Whenever I pass through the historical accounts of the Kings of Judah and Israel in the Bible, I am always amazed at that point in Judah’s history when the Book of the Law (or Torah) had been buried and forgotten in the Land (2 Kings 22).
Unfortunately, the situation is not much different in our time. I am equally amazed at the high rate of biblical illiteracy in the American church today. Although the Bible is within reach of every American, it is virtually buried in many homes and churches. Nevertheless, it is because of biblical illiteracy and a few peripheral factors that we have misunderstandings over many aspects of our faith.
I want to take a moment to address just one specific aspect of our faith that is sorely misunderstood. Does the Bible say that we will know everyone from our former lives once we are in heaven? This is important because it affects our hope for the future. Will I recognize my wife, Amber, as only another sister in Christ, or will I remember that she was my wife in my former life? Will I recognize that my sister, Chelsea, is not only my sister in Christ but my sister by blood in my former life? Many Christians are wrestling with this because we all wonder if we will get to genuinely be reunited in heaven with those of our former lives. Answers vary depending on who you ask. Misunderstandings over the afterlife are not by-products of biblical illiteracy alone; it’s also because the afterlife is NOT being preached anymore. In fact, heaven is ignored almost as much as hell in many pulpits.
Misunderstandings over the afterlife are not by-products of biblical illiteracy alone; it’s also because the afterlife is NOT being preached anymore. In fact, heaven is ignored almost as much as hell in many pulpits.
I firmly believe Scripture teaches that we will be able to recognize those we knew in this life once in heaven. However, there are also sincere, born-again believers in Christ who know the Bible well and would disagree with me, not because of biblical illiteracy or ignorance, but because they fear robbing God of His glory. Therefore, my purpose here is to lovingly reason from Scripture against that notion by articulating three objections from the opposing side and then answering them from Scripture.
The first objection is that if we knew everyone in heaven, we would know our former spouses, which contradicts Jesus in Matthew 22:30 saying that “in the resurrection [we] neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (ESV). Therefore, God will have to permanently remove the distraction of recognizing our former spouses from memory. In response to this, let me first acknowledge the truth that our marriage covenants (even the happiest of marriages) are declared to be absolved upon death elsewhere in Scripture. First Corinthians 7:39 states that a “wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord” (see also Rom. 7:2). However, saying anything more than this involves inserting an idea into Scripture that is not there. Clearly, the purpose for marriage covenants will end. In Ephesians 5 marriage is a picture of our Lord’s love for His Redeemed. This picture becomes unnecessary once Christ’s Bride is with Him in glory. Furthermore, procreation will not be necessary either.
None of this indicates a divine memory wipe! I see no indication in Scripture that Adam will not recognize Eve. I cannot find where God’s Word says Abraham will not know who Sarah was. Without sin natures, these relationships are guaranteed to be improved in the Kingdom. I have no doubt that Jacob, Rachel, and Leah now have power from on high to love each other with a pure and holy love; with marriage obsolete they are no longer burdened with jealousy, bitterness, and resentment. If Adam and Eve could recognize each other prior to the Fall without diminishing God or sinning, I see no reason to believe that this is impossible with Paradise restored.
This debate really involves whether the saints retain their personal identities in the afterlife. Consequently, the second objection from the opposing side speculates that we should be so consumed with meeting the Lord Jesus that we are wrong in hoping to recognize anyone from our former lives because it robs God of His glory. My initial reaction to this objection is that Scripture itself indicates that personal identities are retained after death. King Saul was able to recognize Samuel by unlawfully consulting the medium at Endor (1 Sam. 28:3-25). King David no longer mourned the loss of his infant son knowing that they would one day be reunited. After his child died, David said, “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Sam. 12:23). This is especially comforting to me because Amber and I had a miscarriage six years ago. Thankfully, Scripture is chock-full of examples of saints being recognized after death. The pinnacle of examples would be that Jesus Himself was recognizable after His resurrection. Consider that Elijah and Moses were recognized at Jesus’ transfiguration (Matt. 17). Furthermore, Paul comforted the Thessalonians with the hope of being “caught up together with them [those who died before us]” at the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:17).
Does retaining personal, recognizable identities somehow rob God of His glory? No! First, in our glorified bodies, our ability to idolize someone else over God will be impossible. Second, consider that for eternity God Himself will memorialize men like the apostles and the twelve sons of Israel by inscribing their names on the gates and foundations of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:12-14). Also, Jesus clearly declared that many will “come from east and west, [to] recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 8:11, HCSB). Without being robbed of glory, God will reward faithful saints like the patriarchs and the apostles with the privilege of fellowshipping with the whole host of heaven while they in no way will commit idolatry against the Lord.
The last objection to my position is the idea of a divine memory wipe itself. The opposing side cannot envision God wiping away every tear from our eyes in heaven (Rev. 21:4) without first preventing us from remembering the sins, pains, and sorrows of this life, and since our earthly relationships in this life inevitably involved sin and pain, we shouldn’t expect to remember this life, or anyone in it, at all. In answering this objection, we would be more at risk of robbing God of glory if we did not remember what He redeemed us from! Jesus Himself retained the markings of crucifixion in His body, after the resurrection (John 20:27)! I believe we will have the ability to know what we were redeemed from in our former lives while having the power to not remember it in a way that causes grief. This mirrors how God does not wipe His memory and forget His great story of redemption, yet He has the power to “remember [our] sins no more” (Heb. 8:12, ESV). Also, Scripture indicates that being forgotten by losing our personal identities is a punishment that God inflicts on the wicked of hell and not the saints of heaven. Psalm 9:5-6 says, God has “blotted out their names forever and ever . . . the very memory of them [the wicked] has perished.” Indeed, it seems the only people we won’t remember in heaven are those who are in hell. It’s quite possible that we will know they are there, but we will have the power to forget them in righteousness. Notice that in the story of Lazarus, Abraham, and the rich man, we are not told the name of the rich man (Luke 16:19-31). Could it be that it’s because his name is blotted out?
In closing, my hope with this article is that no one in Christ’s church has their joy stolen from them by misunderstanding Scripture. I said in my last article that God is relational, and He created us to be relational beings. It is much more in harmony with Scripture for the saints to view life after death as a blessed reunion where our relationships with God and with each other are perfected, something we can all look forward to.
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I think your death might be wiped from your mind for a bit. There are easy deaths and horrible deaths. If the lord didn’t wipe those memories you might end up catatonic upon arrival. We will know the mind of God. Thats a powerful statement. I just think my wife is my best friend and she will be my friend in heaven. But she will no longer be my wife. We will be beyond husband and wife. More like brothers and sisters is best I can put it into words. My opinion of course. As for the Lord, We are created in his image and by that I mean his spiritual image. We know he gets angry and he is happy and I think is quite capable of laughter. Because we are. Heaven is going to blow our minds. Again just my opinion!
I just lost my beautiful daughter Shannon to alcohol on June 22,2020. Only 39 she leaves behind 4 beautiful children and one sister and me. She is my best friend, my heart and my grief is almost unbearable. I too am struggling with the faith that I will see her again. With so much love and the deep loss of her passing I would like to think that our Heavenly Father would not simply wipe all that love away. There has to be a heaven….there has to be our loved ones waiting for us! What an awful waste of love for God, Jesus and our loved ones! It is really hard for me to keep believing that my daughter is waiting for me but I pray oh my goodness I pray that she is going to be waiting for me. And I praise the name of God in Jesus Christ for allowing me to see her again. I just simply cannot say goodbye forever! What would be the purpose of the Bible in the Word of God and his promises?
Shannon also leave behind a wonderful husband as well. I pray I see her again everyday I pray. But that little element of doubt always sneaks into my head. I don’t know why but I am trying to maintain my faith in God in Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your comment regarding your daughter, Shannon. I just lost my mother day before yesterday. I, too am struggling with the thought of not knowing her and being reunited in heaven. I’ve always automatically thought, and assured others, that we will know one another in heaven based on all of the accounts the author of the article provides above. But when you actually are grieving the loss of a child or parent, fear and doubt can set in quickly. Reading your response to the article above has brought joy, peace and assurance of what I know to be true. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I am grateful.
