Christmas Story: The Christmas Truce

Inspirational Christmas Story:
The Christmas Truce

It was December 25, 1914, only 5 months into World War I. German, British, and French soldiers, already sick and tired of the senseless killing, disobeyed their superiors and fraternized with "the enemy" along two-thirds of the Western Front (a crime punishable by death in times of war). German troops held Christmas trees up out of the trenches with signs, "Merry Christmas."

"You no shoot, we no shoot." Thousands of troops streamed across a no-man's land strewn with rotting corpses. They sang Christmas carols, exchanged photographs of loved ones back home, shared rations, played football, even roasted some pigs. Soldiers embraced men they had been trying to kill a few short hours before. They agreed to warn each other if the top brass forced them to fire their weapons, and to aim high.

A shudder ran through the high command on either side. Here was disaster in the making: soldiers declaring their brotherhood with each other and refusing to fight. Generals on both sides declared this spontaneous peacemaking to be treasonous and subject to court martial. By March 1915 the fraternization movement had been eradicated and the killing machine put back in full operation. By the time of the armistice in 1918, fifteen million would be slaughtered.

Not many people have heard the story of the Christmas Truce. On Christmas Day, 1988, a story in the Boston Globe mentioned that a local FM radio host played "Christmas in the Trenches," a ballad about the Christmas Truce, several times and was startled by the effect. The song became the most requested recording during the holidays in Boston on several FM stations. "Even more startling than the number of requests I get is the reaction to the ballad afterward by callers who hadn't heard it before," said the radio host. "They telephone me deeply moved, sometimes in tears, asking, 'What the hell did I just hear?' "

You can probably guess why the callers were in tears. The Christmas Truce story goes against most of what we have been taught about people. It gives us a glimpse of the world as we wish it could be and says, "This really happened once." It reminds us of those thoughts we keep hidden away, out of range of the TV and newspaper stories that tell us how trivial and mean human life is. It is like hearing that our deepest wishes really are true: the world really could be different.

Christmas in The Trenches - Song

To listen to this inspirational Christmas story in song: click here

Words & Music by John McCutcheon, c. 1984, John McCutcheon / Appalsong

This song is based on a true story from the front lines of World War I that I've heard many times. Ian Calhoun, a Scot, was the commanding officer of the British forces involved in the story. He was subsequently court-martialed for 'consorting with the enemy' and sentenced to death. Only George V spared him from that fate. -- John McCutcheon

My name is Francis Toliver, I come from Liverpool.
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here,
I fought for King and country I love dear.

'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung.
Our families back in England were toasting us that day,
Their brave and glorious lads so far away.

I was lying with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground,
When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound.
Says I, "Now listen up, me boys!" each soldier strained to hear,
As one young German voice sang out so clear.

"He's singing bloody well, you know!" my partner says to me.
Soon, one by one, each German voice joined in harmony.
The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more,
As Christmas brought us respite from the war.

As soon as they were finished and a reverent pause was spent,
"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" struck up some lads from Kent.
The next they sang was "Stille Nacht," "'Tis 'Silent Night,'" says I,
And in two tongues one song filled up that sky.

"There's someone coming towards us!" the front line sentry cried.
All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side.
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain so bright,
As he bravely strode unarmed into the night.

Then one by one on either side walked into No Man's Land,
With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand.
We shared some secret brandy and wished each other well,
And in a flare lit soccer game we gave 'em hell.

We traded chocolates, cigarettes, and photographs from home.
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own.
Young Sanders played his squeezebox and they had a violin,
This curious and unlikely band of men.

Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more.
With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war.
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night:
"Whose family have I fixed within my sights?"

'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung.
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war,
Had been crumbled and were gone forevermore.

My name is Francis Toliver, in Liverpool I dwell,
Each Christmas come since World War I, I've learned its lessons well,
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame,
And on each end of the rifle we're the same.

CHRISTMAS QUOTES

• Let us keep Christmas beautiful without a thought of greed, that it might live forevermore to fill our every need, that it shall not be just a day, but last a lifetime through, the miracle of Christmas time that brings God close to you
• I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses.

• It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you. Yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand.

  
  

  • Christmas is a bridge. We need bridges as the river of time flows past. Today's Christmas should mean creating happy hours for tomorrow and reliving those of yesterday.
    
