The Forever Penny

Author Allen Liles lost his wife Jan to a sudden heart attack on February 28, 2017. Soon after her passing, he began finding both old and new pennies in various locations, inside and outside of his apartment. One of the little bronze coins seemed to turn up on an almost daily basis. Rev. Liles soon began wondering if the pennies might somehow be related to his wife's passing. He finally decided it was Jan's way of telling him "Hey, Babe, don't worry. I'm still here. Every time you find another penny, it's just me saying hello." In the grief group that Rev. Liles attended after his wife's death, he reported finding the pennies. He shared his feeling that Jan was still communicating with him through the coins. Several other members of the group added stories of their own strange experiences after a loved one had passed. Some people spoke about animals or birds that appeared suddenly out of nowhere. No one believed the unusual appearances were accidental. Every incident was viewed as a loved one's way of reassuring those left behind. During his prayer and meditation time on the morning after Jan's unexpected passing, Rev. Liles asked God to help him in coping with the difficult days ahead. He discerned the still, small voice of Spirit reassuring him of divine assistance during the grief process. Then, he heard: "Your dear wife is here now, sitting right next to Me. When you come for your morning meditations, she and I will both be waiting for you." THE FOREVER PENNY is about how God and his dear wife's loving spirit helped Rev. Liles navigate the first six months of his grief journey. He hopes his story will provide hope to anyone experiencing the loss of someone they loved.