The Other Side of Heaven on Earth

By Dimitra Zuniga

I once heard that we don't have to allow our past to dictate our future and who we choose to become. That is easier said than done as many of us seem to repeat the vicious circle of life that we grew up in and experienced, and it may be the only life one knows to live.

But there is the Other Side of Heaven on Earth, and once you find true love, the unconditional love of God the father nothing is impossible. This is a biography of the trial and tribulations that allowed me to turn from a victim into a victor.

I am a first-generation Australian born to Greek parents who migrated here in the 1960s. My father passed away, and my mother, who was deserted by family, raised her three children on her own. I in turn migrated back to Greece when I was eighteen years old for five years, only to end up returning back home to Australia with two kids in my arms and a broken marriage.

"The Other Side of Heaven on Earth" is about a life transformation of an abused young girl from a migrant family who enters into womanhood only to become a battered wife. She ends up being abandoned with her two children, overcoming and conquering mental, emotional, and physical dysfunction by her own spiritual and supernatural experiences that lead her to true love and a destiny that surpassed her wildest imagination and dreams.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Oct 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499027846

Dimitra Zuniga

Dimitra Zuniga is the author of “The Other Side of Heaven on Earth.” She is an advocate and volunteer for social injustice, supporting the fight for human rights and gender equality while going on to the mission field abroad to stand against the exploitation and trafficking of children. Dimitra is qualified in screen and media, producing her own short film titled “Pita,” which is based on her book, and is currently completing her degree in the accounting discipline. Dimitra’s greatest passion is to equip women to believe in themselves by recognizing their identity in Christ. To encourage them to stand strong with one another, in unison, side by side, as a fortified fortress shielding those less fortunate and in need because when women come together, they are a force to be reckoned with. She lives in Brisbane, Australia, and is a devoted wife and a proud mother and grandmother.

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Copyright © 2014 by Dimitra Zuniga.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/21/2014

Xlibris

1-800-455-039

www.Xlibris.com.au

650846

CONTENTS

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Foreword

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter I—The Beginning

Chapter II—The Birth

Chapter III—The First Steps

Chapter IV—Childhood

Chapter V—Adolescence

Chapter VI—Coming Into Adulthood

Chapter VII—Death & Resurection

Warrior

Prayer Of Salvation And Baptism In The Holy Spirit

The cover page was designed Alpha Media Services www.alphamediaservices.com under the guidance of the author. Black represents the darkness, captivity and the oppression. The sunrise represents the transition from darkness into the glory of God, where no darkness belongs.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are from The Amplified Bible, Old Testament copyright © 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified Bible, New Testament copyright © 1954, 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

FOREWORD

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To know Dimitra is to know fire, zeal, passion, tenacity, loyalty, courage, strength, bravery, nurturing and so much more…..

As Dimitra takes you on a journey through her life’s greatest pains and victories in her book The Other Side of Heaven on Earth you will discover that no matter what you have been through, are going through or have just entered into, it will not at all be the thing that defines you! Her story epitomizes the truth, that we as God’s chosen and Holy people are indeed over-comers and can have peace and victory amidst our storms. (John 16:33)

Dimitra bravely walks you through her trials and tribulations, her pains and her greatest sufferings to reveal so transparently that your circumstances do not define you; yet guide you and refine you. As someone once said; Don’t hide your scars, wear them as proof that God heals.

By reading this awe-inspiring testimony of one woman’s struggle to overcome and become Victorious, I believe that you too will find that inner strength and voice to fulfill the command placed by God upon all of our lives as stated in Joshua 1:9, Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Dimitra’s absolute, un-deniable passion and love for her Saviour Jesus Christ, her three children (Susie, Christopher and Agapi) and her dearly beloved and respected husband Abraham is absolutely breathtaking. Her heart is so captivatingly evident for every reader to come to personally know their Heavenly Father, their Saviour and their Redeemer… Her zeal is contagious and infectious; she simply leaves you wanting more of Him.

