A woman from Missouri testified about the reality of heaven and hell after seeing these places while pronounced clinically dead at the hospital.
Charlotte Holmes shared her story to The 700 Club, reported by CBN News.
Holmes was having her routine check-up when her blood pressure spiked at a level that her cardiologist said could lead to stroke or heart attack. She was then sent to Cox South Hospital where the medical staff tried to get her blood pressure down. But three days later, her condition worsened and her heart suddenly stopped.
She then started having an out-of-body experience.
She revealed that her spirit was above her body and saw her husband, Danny, standing in the corner. She could also see everyone in the room, including the nurses who were doing chest compression. She then smelled "the most beautiful flowers" she ever smelled and heard music. When she opened her eyes, she knew she was in heaven.
Holmes was declared clinically dead for the next 11 minutes.
"And then I opened my eyes. I looked around at the beauty. I could see the trees, I could see the grass. And everything was swaying with the music. Because everything in Heaven worships God. I can't convey to you what Heaven looked like, cause it's so above what we could even imagine, a million times," she continued.
Holmes said that the angels led her into heaven.
"There is no fear. It's like pure joy. When the angels take over, there is no fear. When you are going home, it's pure joy," she went on.
In heaven, she saw her parents, sister and other relatives. She observed, however, that they did not look old or sick.
"They looked like they were in their 30s. But yet it says in the scriptures, 'We will be known as we were known.' I know them. There, in their new bodies, they looked wonderful," Holmes added.
Further, standing behind her parents is a very bright light - God!
She then saw a toddler, whom God introduced as her son, the baby whom Holmes lost when she was just almost six months pregnant. The LORD explained that in Heaven, babies like her son continue to grow.
God then brought her to the edge of hell where she heard screams, adding that it smelled like rotten flesh. Comparing to heaven, she described hell as "almost unbearable".
"And He says, 'I show you this to tell you if some of them do not change their ways, this is where they shall reside. I heard my Father say, 'You have time to go back and share,'" Holmes disclosed.
After this, she felt that her spirit was drawn back to her physical body and began to feel the pain and sorrow.
All the while, Danny was beside her and even saw her when she opened her eyes back to life. The first thing she asked him was whether he smelled the flowers. But he shared that there were no flowers in the room at that time.
Holmes recovered fully and was able to return home after two weeks.
She has been telling her story since then, testifying that life after death is real. With her testimony, she was able to lead others to Christ.
Remembering the statement of Jesus in John 14:3, she confirms that God has indeed prepared a place for His people.
"But He's gone to prepare us a place, and it's more real than you can imagine. I can look you square in the eye and tell you for sure, 'Heaven is real,'" Holmes declared.
