Heaven is for Real

I'm sure you all have seen this yellow covered book in about every store that might sell books, and maybe even some that don't -- Heaven is for Real.   I've seen it.  Everywhere.  I've heard about it.  Everywhere.  I heard on K-Love how wonderful it was.  A lady waiting at the doctors' office was reading it and commented positively on it.  It's all good, right?

Well, if you are like me, all that is fine and dandy, but, actually finding the time to read a book in its entirety, wellllll, now that's another story.  I used to be an avid book reader, but for some reason the last few years have not lent themselves to a whole lot of free time for just-for-fun-reading.  I try now and then to get into a book I've heard is really good, but I struggle with finishing it.

I think in part, sometimes it starts off good and then maybe I lose interest.  Or, maybe sometimes life just gets busy for me and the book isn't interesting ENOUGH to hold my attention.  A few months ago I read "The Lamplighter" and that was a book I had a hard time putting down.  Written in what I think was old-English, it was so captivating for me.

For me I truly think it's just a matter of focus.  Being able to sit down, read a book, and focus on it's characters, meaning, storyline, etc can really be a challenge.  I generally have a million things running through my head, all of which I think I need to be doing instead of reading.  I guess, in simple terms, it takes a really GOOD book to draw me in, allow me to focus, and stay the course.

I picked up Heaven is for Real off of my night stand Sunday night after stumbling on a blog that held rave reviews for it.  I had bought it a short while back and hadn't taken the time yet to read it.   I think my sweet mother in law told me she bought it for me, but I forgot about that and bought it while at Wal-Mart one day.   So, Sunday night I decided to start it, and focus on reading a chapter a night.

Well, let me tell you something Sherlock!  One chapter a night will NOT cut it with Heaven is for Real.  Talk about being focused and immediately drawn in.  Yikes!  There is absolutely no way you can read one chapter and put it down.  Unless of course some emergency type thing happened, but to read a chapter, close the book, and go to sleep.  Nope.  Ain't gonna happen.

I was snagged from nearly the get-go.  I read for an hour and a half and literally did not focus on another single thing except for my thumb hurting from trying to hold the book open!!   If the opportunity presents itself, read it.  I mean, really.  Read it.  Take it all in.

I believe in God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, heaven, hell, the bible - the whole thing...But there is absolutely something spiritually reassuring about hearing the retelling of a four year old's trip to heaven.  It made all my insides toasty warm.

Without giving too much away, Colton became sick and while in the hospital he nearly died.  During surgery he spent some time in heaven.  Over the course of a few years, this little boy talked about things he saw in heaven that he hadn't even learned yet from his parents or from church.  He even learned he had a sister that died in his mommy's tummy.  A sister his parents never told him about because he was conceived and born after her so there hadn't really been a reason to tell him.  Matter-of-fact, they didn't even know the baby was a girl until Colton told them.

I cannot begin to explain in words how reassuring that particular bit is to me, a woman who has gone through multiple miscarriages over the course of the years, nine total.  I've been known to say that Jesus was taking care of my unborn babies for me until I could get to heaven.  But, I've never been so comforted by that statement as I was after reading Colton's story.  I'm not talking faith here, I'm talking peace.  I've always had faith in my God and in the notion my babies were in heaven.  But, I have a peace in my heart now that wasn't there before.  God adopted my babies and has them in His safe-keeping until the blessed day He calls me home, or raptures us all out of here.

"....Let the children come to me.  Don't stop them!  For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.  I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."  Then He took the children in His arms and placed His hands on their heads and blessed them.  Mark 10:14-16

It would be totally unfair for me to disclose further details of the story, therefore ruining it if you were planning to read it for yourself.  There are so many good parts I wouldn't even know where to start if were going to try to spill it for you.  I can't stress enough though how good this book is.  If you are a believer, you will be a stronger believer and your faith will be shored up for sure.  If you are not a believer, well, maybe Colton's story will be reassuring enough for you that heaven does indeed exist and that alternative is not a place we want to spend eternity.

If you have read this book, please share with me your testimony.  If you haven't, get yourself a copy, read it, and then come back and share your testimony with me here.  I would LOVE to hear what you thought about Heaven is for Real.

Walking with the King,