Book Reviews for When Will The Heaven Begin?
"Like Ben Breedlove, I’ve been to heaven. And we both came back. As many people were, I was captivated by viewing the silent index card YouTube video that Ben produced just before his return to heaven. And now I have been captivated by his complete story, as shared in the new book, When Will the Heaven Begin? You will be, too! Some souls seem destined to be “shooting stars,” who light up the world as they flash briefly across our lives. Ben was a star like that. He touched many by the manner in which he lived his life and the way in which left this earth on Christmas day. Let me suggest that both Ben and I came back because of unfinished business. And since you are reading this, you may also assume that you have some things remaining to do as well. Reading these pages you’ll discover how one precious young man named Ben Breedlove treated life as a gift from God and thus became a gift from God. He’s having the best time now, absent from the body and present with the Lord. Just as his many videos and devotion to family and friends touched many hearts, I pray that this book will, too. Because of his abiding faith in God, Ben is more alive now than he ever was here on earth. Because of his close calls with death, I believe that he flashed the card on his final video, “I wish I NEVER woke up.” Now he lives forever in the place where no one ever sleeps. Ben, I do understand. After my death in a fatal auto accident, and my visit to heaven’s gates, I returned to earth to years of surgeries, rehabilitation and pain. By returning, I do believe our responsibility is to tell the world that heaven is real and Jesus is the Way. “Do you believe in angels or God?” you asked on your YouTube video? Yes, I do! Keep pointing the way, Ben. I’ll see you there."
- Don Piper, New York Times bestselling author of 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life
“Ben Breedlove’s story affected me deeply from the moment I first heard it. We are all lucky that Ally Breedlove shared Ben’s incredible experiences and discovery with the world in WHEN WILL THE HEAVEN BEGIN? Ben’s life was filled with struggles that no person or family would ever wish for, but what he ultimately came to realize was that every life, and everything in your life, truly matters and has a purpose. His unshakable belief in God and the perfect peace that is waiting for all of us in heaven will provide hope and inspiration to millions of others.”
- Glenn Beck, television and radio host, political commentator, and author of several New York Times Best Sellers, including Common Sense and The Overton Window
"I was introduced to Ben Breedlove by my fans on Twitter through a series of retweets of his video links. I was touched by his story in the same way many of you were, but more so because I was mentioned and acknowledged as one of his favorite artists as well as being included in his vision. I didn't know how to consume it. Why me? Out of all the people in the world to look up to, to admire, he chose me. I did not feel worthy and to be honest, I still don't. I was having this moment in my life where I didn't feel like anything special, I wasn't happy with myself. Ben's message snapped me out of it. He made me see how truly important I really am as an artist and I needed that at the time. Ever since Ben came into my life I have been on a new journey. He saved me. Not drugs, not liquor, Ben. I think it's safe to say that he single handedly reignited the spark in me to keep going and to keep creating. I do believe that he was sent here on a mission from God. As human beings we need to know there is a greater power. That there is more than what we can see and there are angels watching over us. It really hurts I never got the pleasure of meeting Ben, but I am truly honored to have connected with him through music and in spirit. I'll create till the day I die in his honor, and for all my fans new and old across the world. We love you, Ben. Your Big Brother, Scott Mescudi"
-Scott Mescudi (AKA Kid Cudi), hip hop recording artist and actor
“When Will the Heaven Begin? shares Ben Breedlove’s profound message of hope and peace with the world. Ally Breedlove has done a remarkable job in this beautifully simplistic, heartfelt narrative that will endear every reader to Ben, while reminding us to live every day with joy.”
- Elizabeth Bryan, coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings
"Breedlove pays tribute to her irrepressible, fun-loving younger brother, Ben Breedlove, who died from a heart condition when he was only 18 years old. Just days before his death, he posted a video online, “This Is My Story,” which reached millions of viewers around the world with his message of faith. Ben had only been in the world three months when his parents learned he had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that causes dangerous arrhythmias. Eager to do whatever was needed to help Ben, the parents were told, “You can’t fix it.” So they lived with it and did everything they could to give their son a normal life. Though health problems often kept him out of school, Ben readily made friends with his easy smile, sense of humor and caring nature. His greatest pleasure was making videos with his friends, eventually launching an online advice program for teenagers. In writing about her brother, Ally uses a third-person perspective at odds with the personal nature of the story, but she wins readers over with the genuine, heartfelt tone. Ally and Ben’s parents, determined to allow their son to live life as fully as possible, remained vigilant without being overprotective. By the time he was a teenager, Ben’s heart problems had grown increasingly worse. Then, one day at school, he passed out. While the emergency team worked to bring him back from the brink, he experienced a dream or vision. He didn’t know what to call it, but what he saw put him at peace with death. After this traumatic event, he described his experience in his video and posed the question: “Do you believe in Angels or God?” He answered, “I Do.” These words comforted his family and inspired people of many nationalities and faiths. Both heartbreaking and uplifting, the book resonates on basic human and spiritual levels."
-Kirkus Reviews, www.kirkusreviews.com