Haven's Heaven
By Katie Grant
By Katie Grant
A children's book planting the seed of Faith...
Written by the author
Katie Grant lives in Georgia with her husband, two children, and dog. She was baptized on her thirtieth birthday in the United Methodist church.
She is a graduate of the University of Florida, and has taken art classes throughout her life. She most recently took classes at The Little Artist Studio to pursue the dream of illustrating this book that began on a sheet of scratch paper five years prior.
Kendall Brooke Jonathon
Our friend’s son, Kendall, passed away from a brain tumor one month shy of his fourth birthday on April 28, 2004. Then our friend's daughter, Brooke, passed away after a sudden illness at the age of six on December 31, 2005. She had triumphed over a liver transplant four years earlier.
The questions in Haven's Heaven are the actual questions that our children asked in response to these special children passing away. We did not mention Kendall's upcoming birthday, yet "Will he celebrate his birthday in Heaven?" was asked. We also did not mention the school children letting balloons go at Brooke's service, and "If I let a balloon go, will it go all the way to Heaven?" was asked.
I realized all children have the same wonderment of Heaven.
I knew this book was meant to be while visiting my former pastor and his wife. Their son, Jonathon, passed away as a child from a brain tumor twenty years earlier and I wanted to give Jonathon a page in the book. His mother said that nine months after he passed away his little sister said “I know what Jonathon does is Heaven, he paints the rainbow!” Little did they know, the question, “Who paints the rainbow?” was asked a week earlier and already written down.
So when you read the book, you recognize Jonathon’s page, and whether they are catching a balloon or celebrating their birthday, you will see Brooke and Kendall in the book as well.
I hope you enjoy the bright pictures and the opportunity to discuss Heaven in a uplifting way and possibly help someone heal. I am donating half of the net proceeds from Haven's Heaven to three foundations chosen by their families:
~The Carlos and Marguerite Mason Transplant Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Are you a grieving parent? Visit Bereaved Parents of the USA
