JONI: WHAT AWAITS
US IN HEAVEN? AND HOW IMPORTANT IS IT
FOR US TO FULFILL OUR GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE
DURING THIS LIFE? JIM WOODFORD
SHARES ABOUT HIS JOURNEY TO HEAVEN, AND WHY WE SHOULD SPEND EVERY DAY PREPARING
FOR ETERNITY. BE SURE TO LIKE, COMMENT,
AND SUBSCRIBE IF YOU'RE ENJOYING
TABLE TALK. REMEMBER TO CLICK
THAT NOTIFICATION BELL TO STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL OF OUR
LATEST CONTENT. JONI: WELL, YESTERDAY
AROUND THE TABLE JIM WOODFORD SHARED ABOUT HIS REMARKABLE LIFE
AFTER DEATH EXPERIENCE AND SHARED A
GRIPPING LOOK INTO HIS GLIMPSE INTO
THE REALITY OF HELL. WELL, TODAY, HE'S
BACK WITH US TO REVEAL WHAT
HAPPENED NEXT, WHAT HE SAW IN THE HEAVEN
AND WHAT HE LEARNED ABOUT GOD'S LOVE US. THE CONVERSATION
CONTINUES RIGHT NOW. ♪♪ FEMALE SPEAKER: IN
A SINGLE MOMENT, EVERYTHING CAN CHANGE. THE CLOSING OF
ONE CHAPTER, THE BEGINNING OF
SOMETHING NEW. WHEN MIRACLES
BECOME REALITY, AND WE GET A GLIMPSE
OF WHAT LIES BEYOND, THE PLACE WHERE
HEAVEN MEETS EARTH. ♪♪ JONI: WELL, WE'VE BEEN
ON AN AMAZING JOURNEY WITH JIM WOODFORD. JIM, I WANT TO PICK
BACK UP ON YOUR STORY WHEN YOU GOT AN AERIAL
VIEW OF HEAVEN. CAN YOU TELL
US ABOUT THAT? JIM: PEOPLE WILL ASK ME, DID YOU SEE YOUR FAMILY, OF COURSE, MY DAD
DIED WHEN I WAS TWO. AND I SAID, NO, AND I
SAID I DIDN'T REALIZE IT AT THE TIME, BUT I'VE REALIZED NOW THEY DIDN'T, YOU CAN'T STEP ON THE
GROUND OF HEAVEN AND EVER COME BACK OUT. ONCE YOU GO THROUGH
THE SECOND VEIL, YOU DON'T COME BACK OUT. BUT THE GUARDIAN ASKED ME TO HOLD HIS CLOAK, AND I HELD IT AND
SUDDENLY WE'RE ABOVE. AND HE MADE A MOTION. AND I THOUGHT AT FIRST, IT WAS A REFLECTING POOL, BUT THEN IT OPENED UP AND
I'M LOOKING AT HEAVEN. AND SO HE'S FLYING
AND I'M HANGING ON. AND I GET THIS AERIAL
VIEW OF HEAVEN, WHICH WAS VIDEO GAMES. A LOT OF PEOPLE
CAN RELATE TO, AND BUT, AGAIN, HE KNEW
THAT THE FOCAL POINT FOR ME AS A PILOT, WAS I WAS USED TO
LOOKING AT THE GROUND FROM 30 THOUSAND
FEET OR LESS. AND SO I'M SHOWN HOW THE
CITY OF HEAVEN IS LAID OUT. AND THE SIZE OF IT, AND THE ENORMITY OF IT, AND THE CITIZENS OF IT. I HAVE TO TELL
YOU TO THIS, AND MY VISION HAD CHANGED. I COULD, I HAD ALMOST
LIKE AN OMNIVISION. AND I COULD FOCUS ON THE
MOUNTAINS OF HEAVEN AND SEE THE PETALS
ON THE FLOWER. OR LOOK BACK DOWN AND SEE THE
FACE OF SOMEONE. PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THAT
SOUNDS CONFUSING. IT WAS NO WORSE
THAN TEXTING AND WATCHING TV, YOU KNOW. IT WAS SECOND NATURE. AND I WOULD SEE ALL THESE
MAGNIFICENT BUILDINGS. BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU
QUICKLY THIS ONE THING. BECAUSE SO MANY WOMEN HAVE COME UP
TO ME CRYING, TO TELL ME THAT
IT GAVE HER HOPE. AND WHAT I SAW WAS, NOT JUST THE HALLS
OF LEARNING, THE HALLS OF MUSIC, THE HALLS OF RECORDS, THE HALLS OF HEALING. I SAID WHY WOULD YOU NEED, I SAID WHY WOULD YOU NEED A
HALL OF HEALING IN HEAVEN? HE SAID, JAMES,
MANY TIMES PEOPLE COME TO
US VERY QUICKLY AS YOU DID IN TRAGIC
CIRCUMSTANCES. AND WE NEED A PERIOD OF
REFLECTION AND HEALING FOR THEIR SOUL
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AND
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. AND THEY ARE CARED FOR AND THEY ARE LOVED, AND THEY ARE FOREVER