If there is no sorrow then if I don’t find my children I will cry.
i am a reader just got on……just lost my wife of 55 years on the 4th of july, 2021. it was a slow death over 18 months, and when she passed, she had already been unconscious for 3 days. what misery it has been, watching pancreatic cancer , the chemo, and the meds take their toll. she was smiling when she passed out. and personally, i need that promise from God that she will be there when i arrive there as well. i have cried for days……i really need something to lift my spirit. thank you so much for your article.
Your children will be waiting on u.
Just lost my Wife,Deana 10wks ago .u have helped me. I want her to b filled with love of Jesus because he can love her more than I ever could and I want to be with her
You will know her. Scripture says we will know as we are known.
I think where a lot of people struggle losing loved ones is sometimes they leave this earth and us unsure of their true relationship with God. For a Christian I think that we know in our hearts that we will see our loved ones again in heaven but we also know that their are some that did not choose to follow Christ and for us, death is the end of that relationship. That is why we must pray and witness everyday to people in our lives that we know are not saved by God’s grace because this is the only way we can have eternal life. I am not by no means saying we have the right to judge or to make assumptions about anyone’s salvation, but scripture teaches that when saved we will still sin and fall short of God’s grace but we are to try everyday to separate ourselves from the world. Our lives should reflect the true nature of our heart. So I think when we lose someone to death without knowing if their heart was right with God and if they have accepted Jesus as their Savior, we will be added knowing we may not see them again. But we should take comfort in knowing that when we get there through God’s grace and love we will no longer be saddened by the loss of them.
I also abused alcohol and prescription drugs most of my life. I was trying to keep my pain buried due to a abusive childhood. To make a long story short, I became a born again Christian. I repented of my sins, said the sinners prayer got baptized in the ocean. I asked for forgiveness and forgave the person who made my life unbearable. It was then that I began to heal. Does that mean I stopped sinning? No. But I knew that I must repent and ask God to forgive me. I now have God’s Word to go to, the Bible to guide me. I now have a relationship with Jesus. And because of Gods grace thru faith I was saved and have eternal life with my Father. You don’t mention if your daughter was saved. I hope she was.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Jolene. I lost my Dad on July 2nd. I understand what you’re feeling; My Dad was my best friend and the grief at times is overwhelming. The Holy Spirit is the great comforter and the only relief for my suffering. I recall Paul writing to Corinth: Gods power is perfected in weakness 2nd Corinthians 12:9. ABBA, I pray for woman right now, I ask The Holy Spirit to comfort her during this time, fill her with your peace, your joy in order for her to live a life filled with hope in Jesus, in Jesus name I pray Amen.
Dear Jolene, I am so sad to hear that you lost your daughter this year so young. My daughter who was a little older at 49 died last year from ovarian cancer. I couldn’t believe that she had gone even though I looked after her for most of the time over 3 years and I nursed her at home for the last 3 weeks of her life. But the anguish of losing a daughter is almost too much to bear. But I believe that our daughters are in heaven with our loving Saviour right now in spirit and recognise others who have gone before them. It is this absolute belief that they are in His presence the moment they died and I take so much comfort in knowing that they will be with Him in joy, love and peace which passes all our understanding forever. I can’t wait to be with my daughter again and death now has no fear for me. I still cry buckets of tears but the thought of her being in God’s presence now gives me peace and keeps me going even though I feel half of me has been cut off. Rely on His love, Jolene, and know that when your time comes He will do the same for you. It is exiting to know our daughters have actually been through death and have attained what we are still waiting for with patience. What a glorious day it will be when we are all together again. Keep faith and keep believing as we grieve. God bless you and hold your in His arms. With love, Cynthia
Hello Cynthia,
I lost my dear sweet soulmate and my best friend this past June4th 2020 To Ovarian cancer after a 3 1/2 year battle she did do conventional treatments only treatments where done was in Mexico. There has been a great hole in my heart and grief beyond what I could ever imagine. I know where she is and I know I will see her again but it does nothing for the pain I have in my heart.
I will never remarry again because she was that special to me and because of vows we made to each other before her passing. We know there is no marriage in heaven but our relationship with each other will be far better then on earth. I hate cancer!! It destroyed my life on earth with a friend who love me unconditionally and was always there for me. Now I am left behind with 4 children 24,22,21 & 12 one just got married on Saturday 9-17 she was my oldest and she was married without her mom there. And I had to walk her down the isle knowing that my soulmate of 27 years is in heaven now. I miss her all so much!
Thank you for words of encouragement
Scott
All of these comments. They let me know I’m not alone. If it weren’t for Jesus I’d be dead. Lost my husband of 39 years in September. We were married as teenagers. I wake up everyday wondering when I’m going to get to go. But God has a plan for all of us to help his kingdom. Is just a struggle and I know you feel it too, to find your purpose after they’re gone. I don’t want to ever remarry either. But I’m doing my best to find things that God wants me to do under his Direction. It’s just hard when your mourning so hard. But I’ll pray for all of you as the pain of the holiday season rushes here towards us. I’m just trusting in God that he will help me through. We have many friends and neighbors who died this year. And they have been such a comfort to me because they know just exactly how I feel. Thank you Jesus. I believe that i will know Don and I believe it’ll be better than anything ever here on Earth. We’ll all be worshiping together at the foot of Jesus. What greater thing could that be. Many blessings to you and peace for your soul.
I’m so sorry to you Scott!!…I know how you feel with the loss of a beloved soul mate!!…even though God is with us, we still feel the pain in a big way…I lost my beloved Tom two months ago and the only thing that keeps me going is knowing he’s in heaven with our Lord and that when my work here on Earth is done, I will see him again and we will all be joyously happy with Jesus….thanks for sharing your grief with us!!!
I am so sorry to hear of your wife/ soulmates passing , I know what you are going through I lost my boyfriend of 12 months ( 1 year anniversary the day he passed 07-23-21 ) and I just want to know he’ll be there when I go to heaven , I need to see him again. I want to have that loving relationship we had on earth, that loyalty and care .. I miss his kisses and his hugs again.. I hope so badly I will be able to have it back again but I don’t know if I can . so long as I see him again I know I’ll be satisfied and happy and that it’ll be better than on earth. I miss him dearly just as you miss your wife, it’s hard when you lose a soulmate and twin flame My prayers are with you
Scott, I just want to encourage you. I know how you feel. I lost my wife, who was my best friend 1 year ago. We also have 4 children. The pain at times is unbearable. You are not alone! It’s hard but God has been everything he said he would be. I am so thankful that I serve a God that has everything under control and sees our hearts and tears. He will direct you and get you through this life if you put your complete trust in him. You got this……just like I know I do too with the help of the Lord!
I lost my husband on 2-14-2019, valentine day I always have a hard time. But I thank God that he has brought me a mighty long way. I thought I was losing my mind. After his funeral I fell down on my knees and told him I can’t do this on my own. He has been with me and I thank him. My husband had a relationship with the Lord, before he died he called out to his mother and brother like he saw the two of them. So yes I do believe that we will see our love ones again.
How do I know my daughter is in heaven and wasnt denied ..at 43 passed from Fentynal..
I recommend a book written by Rob Bell and the name of the book is Love wins. Basically the premise is That God wins his beloved back. It would not be fair to not tell you that the book is controversial. I became a fan of this particular author because of this book even though many people love many of his books. But many things in our world right now are controversial and I still highly recommend this book.
God knows we are weak humans that make mistakes. This was a mistake that she did dabbling with drugs. God forgives you of your sin and died on the cross to wipe all our sins on earth away. I prayer for you to have some peace in this life and trust in God, that you will see your daughter again.
If your daughter believed in Jesus, repented, and asked Jesus to forgive her and said the sinners prayer then she was saved.
Because she was healed in every way…by God’s love…
I feel just like you , my 26 yr old son,who was still living at home with my wife and i, died march 2019, and i still wrestle ,praying ,hoping, believing, suffering That God will allow me To Hold him and tell him i Love him again when my time comes to be with the Lord , i can only believe that All is True , there is no other answer ,or purpose for our abilty to Love ,have Compassion or Empathy for others If Jesus was not Real
God love to all of you and mine too, we lost our beloved grandson on his 25th Birthday October 29th, 2020.
