Their angels had completed their mission. Despite all the obstacles, the blankets of secrecy and the storms of life that came their way, since those memorable days of their youth were now gone. The angelic letters were delivered as promised and Henry and Jenny were now finally about to be wed. The beginning of a new life was at hand between two people who were never more deserving and in love.
And if one looked closely, the glowing aura around Henry and Jenny was not just from their radiant happiness. Rather, it was from the glow of both their guardian angels. Hannah and Gabriel stood excitedly behind their assigned charges. The protectors couldn’t be happier as they watched on in their best shimmering white robes.
Hannah looked unspeakably lovely with a special garland of wildflowers in her hair. She picked them from one of the many meadows in heaven just for this occasion. She was so excited for her Jenny, she had difficulty containing herself. She felt certain she would dart away like a hummingbird at any moment.
A tear or two bedded Gabriel’s eyes as he rested his hand on Henry’s shoulder as he usually did, guiding him to his ultimate heart’s desire— to be wed to his first love. Gabriel and Hannah were so elated that things finally worked out and that the wound to their earthlings’ hearts which they helped inflict had been mended.
At that twinkling instant, however, the aura of happiness surrounding the blissful couple grew even brighter. Floating quietly in the background was the spirit of Julean, tears of gladness rolling gently down her radiant cheeks. She was elated that Henry and Jenny were about to be wed. If the truth were to be known about what had influenced the Lord more than anything else to restore the lives of Henry and his first love, was the pleading of Henry’s dear wife. Overflowing with joy, Julean brought the tips of her fingers to her soft lips and then thrust a loving kiss out to them carrying a fervent prayer.
As Henry held Jenny’s hand he felt Julean’s presence along with the comforting words of her sweet voice whispering to him, “I wish you and your bride true happiness, Henry. Someday we shall all be united, again.”
Jenny, too, felt James’ presence beside her. He had given her the gift of freedom. He could have extended his life for awhile, perhaps, even years. Jenny would remember their time together and what he did for her in his dying days.
It was a gorgeous summer day, the first Saturday of June. The sky was clear from the horizon to the zenith and even the prairie wind relented and bowed to this Holy Matrimony. Only a slight breeze in the air, just enough to carry the scent and natural perfume given off by the numerous array of flowers and herbs, wafted throughout the garden.
The fence in back of the gazebo was covered in a blanket of green and flowering vines. The mixture of the honeysuckle, morning glory, rose and wisteria combined to give a profusion of colour as a backdrop for the wedding ceremony.
Not to be outdone, the wildflowers next to the gazebo were in full bloom setting the yard ablaze with colour. The lilac trees to the right and left of the deck had blossomed just in time for this glorious occasion and their scent mingled with that of the rest of the flowers.
The sound of cherubs laughing and rejoicing amongst the daisies could be heard as soft gusts in the gentle breeze. Their presence was revealed by tiny sparkles of sunlight on the tips of the bright poppies. The Angel of Thanksgiving’s basket was especially full as there was so much to be thankful for. And no one as yet had noticed that the Angel of Thanksgiving’s Mona Lisa expression had turned into a radiant happy smile, revealing her true heart’s desire and answered prayer, as well…that Jenny and Henry be wed.
Jenny and Henry took a step in unison as they descended the stairs of the deck onto the winding stone path gladdened with fragrant herbs strewn all about, especially thyme. The monarch butterflies suddenly took flight giving off a cornucopia and appearance of colourful little angels flitting about.
All eyes turned and looked across the sea of a breathtaking festival of incredibly coloured flowers, as the radiant couple made their way towards Father Engelmann.
When they were almost halfway there, Margaret Tearhorst began to sing her solo. Her angelic voice was perfect, for the perfect song, for the perfect couple: True Love.
“Well, I give to you and you give to me
True love, true love,
And on and on, it will always be,
True love, true love.”
As Margaret sang, a hush fell for blocks around the neighbourhood. People stopped and listened, spellbound by this pure, clear, angelic voice giving honour and praise to this miraculous marriage. And then, as if heaven itself opened up, all the choirs of angels on high joined in on the chorus of this memorable song, on this unforgettable, momentous day:
“For you and I have a guardian angel
on high with nothing to do,
But to give to you and to give to me.
Love, forever true.”
And as heaven and earth looked on and the angels on high hummed the melody, Henry, at long last, slipped the golden ring onto Jenny’s finger, his gaze returned to hers for but a moment, before they tenderly embraced and their lips softly touched.
As they kissed, they began to sway in front of the gazebo. The ceremony halted as Father and those present, their eyes filled with joyful tears, watched Henry and Jenny in their own world, so in love, dance before them.