TO THEIR FOREVER HOME. AND SO IT WAS
JUST AMAZING TO SEE THAT. IT REALLY WAS. JONI: THERE WAS ONE
PARTICULAR BUILDING, THAT STOOD OUT. JIM: I'M TRYING NOT TO
MAKE IT SOUND LAS VEGASY. IT HAD KIND OF LIKE A PINK
AND BLUE AURA TO THE -- THE BUILDING IS NOT STONE. IT'S CURVED FROM LIGHT. EVERYTHING IS
LIGHT IN HEAVEN. AND THERE WAS THIS LIGHT
THAT GENTLY FADED AND WENT BACK
AND FORTH IN IT. AND IT WAS PINK
AND BLUE AND GOLD. AND I SAID TO
THE GUARDIAN, WHAT'S THIS BUILDING? AND HE SAID THAT,
JAMES, IS THE NURSERY. AND I SAID,
NURSERY IN HEAVEN? AND HE SAID YES. THIS IS WHERE THE SOULS OF ABORTED CHILDREN, OR CHILDREN WHO
HAVE DIED AT BIRTH, OR IN THEIR INNOCENCE, THROUGH DISEASE
OR ACCIDENT. AND THOSE LITTLE SOULS ARE PRECIOUS TO GOD. JONI: OR EVEN
MISCARRIAGES. JIM: MISCARRIAGES. JONI: BECAUSE
YOU SAID THAT THE SOUL IS CREATED AT THE TIME OF CONCEPTION. THAT THERE'S A LIGHT THAT COMES FROM GOD INTO THAT ETERNAL SOUL. JIM: EXACTLY. EXACTLY. AND SO THAT'S
GATHERED BACK. AND I REMEMBER SAYING
THIS TO THE GUARDIAN. I SAID, ARE THEY LIKE
CHILDREN ON EARTH? AND HE LOOKED AT ME WITH THIS
LITTLE SMILE, OH, YEAH. [ LAUGHTER ] RACHEL: THAT'S WHAT
I WAS GONNA ASK, IF THEY'RE STILL BABIES. CINDY: A LOT OF WORK. JONI: DID HE TELL YOU THAT THEY MATURE FASTER? JIM: THEY DO. BECAUSE AND THEN HE WENT
ON TO EXPLAIN, THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
GROWING A HUMAN BODY, THEY'RE GROWING
A BODY OF LIGHT. THEY AGE THREE TIMES, A FACTOR OF THREE TIMES. SO A CHILD THAT WOULD
BE TWO ON EARTH, WOULD BE SIX IN HEAVEN. AT 3, THEY'RE NINE, THEN YOU JOIN THE GENERAL
POPULOUS OF HEAVEN AND YOUR FAMILY. AND YOUR FAMILY
CAN BE WITH YOU WHEN YOU'RE IN
THE NURSERY. BUT HERE'S AN
AMAZING THING, EVERYONE IN HEAVEN LOOKED TO ME WITH
A FEW EXCEPTIONS, TO BE IN THEIR EARLY 30S. AND THE GUARDIAN
SAID, YES, JAMES, NO ONE IN HEAVEN IS ANY OLDER
THAN JESUS WAS WHEN HE DIED AT 33. SUZY: SO GOOD, 33. JIM: SO I DON'T
KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY, ALL OF YOU ARE YOUNG. BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO BEING 33 AGAIN. SUZY: YES, NOT AGE, STAY HERE. JIM: BUT ISN'T THAT BEAUTIFUL? SO THE EXCEPTIONS
TO THE RULE -- JONI: HOW OLD
ARE YOU, SUZY? SUZY: 34. SO I'M FINE AT 33, I'LL TAKE IT. JONI: YOU'RE GONNA BE ONE
HERE YOUNGER LOOKING THAN YOU LOOK RIGHT NOW. JIM: HOW OLD ARE YOU? SUZY: 34. JIM: YOU KNOW, IT'S A
SIN TO LIE. [ LAUGHTER ] SUZY: I'M 24, JUST KIDDING. SIN TO LIE. JONI: IT'S A SIN TO LIE. OKAY, SO, ONE OF
THINGS YOU SAID, WHEN I HEARD
YOUR TESTIMONY IS THAT WHEN THE GUARDIAN
TOLD YOU ABOUT THE NURSERY, THAT THE LORD
ALLOWED YOU TO FEEL SOME OF THE LOVE HE HAD FOR THOSE CHILDREN AND
FOR EVERY ETERNAL SOUL, THAT EVERY ONE WAS
IMPORTANT TO HIM. JIM: YES. THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING IS THIS FEELING, YOUR INTELLECT TELLS YOU THAT THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT, BUT YOUR SOUL
TELLS YOU IT IS. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS I FELT WHEN JESUS
LOOKED AT ME, I FELT LIKE I WAS THE ONLY
ONE HE'D EVER CREATED. IT WAS THAT
PERSONAL MOMENT. AND YOU WILL FEEL IT, YOU WILL ALL FEEL IT. SUZY: I CAN'T WAIT. JIM: YOU KNOW, AND HE KNEW ME. HE KNEW EVERYTHING