We are beyond devastated and this article has given me some peace, I know our Lord is holding my sweet boy and his pain and sorrows are gone, I just keeping seeking the answer I want to hear of course that I will be with him again.
my husband passed away Feb 11 2011 and it’s still just as hard for me. I came home and found his body ,to me it was like what kind of God does that to a wife of 27 years. I’ve lost my faith and struggle , Bill was my life and still is in my heart I’m hoping and holding on to the idea that I see him again
Praying for healing
Read Isaiah chap 65 vers 17
I understand your pain. I lost my best friend and brother to alcohol on 10/16/2020. We were extremely close, we had been through things others could only imagine as kids. We stuck together and we, not sure to say “are or we’re good people“. I can’t think that I will never see him again. I love him with all my heart, not to take the glory from God. We learn to rely on love we have here, not to say we don’t love God. I want desperately to see him again. He was the only person on earth that I was so close too and believed in me, other than my aunt and she passed. I feel so alone. Nothing can fill the void. It hurts. I don’t believe in reincarnation, shame on me I don’t want to go through this again. All we have is hope, I sure hope when we pass we can see our loved ones. My brother went too early I wasn’t ready. Only 42 that’s a whole life he missed. Kindest biggest heart, better person than myself for sure. I love him today and hopefully he will met me at the gates and prep me to meet God in all his glory. He will be there along with everyone we ❤️ love. Along with your daughter when you pass. God is bigger than we think he knows what we desire beyond anything else. When it say, “ our former lives will be no more and God wipes away our tears”. This is probably true we aren’t going to remember all the horrendous things we have been through. That is a good thing. Losing all our memories of lived ones I feel is not. God is not cruel. We will see them again. I believe that.
I totally agree with you and I, too, believe we will see our loved ones in God’s presence someday!…God gave us “love” for a reason and I cannot imagine Him taking that away….of course, we will all love God/Jesus with all of our hearts…loving others will not take away from love for God/Jesus.
I feel the same way you do Edna, I don’t want to come back to this miserable world either. Most people now have no feeling for others. All the killing etc going on now, cities being destroyed, my beloved Manhattan in New York once the greatest city in the United States, now gone to crap. I don’t know if it can ever recover again. My wish is that God would come down soon and wash this all away and start over. I don’t want my kids and grandchildren to go through the horrors they will face if this crap going on doesn’t stop soon. I will say a pray for you.
Dear Sister in the Lord, I feel for you. It is Jesus that will in time fill you with faith.Remember He it is the Author and Finisher of our faith, a GIFT, from God, praise His Name. He is praying FOR us believers, in the senses that He is both on our side, even in which what you are passing through, AND in our place when we feel we just plain can’t pray. Lean heavily upon Him. He IS praying for you as if you were the only one in the universe.He is the High Priest, and that is exactly what He has been, and continues to do in Heaven now. Look up and sing Burdens are lifted at Calvary, Jesus is very near. Sincerely, in the Lord,. Brother Harvey
You will see your daughter again , God will not wipe our memories away from us. All the Love we have shared in this life is what God intended . Love is the most powerful gift of all. Michael
I’m very sorry for your loss. I, too, an praying that you will one day be reunited with your daughter. Even stronger than my relationship with my husband is my love for my daughter. I can’t imagine that heaven could be heaven without that love. God bless. Stay strong.
This comment really hit home with me as I just lost my beloved partner, two months ago, to cancer. I know Tom is in heaven with Jesus; but I still feel the pain of grief and I’m very much looking forward to seeing him again in heaven someday!! I imagine him now as being joyous & happy with our Lord!!
I lost my wife in July 2020 to alcohol (38) years old. I can honestly say that I hope she is the first person I will see in heaven. I have battled with the thought of her not remembering me but then I think “how can something like a reunion with her in heaven be something that just isn’t so”?. I believe we are in for I big surprise. I am sorry for your loss.
If even if we don’t recognize our family of friends. We will recognize Jesus and we’ll be so consumed in him and his glory it wouldn’t matter.
I have a little hope and a little belief that we will recognize one another. But if we don’t we’ll be in so much Bliss it won’t make a difference.
We need to think on what’s happening Here, so we made bring people to heaven with us in the name of Jesus Christ.
May the Lord bless and keep all of you
All former things are passed away. I don’t believe we will even think about it, do you ? A man looking back is not fit for the kingdom of heaven. No, I don’t believe we will even think about those we know or knew on earth. If we did, we would be carnal minded. Hate to disappoint people, but we will have new bodies and won’t be recognizable, nor will we care. Bible says if we love anyone more than Him, and if we look back, we aren’t fit for the kingdom. All that we know on this earth we leave behind.
That doubt is Satan trying to rob you of a promise. Thoughts enter my mind as well. I’ve had 4 huge losses in my life but the loss of my husband has been very difficult. 14 months of deep sorrow. There is something we can learn from each of life’s experiences. I’m not sure if we don’t look too hard sometimes. I met my husband in a most unusual way. I am a firm believer in Christ and his promises, my husband was not. I knew him for 20 years, we were married for 10 of those. I always believed we were put together so I could lead him to Christ. My story is long so to shorten it let me tell you when my husband asked to be taken off everything that was holding him here I requested a chaplain and no one was available so I took his hands and I prayed the Salvation prayer and he could hardly speak but repeated everyone of my words and said Amen and laid his head back on the pillow, his eyes rolled back, his mouth opened and he was gone. The Lord took him just like that. My mission was accomplished and I will be forever grateful I was given the opportunity to be part of his story of Salvation but I never anticipated the heart ache. I’m 3000 miles from home, know no one and know there’s another mission but I sure wish it would hurry and reveal itself. I won’t tell you I know how you feel but I will say I have a good idea. You will be in my prayers.
May 2 2021 I lost my 29 yr old son to alcohol also. Just lost my mom to covid on Jan 6th. My heart is so broken I don’t know how I am still holding it together. Barely. But I struggle with that question so much,no one I know knows their Bible well enough to show me what God’s word says about the afterlife and if we will know them. I’m in need of answers.
just read study ist.cor.15-this speaks of Christ as firstfruits of dead came back to life.all those in this faith also he will bring with he in new eternal spirit bodies bless good lord keep u safe in his loving care embrace/his death in exchange for life given to us of the faith/
The only person I trust and knows the Word of God teaches biblical Greek and Hebrew at University – Robert Luginbill.
My name is Jolene. I am depressed if we don’t see our parents and children. It doesn’t seem right with all of this caring for it to dissipate. I believe my dad and mom were murdered. my cousin was murdered in 2018. My older brother has passed. my best friend, my aunt I called her mama Edie, I believe she was murdered. But because of their age no one except me understands. I was a nurse I know what I’m talking about. I’m so very sad if your past is gone that means your loved ones too.
I believe since we know God is a God of love, the most important thing to Him is love. Jesus said, the two great commandments, to love God and love others as yourself. It says in scripture the 3 greatest things is faith, hope and love. Yes the ones we love and the love that is given to us and created by us we will take with us. We will remember those that loved us and those we loved. It will be the very beginning of our journey into heaven. First the love for God and Christ, love for others, including the ones we first loved here and then love for all other saints who have trusted Christ as their Savior and are in heaven too. It will be love built upon love built upon love for all eternity because our Trinity is love.
BEAUTIFUL and true!
Very sad that you’ve lost your daughter. Surely. You will be with her in heaven. X
I don’t believe what most people believe concerning after death. We are in heaven because of Jesus only and to serve God. Isaiah 65:17 tells us that we will not remember earth and nothing about it will come to our minds, which means all because everything is new like the new heaven and new earth.
Isaiah 65:17 is talking about after the end of the resurrection. God is telling us that we will not know the evilness that is here on earth now, it is not talking about our loved ones. I used to be a CNA and have seen and heard people say that they see their loved ones, when their getting ready to pass. I’ve also heard some stories of some people coming back from death that have seen their loved ones. I believe that God would not let us love these people for no reason, They are in our lives for a reason. I don’t think that we will remember the bad things that have happened here on earth but the love we will remember. No matter what we will be in such awe of our Lord that really, it won’t matter, he is what we all should be looking for anyways. Don’t ever doubt what God can do! I pray for everyone of you going through a hard time right now and I pray that you find peace with your questions. Great article!
