Rehearsing for Heaven

Mark B. Reed
CreateSpace (2010)
ISBN 9781450597777
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (04/11) 

If you are a believer – and regardless of your faith – there is some sort of Heaven promised to you at the end of your journey IF you do things right and IF you live your life in accordance with the beliefs and rules of your faith. But those are big IFs, and most probably getting perpetually bigger along with the bigger desires and more indulgences that life in today’s world offers and entices us to wish for. Compared to all that is on offer right around us every day, it is sometimes difficult to imagine that Heaven the way it is described in the old texts would be particularly appealing to most modern people. Yet we are supposed to aspire to it as our final destination. So what is a believer supposed to do?

Usually I am not a big fan of books telling me what to believe and how to “change” myself to be a “better” person. Most of them are extreme, as well as extremely preachy, and all too often based on very simplistic equations that do not make much sense to me. Luckily there are exceptions to every rule, and Mark B. Reed’s “Rehearsing for Heaven” is definitely one of them. I found his book to be very engaging and approachable. His writing style, in spite of the obvious copious amount of research, never became too convoluted for the average reader; and the mix of personal stories and quotes from various sources kept my interest aroused throughout the 400+ pages.

I’ve highly enjoyed the unusual format of the narrative, which is structured like a theatrical production in three acts, explaining to the reader how rehearsing for Heaven while living on Earth will not only earn you a spot in Heaven but also assure you of a more fulfilling and worthwhile everyday existence.

Refreshingly non-judgmental and accepting of the realities of life, including the mistakes all of us make at some point in life, this is a book which will make you think and re-evaluate your path, or as the author aptly put it, “rehearse for Heaven,” without the fear of being refused entrance due to some transgressions in your past. For once I did not feel that the book was telling me what to do as much as it was telling me to re-evaluate and rethink the way I approach my daily life, and by doing that change my appreciation for all that has been given to me. Read this book if you feel lost in your quest for spiritual answers, or simply to reinforce your beliefs. Either way, “Rehearsing for Heaven” will change your perception of Heaven in a very positive way.