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Reviewed by Karen Pirnot for Readers' Favorite
Karin Gunderson's book Encounters with Heaven is a lovely collection of stories to inspire those undergoing daily stress as well as those about to make the passage from life to death. The book consists of personal stories related to the author as well as those encountered in her volunteer work at Hospice. The stories speak of the presence of God in their lives in times of stress and trauma. There are stories from those in the military and stories of tragedy while attempting to bring life into the world. There are stories of visits from the dead and dramatic interventions for the living. There are tales of the comatose who become alert during the playing of music and stories of those about to die who are afraid, alone, and in need of comfort and solace.
The reader is introduced to the concept of the importance of forgiveness. There are questions posed for the reader to ponder as well as Biblical verses that refer to the message of the individual story. There is a concentration on preparing the dying to meet God, something that those in Hospice programs encounter daily. The author learned to play the harp and she plays and sings while families comfort the dying and allow them to release their souls. I liked the fact that the author spoke from her own experience of death in her immediate family and that she was frank in disclosing that she was hard-pressed to get through the grief of the letting-go process. For eleven years, author Gunderson sang and played the harp in Hospice settings and it is this experience which gives her the credibility to write the book.
