What Are Your Treasures?: My Miraculous Journey through Heaven: What I Discovered About How God Works Will Revolutionize Your Life.

By Cindy Barry Strobel

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

Where moths and vermin do not destroy,

and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be.”

(Matt. 6:20-21 KJV)

Do you fear death even though you are a believer?

Fear is conquered by the knowledge that you understand the question. Witness how I answered the soul-searching question that Jesus asked me when I was found blue without a heartbeat, at the age of nineteen. This faith-affirming true account of how I walked through heaven is here for your instruction and education. My tale of an angler and his catch on the bank of the river of life may make you realize that even the fish stories are true in the afterlife. The sights and sounds of the great plaza just beyond the Pearly Gates can inspire deep reflection on your expectations based on the accounts you have read before. The first encounter with Jesus reveals aspects of the Lord to modify your vision of the Shepherd as he tends his flock in His own delightful way. The indescribable sights were boundless as I entered through the massive doors to the mansion that He had prepared for me. Hear how I reacted when I saw my name written in the Book of Life.

Inspired by the grace of God, these connections and recollections were revealed during my struggles as God guided me down life’s untraveled roads. Follow the revelations of my multiple births, rebirths, the beauty of death, and how I found true treasures.

I pray that you don’t miss this miraculous story and be the one who is forgotten and left behind! No one likes to carry their own boots and saddle during life’s difficult challenges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781512708912

Cindy Barry Strobel

Friends describe her as a Cinderella with a gypsy flair. She describes herself as a Cinderella with a Scarecrow brain! She explains she is the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, searching for her brain. At age 19, a bizarre car accident exposed her to carbon monoxide poisoning. The CO2 poisoning had the effect of a tornado, blowing her brain clean and leaving debris for her to piece together. Little was left of her recollections and operation of the simplest of things were difficult. The doctors, in 1972, informed her that she made medical history. They had never treated anyone with this level of carbon monoxide in their blood that had survived. There was really no tried and true treatment. The doctors couldn’t tell her parents if she would ever recover abilities or her memory. It would take time. How much no one knew. Recently there was a question in a bible study class. She was asked for remembrances of being baptized. Since she could not recall being baptized, she told this astonishing, incredible account of her miraculous journey through Heaven and of conversations with Jesus. The bible study class were ecstatic upon hearing this recollection. The teacher encouraged her to write it down so others could share this experience. This enormous undertaking would prove difficult as her memories of English classes past were gone and even her basic handwriting skills had been damaged in the accident. With God’s help and her computer, she decided to make the attempt. The outcome was this true account of her journeys through Heaven and life. The struggles that she encountered became a revelation in faith and hope. Cindy hopes you will renew your spirit and become rebirthed, as she did. Appreciate the fresh start in life that was given freely through grace, perseverance and of course Love. This traveled road may resemble a fairytale, however she will assure you that fairy tales don’t always end like we think they should. She desires for you to see life differently and inspire you to embrace the treasures of life. Cindy has two grown sons, three sisters, and one brother. She is an aunt, a great aunt, a wife, a friend, and a believer in JESUS. Being raised on a farm, in a small town in Texas, in the 50’s, 60’s and early 70’s, gave her a unique perspective towards nature and a way of life that is slowly disappearing. Cindy wishes that you join her in her quest to Be a Treasure, Earn a Treasure, Make a Treasure, Give a Treasure, Witness a Treasure and Embrace a Treasure. It is a way of life that will add many blessings to your family’s life as well as your own. You don’t want to be the one that is forgotten and left behind. No one likes to carry their own boots and saddle during life’s difficult journeys. Please share your stories of your Treasures with other readers. http://whatareyourtreasures.wordpress.com Please view pictures of hand crafted reclaimed objects in my home, on Facebook, ETSY, Flicker and Pinterest. http://reclaimed-objects.tumblr.com You may E-mail me at [e-mail] She currently lives on Cedar Creek Lake, near Dallas TX, where she transforms, mirrors, tables, crosses and chandeliers into beautiful forms of art through the use of driftwood. Her online shop has been recognized in several magazines, as well as on the internet. Whether it be with looking at life as the beholder of her home based business “Reclaimed Objects,” or perhaps through the eyes of Jesus, her love of nature is readily apparent. Cindy desires that you will discover your own heart’s desire. To look at life through the eyes of Jesus and nature. To recall the distant past of times and things gone by. Whether it be your own life or an unfulfilled dream. Upon reflection, Cindy hopes you will renew your spirit and become rebirthed, as she did. Appreciate the fresh start in life that was given freely through grace. Understand this to be a new beginning. Realize that we are not on this earth alone. There is something greater to our purpose than just following your own desires.

Book preview

WHAT ARE YOUR

TREASURES?

My Miraculous Journey through Heaven:

What I Discovered About How God Works

Will Revolutionize Your Life.

