BOOK REVIEW: Heaven Is For Real Guest Post by Ann Hartman

I've never been superstitious and have always had an innate unshakable believe that Jesus real alive and with us.  

While reading a book "Heaven is for Real"  by Todd Burpo, I came across a drawing which I have never seen before of a man "Prince of  Peace" by Akiane Kramarik and began to remember something that had happened many many years ago when I was just a little girl.  I met that man somewhere somehow.  I even showed my husband the picture and told him I had met that man when I was a little girl.  I don't know where or when, just that I knew I had met the person. Seeing the picture out of the blue has startled me! shook me! My heart is racing faster than usual, I'm nervous as if I was meeting .... or remembering something profound in my life again.  Grin... Like on my wedding day when Jimmy and I got the nervous giggles during our saying our vows. 

At night as a child I would raise my arms up in a hug form and "hug" Jesus and give him good night kisses.  As I grew older those times just became sweet memories that I've kept to my self and told no one. This has brought all of this back with a force I am having difficulty explaining, and a remembrance of talking to and being friends with Jesus.  

Jesus is real.  The children already know this from birth up to the age of about 3 or 4  then life begins to interfere with that absolute belief.  If we live in a religious family we learn the rules and regulations, we are loved but we definitely lose the innocent trust and humility of children.  We learn to keep "quiet" about acceptance and over joy of just being loved by Jesus. We learn to be judgmental of others.  Even to the point of "I'm a Christian" therefore, I'm better than others.  

Now 50+ years on the other side of being a child I'm learning again the joy and peace   that comes from letting go and Loving the way God loves. Accepting all that is around me and who is around me.  Loving with grace, mercy and compassion.  Living my life to the best of my abilities for Jesus and becoming a friend again. 

By: Ann Hartman