Father, so caught up in this moment of bliss, concluded the ceremony by saying, “I now pronounce you man and wife!”
In a burst of youthful, joyous, exuberance, Henry scooped Jenny up off her feet, as if they were on the threshold of heaven itself… for theirs was a match made in heaven, a heavenly marriage now fulfilled on earth!
Henry twirled Jenny, his dear sweet bride round and round in his arms. They looked deeply and lovingly into each other’s eyes, their lips met once more and for them, the world stopped spinning. All time stood still…
It was truly…love, forever true.
Future Book
The Angelic Letters Series
Epilogue
The House Where
Angels Dwell
1991–
Henry K. Ripplinger
Best Selling Author of Pewter Angels
The following is a NOTE TO READERS
A Note To My Dear Readers
It was mid-June, 2005, when the inspiration came to me to write this epic series. Never would I have ever dreamed that I would still be writing on this same story. I thought in 2010, when I released the first book in the series, I had pretty well finished the story and each manuscript for the five books just required some editing and fine tuning.
Wow, was I wrong.
In between the release of each book I felt inspired to add to the original transcript. New characters came into the story seemingly out of nowhere only for me to discover down the road how much they played a part not only in advancing the story, creating more interest and depth but more importantly portraying further life lessons.
Since the release of book two, Another Angel of Love, the original manuscripts of the last three books have tripled in size. This placed an enormous pressure on me to keep up the pace of not only publishing, marketing, distributing the books and conducting book signing tours and events but to also to ensure the timely release of the next book. This worked out to be one book per year.
Initially, as indicated in the blurb of book one, Pewter Angels, this saga was intended to be a five book series and conclude with a one or two page epilogue describing briefly what happens to the main characters in the story. However, it seems to me that the Lord wants me to write a final book. What I thought was a two page epilogue has grown in my mind’s eye to be another novel!
As I have barely started the sixth book, I know, considering all the challenges of book signing tours, marketing and introducing the series to a broader market it will take me one to two years to write the epilogue which I have titled: “The House Where Angels Dwell.”
I have now brought the story to a conclusion to give some clos
ure and satisfaction to you the reader. At the present time I need to take some time off, recoup my energy and just enjoy the process of writing without undue pressure to produce another book. I can only ask for your patience and understanding. I encourage all of you to please join or check periodically my Facebook or blog on my web site: www.henryripplinger.com for updates of the sixth book and also news of signing events; dates and places. I also intend to do readings as time permits.
Thank you for giving me of your time, love, encouragement and loyal following of the Angelic Letters Series. It is my sincere hope that the contents have brought many hours of enjoyment and in some way enriched your lives. I am very grateful and appreciative of your support!
As always, I thank the Lord for the gift of this story. I am thankful daily for His inspiration and guidance through His angels and Holy Spirit and divine providence.
God bless,
Henry K. Ripplinger
February, 2014
About the Author
Henry Ripplinger is the bestselling author of Pewter Angels, Another Angel of Love, Angel of Thanksgiving and The Angelic Occurrence, the first four books in the six-book series “The Angelic Letters.” The overwhelming response by readers to Henry’s novels gives testimony to Henry’s gifts as an author to write books that touch human hearts and offer direction to their lives.
Henry’s empathetic abilities, combined with his lifelong experience and eclectic career as an educator, guidance counsellor, professional artist and businessman, prepared him to craft this inspirational, spirit-filled love story and indirectly realize his aspirations of writing a self-development book.
Henry is also one of Canada’s foremost prairie artists. His work is on display at private and corporate collections across Canada, most notably in Saskatchewan, his home province, and can be seen in the critically acclaimed book, If You’re Not from the Prairie.
As both author and artist, Henry communicates from the heart, painting pictures with words that are so vivid and real that readers can feel and visualize every aspect of their own lives intertwined with the lives of his beloved characters.
Henry resides with his wife in the panoramic valley setting of Lumsden, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Please e-mail Henry at: [email protected] or visit www.henryripplinger.com for more information about Henry’s work and art. He would love to hear from you!
also by Henry Ripplinger
Pewter Angels
Book One of The Angelic Letters Series
“He hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways…In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
Psalm 91:11-12
The summer of 1956 starts out like any other summer for 15 year old Henry Pederson: hot, long and boring. That all changes when Jenny Sarsky, along with her guardian angel and her family move into the house three doors down. From the moment their eyes meet, an earthly attraction unites their hearts while the spiritual energy travelling the length of the gaze they share joins their souls—spinning a web of love that transcends time and Heaven itself.
