I received the sweetest cardinal story on Valentines Day!
I'd like to share it here for the same reason my new
friend Sharon is allowing me to.
To bring hope, faith and inspiration to anyone in need.
We pray that all who grieve will find the gift of the cardinal
or the cardinal find them!
My Valentines Day Gift from Sharon to Me and Now to YOU:
Here is a link to my story on The Cardinal Experience
page or you can also read the story below:
God Wanted Me to Smile Today
My brother died a little over a year ago. He took his own life. It was one of the most devastating things I have ever experienced. I have lost others, including my mom and my dad but the grief from suicide is different - it's a grief that makes you wonder eternally if there is something you could have done. So the days leading up to the anniversary of his death were tough. I had been asking God for a sign that everything was okay -something that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, would comfort me and let me know that everything was going to be alright.
My brother died a little over a year ago. He took his own life. It was one of the most devastating things I have ever experienced. I have lost others, including my mom and my dad but the grief from suicide is different - it's a grief that makes you wonder eternally if there is something you could have done. So the days leading up to the anniversary of his death were tough. I had been asking God for a sign that everything was okay -something that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, would comfort me and let me know that everything was going to be alright.
On the date of the anniversary, my family and I were
getting packed to take my daughter on a college visit. I spent the morning
thinking about my brother and how we always went to see the St. Louis Cardinals
baseball team play. It's one of the things I remember about him most. How he
loved those Cardinals! He had once even taken me to see them play in the World
Series. As I recalled the fond memories of us and the Cardinals, I decided
that, before taking my bath, I should go downstairs to check my phone... I knew
my sister would be calling on that day to commemorate my brother's loss. As I
passed the window, I stopped in my tracks as a bright red cardinal walked
across the patio. Tears filled my eyes because Cardinals had been on my mind
all morning and now here was a beautiful cardinal sent to me on this
significant day. I went to get a camera but he flew away. He returned but still
he was he was too fast for me. "God wanted me to smile today," I
thought. I went on about my business, but a little later that morning, I said
"I am just going to look out the window just one more time and see if I
see him." At that very instant, there he was again and he flew from the
tree outside my window and across the yard. Amazing!
How amazing that this happened on this day, the date of
my brother's death... Had it been any other day, I just would have said
"oh there's a cardinal" and never thought any more about it. But
because it was that day, it was amazing! But even more so, I thought about the
time of day that this happened. And after thinking about it and even
researching my old phone records, I determined that it had to be within 5 to 10
minutes of the time I received the call a year before about his death. Truly,
maybe even the exact moment!
Since this occurrence, I did some Internet searches for
"signs from God" and the "meaning of cardinals." That's
when I discovered that the cardinal has a symbolic and spiritual meaning to
many. I had only thought my encounter special because of the connection my
brother and I had to the Cardinals, and how God had chosen to send this
cardinal as a sign for me because it is something that would mean something to
me. I had no idea of the many people who have seen cardinals during time of
loss, grief and sadness and who felt like they were being sent a message from
God (or their loved ones) to say that everything is going to be alright.
Reading the many stories has inspired me, given me great hope, and strengthened
my faith. How wonderful that God would take time out to show me something that
would get my attention, make me smile, and bring me comfort, as I had asked!
------------------
Afterword:
So when you're feeling sad and low
God wants completely that you know
How very much He loves you so
He wants to make you smile!
I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did..... I am truly blessed with these beautiful cardinal connections of love.
❤❤❤Jeni
