Those who know me well enough know my favorite books to read are biographies. I enjoy reading about other people’s lives, how they are effected by the choices they make and the circumstances they find themselves in, how they react to situations, and how they make it through. There is so much we can learn from others and apply to our own lives.
A Glimpse of Heaven is Joanna Oblander’s story.
The book begins with one of the hardest times in Joanna’s life, the night she decides her life isn’t worth living anymore. Even though she is happily married with six children the severe depression she is battling is winning. She prays that night explaining to God that she just can’t do it anymore and that she would be ending her life the next day. You’ll have to read the book to find out the miraculous event that occurred to stop her from carrying through with her plans. Joanna explains, “Although my depression remained as severe as it was before my experience, my dedication to succeeding in the ordeal that I called my life was backed by a much more powerful resolve.”
The rest of the book follows Joanna’s personal journey, sharing her triumphs and failures. She tells of the deeply spiritual confirmations and guidance she received in knowing how many biological children she and her husband, Greg, would have and yet more spiritual insights that would lead them to find their adoptive son and daughter. Joanna details her crusade to find healing for the various sicknesses that ailed her body and mind. Woven throughout is the ongoing quest we all traverse to find and receive heavenly help for our individual lives. We can see how following those promptings have helped Joanna in her life. It causes us to examine the Lord’s hand in our own lives too.
“I testify with all of my heart that it does not matter whether you see God himself, hear His voice, see an angel, witness a miracle, or simply feel a quiet prompting in your heart – it is the manifestation in your heart that accompanies those events that is most important. We can forget what we see or hear, but we will never forget what we feel.”
~ Joanna Oblander ~
This is another inspiring biography to add to my collection! You can purchase A Glimpse of Heaven here.
I received a free copy of A Glimpse of Heaven to review. My own opinions are shared in this post.
That sounds really interesting! Thanks for sharing.
Her testimony that you quoted is quite powerful. I always appreciate a good book recommendation. Thank you.
I’ve been wondering, alot, lately, why, when we are counseled in the Temple, often, about having joy, why the scriptures mention joy so often, why we are reminded over and over that “man is that he might have joy”, why are so many plagued with depression? Sounds like a good read, tho’. Thanks for sharing.