Melissa Knepp

I love to hike. I’ve loved it since I’ve been very young. I just enjoy being outdoors in nature with nobody else around. It brings me such peace. I remember once when I was eleven, I was hiking in a woods not far from my house one day and I was really far into it since I’d never been there before. Suddenly I felt completely disoriented. I looked around in every direction and had a wave of panic come over me. I had no clue where I was, not the direction I was heading, not the current location I was in, and most frighteningly of all, I had not one iota of how to get out of there. I became hysterical. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t do anything other than cry. I was so scared. I was lost and alone and afraid. So I did the only thing left I could. I dropped to my knees, closed my eyes and prayed. I prayed for God to help me. I must have been there kneeling on the ground for what seemed like days when suddenly I felt such a deep feeling of peace and comfort. I looked up and I was no longer lost. I knew exactly where I was and how to get back out of the woods. It was as if somebody had physically picked me up and moved me to exactly the place I needed to be. It was the oddest feeling I’ve ever had and haven’t felt that completely calm since. I have no earthly logical answer for what happened. It was nothing I did myself to get out of the situation. It was totally God’s handiwork showcased here for me to witness and for me to understand, not just believe, that He was real. That He was always with me and that there are such things as angels in this world. This first hand testimony is why I believe so firmly and steadfastly in God and in angels. They came to my rescue. I don’t just believe this. I don’t just know this. I experienced this. So now whenever people ask me how I am so sure of my faith and confident in my conviction that angels are real and that God does hear us and answer our prayers, I tell them its because I KNOW it is true. It happened to me. I am living proof of the fact that angels are real and here to help us. I am living proof that God always protects us, looks after us, and gives us renewed hope in those times of hopelessness and darkness. I don’t care if other people believe me or not. I don’t care if they doubt God’s existence or not. I can’t make them feel anything differently. But as for me, I am solid in my faith, steadfast in my conviction and sure of my peace. And I credit this experience for making me understand that no matter where I am in this world, and that no matter how afraid I may be or how lost I may feel, I am never alone and without hope. This is why I believe in angels. I have felt their presence beside me. And to people who have never felt that type of peace and comfort, I really am disappointed for you. You don’t know what you’re missing because there is simply no greater feeling on this earth than to know you are never alone, no matter your circumstance. Going through this experience makes me want to help people even though I know they are never truly alone. I want to be somebody’s angel on earth to give those up above a break as much as I can. Sure, God can help us out of the doldrums of despair and darkness but if we can help, why shouldn’t be? I believe that we were put on this earth to help each other and to promote peace, spread love and gain understanding. That’s my purpose in life for sure. So not only do I believe in real genuine angels from heaven, I believe in people being angels to and for each other.