Angels

While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream.  God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married.  Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived."  Matthew 20 (The Message)

This was one of the verses presented to our class today in Sunday School with the question, "What does trust mean?"  Our Sunday School leader followed this up with, "Do you believe in angels?  How would you react if you had such a dream?"

I was immediately taken back to about 8 years ago.  Very unexpectedly we found out we were expecting a baby.... it wasn't in "the plan", but we were beyond excited.  We knew things were off to a rocky start, but because we were naive, we got through a very painful weekend.  I couldn't believe I was already showing (I was actually bleeding internally due to an eptopic pregnancy and ruptured tubes), nor could I believe people did this more than once given how awful I felt.....so naive.  Three days later I was rushed to surgery and told had I have waited 1 hour longer to come to the ER, I would have died.

Before I was taken back to surgery, I remember a nurse coming in the room and praying with me.  Todd had gone outside to call our parents and I was so upset, having just been told I would never be able to conceive a baby naturally.  I remember her placing her hands on my stomach and praying for my safety during the durgery and for the babies who would grow in me in the years to come.  Those words were just what I needed at that time, and in the months that followed. 
In the appointments that followed the surgery, I described and mentioned the  nurse to everyone, but no one knew who I was speaking of...I do believe she was my angel of hope at a time that we really needed it. I absolutely prayed on those words as we were told we would have to do IVF ( not something we even knew about).
While the idea of Mary and Joseph accepting their fate with such trust and acceptance is beyond anything I can understand, I do believe God places people in our path when He knows we need need help and I do believe that nurse was an angel.