Pour Your Heart Out: Heaven

Once a week round this blog, we get serious. Wednesdays are for Pouring Your Heart Out. It's definitely a departure from my usual light tone.





Image via Amazon

Have you read this book?

You should. Now.

I found this book to be the single most encouraging, uplifting, post partum depression beating book I've ever read. It's not about PPD, depression, even death really. Yes, it was written in an uplifting tone but I'm not sure the point of the book was to send a jolt of good stuff straight in to my heart.

Although, maybe that's the "power Jesus shoots down" that Colton talks about.

You really need to read this book.

A quick synopsis, in case you are unfamiliar: Colton is 3 and a half years old and his appendix ruptures. A doctor misdiagnoses him and he ends up almost dying before he is finally correctly diagnosed and operated on. He comes through surgery fine and then takes a turn for the worse. Through a series of miracles, he makes a full recovery. His father, a pastor, and his mother, a teacher, are incredibly thankful to the Lord, of course, for sparing their son's life when they saw death approaching. Fast forward a few months and Colton starts to reveal, unprompted, about "Three Minutes" he spent in heaven. He describes in incredibly detail about meeting his grandfather, whom passed away decades before Colton was born. Colton details meeting "his sister" who was actually a miscarried baby his mom lost 2 months into her pregnancy. He describes Jesus in exact detail, according to what is written in the book of Revelation, right down to the purple sash He is to wear. (Adorable hearing about him trying to describe a sash without knowing the word for sash!) This is just the tip of the iceberg of the things he can recall and describe.

I'm positive a lot of people read this book and think it's a bunch of crap. Disagree. Colton was raised in a Christian household, yes. He KNOWS who Jesus is, knows about God, Heaven and the Devil. What he didn't know, in any way shape or form, is what the bible says about Heaven, where God is to sit in Heaven, the Devil's battle with the Lord, those kind of details. I definitely believe his dad when he says he never taught Colton these things at home or in church. These things are not taught to 3.5 year olds in church, home or Sunday School. You don't openly discuss the book of Revelation with your toddler! :)

I found this book to be so much more than educational.

When I was reading it, it was like a warm blanket of comfort was laid over my shoulders. I've lost a lot of really great people in my life, specifically my Grammie Bonnie. This book affirmed for me that they are happy in heaven, that they are aware of all the good things that have gone on in my life since they passed away and mostly that Grammie knows Rory and Trace and will get to be with them for eternity when our time comes.

I don't know about you, but I know most of my life I've worried about death. Not to the point where I drive myself crazy with it, but it was always there in the back of my mind. I think this is normal, standard even. This book certainly didn't evaporate that fear, but it offers me so much comfort and knowledge that I feel better about it.

I'm rambling. I apologize. What I really want to say is? God loves you. Heaven is for real. Hell is for real. The steps to get to Heaven are simple. Love the Lord and be proud of it! If nothing else, I hope you read this book and realize that good things are coming for believers.