl due to an infection, and a second family lost a son in a freak accident. The deaths brought back memories. A few years back, my little niece died when she drowned in a backyard pool. When there is death, there is always the pain of letting go. Each tragedy reminded us that children are the hardest ones to let go.
On a Saturday afternoon the last week of June, I was emotionally drained. My words of consolation spoken to grieving family members sounded as cold and empty as an echo in a canyon. How I wished I could ease some of the pain in the broken hearts of those people who had suffered such great loss. The loss and separation was so new that nothing could help them except the Lord. My heart ached for them.
The afternoon was ending when I retreated to a quiet room and closed the door. I needed to be alone with God to pray for those people. I lifted up each person along with their loss and prayed for relief from the suffering they were experiencing.
I remember saying, “Lord, You can do anything! You can touch them with the tip of Your finger and help them. Please do something for them! Father, won’t You give them something to ease their pain and make them better.” Honestly, I was not expecting an audible reply from the Lord. I was confused when I received such a reply! Immediately the Lord spoke softly, saying, “You give them something.”
I was silent. I didn’t know how to respond. After a reverent pause, I slowly replied, “Lord, I don’t have anything to give them.”
The Lord revealed an unsettling vision to me at that time. I saw an exhibition before me that resembled a scene on a movie screen. There was an endless sea of faces all wearing theatrical masks with downturned mouths and downturned eyes. They were crying out loudly, and their arms reached toward Heaven. The outcry of grief was deafening and distressing emotionally. The faces vanished from sight as suddenly as they appeared.
These words came next, “If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman.” I recognized the Scripture from the book of Jeremiah 15:19.
There in the stillness and quiet, I heard a song in my spirit and in my head. The lyrics and melody came at the same time. I captured the song on paper and mentally noted the melody. I remained quiet for several minutes but neither saw nor heard anything after that.
The feelings I had during those few minutes were unshakable in the days that followed. I realized I had heard from God but did not know what to make of it. Days later, I arranged for a friend to record the song. The faces, the cries, and the song stayed in my mind; it was disturbing!
I made an appointment with our pastor, and told him what I saw and heard. He listened to the song. He didn’t know what to make of my experience either. As time passed, I acknowledged that God had declared a vision to me, but I did not understand the significance of it. God is a patient God. I have learned that many years may pass before we understand a message from Him.
As mentioned previously, in 2005, my husband, Burke, died at the age of 53. Minutes after he died, he appeared in the home of Dr. Carl Willis, in an after-death appearance. The night following his death, my husband appeared in the home of Dr. Arthur Cushman in an after-death appearance. Burke gave both of the doctors similar messages. The after-death appearances and messages were gifts of hope. The doctors shared their encounters with me.
The appearances to the two doctors and the messages my husband imparted were actually the inspiration that led me to write A Fax from Heaven and Real Messages from Heaven. These books offer hope and encouragement to those who have lost loved ones and to those who are uncertain about their salvation. They clearly demonstrate there is life after death and there is a need to seek God while there is still time.
The experience of writing the books and being used by God as a tool reminded me of the Scripture from Jeremiah that I heard that night long ago. “If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman.”
Death is the last enemy. When God allowed my husband to return with his message, God made it possible for a message of hope to be extracted from something as ‘worthless’ as death! God gave me the strength and ability to share that message. Could I possibly be considered His spokesperson, a vessel for His purpose? I wanted to help those who were devastated by death. By way of the books, I believe God is using me to help others. He told me, “You give them something!” I believe God is giving them something through me.
It took 13 years for the vision to finally make sense! Then there is the matter of the song. I believe the song, Coattails of Jesus, is Burke’s message to me from Heaven, although God imparted the words to me before my husband died. Perhaps the song is a message to each of us from our loved ones who are now in Heaven.
Coattails of Jesus
VERSE ONE
There are some things that I would say,
if I were there with you,
Like dry your eyes and rest your mind,
some things we can’t undo.
I will always love you,
we’re apart for
just a while,
Don’t forget, there are no tears,
in the presence of His smile!
VERSE TWO
The water in the river, of life never sleeps,
The banks are overflowing,
with promises He’ll keep.
So lift your head and look up,
into a hope-filled sky,
Know that I’ll be waiting,
where we’ll never say good-bye.
CHORUS
I’m holding on, to the coattails of Jesus!
There’s no chance of me letting go.
Inside the gates, there’s no such thing
as darkness,
No shadows in the Light that’s white as snow.
Please go on believing in the Reason
Heaven sings,
It wasn’t God who took my life,
but He gave me wings!
Last but not least, remind your heart to see,
You’ve not seen the last of me…