Book Review: Flight to Heaven

Hi friends!  I’d like to introduce a new feature to the blog: the book review.  I like to read.  Actually, I really like to read.  It’s enjoyable for me.  I always say, “It’s like watching a movie in your head.”  Jeremy makes fun of me sometimes, but that’s okay. 

Within the past six months or so, I’ve discovered book blogs (isn’t it amazing how many different blogs there are our there?).  Apparently, publishing companies sometimes send readers books to review and promote!  Why didn’t I ever know this?  Well last month, I received my very first book to review and I’m really excited to share my review with you all.  I hope that I’ll be able to do some more book reviews in the future!

A few notes before we begin:

1.  I had such a hard time reading this book.  Not because it wasn’t good…but because I kept leaving it places!  We went to Las Vegas and I left it in my backpack…which I left in our hotel room and it took us a week to get it back.  Then, the next weekend, I went to California and I left it in my car, which was in Arizona.  Ugh!  Maybe with the next book I review, I’ll tie a string to it and put the other end around my wrist, so I won’t have this problem.

2.  As most of you know, I graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and I now work there.  I studied Aviation Safety and I talk about aviation to perspective studies all day long.  Though I don’t proclaim myself to be an aviation nerd, I do enjoy it and when I saw that this book was available to review, I was very intrigued.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present, my first official book review:

Flight to Heaven
by Dale Black
Copyright 2010
Bethany House Publishers
192 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0794-5
Non-Fiction

From the Publisher:

Imagine getting a glimpse of heaven, a preview of life in God's presence. Could life here ever be the same?

Capt. Dale Black has flown as a commercial pilot all over the world, but one flight changed his life forever--an amazing journey to heaven and back.

The only survivor of a horrific plane crash, Dale was hovering between life and death when he had a wondrous experience of heaven. What he saw, what he heard, and what he learned there continues to ripple through his life and touch others.

Against all odds, Dale miraculously recovered from his injuries and learned to fly again. Now, with his life as a testament, he shares his inspiring story--offering hope and encouragement for those dealing with serious injuries or the loss of a loved one, and those looking for assurance about this life and the next.

My Review:

This was a great book!  I’ll admit that I was a bit disappointed to begin with because I assumed that Dale was the lone survivor of a commercial airliner crash, as opposed to a smaller aircraft (again, I studied aviation safety in college, that stuff just interests me); however, I found myself quickly caught up in the Dale’s story.   It is hard to to imagine that he survived a crash that the FAA classified as “non-survivable;” but not only did he survive, he overcame his injuries and continued on to become a commercial pilot.  

Dale’s journey to Heaven made him a changed man.  The plane crash literally broke him and he had to rely on his faith in God numerous times during the healing process.  I loved that his goal was to fly over the crash sight, by himself, as the pilot in command, by the one-year anniversary of the crash.  There were moments of difficulty and frustration when things weren’t going to Dale’s plan, but finally when he put all his trust in God, miraculous things started to happen.

Dale’s story is full of courage, emotion and faith, and I found myself teary eyed at parts.  I’m very glad that I was given the opportunity to read it.  Thank you to Bethany House Publishing for sending me this free book to review!  Sara’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars.