Portrait of Heaven

A firsthand account of what heaven is like

“MY DAUGHTER, Choo Nam, I am your Lord.” It was the familiar voice of my Master speaking so compassionately and confidently in my bedroom during the wee hours of the night. I was getting somewhat accustomed to His presence. His figure was bathed in a soft, warm glow of pristine whiteness.

The Master took me into a huge tunnel. Unlike most tunnels, it was bright and shiny. I reasoned this must be the tunnel that people who have near-death experiences frequently describe as the passageway from this life to the next. This, I thought, must be the doorway to the indescribably wonderful kingdom of heaven. Now my Lord and Savior was taking me there. Jesus then said, “We are going to heaven.”

No sooner had Jesus announced our destination than I began to fly. I had flown in airplanes before, and those flights were always exciting and exhilarating; but this time my body was taking flight like a bird. I remember the passage from Isaiah: “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Is. 40:31, NKJV). I’d always interpreted that verse from a spiritual perspective, but now it had become a living reality. I was flying and soaring like an eagle, and I wasn’t afraid because I knew Jesus was with me.

The experience of flight didn’t last long, however. It seemed like only a second. Soon we touched down on a narrow, winding road that was beautifully bordered by tall trees and lush, green grass. Just ahead I could see a huge gate that was set in a white fence. As we approached the gate I noticed that the road on the other side of the fence was all white, and on both sides of the lane, gorgeous flowers of every type and hue displayed their varied colors and tender blossoms. The array of flowers was more spectacular than any garden I’d ever seen. I found myself thinking, I’m happy to know there are flowers in heaven. They had the most lovely blossoms I’d ever seen, and they seemed to grow brighter and more colorful as we approached the entrance to the large, white palace we had been walking toward.

Jesus led me up the steps to the double doors at the front. I noticed that the entry was framed with gold, and beautiful stained-glass panels were on both sides. We walked through the doors onto a white marble floor. The shiny stone walls of the corridor reminded me that I was in the vicinity of the throne room of God and with each step we took, my heart pounded more intensely.

We entered a room, and it was even more awe-inspiring than before. The Lord’s glistening, golden throne stood atop a raised, oval-shaped platform. Beams of radiant glory streamed from the center of the room where this platform was located.

The Lord took me to another building that looked like pictures of medieval European castles I’d frequently seen. There was a rock wall on both sides of the castle, and magnificent flowers were planted all around. As I took in the scene in front of me, I felt like I was in a wonderland of beauty, peace and happiness. I didn’t want to return to Earth. We entered the castle, and I immediately noticed how colorfully carpeted the foyer was. The elegant furniture was selected to fit the color and style of the carpeting. The walls were sparkling and shiny—so brilliant, in fact, that they almost blinded me.

Then the Lord took my hand, and we were miraculously transported to a beautiful beach. He held my hand as we walked along the shore, and the Lord seemed eager to talk with me. It was as if He had a burning desire to share many things with me.