Today in Ålesund, Norway, I visited a house with an extraordinary story.

Today in Ålesund, Norway, I visited a house with an extraordinary story.

On January 23, 1904, a fire swept through the city, destroying about 850 houses and leaving thousands homeless. Yet one house in the eastern district remained standing. It is known today as Waldehuset – “the Miracle House.”

According to the account shared here, the day before the fire, Anders Nord, who lived upstairs in the house, said a shining angel appeared to him. The angel warned that the city would burn, but told Anders to remain in the house and leave his belongings inside.

When the fire came, his wife began carrying their possessions out in fear. The belongings placed outside were consumed by the flames. Inside, Anders knelt and prayed. He then read Psalm 91 as the fire raged around them.

The house survived. Marks discovered on its eastern wall during restoration show how close the flames came.

Today, the house remains a place where God is honored through prayer meetings, worship gatherings, and guided tours that emphasize His faithfulness.

Standing here, I thought about the fear Anders and his family must have felt – and about the faith it took to remain where they had been told to stay. Their account has been passed down with this house, which still stands in Ålesund.

“For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.”
Psalm 91:11, NKJV

Awaiting His Soon Return – Amir