Waking Up in Heaven
A True Story of Brokenness, Heaven, and Life Again
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4.4 • 303 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
New York Times bestseller! A remarkable and inspirational memoir about one woman's near-death experience, who was dramatically changed by the nine minutes she spent in heaven.
On December 10, 2009, McVea, a thirty-two-year-old mother of four, went to the hospital for a routine procedure. While undergoing treatment, her face suddenly turned a dark shade of blue, then black. Her mother screamed for help, and a nurse tried to revive her…to no avail.
Today, Crystal does not remember what happened in that hospital room during the nine minutes she was unconscious and unable to breathe on her own. She has no memory of the panic and the rushing nurses and the loud cries of “Code Blue.”
She only remembers drifting off…and waking up in heaven.
This unexpected meeting of a self-described sinner and skeptic with her God changed everything. Raised Christian, she had left her faith behind after childhood abuse and the subsequent struggles and suffering of her troubled teens and early adulthood. She longed to believe but felt abandoned, broken, and undeserving.
A moving autobiographical testament to the power of divine love and forgiveness, Waking Up in Heaven shares the message of hope, healing, and compassion McVea brought back from her brush with God.
This brave, honest account of years lost to shame and guilt will inspire those who’ve stumbled along their own spiritual journey, with the uplifting reminder that no one is beyond the reach of grace and redemption, and that, in the words of the author, “God is real. Heaven is real. And God’s love for us is the realest thing of all.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Crystal McVea had a hard childhood. For most of her life, drugs and alcohol were a more common presence than religion. However in 2009, at the age of 34, McVea went into cardiac arrest. In the hospital, unconscious and no longer breathing on her own, McVea felt she was in Heaven a feeling that continued even after she regained consciousness in the material world. McVea's memoir intercuts details of her transformation in the hospital with anecdotes from her more harrowing and often seedy upbringing. The author narrates this audio edition with mixed results. She's a crisp, clear reader whose Oklahoman accent makes the audio production feel more authentic than it might have been with a professional narrator. For instance, when McVea describes her stepfather shooting a rifle inches above her head, her voice quivers and listeners are immediately immersed in that terrifying and awful moment. But during less dramatic moments, McVea's reading fails to keep listeners engaged. A Howard paperback.
Customer Reviews
Its a good book
This book is a good book but it actually can't happen cause the Bible says that no one can enter into the gates of heaven then come back to earth even though Peter did no one else will be able to you may not believe me and just think I'm stupid for posting this but as a strong Christian I have to stand for what is Right and I felt led to write this now if u decide to believe me or ignore this is up to you but this just can't happen
Great Testimony
I read this book at stop lights, bed, lunches and even while waiting for the sermon to start at church because I could not put it down. I finished it in 3 days! Her testimony is very moving and reminded me that God transforms all bad things into good and loves us tremendously regardless of our past. In addition, she speaks from the heart and tells her story of pain. Her transparency will change many lives. It changed my perspective about my own sins and the cross is enough to wash them all away. All God wants us the best for us and he sees us as His children. Just like we don't stay mad at our children, He does not hold our past over our heads. Instead, he shields is from it by washing our sins away and creating a new path where he transforms our sins into good so we can move forward and fulfill His will for our lives.
Thank you!
Thank you Crystal for coming back to tell us the reality of Heaven God wanted us to treasure on this side of the veil. Beautifully done!