I've had experiences with the HS (Holy Spirit) for much of my life in a minor way with out realizing it. It was only when I read Richardson's site that I understood what was going on.
I had originally read his site about 1997 or so, but checked back occasionally as he would change and add to the material sometimes. Richardson posted Jim Marion's book "Putting on the Mind of Christ" and recommended it and I went and bought.
Unlike most/all of you, I found it profound. I decided that talking to Jim would be worthwhile so, I simply typed in his email address as the HS showed it to me and contacted him. We carried on with the occasional back and forth for a while.
My father passed in the early fall of 2002, he was in his late 80's. There was a lot of energy associated with his passing. I knew he was going to die soon, as I had a visitation of the HS 3 days earlier. I was headed out to the gun range with a Mauser in one hand and a bag of ammo and accoutrements in the other when a blast hit me. It was a heavy form of energy and nearly dropped me to my knees. I was given to understand that my father would pass soon, but there was no sense of when. No fear, no anxiety on my part, just Knowing.
I was mulling over all this and decided that I ought to suggest to my brothers that "Dad just doesn't look healthy, maybe you guys should try and make Thanksgiving or Xmas." I hardly felt comfortable describing what had happened to me. He died 3 days after my encounter with the HS; and obviously long before Thanksgiving and Xmas.

While my mother and I waited for the undertakers to arrive post the coroner's visit, the fan in my father's room where he was still stretched out in bed, came on on it's own accord. I assume that my father did the deed. Over the next few months, my mother saw softly glowing corners in the house on occasion, and heard loud banging.
When my brother and his wife were removing my father's desk and my sister in law spoke out loud that "we're going to take good care of it Dad", the door bell went off.
My father obviously had a hard time letting go.

Finally, I had a dream where I saw my father in a grey windowless room seated in a chair. He looked about 27 years old. When I awoke, this bothered me. It was obvious that my father was "stuck", he had his emotional problems and had had a hard life, and certainly did not deserve to sit there.
I basically asked Jim to pray for him. Jim agreed with the comment that my prayers had probably already released my father. I laughed when I read this. I've never known any of my prayers to have done anything for anybody before, and hardly thought it would work now.

So there I was, coming home one day about 10 days after asking Jim to pray for my father. I opened the door to the house crossed in and was at the place where I had had the first encounter about my father's passing. I wondered in my mind about how my father was fairing when I had a waking vision. It was like a post card was slid in front of my mind's eye. A picture of my father with a big grin on his face with trees in the background and words underneath the picture that said "Fishing with his cousins". I was emotionally very detached but happy when this happened.
A few days later, same place, coming home and through the door, I wondered if the vision could possibly true. Once again, the same "post card" was slid in front of my vision only this time, I was hit with a blast of emotion to go along with it. A mixture of love, relief, happiness and other positive feelings; I nearly dropped to my knees and almost burst out crying. I feel that my father was released from his room and was now enjoying his life on the other side due to Jim's prayers. Since then, there has been nothing associated with my father and I feel that he has moved on from this life. Thank you Jim Marion.

Hoahoa, thank you for sharing your experience. It sounds like Jim Marion's books, friendship and prayers have been a help and support to you, and that you're convinced that your prayers and his have been helpful to your deceased father in the afterlife. I also think that most who hang out here will take seriously the hunches, knowings, and visions that you shared.

The theological and philophical critique of some of Jim Marion's writings certainly ought not be construed as implying that God cannot or does not work through Jim's ministry. You might think of it more along the lines of "peer review," which is quite common among writers. I've had it happen to me re. my own writings, and I often don't agree with the feedback I'm getting. Nevertheless, the giving and receiving of feedback is part of how Christians discern the meanings and worthiness of certain writings.

Shalom. Phil