A Prova dos Anjos

by Ptolemy Tompkins, Tyler Beddoes

From the collaborator of the blockbuster bestseller Proof of Heaven comes the definitive book proving angels are real, all around us, and interacting in our lives every day.

In March 2015, millions worldwide were captivated by news reports of the dramatic rescue of an eighteen month old girl, Lily Groesbeck, who’d somehow survived fourteen hours in an overturned car partially submerged in an icy-cold Utah river after her mother apparently lost control of the vehicle. A voice the four responding officers assumed was the child’s mother still trapped inside spurred them on: “Help me, help me.” Yet, once the two victims were recovered, it was clear that the voice could not have come from Lily’s mother: she’d been killed on impact.

New York Times bestselling author Ptolemy Tompkins, with the help of Tyler Beddoes, one of the responding officers who helped rescue Lily, share details of this modern-day miracle and explore the evidence for the existence of angels in our world.

Proof of Angels weaves real-life stories into a rich narrative, exploring the history, nature, and significance of angels in our lives. With an introduction by Colleen Hughes, the editor-in-chief of Angels on Earth magazine, Proof of Angels proves that the barrier between the spiritual and the scientific is less certain than we often think. Not only does Tompkins offer a highly entertaining look into a universally fascinating topic, but he also delivers a fresh and deeply reassuring message: we are not alone.

Genres: Nonfiction, Angels, Spirituality, Christianity, Audiobook, Christian, Religion

184 pages, Paperback

First published February 16, 2016

Reviews

[Maria Carmo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is inspired by a true story that I, curiously enough, read about when it happened in 2015, and then and there thought it must be a miracle!
I for one know many such stories, so I do not belong to the number of skeptical people who will dismiss everything as a "coincidence"... I believe in Angels because I have had the experience of being helped by Them many times. And scientists have now given for confirmed that Prayer, for instance, has a real impact on those for whom it is made... Experiences have been done with groups of people praying for those who are ill, as opposed to other groups that had no one praying for them, and the healing that took place in the number of those that were prayed for was relevant.

So, I love books about Angels, especially when these books are not about tricking people but rather to empower them by opening their minds to a Wider, More Beautiful World.

Maria Carmo,

Lisbon, 22 March 2017.

[S Ager · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. Not the easiest of flow to the book but does make you stop and think.

[Penmouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Ptolemy Tompkins bases his book on a Spanish Fork, Utah accident where rescuers heard a distinct female voice requesting help. The voice should not have been heard as the woman involved in the accident was dead after her vehicle crashed into the icy Spanish Fork river. Rescuers found the woman's baby who managed to survive a cold night in a cold river. He also relates other reported angel encounters throughout his book.

Tompkins interviews one of the police officers who helped rescue the baby, Officer Tyler Beddoes to be exact, and he interweaves the rescue operation with the history and background of angels. Thanks to Tompkins research, he tells about the different types of angels and of fallen angels called demons.

Overall, his book is well-written and I agreed with most of what he wrote. I also liked how the author, who was an editor for Angels On Earth, managed to interweave angelic tales with Biblical scripture, making his book an interesting read.

Review written after downloading a galley from Edelweiss.

Recommend.

[Chikamso Efobi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book 6-stars, I would. It is a very deep and insightful peace of writing that left me thoroughly at peace and filled with joy in the end. I will definitely be reading it again in future. A true masterpiece indeed.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of comfort to be had from reading a book about the presence of Angels in our world. I gave the book 3 stars as I found the writing to be a bit wordy at times. At the end of the day, one can chose to believe, or not. I chose to believe and that makes my world a little better.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not finish this book. The title should be : “ Blood and guts and Angels” . I understand that angels are present at your death to escort you to heaven, but this book, as far as I read it ( more than half way) was mostly explicit details about crime or accident scenes with an angel thrown in here or there ( barely!) Do not read this book if you have PTSD!

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ptolemy Tompkins and Tyler Beddoes in their new book, “Proof Of Angels” published by Howard Books gives us The Definitive Book on the Reality of Angels and the Surprising Role They Play in Each of Our Lives.

From the Inside Jacket Cover: From the collaborator of the blockbuster bestseller Proof of Heaven comes the definitive book proving angels are real, all around us, and interacting in our lives every day.

