The Hope Of Heaven
21:56 Share

Hi everyone, it's Brian Kilmeade here. Are you tired of those uncomfortable dress shirts, especially when they bunch up under a sweater? If so, then you must check out Collars & Co., makers of the Dress Collar Polo. Listen up. These shirts are a four-way stretch, buttery soft polos with firm dress collars on them, so they give you the dress shirt look, but extremely comfortable.

We'll be right back.

have gone viral on social media thanks to the $1 million investment they received on Shark Tank from Mark Cuban and Peter Jones. You don't have to worry about collars that flop down and spread out. They stay firm and sharp all day. It's an amazing array of sweaters, quarter zips,

Bye.

It's Live in the Bream with the host of Fox News Sunday, Shannon Bream. One of the great things about doing Live in the Bream is I get a chance to talk with people that I've admired for a long time and have them as a guest and get to ask them questions and talk about the good things that they're doing. And that is definitely the case this week. Author, Bible teacher, television host, and I would add amazing singer as well. We've got Sheila Walsh with us this week and we'll talk about her new book, The Hope of Heaven.

And I'm so excited to welcome you, Sheila. Thanks for being with us. Thanks for having me, Shannon. My husband and I love you so much. You're just one of those bright lights on the horizon. Well, thank you. Let me give folks the full title of your new book. You've had so many successful books. You've been very vulnerable and open in your life, I think, in a way that has been so helpful to other people in their walk.

The name of the book is The Hope of Heaven, How the Promise of Eternity Changes Everything. And it really does. I think we all get caught up in the daily stresses and obligations and urgency of things that we've got to get done and people we've got to take care of. And I mean, those are all good things and they got to be handled. But man, when you stop and read a book like yours and we get this reset about the amazing things that are coming and this is not our home for those who are Christian believers in the context of this book.

It's such a reset for our brains. Thank you for this. What inspired it? Well, honestly, it came out of a difficult time in my life, which often the greatest truths do. I had a kind of freak accident and actually saw that I'd broken my neck. And so I ended up in the emergency room kind of waiting for like 14 hours, sitting in a wheelchair, neck brace on, and discovered in the end, no, I'd actually just torn some ligaments. But I had this huge question. It was like,

You know, God, you have a long track record with me. I have followed Jesus for many, many years. So why do I feel this ache inside, this sense that there's something really wrong? And it seemed to weigh heavy on me. And so I did what I always do. I picked up my Bible and I went to a passage that I've read before, but it seemed to just

jump out of the page and it's Hebrews chapter 12 and I was reading actually in the message interpretation and it said keep your eyes on Jesus who both began and finished this race that we're in because he study how he did it because he never lost sight of where he was headed that glorious finish in and with God and so that was like I began this deep dive into God's word to think okay

Jesus, the whole point of Christmas, which we're almost at the whole point of Christmas, is that you wanted us to spend eternity with you. And you began this race and you finished it. And what helped you along the way was you never lost sight of where you were headed. So I need to understand more about where we're headed.

Yes. And that's that for whatever you're walking through, because we all will walk through things. It is a hope that is beyond any of our earthly circumstances or our control. And just to remember that I know for me, and you're so right, I think the darkest and worst, most difficult times by human definition are where I've grown the most spiritually and have had the most recentering of what's important and where we're going. And I love that

Yeah.

And it gave her a real hope and excitement about going there. Not that she wanted to die here, an early death and leave her family, but it was beautiful. And it really inspired me to start digging into this too, because she'd become to not only just a piece with it, but an excitement about going there.

I think that's the thing. I think when you understand what is promised to us, it gives peace for today. No matter what is going on in your life right now, the promise of heaven gives peace for today and hope for tomorrow. And this hope that Paul wrote about it will not disappoint. There's a lot of things that are advertised, you know, that we think, oh, I hope that works. And they're disappointing. This hope will not disappoint.

You know, I got to ask you some of the questions because I'm sure you're getting a ton of these and you talk about these in the book because people when they talk about heaven, I remember as a kid, I thought, oh, I don't I don't want to leave here until I get to do these things. You're thinking from an earthly mindset, like I want to get married and I want to do these things. I don't go to college. I want to travel the world. But the older you get, I do think you have the more of the appreciation like, oh, that's going to be so much better than this is.

But people have questions. They worry, will my family, will my spouse, will we know each other? Will we have a relationship in heaven? Let's start with that. What can you tell us? Yeah.

