VP Probable NDE

Experience Description

Interview with Stacey:

When I was 35, I experienced a death experience (NDE) connected with taking Doctor prescribed lithium carbonate for manic depression (symptoms: drastic mood swings; convulsions; catatonia). Due to complications, I stopped the medication, despite my physicians warning that it could be fatal. After stopping the medication for a few months, one evening, during a particularly severe and unexpected convulsion, I fell and in utter desperation screamed out, "Oh God, O Jesus!" I made it to my bed and falling heard the doctor's warning echoing in my mind, and concluded I was dying.

I felt myself going through a tunnel of sorts and was, ultimately, deposited in a totally dark place. Somehow, I knew I had "arrived" in the place of death, and initially, I felt relieved, thinking all my troubles were over. But as time passed, I grew bored and restless. A voice asked if I wanted to get out of there, and I responded, "Yes!" Suddenly, a tiny star-like light appeared in the far distant darkness, growing rapidly until a man stepped out of it. He said, "I love you." I replied, "I've heard that all my life, and it's brought me nothing but trouble, I'll have no more of that!” But when He said, "I love you" again it touched me differently and I asked, "Who are you?" "God" He replied.

The man, who identified himself as God, was bearded, had shoulder-length hair and was about six feet tall. Skeptically I responded, "Sure thing, well if you are who you say you are you should be able to answer some questions for me?" "Ask" He answered. And I did, and with every answer He provided I began to realize I was, truly, in the presence of God - which instilled a sense of fear in me! With sensitivity, He said something comforting and humorous, causing me to want to continue the conversation which got around to the meaning of life. He asked if I would like to see Heaven and Hell. "Yes" I replied. He then beckoned to me and transported me "in" Him, like a child being carried by a pregnant mother.

God showed me Hell, where there were levels and degrees of suffering, each worse than the last. It was like feeling the pain of being burned all over your body, eternally, with no hope of relief. I was then given a tour of Heaven, where I could travel by thought and pass through seemingly material things. I saw two houses: a grand place in a city and a small, one-room house on a quaint cobblestone road. These places felt familiar, as though I had been there before. In Heaven, I saw many pre-deceased people I had known encouraging me as I was on my way to my appointment to be judged. I did not feel confident. In a darkened room there was a big screen showing every second of my life. As I cringed at some of what I had done, God, sitting next to me, patted me on my knee and said, "Don't worry, I would have done the same thing in your place." Which put me at ease. When it was over, I didn't feel judged, but loved.

Jesus appeared and asked now that I had seen Heaven if there was anyone else I would like to join me there. I thought of my daughters and some friends, but as my wife and I were separated and not getting along I initially omitted her. But then I quickly realized that even she would change for the better under the influence of Heaven, in fact anyone would! And at that moment it was as though a dam burst in my heart and I felt a love I had never felt before and realized Jesus wanted everyone in Heaven! I also realized Jesus had been part of my life all along, and I would not be in Heaven then if not for Him! I asked God if there was anything I could do to help, and He asked me what I would like to do. "I want to go back to earth and live as a Christian for You." "You can stay until the end; I will be coming soon - in your lifetime. Tell everyone about Me." I asked Jesus if, upon returning to Earth, I could work for Him? "Yes, I will train you and make you a leader."

After "awakening" from the experience I was led to the shower where I realized I was being baptized. A week later, I felt led to open a Bible my mother had given me ten years earlier that I had never taken out of the box. (I previously could not understand the Bible at all.) When I read the Bible now, I understood every word. Though I had never been a churchgoer or "believer", as such, I then decided to live right from then on.

After struggling, desperately, for a few weeks trying to live "right" (according to the Bible) and failing I beseeched Jesus for help! I was led to turn the TV on where an Evangelist was talking about our need for the "baptism of the Holy Spirit". I got to my knees, prayed for it - and felt something hit me like a bolt of lightning! I started speaking in "tongues", feeling "higher" than I ever had before!

I began attending church and eventually was led to be married again. (48th year anniversary this year.) Over time, I felt called to be a minister. After eight years of study and internship I was ordained in 1984. I've functioned as a minister/pastor-teacher/counselor in one capacity or another ever since. After my NDE I was found to be entirely healed of all manic depression symptoms (and never had them again). However, my initial naïveté that I would not experience any further difficulty in this human life, was soon enough dispelled. My life, since then, has been a mix of a lot of poor health issues and chronic pain - saved wonderfully by the love of God and His daily bestowed blessings!