In March 2015, millions worldwide were captivated by news reports of the dramatic rescue of an eighteen month old girl, Lily Groesbeck, who’d somehow survived fourteen hours in an overturned car partially submerged in an icy-cold Utah river after her mother apparently lost control of the vehicle. A voice the four responding officers assumed was the child’s mother still trapped inside spurred them on: “Help me, help me.” Yet, once the two victims were recovered, it was clear that the voice could not have come from Lily’s mother: she’d been killed on impact.

New York Times bestselling author Ptolemy Tompkins, with the help of Tyler Beddoes, one of the responding officers who helped rescue Lily, will explain this modern-day miracle and the existence of angels in our world.

Proof of Angels weaves real-life stories into a rich narrative, exploring the history, nature, and significance of angels in our lives. With an introduction by Colleen Hughes, the editor-in-chief of Angels on Earth magazine, Proof of Angels proves that the barrier between the spiritual and the scientific is less certain than we often think. Not only does Tompkins offer a highly entertaining look into a universally fascinating topic, but he also delivers a fresh and deeply reassuring message: we are not alone.

We are told in Psalm 91.11, “For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.” When the devil launched his mutiny attack against God he took one-third of Heaven with him. However it was the remaining loyal two-thirds that beat him and kicked the bad ones out. It is this remaining two-thirds that have charge over us. Angels are Messengers. In the Book of Daniel, Daniel sends up a prayer. We are told an angel is sent with the answer immediately. That angel encounters a stronger bad angel and they fight for two weeks until Michael, the Archangel, is sent to beat this bad angel and let the messenger angel go to Daniel. The servant warns the Prophet that the Syrian Army had surrounded them. The Prophet prays that the servant’s eyes would be opened and he is sent out again. This time the servant also sees chariots of fire on which are Angels. Read how the story ends in 2Kings Chapter 6. I mention all of this to let you know that God is still using His Angels the same way He used them back then. Mr. Tompkins has given us a wonderful book to help us see just what is going on. This is a book that will help you focus on The Lord and how He uses His angels in our lives. This is also a book that will make a great gift to friends and family so that they can have a mind-change about angels as well..

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Howard Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Deborah Balzotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Proof of Angels
March 2015 Tyler Beddoes and three of his fellow Spanish Fork police officers rescued eighteen-month-old Lily Groesbeck from an overturned car found partially submerged in the Spanish Fork River. The river rescue story was remarkable, but what really captured the attention of the world was the mysterious voice the officers heard that day.
Beddoes shares how officers heard and responded to a woman’s voice saying, “Help me, help me.” As they turned the car on its side, they could see the driver was deceased, but in the back seat was an infant suspended in a car seat --- now underwater. They knew time was of the essence if the baby could be saved.
Everyone on scene heard the calm voice coming from inside the car but how could that be possible since neither the driver nor the baby could speak? Officer Beddoes is convinced that it was an angel.
In the newly released book, “Proof of Angels”, coauthored with Ptolemy Tompkins, Beddoes talks about his experience during the rescue.
“I’m comfortable calling whoever spoke it an angel, because angels are messengers. And if ever I’ve been given a message, I was that day, while trying to right that car.”
Co-author Ptolemy Tompkins has collected stories of angelic encounters. For ten years he worked at a magazine called “Angels on Earth”, a sister publication of “Guideposts” and has written articles which have appeared in several other national magazines. He is the author of seven books, including the best-seller, “Proof of Heaven”.
When Tompkins heard the story of the voice pleading for help for the unconscious baby Lilly, he knew he wanted to write about it. He intertwines the story of her miraculous rescue with other stories of the visits of angels. Tompkins also believes that these true stories must be shared to build faith.
Tompkins writes, “We have a critical need not for signs and wonders, because we already have them. What we need it’s the faculty to open our minds and accept them. We need events that demonstrate that the spiritual world is real, that it is populated, and that it is watched over by a God who cares about us.”
Tyler Beddoes felt even if people doubted or criticized him he still needed to tell the story and share the message that angels are indeed real and that he and his fellow rescuers heard those words, “Help me, help me.”

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was asked to review this book by the Nursing Times Journal

This is my review

What was it like?

The author bases this book on a Spanish Fork, Utah accident- which made world wide headlines. Rescuers were thought to hear a woman’s voice asking for help. This voice was from a lady who had died after her vehicle had crashed into the icy river. What was remarkable was that the rescuers found a baby girl alive belonging to the dead lady. the child had survived beyond odd for some fourteen hours. The officer Beddoes was convinced the voice he heard was that of an angel- it could not be the dead woman or the baby.

