‘Where are you off to now?’ Dragonbit asked Rabbitfast in a very bored voice as he slowly swiped at a dragonfly fluttering nearby. He longed to hold it in his hand and study its delicate and beautiful wings.

‘Oh hurry, hurry!’ Rabbitfast paused, her breath pushing out rapidly, thinking she should have at least brought her inhaler. ‘I’ve an appointment with the Great Wise One! I need to update Him on this project that He has me on.’

‘Oh!’ EleEeyore moaned. ‘You mean that book?’

‘Book, yup. Stories too. And that article I meant to post last week! Oh! And I think a second book too! But I have such a hard time sitting still.’ She hopped forward a few steps. ‘Perhaps I have it all wrong. Hey, didn’t you also make an appointment for today, EleEeyore? If so, I believe you might be heading the wrong way down the trail!’

‘What is it with your kind?’ Dragonbit nodded at EleEeyore. ‘Seems to me you’re either lumbering the wrong way or hanging out in trees all the time.’

‘We don’t need to show our faces,’ EleEeyore sniffed. ‘Unlike some of you. I prefer to remain as unobvious as possible.’ She moved her great trunk to the side, peering at Rabbitfast. ‘Although I’m happy to carry you there, Rabbitfast.’

Rabbitfast blinked, knowing she could hop ten times faster. ‘Err- thanks for the offer. Ah well. It takes all kinds, indeed.’ She paused her hopping once more. ‘What about you, Dragonbit? Did you set up an appointment?’

Dragonbit sniffed, preferring to search out the next great insect beauty of the forest. ‘Appointment? Oh yes, I met with the Great Wise One last year. Spent quite a bit of time anyway…’

‘And? What did He tell you?’ EleEeyore rumbled and sat, shaking the forest floor.

Rabbitfast startled but Dragonbit didn’t even jump. He seemed in a stupor as he blinked and then crossed his claws on his chest. The dragonfly fluttered off. His face rearranged into a thoughtful expression. ‘Uh… teach. When I find these beautiful creatures, I am to teach them of their beauty. Their uniqueness. And of their Creator…’

‘And how is that going?’ EleEeyore heaved a sigh and flopped her trunk on the ground. Rabbitfast shot her a warning look and EleEeyore shrugged. ‘What? I’m just trying to help.’

‘Tragically interrupted,’ Dragonbit huffed. ‘No thanks to the two of you. And besides, who am I to tell them what they probably already know? I would probably scare them off.’ He moved into the forest, breaking limbs as he went.

‘I think he got distracted with the finding beauty part,’ EleEeyore sighed. ‘Hey, have you seen Unispoke? I haven’t seen him since he climbed up and yelled on the top of that big rock, informing some creatures of The Words.’

Rabbitfast grinned. ‘Sabbatical, maybe. Maybe we needed a break, too. Oh dear, now I must run. Good day, EleEeyore! Enjoy your nap.’ She turned and bolted into the forest, her large pocket watch clanking against her hip.

And across the clearing, ChickNana ran the other direction, squawking, ‘Pray? I’m supposed to pray? What in the world difference will that make?! I wanted to do something!’

In Matthew 25, we read of the Talent Parable and the three who received their gifts. It is interesting that this story resides in this area, because this entire chapter focuses on the End of Days. This is not just a story about using our gifts and talents, but a Parable of being especially chosen for this last season of Days and our responsibility within that.

The Parable And What It Says

One man (Rabbitfast), having received his talents and assignments, brought back more than what the Lord expected. With a go-getter attitude, a competitive personality, and possibly an overachiever bent (while still wanting to please His master), he invested those gifts and talents wisely, doubling the impact. And the Lord was very pleased.

The next man (EleEeyore) received ‘lesser’ talents, but for the sake of this story, we will call them what they really are: Quiet. The Lord states that He gave them each talents according to dynamis, which is translated as ‘ability’ but actually means ‘powerful/miracle.’ Yes, these people were capable, in the Lord’s power, of more than they thought possible. This man also quietly and humbly doubled his portion of his gifts. As we see, EleEeyore had helper gifts of mercy, service and likely hospitality—and used those to serve her friends.

Although certainly, she could have been more cheerful about it. :-)

And then we have the third (Dragonbit), who buried his gift, seemed insecure, and grew worried about what the other creatures might think. The third man said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So, I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

The word for ‘afraid’ (phobeomai) actually indicates that he was afraid, or reverent of the Lord, but in an improper way, as it can be an impediment. He basically said, ‘I know what you are capable of, Lord. I hid it away, nice and safe.’ Basically: You can do it on your own, Lord, and with your other servants. You do not need me. I am afraid. Besides, won’t it all happen as it is supposed to be, anyway? With or without me?

The Lord called him wicked, lazy and his actions worthless. ‘You knew of my power and my ability to use you, no matter what, and you hid what I gave you. You could have at least made a deposit, and my gift to you would have earned interest.’ And he gave those gifts instead to the ones who would multiply them.

What I Observe In His Parable

Let’s peek at the following observations:

• In verse 15, it says: ‘Then he went on his journey.’ Jesus, having given us our assignments, returned to Heaven.

• In verse 19: ‘After a long time, the Master returned to settle the accounts.’ This is a nod to our earthly-time. The Lord knows we feel—we’ve waited so long for Him to come, even though it has been just days to Him, but just as ALL of His promises have been kept, He is coming!

• To the first two men, He uses the words often heard in Heaven after arrival: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’

• He also says, ‘You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Yes, this is indicative of someone’s future Heaven-role if they are faithful with their gifts and talents here on earth.

• Verse 29 says, ‘For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance…’ He is ready and willing to provide overflowing abundance to those of us who use our gifts well here on earth.

• Yes, ‘investing’ in your gift can be scary and at times, seem off-track to what we thought we were supposed to do. We see a bevy of excuses, including: I’m too old; That’s not me; I’m not talented enough; Who me? A pray-er?; I don’t relish being on stage—or whatever.

But in these pivotal times, investing in your unique gifts isn’t just about personal fulfillment—it is a vital part of stewardship for a world in transition.

When the shadows of uncertainty grow long, our talents serve as lamps intended to illuminate the path for others.

Image by Hans Benn from Pixabay

Take the raw materials of your gifts, your compassion, your intellect, your life experience and your creativity and refine them through consistent, courageous action. By refusing to bury our potential in the soil of fear, doubt or distraction, we participate in a spiritual momentum where every small step of faithfulness attracts an abundance of clarity, strength and Kingdom Impact.

Please do not wait for ‘perfect conditions’ to contribute. Offer what you have now, trusting that your commitment to your purpose is the very thing that will anchor you and light the way for those around you when it matters most.

Don’t be a Dragonbit, no matter how cute he is.

Love, Jules

Your Heaven Reporter

Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning, burning, burning. Give me oil in my lamp, I pray. Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning, burning, burning. Keep me burning til the break of day! (Author of Song: A. Sevison)

P.S. Here is a recent Substack Live that and I did on fasting and praying. Feel free to share!

Echoes of Memory by Sally Cave

Live with Julie Bonn Blank, Heaven Blog and Sally Cave

Another great conversation with Julie, this time focusing on prayer and fasting. There is so much more to say about this topic, so watch this space. There may be a part two…

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6 days ago · 8 likes · 1 comment · Echoes of Memory by Sally Cave and Julie Bonn Blank, Heaven Blog

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The Living Compass

The image of the Lion doesn’t appear by accident—it is woven into the very geography of faith. In the Book of Ezekiel and again in Revelation, four living beings surround the throne of God: the Lion, the Ox, the Man, and the Eagle.

Centuries before John saw these in heaven, the tribes of Israel camped in this exact formation around the Tabernacle. The Tribe of Judah, bearing the standard of the Lion, stood at the front and always moved first. It was a living compass, an earthly shadow of a heavenly reality.

The Lion Personality: Authority at Rest

We associate lions with the hunt—the prowling, the pouncing, the violence. But the first time the Lion of Judah is mentioned in Genesis, the patriarch Jacob describes something counterintuitive:

“Judah is a lion’s cub… like a lion and lioness he crouches and lies down… Who dares to rouse him?” (Genesis 49:9 ESV)

This reveals the true ‘Lion personality.’ A lion is the only creature in the wild that can afford to sleep deeply in the open. He or she does not pace nervously or look frantic or desperate as they find a resting spot. They just plop down and rest. This is the image of leadership and unquestioned authority.

When we consider a lion as the apex predator, the absolute top of the food chain, we see a creature with no natural enemies, entirely secure in its dominion. In the same way, Christ answers to no higher authority. He rules a spiritual kingdom where His power is absolute and His sovereignty is unchallenged.

Earthly rulers sometimes scream to be heard or use force to validate their status. But the true King simply exists in His power.

When Jesus walked the earth, He didn’t need a crown to be a King. He spoke to the storms with the calm of a confident lion waking from a nap, and the waves obeyed. He possessed a “mussed,” untamed holiness that made religious leaders uneasy and the broken-hearted feel safe.

The Shadow and the Substance

Throughout the Old Testament, lion encounters served as prophetic echoes. When David rescued a lamb from a lion’s mouth, he was practicing for his role as the Shepherd-King who would protect God’s people. When Samson found honey inside the carcass of a lion, he proved that “out of the strong comes something sweet”—a hint that from the fierce victory of Christ would come the sweetness of eternal life.

Even the story of Daniel in the Lions’ Den serves as a parallel to the Resurrection. A righteous man, falsely accused, is sealed behind a stone in a pit of death, only to walk out untouched in the morning light. Daniel survived the lions, but Jesus is the Lion. He is the one who enters the den of death and shuts its mouth forever.

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

Here are some other ‘contradictions’:

The Apex Predator who is the Ultimate Protector

In the wild, the lion is a lethal force of nature. However, the male lion’s primary role in the pride is not actually hunting—it is guarding. He patrols the perimeter and absorbs the brunt of any attack to keep the cubs safe.

• The Christ Connection: While He has the power to destroy, He uses that apex strength to stand between the prowling enemy predator and us. The most dangerous Being in existence becomes our safest Refuge.

Lethal Weapons vs. Velvet Paws

A lion’s paw is a marvel of engineering: it contains claws that can disembowel an opponent, but those claws are retractable. A lion can strike with 100% of its force, or it can bat a cub with a velvet touch, keeping its weapons hidden to ensure it doesn’t harm what it loves.

• The Christ Connection: This is the definition of meekness (power under control). Jesus could have summoned legions of angels to destroy His accusers, but He retracted His claws. He possesses the ‘fur-osity’ to end a rebellion, yet He chooses to touch us with the softness of grace.

Solitary Majesty vs. The Heart of the Pride

Lions are the only truly social cats. While other top predators (like tigers or leopards) are loners, the lion lives in a family. He is a King, but not a hermit.

• The Christ Connection: God didn’t stay distant in His solitary majesty. He created a ‘pride’—the Church, His family—and chose to live in the middle of it. He is the High King who refuses to be a King without His people.

The ‘Lazy’ King vs. The Ever-Watchful Sovereign

Lions can spend up to 20 hours a day resting. To an observer, the lion looks lazy, but that rest is actually a display of total confidence. He isn’t worried about being hunted, so he doesn’t need to stay busy.

• The Christ Connection: This is Authority at rest. He isn’t a frantic God. He isn’t worried about the news or the state of the world. He sits on the throne with a calm—proof and in total trust of His complete victory.

The true Lion of Judah does not roar to scare His children. But I did recently learn that he roars to call us and also to declare His triumph.