ABOUT ME AND THAT WORRIED
ME A LITTLE. BUT BY THIS TIME, IT WAS TOO LATE. HE'D ALREADY DECIDED I WAS GONNA BE
SAVED FROM HELL. BUT I THOUGHT I WAS STILL
BEING ALLOWED TO STAY. YOU KNOW, SO, I MEAN,
I'M ELATED. BECAUSE I HAD THE
STRANGEST FEELING THAT I HAD COME HOME. I WAS HOME. AND ALTHOUGH I'D LOVE MY FAMILY
AND MY WIFE AND SO ON, AND, YET, TO ME IT FELT
LIKE IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE ABOUT A
COUPLE OF HOURS. THEY'RE GONNA BE WITH ME. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, AN ETERNITY TIME. JONI: OKAY, SO
LET'S JUMP AHEAD TO WHERE, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT
WAS YOUR GUARDIAN, OR IF IT WAS THE ANGEL THAT
HAD THE FULL ARMOR ON WAS -- PULLED SOMETHING OUT
OF THEIR GARMENT AND WAS READING
IT TO SOMEONE. TELL US WHAT HAPPENED. JIM: WHILE I WAS
WATCHING THE HORSES, I LOOKED FOR THE, THE GUARDIAN. AND I TURNED AND JUST
MAYBE 50 FEET AWAY, THERE WAS A SLIGHT
RISE IN THE GROUND. AND UP IN THAT RISE, WAS THE ANGEL. AND HE WAS IN A
KNEELING POSITION, BENT OVER, AND HE WAS HOLDING A
LITTLE SLIM BOOK IN HIS HANDS. NO BIGGER THAN A
CHEAP ROADSIDE MENU. HE WAS HOLDING
IT LIKE THIS. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, I SAW ANOTHER FIGURE
STANDING FACING THE ANGEL WHO WAS BENT. JONI: WAS HE READING WHAT WAS ON THE PAGES? JIM: WELL, I
COULDN'T TELL AT THE TIME BECAUSE THE FACE, HE WAS
IN PROFILE TO ME. THE FACE WAS COVERED
LIKE YOU SEE THE SHIMMER ON A HOT DAY ON A TEXAS ROAD. IT WAS A SHIMMER
ON THE FACE, BUT CLEARLY THERE WAS
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT THIS NEW CREATURE. BECAUSE THERE WAS
LIKE A GOLDEN LIGHT THAT FLEW, FLOWED
FROM THE TOP DOWN ALL SIDES
OF HIS BODY. IT BEHAVED LIKE SLOW-MOVING
GOLD WATER, BUT IT WAS LIGHT. BUT IT HAD SUBSTANCE OF WATER. AND BECAUSE HE
WAS ON A RISE, IT WAS COMING DOWN AND
FALLING DOWN TOWARD ME, THIS GOLD LIGHT OFF THE BODY. AND I NOTICED
SOMETHING WONDERFUL. ALTHOUGH THE FLOWERS WERE
INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL, WHEREVER THAT GOLDEN
WATER TOUCHED THEM, THEY BLOOMED AGAIN
EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL AND LARGER AGAIN. AND I WATCHED
IN AMAZEMENT AS IT CAME DOWN AND A
POOL AROUND MY FEET. AND IT WAS AT
THAT MOMENT, IT WAS THAT THE MOMENT THAT THE GUARDIAN
LOOKED AT ME WITH THOSE VIOLET EYES, HOLDING THE BOOK UP, AND HE SAID TO ME, JAMES, WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THE LIFE MY
MASTER GAVE YOU? AND I HAD NO ANSWER. WITH ALL THE RESOURCES
THAT I HAD, AND ALL THE KINDNESS
I COULD HAVE DONE, OH, I GAVE TO CHARITY, IF I GOT AT TAX RECEIPT. I COULD HAVE DONE
SO MUCH MORE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE NOVEL
SCROOGE BY CHARLES DICKENS HAS A WONDERFUL
LINE IN IT, AND I QUOTE IT
IN THE BOOK. MANKIND SHOULD HAVE
BEEN MY BUSINESS. MANKIND SHOULD HAVE
BEEN MY BUSINESS. BUT I WAS COMPLETELY
INVOLVED IN MYSELF, AND MY OWN EGO. AND SO -- JONI: WERE YOU SAD THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE
MORE ON YOUR PAGES? JIM: OH, I MEAN, THE BOOK
WAS LIKE A CHEAP ROADSIDE DINER MENU. AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS WAS ALL, I THOUGHT I HAD
LIVED THE LIFE THAT WAS THE EPITOME OF THE
AMERICAN-CANADIAN DREAM. WEALTH, SUFFICIENT TO
DO ANYTHING I WANTED. A FLEET OF BRITISH
SPORTS CARS. LARGE BOAT, AIRPLANES,
HORSES, BEAUTIFUL WIFE. I MEAN, HOW DOES
IT GET ANY BETTER? BUT YOU KNOW SOMETHING? I WOULD WAKE UP IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, AND I WOULD
SAY TO MYSELF, IS THIS ALL THERE IS? AND I THOUGHT I
NEEDED A NEWER CAR OR A NEWER PLANE. AND I'D GO OUT AND I'D
BUY THEM THE NEXT DAY. IT DIDN'T HELP. WHAT I WAS
MISSING WAS GOD. CINDY: WOW. JIM: AND SO THAT'S
SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'VE BECOME SUCH
A CULTURE OF CONSUMERISM. AND WE NEED TO KEEP, AND THAT'S NOT BAD, BUT WE HAVE TO
KEEP IT IN BALANCE. AND IT'S SO WONDERFUL THAT YOU FOLKS
MAKE A LIVING OUT OF TALKING ABOUT GOD, AND
HELPING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW. JONI: OKAY, SO THE PERSON THAT THE GUARDIAN
WAS TALKING TO AND READING
ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THEN HE FINISHED READING. JIM: SO HE FINISHED THE BOOK,
DISAPPEARED AND THEN THAT FIGURE
TURNED TOWARD ME. AND THE GOLDEN LIGHT
STOPPED FLOWING. THE WAVER VANISHED AND I REALIZED, I WAS LOOKING AT THE
FACE OF JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD. SOMEONE THAT I THOUGHT WAS
JUST SOME DUSTY OLD LEGEND. AND HERE I'M
LOOKING AT HIM. AND IN, AND HE
SMILED AT ME. AND I FELL ON MY KNEES, AND I STILL TRIED
TO MOVE TOWARD HIM. AND THAT LOOK
OF KINDNESS, AND IN THOSE EYES OF BLUE AND
GREEN AND GRAY, I SAW ETERNITY. I SAW SADNESS FOR
THE LIFE I HAD LIVED. I SAW SADNESS FOR THE WAY MANKIND HAS IGNORED
HIS FATHER'S MESSAGE. BUT I ALSO SAW FORGIVENESS
AND LOVE FOR ME. AND THAT WAS THE MOMENT I REFERRED TO EIGHT
MINUTES AGO, WHEN I FELT THAT I
WAS THE ONLY ONE HE'D EVER CREATED. I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU ALL TO EXPERIENCE
THAT FEELING. CINDY: YOU KNOW,
YOU SAID SOMETHING IN CONVERSATION YESTERDAY THAT YOU SAID TO HIM, LET ME STAY, I WON'T BE ANY TROUBLE. JIM: THANKS FOR
REMINDING ME. AND SO HE SMILED AT ME, AND I STARTED
TO GO CLOSER. AND HE RAISED HIS HAND, IN AN UNMISTAKABLE
GESTURE OF, COME NO CLOSER. AND SO -- JONI: DID YOU SEE ANYTHING WHEN HE RAISED HIS HAND? JIM: YES. WHEN HE RAISED HIS HAND, THE SLEEVE OF HIS
CLOAK DROPPED BACK, AND THERE WAS THE MARK
OF THE CRUCIFIXION. AND YOU KNOW
WHEN I SAW THAT, I FELT THAT I HAD HELD A
HAMMER AND DRIVEN THE NAILS. I MEAN, IT WAS
OVERWHELMING WHAT WE DID TO THAT MAN. AND, BUT HE FORGAVE ME,
YOU KNOW. HE FORGAVE ALL OF US. AND -- JONI: AND WHAT
DID HE SAY TO YOU BECAUSE HE SAID
IT'S NOT YOUR TIME. JIM: HE LOOKED AT ME AND, AND THEN I REALIZED, AND HE SMILED EVEN WIDER. AND THEN HE SAID, GENTLY NODDED HIS HEAD. AND THEN HE SAID TO ME, THESE WORDS, HIS
HAND WAS STILL UP AND HAD MOTIONED NOT
TO COME FORWARD. HE SAID, JAMES, MY SON, THIS IS NOT YET YOUR TIME. GO BACK, TELL YOUR
BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE WONDERS WE
HAVE SHOWN YOU. AND HIS HAND CAME DOWN AND FOLDED OVER HIS LEFT. AND THEN THE FULL
ENORMITY STRUCK ME THAT I WAS BEING
SENT BACK, THAT I WASN'T BEING
ALLOWED TO STAY. AND I STARTED TO BEG. I STARTED TO PLEAD. I STARTED TO CRY. DON'T SEND ME BACK. PLEASE, JESUS, DON'T. JONI: DO Y'ALL SEE THAT NO
