Hello, my name is Saundra and I want to relate an experience of mine that I am not certain is a near-death experience, because some pertinent aspects are missing I have suffered throughout my life with severe illness, Lupus played a large part in my debilitation When I was a young, married mother of two, I believe I was twenty five at the time, I suffered a Lupus flare-up, for which I was hospitalized I was profoundly weak, but with another week or two of confinement ahead, I asked for permission to go home for a day I did go home against my doctor's counsel, and paid dearly for the foolish, impulsive act The symptoms that landed me in the hospital, intensified to the point that I could no longer bear the terrible, crushing pain in my spine and chest, and breathing had become so difficult that I knew, without doubt, that I would soon lose consciousness and ultimately,die! At that stage, I didn't have the slightest inclination to call the hospital, I needed a power beyond human ability! My then-husband, heeded my gasping cries that he call my minister, but he had to leave me because we didn't have a phone I did not see or hear him leave, for by that time I was no longer conscious There was no tunnel, but one minute I was lying face down on my bed and the next --I was in the sky! I don't recall actually leaving my body, but I knew I wasn't in it, I thought I was dreaming, and I kept wondering if I were dreaming, yet it was so real! There were big, puffy, white clouds surrounding me, and I caught glimpses of blue sky, "and I'm still wondering "What is happening to me"? I was becoming very frightened because I could not understand, and then suddenly, there was singing all around me, voices, many, many, voices singing praises to God the most beautiful music I'd ever heard! And then I joined in their song, as if I knew that song always, and I really had never heard it before! I remember the joy and beauty of it all as if it happened yesterday! I saw no one, and I didn't go anywhere else, I did not look down and see my body lying on the bed, but I did see part of a giant white wing, and -then-I knew! I became panic-stricken, and I began to fervently pray; I told the Being that knew was there and had to be God, that I couldn't die, "Who would take care of my children"?! And then a voice, not heard with my ears, but somehow within my head, said "Don't be afraid, you will not die, you will live, and you will live to be with your children " Love, as I never experienced, and couldn't even imagine, was in that voice And then I was in my body, I did not experience the return, I was just--back!"