The Roar of Command vs. The Purr of Intimacy

A lion’s roar can be heard up to five miles away; it is a sound designed to claim territory and shake the soul. Yet, that same lion uses gentle vocalizations—grunts and huffs—to communicate deep affection within the pride.

• The Christ Connection: He is the Voice that shatters the cedars of Lebanon, yet He is also the One who speaks in a still, small voice to the broken-hearted. He commands the cosmos, but whispers your name.

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My Lion of Judah Vision

Last week, I had a vision. It took me almost a week to work through it and decipher what He wanted me to share with you.

Here is the symbolism provided in my vision:

The live-wire hair and the Amish-style beard of the Father (who works alongside His people) paint a portrait of the Ancient of Days that is both primordial and pulsing with vitality—a rejection of a static, ‘statue-like deity’ in favor of a Creator who is the very Source of all energy. The specific structure of the beard highlights a patriarchal authority rooted in wisdom and humble work, while the mussed hair suggests a wild, abandoned beauty that refuses to be tamed by human expectations of order. In many biblical encounters with the Divine, God’s presence is associated with energy, fire, and light (the Burning Bush, the pillar of fire, the tongues of flame).

Within this encounter was a restoration of innocence, as my younger self appeared without the big hair or cultural markers of a specific era, glowing in the light of His gaze. In the presence of the Father, we are stripped of the masks and trends of the world and returned to our original design. He sees us in our purest, most joyful forms.

Most profound is the morphing of the Father into the Lion. This visual shift reveals that the Lion of Judah is not a mask God wears, but an overflow of His very nature. In Revelation, the Lion is revealed to be the Lamb. It’s the same message here. God’s ultimate omnipotence isn’t found in a show of force, but in the strength of His love and sacrifice.

When He roars, it isn’t a separate act—it is the Father expressing His heart through the Lion’s strength. The fact that His whiskers twitched with mirth indicates that God’s power is never disconnected from His joy. It is a wink to the believer that His roar is not a threat to His children, but a protective declaration and calling over His Pride/Family.

My lack of fear when faced with the powerful jaws and teeth of the Lion is a testament to a Spirit of Sonship—the deep and confident knowledge that the Apex Predator is my Father. While the rest of the world might see the roar as a sign of impending judgment and tremble, I laughed because I heard a shared secret, a joyful invitation to follow Him into the depths of a Kingdom where the Lion’s strength would serve as the ultimate refuge and we would never be apart again.

P.S. I wrote out my vision before finding pictures of lions. I had no idea that many lions have hazel-golden eyes. The one above was perfect.

A Lion’s Roar, A Father’s Wink

He does not pace a gilded cage,
Nor fret beneath the weight of years;
The Ancient One, from age to age,
In wild, abandoned grace appears.
His hair, a crown of living light,
Like wires of white and holy fire,
A face that puts the sun to flight,
The end of every soul’s desire.

The Apex King, the top of all,
With golden eyes of hazel depth,
Who hears the wounded sparrow fall
And gave the stars their rhythmic breath.
He wears a mane of silvered mist,
A longer cut than Jesus wore,
By thunder and by lightning kissed—
The Spirit’s "mad" and beautiful roar.

He retracts the claw to touch the child,
The Predator who protects the prey,
With 'fur-osity' both fierce and mild,
He drives the prowling thief away.
The mouth that shakes the mountain’s base
And makes the proudest kingdom blink,
Now twitches with a mirthful grace—
A Lion’s roar, a Father’s wink.

Please read this post from Randy Kay. It's entirety is at this link.

“I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” — Zechariah 12:3

'Notice what this verse does not say. It does not say some nations will injure themselves by opposing Jerusalem. It says all. Every nation that aligns against Israel in the last days injures itself. Not as a future possibility — as a present, ongoing, accumulating reality. The nations trying to ‘move’ Jerusalem — to resolve the Jewish question, to internationalize the city, to divide the land — are not just failing. They are being broken by the attempt...'
***

If you are wondering why Randy and I cannot shush, it is because we have both been to Heaven, and we have a testimony that God told us to share. To me, the Lord said, 'Don't just write it, speak it' (LOL. He knows me well.) And to Randy, He asked Him to hold the message in his heart for many years before giving him permission to speak it. Jesus told me that 'they' had reserved it 'for such a time as this.' 

Revelation 1:1- Testify all that you have seen.
Matthew 24:46- It will be good for those the Master finds studying when He arrives.
Revelation 6:9- For those who had been slain because of the Word of God and the testimony that they maintained.
Revelation 12:11 - And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony...
Matthew 24:14- And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Luke 21:12-15 (in the middle of listing the end days signs): Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom...

Do YOU have a story to tell? I am compiling more Heaven visions, NDE's and encounters for Book 2. Because God has given me a complete outline and direction for Book 2, I'm pretty sure that it will be published. I am not as confident (timing-wise!) about Book 3. Complete this form here, and please DO restack and/or pass on to others who might finally be feeling ready to share their story. 

Love, Jules
Your Heaven Reporter

(please ignore the internet freezing in the beginning. We had some warfare going on!)

Thomas and I had a great chat about the stories in ‘Routed to Heaven’ that touched Thomas deeply, including one on suicide victims, Jesus’ deep love for us, and also one about a three-year-old taken by angels after a car accident and healed on Jesus’ lap.

We chatted about our Lord’s requests of us in these Last Days, why I was told that my life has had multiple trials, Fears, Sticky Sin and confession and the importance of a Call of Prayer. Thomas shared a tender story of his brother’s death and about his own car accident that showed him God’s deep, deep love and twisted his life in a completely new direction.

God willing, my next post will be about the vision God gave me a couple of days ago regarding the Lion of Judah.

Thank you to everyone who tuned into our live video! Hope to see you at the next one too!

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The Bible does not describe Heaven as a vague cloudscape or a distant glow on the horizon. Instead, it gives us structure. Shape. Texture. Walls. Gates. Foundations. Streets. It is as if God wanted us to know that eternity is not an abstract dream but a prepared place, built with intention and meaning.

In Revelation, John sees a city with great, high walls made of jasper. Walls in our world often speak of fear or exclusion, but Heaven’s walls tell a different story. They are not built to keep the faithful in or to keep God out. They stand as a declaration that nothing unclean, cruel, or broken will ever cross that boundary again. The walls represent protection, holiness, and separation from anything impure (Revelation 21:27). It also shows that entry is purposeful and intentional.

The walls of Heaven are not barriers of suspicion but borders of safety. They say, “Here, nothing will hurt you anymore.” A great example of how SAFETY is part of His desire for us is found in Song of Songs 4:8, where He pens:

Heaven Built Upon Rocks

Beneath the walls of Heaven are twelve foundations, each decorated with precious stones and named after the apostles. The foundations are decorated with twelve precious stones, including: Jasper, Sapphire, Chalcedony, Emerald, Sardonyx, Carnelian, Chrysolite, Beryl, Topaz, Turquoise, Jacinth and Amethyst. The jewels suggest beauty, permanence, and divine craftsmanship.

Foundations are what hold everything steady. They are rarely seen, but everything depends on them. In Heaven, the very base of the city reminds us that our eternal home is built on the testimony of those who walked with Jesus, suffered for Him, and carried His message into the world. The jewels are not there merely for beauty. They are a reminder that what God builds is both strong and radiant. Truth is not dull. Faith is not gray. The foundation of Heaven glimmers.

The city itself is shaped like a perfect cube, equal in length, width, and height. This is the same shape as the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament temple, the place where God’s presence dwelled.

This message is truly simple, yet breathtaking: in eternity, the whole city is the Holy of Holies. There is no small room for God’s presence anymore. His glory fills everything. Heaven is not just where God lives but where we live with Him, if you know Him and love Him.

Heaven’s Gates & Highways

Around the city are twelve gates, each made from a single pearl. There are three gates on each side: East, North, South, and West.

The gates carry the names of the tribes of Israel, and angels stand watch beside them. Yet Scripture tells us something interesting: the gates will never shut. (Revelation 21:25) In earthly cities, gates close at night for protection. In Heaven, there is no night, no threat, no fear. The gates will remain open, a symbol of peace, welcome, and complete redemption.

What does this mean when those of us who have been there experienced a closed gate? Well, note the verse says they will be open. Our Lord constructs barriers as needed. In my case, He popped down two kaleidoscope panels that were quite distracting in their beauty and the pictures they created. Other visitors describe a cloud in the way, or a wall or barrier. But it sounds like once we are all there inside and safe, those gates will remain open.

Let’s talk about pearls. A pearl is formed through suffering, created when an oyster covers an irritant with layer after layer of beauty. The entrance to Heaven is a reminder that redemption often grows out of pain, and that Christ’s suffering opened the way.

Inside the city runs great streets of pure gold, clear as glass. Gold on earth is hoarded, guarded, locked in vaults. In Heaven, it lies beneath our feet. What humanity prized most becomes pavement in the presence of God. The things we chase here are not the treasures that last.

Many visitors to Heaven who returned to us saw not just clear streets, but clear mansions, as clear gold is the most pure gold of all.

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River of the Water of Life & Water, Water, Water

Down the center of that golden street flows the river of the water of life, bright and clear, coming from the throne of God and the Lamb. Many accounts of visitors talk about the water—not just rivers but lakes. I am looking forward to receiving Gabe Poirot’s Book (he also endorsed 'Routed to Heaven’) because he saw great waves, which made me so happy to hear! I’m a beach gal! For those of you who feel the scriptures say that there is no sea, it appears that many theologians agree that this is not about a body of water, but more how they saw the sea in the first century—a living force of chaos.

The River of Life: Revelation 22:1 explicitly mentions a “pure river of water of life” flowing from the throne of God.

The Sea of Glass: Revelation 4:6 describes a “sea of glass, clear as crystal” before the throne. This is not a raging ocean, but a calm, tranquil, solidified body of water, indicating total peace.

Perfected Nature: The “new earth” will likely have water that is perfect, safe, and beautiful, without the capacity to harm, destroy, or separate. 1

Many accounts now indicate that baptisms occur in that Water of the River of Life. In addition, people happily swim and splash, and can breathe while underwater. What fun!

Tree of Life

On either side of the River (which is miles long, btw) grows the tree of life, bearing fruit in every season. This indicates the restoration of Eden, not as a fragile garden that can be lost, but as a thriving, eternal reality. Life flows freely. Nothing withers. Nothing dies. Not even the blades of soft, velvet grass.

The Messages For Us

Every part of Heaven’s design carries a message. The walls say, “You are safe.”
The foundations say, “You are held by truth.”
The gates say, “You are welcome.”
The streets say, “What you valued on earth is not your true treasure.”
The river says, “Life flows from God alone.”
The trees say, “What was lost has been restored.”

Heaven is not just beautiful architecture. It is theology in stone, gold, and light. It is a city that preaches without words, where every surface tells the story of redemption.

The architecture of Heaven is the architecture of hope. A place where safety replaces fear. Where permanence replaces uncertainty. Where beauty replaces sorrow.

And where God Himself becomes the center of everything.

Last Days Message For Writers

This is from my friend . I have known her (in person) for many years and she attends my home church on the coast. She is a deep pray-er and walks very close to Him. Yes, I trust her words (He has revealed something similar to me, more on that later) and I thought that it might encourage you too.

This morning as I awoke, I had a picture in my mind: a vision for Christian Writers
I was at a large gathering in an auditorium.
Jesus appeared on the stage. Everything else blurred from view. He had a loving smile on His face.
We all fell on our faces.
He said:

We enjoyed talking about Heaven this morning! If you couldn’t join us, I hope you can watch it here and find it helpful. <3

We spoke about Sally’s view of ‘Routed to Heaven,’ from what she says is her first reading (LOL), some of her story (what she got to see in Heaven and what Jesus did), what’s next, the presence of the Holy Spirit “woo-woo,” the main message Julie brought back, your true value in Him and much more.

