 ",Not your typical "Life After Death" story." | 2009-10-20 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2Q49DHL89R359 |
This story not only recites the author's terrible experience from a tragic accident, but also his thrilling experience in heaven,his long and hard rehab, and his use of his misfortunes to testify for GOD. Very uplifting. I purchased extra copies for my loved ones.
John. |
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 "90 minutes in Heaven, 1 Plus Year in Recovery Hell" | 2009-10-11 |
| - Reviewed By raspell |
This book describes the experience of an accident and recovery, a very traumatic recovery, and also the effect on the lives of he and his family and how it impacted his career as a Pastor. Oh, by the way, in his mind he had a 90 minute existence in Heaven. But that is such a small part of the book. The book is really about the traumatic recovery and it was quite an experience to share. Also, the impact of the people including family that helped with his recovery provides great warmth as Piper goes through depression.
Overall, this is a fast, effective read. It isn't a spiritual awakening to me, just an excellent story. |
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 "90 minutes in heaven....and months in a hospital." | 2009-09-17 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1CKOAK0TLA98R |
First just let me say that, I can't even begin to imagine the physical and mental anguish that Mr. Piper went through, and i am truly sorry for his pain.
I feel pretty bad that I didn't care for this book. I couldn't wait to get it over with! Don Piper is not a very articulated writer that's why he co-wrote the book, however even with two people writing it was very repeatative and boring! He didn't really discuss his "90 Minutes in Heaven" the book was all about his recovery and how much he wanted to die and go back to that majestic palace.
"How could GOD let me see Heaven and then take it all away"? was a sentence that repeated itself all through the book, almost in every few paragraphs! It's was like...ok get over yourself, GOD obviously brought you back for a reason, accept your challange and move on! If you now fully believe that there is a heaven because you witnessed it for 90 minutes then what's the rush? You'll get there someday! He had a wife, children, family, and a loving church congregation that he so selfishly was willing to just let go and have them deal with the torment of his death.
Another thing that bothered me alot was his discription (or lack there of) of heaven. He would write that the colors were so vibrant....but no earthy words can describe them. The voices of the angels were so elegant...but no earthy words can describe them. Over and over I would be brought up high at the thought of what heaven could possibly be like from someone who actually witnessed it, and then he would bring me crashing down in the very next sentence!! I fully comprehend that GOD is amazing and that heaven is going to be like nothing we've ever seen, however it can be written in a way to let our imaginations run wild. In the book "The Shack" William Young gave such detail that I even heard music in my head and was invisioning the scenes. The Shack did not take place in heaven but it was a heavenly place.
If you want to be truly moved from a book about GOD "The Shack" is what I would recommend (you can check out my review on that too!), although it is fiction it's more captivating and moving than Mr. Piper's book! Reading the shack made my relationship closer to GOD, I laughed, cried, and rejoiced! |
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| "More hype than it's worth." | 2009-08-25 |
| - Reviewed By User: A10IRQ0NC2D6ZU |
I expected a lot from this book. Maybe too much. 90 minutes in Heaven translates to 90 seconds of "nothing new". His description of Heaven is (seriously) a few pages in the entire book. I expected to be reading something life altering - not just a description of the gates. I wanted answers. I wanted to know he talked to God, or to his spirit guides, or befriended angels. I wanted to know something more than a tart expression of the pearly gates. It also didn't help that he was a minister so (already) his assumption of what Heaven is, is skewed by his preconceived ideals on what Heaven is to him. Then he passes it off as if this is the ONLY Heaven and the ONLY way. 90 minutes in Heaven was not enough time for him to truly explain life's answers to "What happens when we die." I was just very disappointed that out of this entire book - the description was so brief - and so stereotypical.
The remainder of the book seems to be an outwardly expression on how loved he is and how many friends he has and how important he is to everyone. It is almost as if he had to write the book to remind himself how much he is loved. What bothers me is it is so overwhelming. The man that dies and comes back to life - to spread the word of God. People flocking to him, wanting to touch him. Sure sounded like he was equating himself to Jesus - doesn't it? I don't know - it just bothered me. He even had the audacity to criticize other people's Heavenly experiences simply because they did not match his (and his was "the real way" don't you know..) and/or it didn't match what the Bible said, so therefore they must be imagining or faking it. Many times through out the book, I felt like I was being preached to. Now - I am a very open minded and spiritual person- however, I just do not feel it's in anyone's best interest to dictate what we should believe just because they "say so". Because he was a minister, people are more likely to believe his tale for be of the Truth. But - what if he was just an ordinary person? Would this story have the same effect? What if he was a Rabi, or an Atheist? What if he was Muslim or Buddhist. My answers to "What happens when you die" still go unanswered.
For many people, it will be an inspirational story about dying, coming back to life and continuing to continue on regardless of how difficult life has become for that person. The story itself was a quick and easy read as I read the entire book in just a few hours. On the surface, the tale is interesting - however, I have read more inspirational God stories that touched me much more deeply than this one. Unfortunately I think the target audience to this book is very small - but, if it changes the life of that reader for the better, then I am sure Don Piper has successfully done his job at encouraging others to continue on. If you are looking for an extensive description on what Heaven is like (as I was)- then I would advise picking up this book as you will walk away disappointed. |
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| "As much about Earth as Heaven" | 2009-07-26 |
| - Reviewed By gloriaupson |
| The book is not just a story about Heaven, but of the difficulties of this life that God wants us to face and overcome (with His help and Grace)and help others to overcome, also. It's about Heaven but it's not "pie in the sky" story. Not what I expected...better. |
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 "Only God Knows" | 2009-07-20 |
| - Reviewed By User: A11S0AE1I1LK7L |
| I have read many books about near death experiences and found that most people whose death was interrupted didn't want to return, but came back because of some unfinished mission in life. I strongly suggest reading "Into the Light" by John Lerma, M.D. (his first book circa 2007). His credentials speak for themselves. We all need to work on developing love towards our neighbors even if their actions don't agree with our interpretation of the Holy Book. For God's supreme law is to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. Of course, we need to have self-love before we can truly love our neighbors. Hate in the name of God is an oxymoron. They cannot co-exist. |
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