Cindy Barry Strobel

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Copyright © 2015 Cindy Barry Strobel.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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.

ISBN: 978-1-5127-0892-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-0893-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-0891-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015913271

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/4/2015

Contents

Author’s Note

Forward A Treasured Childhood Memory

Prologue

1 Brushed by His Wings

2 Seeing GOD’s Grace Everywhere

3 Perfect Diamonds in the Works

4 Death and Rebirth

5 Tickling the Water

6 Opening the Gates to Eternity

7 Never Saw Blue like This

8 Closing Books and Unlocking Doors

9 A Spark of The Divine

10 The Refreshing Glow

11 Some Fishing in the Dark

12 Walking Boots

13 Road Sign Ahead!

14 Memories of Love

15 Where the Children Play

16 Aim it to the Sky

17 A Runaway Horse

18 What’s My Name?

19 Will You Keep your Promises?

20 Is Your House a Dream or a Nightmare?

21 Looking for a Place to Land

22 All of Our Tomorrows and Yesterdays

23 Somewhere Love Remains

24 Inside of Your Heaven

25 Come Wander with Me

26 Swapping the Old for the New

27 How GOD Ties Everything Together

28 No Coincidences

29 How GOD Makes It Happen

30 How to be One with JESUS

31 Lifting Up Your Treasures

Giving Thanks and Blessings

References- acknowledgements

There are many travelled roads in life, but only a few will travel the extraordinary roads, the chosen roads of GOD. Who knows where they may lead? These chosen roads led me to discover my true treasures.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

Where moths and vermin do not destroy,

and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be.

(Matt. 6:20-21 KJV)

Author’s Note

I assure you this story is not a fairy tale, even though at times it may read like one. My description of the many miracles that transpired during my travelled road are genuine. My true tale of the miraculous events in my life, and how I perceived them, will uplift you and hopefully give you some insight into how you can be a better person.

At age nineteen, I witnessed JESUS in a way that no one else has ever described before. I viewed many parts of Heaven. I saw my name written in the Book of Life. I caught sight of several family members. I conversed with my Grandfather and JESUS. My conversation with JESUS, led me to answer a crucial question by JESUS. From the beginning of my arrival into Heaven, I felt I had a mission. I was surprised JESUS did not greet me upon my entrance. It soon became apparent to me, no one was expecting me to be in Heaven, at this particular time, not even JESUS! Funny, It most certainly was not what I had expected either.

This authentic, true tale brings to light wonderful words of life. My death experience enabled me to witness Heaven and converse with Jesus. This narrative is an enlightened story of grace, hope and love. It is also a tale of birth and many rebirths: The struggles, joys and the surprises in life and the beauty of death. Through these miraculous encounters, I found my True Treasures.

I hope to inspire and encourage you to glorify JESUS, by living your life as a testament and to share your own story. We know, if you believe in eternity, your story will never end. It will continue forever. The colorful seeds of your actions will produce beautiful treasures.

Won’t you join me and:

Be a Treasure, Make a Treasure, Find a Treasure, Witness a Treasure and Embrace a Treasure.

It’s a way of life that will add many blessings to your family’s life and to your own. You don’t want to miss it, and be the one forgotten or left behind! No one likes to carry their own boots and saddle during life’s difficult journeys.

Forward

A Treasured Childhood Memory

My name is Michael Logan Strobel. When my mother told me she was writing a book, I remember simply laughing.

Read flatly, that makes me seem akin to a cruel and terrible child, but laughter just so happens to be the go to response in our family to the unexpected. Well that or some choice curses. I cannot even begin to chronicle the number of times we have laughed our way to the auto repair shop or the hospital for that matter. In response to reading one of the first drafts of my mother’s book, another author kindly and cautiously told her, Cindy you are not a writer. You have a lot of great stories, but you are not a writer. My mother laughed and said, Well, yes, that is correct, I am not. Did you read the part of the book, where I said I had a traumatic brain injury and had to re-learn how to read and write?" My mother would say it was fate and GOD’S plan, she would just so happen to have a son, who is a writer. I promised to help her make sense of it all and help her, tell her story. I would jokingly say it was my bad luck.

Love you Mom.

My mother sees herself as a Cinderella, because she always believes GOD is looking out for her and pointing her life in the right direction, though it may often seem, things are going quite badly for her. Due to her accident, she also views herself as the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. As a result to all of her brain damage from her death experience, she often resembles the poor old Scarecrow wishing If I only had a brain. The accident was traumatic, causing her to revert to almost a childlike state. Having to relearn most everything and losing most of her memory. Preparing to write this book was truly a journey in self-discovery. Seeking out her own memories and trying to make sense of them, led her to discover the many treasures of life.

I will start the story of the life of my mother, Cindy Barry Strobel with a story of my own, a treasure that I cherish.