Thank you , , , and many others for tuning into my live video with !

FYI the ‘Routed’ ebook will be free on Amazon all day tomorrow. Please let your friends and family know.

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(Enjoy this condensed version of Jennie’s story from Routed to Heaven: How Near-Death Experiences, Afterlife Testimonies And Heavenly Insights Can Help You Live With Intention)

While visiting my youngest daughter at her ranch, I sat around a campfire with family. At one point I stood up, saying, “I’ll be right back.” But as soon as I rose, I collapsed like a timbered tree and began seizing. It happened so fast I didn’t even try to catch myself.

I struck the rocky ground and fractured both my skull and neck. Family members performed CPR while waiting for help. I was airlifted to a major hospital in Phoenix and rushed into surgery for a traumatic brain injury and neck damage. A local preacher came and prayed over me, telling my family she saw angels around me and that I would not die that night.

But I wasn’t really there.

Jesus took my hand and lifted me from the bed. Though I had always believed in God, I had struggled with organized religion. He wore a white robe, and His blue-green eyes were full of light. His presence felt warm, powerful, and comforting.

“I’m sorry, Jennie,” He said, and showed me scenes of the present—my daughter telling the children about my accident, my mother with Alzheimer’s, my sister, and my husband surrounded by others. I felt peace knowing he was not alone.

Then Jesus showed me the future—wildfires, floods, civil unrest, trafficking, and people turning against one another.

“All these things must happen before my return,” He said. “But if you keep the faith and carry on, you will be just fine.” He repeated that my faith would be my greatest defense.

At last, He returned me to my body and told me He was coming soon.

I woke up intubated, though I was not expected to survive and had a DNR on file. With my arms restrained, I asked for my phone and typed, “Get this out of my throat now. God’s coming. I met Jesus!”

Routed to Heaven Topics

What if Heaven speaks—and your heart was made to hear? True stories. Real encounters. Lasting impact. More than stories—a summons to eternal purpose.

Routed to Heaven is now available in Paperback, Hardcover and Ebook versions. Audio will be recorded soon. The Companion Study Guide will be published at the end of March or before and you can pre-order it now.

Check it out

In Routed to Heaven, in addition to the true stories of Heavenly Happenstance, we cover the following topics:

Fundamental Foundation:
How He Speaks – Magnetic Microphone
Your Value & Purpose – Priceless Purpose
Spiritual Warfare – Clashing Combat

List of Blocks/Potential Strongholds or Idols:
1.	Guilt – Third Strike Sins
2.	Tribulations – Course (De) Construction
3.	Fear – The Terror Tunnel
4.	Waiting – Divine Delays
5.	Mental Health – Boxed Brain Barriers
6.	Dreams – Devoted Desires
7.	Wounds – Abiding Apologies
8.	Disobedience – Steady Say-So
9.	Grief – Cement Chasms
10.	Strongholds – Misaligned Malice

List of Tools to Use:
1.	Knowledge – Learning Lab
2.	Prayer – Profound Petition
3.	Pre-Praise – Please & Praise
4.	Love – Abundant Agape
5.	Thankfulness – Final Fun
6.	Service – Jesus Joy
7.	Belief – Hermetic Hold
8.	Restoration – Radical Refurbishing
9.	Worship & Praise – Amazing Acclaim
10.	Holy Spirit – Unexpected Utility

Here are some of the messages I’ve been receiving about my Lord’s book from you all:

“I just started Routed today. I am going to take it slow and do the work because I can already tell it will be a big part of my spiritual healing.” -Beth

“It reminds me of Chicken Soup For The Soul. Your book is a such a gem!” -J.H.

“So good, Julie! I love how you made the book personal and interactive. Awesome!” -R.S.

“Currently reading Julie Bonn Blank’s new book, testimonies about remarkable visits to heaven. I love how Julie addresses our doubts and uses these stories to encourage us toward our main Mission Manifesto for Christ! Thank you, Julie! (And I love how your personality comes through in this book as well!) -Jen N

…So, when I found out Julie Bonn Blank—someone who has also died, gone to Heaven, and been sent back—was writing a book like this, with many Heaven experiences, I knew I had to have it. And it did not disappoint…Some of the stories really hit me in the gut, but I’m grateful they had the courage to tell them…In Julie’s book we get to see how God uses our pain for good, how He rescues us time and time again from the world and from ourselves. And how He sends so many back because they’re still needed here to fulfill a purpose. It leaves no doubt in my mind that every single one of us who are still here has a purpose to fulfill. -Jessica Redmerski

‘Routed to Heaven’ is a truly powerful and moving collection that paints a vivid picture of what heaven is like. Julie Bonn Blank shares her extraordinary encounter with Jesus with humility and sincerity, and her story leaves a lasting impression on the heart. This is not only a meaningful book, but also a great read. It draws you in, holds your attention, and leaves you changed. I highly recommend ‘Routed to Heaven’ to anyone who desires a deeper awareness of heaven and a renewed sense of purpose here on earth. -Lea Peters

Awww. Thank you, friends, for seeing my heart, loving the book, and helping to get the word out.

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I was eighteen and already exhausted by living.

Faith was supposed to make things better. That’s what everyone said. Christians weren’t meant to fall apart. They weren’t supposed to sink into despair. But here I was—betrayed, silenced, and abandoned by the very people who should have protected me.

God, where were You when it happened?

Where are You now that everyone has turned against me?

Do You even see me anymore?

If family couldn’t be trusted—and God hadn’t stopped it—who could?

I didn’t feel dramatic when the thought came. I felt calm. Numb. Certain. If I was ruined, if I was no longer worth defending, then maybe there was only one way to end the ache.

So I walked.

(Note: This story discusses a suicide attempt.)

Image by Christoph Partsch from Pixabay

The coast was raw and unforgiving, a stretch of cold sand and angry water beneath a sky the color of bruises. Rain stung my face. Wind hurled grit against my skin. Waves crashed and retreated, endless and gray. I kept walking, waiting for peace to find me.

It didn’t.

Not in the storm. Not in the empty shoreline. Not in the bare dorm room I’d left behind.

So I turned toward the sea.

The waves rushed forward, foaming and dark. All it took was a change in direction. One step away from the hard-packed sand. One step toward the water that would wash everything away.

I breathed in. And tried to move.

But my feet wouldn’t budge.

I pushed again. Nothing.

Fear flared. Then anger. I shoved hard against whatever held me back, but the force was unyielding, solid as stone.

“No!” I whispered, fighting it.

That was when I felt it.

A hand—warm, steady, unmistakably real—pressed against my chest.

I could feel every finger. The heel of the palm. The strength behind it. My body was soaked and shaking from the cold, but that touch was alive with warmth.

There was no one else on the beach. Not a single soul for miles.

And yet I was not alone.

The struggle drained out of me. Slowly, I leaned into that unseen presence, letting it hold me upright while the storm roared around us.

It stayed just long enough.

When it faded, it left something behind—a broken heart made soft again. A peace I hadn’t known was still possible. A quiet, steady hope.

Tears came, not of despair this time, but of release.

I turned away from the waves.

The first step back felt impossible. Then it happened anyway.

The road ahead was not easy. Healing never is. There were setbacks and long nights and hard truths. But I walked it knowing I had not been abandoned on that beach.

Someone once asked me if it was an angel—or Jesus Himself.

I don’t pretend to know.

I only know this: Love stepped in when I could no longer stand on my own.

by Julie and Laisa. Thank you, Laisa, for sharing your angel story!

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(Lindsay visited her son in Heaven not once, but twice. Her full story is featured in Routed to Heaven: How Near-Death Experiences, Afterlife Testimonies And Heavenly Insights Can Help You Live With Intention)

After multiple miscarriages, a struggling marriage, and the loss of my grandmother, my heart was already fragile. Then I lost my four-year-old son, Jordan.

Life didn’t just fall apart—it collapsed. And it never really recovered.

I had been raised in church and had always walked closely with God. But when Jordan died, I turned away. I could survive many things, but not that.

While pregnant, a routine ultrasound went quiet. A second technician was called. Finally, the doctor explained Jordan had Truncus Arteriosus—a rare heart defect that would require immediate open-heart surgery. Only one surgeon in the state could operate.

“I need to close the nursery,” I whispered when I got home. I knew my baby might not live.

Jordan did survive that surgery and several others. At one point, we spent two months at a Ronald McDonald House while he recovered, tubes feeding him because his heart couldn’t handle the strain of eating.

When we finally came home, my husband left us. I became a single mother to a medically fragile child and his big sister, Emma.

But Jordan was joy. Sweet, affectionate, glowing with a laugh that filled rooms. Sometimes I wondered if Heaven had slipped a piece of itself into him.

At four years old, after his seventh surgery, he was finally allowed normal activity. One afternoon he jumped on the trampoline, ate dinner, and danced to Lion King songs. Then he suddenly became sick.

In the bathtub, he began vomiting and growing weak. His eyes wouldn’t focus. Something was terribly wrong. I carried him to the couch and told Emma to call 911.

The EMTs rushed him to the ambulance. His heart rate dropped. CPR began.

“Stay with me,” I begged. “I love you.”

Then they told me his heart had stopped.

At the hospital they worked on him, then stopped. Jordan was gone. Later I learned an undetected infection from surgery had taken him.

I was destroyed. I raged at God. I drank. I stopped caring for myself. My house mirrored my grief.

I Went To Prayer

But one day, something shifted. I started praying for hours at a time. I prayed—really prayed—for peace, for truth, for a sign that Jordan was okay.

A week later, I was given one.

In a vivid dream, I found myself in a beautiful neighborhood filled with joy and music. The sky glowed. The grass shimmered. Two men approached me.

“Would you like to meet my son?” one asked.

Then Jordan ran toward me—healthy, laughing, glowing. I held him. We spun. We walked hand in hand. He was whole.

Eventually the man told Jordan it was time to go inside. I panicked—but the door opened again and Jordan returned, older now, calling, “Mommy!”

We sat together. He smelled clean and fresh. He was vibrant, not tired or sick.

Then we moved toward a ladder rising into light. I handed Jordan to the tall man at the top. Jordan laughed as he climbed and ran joyfully into the crowd above.

And then I woke up—crying tears of joy.

“Thank you, God,” I whispered. “I just needed to know he was safe.”

And now I do.

-Lindsay Wessinger

More of Lindsay’s story is included in the book, Routed to Heaven, along with over twenty additional stories of Heaven and Heavenly Encounters.

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Dear Jesus, once a gentleman posted a comment here saying I had not traveled to Heaven because You say no one can see Your face and live. I chose to not parley because I hadn’t seen Your face anyway.

But then, when I traveled there a second time, I did!

My painting of You is on its way to me in the mail! Woot!

I’ve interviewed several who have seen Your face. Some argue with the concept in that verse, saying that they saw Your face, not the Heavenly Father’s, and many were unable to see Your features, or Your Father’s features, clearly. Certain features remained blurred, veiled, or brightly lit, making them hard to decipher.

I know that when I saw You in a conference room when I was teaching an abuse recovery group several months ago, I viewed Your hands clearly, but not the rest of you.

Here on earth, You shielded me.

To be fair, I had not yet returned to Heaven for a second time. But when I did, I looked fully into your beautiful ocean-deep eyes with glowing/flaming pupils.

