Sometimes late at night, as I sift through the day’s happenings, I find myself wondering why I rushed through the day as a solitary soul, disconnected from Jesus and from others? Why do I keep trying to go it alone?

Often, in these moments, I become aware of how near Jesus is to me and to all of us. Sometimes, I sense the presence of my guardian angel; or recall the memory of a loved one and something they taught me.

All of us are so intimately connected with one another (John 15: 12-13) and with God (John 15: 5). There are angels all around us, protecting and guiding us. (Psalm 91: 11-12) We are also connected with those who have died and are now alive in Christ, in heaven. (1 Cor 12: 12-13).

The Bible tells us that the veil between heaven and earth is thin:

“And He will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 25: 7-8) “Yet He is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17: 27)

God is so near to us. Why do we hold back and try to go it alone?

I asked a friend once what she thought about heaven. We were sitting on my back porch, enjoying a beautiful summer evening. She replied, “Heaven is not this far off place. I think it is right here.”

She reached out with her hand, into the summer air, and said, “All those we have loved and lost through death are still here. We just don’t see them because we are relying on our physical senses. As adults, we have trained ourselves not to look beyond the possibilities of the physical world – and we have definitely trained ourselves not to ask for God’s love. But all that love – God’s love, the love of friends and family who are still with us in this world, and the love of those who have passed on from this life – all that love is right beside us and within us.”

All that love is within our reach. The veil is so thin.

It was years later until I fully grasped what my friend had been trying to tell me. My father was very ill and in treatment for a Stage 4 cancer. I was crossing three states on a regular basis to be with him and my mother for the treatments. I was exhausted, physically and emotionally. And I was afraid. I am the one who always fixes things, and I could not fix this.

I crawled into bed late one night. I was staying with my parents. My father had received a treatment that day. It had been a tough day. I was crying as I started to drift toward sleep. I begged Jesus to help me, and I suddenly began to experience a deep peace. I had never felt anything like it. I could feel myself slipping deeper and deeper into that loving peace. I felt like I was floating toward something that I could not see.

I could feel myself letting go and this startled me! I sat up boltright in my bed. What just happened? Was I dreaming? But then I realized it was Jesus, flooding my heart with His Mercy and Love. I became calm and understood that I was not alone. I did not need to have all the answers.

I began to lean on Jesus a lot more, as we navigated my father’s treatment. Things became a little easier.

Months later, as I thought about that night, I remembered what my friend had said about heaven, and how thin that veil is between our earthly lives and Jesus.

All that Love and Joy is within our reach. We don’t have to go it alone.

It’s easy to forget, sometimes, why Jesus came to earth, and why He is still here among us. If we place our trust in Him — if we give Him our dreams and fears and hopes and worries — nothing can keep us from the Love and Mercy of God.

The wonder of all that He is still comes to me in waves.

“‘Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.'” Matthew 11: 28