The authors describe “messengers” as angels- the author believes that day he was given a message.

The authors base the book on this story. They also intertwine this with other relevant thought provoking stories.

What were the highlights?

In this age of technology and communication this for the reader is comforting and the fact the rescue was recent – in 2015. Was this a miracle and do we need to open our minds up to accept this? In dealing with patients at the end of life, I have experienced patients telling me they saw dead relatives who were in their words saying they were waiting on them. Whether people believe or not this book certainly gave food for thought.

Strengths & weaknesses:

I found this book really powerful; sadly we have no real proof of angels but suffice to say we are not alone.
it is a really interesting read, you wonder how the little girl will grow up and if she will have any sense of what occurred.

Potential Readers:

This would be a relevant book for a student nurse or trained nurse researching care within the end of life care pathway. It is a beautifully written book; but it can be painful at times.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book not only because it played out a little bit down the road from me but because the author wove other facets of proof of angels throughout the book. He is very well versed in his beliefs and, frankly, they mirror my own. I loved the way he describes angels as "messengers." They show up to pass something important on to those who are living. They can be seen or heard or felt or smelled. They are not a replacement for God. They are messengers.

I also liked the officer that collaborated with the author. He experienced this Angel manifestation along with three or four others, in the Spanish Fork River. What I liked about this officer is that he is not an active member of the LDS church yet grew up in the church and was very respectful of the beliefs and lifestyle. He was careful in the way he answered questions (the main author later hypothesized that he may have been seeking his own guardian angel for help in answering) and seems to be a very humble, down to earth man that, at the time of this experience, was suffering from a bout of depression. The job was getting to him. He'd seen things that had shaken him. When the call came in, he was off-duty but close to the river and went. Because of that decision, his perspective changed and he sees a much bigger picture.

I also applaud Ptolemy Tompkins in writing this book. Living in Utah, particularly in a small town, is a very unique experience. The LDS Church is strong but it is also in the community. It becomes a part of the way a person talks and acts, and words used. Tompkins nailed it.

[Michael Biever · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author relies on opinion and a single incident to focus on the premise that our real world, may not be the reality we see. The notion that angels exist -- in some form or another -- and regularly take part in our lives falls to the individual perceptive enough to understand. Reliance on faith is key. Believing in the theory that angels are amongst us takes a keen eye and observance and openness to the small unexplained incidents that may be left to coincidence or circumstance. All things happen for a reason. Though we may not be able to understand the reasoning of all things we experience, we can take comfort in trusting -- believing with faith -- that things happen for reasons we don't yet understand. I'm sure many of us have had life events that beg the question; "why was I so lucky" or "why did this happen to me"? You can be open to the goodness of things no matter the ugliness of things, by keeping an open mind and faith in purpose.

[Jamie Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talking about spiritual matters takes a lot of courage in our world. Why, you may be asking yourself? Because there are a lot of doubters, cynicism, and especially those who do not think beyond this physical world. In Proof of Angels by Ptolemy Tompkins, we go on a journey of a police office in Utah who hears a voice coming from a car that has a little girl inside that needs help but cannot talk and her mother is dead. Where did the voice come from? All the police officers and rescue workers heard it and so this is how the story begins.
I enjoyed reading this book, because it confirmed a lot of things that I already knew in my heart. That God uses messengers, we may not understand, but the simple fact is they are real.
I have not read any of Tompkins previous books, but I have read Guidepost when I was a teenager and remember enjoying the stories.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A student of mine was reading this and she loaned it to me. It sounded interesting, why not? I appreciate both the contributors of this story and what their experiences brought to the book. In a world filled with evil it's nice to find the good, to see moments when good triumphs or good conquers or good comes out of tragedy. A Utah native myself I remember this event. I remember watching the news story on it. When I picked up the book I didn't know it was connected to the baby in the car who miraculously survived. It was nice to get more from that story.

I'm glad people felt it was worth it to tell this story, it is a good story to tell. The value in it this book, for me, comes from page 146, "If we don't want to be convinced, we don't have to be." Choose to believe or choose not to; there's enough evidence for me to feel that sometimes angels are among us.

