I love birthdays. Each birthday reminds me of God’s grace and love for me. A time to thank God for his protection.

When I was 20 years old, I was doing my Bachelor of Architecture. I went with my class of 22 second-year students on a 10-day tour to towns and cities along the west coast of India. We started in Chennai where we boarded the train.

With home-cooked tasty fare and suitcases packed, we bid farewell to our parents at the Central Station in Chennai (some of you may know this place as Madras).

We budding architects were enjoying our time together and also the many buildings we got to see, sketch, photograph, and study in detail. A couple of days into our trip we went to Belur to see the Channakeshava temple there. We spread out around the place, sketching and looking into details.

As I was standing on the podium taking pictures I stepped back into the air and fell headlong a good 7 feet onto hard stone. I became unconscious. My friends were aghast!! The guide who was showing us around announced that in the same spot, someone had died earlier in the month.

Our professors were shocked and worried. I was carried to the bus (in which we were going around) and taken to the nearest medical facility. By then I regained consciousness. The doctor said that I had to return home and get some tests done.

I was asked to call home and convey the message to my parents. They were distraught and within hours my father was in Bangalore, the nearest city to pick me up. He had flown there and had arranged for a stretcher not knowing in what condition I was in. I bid farewell to my classmates and took the flight back to Chennai.

Not a scratch on my body, not a bone was broken- my life could have ended at 20 but for the grace of God. My mother often prayed that God should send his angels to look after us.

I truly believe that angels protected me then and at many other times after that.

Psalm 91:11 NIV

For he (God) will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Psalm 34:7 NIV

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and he delivers them.

My grandparents and mother were sitting up at night in our home and there was much rejoicing when I walked in. Amma and I sat up chatting away through the night, so happy and thankful that I was alive, well, and back home.

The next day we went to a neurologist for a checkup. They could not find anything wrong with me.

My parents were so grateful.

I believe that angels watch over us, do you?

And so last week on my birthday, I was reminded of this angel encounter again. ‘Thank you, Lord’ I whispered. I sang his praise all day long in my heart and with my lips.

Look out for our Word Study on angels, coming up soon!