TO HEAVEN AND BACK
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Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (God’s Word) are taken from God’s Word, a copyrighted work of God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation—Second Edition. Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. Scripture quotations marked (NRS) are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Grateful acknowledgment is made for permission to reprint the following materials: “Footprints in the Sand,” copyright © 1963 by Carolyn Joyce Carty. Reprinted by permission of Carolyn Joyce Carty. “In the Name of Love,” words and music by Carole King, © 1977 by Elorac Music. Reprinted by permission.
eISBN: 978-0-9848192-1-8
Copyright © 2011, 2012 by Mary C. Neal
Previously published by CreateSpace in 2011.
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v3.1
I dedicate this book to God:
You gave me life
And I live for your glory.
CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Epigraph
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Early Years
Chapter 2 Spinning Out of Control
Chapter 3 Mexico
Chapter 4 Spiritual Reawakening
Chapter 5 God Is Faithful
Chapter 6 An Attitude of Joy
Chapter 7 God Shouts When Necessary
Chapter 8 Breaking the Bonds
Chapter 9 An Adventure in Chile
Chapter 10 Death on the River
Chapter 11 My Rescue
Chapter 12 Going Home
Chapter 13 Angels by the River
Chapter 14 Return to Wyoming
Chapter 15 The Power of Prayer
Chapter 16 Clarity of Vision
Chapter 17 Conversing with an Angel
Chapter 18 The Patient Care Unit
Chapter 19 My Physical Recovery
Photo Insert
Chapter 20 Bob
Chapter 21 My Beloved George
Chapter 22 Inspiration to Others
Chapter 23 God Rolls the Stone Away
Chapter 24 Willie
Chapter 25 Bill
Chapter 26 Chad
Chapter 27 Compulsion to Write
Chapter 28 The Longest Day of the Year
Chapter 29 My Beautiful Son
Chapter 30 The Other Side of Time
Chapter 31 Gifts of Compassion
Chapter 32 Perfect Timing
Chapter 33 Logical Conclusions
Giving Back
Q&A with Dr. Neal
About the Author
“This is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it or grow in its light and be of service to others.
But what I do with this day is important because
I have exchanged a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever.
I hope I will not regret the price I paid for it.”
—Anonymous
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book is written with special thanks to:
• Bill Neal, for being my loving, patient, funny, talented, and devoted life partner.
• Willie, Eliot, Betsy, and Peter Neal, for your constant inspiration, wonder, and deep beauty. You are the sources of my greatest joy and most profound sorrow, but my life would be barren without the experience of each of you.
• Ellen Nolan, David Pfeifer, Sophie Craighead, Reverend Dr. Paul Hayden, Terri Hayden, Cindy Leinonen, Mark Barron, Elizabeth Gerdts, and Kasandra Loertscher, without whom our family would not have survived nor be where we are today.
• Tom, Debbi, Kenneth, Anne, Chad, Krista, Tren, and Linzie Long, for bringing me back to earth and for being such a loving part of our family.
• Betty Thum for always giving me unconditional love and support. I pray that I give the same to my own children.
• George Thum, Paulita Neal, Edwin Pounder, Robert Hume, and Bill Hume for all the ways in which you have loved and encouraged me.
• My YaYa sisterhood: Linda Purdy, Susan Farquhar, Kelly Kiburis, Becky Patrias, Julie Connors, Ann Bayer, and Susan Marks, who have sustained me for more than forty years.
• Robin Steinmann, Corrine Alhum, Barb Forbes, Natalie Stewart, and Sherry Pointsett for helping me understand the power of prayer.
• Marta Lozano, for your continued support and for tolerating my working on this book instead of completing my charts.
• All the unnamed people who have helped me become the person that I am today.
PROLOGUE
“The best and most beautiful things
in this world cannot be seen or even heard,
but must be felt with the heart.”
—Helen Keller
God and His angelic messengers are present and active in our world today and this involvement and intervention is both ordinary in its frequency and extraordinary in its occurrence. Despite leading what I would consider a very ordinary life, I have had the privilege of being touched by God in visible and very tangible ways. One of these experiences began on January 14, 1999, when I was vacationing in South America with my husband. While boating, I was pinned underwater in my kayak and drowned. I died and went to heaven. After a brief stay, I was returned to my body. I returned to my earthly life with two shattered legs and severe pulmonary problems. I was hospitalized for more than a month, wheelchair bound for even longer, and did not return to my orthopaedic surgery practice for more than six months.
