GLIMPSES OF HEAVEN: Lessons on Faith and Hope, Love and Joy - Volume One
An Inspiring Story Written by a Legally Blind Woman Who Saw Heaven, Featuring her Original Creative Artworks
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Life is full of mysteries and miracles. Each event and segment of life that happens each day to each person everywhere has a purpose perhaps beyond human understanding. Everything is clearly known and made possible by the infinite love, power, and grace from the Creator God.
As prophesied, the birth, death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ are the greatest mysteries and miracles in the history of humankind. God, our Father Almighty, loved us so much that He gave His only Son Jesus Christ who lived among men on earth. Jesus sacrificed His own life to redeem our sins and forgive our transgressions. By believing in Him as the only true way to the Kingdom of God, we can attain and enjoy eternal life. In Jesus’ dying, we are all living.
Life on earth is temporal and we are just passing through. Death is not the end but the beginning of everlasting life with Jesus and our Almighty God. Our ultimate goal is to lead a righteous life following the divine will and way of God. When we leave this world, we will be blessed with grace to be with our Creator God in heaven.
Throughout the centuries, all advances and innovations in science and technology, business, communications and in other arenas in life have happened for a reason and purpose within the power and plan of God. In spite of the progress, convenience and comfort these developments brought to us, we are still beset with innumerable and staggering problems, challenges and struggles in life.
Recent catastrophes and tragedies, natural and man-made disasters severely affected many people and properties in many parts of the world. Filled with grief but inspired by their faith, victims and survivors have turned to the saving grace of God. They have some questions and they have turned their thinking to know more about the existence and reality of heaven.
The first question is, “How do we get to heaven?” The simple and clear answer to this is what I personally believe in —that the true and only way to heaven is through our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In John 14:6, Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. We need to walk with Jesus every day of our lives and believe that He is preparing a special place for each of us in heaven.
The second question is, “What does heaven look like?” Many people who have had near-death experiences claim that they had visions of heaven. Some people said that they had seen or had been to heaven. Each of them described heaven differently and with great fascination and mixed emotions.
Personally in my lifetime, I had a glimpse of heaven not only once but three times. The first instance was when I was ten years old where I saw the heaven’s golden gate and heard the voice of God with meaningful message. In my second vision, I met and walked with my future partner in the beautiful garden in heaven. In real life, I met Jun in person three years after. The third vision happened in my mid-life when I had a near-death experience where I saw the celestial beauty, light and glory of heaven. These were awesome and meaningful glimpses of heaven that I will always cherish and treasure in my heart forever. These visions are fully described in the first five Chapters of this book.
This book has a special meaning to me because this is a symbol of my personal resurrection. It mysteriously allows me now to enjoy God’s gift of new life. It is also a symbol of my victory and will power to overcome some challenges and struggles related to my vision problem that has given me some physical limitations but never a broken spirit. Despite my being legally blind, I consider this condition more as a blessing rather than a barrier. I may not see things quite as clearly as before, but my faith allows me to see miracles happening each day in mysterious ways and in unexpected times and places. Yes indeed, miracles still happen in this present day and time. I am blessed that in spite of my physical imperfection, I have an opportunity to share my special gifts and graces that come only from God.
I fervently hope and pray that you will be blessed by my glimpses of heaven and the lessons of faith and hope, love and joy I have learned from them. I also hope that by reading all or any part of this book, you will affirm your faith and raise your consciousness of the purity and integrity of life. It includes all the truths, mysteries and miracles surrounding life, and the beauty and blessing of the awesome grace of God, the great Source and Giver of Life!
To God be the glory and honor with praise and thanksgiving!
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About the Book
A diaconal minister, author, and creative artist, Roela Victoria Rivera became legally blind in 2004, two years after she had severe illness that left her in a coma for three days and led her to a near-death experience (NDE) which allowed her to see the glory and beauty of heaven. While undergoing eight eye surgeries over a period of eight years, she felt her faith and trust fading away for awhile. However, her deep faith in GOD and fervent prayers have strengthened her belief that GOD has never left her side and is leading her each day with new meaningful plan and purpose for her life. GOD has blessed Roela to see glimpses of heave at three points in her life: when she was ten years old, at age eighteen, and in mid-life which guided her with wisdom and strength, courage and creative power to write this inspirational book with divine guidance from GOD, holy light from Jesus, and inspiration from the Holy Spirit. She will help you see glimpses of heave in many different ways in everyday life. She also wishes to share her creative artworks and the great Lessons of Life she learned from her heavenly visions and from the Scripture. She continues her ministry for GOD’s glory through her GraceNotes Creative Ministry and inspirational items she designs to share GOD’s Words of love and grace.
Roela’s physical and spiritual journey is an inspiration to everyone who reads about it in this book. We hope you find it so.
About the Author
As a child of GOD, Roela Victoria Rivera was blessed with gifts and graces that allow her to serve as teacher, writer, and creative artist. She is a diaconal minister and Person-in-Mission in the United Methodist Church serving in the Tennessee Conference and wherever GOD leads her to go. She is also an author and editor of several books published in the Philippines and in the United States.
After working on a historical book project for the Church in the Philippines in 2002, Roela had a serious illness that left her in a coma and led her to a near-death experience (NDE) that allowed her to see the glory and beauty of Heaven. She came back to earthly life after three days with GOD’s blessing of new plan and new purpose for her new life. Roela made a covenant with GOD to set an altar as her thanksgiving offering for the miracle of GOD’s loving and healing grace and for her new life. Roela became legally blind in 2004 after a mild stroke, but this condition did not stop her to fulfill her covenant with GOD. Through her GraceNotes Creative Ministry and inspirational items she designed herself even with her vision challenge, Roela hopes to share with others GOD’s great Word of love and joy, grace and hope. Being legally blind, Roela believes that she was able to write this book only by the grace and guidance from GOD, holy light from Jesus, and inspiration from the Holy Spirit with the faith and eyes of her heart, and with the heart and soul of her eyes. Through this inspirational book, GLIMPSES OF HEAVEN, she also hopes to share with others the many blessings and lessons she learned from her heavenly visions, the Scripture and from the Book of Life. She also wishes to inspire the blind, the physically handicapped and many others to overcome and rise above their challenges in life with faith and hope, love and joy.
Originally from the Philippines and presently living in Hendersonville, Tennessee, Roela has been blessed with a loving and supportive family --her husband Jun who is an educator and her partner in life and ministry; their three fine, talented and skillful sons -- Paul Christian, Paul John and Norman Vincent Paul; daughters-in-law, Melissa Lynn and Bridgett Evonne; and grandchildren -- Elijah Christian, Lucy Evonne, Jaymier Lyle and Jayred Lloyd for whom the initial parts of this book were lovingly written.
Thanks and praise be to GOD!