[Stacy Beck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. The chapters alternate between the author and Tyler. At times I skimmed over the chapters from the surgery about angels. Not that I don't believe in them, but he seemed too wordy at times. I live in Spanish Fork where this accident happened, and have met Tyler. His chapters really struck a chord with me. I don't know if it's because he referenced stories from my hometown, or if it's because I've never read stories from a police officers point of view, but my heart goes out to these men and women who protect and serve us. May they be blessed and continually watched over as they sacrifice so much. I'm glad this story was shared, as well as the reality of angels among us.

[Abe Surde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished Proof of Angels, same co-author as Proof of Heaven. I enjoyed it, lots of good arguments for the cause of angels. I am a firm believer in higher beings. Heck, if Athena can beckon (personal experience), why not an angel? Tends towards the biblical at times. I would have liked a few more angelic encounter stories, but perhaps that would be another book. I appreciated some of his recommendations to pursue, namely references to the Cokeville shooting. I had never heard of it, but now I am intrigued to learn more about the incident and how so many of the children were saved. Well written, intelligent prose.

If you need some evidence that we're not screwed down here, this book might give you hope. It made daily existence less bleak for me.

Abe Surde
Author

[Jennifer Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

DNF. Not at all what I expected. Loved Proof of Heaven and found it intriguing and inspiring. This is not comparable. I was hoping for a NDE or angelic knowledge similar to Lorna Byrne, but this book is chapters on the history of angels alternating with a police officer's vivid and disturbing crime scenes. I am very empathetic and visual so if that's you too pass on this book. It made my stomach turn and I decided it wasn't worth it. The book is also a bit long-winded (even though it's short, the writing style is such) and dry. Also, I don't agree with the author's pov that angels can appear frightening. My spiritual beliefs more align with Doreen Virtue and Kyle Gray.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Proof of Angels is an amazing book! This is one of my top favorite books ever! I loved reading about the stories about the angels. A few stories confirmed my thoughts from events in my life concerning angels. I do need to warn that there are some graphic scenes that some readers may get upset over, but I was not bother by them.
I just can't tell how much I loved this book!!
100 plus stars
I received this book from Howard Books in exchange for my honest opinion, which was given.

[Lynda Macken · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed Ptolemy Tompkins' Modern Book of the Dead but in my opinion this title fell short of the mark. First off, the title is misleading. Secondly the book contains more information about its co-author, Tyler Beddoes, than the subject of angels. It's a bit all over the place and lacks substantive material.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for the in-depth interview and account of the four officers in Spanish Fork Canyon who heard an unexplained voice and saved a baby from a car upside down in a river.
The commentary on angels and the unexplained was less interesting to me. But the interview and background of the officers involved were excellent and informative.
I enjoyed this book.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not what I expected. I thought it would explain one person's experience, but it uses the framework of one miracle story to share other stories and information. When it went into the flip side of angels (devil) I nearly stopped reading, I prefer to not think about that stuff, but I'm glad I stuck with it. I learned a lot from this book and I've already shared it with a friend.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Goodreads win review. I adore every book about angels. This book talks about the reality of angels and how they play a role in our lives. The book talks about angelic encounters which I love to read. Awesome book.

[Natalee Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a book I would typically pick up, but after the recent loss of my grandpa, it was perfect. I really enjoyed reading it. Gave personal experiences and scripture reference. Really, it was just what I needed.

[Liza Nahas · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5.* This book would be a nice beginner's book, sort of a Spirituality 101. It's simply written but really doesn't go into as much depth as I would have liked. That being said, it is uplifting (mostly) and gives the reader a little something to think about.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting book. On the history of how angels were viewed in our society and about people's encounters with angels. I actually just started the book but put down another book to read this one.

[Melissa]

While I appreciated much about the real life stories of human encounters with angels, I was horrified at many of the stories told by the policeman whose work experiences are shared throughout the book. Certain images will forever be in my head. Had to stop reading.

[Kelly Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hope-bringer and chill-inducer, this book.

[Eden Kidane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Angels are manifestations, unquestionably real to those who encounter them, of a world larger, better, and infinitely more beautiful, intelligent, and anchored in the reality of God than ours is.

[Rick Pykkonen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

I believe in Angeles and wanted to see a different perspective. I enjoyed the stories shared and the author's insight.

[Andrea Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but still compelling

[Tsailee Kiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight, comforting and thought provoking-loved this book!