I lost my son to alcoholism 2/21/18. He is forever 46 . I was his caregiver his last 8 months and thank God for that time. We were trying to fight for his life to get a liver transplant but he didn’t have time
While together in those last months I witnessed my son look past me in his bed and followed something or someone with his eyes and stopped right by his side of the bed. My son raised his head and looked up and had the biggest, mouth open smile and then lay back and was so peaceful. I felt God, Angels or a loved one maybe there to help my sweet son to not fear. I saw it with my own eyes , but the devil keeps creeping in my mind making me wonder if my son is in heaven. I say leave me alone devil, I AM GOING TO SEE JESUS AND MY SON IN HEAVEN AND MY LOVED ONES BEFORE. I’m so sorry for your loss. I believe God is love and he sacrificed his son Jesus for us and our sins. I know My son ask to be forgiven so I will live to the best I can to one day be in heaven. I feel like this is hell on earth losing a child. I live now one day at a time for each day is one day closer to heaven and our children and loved ones and glory and freedom. My son screamed out one day “ I just want to be free” and I have to believe he is. I pray for assurance for us
He who The Son sets free is free indeed! Believe and be patient. 🙂
Jolene, I lost my wonderful husband six years ago. What keeps me going is I trust in the Lord that my husband will be waiting for me. Just believe. We all have moments of doubt, the devil of course. Grief is love that has nowhere to go. I believe. I’ll pray you. love, sandy domineau
Dear Jolene, I lost my Daughter Alessandra on September 19, 2021, almost a year ago and my heart is in pieces. When she left us, I didn’t live anymore. I have survived, but my life is a painful struggle between living and letting go. The only hope that keeps me going is that, one day, God’s willing, I shall be reunited with her.
I want firmly believe it, but, just like you, that malevolent doubt keeps sneaking in.
It’s hard to keep an unshakeable faith, especially when I have so many times been betrayed since I was a child.
May the almighty God help us!
All will meet but maybe you will not see her as your wife, not sure. I want to know my mom made it and my dad so that is the basic reason I want to see them to have that peace. I tell God, you gave me wonderful parents and I know they did some things I didn’t like or may have done something I don’t know now, but basically the care and love I got I’m so thankful. I now look to God to be fulfilled and then I think God will reveal that info. He wants us to have peace so there a lot of things he can do. Wipe our minds blank too. We all worry of any of our relatives not making it but just pray and don’t stop praying. Keep on and God will reward you!!!!!! Most important is to love God like your father mother friend or whatever because there is no sex in heaven. We look at each other in innocent love. We may meet with different people we never knew on earth, because its innocence, no jealousy, no weird thoughts. So Just pray fast repent and you will enjoy your freedom from all bad things. no more sorrow. you will be so happy to even think negatively about anything just pure joy praising the Lord!!! Your fellow Orthodox Christian.
People’s near death experiences have helped me a lot and they did see their family. One video they took off was a bout a German kindergarten teacher who was in a car crash, and she visited and me her grandparents who died before she was even born, but she recognized them and her nephew looked healthy who was sick before he died so all this that tells us a lot. A tragic experience like that is something you can’t hide, you just want to talk about it and I’m sure she asked God or else he would have warned not to say it, but I’m sure he knew this story would also give peace to others.
I just want to know one answer. Will my parents and sister and brother and children know me?
I cannot help you to know for certain because I am fairly new to Christianity and learning daily. Does it not say that we will sit with Abraham, Jacob and Issac at the table? If we are to know them from an earthly life than it’s quite possible that we will know our own earthly family. We tend to feel the is way while on earth because of who we are here as well. When we are taken up, we are new with no sorrow, death, pain etc. As much as I myself pray to see my friends and family, I know that we won’t be in sorrow once there. As much as we want our family and friends there with us. Because I am a new Christian, I also struggle with this but I trust in the Lord that he will always take care of me in the end.
My alcoholic and opiate addicted son was taken to be in paradise with the Lord! As long as she received Jesus as Lord at some point – even at the last moment of life – she is with Him. Your great love for her is not greater than Jesus’ love. She is smiling now. My “knower” knows this. Read Isaiah 57! Verse 1&2
Trust in the lord you will see your daughter just as I will see my wonderful husband just believe
I lost my husband of 25 years in January 2020 at the age of 46. I too have struggled with this. We are both true believers in Jesus Christ and I have served as an intercessory prayer leader for most of my adult life. You just don’t expect to struggle with the things you do when you lose your soul mate. Thank you for this article and for all of these comments. You have blessed me and pray for peace, comfort, and blessings for all of you. Your sister in Christ.
To Bev, Daniel, and Robin, praise the holy name of God in Jesus Christ Our Savior. You have strengthened my faith in our father in Heaven and God has answered me through the three of you. I was praying diligently for answers, peace, reassurance and Hope and you have given me that, nay God has given me that. Proof that he does answer our prayers, proof that I will see my daughter Shannon and all my loved ones who has passed before me and many people whom I’ve never met. It is a loving Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ and my doubt has been eradicated. May God bless you and may his love pour out upon you as I know his love has poured out on me and for my little girl. Amen amen and amen.
I’m sorry for your loss. I wish I could give you a hug but since that is impossible, I’m sending up prayers for you. Stay strong. God bless!
I Agree
I remember preachers pastors priests saying to loved ones at funerals saying don’t worry there sufferings on earth is over there with there loved ones in heaven a better place that’s wrong what they say Jesus says when we die we are in a deep sleep until judgement day plus it also says in Isaiah chap 65 vers 17 we won’t know anyone on earth in the new heavens or new earth pastors and priests and preachers should tell the real truth at funerals
“To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”
I lost my dad 2 years ago and I still cry when I I think about him! He was a Christian and so am I! I was very happy when I read Luke 9:28-9:30.
Thank you! The great family reunion in the sky is a great marketing and promotional tool, but there is nothing whatsoever to support such an idea in scripture, while the points you made are all consistent with the Biblical account. We don’t immediately ascend when we die, humans and angels are different beings. We do not become angels upon our death, any more than we turn into a cat or a dog. But the point is, we will not be mournful or sad, we will be asleep in death until Christ returns. I did teach the afterlife from the pulpit. Didn’t make for a popular sermon series, but in the long run, I believe it brought more peace than anything.
You have the truth in Isaiah 65:17 and people should put their eyes on the truth rather then agree with what sounds good . You have it and the word will always give the truth no matter how many people might disagree with it or want it to be their way Amen.
Isaiah 65:17 does Not say we won’t know people it says the former things will not be remembered meaning former hurts and pains and it means those things won’t hurt us anymore we will be able to put it behind us and be happy . If we got a mind wipe how could we still be us ?? How would we know Jesus and what he did for us ?? How would we praise him he died HERE on EARTH for US . The Bible says you will give an account for your entire life in heaven and you will be rewarded for good deeds done here on EARTH we will receive crowns for eternity those crowns will remind us of what we did here on this earth . The names of the 12 apostles on the foundations of the new Jerusalem will always remind us of their deeds and who they were on earth . If you feel like remembering something bad could cause you to grieve and be depressed in heaven then your saying GOD is not enough your saying he’s weak and has to use ignorance to make us happy .
These statements are lies out of the pit! Study the Word of God!
no where in scripture does it say we will be reunited, in fact it says that the former things will be remembered no more…. so don’t worry if you get there you will have no remembrance of the former things. ALL things will be new….
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 it clearly says we will be reunited and the former things are the struggles and pains of this life not all things if we got everything taken away we would not be ourselves . How would you give an account for a life you can’t remember at the bema seat of Christ ?? Will our crowns not remind us of deeds done by us here on earth ??? We would have to forget Jesus if we’re are going to forget everything and how would that work ??? Will we not remember we were sinners when we see his hands and feet ? What will we forever praise him for if we can’t rememeber anything ???
I think that will be after the judgement because God wants to rest your mind and not allow you to have sorrow knowing one of your family members didn’t make it. I pray continuously and cry out for my family and pray God will forgive them and accept them. If God said everyone made it my parents and my siblings and uncle who are our immediate family first that will give me relief then I believe he still will wipe our minds so we see everyone else in love with christ and each other and not have to. go searching for our family members. just knowing they are happy will give us a chance to get to know the rest of humanity that made it up there and just have pure joy. I know our priests told us we will even be greeted by our animals we cared for on earth so I believe we will see them and then like I said before he will wipe our minds out.