There comes a time in every child’s life, when the concept of death comes suddenly and sharply into focus. A person is here and then they are gone. Not just gone from sight, away on vacation, moved to another city, but truly gone, never to return. Dead. I am not sure what triggered this cognitive leap at the time. I was four and my brother, Will was six. Our family dog Sundance, a mix between a Golden retriever and wolf was alive and well, though half blind. Any of our fish that died were lovingly replaced before any suspicion was aroused. Yet I clearly remember, laying in my bed that night and realizing, my mother, father, brother, and yes even Sundance would someday be gone forever. I would never see them again. I would be alone, and additionally I would die too. I was devastated, and I began to cry a small sob at first. Then, as I continued to search my own mind, trying to think of someone I knew, that could possibly not die, I cried harder and harder. Everyone I knew would in fact die. At this point it became imperative that I not suffer alone. I stumbled over into my brother’s room. I woke him up, and informed him, in list form, of each person we knew. The fact that they would someday die, possibly as soon as tomorrow. Two children bawling their eyes out, and naming everyone they know, soon meant the end of sleep for everyone in the household. Our parents, upon hearing all of the crying, came in to see what all the ruckus was about. Between heaving gurgles and cries, we hurriedly told Mom and Dad of our revelation. They laughed sweetly and hugged my brother and myself until our wailing sobs calmed into a few intermittent sniffles. It was, at that time, my Mom first told me the story of how she once died.

Memory, as you will learn from reading further in this book, is a funny thing. It comes and goes and seems to have a mind of its own, if that makes any sense at all. This is how I remember her story, as she told it to me then - and again and again through the years, when I would so sweetly ask her to tell it to me again.

A long, long, time ago, before you were born. Before your brother was born. Before I met your father. I was in a terrible accident. I was driving along in my car singing a song. When all of a sudden, I hit a big bump in the road. BAH BUMP. It was a very big bump, yes, but my car kept driving. I did not think anything was wrong. I kept right on going down the road singing songs. Not realizing, that something was about to happen to me. Something, I had no control over. I did not know, the bump had damaged my tail pipe. It started making me really sleepy. I tried to stay awake, with all my might, but I could not! I eventually laid my head down and fell asleep. My car did not sleep, but instead, kept on driving down the road. It ran into a fence. The Rambler, acted like it had a mind of its own. It traveled in a straight line without hurting anyone in its path. No one noticed for a long, long, time and I died.

I floated up into Heaven. It was so very, very, beautiful. There was grass, trees, and a great big river. On the other side of the river, was everyone I ever knew, who had previously passed. They were all calling my name, hollering at me, Come on over Cindy, Come on over Cindy. They were waving to me. They wanted me to come over to the other side of the river. I realized I had died. I wanted to go to them too, because I loved them all so much. It looked so wonderful on the other side of that river! But inside, I knew that I could not. I was not ready. Then, I saw JESUS beside me. He asked me if I wanted to go over to them. I told him I did, but I sensed I was missing something. Where are my Treasures? I asked. JESUS answered with a question of his own. What Are your Treasures? I thought for a moment and replied, My Treasure is Love. I told HIM I still had a lot of things I wanted to do in my life before I died. I expressed to JESUS, I wanted so very badly, to get married to a man and love him. I expressed, I wanted to have children and love them with all my heart. Then I asked, Can I go back and do that? JESUS said, I’ll have to go and ask the Father. Wait here, till I come back and get you for the answer. Then GOD smiled at me and told me that I could. I was allowed to come back to the living! And you know what? He was right! I met your father, a few years later. Now I have you and your brother to give all my love. After hearing my mother’s story, my brother and I had stopped all our crying and slept soundly. I did not fear death any more. It seemed to me, GOD would not let anyone die before it was their time. Before they were truly ready to rest. Even in my own death, I would not be separated from those I loved. But instead, reunited with them in a wonderful place full of life and happiness. It was a beautiful gift my mother had given me, sharing such a story. It was not a story she told many of her friends or acquaintances, for fear they would think she was crazy. But now, she writes this, Now that life has seeped in me and I am much older, I hope my verbal testimony, and in writing this book, will give hope to others. So it is for the love of GOD, my mother decided to sit down and try to tell the stories of how GOD has touched her life. Likewise, it is for the love I have for my mother and her stories, I decided to give her a hand in writing one of them down. I hope you enjoy them, as much as I have over the years. Upon reading her drafts of this book, I was not particularly surprised to find, my mother had found connections between all sorts of things in her life. Some may attribute this to her brain injury, while she will attribute it to her own awareness of GOD’s plan in her life. I say, if GOD gave her a brain injury, then why not accept both ways of thinking. She finds so much wonder in life! To hear my mother talk, you might think her life was some kind of a fairy tale. Upon writing this book, when I asked her what kind of fairy tale character she most thought she resembled. She said, she was a cross in between Cinderella and the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.