That's a great question and probably one of the most common questions. Yes, in heaven we will know one another. And we know like for the family member you lost, Paul makes it so clear to be absent with the body is to be present with the Lord. The minute a believer takes their last breath on this earth, they take their first breath in the presence of Christ. And to me, that is so encouraging. I lost my father, died by suicide when I was five years old. He had a serious brain injury.

And that troubled me for so many years until I understood that we're never judged by the last thing that we did. We're judged by the last thing that Jesus did. And that was to pray for us. So to be absent with the bodies, to be present with the Lord, we know that heaven is up. Paul talks about it.

being caught up to heaven. The disciples, when they were watching on that day when Jesus was ascending into heaven, the angel said, "Why are you standing here looking up? The same Jesus you saw will come back." We know it's a real home and it's comforting for those who are left behind. I think for people, they think, well,

Where are they? You know, will I see them again? Absolutely, we will see them again. And we will know one another. And I think, honestly, Shannon, I think for the first time in our human lives, the moment we're in the presence of Jesus, we'll say we're home and understand the weight of that word for the very first time. Yeah. And I think that I look forward to that in my really difficult moments. I think, oh, my goodness, I have nothing to worry about there anymore.

There will be complete love and acceptance and peace and things we just can't experience here on earth. Always a good reminder that we are just traveling through. Now, a debate that my hubs and I have, and we have it with other people too, is what about the pets? We're animal lovers. So we just don't really, you know, we've had a lot of, I would say, spirited conversations around the dinner table and with friends about what happens to our little furry friends? Yeah.

It's a great question. I remember Billy Graham telling me that he was having a conversation with a young girl and the young girl said, "Do you think my dog will be in heaven?" And Billy asked her, "Will that make you happy?" And she said, "Yes, it will." And he said, "Then I'm pretty sure your dog will be in heaven." We certainly know that there are animals in heaven. I mean, and the interesting

thing, Shannon, if you, I think it's in the book of Isaiah, he talks about the lion will feast along with the oxen, that they will, from the moment we're in heaven, there's not one more drop of blood shed because Jesus paid it all. There will be no more blood shed. So I'm, now will my barking dog Maggie be in heaven? I certainly hope so. Although hopefully she'll have calmed down by then. Hmm.

Well, yes, if we're all in our best state, then yes, my sweet lab biscuit who turns into Cujo when someone comes to the door, she won't have to bark at anybody coming to the door anymore because we'll all just be together and it will be peaceful. So, yes, the debate about pets and Maggie and biscuit will continue. Was there anything that you learned in studying about heaven before?

Because every time I dig into this, I learn something new. I have a better understanding. Was there anything that surprised you or that was new to you in this study? That's a great question. One of the things that was a great, I mean, like a huge revelation was I know that anyone who's placed their trust in Jesus will never stand before the great white throne judgment, you know, because our sins are forgiven. But reading in Paul's letter, when Paul was writing to the church in Corinth,

There was, I mean, a very particular group of people. Corinth was a city that was known back then as almost like the Las Vegas of the day. I read an old, old manuscript where a sea captain said, Corinth is not for every man. But it was also the place of the Olympic Games where they would see people running and there would be boxing and all sorts of competitions there.

But in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, Paul says that all believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. And that used to be confusing for me because I thought we didn't face judgment. Romans 8, 1, there is now therefore no condemnation. Until I understood the word bima, it's not about judgment. It's about reward.

Every single person who's placed their trust in Jesus will stand before that throne and he will show us. And I think of people who listen into you and who love you, who think, "I don't get to go out and preach. I don't get to be on the radio or television. I stay at home and I pray."

On those days, they will see that the rewards they receive from Jesus outweigh anything this world could ever give. And so that to me impacts how I live today. It's not that I want Jesus to get me out of here. I want my life to continue.

Yes.

I kind of look forward to it. I think of some of these people in my life and I'm like, man, they're going to be up there just crown after crown. They're going to be really raking it in. And it will be beautiful for people to see how they quietly wish serving and loving and building the kingdom and really giving to other people through being the real hands and feet in practical ways. So I look forward to that. We'll have more Live in the Bream in a moment.

Ever feel like everything's getting more expensive? Groceries, rent, even breathing? And let's not forget about car insurance. It just keeps creeping up. But here's the thing. Insurify makes one part of life easier. It's an insurance comparison site that finds real-time quotes from dozens of top insurers. Insurance companies compete for your business, driving down prices. It's like having a friend who knows all the best deals, but without the smug grin.

