First some background. I was baptized and raised as a Catholic. While in elementary school, I also attended CCD every Sunday and my family always went to Church every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. I was the youngest and the last left in the household at the time my father died in 1976 - I had just started the 11th grade. After he was gone, I gradually stopped going to Church except for random occasions as I went on with my life. After marrying and leaving the Army in the mid 80�s, I read different versions of the Bible several times, took religious correspondence courses, and setup a prayer process; I even attended a Billy Graham Crusade (including going down to the stage at the end when invited), and my wife was baptized in a Korean Baptist Church. We attended various Church services though we never established a regular Church going routine. In May of 2000, my brother-in-law John died. After the process was over, I began to thirst for spiritual knowledge and began searching the Internet for information. I read every article and experience I could find especially concerning prophecies, Marian events, and near death experiences (www.near-death.com was especially useful). This is where I first read an excerpt of Betty Eadie�s book. In July of 2000, a coworker lent me his copy of Embraced by the Light and so my experience begins. What happened did so quickly and it was only after it was over that the full nature of it struck home. 

I read the entire book right after eating dinner on a weeknight. I was in a heightened sense of spirituality that kept increasing the more I read the book. After finishing the book, I decided to go into the middle bedroom to ask the Creator a question. My wife was watching TV in another room. As I began to make my way to this room, I began to feel a physical pressure on my chest that increased the closer I got to the room. By the time I had knelt down at the bed, the pressure was so great that I began to have trouble breathing. I can�t remember how long it took before I asked the question but it seemed like an eternity. So I asked the Creator: 

How come we don�t have any children? 

He instantly replied: 

Because you wanted it that way. 

I immediately realized two things: 

1. A small part of what the book covered was how we each decide, along with the Creator, what the basics of our lives will be before we come down to the physical realm. This was instantly verified � as it pertained to me (not my wife though).

2. The reason why I had trouble breathing was because there was a presence in the room that did not want me to ask the question. The enemy! 

Still feeling the pressure, I became covered in goose bumps, staggered out of the room, found my wife, don�t remember what I said, she tried to calm me down, and said let us go to bed. So we went to bed. However, the presence followed us into our bedroom and I began to silently pray to the Creator to send his warrior angels to chase the presence away. After about 5 minutes of praying, I felt the presence leave and I fell asleep exhausted. 

The communication I received was in the same format as some of those who have had near death experiences have described � not through the spoken word but through the mind like mental telepathy; I heard the words written in my mind. Since it was probably the Creator himself who replied to me (though it could have been the Master), the presence was more than likely Satan himself. I did not feel a sense of evil like in the Exorcist, rather it was a very, very strong sense of power that wanted to use force to get its way. 

So my spiritual awakening began after so many years of dormancy. Since then, I have continued to expand my awareness by reading and seeking and praying. I am no closer to being perfect than I was before but I have learned to accept my limitations and to try not to commit the big sins. I encourage all who read this to expand your spiritual knowledge and awareness through all avenues available, and to be more tolerant to others. I will also state that I have absolutely nothing to gain from writing about this other than a greater sense of the common good; in addition, I swear that I have written the truth as I remember it.

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? No      

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          No      

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    The entire time plus 15 minutes.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal every day consciousness and alertness?    More consciousness and alertness than normal

If your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience was different from your normal every day consciousness and alertness, please explain:            The entire time plus 15 minutes.

Did your vision differ in any way from your normal, everyday vision (in any aspect, such as clarity, field of vision, colors, brightness, depth perception degree of solidness/transparency of objects, etc.)?  No      

Did your hearing differ in any way from your normal, everyday hearing (in any aspect, such as clarity, ability to recognize source of sound, pitch, loudness, etc.)?            No      

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     No

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            Respect for the Creator, Fear for the Enemy.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?          No      

Did you see a light?           No      

Did you meet or see any other beings?           No      

Did you experience a review of past events in your life?    No      

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          Yes     We don't have any children and, medically, it is not possible. We had even tried IVF in 1997.

Did you see or visit any beautiful or otherwise distinctive locations, levels or dimensions?           No           

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   No      

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?     Yes            However, it simply reinforced something that I had just read.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? No      

Did you become aware of future events?       No           

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience you did not have prior to the experience?     No      

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     Years. I sent this same document to my brothers and sister several years ago and got two responses, thanking me for sharing. People either don't want to talk about the Spiritual Realm, think about physical death, are atheists, or are confined by strict religious beliefs IMO.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?    Yes     I had started reading about them the month prior to the experience.

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:            Experience was definitely real    After a year or so, I allowed it to fade much like we do after someone dies. However, the economic collapse in 2008 prompted me to share it with my siblings. When our oldest cat died last month, I began to search the internet again for my knowledge. I feel a responsibility to share this with everyone in the world.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?            The entire process. Not many experience something like this while in this physical world; usually you have to be a religious person who is worthy of the experience. I do not feel myself worthy.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely real            Same as before. This did not occur in the spiritual realm but in this physical realm.

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?           Yes     My wife is somewhat afraid; however, I have encouraged her to pursue reading of spiritual experiences on the internet for herself (such as at your site and near-death.com). Since she is Korean, we are in the process of getting her computer setup to translate and, hopefully, not lose the meaning of articles during the translation.

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?            Yes     Pray more, read religious and philosophical material from all areas and religions, and have become far more tolerant of others.

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         No      

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?        No.

Did the questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?         Yes     The document I provided says it all.

Are there any other questions we could ask to help you communicate your experience?   No.