After a tragic accident took the life of his wife and son, Jeff needed a miracle. This personal and poignant journey into the life after death shares the true story of Jeff’s out-of-body experiences and his newly remembered ability to communicate at a deeper level with people on both sides of the veil. It’s a moving read you won’t want to miss!
I really enjoyed this book. My oh-so-considerate neighbor who knew that I was laid up in bed with a back injury brought it over to me and I read it in about 2 hours flat. It is such a delightful, and very fast read - however, you will be pondering its content long after you turn the final page.
This book actually aligned perfectly with concepts that I am already deeply entrenched in realizing {Thanks to the book "Loving What is"}. I have just been walking around {or , more often than that, laying in bed} with love for human kind literally oozing from my pores. The more I read and the more I learn, the more deeply I feel that we are all one. That sounds cheese-balls for days, I know, and I have heard that sentiment for much of my life, but I have never really understood it until now. And now I think that I am only beginning to graze the very surface of what that really means.
The more I am learning, the more I realize that I know nothing!
I cried through much of this book. His pain was my pain. While I didn't experience it in the same way he did, I still felt deeply connected to the author. We are all the same. We all experience things in much the same way.
A favorite quote, among many in the book was:
"I used to think God was testing me in some way. That he wanted to prove my faith somehow. I have come to a deeper truth. God wasn't testing me at all. He knows me completely. It was I who didn't know myself.
We are far beyond human. To me we are beings of light, who have chosen to do this, who have taken the challenge to walk this journey together, growing into what we were created to be. I didn't have to die and come back or have a profound out-of-body experience to learn this. I knew it already. I simply had to remember."
It is amazing how many people have these experiences, but few that talk about them. Having experienced something similar after a surgery went bad, i've been wanting to hear about other's experiences, not because I don't believe that what happened to me was real, but to see if I was the only one that experienced it they way that i did. I was not disappointed. The biggest similarity is the peace, the light, the feeling of being home, where time doesn't exist and where you want to remain. There is choice in everything...even to come back. Being a mother of two young children at the time, I was to come back for them because only I could lead them through this journey called life. It wasn't easy, the healing. At first it was so easy to rely on the experience to help me through, but as time passed it took more for me to remember the absolute knowing of where I needed to be and why. The key is in the remembering and to face life with the choice of joy in the journey.
This was an inspiring book. Even though bad things happen we can choose to be the victim or choose joy. It's proof that life does go on after we die and that families are eternal. God loves and knows each one of us individually.
Incredible, thought-provoking book. I think it's so fascinating to read accounts of near-death experiences... and his account does seem like how it will be - sooooo full of love. Sounds amazing.
My dental hygienist recommended this book. She was one of Jeff Olsen's first wife's roommates when they were dating, she wondered what happened to them, and recently discovered everything. She was so surprised. She basically told me the whole story while she was cleaning my teeth. While I was interested, I wasn't sure I liked the idea of someone making money and having speaking engagements off such a sad, personal story, so I almost didn't read this. I'm glad I did.
It's different than I expected, more sincere, more real, more sad. The author's ability to survive and heal is truly amazing and inspiring. I am skeptical he actually saw what says he saw, but I don't think it matters whether or not I believe it. The experiences and feelings helped him. They helped his healing process. I'm happy for him.
I read this book for book club and am so glad that I did. The book is about a true and tragic story with a near death experience that is amazing in itself, but the book is about so much more than that. Mr. Olsen's profound point of view is filled with insight and wisdom gleaned from his experience. The book is about healing, forgiving, love and finding joy in our lives no matter what trials we may face. His experience and wisdom from his life experiences touched me in ways I cannot explain. While the near death experience is amazing, I feel like this book was so much more and has an amazing message that we need to love more and judge less. Can you imagine a world where everyone is focused more on loving everyone instead of judging them? I love the sentiment of looking at people through the eyes of God, to see what God sees and how that can have a huge impact on how we react in our lives to others and how that in turn can affect their lives. I am literally on pins and needles waiting for the next book!
