Michiel W NDE

Experience Description

“It will be OK.” – God

This is a story of an experience that has shaped most of my life. I believe God wants me to share this experience as it will help others deal with issues in their lives and it is for this reason you have received it. Use it, as you will. Use my name if it is appropriate.

As you will see later, the title (“It will be OK.” – God), is the best way to sum up my experience, but it began several years before.

I was saved when I was ten years old (1965) in Texas. As a senior in High school, I was about to begin the dreaded Senior Term Paper in English class. I don’t remember a specific event or conversation, but I was driven to choose the Book of Job in the Bible as my project. At first the teacher thought it was a little different, but gave me the go ahead. After several weeks into the project, she called me in for a conference and then told me that her religion did not allow for the use of multiple translations of the Bible. It was this very aspect of my paper that made it possible. I was comparing the different translations to draw out the common threads. I explained to her that she had approved the project, I had spent several weeks of work that could not be replaced and that this was not religion class, but English. Over her stern objections, I pressed forward. I had no idea why I felt so strongly, but I did. I studied hard and completed the paper, and got an A+ on the project!

Fast-forward three years to 1976. The fateful night began with a couple of friends and I going to a local pool hall. They went for pool and beer, me for pool and a soft drink. I had gone through High School and three years of college without using ANY drugs or alcohol, and I was not going to start.

The night started off calm, a few high school friends came in that I had not seen in years, and I was enjoying myself. We got ready to leave around 11:30 PM. As we left the building we encountered a guy beating his girlfriend. My friends got involved while I went to get my car. More people showed up and joined in, but they were all loyal to the OTHER side. After circling my car several times, my friends ran off in different directions.

It was now four against one, and I was the one! One individual came and opened the driver’s door, one came through the passenger door and I was pulled from the vehicle. As I fell to the pavement, my head hit the ground and stunned me. I felt someone pull me up by my Left arm and then someone punch me in the ribs, or so I thought. I found out later they had stabbed me. Then I found out about adrenaline! As I struggled to my feet I tried to pull away. Someone had a hold on the back of my shirt, so I just ripped it off. Then just as soon as they all came, they were gone.

I then realized I couldn’t breathe. As I grabbed my side I realized I was bleeding and air was coming out of the hole. I had been stabbed and it had punctured my lung. I held my hand over the hole and tried to catch a breath. A car pulled up, someone opened the passenger door and yelled, “Get in, and I will take you to the hospital!” I crawled in and we took off. I continued to hold my hand over the hole and my elbow over my hand. We sped through traffic lights and around slower moving cars. And then…

In front of Ridglea Theater on Camp Bowie on the West side of Fort Worth, I began to fly. I could see the car below and then I became aware of the Light. It was the biggest, brightest, most all encompassing light ever. I have come to realize that there is no shadow in HIS presence. I became aware of people, vaguely familiar people from my past, but they moved by at a distance just beyond recognition. I was being drawn to the light source as if in a tunnel. (I still laugh inside when someone uses the phrase, “Light at the end of the tunnel.”) It was then that He spoke. God said, “Do you want to live or die?” I was immediately made to understand that the answer was not to be taken lightly. I replied, “There are still some things I want to do, I want to live.”

God then said, “ Don’t worry, everything will be OK.”

Let me clarify a little here. The words I quoted are not similar to what I remember, they are not my version watered down for simplicity, and they are EXACTLY the words HE said. And EXACTLY my reply.

I now believe what I was experiencing is now called an “Out of Body Experience” and a “Near Death Experience”. I have learned these terms over the years as I have tried to understand the experience. I mostly believe the now commonly used terms can be applied to what I went through. But it doesn’t change what I went through!

Now back to my experience. After I was told that, “Everything will be OK.” I re-entered the car and became painfully aware of my body. I saw the exit sign for Summit St., which meant we were near the hospitals south of Downtown Forth Worth. We entered the Emergency Entrance and the EMTs came and placed me on a cart.

I was amazingly aware of my surrounding as they went to work. A tube was driven into my chest to inflate my lung and nurses and doctors were everywhere. I remember a nurse come and ask me if I had “Blue Cross/Blue Shield” and my rely was, “No, but I have a hole in my side I wish they would plug!” Someone said I was probably in shock, but I had just been told that everything would be OK. I believed it would. Just before going into surgery I remember seeing my Mom and Dad.

I went to the pool hall on Sunday night. I woke up in a hospital bed on Monday morning. Later I found out it had been a week since I was admitted to the Emergency Room. I had lost a whole week. I would spend the next few years trying to make up that week. After another week I would be allowed to go home to recover. A week later I went back to my college classes to see what I had missed.

It was about this time when my studies of the Book of Job became useful. Maybe my term paper wasn’t a coincidence after all! I was studying Architecture at the University of Arlington. The first challenge was the realization that I no longer could draw. I could barely sign my name. My ability or talent, one that I had developed over a period of about ten years was gone. My ability to move freely without pain and my stamina was gone.

I became determined to not only regain the talent I had enjoyed but to finish THIS semester. I learned along the way that I could have whatever I was willing to give up the price for. If I wanted it bad enough, and the goal was pure, I could eventually achieve it.

I lost the two jobs I had been working to put myself through school. They were drafting jobs and I couldn’t draw. I had lost my source of income and the hospital stay had taken what little funds I had available before. I lost my health. I lost my friends and lost family relationships through a period where the only thing that was important to me was to survive myself.

