Editors who work for small publishers often get to do other kinds of publishing duties! This week, I find myself "hosting" a blog tour for one of our awesome DHP authors, Dan Schaeffer. We just released his wonderful book, A Better Country: Preparing for Heaven. So, dear readers, you are the beneficiaries of my inexperience: I'm trying the whole blog tour thing out on you before I send this out to the blogosphere at large! (Whoever said that being an editor is boring? And that all we do is read all day?)
BLOG TOUR!
Dan Schaeffer, author of A Better Country: Preparing for Heaven, will be visiting my blog on July 31, 2008. Please help me out by posting any questions or comments you may have on heaven. Let's have an interesting blogosphere conversation--ask the questions about heaven that you have always wanted to ask! I will randomly choose two of you commenters to receive a free copy of this excellent new release from Discovery House Publishers. Employees of Discovery House Publishers may not enter (but you can post your questions). Please submit any question you may have on heaven, and Dan will be responding to your comments on July 31, 2008. Remember: two of you will win free copies of this book--and it's a really good one!
THE BOOK
What picture comes to mind when you think about heaven? Most of us have heard that heaven is a wonderful place and everyone wants to go there, but we don’t know much else about it. Maybe you’ve decided, like author Dan Schaeffer once did, that there is little that can be known about heaven in this life, so there really isn’t much point speculating.
He observes: “I think if the truth were known, many Christians are at best ambivalent, or at worst afraid, of heaven—or at least of the vision they have in their minds . . . We’re far more attached to earth than we think. This may partly explain why it can be so hard to get Christians to think beyond this earthly life to greater spiritual realities.”
And yet, Schaeffer reminds us, there is a restless yearning in our hearts that moments of pleasure cannot long quench and sorrow only intensifies. And that desire has been planted by God Himself—a universal “longing for a better country—a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16). In these pages you will discover the thing you’ve always wanted; the world you’ve longed for; the life you were meant to live; the goal you were meant to pursue—in a word, heaven.
Based on biblical evidence, Schaeffer’s insights about our heavenly desire, the heavenly location, the heavenly life, and heavenly preparation, show us that God wants that “better country” to be the passion and purpose of our present life. As we understand what heaven will truly be like, our priorities will shift and we will no longer live for this life alone.
THE AUTHOR
Dan Schaeffer pastors Shoreline Community Church in Santa Barbara, California. He is an award-winning writer whose articles have appeared in Reader's Digest and A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul. His books include In Search of the Real Spirit of Christmas, When Faith and Decisions Collide, and Defining Moments.
10 comments:
Dan,
It's my blog, so I guess I can ask questions if I want. In your research for the book, did you find anything that would indicate how we will appear in heaven? For instance, my sister died when she was 20. Will she look like she did at 20 in heaven? Will people who die in their nineties look like they did when they died? Thanks, Annette
I often hear about how wonderful it will be to be in God's presence. And, it will be! I wonder what our relationships with others we have known and loved on earth will be like in heaven. What do you think my relationships with my husband, children, parents, etc. be like? -- Judy
Pastor Schaeffer,
I know that because I have put my trust in Christ Jesus, I am going to heaven when we die.
But I also read that we are to reign and rule with the King of Kings here on earth.
Is heaven a temporary abode until Jesus sets up His kingdom here (kind of a divine training camp), or will those who go to heaven stay in heaven?
Why does the Bible describe heaven in terms of precious metals and gemstones when elsewhere it tells us to see such things as vanities?
Hi, Dan,
Since it seems that God created us to work and be creative (before the Fall the tending of the garden, the naming of animals, etc.), what do you think we'll be doing in heaven? Will I be editing for eternity, or won't there be any typos? But seriously ... will our work be worship or what? --Judith
Pastor Schaeffer,
Heaven is often described as a city with gates and dimensions that may suggest a cube of sorts. Heaven is also described in terms of a country with diverse geophysical features such as mountains, rivers, trees, etc. From your study, how would you describe Heaven? Thank you for any thoughts.
Being the mother of young children, what have you found to be the best way to describe heaven to them so that they can get a clear picture of what it will be like? without it seeming to be like this church service or something that they cannot even fathom?
Dan,
Does the Bible give us any indication as to where heaven is located? If the earth is to be renewed,will its location be the same as we now know it?
Thanks,
Carol
Dan,
Are we given any information about whether or not the Lord takes into account the earthly accomplishments of human beings, and if so, does He allow them to carry over into heaven? In other words, will be hear the music of Mozart, read Dostoyevsky's novels, or plan an amazing game of baseball in heaven?
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