Many have described my accident as terrible and tragic. I describe it as one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. The series of events surrounding my accident and recovery were nothing short of miraculous. Not only did I have the privilege of experiencing heaven, but I continued to experience the intensity of God’s world and conversed with Jesus several times in the weeks after my return.
Through this experience and conversation, I gained an understanding of many of life’s important questions, such as “What happ
ens when we die?”, “Why are we here?”, and “Why do bad things happen to good people?” I also gained an understanding of the disciple Paul’s statement from 1 Corinthians 13 that of faith, hope, and love, the most enduring is love. I already had reasons to believe in miracles, but taking a journey to heaven and back transformed my faith into knowledge and my hope into reality. My love remained unchanged and everlasting.
One of the several reasons for my return to earth was to tell my story to others and help them find their way back to God. During my initial recovery, I was invited to share my story with small groups in my community and these people shared my story with their friends and family. As it was spread to many parts of the country, I was often told of the profound impact my story made on the lives of the people who heard it. In the process of sharing, I realized that my story does not really belong to me, but to God and is meant to be shared. It has inspired many people, stimulated discussion, and has often resulted in a rejuvenated relationship with God. It has lessened people’s fear of death and increased their passion for living a full and meaningful life. My story has deepened people’s faith and given them hope for the future.
Noblesse Oblige: With Privilege Comes Responsibility
Truly, God does not give us a lamp so we can hide it under a basket or a bed. He gives each of us a lamp so we may give light to the world. Light always dissipates the emptiness of darkness. Ultimately, I felt that if the reading of my story could bring even one person closer to God, it would be worth the writing.
Thus, I began to set down on paper an account of my observations and experiences.
What I could not have known, and did not know as I worked to complete my manuscript, was that the sense of urgency compelling me to complete it was also God’s hand at work in my life. For the story did not end there …
INTRODUCTION
“Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
—Psalm 61:1–2 (NRS)
The tiny two-track road in the remote mountains of Mexico was saturated with rain from the previous night. It was late in the day and we were still several hours from the main road when our dilapidated truck slid off the road and immediately sank into the thick brown mud that formed the shoulder of the road. Our traveling group consisted of the fifteen-year old me, an adult missionary couple, another teenager, and a little baby. Our truck’s spinning wheels were unable to gain traction and the truck quickly sank to its axels. Our anxiety level rose quickly, as we knew that it would be a nearly impossible struggle for us to free the wheels of our truck. It was equally impossible for us to walk far enough to find help.
We were not prepared for this sort of delay. The baby would need food and we knew the temperatures would plummet once the sun dipped below the horizon. It was imperative that we get the truck back on the road, as we had driven this desolate stretch of road many times over the summer and had never seen another vehicle. We focused entirely on the task at hand and tried again and again to free the wheels. The depth of the mud seemed to have no limit, and our efforts appeared feeble. As we worked, we began to pray with great fervor and specificity: We prayed that God would “put rock under us,” and soon.
The words had barely floated off our lips when we were shocked to see a rusty old pickup truck rumbling up the road. The driver had taken a wrong turn and was trying to find his way to the main road. When told of our predicament, he graciously offered to give us a ride to town. The cab was too small to hold all of us, so we eagerly climbed into the truck bed and laughingly settled onto his cargo … of rocks. We were filled with joy at the sight of rock, knowing that our prayers had been heard.
Was this an answer to our specific prayers? Did God, albeit with a sense of humor, intervene in our lives and answer our prayers? Was the truck driver an angel or other messenger of God? Was this a miracle? Maybe it was just luck or a coincidence. A coincidence is defined as the “accidental occurrence of events that seem to have a connection.” Luck is a “force that brings good fortune or adversity. It favors chance.” For myself, I call it a miracle: an “event that is considered a work of God.”
The Bible describes many times when angels are sent by God to help those who are in need; often in times of turmoil, life-threatening situations, or at the moment of death. Miracles appear to be universal and are reported by Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and Hindus. The Quran describes a miracle as the “supernatural intervention in the life of a human being.” The Catholic Church describes miracles as “works of God,” usually with a specific purpose, such as the conversion of a person to the faith. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines a miracle as an “extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention.”
