I wonder if you've ever thought about what you will do in heaven or wondered what will be there when (and if) you finally go? All I'd heard (and this is likely the same for you), all I'd heard is that we get a crown, a white robe and a harp and we just worshipped and sang praise songs to God all the time and that was it, 24/7.
Three years ago I was diagnosed with terminal cancer and earlier this month when my health seemed worse I realized I had to face the fact that I may be going to heaven earlier than I expected. I have no way of knowing when and I truly don't mind waiting, but anyway I decided to find out what I could expect if I did go.
Besides the crown and harp thing I had often heard that heaven is a place where there isn't any pain, suffering, sorrow, unhappiness, strife, stress, or sadness--forever, for eternity. That is hard for our finite mind to comprehend. But I'll take that--what I've been through in this last year -- as have many people, though perhaps in a different way -- to have no suffering or pain would be a paradise just in itself. However, while I do love music, singing and worship, if that was it, the harp and crown thing, it didn't get me very excited. I hope that doesn't sound irreverent, a point I'll return to later. I thought there must be more. So I sought out books by people, Christians, who had gone to heaven, returned and wrote about what they saw.
I do understand that there are scientists and doubters who say that at the time of death there are certain biological chemicals released, a build-up of Co2, or something called
Dimethyltryptamine, and others, and when combined with stress and pain then visions are seen which if the person comes back to life they describe. However, they admit they cannot actually pinpoint the cause. I prefer to believe the writings of those with a reverence for God and each of these authors had that. I find it more exciting to believe them anyway. Listen to this:
When the authors returned from heaven they wrote vividly about their experiences and what they individually saw, especially the descriptions -- extravagant colours, wonderful music, breathtaking scenery, majestic and exotic trees and flowers, beautiful houses and gardens -- all of which is very lovely; but there was something else which was I felt was wonderful--waiting to greet those who entered heaven would be family and favourite friends who'd gone on before, and surprisingly, in some cases, our babies who had died at birth, and our children who had perhaps died too early. Is that not lovely?
As wonderful as that is, there is even more. . . . The most beautiful aspect for me was this -- take all that descriptive beauty of a perfect heaven I just mentioned, and your loving family and friendships (and fuller descriptions I'll later read from the book
Within Heaven's Gates, by Rebecca Springer), then take your most ardent dream of a perfect existence, which will include the stuff you just love to do, art, music, dancing, golf, fishing, cooking, writing, praise and worship, and surround that with never-ending joy-filled peace and total happiness without any suffering and pain -- for eternity. I may sound repetitive and in some cases simplistic but I want my explanation to be comprehendible.
These different authors' accounts of the surroundings were all very similar as if they had seen the same visions. This is what I want to tell you about. It is important and gives us hope for our life in paradise which we can look forward to. It is imperative that I list some descriptions from
Within Heaven's Gates.
This first paragraph here is my own loose and brief synopsis of the book's beginning, but it is of course fully explained in the book:
Rebecca Springer, who is very ill and without strength, stays in bed. She has a husband and a son. One morning after a night of intense suffering she sees at the end of her bed, Frank, her brother-in-law who had died some years before. He takes her to heaven. Then she finds herself in the following surroundings:
I think I must have slept because the next thing I knew I was sitting in a sheltered nook made by flowering shrubs. I was resting on the softest and most beautiful turf of grass, thickly studded with fragrant flowers. . . Stretched out before me was a wonderful field of perfect grass and flowers. Out of it grew equally wonderful trees whose drooping branches were laden with exquisite blossoms and fruits of many kinds.
Beneath the trees, in many happy groups, little children were laughing and playing. They were running around filled with joy and catching bright-winged birds which flitted in and out among them as if sharing in their sports. Older people were walking with an air of peacefulness and happiness that made itself felt, even by me, a stranger . . . all were clothed in spotless white, and many wore or carried clusters of beautiful flowers.
Everywhere I looked I saw, half-hidden by the trees, elegant and beautiful houses of strangely attractive architecture. I felt these must be the homes of the happy inhabitants of this enchanted place [Jesus said, "I go to prepare a mansion for you . . ."]
and I saw sparkling fountains and paths made of pearl bordered on either side by narrow streams of clear water running over stones of gold.
Later Frank takes her to a beautiful house which he has built and prepared for her and his brother when they come to heaven. The description is particularly lovely, too much for me to type here but here is a poignant part. He takes her through the house into the library:
And then I saw
. . . a beautiful writing desk with everything ready for use. There was a golden bowl filled with scarlet carnations. "My brother's desk," said Frank.
"And his favourite flowers," Rebecca added.
"Yes, that follows. Here, we never forget the tastes and preferences of those we love."
What a lovely, kind thought.
When Rebecca sees all the books in the library she asks:
"Why do we have books in heaven?"
"Why not?" asks Frank, "What strange ideas we mortals have of the pleasures and duties of this blessed life in heaven. We seem to think that the death of the body means an entire change to the soul. But that is not the case. . . . We bring to this life [heaven]
the same tastes, desires and the same knowledge we had before death. If these were not sufficiently pure to be a part of this heavenly life we ourselves may not enter.
