Luke 12:35-48 | Parables in Practice

In 'Imagine Heaven,' John Burke explores more than 100 gripping stories of near-death experiences (NDEs) and compares them to what the Bible says about Heaven. The book addresses questions such as 'Will I be myself? ' 'Will I see friends and loved ones? ' 'What will Heaven look like? ' and 'What will we do forever? ' Burke shows how the common experiences shared by thousands of near-death survivors, including people from various professions and cultures, point to the exhilarating picture of Heaven promised in the Bible. This book aims to provide a deeper understanding of the afterlife and its implications for living life today.

In 'Stumbling on Happiness,' Daniel Gilbert delves into the human capacity to imagine the future and why we are often poor at predicting what will make us happy. Gilbert argues that our imagination is flawed in several ways: it adds or removes details, extrapolates from the present, and fails to account for the psychological immune system that helps us cope with undesired outcomes. The book uses scientific research from psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and behavioral economics to explain why we consistently misjudge our future satisfaction and how this affects our decisions. Gilbert also suggests that understanding these biases can help us make better choices and gain more control over our pursuit of happiness.