And boy was I Holy-stunned, starstruck, Godsmacked and joy-soaked.

What Does The Bible Say?

Scripture teaches that no one can see God’s full, unveiled presence and live. The Father tells Moses plainly, “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (Exodus 33:20). This theme also appears elsewhere: “No one has ever seen God” (John 1:18), and God “lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see” (1 Timothy 6:16).

But this isn’t about You concealing Himself—it’s about the reality that Your holiness and glory overwhelm fallen humanity. To put it simply, You are more than we humans can bear.

The Bible records people who do see God and live.

• Jacob declares, “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared” (Genesis 32:30).

• Moses and the elders of Israel see God and survive (Exodus 24:9–11).

• Isaiah sees the Lord in His temple and lives after atonement (Isaiah 6:1–7).

These encounters show that while Your/God’s whole essence is unseeable, You can reveal Yourself in ways that humans can endure—through visions, manifestations of glory, or divine mediation.

And manifestation is ultimately fulfilled with a “reduced” version of You when You came to earth. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14), and Jesus says, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

Since Your unfiltered glory is too much for fallen humanity to endure, then You were glory mercifully veiled. You did not cease to be God. You chose to clothe divine radiance in human flesh, translating holiness into a form we could approach without being undone. Power was restrained by love, majesty softened into touch, story, hours of companion-walking, and shared meals. The infinite did not withdraw but drew near—revealing not less glory, but glory expressed at a human scale, so that we might see, hear, and live. You did not diminish your holiness but clothed it in mercy for us.

And doesn’t it make sense that You also do that now—just as You always have?

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Surviving Our Lord’s Face

People survive these encounters not because they are capable, but because You chose to reveal Yourself with grace.

Dean Braxton, at the Heaven Encounters Conference in San Diego last October, who was privy to the Throne Room when he visited Heaven, said it the best. “Yes. I saw Him. But no one, NO ONE, can see the FULL glory of God. We cannot and will not see that until we are interacting with Him forever, face to face.”

When Richard Sigmund visited Heaven (he is now there for good), he not only had an extensive tour of things I’ve never heard of before, but also spent time in the Throne Room.

• “There were waves of liquid love coming out of God. The fragrance would choke you here on earth…”

• “I noticed that people in Heaven didn’t necessarily get to see God right away. Sometimes, they had to wait for a long time. I think they have to be there a while to be able to withstand being in His presence.”

• “While I was in the glory cloud, I was not allowed to look very far. When I would try to lift my head, something would push it back down. It was not as if I could see God clearly—I couldn’t—but I could tell there was a Being on the Throne. I never saw God plainly, except for one of His feet. His foot seemed the size of the United States and His toe the size of Tennessee…” 1

The Bible does point to a day when this limitation is removed entirely: “They will see his face” (Revelation 22:4).

Until then, Scripture holds both truths together—You are too holy to be seen fully, yet loving enough to make Yourself known. And those of us who have caught a glimpse also have yet to see Your full glory.

Dear Jesus, I can’t wait to see and experience You fully!

Love, Julie (Your Heaven Reporter)

P.S.

I’m thrilled to share that Routed to Heaven is almost here! The Companion Study Guide is coming too. I know you’ll love these books.

I’m incredibly grateful to the authors who shared some of their powerful stories.

Thank you Pam Farrel, , Kelly Fritz, B.B. Brighton, Jason Cotter, Jeff Schmidt, Kevin Conner, Kim Robinson, LeaAnn Neilsen Sweeney, Karen G., Jenna Rose, Laura M., Andresen, Claudia Martin, Rhema Whitlow, Michele Weisman, Jennie Ersari, , , Holly Kingensmith, Lindsay Wessinger and Patti Tasa! And my undying thanks to , for an incredible Foreword/Intro.

📖 Ebooks: Preorder now on Amazon at a special launch price
⬇️ Download date: 2/10

🖨️ Paperbacks Available:
• Routed to Heaven: 2/10
• Study Guide: 2/28

⭐ If you do read it and LOVE IT—please leave a review. They make a huge difference.

📣 Want to help? I’m still welcoming a few people to the launch team. Even sharing one graphic or emailing friends helps more than you know.

A sample of the graphics are below, and more are available in my Google Drive folder (request access if needed).

Thank you so much for being part of this journey. 💛 YOU GUYS ROCK, and I am so grateful for you!!!!!

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Other posts in this series:

• I love reading stories of transformed lives by encounters with Jesus.

• Because you’re awesome and I feel this is a book the world needs.

• I have been super interested in hearing about near-death experiences lately, and love that you are a friend and sister of the Lord of mine, and not only had these experiences, but wrote a whole book about them! Excited to read it! I had a heavenly experience when I was 7, although never named it NDE as I was not having health issues, nor "died" then. It was in the middle of the night in my bedroom when I experienced what many who have had NDE felt … I hope I can be part of your book launch team :)

• Want to support your book launch! I have had my own experience of going to heaven, and I love the author of this book.

• I want to support Julie and share this reality with whomever will listen.

• Love the topic and the author!

• I know Julie and her writing and it’s powerful and uplifting.

• I would love to read one of Julie’s books. 😊

• People need to be reminded in these difficult/sometimes very dark times of the hope we have of being with Jesus forever and what it will be like. I believe shared NDEs provide this in a unique way.

• To help you!

• I know Jesus is coming soon and want to help others believe that He is King before it’s too late!

What’s a Launch Team?

A launch team simply helps get the word out about the book. I will send you a freebie copy (only paperback and ebook will be available at first) and will ask you to read and review it on a few sites, IF you loved it. :-) You can also post about it here on Substack in a post or notes, or consider having me guest post on your blog with one of the stories or a Heaven topic.

I will share graphics with you, and you will earn points by sharing those and completing a few tasks. Of course, you will have my eternal thanks, and “top fans” will receive the extra gift of a gift card! Or more books (if you prefer!)

I have only ten slots open now, but I would love it if some of my friends here on the Stack would consider coming aboard. There are also some friends here who have a story in the book - YAY! Thank you, friends!

Express Interest Here.

I’ve recently realized the futility of this because Heaven is still being built.

I’m reading a brand-new Heaven experience book published in October and loving it. It is called “I’ve Been to Heaven” by Steve and Kathy Boyls. An angel named Marzuka, who toured Steve around Heaven, says: “There are many wonderful things to see here, and it will take an eternity to see them all. The Lord continues to create in Heaven, and it’s amazing to see His creation.” 1

Isaiah 40:22 just might agree with this. “He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.” Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2–3), while Hebrews describes God as the “architect and builder” of a heavenly city (Hebrews 11:10).

Isaiah speaks of God’s future work in “creating new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17), and John sees the New Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven… prepared as a bride” (Revelation 21:2). And least you say “well that’s the new Heaven,” as I did, remember that this action will create a change in the current Heaven since it is indeed a physical place.

Alongside this, creation itself is still moving toward completion, “groaning as in the pains of childbirth” (Romans 8:19–22), and believers are being transformed with “ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Together, these passages suggest a Heaven that is not static, but lovingly prepared and revealed as God’s redemptive plan unfolds.

Several friends who have visited Heaven also saw New Jerusalem (still in preparation) in the center of Heaven, including B.W. Melvin and Randy Kay. 2

So now that we largely suspect that the current Heaven is still developing and expanding, let’s review what the scriptures say about Heaven’s physical features.

What Does He Say For Sure?

Drawing from Revelation 4:1–3; Revelation 22:1–5; John 14:2–3; 1 Corinthians 2:9; and Revelation 21:1–4, 10–27, Scripture offers breathtaking glimpses of Heaven and the world to come. John describes Heaven opened, revealing a throne with One seated upon it—radiant like jasper and ruby (green and red?!), encircled by a rainbow shimmering like emerald.

From this throne flows the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, with the Tree of Life growing on both sides, bearing twelve kinds of fruit. In Heaven, there is no night, no need for sun or a lamp, for the Lord God Himself is the light, with an extra-brilliant shine.

Jesus assures us that this heavenly home is not small or scarce, but filled with many prepared dwelling places, lovingly made for those who will be with Him. And even with these images, we are reminded that Heaven exceeds our imagination—what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived is what God has assembled and is still preparing.

Final Heaven

The Bible also gives us a vision of the final Heaven built on earth—the New Jerusalem. This Heaven that will never be challenged by evil, for the original one who chose evil will (finally) be no more.

John sees a new Heaven and a new earth, and the Holy City coming down from God, shining with His glory like a priceless jewel, clear as crystal.

God Himself will dwell with His people there, wiping away every tear, ending death, mourning, crying, and pain forever. There will be no temple, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. There will be no sun or moon, because God’s glory is its light. Nothing impure will enter—only what belongs to Him.

Heaven, both now and in its final fullness, is radiant, alive, prepared—and overflowing with the presence of God. Yay!

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Scope and Dimensions

We read about the completed measurements and dimensions of the Final Heaven as shown in Revelation 21:15-17:

2.25 Million Square Miles of Heaven!

The Final Heaven will be 12,000 stadia in length, width, and height. This describes a perfect cube.

A stadion (plural stadia) is an ancient measure that scholars typically equate to roughly 185 meters (607 feet), making 12,000 stadia around 1,400–1,500 miles on each side. That’s a massive cube — roughly 2.25 million square miles of surface area, and with height included, a staggering volume.

144 cubits thick walls: Cubits were ancient units of length (based on the forearm), and while the exact modern equivalent varies, this description underscores strength and completeness in armish-symbolic terms.

***

SO what did Julie just do? Attempt to tell you some of the physicality of Heaven anyway! Of course. Tamp this gal down. LOL.

Coming Soon in This New Series:

• Heaven’s Walls, Gates and Streets

• Foundations and Materials He Used and Still Uses

• Welcoming Meadow and Welcoming Building

• Bodies of Water

• Houses, Meeting Areas, Throne Room

• Heaven as Country/Heaven as City/Heaven as Forest/Heaven as Mountains

• Heaven as Up & Above, vs. over, under or across

• Beauty and Aesthetics

• More!

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Other Opinions On Those Biblical Texts

1. This measurement is of the New Jerusalem, a heavenly city — not necessarily the total “size of heaven.” The Bible doesn’t describe the full extent of heaven (God’s dwelling place beyond space and time) in terms of dimensions.

Well, if that’s the case, Heaven will be even bigger.

2. The dimensions may be symbolic. Many theologians understand these numbers (such as 12,000 and 144) as symbolic of completeness and perfection in Scripture (12 tribes, 12 apostles, etc.), rather than as literal measurements in earthly units.

I disagree, as I learned since visiting Heaven to read the scriptures very literally and not to just assume it is symbolic when we don’t understand something. Cop out!

3. “Heaven” in the Bible is often poetic or metaphorical. Other passages talk about the vastness of heaven or God’s throne being above all creation (example: God’s dwelling cannot be contained by the highest heaven — Isaiah 66:1; also implied in Revelation 7:9’s innumerable multitude). Scripture frequently emphasizes Heaven’s greatness, but only Revelation gives specific city dimensions.

Plus, re-read #2.

COMING SOON:

1. “Routed to Heaven” plus a Study Guide will soon be available for preorder on Amazon. Release dates: Feb 10 (in time for Valentine’s) and Feb 28.

2. Another “Jesus, I Still Have Questions” post.

3. Paid Post for my Invested Subscribers with a special gift!

Links are affiliate and toss a few pennies to my Heaven Research Addiction. All scripture is provided courtesy of the NIV.

The Nativity itself became a sermon.