What would be the use of our long lives, given to the pursuit of certain worthy and legitimate knowledge if at death it counts as nothing and we begin this life on a wholly different line of thought and study? If only we could understand that during our earthly life we are building for our eternity."
In chapter 5 of the book, Rebecca meets with Mrs. Wickham, who had been her friend on earth but died some years ago. On earth Mrs. W. had a daughter who died in early childhood. She guides Rebecca through her beautiful house into an exquisite music room to be entertained.
"
My daughter," Mrs. Wickham explained, "who left us in early childhood [on earth],
has received a fine musical training here [in heaven].
She is fond of gathering in her young friends and giving us quite a musical treat. The child grew up in heaven.
Later in the book, Frank takes her to the city which is spotless:
There seemed to be vast business offices of many kinds. There were colleges, schools, book and music stores and publishing houses. . . . There were art rooms, picture galleries, libraries, many lecture rooms and vast auditoriums. . . . There was much that charmed me in this great city. I may not describe it all but I will never forget its beauty.
Frank and Rebecca leave the city and go to a park:
. . . with walks, drives, fountains, miniature lakes and shaded seats. There were no dwellings or buildings except for an immense circular open temple capable of seating many hundreds. Frank told me that a seraph choir assembled here and rendered the oratorios written by the great composers of earth and heaven.
Elsewhere in the book Frank explains that they could go to lectures by Martin Luther, followed perhaps by John Wesley or Smith-Wigglesworth, and naturally other great people from the past.
That is the end of quotes from the book. There is much, much more that is breathtaking and intriguing but time (and 2-finger typing!) does not allow me to go further. I list those examples above to attempt to show that heaven is infinitely and surprisingly more than most of us have probably imagined.
Have you ever taken time to picture a life where you were living an existence which was your most heartfelt dream? Probably not. It is hard to imagine with our earthbound minds. Most people live their lives without a dream or vague ones at best. That's to be expected when we see the carnage and the darkness in this world right now--how can we ever imagine what paradise would be like? But this is what He, Who created the universe says, especially to those who love Him, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that I have prepared for those who love Me."
As for me? I'll go fishing, write stories and play music, act in plays, see concerts, study, work on my garden, eat curry, photograph, interact with my family -- all things I love to do now, but this time surrounded by eternal peace and beauty.
That being so, I will ask you a question: If heaven
is as described by these authors would it not be
your desire to want your loved ones and friends to live in such a heaven?  
Maybe if I hadn't been sick I would never have looked into it at all and just been comfortable coming to church, singing a few songs and fellowshipping with others as many of us do. But now I am excited about heaven, about the thoughts of my family and friends living there with me. My research into heaven gave me something to talk and dream about, a beautiful existence I can describe, like the visions I've shown here.
That is what God wants to give us so much. Read this book and books like it and understand they describe the true, absolute reality you can anticipate in heaven. You
can carry on your favourite pursuits, hobbies and dreams within a paradise. It's up to us.
As Frank says, "
If only we could understand that during our earthly life we are building for our eternity." As Christians we are requested by God to be kind and help other people find the way to heaven and doing that is certainly building for our eternity. I feel comfortable drawing people into a conversation by asking, "What do you think happens when you die?" Many don't know. Many Christians just had a vague idea like me and thought no further. They always ask in turn what I believe. I tell them I go to heaven, and then willingly tell them what it's like there, quoting from these books.
I was surprised when I talked about this with my Christian friends. Most said they had never wondered about what they would do in heaven, other than the harp and worship aspect. But then I never thought about it either until I was faced with the possibility of early death. But what about you? What do you think happens? Do some research, read about those who have been to heaven and what they saw and then put your own desired existence into it. Then use your earthly time now to tell others about it and bring them there. It's certainly easier than throwing scripture verses at them. They'll get those as they are needed. And it is enjoyable. I loved finding out about heaven.
Just one thing in regards to the aspect of lives of constant worship that we are told we do in heaven. I believe that when one lives in heaven among the perfection described, one's life can only take on a feeling of constant thankfulness, overwhelming gratitude, and we just can't help but to give praise and worship in whatever we are doing, not only verbally but also our very life becomes one of never-ending gratitude. So in fact we do worship all the time but not always with a harp, singing and robe but with our recognition of His utter kindness to us. So if you are a believer tell people with confidence; bring out of them something personal they'd could look forward to if they only believed. It would change their attitude from hopelessness in death to hopefulness and also in the way they treat others. They will beat their own path to the heart of God if it's needed.
Frank's quotes from the book says:
"we are building for eternity during our earthly life" and
"that this earthly life is our probation," in other words, what we do here, how we carry ourselves, how we treat others, determines whether we are worthy of the blessings of eternal paradise when that time comes. Many people say "but we can't earn our way into heaven, and that is true, it is a gift from God, but there is a requirement, "you'd better treat my people with respect and love, or else there'll be trouble," and He means it. He says -- do unto others as you would have them do to you and love your neighbour . . . and then teach others to do the same. Then we'll hear Him say, "Well done my good and faithful servant. Your crown's over there on the hook . . . er, next to the harp and robe.
See you there when the time comes.
Michael
PS. I read somewhere that someone hoped heaven was love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control...and all the chocolate you could eat.
Michael is a freelance writer in Toronto. 
