by Mary C Neal
I feel the presence of my dog around me as I ponder those two questions. Then I hear barking, and other dogs appear, dogs I once had. As I stand there for what seems to be an eternity, I want to embrace and be absorbed and merge. I want to stay.
About her NDE after a heart attack, as described in her book The Other Side of Death, Jan Price writes:
I suppose we never really think of ourselves as dying, but obviously I had died because I wasn’t in my body anymore….Suspended in the ocean of blue, golden streams of light—like stardust—began to pour through me….As the density changed, becoming lighter and finer, I felt that I was being lifted to another level of awareness—and then I found myself in surroundings that appeared to be more substantial. Maggi was there. My beautiful dog, my beloved Springer, came to me. She had died less than a month before, and John and I still ached from her absence. I felt her presence, her love, and she appeared to me as she had when she was in physical form—only younger, more vital.4
I believe that at our time of death, God presents to each of us the experience that we not only will understand, but will also make us feel loved and unafraid. I agree completely with evangelist Billy Graham who said, “God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there.”
“IS THERE A HELL?”
Hell was not part of my experience, but other people have described their terrifying and hellish experiences near death. In each case, though, they have said they were ultimately saved by God’s love.
While I don’t personally have an answer to this question of hell, I firmly believe that God not only continually, and eternally, offers His love, but that He always gives us the freedom to reject it. Some people have argued that no one in their right mind who died and discovered that God (and hell) is actually real would then reject God’s love. But I have seen that it happens. Inexplicably, the hearts of some people become so hardened, and their eyes so blinded, that they steadfastly reject God’s truth, even as He is made known to them in their transition from death.
“IS THERE SADNESS IN HEAVEN?”
Absolutely none—no tears or pain, no anxiety or worry, no anger or hatred, and people are restored to health and wholeness. Heaven is a place where God lives and is worshipped (Revelation 4:8–11, Deuteronomy 26:15) and is a place of exceeding joy (Matthew 13:44). Yes, everyone there will know Jesus to be his son, and the one who bridges the gap and makes it possible for us to be there, but it is still God’s house. His love for us is so overpowering, so visceral, and so real that sadness, pain, and mourning don’t stand a chance.
The verse that comes to my mind is a stunning promise of things to come for those who want to be in heaven with God. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
“WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST SURPRISE?”
I was stunned by my lack of fear and lack of desire to return to Earth. I was most astonished, however, by the discovery that God’s promises are actually, amazingly, and abundantly true. I had hoped they were true and believed that they were, but both hope and faith contain elements of doubt. I was often unsure that spirituality and science could comfortably coexist. So I was surprised to find that spirituality and science are never actually in conflict.
Still, you might be wondering, But so what? What difference does heaven make for me right now?
The most important point—and one I urge you to consider as well—is that these glimpses into heaven are meant to change how you and I live now. When just before his death, Jesus told his followers that “in my Father’s house are many rooms,” he wasn’t simply satisfying their idle curiosity; he was giving them a glimpse of heaven for a practical earthly reason. He knew they were frightened and needed comfort. And he understood, I believe, that the truths of heaven and the Father’s love would empower them on their great mission of sharing the good news.
That’s why I say that my journey to the gates of heaven is not actually “my” story, but only mine to share. And in a very real way, the same is true for you. You know now that death is not the end, that love will win, and that your heavenly Father has prepared an eternity of blessing for those who want to receive it. There is a heaven, and there is life after death—and that truth is meant to change how we live now for the better. Telling His story, and living it every day, is our most important task.
Chapter 8
MIRACLES ARE ALWAYS IN THE MAKING
“The most astonishing thing about miracles is that they happen.”
—G. K. CHESTERTON
I remember a tall, distinguished-looking man in Southern California who waited to speak with me after I had shared my story. I’ll call him George. As we chatted, George told me he was a successful businessman, a lifelong Christian, and very active in his church. Then he leaned in conspiratorially, as if to protect us from being overheard, and asked, “What really happened?”
I’ve heard that question many times, and—this might surprise you—most often from people of faith.
You might find it a bit strange, as I do, that people like George readily accept biblical stories of God’s miracles yet so often hesitate to believe accounts of miracles today. Our belief system is based on a belief in the supernatural, but too many of us are ready to limit that reality in our own lives. Trouble is, we reject God’s transformative power in the process. We claim “all things are possible with God,” but we mostly mean that in theory, not in the practical every day.
Why? It’s not like God changed the moment you and I showed up on the planet! God’s ability to act in his world remains the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. When he speaks of himself in scripture, it’s nearly always in the present tense—not “I was,” or “I’m going to be,” but “I am.” I love to meditate on the beautiful promise of Jesus. “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
In this chapter I want to explore the reality of miracles in our lives. A miracle is when the seemingly impossible happens. But we can flesh that definition out a bit to say that a miracle is an event that the forces of nature—including humans—cannot produce on their own and that can only be explained as an act of God. Also, we usually think of a miracle as being amazing and desirable. And since God is the source, it only makes sense that a miracle advances His divine purposes in the world, while evoking our awe and gratitude.
