Born for Heaven: Playing with Angels
Posted on: November 25, 2012
BY ELISSA LINDSEY
How do you cope with tragedy when it suddenly strikes? What may be your first response when your world unexpectedly crumbles around you? These are things that Phyllis Beltz, a 33-year member of Northview Church’s Carmel campus, faced a few years ago. Within four years’ time, she experienced the deaths of three family members, including her husband. Nothing, however, prepared her for what she faced one cold February morning. As Phyllis so succinctly put it, death did not come quietly, but crashed into her life “like a destroying tornado.”
She received a phone call from a police chief that February day, informing her that her beloved 10-year-old grandson, Christopher, whom she was raising, had been killed by a school bus. This set Phyllis on a deep, dark, frightening journey into grief that she had never before traveled. She did not want this to be a path of despair. Phyllis knew she was not alone, because a “gracious, loving, sovereign God” journeyed with her and brought her through it all to victory.
Phyllis has written a book about her experience titled “Born for Heaven: Playing with Angels.” None of this came easily or quickly, and Phyllis says it took about four months before she was able to begin this work. With summer getting close, she was reminded of Christopher and how much he loved playing outside. Originally, she said, her writing just started out to be a record of the events surrounding the accident as a remembrance for Christopher’s younger sister, who Phyllis knew would have many questions as she grew older. Phyllis also knew that she was the only one who knew the details of her 10 years with Christopher. As she wrote, she began to realize how therapeutic this process was for her. She added more detail and began to wonder if there might be other people who could benefit from all she went through during such a devastating time in her life. This is when her writings began to expand into a book.
Northview Church member Phyllis Beltz has written a book, called “Born for Heaven: Playing with Angels” in remembrance of her grandson Christopher.
This book has definitely been a labor of love for Phyllis. She said the process was heart-wrenching. She wasn’t able to work on her book for very long at a time, simply because it drained her of her energy. Many times, after writing, rewriting, thinking or getting pictures together, she would end up in bed, “crying my heart out.” Ultimately, Phyllis’s writing became a portrayal of her grandson’s life and her response to and healing from a shattering, life-changing situation.
Phyllis described Christopher as someone who “loved life, and it showed in his smile. He was always ready to play and was always searching for a friend.” Christopher also had a great love for Jesus and Northview Church, where he was in the GraceWorks program for children with special needs. Occasionally, he would have outbursts of rebellion, and his smile would fade. Phyllis said those were the times she felt that it was hard to determine what frustrates a child. The main thing was that Christopher liked to be held and hugged. This was what calmed him during those difficult times.
Phyllis and Christopher shared many bonds. Hugs. Smiles. A close relationship. Love for each other. Joy in the church they attended. Love for our Savior. To have that suddenly taken away is a stark reminder of how precious, fragile and tenuous life really is. The message Phyllis hopes to convey through her book is this: “No matter what you go through in life, no matter the heartache, Jesus said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’” She said she clung to this verse in Hebrews 13:5 after the accident.
Phyllis believes that in traumatic situations, people need peace, especially when they think they will never experience it again. She hopes that those who read her book will develop a hunger and thirst for God’s Word and will seek an indepth study of it. She quotes a scripture that comforted her by helping her to remember that God’s Word is our peace. Philippians 4:7 reads: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”.
Phyllis is comforted by God’s Word and His promises. She knows that someday, there will be a final victory over death, as seen in the following scripture she shared: Revelation 21:4: “And He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain the first things have passed away.”
Phyllis’s book, “Born for Heaven: Playing with Angels,” can be purchased from Barnes & Noble, Google, Inspiring Voices publishers or from our own Capstone Café & Bookstore. The book is also available on Kindle and Nook. In addition, Phyllis has copies of the book, which can be purchased directly from her.
For more information on GraceWorks, please visit http://www.northviewchurch.us/graceworks.
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