ONE WANTS TO COME BACK? JIM: THIS IS WHAT
I'VE LONGED FOR ALL MY LIFE, PLEASE. AND THEN I SAID THIS, WHICH I'M ETERNALLY
ASHAMED OF. PLEASE DON'T SEND ME BACK. PLEASE DON'T, DON'T. LET ME STAY. I WON'T BE ANY TROUBLE. [ LAUGHTER ] JIM: AND SUDDENLY, TWO
ANGELS ARE BESIDE ME, AND ACTUALLY, WRESTLED
WITH THEM TO TRY TO, WHICH IS KIND OF USELESS. AND, BUT AS THEY
MOVED ME AWAY, I LOOKED BACK OVER MY SHOULDER
TO PLEAD ONE MORE TIME. AND JESUS WAS GONE. BUT STANDING EXACTLY IN THE
PLACE WHERE JESUS HAD STOOD, WAS THE WARRIOR ANGEL. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE BEGAN TO GROW. HE WAS ALREADY
15-FEET TALL. AND HE LET OUT
THESE WINGS TO THEIR FULL WINGSPAN. 12 FEET ON EITHER SIDE, AND THE WINGS
OPENED UP LIKE THIS. AND HE GLOWED
LIKE THE SUN. AND THE MESSAGE WAS THE WAY FORWARD FOR
YOU IS NOW CLOSED. JONI: I KNOW JAMES IS GONNA
HAVE TO COME BACK TO EARTH. THAT'S WHY HE'S
HERE WITH US NOW. BUT WHAT I WANTED
YOU TO TOUCH ON RIGHT QUICKLY BEFORE
YOU LEAVE HEAVEN, IS WHAT CAN PEOPLE
EXPECT TO FEEL, I MEAN, THERE'S ENORMOUS LIGHT. THERE'S ENORMOUS PEACE. THERE'S ENORMOUS JOY. I MEAN, TRY TO,
IF YOU CAN, EXPLAIN IN A WAY THAT WOULD HELP
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DIDN'T WANT TO GO. JIM: FIRST OF ALL, THE FEELING THAT I
WAS HOME AT LAST. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT
IT ALL BACKWARDS. WE THINK WE'RE HUMANS WITH A SPIRIT OR SOUL. WE'RE NOT. WE ARE SPIRITS AND SOULS ENCASED IN A HUMAN BODY. WE GOT IT ALL BACKWARDS. CINDY: THAT'S TRUE. JIM: OUR REAL
HOME IS THERE, NOT HERE. AND SO THERE'S THAT. THERE'S THIS
INCREDIBLE PEACE AND THE INFINITY OF LOVE,
ENDLESS LOVE. AND THAT'S A WORD WE
THROW AWAY SO EASILY. I LOVE DORITOS. I LOVE THIS, I LOVE THAT. I LOVE GOD. OH, THAT'S NICE. BUT THE LOVE THAT
HE HAS FOR US IS BEYOND ANY LOVE WE'VE EVER EXPERIENCED. THE CLOSEST THING
THAT WE HAVE ON EARTH TO GOD'S LOVE FOR US, IS A MOTHER'S LOVE
FOR HER CHILD. WE CAME FROM HIM, YOUR CHILD COMES FROM YOU. MAN HAVE SOMETHING
TO DO WITH IT, IT'S NOT THE SAME. THAT WILL GET
A FEW REPORTS. BUT THE POINT IS, THAT WE ARE PART OF GOD, AS YOUR CHILD
IS PART OF YOU. REBECCA: I LOVE THAT. JONI: THAT'S SO GOOD. OKAY, SO NOW YOU REALIZE THE ANGELS HAVE GOT YOU. YOU'RE TRYING TO
WRESTLE WITH THEM. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO GO BACK. SO WHAT DID
THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE? JIM: WELL, REMEMBER HOW
BEAUTIFUL IT WAS, GOING UP. JONI: YEAH. CINDY: NOT SO
BEAUTIFUL COMING BACK. JIM: AND IT WAS
INSTANTANEOUS. LIKE SUDDENLY I
WAS, IN A TUNNEL, AND IT'S WET AND
COLD AND PAINFUL. AND I SHOULDN'T
SAY THIS ON TV, BUT, HONESTLY, I FELT
LIKE I WAS FLUSHED. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I
COULD DESCRIBE THIS RUSH OF WATER, AND PAIN AND, I GUESS
I FOUND OUT AFTER, THAT WAS THE VERY INSTANT THAT THIS YOUNG NURSE WHO WAS ON THAT NIGHT, HAD DECIDED TO
LOOK IN ON ME BECAUSE SHE HEARD
THE MACHINE BEEPING THAT I WAS EVIDENTLY
GIVING A SIGNAL THAT I WAS TRYING TO
BREATHE ON MY OWN. JONI: BECAUSE
PREVIOUS TO THAT, YOU WERE INTUBATED, NO BRAIN ACTIVITY. JIM: NO BRAIN ACTIVITY. JONI: AND NO