Great book, easy, fast read. I loved the book, but I have to say that hearing Jeff tell the story in his own voice on the Mormon Moments podcast was just as or even more powerful than reading it in the book. He also told another anecdote about an experience his younger brother Justin had when Jeff was first brought into the hospital-- an experience that wasn't included in the book. The only thing I wish had been included was more of Spencer's experience. I realize this was Jeff's story, but I wanted ti know what had happened to spencer during those critical times as well...
This true story of Jeff Olsen's experience as he losses his wife and child in an accident where he was driving, is a great and honest telling of the sadness, gratitude and joy of loosing loved ones, cherishing the ones left and seeing into the hearts of others with love and without judgment. I actually listened to this on cd. Kept looking for errands to run in my car so I could keep listening :-).
This was a very easy read. Straightforward writing to tell a straightforward story of love and pain and loss and redemption and faith. Every life after life story has its own unique details, but the common theme in all of them is love, unconditional, overwhelming love. And that there is no need to fear death.
Death is easy, it's coming back that is hard. You can read this book in few hours. It's worth it.
I took accounting from Mrs. Olsen at Bountiful High in 1990. I remember hearing about the car accident that took her life & that of her youngest child and being unable to fathom or imagine what her husband must be going through as a survivor. Now Mr. Olsen has opened his heart & shared those tender, poignant experiences with us all.
What a beautiful book. A quick read but full of enlightenment. Gives new perspective and a comfort I'm sure to those who have lost someone close. Makes me want to be better and treat others with more patience and love, especially my family, and to stop judging others. A must read for all. Thanks Heather for the recommendation!!
Beautiful, inspiring story. This is a quick read. I was impressed by the author's choice to move on with his life without bitterness. It's a thought-provoking book and I particularly enjoyed the way he described understanding the hearts of others - spirit to spirit. He is brave to share such a personal story.
This is a thin book, an easy read. Yet I felt quite moved by the content. It reaffirmed my belief that the whole reason we're here is to learn to love and exercise compassion-- and to help each other see the magnificent potential we all have.
I am grateful Olsen shares his incredible story. This is a book that I won't forget.
This is a quick read, because it's about 100 pages, and because the voice and narrative read well. Near death experiences of a father driving and losing control of his vehicle, with wife and two sons in car. A couple of his points were repeated once or twice too often for my taste, but other than that, I was fascinated.
This a slim volume. I actually read it sitting the library. It's message however is wise & truthful. Like other books of this subject, it reiterates the message of why we are here, what we are to seek after. I do feel one teaching I haven't read before is how to accept the loss of a loved one seemingly before their time.
Jeff Olson isn't a writer so the writing of this book is good to average but the story makes up for any lack in writing. It is beautiful and sad at the same time. I found it to be very inspiring and thoughtful. I have found myself thinking that I can endure much more than I thought I could after reading this book.
This is an amazing story. Everything felt true to me as if it were something I already knew. This book made me realize the importance of choosing my attitude in any situation. And it gave me a clearer understanding of God's comfort and love when we need it most. Inspiring!
I loved this book. It was a quick easy read and I was so amazed by Jeff's courage and perseverance through such a terrible trial. It was very touching. He inspired me to try to be more empathetic towards others and to work on living each day with a purpose. We are all here for a reason, and while we try to find ourselves, we have the power to choose joy and help others along the way.
Good Book. Very Inspiring story of his journey to heal and be able to apply the atonement into his life and situation. I especially enjoyed his experiences with being able to know people's sorrows and joys and being able to understand the hearts of others. It made me want to try harder to truly understand others and try to see the goodness in all people.
This book was a fascinating view into the life of a man who's wife and young son were killed in an accident which left him severely injured and led to a afterlife experience. It was very interesting and is a quick read.
One of my students loaned this book to me, and I'm glad he did. It has helped me process some of my grief over the death of my niece. I hope that I can be a better person and try to see the goodness in people around me.
When I heard about this story and the book, it sounded familiar. My sister knew this couple in college. I remember when the wife was killed in the car accident. Fascinating look at what happened and the near death experience of the author.
I'm not sure how to even give a review to this book. It was uplifting and very lovingly written. I think maybe it hit close to home with some of it's messages (thankfully, not the tragedy, though) and I just need to internalize it some more.
This book will make you look at your life differently, it will change your perspective. It will make you cry, then want to get out and do something with your life. It will make you appreciate all that you DO have, and realize your life isn't so hard after all.