I have recently read your book, In Light of Eternity. I must say it is the best book I have ever read on the subject of heaven. It especially ministered to me at this time in my life. On June 20, 2004 my father died of a brain aneurysm. My dad wasn't a Christian, but I had a providential opportunity to share the gospel with him. Chapter sixteen, "A Greater Miracle", was a real joy to my heart. Though my circumstance wasn't exactly the same as yours, it had many similarities.

On June 29, 2004, my youngest of four children was killed in a horrific motorcycle accident. Troy-boy, as we affectionately called him, was 17 years old, and was our last child at home. I am attaching a Letter to the Editor ("Reality Hurts") which I wrote to our local newspaper that describes some of the details of this horrendous tragedy. I am also including a copy of a poem, "A Father's Memory", which I wrote about my son. This poem will give you a small flavor of what my son was like.

I had the privilege of preaching a sermon entitled "Dealing with the Loss of a Loved One" shortly after my son's death. All of these things were happening, and then I received your book which both confirmed and informed me about the reality of "the place" we were made for. Your comment on page 48, "I expect heaven will be a place of "no ages" but of "all ages", was a marvelous confirmation of what I had told my wife a day earlier about how we would view our son in heaven. Your comments in chapter fifteen about those in heaven seeing what happens here were invigorating, to say the least. The closing comment on page 101 was a beautiful ending to a glorious chapter, "The joys of heaven are not rooted in ignorance. They're rooted in perspective." Knowing that my son is now seeing a beautiful tapestry is a great comfort to my wife and I. Thanks again for your wonderful book. - Frank Zitzman Jr. (name used with permission)

More Readers' Responses to In Light of Eternity

In bestseller after bestseller, author Randy Alcorn has held readers spellbound with fast-paced, gripping fiction infused with eternal themes. Now, he responds to the widespread hunger for more insight on this subject with a straightforward, real-life look at what it means for believers to both think and live in light of eternity.

Those captivated by Edge of Eternity, Deadline, and Dominion can now explore more deeply the truths about heaven and eternity that were woven into each of these novels. With clear biblical teaching and illustrative stories and reflections, Alcorn shows how your life today will impact the eternal reality that awaits you.

What's this book about? Here's a summary of the central idea: The deepest longing of your heart is for one person and one place. Jesus is that person. Heaven is that place. The Carpenter from Nazareth promised he would go ahead to prepare a place for you. What your heart most deeply desires awaits you in the home custom-built by your Bridegroom. Meanwhile, a thousand counterfeits vie for your attention, trying to convince you that they are what you're longing for. But you'll never be satisfied with anything in the Shadowlands. It's the land of substance you really crave.

Heaven is that land! Have you bought the lie that heaven will be boring? No way! Heaven will be an exhilarating adventure in which every chapter is better than the one before. In Light of Eternity will grip your soul and open your eyes to heaven. Dive in and see how you can live now in light of your forever home. See how the choices you make in the 'short today' will have a lasting impact on the 'long tomorrow'. One moment after you die you'll know how you should have lived. And you'll know what's on the other side. Don't wait until then to find out. Let this book guide you into discovering how wonderful your eternal future will be, and what you can do now to prepare for it. Because the real adventure awaits you on the other side, with the person you were made for...and the place He's made for you.