ORGAN ACTIVITY. JIM: NO, I EVEN TALKED
TO THE NEUROLOGIST -- JONI: ON LIFE SUPPORT. JIM: AFTER. AND I SAID, LOOK, IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR ME. I HAD THIS INCREDIBLE
EXPERIENCE. I KNOW IT'S REAL. BUT TELL ME, WAS I DREAMING, WAS I HALLUCINATING
FROM THE DRUG THAT I TOOK? HE SAID, JIM, WHEN WE
HAVE YOU IN THE SCREEN, WE CAN TELL IF
YOU'RE DREAMING. WE CAN TELL,
IF, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON. AND THERE WAS NO
BRAIN ACTIVITY. THAT IS A SIGN OF
CLINICAL DEATH. JONI: THEY WERE ONLY KEEPING
YOU ON LIFE SUPPORT. JIM: MY WIFE'S A NURSE, AND SHE ASKED THE DOCTOR TO KEEP ME ON
LIFE SUPPORT UNTIL MY KIDS CAME HOME TO KISS ME GOOD-BYE. THEY WERE IN THE AIR
ON THEIR WAY BACK. JONI: THEY WERE
IN THE AIR. OKAY, SO SHE WALKS IN. JIM: LORRAINE WAS IN THE
QUIET ROOM WITH HER SISTERS MAKING FUNERAL
ARRANGEMENTS. CINDY: AND THEN
YOU'RE IN A ROOM WITH OTHER CORPSES, GETTING READY
TO GO TO THE -- JIM: YEAH. THEY WERE BUSY. I FOUND OUT AFTER. SO THEY WHEELED
ME OFF TO A ROOM WITH THE EQUIPMENT ATTACHED, WHERE THEY PUT CORPSES
BEFORE THEY GO TO THE MORGUE. I DON'T RECALL ANY OF
THEM SAYING ANYTHING. [ LAUGHTER ] CINDY: THAT'S HOW
DEAD YOU WERE. RACHEL: BUT YOU STILL HAD -- ALL THE EQUIPMENT WAS STILL -- JIM: YEAH, IT'S MOBILE. IT'S A TRAUMA ROOM. REBECCA: SO THE
NURSE COMES IN BECAUSE SHE HEARS
THE BEEPING. JONI: AND WHAT HAPPENED? JIM: I GUESS IT WAS AT
THIS VERY INSTANT, BECAUSE THE
LIGHTS WERE OFF. SHE FLASHED ON THE LIGHTS. AND THAT THE MOMENT, I COME SCREAMING
UP OFF THE GRID. [ LAUGHTER ] CINDY: CAN YOU IMAGINE? SUZY: A NIGHTMARE. THE POOR NURSE IS TRAUMATIZED. JIM: AND I'VE GOT ALL
THESE TUBES, I'VE GOT A TRACHE. AND I'M GARGLING, AND
CROAKING AND CHOKING. AND THAT POOR
LITTLE GIRL, SHE'D ONLY BEEN
THERE TWO MONTHS. I FOUND OUT, I
FOUND OUT LATER, SHE MOVED TO PEDIATRICS. [ LAUGHTER ] DOROTHY: YOU BROKE HER
IN REALLY FAST. RACHEL: WHAT DID SHE DO? DID SHE PULL THE
TUBES OUT OR DID YOU? JIM: WELL, THEY
ALL CAME RUNNING. AND MY BLOOD, I
WENT FROM PURPLE, BECAUSE ALL THE BLOOD, WHEN YOU DIE, ALL YOUR BLOOD GOES TO THE
BOTTOM PART OF YOUR BODY. SO THE UPPER PARTS WENT TO THE BOTTOM,
REALLY THIS UGLY PURPLE. SO THEN I STARTED
TO GET PINK. I HAD COMPLETE
RENAL FAILURE. EVERYTHING
STARTED TO WORK. I BECAME PINK. SO BLOOD STARTED TO
COME BACK THROUGH ME. JONI: AND THE
DISEASE THAT YOU HAD. JIM: AND A COUPLE
OF DAYS LATER, THEY SAID TO ME, THIS IS STRANGE. WE FIND THE MARKERS
IN YOUR BLOOD FOR THE GUILLAIN-BARRE, BUT YOU HAVE NO SYMPTOMS. HEALED. SUZY: HEALED. JIM: PRAISE GOD. HEALED. JONI: OKAY, SO, THEY HAD
TO TAKE ALL THE TUBES OUT AND ALL THAT. BUT YOUR WIFE CAME
RUNNING IN THERE. AND WHAT DID YOU SAY? JIM: THEY WENT AND GOT HER
IN THE QUIET ROOM. AND THEY SAID, LORRAINE, COME
QUICK, COME QUICK. YOUR HUSBAND IS REVIVING. AND SHE'D JUST BEEN
TOLD HOURS BEFORE, THERE WAS NO HOPE. AND IF HE DID COME BACK, HE'D BE A VEGETABLE AND THAT WAS MY
GREATEST FEAR. COMING BACK AS A CABBAGE. I HATE CABBAGE. [ LAUGHTER ] JIM: BUT, ANYWAY, YEAH, SO LORRAINE CLIMBS
UP AT THE BED, AND I LOOK AT
HER PRETTY FACE AND EVENTUALLY THEY SEE MY
BLOOD PRESSURE STABILIZE. THEY REMOVE THE
INTUBATION. AND I LOOK INTO