    
   
   

9 Science-Backed Tricks to Boost Your Self-Confidence

We will not tell you to 'fake it til' you make it,' but we will give you advice that boosts your self-confidence—honest.

Sit up—and look up

istock/PeopleImages

Amy Cuddy, a social psychology professor at Harvard Business School in Massachusetts who has given one of the most popular TED talks ever (it’s already been viewed more than 33 million times), knows self-confidence. In her research, she’s discovered that positioning our bodies to occupy more space can elevate our testosterone levels and lower cortisol levels, a combination that raises self-confidence. Sit up straight in your chair: This alone will make you feel like you’re in command. While this may seem like a teeny-tiny change, it can have big rewards since most of us spend much of our day seated. If possible at work, she suggests hanging pictures on the wall at a height that will cause you to look up. In general, doing anything that makes you expand your posture will signal your body—and brain—that you are a powerful and capable individual. Check out these other meaningful ways to use body language.

Do the 'Wonder Woman' or the 'Wall Street'

istock/Tinatin1

Cuddy’s best known power pose is to stand with hands on hips, also called the Wonder Woman. Another power move: Sit, put your feet up on a desk or table, interlace your hands, and place them behind your head with elbows pointing out (you’ve probably seen this move in antiperspirant commercials—I think of it as the Wall Street). Note: In order to get any benefit and gain more self-confidence, you must hold a pose for two minutes. (To read more about Cuddy’s research, check out her book Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges.) These are things confident people would never do so you shouldn't either.

Ease up on yourself

istock/Martin Dimitrov

While some motivational speakers may swear that complimenting yourself every morning in the bathroom mirror will boost your self-confidence, it won’t. Instead, try the counterintuitive advice of blogger and student of human behavior Eric Barker. “Stop lying to yourself that you’re so awesome," he writes. "Instead, focus on forgiving yourself when you’re not.” He came up with this after exploring the work of Kristin Neff, PhD, a professor in educational psychology at UT Austin and a compassion expert. As she writes in her book Self-Compassion, “When our sense of self-worth stems from being a human being intrinsically worthy of respect—rather than being contingent on obtaining certain ideals—our sense of self-worth is much less easily shaken.” She brings up one study in which subjects were instructed to imagine either being on a sports team and blowing a big game or acting in a play and blanking on lines, and asked how they'd feel if these incidents happened to them. People with more self-compassion “were less likely to feel humiliated or incompetent, or to take it too personally,” she writes. The next time you catch yourself making a mistake—because that’s what all humans do—follow Barker’s recommendation: Practice the Golden Rule in reverse, or, as he puts it, “Treat yourself the kind way you often treat others.” This is how you can build self-esteem in your kids.

 

Erase these two phrases from your vocab: 'That’s the story of my life' and 'This always happens to me'

istock/Pamela Moore

When do you say these things? Isn’t it typically when something bad happens? This negative self-talk is bad on two levels: It’s not true, and it will erode your self-confidence. Jonathan Fader, PhD, psychologist to the New York Mets, has counseled pro athletes in every sport. His patients must maintain high levels of confidence, or else they’re out of a job. Since they have to keep performing in the wake of defeat, they’ve learned to refrain from making the sweeping, gloomy generalizations many of us do. In his book Life as Sport: What Top Athletes Can Teach You About How to Win in Life, Dr. Fader brings up the example of Dave Winfield, a baseball Hall of Famer, who likes to remind Fader that batting slumps are not slumps but “periods of adjustment” or “statistically acceptable variations.” So, instead of saying “This always happens to me” the next time your flight gets cancelled or your IRS refund gets lost in the mail, tell yourself “These kinds of things happen to everyone every once in a while.” This 30-minute workout can help to boost your body image.

 

In case of panic, focus on your excitement, not your anxiety

istock/Rawpixel Ltd

I once met with life coach and O magazine columnist Martha Beck, and I shared my fears about presenting my ideas at meetings at work. She said that whenever her kids were scared or nervous, she’d tell them to imagine their belly buttons were a switch. If they pushed it up, they’d be excited; if they pushed it down, they’d be afraid. Since then, I’ve done this many times when I’ve had the jitters, and first it makes me smile and then it makes me remember there’s a more positive flip side to my fears. You can also try these natural remedies to relieve anxiety.