Cynics claim that miracles defy the laws of nature and, therefore, cannot occur. As described by others who believe as I do, there is a different way to perceive a miracle.
Situation #1
A ball is dropped from a height and falls to the ground.
It obeys the laws of nature.
Situation #2
A ball is dropped from a height and falls toward the ground. A hand reaches out and catches it. It never reaches the ground. The ball has obeyed the laws of nature, but the hand has intervened. If the hand were God’s, we would have witnessed divine intervention without a defiance of the laws of nature.
I believe that God heard our heartfelt cry on that little road in Mexico and chose to intervene on our behalf. Although the answer was not what we expected, God gave us a specific answer to our specific prayer: He put rock under us.
Over the years, like most people, I have questioned my spirituality. I have wondered about the reality of God, the role of God in my life, wondered why so many bad things are allowed to happen, and wondered about the reality of life after death. Despite these questions and doubts, I witnessed countless numbers of answered prayers and occasions of divine intervention since this high school experience. I drowned while kayaking on a South American vacation and had the great pleasure, privilege, and gift of going to heaven and back. I had the opportunity to converse with angels and ask many questions. I gained much insight. As one result of this adventure, I have also had the opportunity of listening to many other people describe their own spiritual encounters and near-death experiences. Their stories usually begin with their saying, “I’ve never told anyone about this, because I didn’t think they would believe me, but.…”
Is God present in our world today? Do miracles still occur? Are there really angels all around us? Does God keep His promises? Is there sufficient reason to live by faith? I believe the answer to each one of these questions is a definitive “yes” and I believe that you will come to this same conclusion as you read about the miracles I have seen and experienced.
CHAPTER 1
THE EARLY YEARS
“ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ”
—Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
I was born and raised in an ordinary Midwestern town in Michigan. I lived in a middle-class neighborhood with my parents, Bob and Betty, two brothers, Rob and Bill, one sister, Betsy, and a small dachshund named Trinka. My father was a general surgeon and my mother was a homemaker.
I enjoyed a pleasant childhood which, in some aspects, was idyllic. I did not always have everything I wanted, but never lacked for what I needed. Most importantly for any child, I always felt loved by my family. The creek flowing through the back of our property offered me great excitement and opportunity. I spent many hours in and on that creek; ice skating, boating, fishing, swimming, and exploring. I learned about snails, slugs, and leeches. I learned what happens when a dog eats the bacon from a fishing hook, and I learned not to look a snapping turtle in the eye. My best friend and I built an elaborate fresh-water clam farm, only to find out later that pearls are made
by oysters, not clams. It was great fun and it developed my love for being immersed in the outdoor natural world.
My family attended the local Presbyterian Church, participating in a denomination in which my grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather had been ordained ministers. Our tall, traditional stone church stood proudly on the town square. While the outside was rather formal and not very inviting, its interior arched toward the sky, beautifully displaying large multicolored stained glass windows. The pews were well-worn and made of a rich and deeply-colored wood. My siblings and I sat through Sunday school and confirmation classes, church services, and the occasional youth group gatherings, but these activities were mechanical and boring to me. Although I willingly attended, these various activities seemed to have little impact on my life.
My brothers and sister and I certainly never developed a relationship with a living, loving God while growing up, and I don’t recall ever being expected to incorporate God or Jesus Christ into my daily life or thoughts. God seemed to be a “Sunday thing” and I do not remember my parents discussing spirituality or religion in our home. In many ways, however, they did model a Christian life for their children. My mother was loving, always supportive, and was an active volunteer in numerous service organizations. My father showed great compassion for those who were less fortunate in their circumstances and he was selfless in his profession as a surgeon.
I would often trail behind my father as he checked on his patients in the hospital or when he was called to the emergency room on weekends. I perceived that his was a life of service, in which he was always kind and respectful to others, was not motivated by money, and always put the feelings and needs of others before his own.
As I approached my teenage years, I became more independent and began to hold my own opinions. I discovered that although my father was good at doing activities together, he was not very good at sharing his feelings with me or discussing topics that I considered meaningful or difficult. I adored him in spite of his flaws and was stunned in the spring of 1970 when my parents’ relationship crumbled and my mother asked him to move out of our home.
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