A Tapestry: What Near-Death Experiences Can Teach Us Dawn De Wulf A Tapestry: What Near-Death Experiences Can Teach Us

-By Julie Bonn Blank

Has the world gone bonkers? The weather has been unpredictable—the temperatures vacillating like a bouncing kangaroo thinking about a boxing match. Rhode Island received up to 37 inches of snow in some areas just within the past few weeks. “At its height, over 40 million people across eight states were under Blizzard Warnings and more than 600,000 customers were in the dark.” The Northwest has experienced an unprecedented season of Atmospheric Rivers, and since March 6 has felt 213 earthquakes.

Whatever your beliefs about the “last days,” end of the world or an upcoming Zombie Apocalypse, we can be sure of this: the weather seems to be quite reactive right now—and it isn’t in favor of humans.

Another possibly related fact exists now too. The famous question, “Is there life after death?” is being answered in unprecedented numbers as more and more people experience near-death or afterlife experiences and return from the beyond to tell their experience. With often lifechanging results, people return with a mix of wonder, a celebratory or slightly-terrified awe, a desire to go back mixed with what feels like homesickness, a call to something new in their earthly lives, and an assurance that souls do indeed live on when bodies are done with them.

Dr. Sam Parnia has led the most extensive “real-time” monitoring of NDEs. His most recent work (AWARE-II results and subsequent NLP analysis) used brain monitoring to show that spikes in brain activity—associated with high-level thought—can occur even when the heart has stopped for a significant duration. In fact, the results of his study showed that almost 40% of survivors recalled some degree of consciousness during CPR, and brain monitoring showed surges in gamma, delta, and theta waves (memory and thought), up to an hour into resuscitation efforts. He says, “Although doctors have long thought that the brain suffers permanent damage about 10 minutes after the heart stops supplying it with oxygen, our work found that the brain can show signs of electrical recovery long into ongoing CPR. This is the first large study to show that these recollections and brain wave changes may be signs of universal, shared elements of so-called near-death experiences.”

And then there are the testimonies of patients. In the new book “Routed to Heaven: How Near-Death Experiences, Afterlife Testimonies And Heavenly Insights Can Help You Live With Intention,” many of these testimonies are told.

Dawn De Wulf, after a suicide attempt several years ago, says of her experience: “I saw a faint glow—like a blush from the beginnings of a fire. It grew brighter and brighter but never so intense that it hurt my eyes. Warmth surrounded me … I hate heat … and yet I loved this. The warmth rushed all the way through my body…” Dawn De Wulf met her grandmother in the heavenlies who shared the news that Dawn De Wulf job on earth was not yet completed. She would have to return.

Having experienced multiple cardiac issues and life events including abuse, assault and the loss of a child, LeaAnn Nielsen Swinney was twice relayed to heaven during emergencies. The first time, she grew very warm, but not uncomfortable. “It was cozy and a bright light beamed everywhere … I felt safe, peaceful and profoundly loved—like nothing could hurt me again. I wanted to rest there forever. I saw wings and then they brushed against me feeling like a hug…I opened my eyes back in the hospital.” During her second visit, Jesus welcomed her and kissed her on the cheek as He gently explained that it wasn’t yet her time.

Both ladies experienced significant life changes. Dawn De Wulf later realized that her highly valued life had a unique purpose here on earth. When LeaAnn traveled to heaven the second time, she’d just been plain angry at the hand life had dealt her. She blamed God directly. But after seeing and feeling the intense love that seemed to be for her and only her, she only feels encouraging hope and now waits patiently to return for good, always keeping an eye out on what God wants her to do here.

While hospitalized for six emergency blood clots, Randy Kay experienced a racing heart as his body tried to fight a bacterial infection which turned into sepsis. His body went into massive spasms as he literally battled between life and death. He vacillated between wanting to go and a desire to stay, felt heaviness in his chest and then experienced a soft pull from his upper body. From above the bed, he saw his now-still body when a light from above suddenly enveloped him and gently pulled him upward. Although he was in a temporary space of darkness that later changed to light, he felt at peace.

Clinically dead for thirty minutes, Randy walked in Heaven, toured many places, met Jesus and was given pictures of what would occur on earth in the future. His entire career has transformed to ministry as he preaches and prays online, interviews others who have been to heaven and hell, writes books and encourages the newly-back as they try to find and follow their new earthly path.

Besides heavenly near-death experiences teaching us that life goes on, we learn that we each have a purpose that only we can fulfill. These visits often open a new life path to many experiencers. Across the board, people who traveled to heaven and back keenly understand that their work on earth is not completed, or they wouldn’t have returned (although some get a choice!). They’ve felt incredible love pour into their spirits as they stand there and are sent back, sometimes even resulting in physical or emotional healing from trauma. But most of all, they understand that each part of life is a piece of a much larger to-be-unveiled tapestry art and want to share that encouragement with other people.

Which perhaps is, after all, the very purpose of these near-death experiences.