What People Talk About Before They Die

CNN:  What People Talk
About Before They Die

In a recent article on CNN, there was a story about people in hospice.  Specifically, the story was about what people talk about before they die.  I know many people believe they know what happens in the end, some people have experienced and come back from death, while others speculate. It is interesting just how much variation there is in beliefs among people. It is a subject I'm also fascinated with and have learned about through the books of Dr. John Lerma.

The one thing that stands out in this article and what I recall from Dr. Lerma's books is that people don't always talk about God and religion in those final hours like most of us would expect.  It seems that most people talk about families and resolving issues in life where there was difficulty and strife.

Often these people talk about love and how they learned what this concept was as well as how they either felt like they weren't loved in various situations or how they weren't able to love like they needed to throughout their life.  It is interesting to read some of these experiences where they really talk about finally understanding what love truly means and feeling that love in the final days of their life.

Top Book Reviews, Nov 2011 - Into The Light

Into The Light
Dr. John Lerma

To learn more about what books I review, please go to the following post on Top Book Reviews (May 4, 2011). On the 5th of every month, my goal is to post a review of 1 or more books that have had a strong impact on my life.

Book:  Into The Light By Dr. John Lerma (Hospice Experiences)

I can safely say that one of my favorite authors now is Dr John Lerma.  A year ago, I read one of his books, Learning From The Light, and loved it so much.  Another of his books, Into The Light, is one that I just finished.  In fact, I liked it so much that I am actually reading back through it.  I do not tire of reading this book as it is uplifting and insightful but done so without interjecting a belief system.  A rare method of writing and communicating these days is found in this book.

Manipulated Belief System and Into The Light

Into The Light
Dr. John Lerma

In chapter 3 of "Into The Light" by Dr. John Lerma, a story of Leon is shared.  Leon is a fundamentalist Baptist minister who shares just how judgmental he was.  While he was preaching (before he came upon his final days in hospice care), he thought people like Joel Osteen were wrong to be preaching all this feel good, positivity.  He was a hell fire and brimstone type of preacher and thought any other way was of the devil.

In the days and weeks leading up to his death, the life review he went through opened this minister's eyes to things that went against his own belief system.  During his time of preaching, he felt that near death experiences (NDE) were nothing more than hallucinations by satan or the enemy as he called it.  He didn't believe that people could really see angels and once again thought they were being fooled by Satan.  Even when the first angel appeared to him, he thought it was Satan tempting him.  However, as more angels appeared and further things happened, he came to understand that so much of his belief system was wrong.  All this because he had been indoctrinated by his family into a manipulated belief system.

Beyond Our Capacity To Endure

In the book "Learning From The Light" by Dr. John Lerma, he writes extensively about one of his patients who's name was Sarah. The insight that she shares with him is beautiful and very enlightening. While some people may or may not agree with what these people are describing and talking about, it cannot be denied that Dr. Lerma has been a witness to these events many times. I have never personally worked in a hospice situation where people are dying but from a few people that I know who have done this, their experiences would tend to validate what Dr. Lerma writes about.

One quote from the chapter about Sarah really made sense to me and fit in with what I know about life. It matches up to what others have shared with me at various times and none of these people are connected or knew that the other shared certain things with me.

From Page 114 (Learning From The Light)

"With regard to the planning of our lives before our birth, Sarah told me that some souls are too overzealous to make a difference and choose extremely demanding and punishing lives. However, God is intimately involved in the architecture of our earthly role, and assures he will never allow a soul to engage in a role that is beyond their capacity to endure."

For Further Reading:
Learning From The Light by Dr. John Lerma


Blog Post & Images (c) 12/8/10 Don Shetterly - use by permission only

Finding Self-Forgiveness and Self Love

In "Learning From The Light", Dr. Lerma shares more angelic messages given to his patients and more stories from survivors who have experienced the loss of a loved one and their visits with angels. The following is one quote from the book that I found very insightful but the stories within the book are much more depictive of what the following quote really means.

The way to God is through self-forgiveness. The way to self-forgiveness is through self love. The way to self-love is through seeking God.

- page 249, Dr. John Lerma, "Learning From The Light"