Mr. Engelmann, an endearing and wise mentor living out the word of God, comes into Henry’s life, providing him with powerful insights and valuable life lessons that carry strength, wisdom and hope.
Pewter Angels the first book of The Angelic Letters Series, starts Henry and Jenny and their families on an inspiring yet tumultuous journey through life’s struggles and victories, and the miracle of deep, enduring love.
Pewter Angels will grab your heart, squeeze it and hold it to the very last page.
Another Angel Of Love
Book Two of The Angelic Letters Series
“God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”
Romans 8:28
It was as if Jenny had vanished from the face of the earth. Two years after she and her family moved out of Henry’s life, Henry still longs for her, their whirlwind romance gone from his life but not his heart. He was certain she would respond to his last letter, a pewter angel tucked inside —but there have been no letters, no phone calls. Nothing. A country apart, Henry and Jenny are unaware Jenny’s parents have burned all the letters but the last… it is protected, it seems, by an angelic power.
Henry continues to rely on the love, support and powerful insights of his mentor Mr. Engelmann, and his secret plan to seek Jenny out sustains the hope that one day his love will return—until he meets Julean Carter.
But, is their new-found love deep enough and strong enough to overcome the heavenly touch that entwined Henry and Jenny’s spirits when they first gazed into each others eyes?
Another Angel of Love…glows with moments of tenderness…deeply inspirational….will captivate the heart of every reader!
Angel Of Thanksgiving
Book Three of The Angelic Letters Series
This may be the single most moving book you will read this year—or in your life time.
Henry and Julean couldn’t be happier. With a new baby, a new home and Henry’s new job, everything is turning out perfectly for the young couple. Or is it? Henry can’t seem to shake the memory of Jenny from his mind or the love he still feels for her. Little does he know, his wife is all-too-aware of Henry’s hidden thoughts and feelings. Meanwhile, Father Engelmann, back from seminary school and creating a sensation as the new parish priest, is caught in the middle when both Henry and Julean confess to him about Jenny.
Will Jenny finally give in to James’ persistent proposals, knowing that once married her chance to reunite with Henry would be gone forever? Spanning two decades, Angel of Thanksgiving takes the reader on an incredible journey of faith, hope and love. As we see Henry and Jenny’s lives unfolding separately and so far apart, will destiny bring them together again?
Timeless Biblical themes as surrendering to God’s will, forgiveness, and unconditional love are beautifully portrayed through unforgettable, real-life characters in this compelling, hard to put down novel.
Make a huge space in your heart before you begin to read Angel of Thanksgiving as it will quickly fill with love’s beauty and wonder.
The Angelic Occurrence
Book Four of The Angelic Letters Series
Hailed by readers as one of the most inspiring works of fiction they have ever read, The Angelic Letters series is a story that is both riveting and life-changing…
After decades apart, Henry and Jenny’s lives are poised to intersect yet again, when Henry’s oldest son brings his new girlfriend home to meet the family. Bearing an unusual resemblance to Henry’s first love, her name, Camilla, is not just unusual, it’s also the same name Jenny had vowed to name her own daughter one day. Did Jenny get pregnant that fateful night in the park? Everything about Camilla seemed to confirm Henry’s belief that she is Jenny’s daughter.
As Henry struggles with this and other memories of his lost love, he also strives to pick up the pieces of his life after his wife Julean’s untimely death. Can the lovely Ivania fill the void left by both Julean and Jenny? And what about Jenny herself? If only Henry knew that Jenny had been trapped for years in a loveless and lonely marriage, and that, more importantly, she has never forgotten her first love.
The Angelic Occurrence, book 4 in the series, is a thrilling and heart-stopping adventure of love. The twists and turns of fate will keep you gripping the book tighter and tighter as you witness the ever widening circle of influence Henry and Jenny’s guardian angels bestow upon them in an effort to reignite a love that never died.
The Angelic Occurrence will touch your soul… the essence of your being where faith is born.
If You’re Not from the Prairie, written by David Bouchard and illustrated by Henry Ripplinger, is a poetic and visual journey depicting the prairies and the people who have made this diverse land their own…a treasure for the mind and soul.
To contact the author and for further information about
these books as well as other artwork, limited edition prints and other products, please visit:
www.henryripplinger.com
The Angelic Letters Series
Now in:
Audio-books
Book One -Pewter Angels
Book Two - Another Angel of Love
Book Three - Angel of Thanksgiving
Book Four - The Angelic Occurrence
Book Five - Angel Promises Fulfilled …coming soon
Available for purchase at www.henryripplinger.com
Ebooks
All five books in the series are in ebook format and available for purchase from Amazon, Kobo and iTunes.
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Angel Promises Fulfilled Page 59