 

Break a sweat regularly

istock/RoBeDeRo

Need reason number 10,001 to exercise? Numerous studies have found that regular physical activity makes people feel more confident and capable. Try these 10 ways to be nicer to yourself.

 

Cue yourself to confidence

istock/Georgijevic

In her book How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life, management consultant and executive coach Caroline Webb explains how even small prompts can have sizable effects on our brains. As an example, she writes, “Some things are guaranteed to make your heart [instantly] sink, like hearing the phrase 'two-hour conference call.'" She mentions an intriguing study on concentration in which “volunteers who wore a lab coat made half the number of errors of people who wore their street clothes, presumably thanks to an association between lab coats and high academic performance. Sure enough, when the coat wearers were told that the white coat belonged to a painter … their scores dropped.” The point is not that we should all wear lab coats to work, but that we can use our susceptibility to suggestion to help us. Here's how you can use your clothing to boost your confidence. For example, I use the soundtrack to the Broadway musical Hamilton as my cue when I’m stuck at work. Not only does the music keep me from thinking negative thoughts like “I’m never going to get this done,” but hearing it reminds me that composer Lin-Manuel Miranda put in years of labor to write his dream project and get it staged. While writing this post probably won’t win me the Pulitzer Prize or a MacArthur Genius grant, I can definitely learn from Miranda’s perseverance and curiosity.

 

Sit down weekly and note your triumphs

istock/wundervisuals

While Webb and her book concentrate on success in the workplace, she has another good piece of advice that we could all use in any aspect of our lives. Webb writes about a tech executive named Cristine who needed to develop her confidence and, in particular, wanted to be more vocal about her successes. How did she achieve this? Cristine set aside time every Friday afternoon to write down the best thing she’d achieved this past week. This trick primed Cristine to think about her accomplishments. It worked so well for her that her boss started doing it, too. You can apply this strategy to your workouts: “this week I did 25 pushups, my all-time high;” relationships: “I finally told my best friend how much she helped me deal with my parent’s illlness, and she was so moved;” or chores: “I washed the dishes before I went to bed every night! Woo hoo!" (Woo-hooing is optional but highly recommended.)

 

 

Smell good (whatever that means to you)

istock/g-stockstudio

A small study from the U.K.’s University of Liverpool took male subjects and had half of them apply a scented deodorant with antimicrobial ingredients while the other half used an unscented product with no antimicrobial ingredients. The men who used the scented product reported feeling more self-confident and attractive than the other group. Then, all the men were photographed and videotaped. Women were asked to look at their photos and silent videos and choose which men were more confident and attractive. Interestingly, the women all chose the men wearing scented deodorant, even though the women had no way of knowing this. Researchers speculate that since the scented deodorant made the men feel more self-confident and attractive, it led them to carry themselves in a way that conveyed these positive attributes. You can spritz on a little of your favorite fragrance before you leave the house. If you don’t have one, find a laundry detergent or fabric softener that smells good to you and wash your clothes with it, or find a shampoo you like.

 

 

 

The 10 Attributes of Wildly Successful People You Should Memorize Now

You know those people who seem to ace everything in life? Researchers have uncovered their secrets to success.

Secrets of success

iStock/Eva-Katalin

We all know people who seem to be accomplished in their every pursuit. So it's especially interesting to read a new British study that drills into the 10 attributes that make people extra good at what they do. And they all have a few things in common. For starters, they identify and understand their strengths when pursuing a goal, says Amanda Potter, the lead researcher, founder, and managing director at Zircon Management Consulting, a business psychology company in England. High achievers also tend to be motivated by a negative or positive life event, and they credit their success to having someone in their life who believed in them. After conducting interviews with 42 high-achievers, including a range of CEOs, entrepreneurs, sports stars, and media personalities, Potter concluded that we all have a different combination of winning attributes—in other words, no two winners are exactly the same—however, all successful people have some or all of 10 specific attributes. "For example, it may be your single-minded focus and determination or it might be your curiosity and willingness to disrupt the current situation that makes you successful," she says. Read on as our two experts explain why the qualities that engender success and why they're so key.

Burning ambition

iStock/AJ_Watt

Successful people are driven to achieve their goals, but for the ultra-successful there's an even bigger mandate, says Isaura Gonzalez, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist in New York City. "Burning ambition takes into account the desire to hit your mark each and every time as well as an unrelenting desire to be the best of the best." Say these mantras every day to reach your goals.

