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Senator Ben Sasse is dying of pancreatic cancer and sharing publicly about his journey. My friend Alex Harris wrote a wonderful article about Senator Sasse and the lessons we can learn from him about our current political climate.

When we get to Heaven, one writer claims, “We will not even remember this old world we call Earth, . . . nor will we even recall it! It simply will not come into our minds.” This misperception is widely believed, but the Bible says no such thing!

While suffering is not good, God can use it to accomplish immeasurable good. This knowledge should give us great confidence that even when we don’t see any redemptive meaning in our suffering, God can see it.

I’ve heard multiple people claim, “There are no pets in the Bible.” But that’s simply not true. In Job, the oldest book of the Bible—probably written in the days of Abraham—God asks, “Can you make a pet of Leviathan as you would a bird or put it on a leash for your girls?” (Job 41:5, NCV). This shows that birds—and no doubt other animals—were beloved pets that parents gave to their children.

Costi Hinn, the nephew of faith healer Benny Hinn, grew up participating in his uncle’s “ministry,” staying at $25,000-a-night royal suites and flying in a private Gulfstream. But Costi’s false belief system was dismantled as he studied Scripture.

Hannah Strege says: “Before I had a heartbeat in a womb, before I had a birth certificate, before I had a name, I had an inventory number. For two years and nine months, I existed in a frozen canister of liquid nitrogen. My legal status was not child, it was property.”

Dr. John Lennox is a mathematician, philosopher, apologist, and best-selling author. Last year John did an interview for the Sing conference about finishing life well, a topic that’s close to my heart.

Ironically, some of the best portrayals I’ve seen of the eternal Heaven are in children’s books, because they depict earthly scenes, with animals and people playing, and joyful activities. The books for adults, on the other hand, often try to be philosophical, ethereal, and otherworldly.

Where was God September 11? Where He always is—exalted in the heavens, indwelling the hearts of His children, comforting the afflicted, stretching out His nail-scarred hands in the offer of a redemption that costs us nothing, but cost Him everything.

Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Our tangible love for others witnesses to the gospel truth that Christ loves us and died for us.

When I shared about this topic on my Facebook page recently, we received 562 comments in response. Many commenters asked why this clarification even matters. Others wondered whether we should ever correct those who are grieving by sharing the biblical truth.

Since the 2004 publication of my book titled Heaven, I’ve heard easily a thousand questions about Heaven and the New Earth. The questions I hear most often are these: Will there be animals in Heaven? and, more specifically, Will our pets be there?

“Your hands made me and formed me,” the psalmist says to his Lord (119:73). David expressed to God, “You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:13-14). The body is something to thank God for, not be ashamed of.

I absolutely love this preface to Ray Ortlund’s book Eat, Drink, and Be Merry. His words remind me of the premise of my book Happiness:  modern Christians need to speak more, not less, about happiness—the kind of happiness that’s centered on Christ.