I know that in reading this book you will personally be challenged and inspired to pick up your sword and equipped to fight the good fight of faith, to not grow weary in doing good, to continue to run your race with patient endurance, and to reach the finish line with your eyes fiercely locked on your goal; Your eternal heavenly reward!

I pray that by reading The Other Side of Heaven on Earth you will discover these truths and receive the revelation that you are Healed, Redeemed, Sanctified, Protected, Cared for and Loved by the One who gave it all for YOU!

Susie Bentham

Justice Advocate

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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First and foremost, I acknowledge my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who has given me a life worth living; for without Him I would not have survived. Lord, You have made me a woman of substance by turning every situation and circumstance into something truly amazing.

To my incredible husband Abraham. Thank you for putting a smile back on my face and teaching me to laugh again. My sweet darling, you are my pillar and the one that has knitted our family together. You are my best friend, my lover who cares for me in every realm; you are my spiritual soul mate. I will cherish and adore you for the rest of my life. I look forward to continuing to share a life filled with adventures, joy and fulfilment with you.

To my beautiful princess Susie, you have blessed me from the moment you came into my life. You gave me a reason to hang on when all hope was lost and continue to bless me to this very day—I am so proud to be your mother and your friend. Indeed, you were born to make an impact by knowing Christ and making Him known.

To my beloved son Chris, you have grown into an amazing man of whom we are all so very proud of; faithful, loyal, sincere and the hardest working man I have ever met. Your dreams and desires can only be from God Himself, because they supersede all natural ability and therefore, He will make those desires come to pass.

To my precious baby girl, Agapi; you are the sunlight in our lives. You have grown into a beautiful young princess, who represents the heart of our living God. The wisdom you carry far exceeds your years and I know that life has great things in store for you. You radiate God’s justice and unconditional love, heart and voice to all those around you.

I would like to take this opportunity to honour my mother. To my amazing beloved brother, who was the pillar of our family; I love you dearly. To my wonderful sister and sister-in-love, thank you for your support. I pray that God richly rewards each one of you daily; exceedingly and abundantly above all you can ask or think!

To my incredible cousin George, thank you for placing the greatest Book ever written in my hands. You are gone, but will never be forgotten. I look forward to spending eternity with you my angel.

To my sister-in-Christ Roula, you are a pillar in the faith and a woman I will always look up to, honour and love.

To my wonderful church family Citipointe, thank you for welcoming and embracing me and my family into the fold.

Last but definitely not least, thank you to Joyce Meyer Ministries. Joyce Meyer’s ability in bringing "Life in the Word" through her exceptional teachings has been instrumental in the healing of my heart, soul and mind. It truly has been an honour to work for such an incredible, international humanitarian organisation.

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I dedicate this book…

To Jesus, My Lord and Saviour,

Who is the Rock upon Whom I stand!

To those who have suffered from domestic violence, abuse and depression, take hope and courage from the uncompromising covenant promises of God.

"For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken, grieved in spirit, and heartsore—even a wife [wooed and won] in youth, when she is [later] refused and scorned, says your God.

For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion and mercy I will gather you [to Me] again.

In a little burst of wrath I hid My face from you for a moment, but with age-enduring love and kindness I will have compassion and mercy on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer."

Isaiah 54:6-8 (AMP)

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INTRODUCTION

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This is a story, of the greatest love ever known to man! A story, that jumped out of a Book and became a reality. A love story usually only found in fairy tales. But unlike fairy tales, this story has a Real Prince dressed in white with bright shining armour. A Prince Who came to save his damsel in distress.

This is a story of Divine courage, which allowed one woman to finally conquer her fears and demons, which encompassed her life and mind. A life, that was once in constant darkness and foreboding. A woman, who came from having a roof over her head as a child, but still felt she was without a home; shamed, rejected and abandoned, concluding that the freedom and love she always longed for, was unreachable and unattainable.

Thus, choosing to leave and walk away from everything she had ever known, in the hope that she could start a new life of freedom, a life she had always dreamed of and desired. Yet, only to find herself trapped in a foreign land, with no one but an abusive husband and his family.

