Have you ever read a book that was so amazing and inspiring that you wanted to buy a copy for everyone you know?
I can’t afford to buy a copy for everyone I know, but I’m going out on a limb and buying two.
A couple days ago I finished The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven by Kevin and Alex Malarkey. Oh. My. Word.
The basic story is that “Daddy” and Alex (six at the time) were in a car accident. Kevin was okay (because, Alex tells us, five angels carried him out of the car and set him on the side of the road before the airbags deployed), but the force of the impact probably killed Alex instantly.
Alex came out of his coma, and is progressing down the road to recovery.
But there is so much more than that.
Each chapter is written, first, from Dad’s point of view, and then from Alex’s. Dad tells of a horrifying car accident; Alex tells of a bright tunnel and watching the accident scene – and later the hospital – with Jesus. Dad tells of agonizing weeks of waiting on a coma; Alex can tell you the differences inside and outside the gate in heaven.
The story is one episode after another of God showing up at just the right moment with provision, miracles of healing, power outages, prayer warriors, and faithful believers. I think I got choked up and/or cried about once every ten minutes – rough average.
Alex has been to heaven since the accident, and without dying. Jesus comes to get him for a visit every once in a while. He sees angels and demons like you see the computer in front of you. He knows many of the angels by name; there is one named John who follows his dad around a lot. Satan has visited him a few times. There are parts about his trips to heaven that he is not allowed to share with the rest of us – not even his family.
My favorite part is that the family was not a really “churchy” family before the accident, and they did not attend a charismatic church. Yet as Kevin and Alex write, they describe prophetic words, speaking in tongues, discerning of spirits, etc. – all without any of the Biblical vocabulary. Nothing that was quoted or explained in the entire book made me pause and think, “That’s not Biblical.” Nothing.
I could go on, but I won’t. Here’s how you can get you some:
If you don’t have a story of your own, tell us one you’ve heard or read.
In one week I’ll choose a couple commenters at random and email them for mailing addresses.
Why be a pain and request a story? Because – well, because I’m buying you a book, but also because,
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.” – Rev 12:11
One of the most vivid encounters I’ve experienced was in a dream when I was around 20-21 years old. I can’t describe the whole thing here, but the gist of the dream was that I was going to marry a man when I suddenly remembered that I was already married. So I set out to find my husband to seek a divorce so I could marry this other guy. As I was looking fir my husband, I began to remember his amazing love for me and I wondered why I had ever left him. When I finally found him, I expected him to be angry and hurt for how I had betrayed him, but instead I saw the most amazing look of tender loving kindness that you can possibly imagine. He accepted me back with no questions asked and loved me as though I had never left. He even defended his love for me when others questioned his unconditional acceptance of me. The love and forgiveness and mercy and joy I felt was like nothing I’ve ever known before or since. Waking up from the dream, it was clear that my husband was Jesus Himself. Whenever I recall this dream and seeing His face when I returned to Him, all the emotions of the dream come back to me and I feel my throat constrict with tears threatening to fall. I wish I could see Him like that again!! 🙂
That is so cool. 🙂
“As I was looking for my husband, I began to remember his amazing love for me and I wondered why I had ever left him.” Amen.
I’ve had a few experiences of God showing me things in a dream and as I sought out their meaning in my waking life what happened in the dreams actually unfolded as things that really would happen. Like snow in a place where it didn’t always snow, getting job that came out of no where I never even would’ve thought to go for, knowing a friend would get married at a certain time when there was not even a prospect in her life, promises of certain friendships and like hearted people who would come into my life…etc. All I can say is that God is gracious and is creative!
That’s fun. I love how He talks to us all differently. 🙂