Over time I've learned we're all in God's "Life School" where hardships are to be expected. What I'm still learning is these challenges are designed to cause us to realize only God can make this better, I know, with great certainty, I wouldn't have made it this far without The Lord "running interference" for me. And through that I've found a much deeper understanding of God's love and guidance. Which seems to have become my "mission" in this life - sharing those realities with others.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: May 1976

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Medication complications. Other: Convulsion. I was told by doctor that I would die if I stopped taking medication. Due to complications with the medications, I stopped.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? No I lost awareness of my body

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? More consciousness and alertness than normal Common sense; everything about the whole experience was new. At the time I was an accomplished amateur photographer and fledgling writer/author (won a National Short Story contest) and was used to using my senses to focus scenes and create 'word pictures'.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? All/throughout

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses More vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. 'Vision' was not different; only what there was to 'see' was different.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No difference

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes When I was a child, there was a department store called 'Kresses' I think. The store used pneumatic tubes on conveyors to transfer money and other items around the large store. The tubes went up and down, all around the store. The 'tunnel' was like that, and I traveled through it. It was not pleasant!

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes People I had known

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes When in the place of death it was a very dark place. After a while, I became very bored. Then, I was asked the question if I wanted to come out of this place. What did I have to lose at this point? I answered, 'Yes.' A tiny pin-point of light appeared in the far distance. The light quickly accelerated to completely fill the darkness. As though the light was a vehicle, a man stepped out of the light, but also seemed to be made of light himself.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm Heaven

What emotions did you feel during the experience? More desperation than I had ever felt before while dying; bewilderment while in transit; relief while in 'death'; wonderment at the appearance of God/Jesus ; skepticism at God/Jesus claims; incredulous/amazement/fear with the initial understanding that this was really God; utter amazement at what I observed on the journey that He took me on. My heart 'broke' and I felt 'love' for the first time when I took a good, objective look at God/Jesus and realized what He had done for me.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Incredible joy

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control. My life was judged by God the Father

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Secular unaffiliated. I was completely uninterested in religion at the time

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I was not aware of having any previously; I’ve been a True Christian since this experience.

What is your religion now? Christian- Other Christian Biblically reborn Christian

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience. As a non-Catholic, I had attended a Catholic school from grades 4 through 8; had attended marriages/funerals in Churches and attended briefly in my early 20’s. Surely I had some heart-level belief in God. But, realistically, I did not knowingly have any active beliefs. Everything that occurred in 'the experience' initially seemed foreign to me, including the principal characters (Jesus/God/etc.)

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes. Became a True, Biblical, Christian Minister

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin. God/Jesus.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? Yes God the Father; Jesus

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Uncertain. I visited two residences in Heaven that I felt belonged to me. The residences seemed familiar, as though I had been there before.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain. I don’t believe I fully understand the question?

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes I spent time with both God-Jesus and God the Father

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes On the way back from Heaven, I asked Jesus if I could work for Him. He said "yes" that He would train me and make me a 'leader'.

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes Jesus explained the meaning of life to me.

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes You had to be there

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? Yes Jesus told me that I would 'stay until the end' and that He 'would be coming in my lifetime'.

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? Uncertain I don’t recall that.

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes God is love.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life. My life changed 100% after my experience.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Before the experience. I was, as I can clearly see now, a real jerk (and had the history to prove it). God’s daily 'Life School' has done, as we might expect, a wonderful job of educating me!

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience as accurately as other life events that occurred around the time of the experience. I had and have an exceptional memory. However, due to the nature of earth’s environment, I quickly realized the memories of Heaven were disappearing much more rapidly than that of an earth-formed memory. I worked at holding on to what I could, but, regardless I lost much.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes Pastors are given (by The Holy Spirit) special 'insight' to be of aid to those they serve.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? No - all of it was significant.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I started sharing very soon, have shared with many, and still do if the right opportunity occurs. Jesus instructed me to 'tell everyone about Him'. Reactions have varied wildly.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real. It was real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. Over the last 48 years there have been innumerable 'proofs' in the reality of my everyday life.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? No

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