HER PRETTY EYES, I SAID, LORRAINE, LORRAINE, I SAW JESUS AND JESUS HAS HORSES. [ APPLAUSE ] JONI: AND SHE'S PROBABLY
THINKING AT THAT POINT, OKAY. JIM: SHE TOLD ME AFTER I WAS WATCHING
YOU CAREFULLY, BECAUSE SHE'S A NURSE. AND SHE'S, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SUPPOSEDLY BRAIN DEAD, COME BACK WITH
ALL KINDS OF, BUT I HAD THESE INCREDIBLE
STORIES OF LIGHT AND BEAUTY. JONI: WHAT
ABOUT YOUR KIDS? REBECCA: AND SHE HAD BEEN
PRAYING FOR YOU ALL THOSE YEARS. JIM: I FOUND OUT AFTER, GOD BLESS HER. HOW DID I EVER CONVINCE THAT GIRL TO MARRY
ME IS BEYOND ME. I'M THE PATRON SAINT
OF LOST CASES, I THINK. BUT SHE HAD
PRAYED FOR YEARS WHEN SHE WENT TO
CHURCH ON SUNDAY, AND I WENT RIDING OR FLYING,
AND TAKE MY SPORTS CARS AT A CORVETTE MEET OR A
BRITISH CAR MEET. SHE WOULD GO TO CHURCH, AND SHE WOULD PRAY,
PLEASE, GOD, YOU MAY HAVE TO BREAK HIM
TO REMAKE HIM. JONI: BREAK HIM
TO REMAKE HIM. WHAT ABOUT YOUR KIDS? HOW DID IT IMPACT THEM WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? JIM: WELL, I
THINK IT REALLY MADE THEM AWARE. THEY'RE ALWAYS GOOD KIDS. THEY WENT, LORRAINE
HAD SENT THEM TO A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL. MY DAUGHTER IS 31, OUR SON IS 32. AND THEY ARE THERE, AND THEY ARE GOOD KIDS. I'M NEVER QUITE SURE
WHAT THEY THINK WHEN THEY SEE ME ON TV, TALKING LIKE THIS, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE
DAD THEY KNEW, YOU KNOW. JONI: WELL, YOU KNOW,
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE STORY. I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY
MORE DETAILS IN THE BOOK. <i>HEAVEN, AN
UNEXPECTED JOURNEY.</i> I WANT TO GIVE YOU
AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY THAT PRAYER BECAUSE REALLY THAT'S
WHY DAYSTAR EXISTS. BECAUSE WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE READY
TO MEET THE LORD. IT'S REALLY, YOU
KNOW, IT'S SO SIMPLE AND YET SO PROFOUND. YOU KNOW, 1 JOHN 1:9 SAYS IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND
JUST TO FORGIVE US OF ALL OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM
ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. SO WHAT I'M GONNA
ASK YOU TO DO, JIM, IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU WOULD JUST LEAD US IN A
SHORT PRAYER OF SALVATION. AND WE'LL ASK
THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING TO
REPEAT AFTER JIM, AND LET'S INVITE JESUS INTO OUR HEART, INTO OUR LIVES TO CHANGE US. BUT MORE THAN THAT, TO PREPARE US FOR
THE LIFE TO COME. AND ALSO I THINK, THERE'S JUST SOME OF YOU THAT YOU KIND OF HAVE
A KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, BUT YOU'VE NEVER ACTUALLY
PRAYED THAT PRAYER. YOU'VE NEVER ACTUALLY
INVITED JESUS TO COME IN. SO WE'RE GONNA DO THAT. WHEN YOU HEAR A
STORY LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO
MISS OUT ON HEAVEN. ESPECIALLY THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING
RIGHT NOW. SO COULD YOU LEAD
US RIGHT NOW, JIM? JIM: THANK YOU, JONI. DEAR JESUS, WE THANK YOU FOR THE GOODNESS THAT
YOU EXHIBIT TO US. WE ASK THAT YOU MAKE US
EVER MINDFUL, LORD, OF THE SACRIFICE THAT YOU,
THAT YOU GAVE US BY DYING ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS. WE ASK, LORD, THAT THOSE WHO
