BOOK REVIEW: Life After Heaven

Life After Heaven, by Steven R. Musick, is a profound reminder that heaven is real. Although he is not the first to return from a short trip to heaven, Musick comes back with a message for himself and all of us while we wait for the day we see Jesus face to face. 

As a young man barely out of adolescence, Musick was in top physical shape, the only one out of 900 recruits in his Navy training base to be selected for both SEAL Team consideration and admission to Annapolis. However, when inoculated with a dangerous swine flu virus through a government research study, he became quite ill--so ill that a few months later he ended up in the emergency room, alarming doctors and nurses with the state of his health. A few moments later, after an allergic reaction to a drug designed to quickly clear his lungs of fluid, he found himself in heaven. 

I love Musick's description of how Jesus, walking with him through an intensely beautiful green meadow, reviewed each of his life situations "and it was ok." Jesus helped him understand the situations from His perspective, setting them all to rights. When Jesus told him, at the end of their time together, "And you can't stay," Musick plummeted back into a broken, hurting body...finding he had been in a coma for five weeks. 

However, as if hearing another story about heaven isn't enough, Musick spends the rest of the book telling us about what he learned his purpose down here is to be until Jesus brings him home for good. The cool thing? We can share in the lessons he learned and be instrumental in interacting with the Lord as "bubbles of heaven" open around us. To me, this puts a compelling spin on his story; one that rings true. I realize I have had experiences similar to what he describes. 

I highly recommend this book! 

If you want more information on the book, go here; if you want more information on the author, go here. 

I received this book free of charge from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing in exchange for a fair review. 

BOOK REVIEW: Waking Up Slowly

Having read and enjoyed Dave Burchett's previous book, Stay, I knew right away I would want to read Waking Up Slowly. Burchett has the ability to talk comfortably about faith and how it works its way into daily details of our lives. In his new book, Burchett turns off his electronic devices and starts "waking up" to the many ways God is real in his--and our--hour by hour experience of life.

With short, simple chapters curiously titled, "How to Reverse Stinkin' Thinkin'," "New Eye for an Old Guy," and "Gratitude Rhymes with Attitude," we learn that the answers to the life issues that most preoccupy us are really right past our noses if we will just look at kids, pets, and--most importantly--our Owners' Manual. Yes, we come with one, and it's called the Bible. He also points a finger at himself, then out at us, for "phubbing"--otherwise known as neglecting the real life people in front of us because we are preoccupied with our screens.

I turned my phone off for (most of) five days at the beginning of this year and "woke up slowly" to the fact that I often miss important Life Stuff such as birds singing, hurting people in front of me at the grocery store, and between-the-lines meanings of my sons' retelling of seemingly innocuous experiences. I learned that when I shut off my phone and put it away, my husband and sons get the best of me...why is that such a dumb thing to have to learn? I mean, to quote my 70s self, Duh.

I appreciate Burchett's kindness and "me too" tone throughout this book, his gentle reminders that God's Word really does have all the answers and that when we tune in to His still, small voice we find them.

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for a fair review.

If you are interested in learning more about Dave Burchett, go here.