Heaven

March 31, 2015 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Jesus Is the Key to Joy

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. Psalm 27:8

Are you discouraged today? Is your to-do list long enough to wrap around the state of Arkansas five times? Our discouragement always comes from chasing something—chasing order, chasing enough money to get a little bit ahead, or chasing a sense of accomplishment.

We may chase accomplishments, or peace, or the dream life we’ve always wanted, but the thing is, in this life we’ll never catch what we’re chasing. Ask any actor if he’s had enough fame. Ask any billionaire if he’s content with his bank account. Ask any model if she’s happy with her body just the way it is.

Our souls are made for eternity—for a relationship with Jesus. @TriciaGoyer

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Our souls are made for eternity, for heaven, and for a relationship with Jesus. Our heart wants to connect with the One Who will make all the difference, yet the lures of this world draw us away. Author Jennie Allen says, “God is the only thing we will chase that doesn’t make us feel more empty.”

Pause for a moment and consider heaven. Think of the gates of pearl, the choirs of angels, and the throne where the Almighty sits. Can you picture the splendor and glory? It’s awe-inspiring, isn’t it? Then consider that what you imagine doesn’t come even close to the real thing.

Now think about what this world tells us to seek. The shiniest car on earth pales to the roads we’ll walk on in eternity. The finest meal looks like a sack lunch compared to Jesus’s banqueting table. The largest house on earth is a shack compared to Jesus’s home. And any praise you can receive will be like grumbling and mumbling when you think about Jesus’s eye meeting yours and His voice raising, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

What can you chase on earth that will bring you happiness? Jesus alone.

Faith step: Write a list of things you’d like to have and do on earth. Look over your list and then cross every item out, writing at the top: “Lord, Your face will I seek.”

Read the original post at Guideposts.org. Want more devotions? Check out Mornings with Jesus 2015.

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August 7, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

4 Steps to a Heavenly Family

When my kids were younger I’d pray about them finding good jobs, a good spouse, and become productive members of society. I still pray for those things, but I also pray for more now. I pray my children will be citizens of heaven and that God will use them to lead others to be part of this heavenly family. So how has God led guided my husband and I in doing this?

1. Look ahead.

“We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives,” Philippians 3:20 reads. “And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.” This verse reminds me that this world is not our home. All our planning, decisions, life choices need to be based on not this world, but our heavenly citizenship. John and I consider this when we’re making family decisions and we talk to our kids about it.

2. Reach out.

We had the door open to go on two mission trips to a country that has less than 1% of Christians. Walking the streets I’d tell my kids, “Look around … most of those people you see need to hear the good news of Jesus.” Being there–seeing their faces–changed my children’s hearts.

3. Open our doors.

We take it seriously when the Bible says to care for the widows and the orphans by taking in old family members and adopting new ones.We also regularly reach out to teen moms. If we believe people matter–their souls matter–we need to live as such.

4. Model God-seeking.

My children often wake up to see me reading my Bible and praying. They hear my husband and I reading the Bible together. We worship together at church. We tell them about the things God is asking us to do. We explain what seeking God is like. We try to live obediently in our own lives.

Look ahead. Reach out. Open Doors. Model God-seeking. @TriciaGoyer

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If my family is going to spend eternity together, I want to make sure we bring a crowd.

That is my heavenly dream and it’s my kids heavenly dream, too. I think that’s just the way God likes it.

Prayer

Thank you for my family. Show me ways I can implement these ideas in a caring and compassionate way. Let me have open arms and open doors. Give me an open mind to consider the heavenly implications of my prayers and ways I model life and love to those around me.

Let’s play a game!

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April 5, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 8 Comments

Is Heaven For Real?

Is heaven for real? As a follower of God I believe the answer is yes … but during my grandfather’s passing I discovered that I was right.

I’m eager to see the movie Is Heaven for Real, releasing April 16th. If you haven’t seen it here is the official trailer.

Yet I’m going to the movie knowing I already believe in heaven. I don’t have to be convinced. Here is my story …

How I know heaven is for real …

Years ago I met a hospice nurse named Penny. Her job was making the last days of terminally ill patients as comfortable as possible.

“That must be so hard,” I told her once. “So sad.”

“Actually, I’ve seen some very amazing things. I think of myself as a delivery nurse, helping people transition into eternity.”

I didn’t really understand what Penny meant until my Grandpa Fred came to live with our family during the last months of his life. I enjoyed the time with him, but something happen during his last conscience day that I’ll never forget.

Here’s an excerpt from my mommy memoir Blue Like Play Dough talking about that experience:

Four months after coming to live with us, my grandfather was bedridden. My grandmother and I would spend time in his room reading Scripture verses and praying with him. Then one day as the kids and I were getting ready to start the school day, my grandma called, “Tricia, I need you!”

Terrified, I raced down the stairs and into my grandparents’ bedroom. A typically quiet man, my grandpa’s hands were lifted. He was weeping like a baby.“Oh dear Jesus. Oh dear Jesus. I love you, dear Lord Jesus!” The words spilled from his lips.

At first I thought he was in pain or that he was breaking down because of his lack of strength. My grandma’s hands were on his legs. She was praying with him. I joined her. Tears streamed down my grandfather’s face. I handed him a tissue.

He held it over his eyes, but the tears didn’t stop. “I love you, dear Jesus. Thank you, dear Jesus.”Five minutes, ten minutes passed. The prayers were the same.

Finally, he lifted the tissue away. “See those trees out the window?” He pointed outside. “They turned into a cross, and I saw Jesus reaching his hands out to me.”

The tears returned. Tears of joy. Goose bumps prickled my skin, and I was sure heaven was touching down in the room. I was almost afraid to look up, so sure was I that I would see heaven’s gates.

“I haven’t seen anything like that ever,” my grandpa said. “It’s a miracle.”

I agreed. “A miracle and a gift,” I whispered.

A little while later as my grandpa slept, I asked my grandma exactly what happened.

“Grandpa was just sitting there, looking out the window. Then he started pointing. ‘Look at that, Grandma,’ he said. ‘If I were an artist, I would love to paint that. Look at those white doves. Look at that lion. Oh, I’d love to paint that lion.’”

Tears ran down my grandma’s cheeks as she related the story to me. “And then he just started praising God, crying, and lifting his hands. That must be when he saw Jesus.” She smiled. “And that’s when I called for you.”

My heart was bursting with love for God and with thanksgiving for heaven. I didn’t want to leave the bedroom, so certain was I that it had become holy ground.

The next day my grandfather went into a coma, and while I should have been terribly sad, my heart filled with peace. Every time I walked into the room, it seemed brighter and filled with the brush of angel wings, as if heaven had touched it.

Grandpa lasted five more days. During his last conscious moment he blew me a kiss. I knew what he was saying, “See you later, sweetheart.”

And I trust I will. I know I’ll meet him on the other side.

Blue Like Play Dough

Have you heard of a similar experience? What are your questions about heaven?

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