When two men named Tobit and Tobias wanted to express their gratitude to archangel Raphael for how he had helped heal their family, Raphael turned away their thanks himself and told them to thank God instead. The new article "How Does Archangel Raphael Heal People in the Bible's Book of Tobit?" tells the story.

Raphael makes it clear that, although he was glad to help the men and their family members, it was God -- not Raphael -- who decided that he should come to Earth on the healing mission. Raphael says: "As far as I was concerned, when I was with you, my presence was not by any decision of mine, but by the will of God; he is the one whom you must bless as long as you live, he the one that you must praise."

That's a very important distinction for me. If an angel helps me with something, I know that's simply because the angel is serving God, who directed the angel to come. Angels are wonderful creatures and I'm certainly grateful to them, but the one I praise is always the Creator -- God -- who made both angels and human beings. Whenever something good happens in the spiritual realm, I believe that God is ultimately the one to thank.

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I've found that the phrase "knowledge is power" applies well to situations where people need healing. After helping my mom go through the demands of cancer treatment and my husband deal with the rigors of a kidney transplant, I've learned that patients really need advocates to support them through the healing process -- people who take the time to ask questions and seek out the best information about treatments, side effects, and a host of other issues.

Unfortunately, patients who lack such advocates often get neglected, due to doctors and nurses' busy schedules. Too often, medical professionals don't offer valuable knowledge unless they're asked, and patients who are feeling bad physically lack the strength to ask. That's why it's crucial for someone else who loves the patient to go to work seeking knowledge that can help the patient heal.

Fortunately, we all have a powerful advocate for our healing: Archangel Raphael. The new article "How Do I Recognize Archangel Raphael?" describes some signs of Raphael's presence, including new information or ideas that promote healing.

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As you celebrate Mother's Day this weekend, hope you enjoy the new compilation of quotes about angels, miracles, and mothers.

I'll always be grateful for my two wonderful children (a daughter and a son). My love for them truly does seem boundless -- just like the love that angels offer us!

But I don't think that you have to be a mother to experience that kind of miraculous love. You simply have to open yourself up to God's power flowing through you. If you don't have children of your own, you can still be like a parent to the people around you who need the love and care that you can offer. Whenever you reach out to help someone in need, you can put motherly (or fatherly) love into action. And the miracle is that love keeps growing the more you use it.

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The new article "How Does Archangel Gabriel Quiz Muhammad in the Hadith?" tells the story of how archangel Gabriel tested the Muslim prophet Muhammad's knowledge of Islam by asking Muhammad a steady stream of thoughtful questions.

I believe that asking questions is a vital part of everyone's learning process. When we ask questions, that means we care enough to really think about the topic at hand -- and that's especially important when the topic is our spiritual journey, which has eternal value.

God and the angels can handle all of our questions, no matter how difficult those questions may seem to us. In fact, the angels encourage us to ask questions about what we really believe, and why. So ask away!

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