Dogged determination

mapodile

Being doggedly determined means that obstacles are not deal-breakers, but mere inconveniences that need to be overcome. "There is no hesitation, just action, when it comes to success," Gonzalez says. "Success comes when you have hit your mark, and determination is the road on which you travel to hit that mark." Get ready to troubleshoot with this guide to handling tricky interpersonal situations.

Realistic optimism

iStock/gpointstudio

Optimism is important, but you can't expect that the sun will shine 100 percent of the time. "It's imperative to focus on maintaining positivity while acknowledging the realistic obstacles that can deter us from achieving our goals," Gonzalez says. "It's not thinking that nothing will ever go wrong. Rather, it's about thinking that we can achieve what we set out for ourselves even if there are setbacks." Here's what optimistic people do every day to see the glass half-full.

Unwavering belief

iStock/Ridofranz

Believing in your product or goals is important but it's also wise to stay balanced when it comes to yourself and the world around you. "Super-successful people take into account weaknesses or deficits as well as the positives," Gonzalez says. "They understand that despite anything and everything, they can achieve the goals they set for themselves." Find out what successful people do at work every day.

Intrinsic generosity

iStock/alvarez

This is the concept of starting from the outside in. "Super successful people take care of those around them—the team, customers, and family come first," Gonzalez says. "Individuals who are successful are often givers. They give of themselves to satisfy the needs of others and derive genuine satisfaction from it."

Mutual respect

iStock/SetsukoN

The most successful people know that they get a major boost from the people in their life who help them be productive, whether it's a supportive spouse, a colleague, or a receptionist, says Susan Kuczmarski, EdD, a cultural anthropologist and author of Becoming a Happy Family. "These people are as valuable to you as the COO or the CFO. Accomplished people know that everyone needs to benefit and participate in the team to be successful." Here's why showing gratitude is the most important thing you do in the workplace.

Maximizing opportunities

iStock/Rawpixel-Ltd

Successful people are the first ones to create new ways to network with others or new spinoffs of tried-and-true concepts. "By sharing this knowledge with others, each person who surrounds this trailblazer will be successful too," says Kuczmarski. Even if you're naturally an introvert, you can still build meaningful networks to get ahead.

Disruptive thought

iStock/martin-dm

To be super successful, you need to be a life-long learner. "Equally important, you have to be willing to learn and to fail—and yes, I used the word 'fail' because it should not be a dirty word," Kuczmarski says. "Disruptive, innovative thinking involves failure, learning and moving forward with more knowledge in hand." Did you know that Disney's Frozen was almost a failure?

Constant curiosity

iStock/vgajic

To be a winner, a person must replenish their knowledge and know-how. "When people stay curious about the world around them, they will become more creative," Kuczmarski says. "This will help free them for more personal growth too."

Single-minded focus

As successful people know, professional passion is the opportunity to engage in something you truly love, and it's one of the biggest keys to being super successful. "But there is a prerequisite," Kuczmarski says. "You have to work in an environment that nurtures this. If that exists, success will follow." Research shows that simple tweaks to your environment and behavior can make you more creative every day. [skyword_tracking]

23-Year Old Exorcist Battles Satan Around the World

Many university students spend their time partying and dating.