But all along I kept those words that had been spoken to me by God. When He said, “ Everything will be OK.” He meant it. He promised it. He has stood behind it. And He always will.

My life now is very different. I have been married since 1984 to the girl of my dreams. I have two beautiful daughters. I have two superb son-in-laws. And seven spectacular grand kids, the first two were twins that were born in 2003. The third in 2006. The fourth in 2007 and the fifth in 2011, the sixth in 2013 and the seventh in 2016.

I now have some wisdom. I now know that God has tested me. I know he had me work with the Book of Job in High School so I would have that knowledge when I needed it later. And He will continue to test me. And I will continue to accept the challenge. I don’t need to be told what religion I belong to. I don’t need to hear someone tell me that there is or is not a God. I was there. He spoke. I understood.

I now also have a new group of allies. It is known as the “Met Church”. When I walk in the door, or just when I think about them I get the best feeling of warmth and security. When I see the singers “feel” the music at the services, I can see that Light again, especially in their eyes. And when I think about being needed or helping in God’s work, it is them I want to help. I want to continue to help them reach out to those that need a Light. Those that need to be tested and to understand what achieving success over a test should feel like. I feel stronger everyday, and although I still have some medical challenges to overcome that began back in 1976, I know they are just tests and I know where to get the strength to overcome them and succeed.

Some additional information to the story as it continues. After a brief strange illness in 2004, I went to my family doctor for a checkup and decided to get a physical. The symptoms (tiredness and a strange joint pain that moved around) did not seem to have a clear cause. After an EKG, I was sent to the ER with symptoms of a heart attack. After the enzyme test came back, it was clear that I did not have a heart attack and I was referred to a cardiologist. He determined, after two months of testing that I had an “enlarged heart” and a leaky valve. He also determined that it was hereditary and after some research, I believe it was the cause of my father’s heart problems as well as my brother and his son’s problems. My father died of a heart attack in 2002. I do not have the other risk factors (cholesterol, high blood pressure, stress, etc) that the others in my family do have. I was on two medications; one to soften the enlarged heart muscle and one to lower my blood pressure although, my pressure was normal before. Everything with my heart is under control.

While going through these tests, there were some liver enzymes that were abnormally high. After five rounds of blood tests it was determined on October 8th, 2004 that I had Hepatitis C (genotype 1, variant a). I contracted it during the operation to repair my injuries in 1976! Before 1992 the blood supply was not checked for Hepatitis before it was stored for use. Since 1992 the blood supply is routinely checked for this and other viruses.

Hepatitis C is a blood borne virus for which there is no cure. It attacks the liver and can eventually destroy liver cells. My viral count as of in 2005 was 2,100,000 IU/ML. The desired count, of course is zero! The side effects are the big challenge. I have been through the treatment and got rid of the virus. I will continue to monitor the viral load for the rest of my life.

Fast forward to 2017. On January 20th, Baylor Hospital called and said they had found me a new liver! A 40 year old had died and offered their organs to be donated. The liver was a match for me! That night I underwent surgery to transplant the liver into my body.

The surgery was very successful thanks to God stepping up in a big way. And, thanks to the Met members as well as several other churches and friends and family praying continually for my health. God answered their prayers on my behalf. I will forever be thankful for their prayers and for God’s help. I was scheduled to stay in the hospital for 3 weeks. After 5 days the doctors determined that I was ready to go home! There has been very little pain and recovery has been fairly easy. I look forward to getting to serve again. I also heard God say, “I told you it would be ok.”

If you can think of a way that this story can help someone, let me know. Now I have to wipe some more tears away.

P.S. Back in 1976 when I went through the Near Death Experience, God said, “ Don’t worry, everything will be ok.” I firmly believe in what He said. I don’t believe he changes His mind. I therefore will be OK. I also believe this is a test. I also believe I will receive a passing grade on this one as well.


Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1976

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Criminal attack Life threatening event, but not clinical death I got stabbed and suffered from internal injuries and a punctured lung.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? No I clearly left my body and existed outside it

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? More consciousness and alertness than normal More aware of my surrounding and clearly having a conversation with God

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When God spoke.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning time seemed unrelated to my experience

Were your senses More vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Vision 20/20

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Hearing normal

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes Bright white light with otehrs present but without shadows to define exactly who they were.

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes Deceased relatives

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? extreme closeness and protection of GOD

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about myself or others I was aware of my current station in life and the gravity of my decisions

Did scenes from your past come back to you? I remembered many past events A summation of where I was in life at the time.

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Other Christian Baptist upbringing, Church attended regularly

What is your religion now? Christian- Other Christian Christian but separate from a particular religion.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I no longer believe Money is as important as I did before. I now understand relationships better than I did before.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I heard a voice I could not identify I heard a voive and then was made to unstand it was God

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? Yes God, by voice only

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes I heard His voice and He heard my answers

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? An afterlife definitely exists Yes Heaven exists

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? Yes See detail from earlier question.

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? Yes He asked if I wanted to live or die. I told Him I wanted to live and He said 'It will be OK.'

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life See ealier detail

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I divorced the girl I was married to at the time.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It took several years to understand all that occurred during the NDE

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience. The detail of the event can be recalled entirely, in enhanced detail.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Talking to God

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes A couple of years.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I knew what happened,, I just did not know how to explain it.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I was lucky to haved lived through it and have shared it many times.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No