I believe that as well. But the only thing i would love to know is if my sister that died would know me when i die as her sister her on Earth like her blood sister? I hope she does.
If she is your best friend, that would make you are a respecter of persons. That’s not of God.
Well said my brother!
Very well said. The problem you’ve pointed out is oddly pervasive; it’s seems to be an over-correction rooted in Romaphobia rather than scripture. We want to avoid the issue with saints so we then develop an almost frail and powerless entrant into heaven; upon us getting there God must be even more protective, in effect He must lobotomize us, promoting this oddly weakened state.
But this is such a sad version where death is given far, far too much powerful. It is no better to say “they’ll be thinking of God so much they won’t think of us.” because God Himself said in the garden that He desired more for Man. And how charitable would it be for them to forget us?
I would marvel at how our Lord spoke of the rich man burning in hades – and that man, that un-redeemed man, begged for mercy for his family. So are we saying that the unsaved man cared more for his family than would a redeemed saint? I think not.
I would rather think that like a sponge we soak in God when we arrive in heaven. That we see more through His eyes than our own. That we see clearly instead of through the imperfect glass.
Thank you for your clearly stated clarification on the subject of recognizing those we love in heaven! That has always been my understanding. And, you’re right, not much is taught on heaven these days – which is a mystery! Since heaven will be our home for eternity, the more we learn about it, the more we should be looking forward to spending eternity with our Lord and those we love!
Excellent, and I hope you are correct.
well its hard to believe but I was told that my uncle who had passed away was reborn but not as my uncle but as my brother, this is what we were told and I am honestly very in shock.
I do believe from all I have learned that we will know our loved ones and those that have gone on before us. But in the way we knew them here on earth. I believe this because on Earth we have love, sorry and many other emotions with our loved ones. There will be no sorry,paid,grief in Heaven,therefore , I feel we will love another in different ways in Heaven, as sister and brothers in life. Just my belief. We will all be happy, no pain with God.
The Christian faith does not believe in reincarnation, so I don’t really think that is true.
Pretty sure they meant your brother in Christ (but still your uncle)
I hope what you say is correct. Waiting for the next email. Thanks
There are things that we will never fully understand in scripture. There are many mysteries of the scripture
that are revealed to us through the Holy Spirit. Just knowing there is a Heaven and that God has told us that no ear hath heard nor eye has seen nor mind of man can comprehend things God has prepared for us.
You’re amazing! I believe the same as you and am so thankful to God Almighty, that you shared this with us. Praise His Name for we live for His honor and glory and not our own!
I found this article very comforting and heart warming. I was saved at 21 years of age and now pushing 69. I have known so many brothers and sister in Christ, but with my increasing age, my thoughts are not always clear on faces and names. I do feel that our new body’s will allow us to remember those we have fellowship with throughout the decades of our years. To rejoice together and celebrate our new eternals days with our Lord and Savior in the new heaven and new earth. To walk with Paul, Peter and other biblical greats is to wonderful to truly comprehend. To look into the eyes of Christ and feel his love and hear his voice is pure heaven. Seeing his scars will always reminds the saved of the sacrifice that was for us and stir praises of thanks to the glory of God.
I love how in the transfiguration of Christ the disciples knew immediately that it was Moses and Elijah that spoke with our Lord. We are not told that Jesus looked over His shoulders to inform His disciples, nor does it seem that Moses or Elijah were wearing a tag “Hello, my name is …”
Rather the two men were so MUCH who they were, they were ALL that God had intended, that they were instantly recognized to people who’d never seen them.
When Paul said that he was the chief of all sinners, I can relate. I have some dirty laundry stuffed in my closet that I don’t want my wife, my friends, or the world to know. I hope to have this totally erased from my history. If God has a different plan for me and my past sins, so be it. I am just so overjoyed to be redeemed from all that by my Savior Jesus Christ.
I just want to thank all of you for taking an interest in this article regardless of where you stand on the issue. I want to encourage you to share the Friends of Israel’s Blog and magazine, Israel My Glory with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Blessings to you in His Great Name!
But if your spouse dies and you remarry will you know both as your former wives or husbands?
Yes, just as the article proposes that Jacob, Rachel, and Leah will not lose any knowledge regarding their former marital arrangement; however, their relationship is guaranteed to improve in a glorified, holy state.
Will I have memory of my best friend in heaven?
Remember that this happened on earth and not the new heavens and new earth and the word makes it very clear in Isaiah 65:17. We are in heaven for Jesus and not our family Amen. When Elijah and Moses appeared it was on earth , not heaven.
Without our memory we are not us. If we were we could just say when I die I will be John Jones. I will never die as long as people are on earth because that last person could be me if my memory doesn’t count. Our soul and memory are not separable.
I am confused as it says we will feel no more pain or suffering but can someone please answer that if I make it to heaven and notice that one or more of my loved ones did not make it, wouldn’t I feel hurt??
Just a perspective to throw at you. The Bible saying basically all negative emotions are gone, it does not mean we lose memories at all. Instead we will have a higher understanding, we will not be petty or Judgmental, we will be filled with love and hope and acceptance. Biggest of all, we will no longer need to ask these questions because we have are eternal promise fulfilled without any fear of loss. What upsets us now, will not then. What we find odd or weird or offensive will not happen. Think about it, when you are in heaven with God and every single person you love, what is there to be negative about? When you are reborn, handcrafted by God…are you going to care your sister kissed your boyfriend as a teen? No! I believe we will 100% without a single doubt be with and k is every person we love that is waiting for us in heaven. God is love, god made love, god does not remove the thing he wants everyone to feel and live. If god IS love, then loving someone is also loving god, as he IS love. Why would he remove that? I will disagree with anyone who thinks different until the day I meet them in heaven and say “hey brother, remember that time you thought we would not remember each other? I am so glad you were wrong” and he will say “me too brother”.
Bible says unbelievers will not be remembered by the saints.
Thank you for this. I lost my Mother almost 2 years ago and my Dad will be gone 6 years in June. I have struggled with these events in my life. While I was praying the other night I asked God if I would know who my Mom and Dad were in Heaven…..I believe he just answered my question with you and this article. Thank you my Father in Heaven ❤
We get memory wipes. How else can you erase the pain, or live with someone who may have murdered you or your loved ones and then got saved? And Moses and Elijah were seen in a VISION, they were not actually there.
Amen brother and it says it all in Isaiah 65:17.
Why do we need to get our memory wiped to be happy is GOD not enough ??? Is being in heaven not enough ?? Do you think you will think the same way you do now under the curse of sin ??? We will be like Christ and does he not know and remember he kept his marks on his hands and feet remember ? In heaven our perspective will change . God would be using ignorance and a lie to make heaven happy . How could we praise him if we can’t remember what he redeemed us from ???
If we are not us and our memories are wiped then how or why do we account for anything? What would be the point of living our entire lives here on earth? What would be the point of going to heaven at all if our memories are wiped and we have no recollection of everything that made us who we are that transpired in our lives? What would be the point of unconditional pure love for our children? What would be the point of going through any trial and tribulation if it is just going to be eradicated and we will not know who we are? It is the love and loss we experience in life that shape who we are. Without that we have no identity and one cannot have an identity if they have no recollection of themselves. How can one atone if they cannot recollect their lives and loved ones whom they were shaped by on Earth? If we are to be changed completely than it would mean our souls would not even exist. One cannot be themselves without memory. One cannot have a soul if they have no memory in the afterlife.
This helped me but I can’t find a good church, I miss church but I have seen so much I can’t go
Ok if we recognize people for who they were in our lives, does this mean we don’t remember anything about them. If so then why recognize someone? I don’t think God would have us wondering who or how we know someone. If we are to worship God and have new bodies then we need to only concentrate on God and his Glory. Will we keep our names or get new ones with our new bodies, I think we will not recognize people because it will cause some after thoughts of our beginning in life.
You have the truth and you do have an understanding because, God tells us in His word that all things will be new and we will remember nothing from the former life Amen Isaiah 65:17.
