Can Children See Angels?

We had suddenly lost my father-in-law.  My husband was devastated.  He was on his way to visit dad and a few minutes before he got there.. dad stopped breathing.  He was gone.  Dad had just gotten accepted into the care home.  At 82 years old, he was beginning to eat better and just starting to walk again.  We thought maybe he’d get strong enough to graduate from his home.  Clarence was going to visit dad earlier that day, but the nurse told him that it would be fine to see him later.  He was at a friends sons birthday party at the time.  We had no idea that dad would go that day.

Not long after this happened, our daughter Hayley began talking about Janna (pronounced John-na).  At 3 years old, she was settled and happy at her preschool.  I asked her teachers if there was a new friend or teacher of that name.  They were confused and said no.  Throughout the week.. they asked who that was.  They tried to figure it out.  There isn’t anyone with a name that sounds like Janna.  She says everyone’s name correctly.  Each day after picking her up from school, she’d go into her carseat.. and start talking about Janna.  She mentioned Janna played with her, gave her hugs and always helped her at nap time.  She said Janna loved her and was so nice.  I asked her a few questions about  Janna ~

Me : Is Janna a teacher or friend?

Hayley : Teacher

Me : What does Janna like to do?

Hayley : Help me, just only me.. and sing. Janna sing!  Pretty!

I thought maybe my daughter has an imaginary friend.  If so, that would be the first time she gave someone a real name.  She names her teddy bear “Bear”, her bunny “Bunny” etc.  If there is already a name, she calls it by that name.. Ariel is Ariel, Elmo is Elmo.  Anyway, nobody could figure it out.  So we just left it alone and didn’t think much about it.  Months passed and my husband and I realized she had stopped talking about Janna.  So I asked a few more questions ~

Me :  Where did Janna go?

Hayley : Janna went back home with family

Me : Do you miss her?

Hayley : No, I okay

Me : What did she look like?

Hayley : Janna only wear white dress

Me : Is Janna a girl or a boy?

Janna : Janna a girl and Janna tall.  She tall and biiiiig.

Me : What color are her eyes? Hair?

Hayley : I don’t know, Janna all white

Normally Hayley easily remembers hair and eye color on people she knows.  So I found it a little odd that she couldn’t remember that about someone whom she saw each day for a while.

At church, an aunty gave her a cute little girl doll.  When we got home, I asked her what her doll’s name was.  She thought for about 2 seconds and then confidently said, “Misa”.  Misa?  How cute.  I’m pretty sure there isn’t a Misa at her school and there isn’t a Misa in any of her books or tv shows.  She loves Misa and takes her everywhere with her.  It is the first time she creatively named her own doll or toy.

About a week later, friends from church asked what her dolls name was.  And when she said Misa, they said.. “Is that Japanese?”  I told them it could be.. it sounded like it lol.  They asked if it meant anything.  I became curious and googled “Misa”  Here is what I found ~

Spanish :

misa

NOUN

1. (general)

a. mass 

cantar/decir/oír misato sing/say/hear mass

ir a misato go to mass o church

 

from spanishdict.com

Japanese :

What does the name Misa mean?

The meaning of the name “Misa” is: “Japanese meaning: Beautiful Bloom

from the thenamemeaning.com

Urban Dictionary :

TOP DEFINITION

Misa

Misa is an amazing girl who never stops smiling. She is beautiful in and out and is the most confident person. She is a loyal friend and she is the type of friend that you never want to lose.

from urbandictionary.com

At Bible study last night, my mentor sister encouraged me to cover Hayley in prayer.  That she may have the same way of seeing in the spirit as I do.  She did not know about Janna or Misa.

I went home and prayed.  Could my daughter have been spending time with an angel?  When dad passed away, we were busy with many things.  At times, my husband Clarence had a peace of the Lord.  At many other times.. he was the most broken I had ever seen him.  Hayley, like me, is sensitive on feeling what others feel.  It would be the perfect time to have the love and protection of an angel by her side.