You could save as much as $1,025 a year, and you might even cut your bill in half. The best part? It's all online. No phone calls, no spam, no nonsense. You could be covered in as little as 10 minutes. And with an excellent star rating on Trustpilot, saving feels less impossible. So why not give it a shot? Visit Insurify.com and see how much you can save. That's I-N-S-U-R-I-F-Y dot com.

Average potential savings based on initial quotes received by 183,234 customers seeking insurance through Insurify. Actual savings may vary depending on state of residence, individual circumstances, coverage selections, and insurance provider. Savings results not guaranteed.

Again, we're talking to Sheila Walsh about her newest book, The Hope of Heaven, How the Promise of Eternity Changes Everything. So what about the real life things that have happened to us here on earth, ways that we've been wounded, we've wounded other people, real hurts, real struggles, real disappointments or broken relationships? What happens to all of that reality once we cross into heaven?

I think one of the greatest promises of heaven is that heaven will heal all our disappointments. Because if you think about it, there's a little something wrong with everything down here. You know, you love your Bible study, but there's that one woman. You love where you work, but that guy drives you nuts. There's a little something wrong with everything. But in heaven, all our disappointments will be healed. And I think it's fascinating, too, when I read that in heaven, in the new heaven and new earth,

"There will be no need for the sun or the moon because the light of Christ will radiate." And one of the things that I was reading, I'm a huge fan of the gentleman who wrote "Les Miserables," Victor Hugo. And he talked, you know, toward the end of his life, he said, "You know, I've done all sorts of things. I've written, I've been an artist at points,

But when I take my final breath here on this earth, my life is not over. It's actually just beginning. And I love that because I think artists will paint with colors they've never seen before. Musicians will write songs with notes we've never heard. We're not going to be sitting around on a cloud playing a harp, you know, singing, he'll be coming around the mountain. We will have very specific assignments to do in heaven. And all those people, I think, who have little...

dreams inside that never got to be fulfilled. Like my mom always wanted to be a teacher, but she had to leave school early because her father had Alzheimer's and she had to help my grandmother. But I think in heaven, for those who faithfully served Christ, suddenly all those dreams, all those little things that Christ deposited in you will come to fruition and we will live the lives we've always dreamed of. I love that. I mean, just the thought that all will be well and meaningful and purposeful and

So with all that in mind and all that is in this book, who is it for? I mean, obviously believers will be encouraged and some of this will be familiar. Maybe they'll learn something new. But what about somebody who's not a person of faith? I do find that people are really searching for questions, for answers to these questions they have about like, what happens next and where do I go? Is this a book that would be for somebody who is not familiar with the Bible or doesn't share this faith?

I love that you asked that because honestly, Shannon, that's one of the reasons I wrote the book. Because some of my cousins who live way up in the north of Scotland, their basic kind of understanding is, well, when you die in here, you just join God up in the pub, you know, and everything is great. And I wanted to make sure that people understood that

- There is, God has sent out an RSVP and it is the most important RSVP of your life. And we need to respond. Just because your parents went to church or your parents are believers and you have a Bible somewhere and you go to church on Christmas and Easter,

It's not about that. It's about relationship, not about religion. And so I wanted to make sure that people understood. Somebody said to me the other day, well, Sheila, that's a very narrow gate you're describing. The only people who place their trust in Jesus will go to heaven. But I said, honestly, it's the widest narrow gate in the universe because Jesus said, whoever calls, whoever will come,

Paul said, "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." So I wanted people who are not sure, I wanted to reassure believers who think, you know, have I got it right?

Absolutely, you have, and you haven't even begun to live. But for those who are on the fringes, even those who think, well, I can think of the life I've led. I've led a terrible life. Think about the man who was executed beside Jesus Christ on that day. If there was ever a moment in human history where being in the right place at the right time, surely it was him. He has hours left to live, and he turns and realizes he's been executed.

executed, crucified beside the Son of God. And he says to Jesus, will you remember me when you come into your kingdom? And Jesus said, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise. He didn't have time to join a Bible study or do anything good. The simple thing he did was he recognized Jesus is the Son of God and I want to spend eternity with him. And Jesus said, today you will.

Yeah, it's like you say, it's about that relationship and accepting that. And it isn't about being a perfect person and giving the right money and, you know, and being in the Bible study or serving every weekend in a specific place. I mean, it really isn't that. It's saying, you know, Lord, I need you and I accept what you've done for me.

