Stepping Into Eternity

On July 6, 1979 my mother-in-law, Beatrice Gnotek, breathed her last breath and stepped into eternity. It is not the fact that she died but the experience she had shortly before she died that has profoundly impacted my life. On the morning she died, she was visited by Jesus Christ who spoke directly to her and then proceeded to take her by the hand and walk her into the kingdom of God. I was privileged to be present and to be an eyewitness to these incredible events.

As an eyewitness to her encounter with Jesus, I had a curtain to eternity parted and saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears the reality of the life to come. This singular day has shaped and transformed my understanding of the living reality of Jesus and his personal presence for those who love him. My mother-in-law, shortly before her death, made a profound statement. She said, “The church does a fairly good job at teaching us how to live as Christians, but I did not receive any teaching or practical preparation for dying.” My goal in writing this book is to open discussion and investigation into the final event of human existence this side of heaven for those who trust in Jesus so that we can be equipped and prepared for that great event.

It is vital for the reader to understand that this book is focusing on those who have made a personal profession of faith in Jesus Christ prior to that final day. I will personally relate some of the experiences I have had with the more than 30 people who have died in my presence. In each of these cases, the Lord Jesus came for the individual at the final hour. Although each situation is different, the common characteristics of peace, joy, and hope accompanied each encounter.