Saved By a Phone Call

While relocating from an apartment into a house, I had the movers transport all the heavier things for me. It was late Friday afternoon, so I planned to return to the apartment on Sunday to finish moving the rest. By Friday night, I was exhausted.

It was cold, so I turned on the heater.

As I prayed on the phone with a friend, I could barely keep my eyes open.

We said good night, and I crashed. I slept like a baby—it was the best sleep I had gotten in quite some time. I slept through the night, which is a bit unusual for me, and kept sleeping through an early morning prayer call in which I participate.

Eventually, I was awakened by my ringing phone.

It was someone from the prayer group who invited me to join the telephone worship service with their church. It seemed like the world had come to a halt due to COVID-19. I enjoyed a great Sabbath, fellowshipping on the phone with my church family.

That night, before getting into bed, as is my custom, I knelt at my bedside and thanked God for the day and asked Him to send His angels to watch over and protect me as I slept. Before I finished praying, for some reason, I again asked that He send His angels to watch over and protect me as I slept. A couple of hours later, I awoke and smelled gas.

I lay there, wondering whether I should be concerned.

Something said to call the gas company. I found the number and called.

They told me to go outside and wait for them to arrive.

I quickly went outside and waited as I had been instructed.

When the man arrived with his equipment and entered the house, the device began to beep loudly. He came over to me and said, “Ma’am your house is full of carbon monoxide!” I said, “What? I did not think you could even smell carbon monoxide!” “Yes, you can smell it!” he assured me. Almost two hours later, he told me it was safe to reenter my home.

The next day I realized the phone call on Sabbath morning had actually saved my life. If I had not woken up, I would have remained asleep while the furnace continued to leak carbon monoxide. God answered my prayer that night and sent His angels to watch over and protect me.

Deniece G. Anderson