Isaiah 65:17 does not say we will not remember anything. It’s context is talking about former struggles and pains of life and it’s not a mind wipe. It’s finally leaving behind of all sorrow and moving forward and being so happy in God’s presence that those bad things won’t come to mind because nothing will trigger you too. We will know we had a life before, how else could we still be ourselves ??? We give an account of our lives in heaven and after we get rewarded with eternal crowns will those crowns not remind you of your life ??? Will the names of the apostles on the foundations of the walls not remind us of history ? So are you saying we will not know who Jesus is, since he died for us here on this earth for our sins ??
I lost my wife of 51 years 26 months ago. I have been redeemed and I know 100% she is in Heaven. But she was my soul mate and the only woman in my life and I want to see her so badly again. 104 nights after she died, God revealed her to me in a dream that was so vivid and radiant that it almost was blinding; I have never had a dream like that. She was young again and her smile and eyes were beyond description and we were just staring into each other’s eyes with huge, loving smiles on our faces. I already expected to see her again but God allowed me to get a glimpse of just how beautiful she will be. An image I will carry with me to Heaven. Your narrative was truly inspiring and you are so right about Heaven not being preached nearly enough in churches. A lot of Christians have very little knowledge of the Rapture, Tribulation, the three Heavens and on and on.
I may not be married but hope to be in the future. I struggled with the fear that if I find my soul mate and we both ascend I will not be able to love her as my soul mate as many sources kept telling me that I will be too distracted loving God to love her as my soul mate. But that changed when I read the Matthew 18:18 verse “whatever bonds you made on earth shall be bonds in heaven” those aren’t the exact words but I felt that the verse was telling me that what bonds we had with others before we died will remain our bonds on the other side. Thus, the intimate loving bond between spouses will remain there bond in the next life, sure they are not bonded by marriage, but are instead bonded by their intense and deep ‘soulmate love’ for each other.
Hi I’m also searching for answers. I recently lost my husband of 36 years. we are believers of Jesus so I know he is with the Lord. Some people believe the dead are asleep till the resurrection others believe absent from the body is present with the Lord. Some believe Just as he told the Thief that today you will be with me in paradise, our love ones are there also. I also believe we will know our love ones. No one is certain for sure. Now we see in part but one day we will see in full. For us who are alive here we must live our lives to please God. To live holy lives and to do his will.
I lost my wife 3 months ago to Multiple Myeloma. She fought cancer for 3 years until God called her home. After going through a lot of old photos, I found a writing tablet where I had hurt her deeply 15 years ago when I used to gamble and get mad. I loved my wife so much and reading the letters made me realize had bad words can hurt someone. I feel that i’m a changed mad today because of serving the Lord. I know she is in Heaven looking down with a smile.
My wife Laura was 52 we lived together 8 yrs we were only married the last year of the 8 but after her death I was devistated I worried I would never see her again (I’m not a saint ) but the lord sent me a vision of Laura (who was a plus size woman in life) and she had a new healthy body and her devastating smile but the rest of her was all my gorgeous Laura yes we will recognize each other in heaven we will remember the love we once shared but it will be a purer love than anything we experienced on earth it will be an everlasting pure love of God ,Jesus Christ,and the Holy Ghost
It’s a matter of logic and reason for me. If we don’t recognize our loved ones beyond this life, then what is the purpose of allowing us to love like we do, and hurt like we do when a loved one departs?…
What a blessing to have loved and been so loved in this life. I’m sad that you’re hurting now but you got to experience one of life’s greatest riches. Heaven, from what I’ve understood, isn’t a place to restore what was lost here. I think heaven will be a place where everyone will have the greatest love experience.
This is my logic. My mother missed her mother who missed her husband and mother. That’s covering several states of origin. What if grandma is more in love with grandpa who wasn’t fond of her mother? While my mother may be looking for those who went before her will she be wondering about her children who were left behind? Too much grief in my opinion and there’s none of that there.
Love now as best you can and treat people right. You likely won’t have a time to continue where you left off while here.
I so hear what your saying and you are on the right track concerning the word of God Isaiah 65:17 tells it all and it will never be about friends or family but, only the Lord Jesus who paid for our sins Amen.
There are more than 50% of children living today with one or no parents ıt ıs so horrible. I hope Jesus can change all of this and even ıf we have two children sharing one mom or dad so what who ıs counting the perfection at this point. ı am so sick of people telling me that ıf ı do not believe enough ı am going to hell then telling me the road ıs narrow and the road ıs wide and most people will end up ın hell but the person preaching sure wont but everyone out there will not because they dıd not give ıt all and sacrfiaced their entire life for JEsus geez ıf this ıs what ıt ıs all about should ı really yearn to go? think about ıt sounds like a real delete club to me!! just thinking that’s all and yes ı attended bible college still the same just wait ıt out to be judged everyone ıs on the same playıng field and no color matters really wake up everyone wake up theflood of deception ıs drowning us and the ARK door ıs just about closed please please WAKE UP the RAPTUre ıs <HEre for the delete club only
We all make choices and when we apart from God, and decide to shut the door a him by doing things that are not right on his eye, we became sinners, the wonderful thing is that we can repent and he will forgive us no matter what because he knows us dearly inside out no questions ask. But we need to live with the consequences of those sins. Nobody can’t delete you from his club and the Bible assures you that. DON’T ALLOW ANYONE TO TELL YOU OTHERWISE. Jesus Christ died for you and for me and he loves you. It doesn’t matter how many times you fall. What is value to him is that you seek him. Romans 8 35-39 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
HEADS UP AND SEEK HIS PATH… TO SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE. GOD’S LOVE AND PEACE TO YOU!
The Bible teaches us that only by JESUS we will get to the Father. There is no other way. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6) Is there a Heaven? My Bible says YES and I trust it and by Faith and I believe it and you should too. If there wasn’t a Heaven where did JESUS ascended to? Luke 14:50 says…When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.
I remember since I was small child telling my mother when her mother passed away (my grandmother) don’t cry mom we will see her again in heaven, and I hold to those memories dearly in my heart. The path to follow is hard but at the end we will see the Glory of God and our loves one too.
God is merciful!
I lost my son in 2019.
I have been raised as a born-again Christian. I raised my children the same.
I have been almost desperately trying to figure out the after life. Even though I have a lifetime of religion instilled in me. I honestly have been “mad” at God. I have so many unanswered questions. Like why? What did I do to deserve loosing my son? Was I not a good mother? Loosing your child, is truly the hardest thing. I’m really not trying to draw my own conclusions or assumptions about afterlife.
All I can say at this point, I cannot wait to be reunited with my son.
Life (on earth) can be so cruel. So many life’s lost prematurely.
I know I’m not the only one to experience this type of loss. But at the same time I feel very much alone.
And to be honest, very little (aside from us being reunited in heaven) brings me any comfort. Knowing I prayed for protection over my children, to keep them safe each day. Was probably my main focal point in my daily prayers.
Anyway… I’m still trying to find a purpose in this life and some happiness and direction, till I see my son again.
Hello Christine I came across this site and happened to see your post. I too lost my son 2017 and it seems the same issues you have in regard to how and why and ever seeing him again I have been struggling with this a lot lately which is why I have been looking into biblical answers as to seeing him again
Yes – I totally relate. But read Isaiah 57 vs 1 &2 and remember if your child were asked if they would like to come back the answer would be a definite “No way!!” Free yourself to enjoy God’s blessings in the here and now. P.S. your child is laughing and smiling. (Hugs)
Hello. I’m so glad I came on this site. I lost my father 12/13/17 and was with him for almost 3 days, and most of that was by myself. I sat up with him, held his hand. I thank him for being such an amazing father to myself, two brothers, and loving my mom. He was comatose the whole time. I talked about out childhood, how great a pop he was to his 6 grandsons, and what an amazing fast pitch softball player he was, and loved watching Billy, #3, on first base. There were so many things I told him, the bad that I did, as a kid, thinking I was getting away with something, and it wasn’t drugs or alcohol, just stupid things. I wanted him to know. He was my hero. I started playing baseball songs on my phone, songs he liked, “Love Me” by Collin Raye, “My Way” by Frank Sinatra, other songs, too. When I played the song “Daddy’s Little Girl” by Michael Bubl’e, he opened his eyes and looked right into mine. They were all cloudy, and he had macular degeneration. I swear he was staring right into mine, and following my eyes. This was a about 20 minutes before he passed. I have talked to so many, but am blessed, but don’t understand it. He was a good man, with a great love for God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In his life it was his faith, family, and softball. He was an engineer with 4 engineering degrees, and farmed on the side. He was always willing to help someone out. When I was writing his many thank you’s. I found that he helped out many people over the years, that his family never new of, he asked for no pay back of money given, started a College Fund, for the Boy’s and Girl’s Home. He helped so many out. This is the man he was. He died of Parkinson’s, Lewy Body Dementia and had Macular Degeneration. About 8-10 years prio he fought prostrate and bone cancer, that was Stage 4, and beat it, to only get sick again. He tried to beat Parkinson’s by having deep brain stimulation surgery, and wanted to be around for his family. He was a brave man.
