I was tired and needed to muster up some energy to do my Christmas shopping. My husband, Steve, and I had just spent nine days visiting my family in Maine, which left us very little time before the holiday. We had to plan a Christmas dinner for our immediate family and decorate our ten-foot tree before my women’s group, which meets at my home on Fridays, and here I was at the Danbury Mall with no idea of where to start.
I’m not much of a shopper, and I tend to prefer small boutiques. So Steve and I decided we would check out the kiosks set up outside the larger stores to search for unusual gifts.
I was approached by Tom, a striking young Israeli who was selling ClickHeat products. He gave me one to try out on my shoulder. I stood there enjoying the instant relief it offered as the heat penetrated and relieved my stress. It felt so good that I didn’t want to take it off. We bought three shoulder packs, hand warmers, and a product for the eyes. I was excited to have found something that I knew everyone would enjoy.
Tom told us that he and his girlfriend, Tess, had been born and raised next to Nazareth. “Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas,” I said. “Why not cerebrate both? What do you have to lose? You are guaranteed Heaven.”
We all smiled. Tom said I reminded him of his mother, and asked if he could give me a hug before we went on our way.
The next day I was scheduled for two shifts at the real estate office where I work, but one of the other agents thought he was supposed to come in, and I was more than happy to give him my second shift, which freed me up to go back to the mall. I needed one more gift for the package we were sending to my sister-in-law. She has a serious back problem, and I realized the ClickHeat would be perfect.
As I approached the same kiosk, there was my new friend Tom, with Tess standing beside him. He was serving another customer, but he glanced at me with a wide warm smile, then greeted me with another big hug. As I waited for him, I looked at the products, and I thought about my three sisters who were disabled, and my brother who has suffered with two knee surgeries, and my older sister who is on her feet all day, and, oh yes, my brother who is a manager of a restaurant in Atlanta and also on his feet a lot. We usually buy just for our immediate family, and some on my husband’s side, but not for my large family. But there I stood, thinking to myself, how could I enjoy my ClickHeat when I knew my sisters and brothers were in pain most of the time. Guilt was playing havoc with my mind when Tom interrupted, asking, “What can I help you with?” I told him what I was thinking, and that I hadn’t been planning on buying for my family in Maine. He said, “Let me grab a piece of paper, and you can make a list of who you would like to buy for, and I’ll work out a good price.”
With my background in sales, I appreciated this. The packages were a good price, but I really wanted to buy for everyone, so we would have to scale it down to one item each. I surprised myself, making an executive decision about this extravagant purchase without first discussing it with my husband. I reasoned that I was feeling the spirit of Christmas as I thought about how I would be helping to release so much stress and pain.
The day before, I had mentioned to Tom that I teach Christian Healing Ministry, and he had asked me to explain what that meant. Without going into detail, I told him that we cover from conception to birth, generational healing, and inner healing. I didn’t think anymore about it.
Now he came over to where I was standing and said, “Can I ask you a question?” Then, after a pause, “Never mind, it’s embarrassing.”
“Look,” I said, “I’m not even supposed to be here today. I was on the schedule to do a double shift, so whatever you want to ask me, you should, because maybe that is the reason I am here.”
As we stood face to face, I looked into his beautiful soft and now very serious eyes, and he said, “You mentioned something about ‘from conception to birth.’ I am a twin, and when I was born, the other baby didn’t make it. My mother explained that I took all the nourishment. The past three nights, I dreamed about my twin.”
Then and there I knew that we needed to go back to that memory and invite the power of the Holy Spirit to heal him. He should not have to carry his guilt around any longer. I grabbed one of his products from the kiosk, held it in my hand, and said, “As I hold this up in my hand, people walking by will think we are talking about it.” Then I looked straight into his eyes and said, “You are Jewish and you believe in God. I am Christian and I believe in Jesus,” and I asked if I could pray for him right there in the mall. “Yes,” he said. I invited the Holy Spirit to go to the womb and visit that memory, and as I continued to pray with my eyes open, I raised my hand to face his heart, and the most incredible thing happened. The power going through my hand was so intense.
“Do you feel what I’m feeling?” I asked.
“Yes I do,” he said. His eyes were wide.
I put my hand on his arm and said, “You have just been touched by Jesus.”
He seemed shocked by what had happened, and he put out his arms and asked me for another hug. After I paid for my gifts and started to walk away, he came running after me.
“Wait” he said, “While you were praying for me, something incredible was happening. Everything was swirling in my head, and I was very dizzy. I really do feel better.”
“I believe you have been healed,” I said, “and you no longer need to carry the guilt you have felt for so long.” Then I suggested he read “Proof of Heaven” by Eben Alexander, a true story about a neurosurgeon’s journey into the afterlife.
We embraced and said our goodbyes. As Christmas was soon to arrive, I felt compelled to go buy the book at Barnes and Noble. Then I made a third trip to the kiosk, where I delivered my Christmas gift to him.
Nan is a freelance writer, photographer, and Realtor at Houlihan Lawrence. She resides with her husband, Steve, in Somers. Her passion is serving as director for the Christian Healing Ministry at Yorktown United Methodist Church and leading “Women Of The Vine,” a women’s group that meets in her home on Fridays.