An important purpose of this chapter is to show you that all of us can speak from personal experience about miracles, because miracles large and small are woven through all of our lives. I’ll share more of my own experiences here and report some of the inspiring miracle stories others have shared with me. We’ll look also at closely related phenomena: coincidences (which can be part of miracles but are not the same thing), so-called “nudges,” and divine appointments.
At least a hundred and twenty-five miracles are recorded in scripture. Some, like the rainbow God sent after the Flood as a reminder of the covenant between Him and the people, were quite dramatic (Genesis 9:13). Others were more subtle.
Miracles matter—a lot! And I don’t just mean for those who have dramatic personal stories to tell. If we truly let the reality of miracles into our minds and hearts, we change. We can begin to live in a way that more deeply reflects the greatness and goodness of our God. We can leave behind doubts and confusion and move into the freedom of living with absolute trust. I came back from heaven realizing that my loving God wants me to go through every day in the settled assurance that a power greater than my failures—greater even than matter, time, and circumstance—is at work in my life, in your life, and in our world today.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EYES TO SEE
I believe that miracles occur in every person’s life. Seeing them, though, most often requires paying attention to details, recognizing synchronicity, acknowledging implausible odds, and giving credit to God. In To Heaven and B
ack, I mentioned that flowers deeply move my soul and “speak” to me, and I told the stories of the Bradford pear blossoms at my mother’s home and of the alpine roses at my own home. The circumstances surrounding the sudden appearance of blossoms on my mother’s Bradford pear tree immediately after the death of my stepfather made me wonder if they could have been a gift from my stepfather and from our supernatural God—a miracle to show God’s continued presence during a time of sorrow, and a way of letting us know that everything was okay and my stepfather was happily in heaven.
When blossoming bushes of the same type and shade of the alpine rose blossoms that filled the field in which my son died inexplicably appeared in my front yard after my son’s death, my skepticism that God would choose to use flowers as a means of communication was pushed aside by gratitude. My son had known the story of the Bradford pear blossoms and had known how meaningful and comforting their appearance had been to me. I believe the choice of these particular blossoms and their sudden appearance were a message from God’s world to ours.
In the years since my oldest son’s death, I have found a single alpine rose growing in every location that is, or has become, important to me. This occurs so predictably that I am no longer even surprised when I find them. I simply accept their message of love, comfort, and confirmation, and am filled with awe for a God who knows the language of my life. Many other people have reported similar experiences to me. They have told me that after the death of a loved one, they have been followed by butterflies, or repeatedly found coins, feathers, ladybugs, or something else that was significant to the deceased person. These are not dramatic miracles, of course, but I do believe they are divinely sent to bring hope and remind us of His presence.
A woman named Darla, from Wisconsin, told me of a similar experience: “After our grandson died, we had close visitations from a beautiful bright red cardinal. This bird visits regularly, going to one of three windows almost daily. I feel like God is giving me peace, letting me know my grandson is with Him and is okay. Since this has happened, so many people have told me of similar visits of birds. I believe God uses His creation to comfort us.”
Stella wrote to tell me about seeing God in a flock of birds. As she so poignantly says, “God reaches out in the smallest ways”:
My mom loved birds and she made sure she fed them every day, filling the bird feeders. When she passed away, I wanted to continue feeding the birds for her, but time had passed and I kept forgetting. One day I was sitting outside in the yard and saw that there were no more birds coming to the feeder because of my negligence. I started to cry, thinking of how much I missed my mom. Then I prayed and asked God to forgive me for not keeping up with the feeders.
All of a sudden I felt such loving presence come over me, and I looked up and I saw so many birds flying over me. They flew from one tree to another and then to the bird feeders. I hadn’t seen any birds in the yard for several weeks. I knew then that God was speaking to me and telling me that everything was going to be all right, and He would help me through my grief of losing my mom. God reaches out in the smallest ways, and if we don’t listen, we might miss His miracles. As is written in the Psalms, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
—STELLA, ASHEVILLE, NC
COINCIDENCE OR MIRACLE IN THE MAKING?
Signs and miracles often seem to fall outside the boundaries of natural laws, but increasingly I believe they only fall outside of our ability to understand. When a person lifts a weight off the ground, the natural law of gravity is not actually violated. Gravitational force is not absent when the weight is lifted, but a stronger force has overcome it. Miracles occur when God’s desire and power overcome lesser forces.