My mother died 6/2/19, progressing Dementia. She ended up getting MRSA, from a UTI. She was kindest, loving, beautiful inside and out, helpful mother and wife on this earth. She struggled with my dad being sick, and it was extremely hard with the Lewy Body Dementia. My dad would have awful dreams, and think she was having an affair. He even went outside, early in the morning, with only his underwear on. He had been in bed and in his mind he saw a different man, besides him in bed with my mom. My mom found laying out there in negative 5 below temps, called my brother and his body temp was 87 degrees.He was rushed to a special burn unit, and spent over 5 months there, and went to a nursing home for a couple of months, before we brought him home, until he fell and broke his hip, spent 21/2 in the hospital, and was in one until he died. We felt sick and guilty over this, but couldn’t give him the proper care he need. He wanted to die on the farm.
My mom’s dementia was getting worse, constant UTIS, in the hospital, and they would clear up, and had to have a port put in, and the hospital put her in the nursing home for care.
My mom was a nurse, and her faith, and family came first. She was an amazing grandma, and everybody loved her. She went through 2 breast cancer surgeries, and after the last her dementia started.
I live out if state, and trued to get home as often as I could, but I ended up getting breast cancer. After my dad died I got sick, and for 3 1/2 years, I’ve been sent to Dr. after Dr. It is something, they feel to do with the nervous system, but aren’t sure even with all the tests. The Drs. have mentioned CRPS, Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome. Most days are so painful to get through. I believe in the power of prayer.
I had flown back and spent 2 weeks with her, spending day and nights at the nursing home. She would only eat ice cream, and frozen protein shakes if I fed her. I knew she had another UTI, but couldn’t get the nursing home to check. I finally told them if they didn’t do something, I’d call an ambulance. They came back and told me my brother told me know. He was her medical power of attorney. I knew they were, lying, because he wouldn’t do that. He’s a farmer, and he was working night and day, to get his crops in, and doesn’t carry his phone in the tractor. I was able to reach him by 6am, and he came right out. They didn’t call him. We rushed her to the hospital. The first thing the ER Dr. asked us was whether, we wanted to let her die. She was in bad shape. We told them no. They cleared up the UTI, but the infectious disease Dr., told us she had MRSA, and it was throughout her whole bloodstream. There was nothing that could be done, and they told us that she’d have ti go to a nursing home, and one that would take her. We were told she should have been brought in right away, and could have had it for a month. We tried to get her checked, but they wouldn’t, and the Dr. that did the rounds there told us she was fine. It was just the dementia, but UTIS make that worse. It was a nightmare.
She was put in a nursing home, the day after I left. I had to go home for special testing, for my illness, that had been set up for awhile. My son flew back to drive me home, and was going to drive me right back. At that time I still could drive, short distance, because if my right foot. We told her we’d she her in a couple if days. We were told she’d be okay until I got back, but she died 2 days later. They called my brother, and told him to come right away, and he did, but she passed alone.
I have so much guilt over coming back for my tests.
I miss both my parents so much. I can’t imagine not seeing them in heaven.
I was raised with a strong Catholic upbringing and have so much love for God, his loving son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. God gave his only son to save us. I try to be as good as I can, even going through this disease, that Drs. just tell me I’m a difficult case. I just want to go to make sure I go to Heaven and see them. Will I see them in Heaven and will we know to each other? I want to make sure God believes I’m worthy to enter Heaven.
I hope God is okay, that we buried my dad in one of his ball uniforms, his shoes he wore going to the game, tatty old hush puppies, that the players would tell him that they were going to burn them, or bury him in them, plus his cleats, a glove, hat, and a ball signed by the players, left. His spray was a baseball field, with a rose on first base, with a number 3 on it. I hope God thinks this is okay. My mom had a beautiful dress, and was beautiful.
Can someone explain why my dad opened his eyes? Do you go to Heaven right after you die. I got in a disagreement with my other brother, he doesn’t believe, and gets on me, for believing. He tells me they’re in the ground, at the cemetery, snd that’s it. I and my other brother believe that they are in Heaven. I believe they are, but do you go right when you die? Please help? Can someone answer that. Do you go right away? Help? Why did my dad open his eyes when I played “Daddy’s Little Girl”? That is the song I danced, on his feet, at my wedding? This has bothered me since he passed.
Please make sure if your putting your loved one in a nursing home, check it out. We thought we did out homework. The cross that, was from my dad’s casket, which hung by my mom’s bed, was gone when we went to clean out her room. At first they swore there was no cross, until we showed them in pictures on out phones, with her by it. They offered to buy us another, but no thank you. It wasn’t the same, and blessed on his casket. My mom got comfort in it, and we wanted the same one.
Can someone please, answer my questions? I know I’ve told a lot, and have asked questions.
So, please thank you for reading my story, and help me understand. I’m grateful for all your help.
Sincerely,
Lisa, a believer!
Very moving. I believe in the resurrection and life after death and no marrying in the Kingdom of God but never ever thought it would be in Heaven. The bible says no man has ascended to heaven except Jesus. The bible says The meek shall inherit the Earth. The bible says Abraham and Isaac and Jacob will sit down in the Kingdom of God. The bible says Jesus will return to sit on the throne of his father (ancestor) David which was Jerusalem. The bible says David has not gone to Heaven.
Check these statements out with the bible if you are not familiar. The Kingdome is of or from Heaven but not in Heaven. Maranatha!
Hi Tom, thank you for your comments. One quick note, the disambiguation of the term “heaven” is beyond the scope of the article. I couldn’t agree more, the Bible uses the word “heaven” in a variety of contexts. Therefore, I would like to recommend the article “What Do We Mean When We Say “Heaven?'” by my friend Dr. Mike Stallard. It can be found on the FOI Blog as well. I fully agree with his article concerning the specifics of that term, apropos to your comment here. Thank you again for your comment!
I lost my husband of leukemia on August 16,2016 it seems like yesterday, he is the love of my life, I cry everyday, but I believe I shall see him again,and I pray you all have the same hope,trust in the lord with all your heart
I am a grieving pastor’s wife. I lost him last 3/21/2021 but I know he gained heaven. I’m alone now but when he was still here on earth we always promised each other that when we see each other in heaven, he will still be my husband and I am still his wife, though I really don’t know the set up up there, I’m still hopeful that my beloved husband will still be my husband up there.
I believe you’re right. And there is much scripture to back it up.
God bless
I keep hearing some self-proclaimed “experts” say that we will not be with our loved ones, especially our beloved spouses, which is depressing and leaves me feeling hopeless, so your article is refreshing. I look forward to seeing my wonderful husband in heaven and continuing to love him, regardless of what form our relationship takes in the afterlife. Thank you.
CS Lewis from A Grief Observed and his comments on this thread:
“Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable. How many hours are there in a mile? Is yellow square or round? Probably half the questions we ask—half our great theological and metaphysical problems—are like that.”
“Heaven will solve our problems, but not, I think, by showing us subtle reconciliations between all our apparently contradictory notions. The notions will all be knocked from under our feet. We shall see that there never was any problem.”
I believe we are all appointed a time to die from our lord. I believe that if we die on our appointed time we are at rest with our body til judgement day and we are raised. God gave us the gift of free will I believe if our time is cut short due to free will of our selves or someone else we cannot rest because it is not our time and we remain here in different form near to one’s that we feel attachment too until it is our time to rest or judgement day arrives which ever is first
Dangerous to spin stuff in our heads.
God’s Word has all the correct answers
I just lost my mom and I miss her so much she was my partner I keep asking myself if I am going to see her again and be with her…are we going to recognized our loved ones ?