BARN - He began with a barn, a place meant for animals, not infants. Luke records that Mary “gave birth to her firstborn, a son… and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them” (Luke 2:7, NIV). The stable spoke to ordinary people everywhere: God is not intimidated by our mess. Heaven was willing to arrive in a place the world would overlook.

Image by Arnie Bragg from Pixabay

ANGELS - Then there were the angels, bursting into the darkness with glory. “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God” (Luke 2:13, NIV). They declared what human eyes could not yet see—that this child was Savior and Lord. God came humbly, yet His glory remained unmistakable.

MY FAVE DONKEY - Nearby stood the donkey, faithful, loyal, willing to carry weight, and unassuming. Scripture often associates donkeys with peaceful kingship rather than conquest: “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9, NIV). Long before Jesus rode one into Jerusalem, the donkey quietly testified to God’s preference for humility, loyalty, and endurance. The donkey also tends to protect the areas where it is placed.

MANGER - The manger, a feeding trough, became a resting place for the Bread of Life. Jesus would later say, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry” (John 6:35, NIV). What once held animal feed now held Heaven’s provision for the world.

STAR - Above them all shone the star, speaking not to Israel’s kings but to foreign seekers. “We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2, NIV). God used creation itself to invite those willing to follow light without certainty, reminding us that “the heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1, NIV).

BABY - Even Jesus as an infant preached a message. Paul later captured the meaning of that moment: “He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:7, NIV). Divine power arrived wrapped in vulnerability.

Salvation began small.

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SHEEP - The sheep surrounding the newborn Lamb spoke silently of what was to come. John would one day proclaim, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NIV). From His first night, Jesus was surrounded by symbols of sacrifice.

DARK - YES! He shone victory over the dark. The angels announced good news to shepherds who were “living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night” (Luke 2:8, NIV). God did not wait for daylight. Was this on purpose? I think so. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5, NIV). Only the night would work for His Star to be born.

SHEPHERDS - The shepherds themselves carried a message. Considered unclean and unimportant, they were the first to hear and the first to tell. “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them” (Luke 2:17, NIV).

God entrusted His announcement to the overlooked and underserved.

BIRTH TOWN - How often are we asked our place of birth? Yes, it is a way of identification. But even the location spoke. Bethlehem—small and easily missed—had been named generations earlier: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel” (Micah 5:2, NIV).

God delights in bringing greatness from unlikely places. And for the rest of time, Jesus might also have been asked: “Where were you born?”

SILENCE - Perhaps the loudest voice of all was silence. Mary treasured and pondered these things in her heart (Luke 2:19, NIV). Joseph obeyed without recorded words. God spoke through trust, reminding us that “blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her” (Luke 1:45, NIV).

The Nativity reminds us that God still speaks—through ordinary spaces, unexpected messengers, and quiet faithfulness.

If we miss Him, it may not be because He is silent, but because we are listening for the wrong voice.

This Christmas, may we listen again—not for thunder, but for whispers.

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Q6 - Dear Jesus, do you open “windows” to earth from Heaven?

Does my brother see special events like his kid’s graduations? And weddings?

I used to cling to the idea that Heaven has windows—that now and then, our loved ones lean close and catch a glimpse of our lives. Many Christian writers have painted that picture, and for a long time, it soothed my heart.

But then I read a testimony from someone who spent time in Heaven, someone I trust, and their experience surprised me: in that holy place, he learned that God prevents us from seeing the earth to gently guard His people from the pain of earthly sorrow.

Image by Drajt from Pixabay

Randy Alcorn, the author of the big “Heaven” book, says there are many scriptural examples of Heaven’s awareness of happenings on Earth. He answers a questioner’s lament about a mother in Heaven with: “She lives in a place where joy is the air she breathes, and nothing she sees on earth can diminish her joy. Her joy doesn’t depend on ignorance, but perspective, drawn from the Christ in whose presence she lives.” 1

Unbury the Deeply Dead

After Saul called Samuel up from the grave, and God honored that request (I know, WEIRD!), Samuel expressed a knowledge of earthly events.

Is it possible that You imparted this knowledge to Samuel before he arrived as a spirit? Of course. However, this is not the only scripture suggesting that people in Heaven remain aware of earthly events. Check out this list of some:

• Heaven’s Happy Dance Department - “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10) This concept is repeated three times in the Bible. Heaven throws a party every time someone comes home. Confetti completely imagined, but perhaps not!

• The Ultimate “Case Closed” Celebration - “After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: ‘Hallelujah! … He has condemned the great prostitute…’” (Revelation 19:1-2). The heavenly multitude roars as God brings justice to the world’s darkest corruptions.

• Moses & Elijah Make a Glorious Cameo - “As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.” (Luke 9: 29-31) Imagine Moses and Elijah, backlit, glowing, and apparently great conversationalists, despite Moses’s speech struggles on earth.

• The Great Chasm & the Not-So-Great News - “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

  “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’” (Luke 16: 23-26) Whoa, baby. Breaking News: Bridge Closed Forever. No cross-traffic allowed between destinations.

Several Near-Death and Heaven testimonies indicate that people in Heaven are very aware of the prayers that come from Earth. Some viewed them as rays of light, and others saw the people on earth praying for them. People and angels in Heaven seem to know specifically what those prayers are about. 2

Heaven Rejoices, Laments, and Intercedes

The Bible shows us moments when Heaven rejoices, laments, and even intercedes as God continues His work among us.

Hebrews describes the believers who have gone before us as a “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). This paints a picture of God’s people cheering us on as we run the race set before us—witnesses who have already crossed the finish line but remain deeply invested in the outcome of God’s story. They are not distant or indifferent. They are part of the same kingdom and the same glory, just ahead of us. And they are observing.

We also see Heaven lamenting or aching with the brokenness on Earth. In Revelation, the martyrs cry out, “How long, Sovereign Lord… until You judge the inhabitants of the earth?” (Revelation 6:9–11). They are aware that injustice remains unfinished, that evil still runs its course. Their longing is part of Heaven’s worship—a yearning for God to complete what He has begun.

And when God finally brings judgment, Heaven responds again. “Rejoice over her, you heavens! Rejoice, you people of God!” (Revelation 18:20). The saints are invited to celebrate God’s justice being carried out on Earth. Later, John hears the great multitude erupt in praise: “Hallelujah! … He has condemned the great prostitute…” (Revelation 19:1–2) as mentioned above. Their worship is directly tied to something God has just completed in earthly history.

Glimpses From Heaven

All of these glimpses tell us something beautiful and hopeful: Heaven is not disconnected from Earth. Our story, our repentance, our faithfulness, our tears, and our victories matter to God—and they matter to those in Heaven.

There is mystery here, yes. We are not told that those in Heaven see everything, nor that their experience is clouded by sorrow. God wipes away every tear (Revelation 21:4), so whatever awareness they have is held within perfect peace, trust, and joy. But Scripture clearly shows that Heaven does respond to God’s unfolding work on Earth. And as we discussed in an earlier post, emotion IS shown in this first Heaven.

Image by amurca from Pixabay

Dear Jesus, I see that Heaven does not watch us like spectators, but as teammates. We are all part of the same holy story, the same Kingdom, the same redemption. Heaven rejoices when God’s mercy breaks through. Heaven longs for justice to be complete. Heaven worships as God brings all things into fullness.

My Observations:

1. We do not fight alone and faithfulness echoes upward.

2. Repentance brings celebration.

3. Prayers align with the longings of Heaven.

4. Prayers there align with the longings of some on Earth.

5. The saints who have gone before us are alive, aware, and part of the same victorious story God is writing in and through His people.

Jesus, I believe that You tie Heaven and Earth together in perfect love. And I am so grateful that You are in charge, not me.

Q7 - Dear Jesus, do you still love Satan?

My Jesus, in the most significant rebellion ever, Lucifer mastered a self-glorification session and led a break-out-of-Heaven-free revolt—convincing hundreds of angels to follow him.

How Your heart must have hurt!

Anytime our children turn away from You, it is painful. But this time, You knew there was no turning back, right? Was it too painful to write a full account in the scriptures? Perhaps it would have glorified Lucifer to do so? I don’t know, but with Your guidance, I write the story for You below.

A Special Fallen Angel - More Gifted, Gorgeous & Talented Than All (Think Hercules)

Before the foundations of the world were laid, when only glory filled the expanse of heaven and earth, God moved among His children, delighted with them. Among the crowd, one shone brighter than the rest—radiant in beauty, flawless in wisdom, entrusted with honor that reflected the Lord’s own light. He was the “bright morning star,” crafted with care, every precious gift set with perfect placement, every role administered as a love-present.

He wore, or was embedded with, the most precious stones - including carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl, with settings and mounts made of gold, made for him on the day he was created. (Ezekiel 28:12–17)

My Lord rejoiced over him, for He had made him good, and the angel’s worship soared with excellence in God’s presence. This angel maintained leadership skills, organizational gifts, scrutiny, power, charm, smooth speech and intelligence. He was quick-thinking and was created with one word in mind—perfect.

His job? Assigned as a guardian of Eden.

His name? Lucifer. Which means: Bringer of dawn/brightness.

But somewhere inside of him, something shifted. A sinful focus became a stronghold. A shadow grew where light once shone. Pride—subtle at first, then swelling—turned Lucifer’s gaze inward. I will ascend…I will raise my throne…I will make myself like the Most High. (Isaiah 14:12–15)

His own kingdom. Minus his Father, Creator, and BFF.

He determined to be king.

We’ve heard that his words were silent, yet Heaven likely trembled. The pain I suspect washed through my Lord’s whole being rushed in cold, forceful waves—not the anguish of feeling threatened, but the intense sorrow of seeing a beloved angel child choose ruin over relationship. And a takedown of millions in the years ahead.

When rebellion rippled through heaven, it seemed swift and cold. The angel who had once walked in Eden’s brilliance chose to lead others astray—ones who had also known God’s voice, warmth, and favor. His turning was not a surprise, yet each defection struck like a fracture.

Salvation was not for angels—their choice brought finality. And God, who rejoices over the repentant and grieves over the rebellious with compassion and grace—absorbed the full measure of what that pride could and must cost.

Our Lord, being as compassionate as possible, allowed His beloved Lucifer his request: his own kingdom, separated from his Father. And He named it Hell.

Not The End.

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God of Compassion & Love

Dear Jesus, I know You love the angels you created, as well as people. So, yes—You still love Satan. How could You not? As we will always love our children, created in Your image, grace and strength—Lucifer remains precious.

My heart aches to think of how You, in Your boundless love, once delighted in him—this radiant being You created good, whole, and beautiful. Your love does not come from sentimentality but from Your very nature, and nothing You create is ever casual or disposable. How it must stir grief that he turned from the goodness You provided.

If only he would repent and return—but he never will. His pride is fixed. His rebellion is unending. He rejects Your love and wages war against all You cherish. He clings to his fading rule over this world, even as judgment draws nearer.

Yet You remain patient, sovereign, and just. And when the time comes, Your hand will bring an end to his rebellion once and for all.

But if You love him still—do I have the right to hate him?

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Previous Posts in This Series:

2

Footnotes for prayers from earth: “I Believe in Heaven” by Cecil Murphey and Twila Belk, Revell, 2013, pages 44 & 102 (paperback). “Heaven, an Unexpected Journey: One Man’s Experience with Heaven, Angels & The Afterlife” by Jim Woodford and Dr. Thom Gardner, Destiny Image Publishers, 2017, page 97, (paperback). “Glimpse of God’s Glory” by Pam Farrel, Love-Wise Publishing, 2024, spoken at Heaven Encounters 2025.

