Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion found that 55 percent of people in the U.S. believe in angels. "A lot of times when people hear about angels, they think about these cartoon figures with wings, halos and harps. I don't think that's the idea. I think the idea is that we live in a spiritual reality and these are spiritual beings that God's created and we call them angels," Rodney Stark, a Director for Studies of Religion at Baylor University explained. In the Bible, there were specific reasons angels appeared. In Genesis 22:11-12, an angel warned Abraham to not kill his son Isaac. Judges 13:13-14 revealed that Manoah and his wife were informed by an angel that they would have a son. In Luke 1:8-19, Zacharias was notified that he was going to have a son by the angel Gabriel. In Luke 1:26-38, Mary was given an angelic message about giving birth to the Savior of the World. Paul experienced an angel guiding him at sea. It makes sense that angels would connect with us today, just as they did in Biblical times. Here are 5 stories of encounters with guardian angels.

Victoria Sarvadi

Victoria Savadi died in the ICU and remained in a coma after organ failure. She felt that she was falling off a roof of a building and that the free-falling was like being on a grid of time measurement unique to her. She felt a deep sadness as she witnessed her sick body in the hospital bed. During this time she encountered an angel glowing with the colors of bronze and amber. Somehow, she knew his name was Peretz. He told her that she needed to acquire knowledge, wisdom and understanding that God gave her. Sarvadi explained to her angel that she didn't want to go back. Peretz told her the "Father has so much for you and "Your testimony will create faith in many."

Dr. Frank Oski

Dr. Frank Oski was on his rounds at the hospital and the day was nothing out of the ordinary. Then he saw an angel appear as bright as the sun in a dying patient’s room. The angel said that life is an endless cycle of improvements and that humans are not perfect yet. "She said that most people have this secret revealed to them when they die, but that handicapped children often know this and endure their problems without complaining because they know that their burdens will pass. Some of these children have even been given the challenge of teaching the rest of us how to love,” Oski wrote about the experience in a major pediatric journal. He added that he is not looking to convince people of the experience. But does ask people to have an open mind.

Dr. Ron Phillip

Charisma Magazine reported that another doctor had a wild experience. During a drive home, Dr. Ron Phillip experienced turbulent weather and his car hit a snow embankment. He cried out to God to help him. But the answer was something that he didn't expect. God told Him to call on the angels for help! Soon a glow appeared to be in the passenger seat and the angel interceded to rescue him. The story becomes even more perplexing as the state trooper at the scene wished him and the passenger a safe drive home!

Jimmy Jones

This story will give you chills. During one of the largest tornados breakouts in American history, delivery driver Jimmy Jones got out of his truck and ran for cover. When he made it to the top of the underpass someone was already there, CBN reported. “When I got up under there I see this fella sitting on this blanket. I was scared out of my mind. And I run up and got right in his face, I said, ‘Sir, we’ve got to take cover. There’s a tornado.’ And he looked at me and he stood up and it was like everything slowed down at that point. He said, ‘Is that right?’" If that doesn't give you the chills, what ensued was more hair-raising. The paramedics said there was no one else at the scene and the guy probably got sucked up by the tornado. Jones responded by telling them "He was there. I saw him. I know what I saw.”

Rose Benvenuto

Rose Benvenuto swerved to avoid hitting a dog and ended up in a severe accident. “Only my guardian angel could have saved me from such an accident,” she told ABC. The then 58-year-old Rose was lucky to be alive. Upon looking at the mangled wreckage, first responders were shocked to come to the scene and find the driver still alive and with hardly a scratch. Bewildered by the angel that they saw taken from the wreckage, they took another look. The negatives also showed an image of the same angel. The woman involved in the accident firmly believes that it was indeed her guardian angel watching over her.

We can't explain everything in life and encounters with guardian angels are one of those things. “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways,” Psalm 91:11 said. God does send His messengers to protect us and to inform. What are your angel stories?