The Other Side of Heaven on Earth is a true story, about how a life that was hanging on by a thread, was divinely changed into a life of a victor and no longer a victim. It was written to inspire and encourage you, the reader; that may possibly be in the midst of your own trials and tribulations. To tell you that God’s purpose and destiny in your life, is to know that you are accepted, cherished, adored, loved and protected, that you too are a victor and not a victim. You too are a champion, because a Hero dwells within you; to confirm, that the greatest love story is waiting to happen to you.

Finally, the reason I put pen to paper was to remind myself and never forget where I came from. To honour and be grateful to the Son of the Living God, Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, for giving me a second chance in life and that of abundance.

CHAPTER I

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THE BEGINNING

In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. The earth was without form and empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep.

1 Genesis 1:1-2

I can see the brightness of the sun now and the beauty of creation around me, I can smell the aroma of the flowers and the harmony in nature’s song. I have the hope and the faith and the knowledge of why I am here; but it was not always this way.

The last thing I remember before leaving home was falling on my knees and into my mother’s lap. I was holding on to her as if my life depended on it. I remember remaining in my mother’s embrace until all fear of the unknown seemed to fade away.

I was leaving Australia and my family to permanently move to Greece, so that I could start my own family with a man that I was passionately in-love with after an elating summer romance. So, why was I sad? Why was I scared? Wasn’t I simply departing to be with the man I loved?

I couldn’t understand the feelings or thoughts I was experiencing, and especially why they weren’t complying with what I thought to be true. No matter how much I tried, only more confusion would embody me, so I chose to dismiss all those negative emotions and not give them a second thought. However, nothing mentally or physically could have prepared me for what I was about to face, because it wasn’t the dream I dreamed, nor the desire I imagined.

I remember boarding a plane at the Sydney International Airport, when again those feelings seemed to arise and overwhelm me. As I started crying non-stop till we landed at our first stop, in the Philippines; I realised that all I wanted to do was go back home, but the plane’s sole purpose was for boarding passengers only, not disembarking them.

My epiphany came a little too late. I came to the realisation that the wheels were already set in motion, and there was no coming back from it. I was leaving all that I had ever known and all that I had. Even though my life never fulfilled me and I always felt like the black sheep of the family, or the milk man’s daughter, as my brother would always say. I began to ask myself whether I was really in love with this man, and more importantly was he worth more than what I was leaving behind. But as usual, I dismissed those thoughts and feelings of doubt and allowed pride to replace them, because I had no other answer or control over the situation; it was too late! So, I poised myself, lifted my head, and thought… "The decision has been made, I cannot go back now, and I must go on. A new life is waiting for me with the man I do love, and who loves me!" Yet, little did I know what lay ahead?

Just before the plane landed in Athens, I went to the restroom to make sure that the final touches were made, as I am sure any woman would. I wanted to be as picture perfect as I could be, and while standing in front of the mirror, I was visualising the moment we would lay eyes on each other, especially after being apart for over nine months.

After clearing customs I looked around for Dimitri, my fiancé. Suddenly I saw him running towards me, along with a man I had never seen before. The scene was just as I had pictured it, with the exception of the other man’s presence. As he approached me, I grasped; and thought, Oh my gosh, suddenly realising with what felt like a bucket of icy cold water being thrown on me, I don’t love this man!.

I no longer felt the way I had felt for him, when I was home in Australia; writing love letters to each other and hanging on to every word written; waiting to hear his voice on the phone, were we would confess our unending love for one another. I believe that distance can make false perceptions seem real, because there’s no-one there to prove them wrong.

I felt I had reached a place of the unknown… a place of no return. I don’t know why I couldn’t think, or reason my way out of this. It wasn’t just that I merely couldn’t think of a reason, but I also truly couldn’t contemplate the alternative of calling home and saying I made a mistake, I want to come home! I flew over with a one way ticket and I had no way of returning, so I decided that that was that!

I soon discovered that the unknown