Keep reading to learn more!

I had this post completely written, or so I thought, and was running errands today for this new ministry track God ordered up when He totally sideswiped me with a “simple” question. Aren’t you going to talk about the hurt in the holidays? And the hope?

Ahhhhh. Ummmmmm. Do I have to? Grrrrrrr.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I am hosting, and yes, my mama’s heart is a’stingin’ a bit. I know that I am not the only one, and I guess He wants me to be honest with you instead of pretending everything is 100% hunky-dory over here.

(Quite sure those of you under the age of 30, or maybe 40, just said “huh? Hunky huh?”)

I know that some of you have some pain and loss too, and the holidays definitely seem to bring that on home! It doesn’t help, of course, that major losses have happened this time of year in the past. Just when I think I’m over the fact that my former husband passed away on my daughter’s birthday/Thanksgiving (yes, they were the same day that year!), another challenge arose. Just when I figured I was “over” getting “the call” at 3AM, having to wake the kids and tell them, spending the next day in his most recent residence cleaning it out (and bawling), scrubbing his drug-induced paraphernalia off the walls, and moving his things to storage with the help of my brother and Dad, more arose.

Our (adult) children have chosen to spend their holidays elsewhere. Not for the first time. :-( And yeah - all four of them, including the g’kids, of course. And lest you think there are issues or they are mad at current hubby and me, that doesn’t ever seem to be the case. We have pretty good communication and have always had good relationships. And of course, I always check in (again) with them on that to make sure.

I could be wrong- but the only thing I really get raised eyebrows about is that I am “too religious.” Ahem! I have been to Heaven, you know. Twice.

We do see them throughout the year. We visit. They visit. Of course, there are never enough visits for a mama’s heart, but things seem OK as far as the relationships. Everyone is very busy, but that includes moi! Reality is that one of my kiddos (and sometimes a kiddo-in-law) and two of our (adopted) g’kiddos do work in the restaurant/hospitality industry, and Thanksgiving is a hugely busy day.

(What is wrong with Pixabay? I looked up “Thanksgiving” and all I got was squashes.)

I get that. I had those years too.

But to top the salad off with a bit of whiny cheese, things have just not been going so smoothly in the writing and ministry world over the past couple of weeks. And the finances, and the weather, and the… oh wait, I do live in Oregon by choice! HA.

What is going well? My advanced abuse recovery program, Broken Souls Restored (Yes! Yay! The participants are experiencing amazing results! Thank you, Jesus!) and…well, the fact that I can host Turkey Day. We have a rental home, a roof over our heads, a Heavenly Father who adores us, talents He wants us to continue using, employment for hubs, vehicles that are old, but work, YOU, my readers (BLESS YOU!), and much more, of course...)

AND … I am thankful for what lies ahead for you and me! Not just “hope” because remember that the original “hope” word in the Bible actually means “confident expectation.”

Confident Expectation of Thanksgiving in Heaven

I have confident expectation that Jesus has a wonderful Thanksgiving planned for us. Please allow me to tell you all about it, because it is so very cool.

My friend, Mark L., was wrapping up his visit with Jesus when Jesus threw his hand out in a presentation-style roll, and a miles-long table appeared, laden with delicious things.

Another friend visited a building where angels and other people stayed extremely busy prepping glamorous decor and food—all the same things you would prep here if you were hosting over 100,000 people (can you imagine?!). Two other friends also viewed His table during their visit to Heaven.

Does this bring up questions for you? Things like: How do we sit when we don’t have a body? Wait- how do we eat when we don’t have a body? Can people see the food being swallowed and going into my belly? I thought we would never be hungry there? And … what about clothes??? (Do we not usually consider how our clothes fit or don’t fit the day when planning on a Thanksgiving feast? LOL)

Perhaps I am the only one who wonders all the questions but in case I am not, and in honor of Thanksgiving, I decided to share about His Thanksgiving table with you.

Although it goes against the grain :-) of what we may have been taught growing up, we will have a type of body in Heaven, we are clothed, we are fully satisfied (not necessarily needing to eat), and may even get hungry at designated times. Because who really wants to eat when one is not hungry? Hmmm. The best of meats will be presented and served - we do not know if that is turkey, steak, pork chops, chicken, buffalo, ostrich, salmon, crab, all of those options, or a new meat altogether. I guess if I had to choose, crab would be it for me. (Sorry, vegan and vegetarian friends, but I am sure there will be abundant garden fare for you!)

And yes, the scriptures speak of our Heavenly bodies.

I Corinthians 15:45-49 says, If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

And Philippians 3:20-21 confirms, But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

See also: 1 Corinthians 15:51–53, 2 Corinthians 5:1–4 and 1 John 3:2 — let’s not forget that Paul, the Corinthians writer, also went to Heaven and came back before his actual earthly death.

There are even hints that our heavenly bodies might similar to His resurrected one. Two things to note there - He floated through walls. Yup. And, it is possible that He also was able to change forms (Road to Emmaus Luke 24:13-35). And this, my friends, might explain why He appears differently sometimes to people who visit Heaven and return. It would also explain the four accounts I have read of people meeting relatives in Heaven who were easily able to change form in front of their visitor.

God hints that we won’t be drifting spirits or upgraded versions of our old aches, but something wholly healed: sturdy with eternity and bright with Christ’s own life.

Heavenly Food and Fellowship

Dean Braxton attests that our gathering times, including meals, are really for fellowship. 1 But when Randy Kay visited, he admits to feeling a bit of hunger when Jesus showed him the overflowing table prepared for us. 2

Many accounts also talk of the fruit on the trees. Large fruit similar to what we eat now, but different. Some even say the trees are all the same, but they produce 12 different fruits (one at a time).

My friends, do you see this correlation? Our Father has developed everything in Heaven to meet our needs and desires. Everything. In fact, because we were made in His image, He understands our desires deeply. Can you imagine being invited to a Thanksgiving Dinner at someone’s house, only to never have a meal? Can you imagine coming to visit and chat, but never being offered coffee, tea or water?

No? Neither can He.

No matter your hurts this season, LOOK UP. His eternal Thanksgiving feast is just around the corner. Where all hurts will be completely obliterated, and where we will experience nothing but contentment, fulfilled moments, and everlasting JOY all day long.

Join me?

Love, Jules (your Heaven Reporter)

~~

P.S.- OK, now you’ve heard the ministry announcement. Thanks to two lovely pre-donors, I have started the process of registering the business as a nonprofit, as a start. Wow! I am grateful that God has already given me education and skills so that I will not have to pay for any marketing, website, graphics, copywriting, etc. GOT IT!

However, the process to become a 501(C)3) is huge, and does cost quite a bit. It is important so that donations can be a write-off to those who give and also helps people build trust.

And of course, your support, if you become an invested/paid subscriber here on the Stack, also helps! I also deeply need and appreciate your prayers!

Any donations now are not an official write-off because it takes so much time to get this 501C3 status, but if you are feeling led to donate to my advanced abuse healing program, Broken Souls Restored (scholarships for attendees are needed), my Heaven talks/writings or my healing prayer ministry, please let me know.

I am so very grateful for however God is leading you. Thank you, friends.

Hi Jesus. According to many accounts I have read, your role in Heaven is often that of a greeter and, sometimes, a tour guide, particularly to those who will return to earth. You also maintain involvement in many “life reviews” of my friends when they visit.

In my case, you kind of played two roles. The first time, I couldn’t look at you, but you stood nearby. You spoke to me and then carried me back to earth. Awww. The second time, I kneeled and stood before you. Wow! You touched my hand and wrist, and spoke to me again. I felt so privileged to see the deep love in your eyes as we stood in the large meadow near the towering tree.

Then, you assigned me earthly work.

Just the week before, I had begged to return to Heaven, or to experience a Heaven dream. I missed you so.

I had no idea that you planned to honor that.

Photo by Nick Scheerbart on Unsplash

In Randy Kay’s experience, the parts of the Trinity (Father, Son, HS) can manifest into each other’s forms in Heaven, or into any other form they want to. 1 So this raises questions—

• Did God and Holy Spirit take turns “becoming” like you and working a double shift?

• Did they get a sub?

• Was it known to people there that you were away from your “norm” post for a while?

• Did they understand that and know why you were on earth?

Apparently, when I research, it raises more questions.

As I study and pray, I hear this from you: Because the Lord is omnipresent and because we are three-in-one, I also remained in Heaven, even while living on earth.

Q5- Dear Jesus, what is our role/relationship with angels?

Hi Jesus, I understand from your scriptures and from other Heaven testimonies that angels look up to us. Huh? This challenged me. Why is it that we seem to revere angels? I suppose because they are otherworldly and supernatural. And, at times, they play a part in your miracles.

I Corinthians 6:2-3 says, “Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!”

The word used for “angels” in 1 Corinthians is ἄγγελος angelos, which means: angel or messenger; can be human.

But what about Psalm 8:5-6? Is it contraindicated? David is speaking here of mankind when he says, “You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands...” And he then lists all the things (not people) that humans have authority over.

This passage does not contradict the other because the word for “angels” in Psalm 8 is not the same one we read in 1 Corinthians. This time, אֱלֹהִים ’ᵉlōhîm is used. It can mean angels, but according to BibleGateway and Strongs/BibleHub, it is primarily used as: God (plural of majesty: plural in form but singular in meaning, with a focus on great power); gods (true grammatical plural); any person characterized by greatness or power: mighty one, great one, judge.

When Jim Woodford experienced an 11-hour clinical death, he met his guardian angels. And one said, “James, man was created by the very breath of God. The light of God’s essence is in you. That light becomes tarnished with sin and turning away from God. But the light is still in you and all of mankind. When we bow to you, we are honoring the light of God in you.”

Jim then realizes, “I began to understand that these powerful, majestic beings were in awe of us—of mortal man. What moved him to bow to me was not anything about me…We are precious and unique beyond our mortal comprehension.” 2

Jesus, I have read your words in scripture, as well as other people’s Heaven experiences, and understand that although angels are incredibly special and unique beings, you created them to glorify you and assist us, to carry out important missions, to serve in Heaven, to become instruments of your glory, to demonstrate the supernatural realities of the world beyond, and to bring hope.

What a breathtaking testimony of your love! You didn’t leave us to walk this life alone or unprotected, but instead surrounded us with unseen guardians, encouragers, and helpers who carry your heart into our everyday moments.

With every message delivered, every battle waged, every comfort shown—we see your tenderness and care about every detail of our journey. Angels remind us that Heaven is not distant, and you are not passive—you are actively, lovingly involved in our lives, surrounding us with presence, protection, and purpose. And angels respond with loyal kindness, praise, servanthood, blessing, and respect. An example of true goodness for a wayward mankind.

NEXT TIME: Dear Jesus, do you still love Satan?

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The second time I visited Heaven, I did not flatline. But again I stood there, and the experience resonated just as strongly as the first time. Whether He gave me a vision or actually took my soul back there (as He can do anything), I do not know.

Perhaps my heart isn’t up to another stoppage.

After my second visit, when I opened my eyes in my bed, I heard Him still speaking just like the first time in the ambulance when He completed His sentence after I opened my eyes. It echoed, but without the bouncing effect, if that makes sense. This time, we were repeating a verse He provided to me while there, together. In a beautiful duet. Yes, two voices echoed in my bedroom, but hubby’s side of the bed remained empty—he was elsewhere in the house.

I remembered later that less than a week earlier, while watching the clouds and driving home after emotional moments praying over my sick friend, I had teary-prayed. “Won’t you give me a dream of Heaven, Jesus? Please? I miss it and you so very much.”

