Cardinals – Messengers from Heaven

The northern cardinal symbolizes hope, life, and restoration.  That could be why when I sent out a recent newsletter asking readers to share their favorite bird, the cardinal was the runaway favorite. It also might have helped that it is the state bird for 5 states: Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. Then there is that bright red plumage to catch your eye. Add to that how they stick around in the winter to cheer you up when everything is gray or perhaps white with snow and ice.

But perhaps one of the most cited reason cardinals are such favorites is the old folklore belief that you might have a visitor from heaven when you see a cardinal bird in your yard. “Cardinals appear when Angels are near” is a quote about this belief. Because of this longstanding belief many people feel that a cardinal sighting is a sign from a departed loved one or a visit from that departed one.  Whether you actually believe this is true or not, seeing a cardinal in your yard with this thought lingering in the back of your mind can give you peace, comfort, and the warmth of the memory of the love you shared. It can give you a spiritual boost, especially if you are going through hard times.

That leads me to a story shared with me by Kim. She gave me permission to share it forward to you in hopes that it might help someone else as it helped her. Her story did touch me and I’m sure it will you too.

Here’s what Kim wrote.

My favorite bird is the cardinal. I have a story about them that I’d love to share with you. 

I was in an abusive marriage for 11 years, and although there were times when I didn’t think I could bear it any longer, I was afraid to leave, because then I couldn’t protect my kids. (As a little aside, I’ll skip ahead to the happy ending: I finally got divorced, he got convicted of felony child abuse, we haven’t seen him in almost 7 years, and I have a wonderful boyfriend of almost 5 years who treats my girls and I like queens!) But back to the story. I had periods of severe depression caused by my circumstances, and I would pray, but then wonder if God even heard me. 

One day, my husband was going to check out a boat ramp and told me to come with him so I could help him launch. I’m afraid of boats due to an incident in my childhood, and also some trauma involving him and a kayak, so I was going to stay in the truck while he went down the river and did some scouting for an upcoming hunting trip he was planning. Everything went according to plan, except he was only supposed to be gone 15 minutes and he was gone two hours.

During that time, I sat and watched the river and felt my spirits sinking lower and lower. It was the middle of winter, and I was in the middle of nowhere. All I could see was miles and miles of dead brush and brown grass. I literally felt like I was at the end of all hope, and if it hadn’t been for my kids, I’m afraid that I might have thrown myself into the water and hoped to drown.

When he finally returned, he loaded up the boat and we started toward home. We drove around a corner, and I could see a HUGE spot of bright red just to the side of the road. I couldn’t imagine what it was, but it was the only color I had seen all day. When we got closer, I realized that it was a massive flock of cardinals. I had never seen so many birds in one spot, and immediately my soul was flooded with peace. My Granny always told me that cardinals were messengers from God, and when you saw one, it was a symbol of His love and the love of all of your loved ones who were waiting for you in Heaven. To see so many at once, and realize just how much God really loved me and how many people were waiting to see me again, made my eyes fill with tears.

I’ve never forgotten that day or how I felt, and every time I see a cardinal, it reminds me all over again.

Thank you, Kim, for sharing your story of how the Lord sent you that message of hope and love.

I know all of you are as happy as I am that Kim has a happy ongoing ending to her story, but what a gift for her at the exact time she needed it the most. The Lord blesses His children and never forgets them. Those cardinals were definitely messengers from heaven.

Have you ever heard that old belief that cardinals are angels from heaven?

P.S. If you leave a new comment here, you will get your name in the drawing on Wednesday for a copy of my book, Love Comes Home. Check my last post for more info.