I just lost my husband and best friend on 9.29.21. Reading your comments has helped me to never forget to keep hope alive. I hope and pray that I get to see him again , my mother and grandmother again and our child. I would love for us to be able to recognize one another that would make my whole entire world.
I feel ridiculous posting this when all have lost human loves. I lost my beloved Peaches on Sunday and am inconsolable. I don’t think I will mourn as much when my parents die as I don’t see and interact with them every day. It’s left such a hole in my heart and life. And riddled with guilt as he was taken by a coyote. I actually feel like dying. I have and had many pets who I love, but having raised Peaches from 2 days old and him being just so perfect, I am utterly devastated. As though I’ve lost my beautiful boy child.
The sadness you feel of an absence of anything that was alive that you LOVED is never ridiculous. I would hope God knowing just how very much we loved something like pets etc will let them be in Heaven. Did He go to all the trouble to make animals for nothing? NO! I believe our happiness counts to him. Seems silly it wouldn’t but our minds can sure talk us into otherwise right.
Yes, I know well that losing a beloved pet is devastating! Hurts terribly. My only answer is to immediately get a new little furry soul to love!!
I can see clearly that people are all about people rather then Jesus so it makes it clear to me that Gods word tells us the truth even if it hurts. Coming out from the world is what my Bible talks about and Gods word tells us in Isaiah 65:17 that we will not remember the earth and it will not come to our minds to remember. We need to put our focus on Jesus and Gods word rather then people here. This world and all it had will pass away for a new heavens and a new earth that we will be changed to remember it no more . I know it goes against what most people would like to believe but that doesn’t change the word of truth.
I come from a non-Christian family of 7. Only myself was a Christian (and possibly my mother). As a Christian I have to believe what God’s Word says about those who reject Christ’s offer of salvation. There is no such thing as “universal salvation” in the Bible. There is a list in scripture that tells us that those who do not change their lifestyle after claiming to be Christians do not enter the kingdom of heaven. We all have choices; I chose Christ. My siblings, father, and in-laws have not. It is my hope that God will erase their existence from my mind because the book of Revelation says that “there will be no more tears, and no more pain.”
I lost my mom on the 3 May 2022 , plz pray for me as I am passing through this time of grief. I hope to see mama again in heaven.
People make up all sorts of interpretations or ideas about the afterlife. Meanwhile, nobody really knows what’s going to happen. I grew up in a family where we didn’t have to face death. It always seemed like we were gonna live forever and never lose anyone. I am 50 now. And for the first time, I faced death. My mother was the only reason why I kept going around my family. She’s gone now. And she came to me in my dreams to find closure. Because I could not be with her since Sept of last year. Due to me almost dying of Covid and recovering on oxygen for 7 months. It was hard. But I do pray that God will bring us all back together. And without the burdensome baggage of this life. We all dream of living and loving in harmony. He knows our hearts. I can only hope and have faith.
I recently lost my daddy October 25 2021 from Covid and he got saved 2 months before he passed and I myself gave my life to the Lord as well as my 5yr old son and my church believes we won’t recognize one another due to no sorrow in heaven but I don’t believe that and now you have given me the reassurance that my daddy will be waiting on us when the Lord calls us home. Thank You so much I couldn’t help but burst out crying knowing I’ll see him again.
It is very simple. In Heaven if we can not recognize departed on their earthly identity, Abraham will not be able to recognize his generation which was promised by God. Similarly no one knows who the mother Mary , St.Peter, St.Paul, King David, etc etc. Which means Heaven is with souls in Heavenly Body. St.Paul clearly says that ones who died in Christ will be able to see each other and clearly recognize them. Simple as that. If a person marry more than one after become widower, it is not matter to former spouse.
I lost my husband in June 21 and just totally broken with grief losing the love of my life for 40yrs gone in the blink of an eye. I find all of the conversations so painful there seems to be no clarity on what the situation will be but what hurts so much is this idea of going from husband and wife deeply in love to brother and sister I can not cope with that at all.
I lost the love of my life, my soul mate, my best friend, on September 23, 2022 after a 10 year journey through Early Onset Alzheimer’s. I never left her side. I to, am overcome with grief, a shattered heart that will never heal. I know she is in Heaven with her Saviour. After 41 years of a loving marriage, I just can’t come to grips with not being married to her. I miss her……
We will NOT remember anything from this life. God will make everything new. We will be new. We will know everyone in spirit in heaven. However, we will NOT remember anything from this life.
I needed this I loss my 14yr old daughter to gun violence in my heart hurts so bad I don’t know what to do it’s been 9months Lord please let her be waiting I don’t know what else to hold on to pray for me
You will see her again, and you will be with her for eternity. God is love and created us to love, which is so important to him. He does not want our love for one another to end, but to continue.
Keep praying and believing.
May God continue to bless you.
Your blog post had me hooked from the very beginning!
Greetings Friends of Israel,
I pray that this finds you in good spirit and health. About ten years ago I was doing therapy writing and one day my counselor Pat Merwen at Serenity House said “Ben, you need to write a book. Your story can help many people”. So off and on for the last nine years I’d write a little here and a little there. On December 12, 2022 Monica found me on the floor of my bathroom after I had been lying there for nearly three days. I was medevaced to Alaska Regional Hospital for a stroke. The whole left side of my body was paralyzed from shoulder to toe. I spent the next five weeks learning how to walk and talk again. Six months later I decided it was time to finish writing my story it’s titled “God Won’t Let Me Die”. It’s only 178 pages long, but it gets the message out there. It is available world wide in all major bookstores like Barnes and Nobles, Amazon, Bam! and several more major bookstores. My Publisher (Christian Faith Publishing) is one of the largest publishing companies in North America. My story is also available on Ebooks like Apple and Itunes. I pray that my story may reach perhaps millions of people out there offering hope and encouragement in this doomed world. Have a blessed and wonderful day.
Kind regards,
Benjamin Moe
To all my brethren, we all know that we will see again our beloved ones, but with one condition.
Were they in Christ before or not?
If yes there is chance of seeing them but if no then we wouldn’t be able to see them because there is no second salvation after death.
I lost my four siblings at teenage but none them accept Christ.
SDA commenter
You cannot know if they accepted Jesus’ salvation right before they passed away. Pray for revelation.
I am a born again Christian and was raised in the church. I have loved and sought God my entire life. In the last four years I have lost 9 family members, including siblings, in-laws, cousin, my mom, my son and grandson, one after the other and just recently I lost the love of my life. He fell in love as teenagers, broke up and he found me in January. We were trying to get back together and we kept that love almost all of our lives. He had a relationship with God as well! We were happier than we had ever been since we were younger and looking forward to spending the rest of our days together, when he tragically fell 30 feet. He was operated on for days and was induced into a coma to heal. His daughter took him off of life support on August 9, 2024. I have been surviving in grief, for the last 4 years. I am grateful for the words here about being with my loved ones in heaven, truly I am. But, I don’t want to believe in a heaven where all my loved ones aren’t and I have a very hard time with the thought that God gave these precious gift of life to us and the great power of love, only to take it away from us and have it no more. What kind of paradise would heaven be, if all the wonderful love that you have given, received and shared was void of that love? The Bible says that the greatest gift is love, so how could he say that and not mean it? And if we are a part of him and he is in us, how can he deny us the love we have for others and them for us, if he commands us to love them? I don’t know any to forget my love for these wonderful gifts of my life. I don’t want to stop loving them any more than I love God. Right now all I have is so much hurt, for so many losses for so long! My heart is shattered by all of this, even though I know they are with God in heaven, because it seems never ending. Some of them passed within months, weeks and most recently, days of one another. I don’t know how I am still alive myself, from the enormous amount of grief. Some of this I have had to face alone, as I am now, with my true love. I finally felt that my heart would heal and God’s grace was with us!! We were so grateful for our second chance! It was so beautiful and felt so blessed. I blessed my home when I moved in and he was the first person to come through my door. We believed it was a miracle. I thanked God every day for our blessing. And he was the sweetest, gentlest and most wonderful man I have ever known in my entire life. So, once again I am shattered and lost. I don’t know what to think, say or feel anymore, except that, I cannot fathom heaven without the love that God put in my heart for others. The kind of love that has sustained me and my life here. God has been my life , but so have these precious souls, that have given me so much to live for.