I Can Only Imagine, by Bart Millard

Bart Millard of the band MercyMe wrote a huge hit with "I Can Only Imagine."  The inspiring song about the hope of heaven has now inspired a movie based on Millard's experiences and this children's book, I Can Only Imagine: A Friendship with Jesus Now and Forever.  Millard wrote the book with Laura Neutzling.  It is illustrated by Sumiti Collina.

In this book, a little boy tries his best to imagine what heaven will be like.  Of course from his perspective, heaven will include all the good things of this life, like fluffy pancakes, a cool playhouse, a great swimming hole, and ginormous scoops of ice cream.  (I fully embrace this last item.)

The best part of heaven is, as he imagines, that Jesus would be riding bikes with him, going on adventures together.  And that is the core of our hope: spending time with God.  He says, "Being with you is what I like most."  This promise is not just for heaven: "I'm sure of one thing that will always be true--I don't have to wait to spend time with You!"

This cute and colorful book will get kids thinking about heaven, even if much of it falls into the feeling that heaven "is exactly like where you are right now, only much, much better" as Laurie Anderson might say.  But Millard brings it around to conclude that no matter what we eat or where we play or what songs we sing in heaven, being in the presence of God is what is most important, and that friendship with God is available even here on earth.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!