But that’s not the case for 23-year-old Brynne Larson from Arizona, who battles Satan and performs dramatic exorcisms to banish demons, between lectures.
Brynne is part of a glamorous trio – along with Savannah, 26, and Tess Shurkenback, 23, - who call themselves the All-American Exorcists, after renaming from the Teenage Exorcists.
They work as a squad who claim to rid people of the devil inside them.
The aspiring doctor has performed 2,000 exorcisms since she started at the tender age of 13, after being trained up by her dad Reverend Bob Larson.
Armed with just a Bible, cross, holy water and a few choice words, the young woman says she has cast out demons of voodoo and witchcraft and many others, in 23 different countries.
Brynne admitted that the “act” of removing a demon can become very physical at times.
Brynne said: “We’ve had to stop exorcisms because we haven’t had enough people to hold onto them, it’s become too violent and we’ve had to regroup.
“We don’t want anybody to get hurt. At the same time to get that demon out it is evil, it wants to come at you, sometimes it does have to get very physical.
“My main goal is I don’t want to them to get hurt. Sometimes that’s what it takes to get the demon out.
“Dad has had his ribs cracked before, I’ve taken a punch or two but nothing very serious.
“Russian demons are very violent so we’ve seen some very spectacular 12 people hanging onto one person exorcisms.”
Brynne said that exorcisms are not about “levitating and heads spinning around”, as many people believe, but she can definitely see the “evil” manifest in someone who is possessed.
She recalled: “I’ll never forget the first time I looked at someone and saw that evil looking back at me. It’s almost indescribable.
“It’s palpable. It’s in their eyes, it’s in their body language.
“You can almost sense it in your spirit. This is not someone being crazy or acting. When a demon is up is it very obvious. Unmistakable.”
Thankfully her dad was on hand to encourage the then 13-year-old girl “tackle the demon”, who manifested in a man in South Africa.
She said: “It was a powerful demon of voodoo. Dad was working with it and then all of a sudden it looked at me and it was just that evil emanating.
“I knew if it could hurt me it would, but it couldn’t.”
That moment proved pivotal for Brynne, and she set out to make it her life’s work alongside her father and two friends.
She confessed: “Once I cast that demon out I was like ‘wow this isn’t as hard or a crazy as it looks’.
“God did all the heavy lifting and I just had to be there and do my part. It was very empowering to see that evil and being able to fight it with the goodness of God.”
Brynne warned that she has seen people with multiple demons during her time, and it can often take more than a one-hour session to rid them of the evil.
She explained: “We deal with anyone who comes to us. I’ve seen it all. Demons of lust, anger, witchcraft, there is a specific demons such as Jezebel.
“It’s complicated because someone can spend their whole life getting demons, having issues and getting messed up.
“You might cast out a demon of witchcraft, but you might have a demon of lust or anger so you have to deal with that as well.
“And then a lot of people come to see dad and expect to spend an hour casting the demon out and you are good to go.”
Once the demon has been exorcised out of someone, Brynne said that they have to be careful it doesn’t go into someone else in the room.
She said: “It’s a very valid concern. When we cast out demons we always tell them to go back to the pit of hell.
“We pray and tell them where to go and they have to obey.
“Thankfully a demon can’t just jump into someone, so don’t go around thinking ‘oh my gosh it can jump into me at any time’. A demon has to have a right to attack.”
Brynne said a demon can become part of your life through multiple outlets, including dabbling in the occult, through alcohol and drug abuse and even sometimes through the music you listen to.
She explained: “The Bible talks about things to avoid such as witchcraft. If you are getting your palm read by a psychic, reading horoscopes, if you go to see a psychic, if you play with a Ouija board, if you try and cast spells, that’s opening up a door to the Devi l.
“That’s giving him a right to come into your life and attack you. So witchcraft is a huge area we see a lot of torment and possession.”
She is now studying at Arizona State University, so has less time to travel the world with her exorcist crew Savannah, who is now married, and Tess.
But Brynne revealed that she has visited the UK in the past and claimed witchcraft is a big problem.
She said: “Witchcraft has a big stronghold on the UK right now so a lot of people trying to cast spells and we dealt with a woman who went to a witch doctor.
“That was kind of extreme but it happens more often than you think and it opens the doors to demons.”
Many sceptics have slammed her work as being a money-making scam.
But Brynne claims she has never received a penny for her exorcisms.
Single Brynne accepts that not everyone will understand what she does, and she has had boyfriends in the past break up with her over her exorcism work.
But she is resolute to the cause and has no plans to stop.
She said: “I have the skills to help someone if they needed it so I want to donate my time to help and I can’t just turn my back on that.
“It’s touching that I’m allowed to get the opportunity to see something extraordinary.
“It’s not me doing it, it’s God working through me. I just have to show up and do the best that I can.”

Brynne Larson is an everyday college student who travels internationally teaching on the

GHOST BOTHERER America’s ‘Real Exorcist’ claims he’s seen demons

GHOST BOTHERER 

America’s ‘Real Exorcist’ claims he’s seen demons leaping between husband and wife and had his ribs broken by the possessed

Reverend Bob Larson claims he has exorcised more than 40,000 demons and claims that more people are getting possessed than ever before - in fact, demand is so high that he has set up an online exorcism school to train others in the art of casting out evil

BEING thrown across rooms, going head to head with demons and nursing broken ribs is all in a day's work for Reverend Bob Larson, America's busiest exorcist.

