In real time, it had not been an eternity that I had been in the woods at Huntsville State Park. But, spiritually, I felt that I had experienced a lifetime there.

All the way home, I had an overwhelming thirst. But, I did not stop along the way to quench it. I felt that I should arrive at home before drinking anything. It seemed to me to be some great significance to that feeling. I now know what it was. Touched by the Holy Spirit, I could not drink until I had gone home. See Matthew 26, 29.

I want to thank all of those persons who have read my accounts of my meeting and discourse with the Holy Spirit who came to me in the year of our Lord 1968 in the form of a deer. The Spirit led Jesus into the desert to reflect and contemplate. Matthew 4,1. I had been led into the woods by that same Spirit and was confronted by it in the form of a deer.

Yes, the Holy Spirit has come to people in tangible forms, like a dove at the baptism of Jesus. Matthew 3, 16; Luke 3, 22; John 1, 32. Perhaps, the Spirit or another member of the Holy Trinity has come to you in the form of a person. See the story of St. Martin of Tours who encountered Jesus Himself who appeared to him in the form of a beggar.

You may have encountered the Holy Spirit in some subtle form – such as a person who gave you inspiration or guidance – and not even known it. In fact, the person who gave you that inspiration and/or guidance may have been speaking the words given to him or her by the Holy Spirit and did not even realize it.

I am frequently asked, “Did this really happen to you?” Then, the question arises, “Why didn’t you tell about this sooner?” And then, “Why didn’t you become a priest, a preacher, or a monk?”

The answer to the first question is an emphatic YES! Yes, I did have an encounter with the Holy Spirit who had taken the form of a deer just as described in my articles. In fact, every article I have ever written for the Banner has been completely true.

The answer to the other questions is the same for both of them. I simply did not know what I had experienced and was afraid to share it. Also, I had not digested the impressions I had received and was, therefore, not able to put them into an intelligible form – even for my own understanding much less for conveyance to others.

It took 41 years for the impressions to “gel” into a form of knowledge and thoughts that could be articulated. Imagine a typical intermediate school student wandering into an advanced university physics class. He or she would be confused and would understand little of the subject matter being conveyed to the students by the professor at the time. But, with study and reflection, the student would eventually come to comprehend the knowledge and would then have some understanding of the subject matter. Likewise, it took study and reflection over a period of time for me to understand what I had experienced.

I feel that the knowledge and understanding that was conveyed to me that night is much deeper than I can comprehend and articulate now. What I have written in my articles is merely my simplistic, crude understandings of what I experienced. I believe that there is much more, much deeper knowledge which has not yet “gelled” within my brain and soul. It may someday emerge. There are mysteries yet to be revealed.

My advice to you: Be alert for communications from the Holy Spirit instructing and guiding you; but, be mindful that evil forces also try to influence you. An ability to identify and “filter-out” these tempting but ultimately destructive communications from evil sources must be developed. How? The seed of this ability is planted in you and nourished through the moral and values training given to you by your parents, your teachers, your religious leaders, and your worthy friends. Remember what you have been taught and be receptive to further teachings.

Simply put – with the help of others and under the influence of the Holy Spirit – you must learn to tell right from wrong. That is not an easy task – as you probably realize. You have to work at it throughout your life. And, you have to be mindful that the person who is seeking to influence you is not a demagogue or bigot, spreading hatred or discrimination, cloaked in a false mantle of a good influence – a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”.

Well, even though I have now articulated the impressions given to me by the Holy Spirit, I have not become a priest, minister, or deacon; but, I am very active in my church and have, hopefully, been a favorable witness to many others, including, especially, my 6th grade CCE (Sunday School) students. Throughout my work as a teacher in a public school and in church settings, as a congressional assistant, and as a paralegal, I have taken great joy in helping literally, thousands of people achieve their dreams and have shown them the greatest amount of respect and compassion. I hope that I have been a good witness to them.

And, I am still on the “up side of the grass” so who knows what lies ahead? And, what lies ahead for you? I leave you with this thought which reflects my feeling about what happened to me:

NOTE: The dialogue in all of this series of articles was constructed from the impressions I received during my encounters with the deer and do not represent actual conversation. The seven (7) gifts that I received (or was reminded of) that night were, however, very real.

Links to all of Bob’s columns, including Parts I-IX of this series, can be found at www.newsnet713.com/BobConnor.htm.