My Journey to Heaven: What I Saw and How It Changed My Life

Marvin J. Besteman · Lorilee Craker

Sep 2012 · Baker Books

About this ebook

On April 28, 2006, as he lay in his hospital bed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, visions of celestial beauty were the last thing on Marv Besteman's mind. He had just had surgery to remove a rare pancreatic tumor. It was after visiting hours and his family had left for the day. Alone and racked with pain, Marv tossed and turned, wanting more than anything else to simply sleep and escape the misery and discomfort for a while. The retired banker, father, and grandfather had no idea he was about to get a short reprieve in the form of an experience he never could have imagined.

In My Journey to Heaven, Marv Bestman shares the story of his experience of heaven with astounding detail. Readers will hear of his encounters with angels who accompanied him to the gate, his conversation (argument, really) with St. Peter, and his recognition of friends and family members who touched his life. His story offers peace, comfort, and encouragement to those who have lost loved ones and gives security and solace to those who are grieving, dying, or wonder about the afterlife. Marv believed God sent him back to earth to fulfill this mission of comfort and reminds readers that God has work for each of us to do before he calls us to be with him in heaven. Secure in his belief that his book was the fulfillment of his own mission, Marv returned to heaven in January 2012.

Ratings and reviews

I'm highly disappointed about this book. I read "Heaven Is Forreal"... and I'm Christian and consider both of these books to be of a "strict Christian skew on things". I had a near death out of body experience and all I saw was a tunnel with a light and felt love like I've never felt it before. God had both a male/and female voice and said it wasn't my time. All this guy talked about was praising God and the colors. That sounds really boring. He didn't explain what heaven LOOKED like.Or what there was to do

The writer was self lndulgent, kept going off on tangents to give bible teachings, right in the middle of a dragged out, over egged story, didnt like it at all, I could not even finish it, a writer he is Not! ...There was much more about him, his illness, his pain, what He thought of everything, really I found it a most annoying read,

What a beautiful gift from our Father God. It brought me so much comfort as I had miscarried at two months a year ago and then lost my grandmother just earlier this month. I wanted to know how my grandmother and baby we're doing and came across this book. It was beautifully written and offered so much relief and peace in my heart. Thank you

About the author

Marvin J. Besteman (1934-2012) was a graduate of Calvin College, a veteran of the US Army, and a retired bank president. He spoke frequently during his last few years of life about his experience of heaven. He and his wife, Ruth, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. Marv passed away in January of 2012, joyfully anticipating his return to heaven.

Lorilee Craker is the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller Through the Storm by Lynne Spears, and the author of several books on parenting and relationships. A frequent speaker, Craker is also an entertainment writer who has been interviewing celebrities and music artists for many years for the Grand Rapids Press. She lives in Michigan.