He honored that request.

During this second visit, He outfitted me for the journey ahead here on earth. More of this experience is written in the Heaven book, but He asks me to share a portion with you here today.

This piece of our visit highlighted the great importance of truth, especially for those who have visited Heaven and returned. It reinforced in my head and heart how truly vital it is to communicate the truth (and nothing but the truth) to you. I’ve always felt a strong commitment to that. Goodness, my conscience would not let me live with myself if I weren’t so very careful with you, in all my interactions, and in my writing.

But during this experience, He also reminded me how very important truth is to Him.

I don’t remember throwing myself on my knees, but I must have because my first memory is of Jesus sliding His hand down over my wrist as I moved my hand up to catch His, slipping under His robe sleeve in the process. I grasped His wrist, and He helped me to my feet. I lifted my eyes, gazed into His face, and saw intense love overspilling from keenly deep and magnificent eyes, a deeper turquoise than any ocean.

We stood in the large meadow (this might be outside of Heaven, as I don’t remember a gate, but I knew that it was the place where people often greet loved ones on their arrival). A large and wide tree stood tall to His right/my left, reminiscent of the 400-600 year old trees I see here in my town, but of course, much more glorious, and older, with huge roots. The leaves respectfully nodded to Him, faces/fronts downward, and small wildflowers dotted the longish grass, which didn’t seem to be all green this time. It had deep blues and some beige, too.

I loved the purples and blues I saw—also my fave colors here on earth, although they aren’t the same purples and blues. That’s just the palette-family I would place them in, with my limited earth-knowledge.

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Three times now, I’ve hovered close to death—and once, as you know, I even flatlined, caught a glimpse of Heaven, and talked to Jesus.

So when it comes to talking about legacy… yes, I’m all in. Facing the edge of eternity changes you. What you and I leave behind really does matter.

If your journey Home comes sooner than expected, what will you leave for those who remain? Words of faith? Acts of love? A trail that leads them straight to Jesus?

Please join me in this conversation. We will talk honestly about your legacy—about the impact your life is already making and the story you’re still writing. How we live, love, heal, respond, and serve right now matters.

Let’s talk about it—while we still have the precious gift of time to shape it well.

There are many treasures we can leave behind—homes, heirlooms, photos, recipes, our DNA in the form of children, and even stories—but none compare to the legacy of faith we plant in the hearts of those who follow us.

The truth is, our spiritual legacy doesn’t have accident scribbled all over it. It’s penned day by day in how we point others toward our unchanging Jesus. Every word we speak, every act of kindness, every prayer becomes a branch.

Whether we realize it or not, people watch us live out our faith—our children, our family members, our friends, our communities, and strangers too. They’re reading our lives like a letter from God, learning what grace looks like in real-time.

We maintain the power to guide its direction. We can choose what story our lives will tell—one of bitterness or forgiveness, fear or faith, trauma or healing, distraction or devotion. A story of dependence on substances or an obsession with God. A narrative of self-preservation, or an unselfish mindset. An account of reacting out of pain, or responding brilliantly from healthy wholeness.

The beauty of grace is that it allows us to start over at any moment and to begin crafting a legacy that honors Christ.

And aren’t we all so very grateful for that?! I sure am.

Please take time to consider: What do you want your faith to echo after you’re gone? What seeds of truth, hope, and healing can you plant right now? You don’t have to be well-known or flawless to make an eternal impact. You don’t need to have visited Heaven to shine a bright legacy.

You simply have to be faithful.

Let us live intentionally, love generously, and speak truth boldly—so that when others remember us, what they really remember is Him.

With love and purpose,

Jules

Please join me at a free online legacy class

P.S. My friend Kevin, whose impactful story of talking with Jesus while undergoing heart surgery is featured in my upcoming Heaven book, added to his legacy by releasing a new song called “Stronger.” It’s amazing! Of course, I added it to my Heaven Songs playlist, but you can catch just that one here on YouTube if you want. Please give it a thumbs up and share it with anyone who may need encouragement today.

Q1 - Didn’t Lazarus grieve being plopped back on earth after four glorious days in Heaven?

Those of us in Heaven for a short time mourn returning to earth, so I can’t imagine what Laz felt. I wonder if he complained! Of course his sisters, Mary and Martha, felt overjoyed, but no matter how much they rejoiced, he surely felt a bit morose. Were their parents alive? I don’t think the scripture mentions them, but I could be mistaken.

Most folks who’ve been to Heaven have trouble sticking the landing gear back on Earth. My family can vouch—they waved at me like I was in another galaxy. (“Earth to Julie!”) I set a personal best for ignored texts and emails. If you’re new here, you can peek at my recovery journals for the whole recovery saga.

Q2- Jesus, where did you go?

Were you in hell for your three days of physical death? Or did you go Home to see Pops and chill out by the river, only to then receive partial marching orders back to earth?

The time between your death and resurrection has been a topic of discussion among people for centuries. Scripture gives us glimpses, but not a full chronological record, so I must study and prayerfully interpret.

I see two primary perspectives: that you went to Hell, or that you traveled immediately to Heaven like I did. Then a possible third. Finally, one that seems more reasonable based on my knowledge and experience.

View 1: You Went to Hell

These back up the gone-to-hell mentions:

• Ephesians 4:9 — “He descended into the lower parts of the earth.”

• 1 Peter 3:18–19 — He preached/made proclaimation to the “spirits in prison.”

• Acts 2:27 (quoting Psalm 16:10) — “because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead.”

• Traditional Apostles’ Creed — “He descended to the dead/hell.”

Summary: You went downstairs (but perhaps not the real Hell — more like Hades/Purgatory?). You proclaimed victory over sin and death and possibly announced deliverance to some other dead folks. Your descent did not continue your suffering, but became a triumphant declaration of victory.

View 2: You Went to Heaven (Paradise) Immediately Like Me!

Pulled from the collective brainwave:

• Luke 23:43 — “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

• Luke 23:46 — “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”

• John 19:30 — “It is finished.”

• 2 Corinthians 5:8 — Believers are present with the Lord after death.

Summary: Your work of redemption was fully completed on the cross. Therefore, you headed directly into the Father’s presence, as promised to the repentant thief. Verses about “descending” refer to your birth, incarnation and burial—not a literal spiritual journey.

View 3: Combination Plate

Some seem to believe both are true. They feel your spirit entered Heaven with the Father, and that you also preached triumph over the spiritual realm, fulfilling 1 Peter 3:18-20.

What Have I Learned?

So, as usual, I want to present a view you probably won’t find elsewhere. Kind of a 3, but kind of not.

Jesus, due to what I learned while with you and from researching other trusted Heaven experiences, I know that you can proclaim to people in Hell without being in Hell because you have done that. Ivan Tuttle experienced your proclamation while he was in hell. You bellowed, “It is not his time yet. His mother has been praying for him since he was a little boy. You must release him now—I made a promise!”1

I’ve heard a hypothesis that the Holy Spirit cannot be in hell. However, the Holy Spirit only came to indwell Christians after the resurrection. And check out this verse: Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. (Psalm 139:7–8) David spoke the truth by the Spirit—but perhaps full understanding came later through Christ.

Jesus, I suspect you always held the Holy Spirit within you. The Trinity was also present from the beginning. But did good ‘ole HS leave your body temple when you arrived as a baby? The HS was obviously very involved in your conception (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:18–20), but did He then vacate?

I don’t think so.

The scriptures indicate that even though you were “all God and all man,” you filled up with the Holy Spirit at your baptism for ministry. The Bible does speak of being filled or anointed a second time, as He provided to me a couple of months ago. But did I also hold the Holy Spirit before that as a believer? Of course.

• Luke 3:21–22 — At Jesus’ baptism: “the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove.”

• Luke 4:1 — “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.”

If you always retained the Holy Spirit, and even enjoyed a second-time filling, was ascension into hell even possible? Perhaps not, according to those who feel the HS can’t land or reside in Hell. Of course, we know God can make anything possible.

When Ephesians 4:10 says, ‘He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe’, we must consider the original text. And it appears to mean not the “lower regions of the earth” but the “lower regions which are the earth.” No Hell about it.

I suspect that during this physical human death, you proclaimed to the souls in Hell without actually descending there. Perhaps a hovering pit stop on the way to Heaven. Maybe to let Satan know (he is not omniscient, after all) of the completed deed—sin now atoned, should people choose to accept that.

I’ve mentioned that I don’t read a lot of Hell accounts, but after brain-devouring B.W. Melvin’s Heaven Book (God really used it to bring back some of my Heaven memories which you will read in my Heaven book and future posts/books), I decided to skim Melvin’s Hell Book and ended up reading it almost in full (skipped some of the earth part).

A fascinating and educational read, although I don’t recommend reading it at night. :-) And yes, I’ve met this gentlemen in person, heard him share and have exchanged individual conversation with him. He is legit and Jesus-filled/focused.

This Hell book is the most comprehensive and true accounts that I am aware of. Melvin met with Jesus first before being sent there, and Jesus told him during his experience to keep repeating Jesus’ name and title. He did, throughout, for as long as he could. And Jesus spoke to B.W. while he toured Hell, but check this out—when Jesus sent those thoughts and Bible verses, everyone heard them.

The demons grew agitated at the voice, sometimes shrank back, and even covered their ears at times. The “head honcho” often lingering at the sidelines left the area when Jesus chose to speak. (Luke 17:10)

I’m not passing out a spoiler alert, but know that when B.W. was truly at the end of his rope, Jesus physically showed up. Later, He also showed B.W. a “pocket/cave” of beautiful scenery near Heaven but not in Heaven, and said, “What you see in the distance is reserved only for the rare. It once was, was not, but still remains there, reserved for those, like Abraham, who found faith. It remains. Those there await the final verdict call. It is a place of peace and rest but not for all, only the rare…” 2

Melvin wonders if this might help explain Luke 16:23 when another Lazarus, in torment in Hades, looks up and sees and talks to Abraham.

Q3- How is Hell Even Possible?

If you have ever wondered how there can be a Hell and how our merciful Lord can send people there, I recommend Melvin’s book. It was truly eye-opening for me.

NEXT IN THIS SERIES: Dear Jesus, How did it change Heaven to have you on earth for 30+ years? Or did it?

PAID subscribers, you can look forward to your paid-only content, with excerpts of the upcoming Heaven book, in a couple of weeks. :-)

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“A Land Unknown: Hell’s Dominion” by B.W. Melvin, Xulon Press 2005, page 164 (Kindle).

All verses are NIV version. Links are affiliate and allow me some pennies to help fund my Heaven book obsession.

Every day, as part of my time with Jesus (I know this sounds funny!)— I scroll through Facebook, looking for people to pray for and for praises! Today, I got to log several that I have been praying for. Yay, God!

• TP- now cancer free

• KP- now cancer free

• DG- brain tumor has disappeared

• RW- nodes clear of cancer

• Baby S- Did not need the expected heart surgery upon birth, and no breathing tube

• In addition, there is LJ (not on FB), healed of knee and back pain this past week.

I believe that He is intentionally increasing healings in this last season of days. It is not those of us praying—it is completely HIM choosing to honor those prayers and using His glory and power to do so.

He also seems to be increasing Heaven visits, visions, angelic intervention events, and other miracles —all for the purpose of bringing more people to the Kingdom. These are the years of the “last ditch efforts,” my friends. He has implemented the same strategy He used in Bible times to bring the masses to the Lord.