ARE WATCHING, RENEW THEIR
CONNECTION WITH YOU, AND THE SACRIFICE YOU MADE
FOR US SO THAT WE MAY REACH ETERNAL
LOVE WITH YOU IN JESUS' HOLY NAME, WE
PRAY, AMEN. JONI: EVERYBODY SAID? ALL: AMEN. JONI: AMEN. IT'S REALLY THAT SIMPLE. I MEAN, MY GRANDFATHER
PRAYED A PRAYER LIKE THIS, GOD, IF YOU'RE THERE, I NEED YOU. AND GOD MET HIM ON
A MONDAY MORNING AT A TOOL AND DIE MILL IN
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA. HE'LL DO THE SAME FOR YOU. GOD, I NEED YOU. I BELIEVE YOU DIED ON
THE CROSS FOR MY SINS. COME INTO MY
HEART RIGHT NOW, IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN. IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE. WELL, WE ARE OUT OF TIME. AND I JUST WANT TO
ENCOURAGE YOU, AGAIN, TO STAY IN GOD'S
WILL FOR YOUR LIFE, OR SURRENDER TO HIS
PLAN AND PURPOSE, IF YOU HAVEN'T
DONE THAT YET. IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY, BUT I PROMISE IT'S WHERE
YOU WILL HAVE THE MOST JOY, AND THE MOST FULFILLMENT. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AS YOU WALK OUT
YOUR GOD-GIVEN DESTINY, YOU'RE GONNA MAKE
AN ETERNAL IMPACT THAT WILL LAST FOREVER. IF YOU'RE WATCHING TODAY, AGAIN, MAYBE YOU'VE NEVER
SURRENDERED YOUR HEART, YOUR LIFE TO THE LORD. MAYBE YOU PRAYED
THAT PRAYER. MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T
PRAYED IT, MAYBE YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE
SOMEONE PRAY WITH YOU. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE
PRAYER PARTNERS THAT ARE STANDING BY, THAT'S A TOLL-FREE NUMBER THAT'S ON THE SCREEN. YOU CAN CALL 24
HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. AND WE HAVE
PRAYER PARTNERS THAT ARE ALWAYS READY
TO PRAY WITH YOU. IF YOU HAPPEN TO
GET A VOICEMAIL, LEAVE YOUR NAME
AND NUMBER, AND I PROMISE YOU, A REAL PERSON WILL
CALL YOU BACK. IF YOU DID PRAY
THAT PRAYER, GO TO DAYSTAR.COM, CLICK ON PRAYER, AND SAY I PRAYED THAT
SALVATION PRAYER. I INVITED JESUS
INTO MY HEART TODAY. AND GUESS WHAT? YES, I AM GOING TO HEAVEN. THE HEAVEN THAT
JIM TALKED ABOUT. I WANT TO THANK JIM FOR
SHARING HIS INCREDIBLE STORY AND TESTIMONY WITH US TODAY. AND THERE'S MUCH MORE THAT WE DIDN'T
GET TO COVER. SO BE SURE TO PICK UP
A COPY OF HIS BOOK, <i>HEAVEN, AN
UNEXPECTED JOURNEY.</i> AND FOR MORE ON
HIS MINISTRY, YOU CAN VISIT HIM ONLINE, AT
JIMWOODFORDMINISTRIES.COM. ALSO, DON'T
FORGET TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION BY LEAVING
US A COMMENT ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, OR YOUTUBE. WE'D LOVE TO KNOW HOW TODAY'S PROGRAM
HAS ENCOURAGED YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR WATCHING. THANK YOU, LADIES. THANK YOU, JIM, FOR SHARING
YOUR INCREDIBLE STORY. HEAVEN IS MORE
REAL TO ME TODAY THAN IT EVER HAS BEEN. AND I TELL YOU WHAT, I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO THAT. THIS LIFE, THE
BIBLE SAYS IS JUST A VAPOR COMPARED TO THE
LIFE TO COME. AND I TELL YOU WHAT, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL OF YOU THAT
ARE WATCHING, THOSE OF YOU THAT
PRAYED THAT PRAYER, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
IN HEAVEN ONE DAY AS WELL. WELL, JUST BE
BLESSED. AND THANK YOU
FOR WATCHING. WE'LL SEE YOU
NEXT TIME. BYE-BYE FOR TODAY. ♪♪