The 73-year-old estimates he has dealt with 40,000 'demonic possessions' over his decades-long career, and claims he has even had people try to kill him as he forces evil entities to leave their human hosts - and worryingly, he's busier than ever.

JUSTIN COOK

Bob Larson is 'America's Real Exorcist' and he's battled an estimated 40,000 demons - and counting

Speaking to The Sun Online, he said: "You never know when somebody walks in to a room what is going to happen.

"I have seen a demon leap from one person to another on many occasions. In cases of a husband and wife, or parent and child, the demon will try and jump back and forth between them.

"I have been assaulted. I had a knife put to my throat once. I had somebody take me by surprise and try and choke me.

"I even had my ribs broken a few years ago.

JUSTIN COOK

Bob forces a demon from a man's body at a church meeting last weekend

"It all comes with the job of being an exorcist. You are dealing with angry, rage filled violent people."

Bob first found fame in the US during the Satanic Panic that gripped the States in the 1980s, but is now recognised as an expert on cults and devil worship.

He has authored 33 books on the subject of evil, including Demon Proofing Prayers and Hell on Earth: A Sobering View On What Satan's Up To.

Bob is a very modern exorcist, streaming exorcisms live on Facebook and uploading professionally edited clips to his YouTube channel, clocking up millions of views.

He also offers to exorcise people over Skype - for a fee.

Armed with just his iconic silver Hand-Held Cross of Deliverance - also available on his site for $100 (£75) - and a Bible, Bob forces spirits from hijacked flesh with determination and authority.

Battling evil entities on a day-to-day basis is not for the faint-hearted, and Bob says he has been caught up in some situations that wouldn't sound out of place in a horror film.

JUSTIN COOK

Bob and his trusty Cross of Deliverance - a symbol of his one man fight against evil

While he says that exorcising people in real life takes more than what you see in films and TV, he claims that it is not uncommon for people suffering from demonic possession to have "super human strength."

He said: "Absolutely. I've seen a 6-and-a-half stone woman that six or seven men could not control.

"It's not common but you do see it. When I'm dealing with a case that I know is going to be particularly violent, I make sure I have an awful lot of people, and an awful lot of angels helping me out."

Bob's three daughters now work alongside him as exorcists, and he was glad for their presence at a case they were called out to last week.

JUSTIN COOK

He travels the US preaching and exorcising

The possession turned out to be a very tricky one, and involved the demon almost eluding its expulsion.

He recalls: "We had a guy who was ex- special forces. He was massive.

"One of my daughters was hanging off one arm, and my wife was hanging off the other arm and the man's wife was hanging on to his legs.

"He could have killed us, he totally went off.

Life on the front line of spiritual warfare

• Bob estimates he has performed over 40,000 exorcisms
• Sometimes he sees ten people a DAY
• It's not uncommon for one person to be 'home' to multiple demonic entities
• Armed with his Cross of Deliverance and a Bible, he casts them out and back in to the spiritual world
• He first learnt about possession on a trip to Asia in his twenties
• Two decades ago he became a full-time exorcist
• Bob claims that more people are getting possessed than ever before
• He's now training others how to do the work of God online
• His three daughters are also exorcists and help him in extreme cases

"This was one I didn't anticipate, we were actually there for his wife, but in the middle of the exorcism he turned out to be the bad guy."

It's situations like this that mean that Bob has to take a two-pronged approach to his work.

He said: "There's the practical and the spiritual. Of course there is prayer where you ask for God's help, and ask for God's wisdom to know if the individual has potential for harm.

JUSTIN COOK

He is regarded as an expert in the occult, cults and demonic possession

"Then if there is a history of the person with problems being prone to violence you have to make sure you have adequate muscle available."

The churchman says that the nature of possession means that no two exorcisms are the same, with demons happy to take residence in anyone they can.

Bob explained: "Think of it this way. The devil can't shoot at people but he can be in somebody and get somebody else to start shooting.

"He needs a body, a physical being to bring about his evil.

"Satan is a spirit. He can't rape somebody. He can't bring about a war. But he can be in someone who starts wars.

"It is the physical vehicle to accomplish evil that the Devil needs."