Here are some examples of past strategy-success:

Changing Water to Wine

The fastest winepress in the north - “What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” John 2:1-11

This first miracle (that we know of) was a blueprint to save His very own disciples, as they were needed to impact the world. This interests me because, although I was already His child, He obviously healed me so that I could complete the work He assigned me. By the way, it’s been exactly five weeks for me now, and as people like to check in, I will provide an update: I am still healed.

THANK YOU, my JESUS! I thank Him continuously. I am off all prescription medications (including massive antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers—the pharmacy people are quite miffed, no matter how much I try to explain) and most supplements. Only vitamins, an occasional probiotic, and Omega/Black Seed oils make up my pill regimen.

I walk on the beach and in my neighborhood as much as possible when it is not pouring sky-liquid. After reintroducing the stair stepper yesterday (post a year of none because it traumatized my back more), I felt zero repercussions. No throat swelling, rashes, hives, or passing out has occurred. #tripleGRATEFUL

But enough about me. Back to His Bible-Times strategy!

Healings & Other Miracles

After mending an official’s son - “The father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he and his whole household believed.” John 4:46–54

Raising Laz from the dead - “When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’… Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.” John 11:43–45

Healing a paralytic and apparently providing insta-muscle mass - “He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’” Mark 2:1–12

Making a lame man walk - “When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him… and they were filled with wonder and amazement.” Acts 3:1–10

Sending down Heaven’s roar - “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake… The jailer… fell trembling before Paul and Silas… then he and all his household were baptized.” Acts 16:25–34

Lighting an altar on fire - “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!’” 1 Kings 18:36–39

Splitting the sea - “And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared (respected) the Lord and put their trust in him.” Exodus 14:21–31 (Don’t you wonder if some of those Egyptian families were also saved after this? And BTW, God parted more than one body of water, but it appears the Red Sea Miracle was the most impactful to a great deal of people. See Joshua 4:23–24 and 2 Kings 2:7–14)

Sending angels and saving Daniel from a pack of hungry lions - “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.” Daniel 6:22

King Darius (a pagan) wrote to all nations… “For he is the living God and he endures forever.” Daniel 6:25–27

Coating his people with ultra guard fire protection while allowing the nearby guards to fry - “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego… no other god can save in this way.” Daniel 3:24–29 (declared by King Neb)

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Your Call to Pray

Please know that YOU are a very important part of this. If you see a prayer request, are on a prayer chain, or someone asks you, please pray. Prayer moves the hands of God and always has. He needs His family awake, aware and beseeching the throne. When we are in Heaven, we can view prayers from Earth—they appear as light rays. Both angels and people in Heaven receive encouragement from that. At times, people visiting Heaven have seen other individuals (or groups), praying for us here. One even saw Jesus join a prayer circle in Heaven.

Join the prayer choir! We need you!

The Same God Has Implemented Old Strategy

The God who split seas and shut lions’ mouths still moves today. His miracles didn’t stop—they simply changed form. He still transforms hearts on Substack, in hospital rooms, recovery centers, jail cells, support groups, torture chambers, churches, and even in homes where prayers are whispered in the dark.

Every healing remains a second chance. Every miracle is proof that the supernatural hasn’t faded—it’s simply become more personal. The God who saved nations still saves souls, right where we stand.

When you see a life restored, a burden lifted, or a body or heart healed, don’t dismiss it as coincidence. You’re witnessing the same hand that once parted the Red Sea—still at work, still reaching for each one, still bringing His precious people to believe in Him during this last-ditch effort.

Where are you seeing God’s miracles today? Please share!

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Other Updates

You can pre-order the Heaven book here.

I was shocked to pull out my calendar and see that my speaking schedule is filling up for the next 8 months or so. If you think your group might be interested, please connect with me soon so I can block that out. And yes, I would be ecstatic to include prayer sessions if you and your group desire that.

Also! More epic songs have been added to the YouTube Heaven Playlist. Check out Jeremy Rosado’s “When I Meet Jesus.” SO good.

The New Broken Souls Restored Advanced Abuse Recovery Group is going so well. I am grateful to God. We have now started Module 2, which means we are 12 lessons in. Looks like at least two group members will be leading their own BSR groups soon! And this week, God told me to adapt it for male survivors as well, so yup, that’s happening.

About BSR: From healing … to Restoration. Meeting weekly on Zoom, this long-term program provides a safe and faith-centered space to explore the layers of advanced healing that require more than quick answers.

Each (approximately) two-hour session combines biblical truth, practical tools, discussion, Bible reading, journaling, prayer, and community support to help participants address the lasting impact of trauma, discover God’s restorative power, and walk in freedom.

Modules include: My Roller-Coaster, My Physical & Mental Health, My Spiritual Health, My Parenting, My Moving Forward Plan and My Maintenance Plan

More about BSR

THANKS FOR HANGING OUT WITH ME!

Every single person I’ve interviewed for the Heaven books I am writing, and 99% of every account I’ve read (that I can remember), speak of hearing sounds in Heaven. Mostly praise, of course, but also other (telepathic) voices. So many pass on that even the nurtured nature (grass, trees, leaves, rocks, animals, etc.) praise our Lord. And some people hear the angels singing, talking, or the sound of their wings as they pass by or fly amongst the gatherers.

Then why did I get silence when I arrived?

To coin a very old phrase - it was so silent, you could have heard a pin drop!

I felt cocooned in this silence—cottoned in comfort, which is highly unlike the me here on earth. Here on earth, I am alone most days, writing like a free spirit firecracker trying not to spark and blast off to the heavenly skies. And soon enough, it weighs on me, and I turn on the Heaven music. I’m always pleased when hubby arrives home—obviously for more reasons than just hearing some chatter in the house.

God revealed new things about my Heaven adventure as I wrote the book. He still broadcasts news flashes to me, and I gratefully welcomed it when He reminded me of one account I had read three times—and a new story He introduced me to at Heaven Encounters 2025.

Here is what I find on silence:

A Heavenly Hush

In Revelation 8:1, during John’s exile-vision, silence descends on Heaven for thirty minutes when all of Heaven held its words and praise. “When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” This directly precedes the angels receiving the trumpets, in advance of this major earth event written in verse 5: Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

We hear that John, exiled to the island of Patmos, lived in a shallow cave. This cave is now surrounded by chapels, smells of sandalwood, and is open to tours.

Dean Braxton, a Heaven-visitor who died for an hour and forty-five minutes, says, “Just before I saw what was happening before the throne of God, all of what we could call sound…stopped. Everything got quiet—really quiet. There was no noise at all. I came to know what quiet is…at that moment, I did not hear a thing.” 1 And, “I was not amazed. I knew that this is what was supposed to happen. No sound in Heaven always preceded a great event. All the creations of God and I were anticipating what was to come next.” 2

Randy Kay also heard silence during his Heaven journey. “Within that instant, all of Heaven became beyond silent to an intense nothingness. A quiet that was thunderous. An absolute stillness of motion and sound settled after the Almighty’s declaration—the calm before the storm. And all of Heaven waited. My feelings changed from comfort to pure and absolute awe. Somehow, I understood that nothing would ever be the same again.” 3

An Earthly Quietude

What about biblical silence on earth? In Habbukuk 2:20, we read, The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.

Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice—he has consecrated those he has invited. -Zephaniah 1:7

Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling. -Zachariah 2:13

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. -Psalm 46:10

‘Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,’ declares the Lord. ‘Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.’ -Zechariah 2:10-13

The Commonality

The commonality in the silence lulls is this—it seems to precede great happenings either on Earth, given by Heaven, or in Heaven itself. So I wondered, what was happening or about to occur when I landed in a hushed Heaven? And where?

Certainly, it wasn’t because I was about to connect with Jesus! I searched the news headlines to see if anything had occurred on Earth in the afternoon of 8/24/24. Here is what I found with a Google and Wikipedia search:

• Tyrie Nichols case: Former Memphis police officer Emt Martin pleaded guilty to using excessive force and witness tampering in federal court.

• Extreme weather: Dangerous conditions included flash floods in the Grand Canyon, a heat dome affecting millions in the central U.S., and Tropical Storm Hon approaching Hawaii.

• Health: Dr. Fauci was recovering at home from West Nile virus. And the EU warned of a massive Red Sea oil spill after Houthi forces destroyed the Greek tanker Sounion, leaking 150,000 tons of flaming petroleum. Thermal anomalies were spotted on August 25, and the Pentagon confirmed the spill on August 27.

• The Somali Civil War and the Gaza War remained hopping in full force, and the Israel–Hezbollah conflict still resided in the headlines too.

An interesting sidenote, partially from the Wiki:

• Historically, August 24th marks the anniversary of the destruction of Pompeii by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Spiritually, Pompeii illustrates the transience of earthly power, wealth, and comfort. Many Christian writers, later on, viewed its sudden destruction as a divine warning or example of judgment striking a morally corrupt society. The city’s rapid burial under ash and pumice became a poignant reminder that life can be turned upside down instantly —a concept echoed in Scripture in James 4:14 and Psalm 39:5, and one I can personally attest to. :-) However, Pompeii is also preserved in ash, allowing future generations to witness its destruction.

Perhaps silence dominated because Jesus chose that for me until later on, when we chatted, but you know me—Curious Julie. I will continue to keep an eye out for revelations about that.

It dawns on me that the Heaven book now written contains a lot of my life in the past year since my Heaven visit. And as we know, scientists say Heaven and hell experiences take seven years to fully process.

Will I write a Heaven book each year? Oh, how fun! I suppose that is quite possible, as my mind never strays far from the Blissful Beyond. Yes, I have started book 2, and that means, if you have a story, I would love to hear it!

I am reminded of this excerpt in the Heaven book:

We were never meant to navigate Earth alone. The answers we chase, the direction we crave, the peace our souls long for—all of it is found in Him. We were all created to reside with Him in Heaven forever—even those of us who have sometimes charged ahead in our earthly lives without Him. When we choose a route without seeking His counsel, forward gears may still grind because He is gracious, but they will never quite settle into park. Instead, we feel only restlessness and a sense that something is missing. Eventually, it might even roll us backward. When we pause, lean in, and invite Him into the process, clarity surfaces. The pieces fit. Never doubt that He holds the map—and leads with wisdom, grace, and perfect timing.

In other words, I choose to trust His reasons for me not knowing everything about my Heaven trip right now. As I wrote this book, new information came to light, and the timing made a lot of sense. More will come. I remain grateful for His revealing and thankful always for His unique and omniscient timing.

Signed, Reporter Julie :-)

P.S. - Pre-Order the first Heaven book below.

P.P.S - Highly recommend this article, which I will term “Once Heaven-Bound, Always Heaven-Bound?"

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Heaven Book Pre-Order!

I feel honored that so many of you are excited about the Heaven book. So I opened pre-orders on my website for both the paperback and the ebook. I do not yet have a publication date, but if you order now, you will get a discounted price (this is a largish book!), and those who order the paperback using this method will also receive a special gift from me in the package. READ MORE ABOUT THE BOOK.

(Note: The book’s publication could be a year out, so please ensure that there is a permanent mailing and email address on your order. Please keep my website handy in case anything changes for you.)

Also, this is a good time to get me booked if you would like a Heaven-speaker for an event. Yes, next year is already filling up. Thank you, Jesus, for this opportunity to share Your words. Julie’s website.

(Temporary Heaven Book Title and Cover)

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“Heaven Stormed: A Heavenly Encounter Reveals Your Assignment in the End Time Outpouring and Tribulation” by Randy Kay, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc. ©2024 Randy Kay, page 160 (Kindle)

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Links are affiliate and contribute a small amount to my Heaven Research Fund.