So, one night in 1987 I was sitting home reading a good book, which I usually read at night to help make myself feel sleepy. I began to hear the rain start pounding down on my roof. I thought to myself, sheeesh, where did that come from all of a sudden. I don't remember hearing anything about a serious storm coming tonight. The pounding grew louder and louder and it really got me concerned. Nothing was mentioned on the news about a severe storm, but this wind sounded suspicious.
I had put the kids to bed earlier and was hoping to hit the hay early myself. I decided to check the doors before I went to bed to make sure they were locked and bolted. So I got up and went to the kitchen, I checked the back door, it was dead bolt locked, so then I walked to the front door and l checked that lock, it was also locked. I had just turned out the last light in the den as I headed back into the bedroom. The rain was still just pounding the roof and the wind was blowing so loud I wondered if the lawn equipment was going to be O.K. An uneasy feeling came over me. I got back up and checked the windows to make sure they were closed tight. The lightening was cracking and it seemed really close. I went back into the den to recheck yet again.
I had an odd feeling about the severity of this storm!
It was then as I was standing in the den after shutting off the last light for the night that I heard the wind literally pushing at my back door. It was rushing at it so hard I thought perhaps it was going to blow it wide open. But I said to myself, well, that's impossible, it has a dead bolt on it! I stood there listening to the wind and rain with serious concerns. I checked on the kids one last time and thought I'll just go stand in the kitchen for a moment as this wind is really acting up, it seems worse than I have ever heard it before. I was alone standing in the dark kitchen barefoot and in my night gown. I just felt as if I had to be in the kitchen for some strange and unknown reason. I was to unsettled to go to sleep. I was now literally starring at the back door standing in the dark kitchen. It was moving back and forth from the wind like I had never seen before and I must say I got a bit frightened. That had never happened before and I had been through 12 years of hurricanes and tropical storms in that house and nothing like this had ever happened. It was as if the door were going to come off the hinges. Back and forth it was moving before my very eyes as I stood there! I felt like I was about to encounter something very strange. I could not shake the feeling.
I didn't know if it would be spiritual or what, but I was mustering up all my strength standing there in my nightgown!
I had always heard that if a tornado comes you can hear it first. I have heard it sounds like a freight train barreling down on you. But I could only hear the wind and the rain. And I started feeling more and more odd.
What happened next was so bizarre and scary I'm surprised I was not hurt.
All of a sudden as I stood there two feet from looking at the back door, it blew wide open!
The rain and wind were coming in so hard It threw me to the floor! I slipped as I became soaked by the water on the tile floor, but what was worse than all that was that in my alley as I looked out past the rain, I could see a tall man standing there looking right at me. The street light from the alley made it clear to see him with the wind and rain and lightening crashing all around. I could not see his face, but I could clearly see a man. He was wearing a cowboy hat. His silhouette was frightening standing there. He didn't move, he didn't come closer, he just stood there as if it was him blowing at the back door. I was laying on the floor when I saw him in the street light in the alley and the hair stood right up on my body. I knew I had to close the door and lock it again immediately! I felt like I was fighting a demonic spirit! I was afraid the man would try to get in. The tile floor was so wet and slippery I could not get my footing to stand up and the wind and rain were coming in so hard I had to fight really hard to get up, I just kept slipping back down on my knees. I wedged my right foot at the corner near the bathroom and the back door and pulled myself up the wall. I got the door and tried to close it but it would NOT close to my amazement, I tried several times pushing against the force of the wind but I could not get the dead bolt to close! I couldn't believe it, it just would not catch. The wind kept pushing it open again! How is that possible, I thought, so I pushed it closed once more and again the same thing happened. I started crying, this was just to much! I was so frustrated, how could a dead bolt not bolt the door? It simply slid out like it was broken! The man was still standing there. I was desperate to close the door! I was getting very nervous that he was going to come into the house. It was at that moment, just as I thought that thought, when he actually started walking up the back driveway slowly and I was in a panic to close the door! My heart was pounding out of my chest! I pushed the door closed one more time and I started praying in the spirit and asking GOD to please help me! I kept slipping on the tile floor every time I tried to use force to close the door! How I finally got the door closed I will never know. I know it was a miracle because the wind never let up for a moment! The wind was pushing against the door as I was trying to close it with each try. I got close to closing it three times but it would not stay closed. It was as if the man in the alley staring at me was fighting me to keep the door open. After the third try I got the door closed and I bolted it again!
"FINALLY"
It worked! I had no faith in that bolt however so I also chained the door closed as well with the little chain lock on the door and the doorknob lock as well! I was so grateful for that chain. The man was in my back driveway now and I was so scared. I was soaked and cold and so afraid. So I kept the lights off as I didn't want him to be able to see in. I pulled the curtains closed tight at the back window. It was all I could do.
Then I rebuked the enemy that fought me, I didn't know if it was the wind or the will of the man in the alley, but I prayed hard against whatever it was. I was so grateful for the victory!
I dried myself off and sat in my bedroom shaking. I sat quietly in the dark listening to every sound. It seemed as the rain had slowed considerably now. I looked back outside after a few minutes and didn't see the man standing there any longer. Needless to say I wasn't tired anymore. I thought about calling the police but I didn't see the man out back any longer, what were they going do? What could they do?
To this day I don't think what blew that door open was the wind. I think that man opened the door somehow and I could feel the oddness of it all which is why I stood there staring at the door in the first place. I was right there when the door opened and stood my ground fighting to close the door again. I don't think the man was expecting that!
Today I'm grateful that nothing worse happened, but I will never forget that night. Not ever!
And I thank GOD for divine intervention and wisdom as HE protected me from that possible attack.
What doesn't kill you DOES make you stronger!