JUSTIN COOK

Using a bible and his Cross of Deliverance, he forces demons from people's bodies as others watch on

JUSTIN COOK

He helps people release feelings of pain and guilt that he claims are attractive to demons

JUSTIN COOK

Bob's gentle manner with people who he has helped make him the top choice of possessed people from ALL religions

Sadly, Bob says that demons aren't just taking an easy entry to their hijacked physical forms, they are using sneakier means, which can make them easier to be rid of.

Controversially, he believes that many addicts are more than just hooked on alcohol, drugs or gambling, they are possessed.

He explained: "If someone has a persistent addiction, they've been to all kinds of rehab, they've tried everything and they haven't got any better then that is absolutely proof that someone is possessed.

Bob also claims that demons are masquerading as ALIENS in a bid to worm their way in to unsuspecting hosts.

JUSTIN COOK

People travel from far and wide to hear Bob preach and to have him help them rid their bodies of unwanted guests

He said: "There are evil spirits who masquerade as aliens to possess people - I come across that all the time.

"They are not extra terrestrial, they are not from another planet. They are simply from the spirit world that envelops the reality in which we live.

"These demons will take on whatever form that causes the human condition to be curious about their existence and use that.

"They appear in different forms in different cultures and aliens is just the latest fascination, particularly in the Western World."

Bob's journey from average Christian to Spiritual Warrior began in his early twenties when he went travelling through India, Asia and the Far East.

Here he was left "intrigued" by how the notion of spirit possession is an accepted fact in other religions, and it made him wonder why it was never discussed back home.

JUSTIN COOK

Bob has now established his own School of Exorcism to help meet global demand for demon hunters

When he returned to the States, The Exorcist was terrifying cinema-goers - and suddenly Bob's life took a new direction.

He said: "People started coming to me, and I realised that I had a gift and I had a choice to walk away from that gift or pursue that gift.

"The reality was there's not that many people willing to help, or who are going to do anything.

"The handful of exorcists available compared to the people who need it is pretty small, so people end up coming to people like me.

"Twenty years ago I finally thought 'that's it, I'm doing this full time'."

JUSTIN COOK

Social media plays a huge part in Bob's work, with Facebook lives and YouTube videos of his exorcisms clocking up millions of views

To help meet global demand for his services, Bob set up The International School of Exorcism to teach people around the world how to cast out dark entities from people needing help in their own communities.

Speaking proudly about his online course, he adds that 700 hundred demon hunters have graduated in the last few years and are now busy battling bad entities in their own backyards.

He also crosses the US meeting folks who are convinced that there is something ungodly inside them.

This weekend Bob travelled from his base, Arizona's Spiritual Freedom Church of Pheonix to Raleigh, North Carolina for four sessions of ministering and exorcisms spread out over three days.

JUSTIN COOK

Copies of some of his 33 books and £75 Crosses of Deliverance are for sale after his sermons

Hundreds of people gathered to hear him speak and ask for his help, with the congregation captivated by his sermon.

After helping one woman who had been struggling with what she believed was demonic possession, he tenderly held her and reassured her that her life was going to change for the better as he led her gently back to her seat.

With his gentle manner and impressive track record, it's unsurprising to learn that Bob is not only the exorcist of choice for Christians struggling with an unwanted guest, but also people from other religions who are unable to get help and support from their own communities.

JUSTIN COOK

Bob prays to God for help and wisdom before performing exorcisms

He explained: "There are few people who are willing to acknowledge this reality, and fewer still who willing to be interventionist and do something about it."

"This isn't something that you sign up for at the job centre. it's something you have to be called to.

"It's my compassion for people who are suffering that motivates me to keep going.

"On an average day, I see anywhere up to eight or ten clients - and it's not uncommon for one person to need multiple exorcisms in one session.

JUSTIN COOK

Bob claims that possession is a phenomena sweeping the Western world, and is a real cause for concern

"I'm doing that almost seven days a week.

"More people are getting possessed than ever before, but also there is more awareness of this type of things than their used to be.

"I'm in touch with other people out there who are involved in this and they're telling me the same thing. It's a new phenomena sweeping the Western world."

Exorcisms aren't only happening in the States, this footage of Italian priests casting out demons will shock you.

And this husband and wife duo believe they have discovered a "UFO highway" across America - and their story is being made in to a film.