When I was 3 years old, the Light found me.

When I was 3 years old, the Light found me.

I was knocked off the top of a 13 foot outdoor staircase and landed head first on the concrete walkway below.

My mom took me to bible school and went home to finish canning.

My church was a three story building, including a basement. To leave the building, we had to use a really tall stair case. The top landing was suspended about 13 feet over the below ground level access to the basement.

My teacher forgot something and for whatever reason thought it would ok to leave a group of 3 year old kids on the landing at the top of the stairs. This landing was built before stairs had to have something between the handrail and landing, so there was about a 3 foot gap.

We waited as patiently. My teacher finally returned and swung the door open. I was behind it. The door hit me and shoved me through the 3 foot gap.

The church's maintenance man was in the basement and heard me land. He came running out and saw me laying there not moving. He gently picked me up and took me into one of the churches classrooms.

They called my mom and my dad came.

I was loaded in the ambulance, my father by my side. I stopped breathing on the way to the hospital but I started breathing again.

My head was mush and my doctor was in shock because after that kind of fall most people, especially a 3 year old child, don't walk away without severe injuries. I was prefect except for the smashed skull. No broken bones. No brain damage. Nothing.

I don't remember any of this. This was all shared with me many times after.

BUT...

I do remember the light and warmth. The presence that filled my mind. It is hard to describe because I haven't found words that make sense with my experience.

I knew the light and warmth, the presence, was God. It was like being in a completely dark room that was filled with light or the feeling of light.

God told me, not with words but with his presence, that I was needed. I was important and it wasn't my time to leave yet. He needed me to be his light.

From that moment forward, God has been there. His presence large, ever expanding, filing the air around me. Always present and intimate like a close friend.