And what a beautiful thing. I love that you cite that example because there was no time for him to go run a committee or do anything else. I mean, it was really just that trust. And gosh, I mean, for those of us who believe, I feel like there are going to be so many fascinating conversations when we get to heaven because all of these people that we've read about in the Bible and heroes of the faith, our loved ones who've gone on before. I mean, there will be so many ways that we, you know, we talk about eternity and my brain can't get that.

But gosh, we're going to have a lot of things to do. We'll have all the time to do that as well. So here's another practical, fun question. What are we going to look like? What will be our matter or our being? Can we know that?

Well, I mean, there's some things we can't know, but there's definitely indications. When Christ appeared to His closest friends after the resurrection, He had a physical body. He was able to cook a meal. I mean, we will have glorified bodies.

And it's interesting when you think, well, how old will we be in heaven? You know, I think of a friend of mine who lost a child at 19 days. I think of someone else in my family who lived to be 92. How old will we be in heaven? And I went as far back as I could in studying what theologians throughout the centuries have written. And there seems to be a kind of consensus that

probably will be at what the prime age would be, which would be about the age that Jesus was. Most people that had a comment thought would be between 30 and 33. So those who've never reached prime will be there in heaven. Those who have passed it long ago will be back there again. But what we do know is we'll have glorified bodies and we'll be in the prime condition to serve Jesus for eternity. Listen, the 30s would be great.

Yes. But the haircut I had at that point in my life was not great. So hopefully there's going to be some heavenly healing of my haircut from my early 30s. But just the idea that we'll be able to visit with people and, you know, just really dig in. And again, the whole idea is that we'll be worshiping the Lord and we will be made whole from all the things that cause us pain in this world, whether it's physical or emotional or whatever it is.

And what a relief. So, you know, this book, again, it's called The Hope of Heaven. And you can get it anywhere, I assume. Sheila, tell us where people can find out more about the book, your ministry, all the things that you are doing as the multi-hyphenated, super talented person you are.

Thank you. My website is SheilaWalsh.com. But one of the things I'm excited about is in January, we're going to do a Bible study because I think I love unpacking things where I don't see myself as a person up on the platform at the mic. I see myself as a person sitting beside you with a cup of coffee and we'll unpack those things together. So people can go to my Facebook page, which is Sheila Walsh Connects.

and sign up. In fact, Amazon has my Bible study at the moment for $6.99. But I just, I would love us to be a community of learning together so that we are ready and we understand what our hope is that will give us peace for today and unshakable hope for tomorrow. And goodness, who doesn't need a dose of that? So let me ask you, will there be a component where you're interacting? Are there videos? Is it working through the workbook? How will people get involved?

All of the above. Yeah, it's very important for me to be involved. So I'll be there doing teaching videos. And yes, we'll do live Facebook things and we'll interact so people can ask questions. It's the one thing I love. I mean, social media drives me bonkers, but it's the one thing I do love about it, that we can connect with one another all around because God is moving in the world. There's stories coming out of so many countries that Jesus is moving. So let's get together. Let's talk and let's encourage one another.

Okay, one last question for you about heaven, and this is gonna be really shallow. I'm probably gonna be embarrassed when I get to heaven that I asked this question.

And listen, I say that I say only that I'm going to get there only by the grace of God. I am a sinner saved by grace who needs forgiveness every day. So I don't want anybody to think that I think based on any of my own goodness, I'm going to heaven. That's not what I believe. So I say it with confidence only because it's not about me. But I'm really interested to know if we're going to have food, if there will be feasting and banquets, because to me,

If you could come up with like a hot fudge sundae that had no calories, that feels a little bit like heaven too. I think there's not a single shadow of a doubt that the best food we have ever eaten in our lives. But the interesting thing is there will be no negative to it. There will be no food that produces a negative impact on our body. It will all be spread out. I mean, Psalm 23, you've laid a feast before me, and I think that will be our eternal gift.

Well, this book is a gift to the hope of heaven, how the promise of eternity changes everything. Sheila, thank you for writing it and all of the things that you have shared over the years and continue to do so. I look forward to your Bible study kicking off in 2025. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Shannon. Thank you for who you are. Listen ad-free with the Fox News Podcast plus subscription on Apple Podcasts and Amazon Prime members can listen to this show ad-free on the Amazon Music app.

I'm Dana Perino. This week on Perino on Politics, I'm joined by former GOP strategist and host of The Rich Zioli Show, Rich Zioli. Available now on FoxNewsPodcast.com or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Must listen to podcasts from Fox News Audio.