The Northwest Alabamian December 1^st Saturday Edition

Melica Allen’s Editor’s Notes

I am always excited when something good happens to anyone. I am very happy when it happens to someone I know. This is the case with a former classmate of mine.

Angela Posey (now Arnold) and I graduated from Haleyville High School in 1978. She has published a book, “The Nightingale Protocol”. I had the privilege of doing an interview with Angela on Thanksgiving Day. Make sure to see the article in today’s edition. Her new book has now been released and available on-line and at Praise Corner in Haleyville.

There are times in our lives when things happen we don’t understand, but aren’t we grateful that God takes care of us. This is the case for Angela. She had a terrible accident in 2001. Because of the accident, she can no longer work in her field of nursing. But God had already made a plan for her and I am so excited to see it working.

She autographed a copy of the book and gave it to me. I will treasure it. I have begun to read it and will pass it on to my son, who is in nursing school.

Angela has stories that have been published in Guidepost. As a matter of fact, she has a story in the November-December issue. Make sure to read it. Congratulations Angela and keep writing, dear friend.

The Article as it appeared in The Northwest Alabamian Saturday December 1^st, 2007.

HALEYVILLE GRADUATE AUTHORS BOOK

Accident Changes Her Life Forever

By Melica Allen

Managing Editor

HALEYVILLE: Angela Arnold was a little tired when she got up on the morning of January 31^st, 2001. As a Director of Nursing in Madison, she had worked 3-11 to cover a shift the night before and was still feeling the effects when she rose to get ready for work the next morning.

“I almost didn’t go,” she said, “But I knew I had a meeting and needed to be there, so I decided to get ready and go.”

It was a decision that changed her life forever.

Angela was traveling to work and had stopped at a red light, when she heard a terrible noise. “I looked up and saw this 18 wheeler had overturned and was sliding toward me” said Angela. “All I could do is grab the steering wheel and say ‘Lord, it is going to hit me!’”

Angela’s vehicle was struck and went airborne 265 feet. “I didn’t feel it when it hit me. I know the Lord got to me before the truck did. I could feel angels around me, and I had such a sense of peace and love,” she said. “I try to forget the memories of that horrible experience, but I never want to forget the peace that I felt that day. It’s something that I had never experienced before.”

Rescue personnel used the Jaws of Life apparatus to remove her from the vehicle. She said, “I know God was working in the situation, because I was driving my Dad’s 1988 Mercury Marquis. I had gotten rid of my 1994 Mustang and was looking for a new car. That was why I was driving Daddy’s old car at the time. I believe if I had not been in that tank of a car, the end result may have been different.”

Angela spent two weeks in the hospital. Her spleen was ruptured and she had a lot of bruises, but not one broken bone from the wreck.

“That was a miracle of God and His hand at work,” she said. “But because my spleen had been ruptured, my doctors told me I could no longer be a nurse,” Angela spoke with a look of sadness in her eyes. “I thought to myself, ‘Lord what am I going to do?’”

God did direct Angela about what to do. : I have always loved to write. Even in high school. I kept a journal. About a year after the accident, I submitted an article to Guidepost’s magazine entitled, “Angels on Earth”. It was published in the January-February 2002 edition. I took a Christian writing course, and God just kept opening doors”

Angela has self-published a work called, “The Lions and the Adders” under the pen name, Anna Grace Poschet’. She also does on-line devotionals, but the death of a dear friend is the reason that Angela wrote a book that has just recently been published.

“I had a good friend who was a nurse,” Angela explained. “Our careers had always paralleled, and we had talked about writing a book together, but she passed away in February 2006, the day after my birthday. I knew I had to write this book for her and myself.”

“The day after the funeral I started writing the book, Titled, “The Nightingale Protocol,” the first half of the book is about the experiences of nursing school and work as a nurse. Nursing School is such a stressful and difficult time. I hope by relating things I experienced that it will help other nurses who are going through the same things.”

“The second half of the book has 32 weeks of devotionals for nurses that offer encouragement and strength to them. They have a difficult job and don’t always get the encouragement they need. I hope these devotionals help them to remember why they went into nursing. I believe by giving them encouragement and words of strength this will also help the patients that they take care of. My goal with this book is to help other nurses.”

Angela also has another article that is being published in the November-December 2007 edition of Guidepost’s Angels on Earth. It is a story that has been handed down from her great-great-great Uncle Joe involving experiences he had with angels.

“If I pray about what to write, God gives me what to say. I’ve always known Him, but I have not always lived for Him. He, however, has always been there for me.” Angela said with a sweet assurance.

She is considering and praying about writing a Christian fiction book.

“Writing is a part of me and a big part of my life now. I want to venture into different avenues with it.”

Angela will be doing a book signing for “The Nightingale Protocol, at Praise Corner in Haleyville. A date will be announced.

Angela is a 1978 graduate of Haleyville High School and the daughter of Merle and Bonnie Posey of Haleyville.