When Hayley notices her daddy feeling sad, she helps him to feel better.  She is also always the first one to grab daddies hand when we visit her grandpa’s grave.

Hayley goes to a public preschool.  They are not allowed to talk about God or religion.  Did an angel share the word Misa with her?

Someone from church gave her a doll and the meaning of the name in Spanish is church.. In Japanese, it’s beautiful bloom.. and in the urban language.. it is an amazing girl who is beautiful and doesn’t stop smiling.

Well my heart was smiling as I prayed on this.  My little girl named her little girl to me what translated to a beautiful girl of our beautiful church.  What a great reminder of the Lord’s great love for us.  How we are the church, made to beautifully bloom by a beautiful God.

Whenever I see Hayley sleeping with her Misa.. holding her close in her arms.. I’m reminded of our mission.  That we as one body (church) are to stay close in spirit and worship our beautiful God. It’s that simple.  We can rest in that.  I do believe my daughter had a season with an angel named Janna.  I myself have had experiences and visits with angels.  I am so grateful for the Lord’s hand on all of us as believers.

I try my best to analyze everything in alignment with the Bible.  I used to be ashamed to talk of my supernatural side with good and evil.  I still sometimes struggle with worry of being judged.  I’m learning that I must be bold in the things of the Lord and of my faith.

I’m still discovering my spiritual gifts and having so much to learn and grow with.. But if my daughter sees in the spirit as I do.. How amazing would it be for her own mother to guide her and encourage her to grow in the Lord that way?

I did not grow up knowing the Lord.  I saw evil spiritual things.  One of my brothers would see the exact same evil as I did.  And it was in great detail, the very same.  Our parents did not believe us or comfort us.  We were so afraid.  Once I accepted the Lord, no evil of that power would come my way.  Not the way it did when I was younger.   I now put on my armor before rising at day and before resting at night.

Im learning so much in a class I’m currently in.  The class is on the Armour of God.  My prayer for not just my family and I.. but for all of us in the body of Christ.. It is that we would grow stronger in testing the spirits and discerning the voice of the Lord over the voice of the enemy.  I believe this happens more clearly when our hearts are purified and we are deeply committed to His word.

God is so amazing and there is soo much going on around us that we cannot see.

How breathtaking it’ll be when we meet Jesus face to face.  In his Kingdom.  And we see our home he has for us.  Loved ones we haven’t met and reunited with those we have lost.  I believe they are waiting for us.  Maybe I will meet Janna.  And as I dream.. my older sister who didn’t get to be born in this world.  We will be in our new bodies.  Everything will be new.  No more sin ever again.  Most wonderfully, we will be celebrating in worship and glorifying the Lord.  Wow.. eternal joy!

For now, getting these little glimpses of heaven already takes my breath away.

Please be encouraged to prioritize studying the Word and growing in the things of the Spirit.  Our Lord reveals more and more.. There is nothing more beautiful than coming together as one body for our wonderful Lord.

 

Back to the title of this story.. Can children see angels? With all my heart, I believe yes. Yes I believe they truly do💛

Before I bid you farewell, I’d like to share what the name Janna means.  In different translations, I found these meanings…~ God is gracious, Gift from God, God is merciful, Flourishing and Paradise

Aren’t these amazing reminders of the character of our God?  May we flourish in him until we meet him in paradise.

Dear Father, thank you for you.  For creating us and for your son who died for us so that we can be victorious with you.  What crazy selfless love that is.  I can’t wrap my mind around how much you love us.  Thank you for your freedom and grace.  Holy Spirit, may we always be honoring this in action by dying to ourselves to live stronger in the things of God.  To our sweet Jesus, thank you for praying for us and sending your powers down to encourage and protect us.  Godhead, we love you!  We will keep sharing about you, learning about you and growing closer to your heart.. You are our heart.  We forever worship and praise you.  We pray all these things in your mighty name.  Amen.

Hayley and Misa