Lee Strobel

I had – I usually didn't talk – I never talked about this for years because I was embarrassed by it. And never talked to a group of people about it until my ordination, where I had all these theologians questioning me about my doctrine. I thought, do I tell them that I had an angelic encounter with my guardian angel? You did? Yeah, I did.

I had – I usually didn't talk – I never talked about this for years because I was embarrassed by it. And never talked to a group of people about it until my ordination, where I had all these theologians questioning me about my doctrine. I thought, do I tell them that I had an angelic encounter with my guardian angel? You did? Yeah, I did.

And I was embarrassed by it because I thought, they'll think I'm nuts. I'm not going to talk about this. But with all these theologians there, I thought, I better tell them. They're going to ordain me. They better know about this. So I tell them. And when I was 12 years old or so, my guardian angel appeared to me. And you asked what he looked like. I knew that's who it was.

And I was embarrassed by it because I thought, they'll think I'm nuts. I'm not going to talk about this. But with all these theologians there, I thought, I better tell them. They're going to ordain me. They better know about this. So I tell them. And when I was 12 years old or so, my guardian angel appeared to me. And you asked what he looked like. I knew that's who it was.

And I was embarrassed by it because I thought, they'll think I'm nuts. I'm not going to talk about this. But with all these theologians there, I thought, I better tell them. They're going to ordain me. They better know about this. So I tell them. And when I was 12 years old or so, my guardian angel appeared to me. And you asked what he looked like. I knew that's who it was.

Even though I can't describe him in detail, I knew that he was an angel. It was intuitive. It was intuitive. And here's what was important about the incident. I'm in my kitchen at home. I'm a little kid, 12 years old. And he starts extolling heaven, how beautiful and wonderful heaven is. And so I casually said, well, I'm going to go there someday. And he looked at me and said, how do you know?

Even though I can't describe him in detail, I knew that he was an angel. It was intuitive. It was intuitive. And here's what was important about the incident. I'm in my kitchen at home. I'm a little kid, 12 years old. And he starts extolling heaven, how beautiful and wonderful heaven is. And so I casually said, well, I'm going to go there someday. And he looked at me and said, how do you know?

Even though I can't describe him in detail, I knew that he was an angel. It was intuitive. It was intuitive. And here's what was important about the incident. I'm in my kitchen at home. I'm a little kid, 12 years old. And he starts extolling heaven, how beautiful and wonderful heaven is. And so I casually said, well, I'm going to go there someday. And he looked at me and said, how do you know?

What do you mean? How do I know? I'm a good kid. I obey my parents pretty much. I get good grades in school. I'm nice to my friends. You're saying that? I'm saying this to them. I'm trying to justify that I'm good enough to get to heaven. Is it verbal communication?

What do you mean? How do I know? I'm a good kid. I obey my parents pretty much. I get good grades in school. I'm nice to my friends. You're saying that? I'm saying this to them. I'm trying to justify that I'm good enough to get to heaven. Is it verbal communication?

What do you mean? How do I know? I'm a good kid. I obey my parents pretty much. I get good grades in school. I'm nice to my friends. You're saying that? I'm saying this to them. I'm trying to justify that I'm good enough to get to heaven. Is it verbal communication?

No, verbal communication. Interesting. And he looks at me and he says, that doesn't matter. And a chill went down my spine. How could my efforts to be a good kid and to do good, how does that not matter? I was just at a loss. And he said, someday you'll understand. Well, about 16 years. And that was it? That was it. He disappeared. And that was the only dream I remember from my childhood.

No, verbal communication. Interesting. And he looks at me and he says, that doesn't matter. And a chill went down my spine. How could my efforts to be a good kid and to do good, how does that not matter? I was just at a loss. And he said, someday you'll understand. Well, about 16 years. And that was it? That was it. He disappeared. And that was the only dream I remember from my childhood.

No, verbal communication. Interesting. And he looks at me and he says, that doesn't matter. And a chill went down my spine. How could my efforts to be a good kid and to do good, how does that not matter? I was just at a loss. And he said, someday you'll understand. Well, about 16 years. And that was it? That was it. He disappeared. And that was the only dream I remember from my childhood.

It was more vivid than any dream ever. Was it a dream? It was a dream. Oh, a vivid dream. But it was a vivid dream unlike any I'd ever had. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I suppressed it. I thought, oh, I must have had a bad pizza. That's crazy. And ultimately became an atheist. But then my wife brought me to church on January the 20th of 1980. And I heard the gospel for the first time.

It was more vivid than any dream ever. Was it a dream? It was a dream. Oh, a vivid dream. But it was a vivid dream unlike any I'd ever had. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I suppressed it. I thought, oh, I must have had a bad pizza. That's crazy. And ultimately became an atheist. But then my wife brought me to church on January the 20th of 1980. And I heard the gospel for the first time.

It was more vivid than any dream ever. Was it a dream? It was a dream. Oh, a vivid dream. But it was a vivid dream unlike any I'd ever had. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I suppressed it. I thought, oh, I must have had a bad pizza. That's crazy. And ultimately became an atheist. But then my wife brought me to church on January the 20th of 1980. And I heard the gospel for the first time.

It's not based on your good works, how hard you try to be good that the doors of heaven are flung open. No, it is a free gift of God's grace that we receive in repentance and faith. Good deeds come later because we're seeking to please God and to live and to love others as he loves us. And so here I am, and two things happen.

It's not based on your good works, how hard you try to be good that the doors of heaven are flung open. No, it is a free gift of God's grace that we receive in repentance and faith. Good deeds come later because we're seeking to please God and to live and to love others as he loves us. And so here I am, and two things happen.

It's not based on your good works, how hard you try to be good that the doors of heaven are flung open. No, it is a free gift of God's grace that we receive in repentance and faith. Good deeds come later because we're seeking to please God and to live and to love others as he loves us. And so here I am, and two things happen.