Coincidences are often compared to miracles, but they are different. Coincidence typically describes two unplanned events that occur at the same time, while miracles represent statistically improbable constellations of events or outcomes. The more improbable the synchronous events, the more likely they are to represent a miracle.
It would be a fortunate coincidence if a man in desperate need of $836.23 walked down a street and found an envelope containing $900. It would likely be a miracle if, instead, the man found an envelope containing $836.23. But it would be a clear miracle if that same man found the envelope with $836.23 only because he was walking on that street in order to see a long-lost girlfriend whose address he was given by a taxi driver whom the man only met because his previously dependable alarm clock did not signal him to wake up that morning, causing him to miss his transportation to work, resulting in his taking a taxi, in which he discovered the driver, who had never driven this route and was substituting for a friend who was ill, was from the same hometown and had just moved to an apartment…next door to the man’s long-lost girlfriend!
I’m having fun, but I’m sure you get the point.
While it is true that a single improbable event is likely to be commonplace and may, therefore, represent chance, it’s quite reasonable to believe that multiple improbable events occurring at just the right time, in just the right sequence, are anything less than the result of God’s direct intervention, the work of His angels, or the work of the Holy Spirit.
Marie sent me a story of how an apparent coincidence was clearly more than that, given her determination to end her life:
I believe that nudges and quick decisions to change our minds can come from the Holy Spirit and of angels, not luck or coincidence. When I was seventeen, I was in a very difficult place. I had just been moved into a foster home after disclosing that my father had been molesting me for several years. So damaged and lost, I would use running as my escape. My foster home sat right on the edge of the Puget Sound, so I would go there to run along the train track or the beach.
One particular day, I felt I could no longer stay on this earth. Too much pain and loneliness. So I decided I would run on a part of the track that had a blind curve ahead and just stay on it, hoping a train would come and hit me. It was stormy out that day—clouds, rain, and wind. Waves crashing on the rocks threw water onto the tracks. I wanted to feel the waves hit my hand, just for a second. I stepped off that train track and kneeled down to touch the salty water.
Just as I leaned over to feel the water, a cargo train came barreling around the corner and sped past so close to me I had to hold on to the rocky cliff next to me to keep my balance.
I knew at that moment that I was meant to step off those tracks at that precise time or I would have been hit by the train. I felt that God and his angels were truly adjusting my path to reflect his plan for me. I felt such love at that moment, knowing that I was important and could not leave the earth yet.
—MARIE, SEATTLE, WA
I agree that some religious people go overboard in calling almost every unlikely event a miracle. On the other hand, to think that every miracle is nothing more than coincidence is equally careless. Some of my favorite “personal miracle” stories come in the context of how we meet our life partners. Maybe you have one of your own. The following story of how Bill found Hillary has (almost) nothing to do with a former president and first lady:
“Too many coincidences for it to be random,” says Bill, who has been married to Hillary for sixteen years.
Bill and Hillary met because Bill’s mother and Hillary’s father were high school friends, who hadn’t been in touch for years, when they reconnected by chance.
When they realized in conversation that one had a son named Bill, one had a daughter named Hillary, and that the Clintons were in the White House at the time, they thought it was terribly funny. When they discovered that both children lived in New York City, Bill’s mother gave her son Hillary’s phone number and insisted that he had to call.
Although he discovered that he and Hillary, in a city of more than seven million people, actually lived in the same neighborhood, on the same street, and in the same building, he decided not to call…until he ran into a former coworker in the lobby of his building.
“I said
to her, ‘What are you doing in my lobby?’ ” recalled Bill. “She said, ‘Ah, I have a really good friend that lives in your building.’ And I said, ‘Who is that?’ And she said, ‘Hillary K…’ I said, ‘Oh my god. I have her number in my pocket!’ ”1
AWARE OF NUDGES AND WHISPERS
Once we realize how easily our awareness of miracles can get lost in the clatter and busyness of our lives, you and I can begin the wonderful adventure of waking up to the supernatural all around us.
But where does waking up to miracles start? We’ll get as practical as possible on this question in Part Two, but here I want to talk about nudges. What many call a nudge is a gentle prompt by the Holy Spirit or an angel to pay attention to something, or do something, that we might not have otherwise done. Unlike impulses that come from our own desires or needs, the kind of prompt I’m talking about here is always related to God’s will and work. A nudge is quiet, easy to overlook or ignore, and often internal. But the stories of what happens when we take the risk to respond are everywhere, once you start listening and looking. Consider the story a nudge that Bart wrote to tell me about:
At age twenty-two, I was body surfing at Huntington Beach, California, and I didn’t realize the undertow was pulling me out to sea. I probably was out more than a mile in heavy surf. The riptide was too strong to swim to shore, so I went underwater four times. While at the bottom, touching the sand with my feet, I prayed, “God, please save me. I don’t want to die at the bottom of the ocean.”
