A Boy Back from Heaven

One of the greatest questions that has plagued humankind for thousands of years is what happens next. No one, except God, truly has the answers. During 4 year old Matthew Goodwin's initial hospitalization and early health struggles his mother, Celeste, created a journal which she used to keep a detailed account of all that was happening to her young son. After writing down tests, medications, names, procedures, etc. for nearly a month she was not prepared for the revelation Matthew would share with her and her husband, Billy, on that spring afternoon in 2007. After a couple of weeks of seeming as though the world was on his little shoulders, Matthew recalled with such vividness and comfort, an experience unlike anything Celeste and Billy had ever heard. Matthew shared with his parents a walk into the most breathtaking white light and the angels who held his hand. That brief, 5 minutes of unexplained unconsciousness Matthew experienced has forever changed this Louisiana family's faith and belief in the power of prayer and God's mercy. Celeste has been noted as saying there is a difference between being a Sunday believer and truly letting the power of God's majesty work through your heart and mind. Celeste and Billy were Sunday believers who turned to God in prayer during the trials Matthew faced in fighting for his life. After Matthew's vision was shared with them they could then see, feel, and know that God is ever present. The words that Matthew so eloquently used to describe the sights that he witnessed has provided them with comfort and peace knowing what waits for us after we leave this earth. Now, at the age of 13, Matthew still has the glory and beauty of that experience etched into his mind and it has led him to a deeper and fuller meaning of the power of God. He remains steadfast in his words that he is not afraid of death. Children his age are blessed with the naivety of not understanding the finality of death or the consequences of it all. Matthew has faced obstacles that parents spend their days praying would never touch the hearts of their little ones. Celeste believes that the innocence of a child's mind allows them to be open to see and feel things on a much higher and powerful level. Children are naturally innocent and unless there has been a tragic experience in their life, typically have not been exposed to the deeper discussions of death, heaven, etc. For a child to recall in great detail accounts, such as Matthew, it provokes thought on the subject and gives credibility to the experience. Bad things do not have to equate darkness. There have been many positives that have emerged from this life change. The writing and sharing of his experience is done with the sincere wish it can provide hope and understanding that faith and prayer can support us.

As much as we plan and prepare, there are times when our lives simply don't turn out as we anticipate. If someone would have asked me at 20 where I saw myself at 40, I could not have imagined in my wildest dreams the mountains and turns that were ahead for me. 

In 2007 my little boy, Matthew, nearly lost his life to hypertension. In the spring of that same year, Matthew shared a very real and life altering experience with our family. On the day his little body almost lost it's battle to live, he took an amazing walk with four angels. It was an experience filled with peace, calm, and healing. He visited a place he said he never wanted to leave. Our book, A Boy Back From Heaven, shares Matthew's insightful journey.

I discovered much about myself and the strength that can be pulled from places I never knew existed deep within my soul. My faith was tested, but Matthew's health crisis brought me closer to God and gave me a deeper understanding and perspective of the importance of Christ in our lives and the unending love He shows to us all. I find healing through sharing with others just how powerful and life affirming prayer can be.

Now I find myself as a Christian speaker, patient advocacy presenter and educator in healthcare forums, mom, wife, activist, author, and motivator.