First Close Encounter: Black Silhouette

Josh’s encounters in the Ozarks begin with a towering black silhouette gliding out of the tree-line when he was fourteen, a creature radiating such hatred he knew instantly it wasn’t just an animal. But the experience that shattered everything came years later, when a massive shaggy white beast, identical to other sightings across the Ozarks, leapt over the hood of his car in a single, impossible step and vanished down a ravine without leaving a track. That moment unlocked every buried memory: the earlier black creature, the second sighting in a shell pit, his father’s UFO pacing their vehicle, and even the demonic presences Josh faced later as a police officer dealing with spiritually influenced criminals. As he compares the white monster to regional legends like the Ozark Howler, and recalls a dogman witness whose torment only ended when he turned to Jesus, a chilling pattern emerges: the Ozarks are alive with entities that aren’t bound by normal physics. And Josh believes he’s crossed paths with the same intelligence, changing shape, aging, and reappearing across decades.

Please pray for Tony's wife, Lindsay, as she battles breast cancer. Your prayers make a difference!

If you’re able, consider helping the Merkel family with medical expenses by donating to Lindsay’s GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/b8f76890

Become a member for ad-free listening, extra shows, and exclusive access to our social media app: theconfessionalspodcast.com/join

The Confessionals Social Network App:
Apple Store: https://apple.co/3UxhPrh
Google Play: https://bit.ly/43mk8kZ

The Counter Series Available NOW:
The Counter (YouTube): WATCH HERE
The Counter (Full Episode): WATCH HERE

Tony's Recommended Reads: slingshotlibrary.com

If you want to learn about Jesus and what it means to be saved: Click Here

Bigfoot: The Journey To Belief: Stream Here
The Meadow Project: Stream Here
Merkel Media Apparel: merkmerch.com

My New YouTube Channel
Merkel IRL: @merkelIRL
My First Sermon: Unseen Battles

SPONSORS
SIMPLISAFE TODAY: simplisafe.com/confessionals
GHOSTBED: GhostBed.com/tony

CONNECT WITH US
Website: www.theconfessionalspodcast.com
Email: contact@theconfessionalspodcast.com

Josh Smith's YouTube

MAILING ADDRESS:
Merkel Media
257 N. Calderwood St., #301
Alcoa, TN 37701

SOCIAL MEDIA
Subscribe to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/2TlREaI
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/theconfessionals/
Discord: https://discord.gg/KDn4D2uw7h
Show Instagram: theconfessionalspodcast
Tony's Instagram: tonymerkelofficial
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheConfessionalsPodcas
Twitter: @TConfessionals
Tony's Twitter: @tony_merkel
Produced by: @jack_theproducer

OUTRO MUSIC
Joel Thomas - Spinning
YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify