An Angel Among Us

Brian Nichols gunned down a judge, a court reporter, and a customs agent. He pistol whipped a reporter. He allegedly tied up and repeatedly raped a former girlfriend. But when a young woman talked to him about God, he listened. Then he waved a white flag and turned himself in.

For this remarkable young woman, Ashley Smith, life had not always been easy, but she was turning things around. Her husband died in her arms after being stabbed by some shady friends a few years ago. She has a 5 year old daughter whom she sees only one day a week. More importantly, she has returned to her Christian upbringing. (See story at this link: Courthouse Shooting Hostage)

What Ashley did was truly heroic and undoubtably guided by God. Her story is chilling. Read the full transcript of the account as she told it to police: Ashley Smith police transcript

Of note:

". . . I asked him if I could read.

He said, "What do you want to read?"

"Well, I have a book in my room." So I went and go it. I got my Bible. And I got a book called "The Purpose-Driven Life."

I turned it to the chapter that I was on that day. It was Chapter 33. And I started to read the first paragraph of it. After I read it, he said, "Stop, will you read it again?"

I said, "Yeah. I'll read it again."

So I read it again to him.

It mentioned something about what you thought your purpose in life was. What were you -- what talents were you given? What gifts were you given to use?

And I asked him what he thought. And he said, "I think it was to talk to people and tell them about you.""

and:

"But after we began to talk, he said he thought that I was an angel sent from God. And that I was his sister and he was my brother in Christ. And that he was lost and God led him right to me to tell him that he had hurt a lot of people. And the families --the people-- to let him know how they felt, because I had gone through it myself."

and:

"And I just talked with him a little more, just about --about--we pretty much talked about God. . . what his reason was, why he made it out of there.

I said "Do you believe in miracles? Because if you don't believe in miracles -- you are here for a reason. You're here in my apartment for some reason. You got out of that courthouse with police everywhere, and you don't think that's a miracle? You don't think you're supposed to be sitting here right in front of me listening to me tell you, you know, your reason here?"

I said, "You know, your miracle could be that you need to -- you need to be caught for this. You need to go to prison and you need to share the word of God with them, with all the prisoners there."

When the time came for Ashley Smith to go visit her daughter, Brian Nichols gave her some money and asked her if there was anything he could do for her while she was away - like hang her curtains or something. But he knew what would happen when she walked out that door. And he was ready. Thanks to Ashley and to God.

Whether or not Brian Nichols sustains the message of Ashley Smith's wisdom remains to be seen, but the world has met a true angel and will not forget her courage or her faith.