Prologue

My name is Cindy Barry Strobel. The bed time story I told my children was indeed factual. It obviously was not the true story of how I died. I died from a freak poisoning of carbon monoxide through an auto accident in 1972. Upon my death, I witnessed many parts of Heaven, no one has described before. I had conversations with JESUS and saw what I believe was my new name written in the Book of Life. My struggles of coming back from the dead and what I learned about how GOD works has given me a confident peace within my soul. I know I was allowed to come back for a reason. The reason didn’t become relevant to me, until many years later. As you will discover, by reading my book, GOD chose the time and places in my life, for me to realize HIS miraculous presence and workings, within and through my life.

Sometimes in life, you have to go back to the beginning in order to understand the end.

I was blessed with the name Cynthia Barry. I have no middle name! Unlike my four other siblings, my parents could never agree on a middle name for me. I never pictured myself as a Cynthia, as everyone called me Cindy. I do not know why, they choose the name Cynthia, unless it was a popular name at the time. My brother and sisters, were named after family members.

While growing up, I always pictured myself as a Cinderella. If you ask my family, I’m sure they will say, I even act like one! Mother claims I was her most obedient child. I frequently wear hand me down clothes, and feel I am the poorest of my three sisters and brother. But in spite of this, it never seems to bother me. For even as a child, I felt rich. I was rich in something better than material things. I was rich in love.

I treasure my childhood and where I grew up. It is there where my foundation lies. My beginning, as GOD saw me and where my parents taught me a way of life. I feel this way of life is slowly slipping away. Every generation creates their own special view as to how life was so much easier or better than the next. I have to wonder, if this next generation will feel the same. I do know, they are seemingly experiencing less of what I had enjoyed. I am convinced, there is a reason why I witnessed, what I saw and heard, as I passed through the afterlife called Heaven. I hope my story of grace and how I found my treasures, will transport you, to look at your life differently. An unusual freak incident, in 1972, involving my car, a Rambler, produced many unexpected and colorful treasures. The odd occurrence, of becoming poisoned through carbon monoxide, generated my encounter with Heaven and my conversations with JESUS. The miraculous events, which occur in my life, could only take place through JESUS. I now realize the importance of my testimony. The search and struggles, joys and surprises, I encountered have an important meaning. These encounters, during and after my death experience, became a surprising revelation. My recollections are what helped me to recover, who I was and am in JESUS’ eyes. I know I am never alone. That JESUS loves me. HIS love and the treasured memory of my youth, gives me the strength and perseverance to handle anything that is to come my way. These treasured memories of love I have remembered, would not have occurred, without JESUS by my side. As life becomes harder and more difficult, I want to encourage you to seek the warm, loving glow of JESUS and the paths, HE wants you to take. It is my hope and desire, by reading this book, you will become a Believer in JESUS CHRIST. If you are already a Believer, I have high hopes, my story of grace will strengthen your belief in the hereafter. By looking up, it is my desire to inspire you, to ponder your life’s journey and search within yourself, to discover your true treasures. I hope to encourage you to glorify JESUS by living your life as a testament and to share your story or the treasure you received, by passing it forward. We may never know what paths, the seeds of your actions will take. Let’s make it a blessing for others. The colorful seeds of your actions, will produce beautiful gems, within you and others, to grow and enjoy within their own lives. Won’t you join me and Be a Treasure, Make a Treasure, Find a Treasure, Witness a Treasure and Embrace a Treasure. It is a way of life that will add many unexpected blessings to your own and your family’s life. Become that perfect Diamond in GOD’s eyes! In so doing, I want to encourage you, to find time to read the scriptures. Pray and ask GOD what HE wants you to learn and do within your life. And when you face life’s difficult struggles, I hope this discipline and training of reading the Bible will pay off in love, peace, confidence and joy. In spite of your circumstances, HE will always lift you up. You don’t want to be the one forgotten and left behind! No one enjoys carrying their own boots and saddle when they are facing life’s challenging battles.

1

Brushed by His Wings

Sometimes in life, you have to go back to the beginning, in order to understand the end. I was born in 1953, with a pointed head. Unbeknownst to me, I literally had a distinct point to the top of my head. Since it was long before the use of sonograms, my appearance had to have been startling to my parents. Doctor Harris told Mother, I had positioned myself on her pelvis during the pregnancy. I evidently didn’t move, much to his and my poor mother’s dismay. I guess I was comfortable there, riding between my mother’s hips. I felt cradled, safe and secure lying there in her womb. Not knowing, I was causing any trouble for Mother or myself. After my arrival, Doctor Harris told my parents, to rub on my head and face until my head returned to a more normal shape. As a result, I have always loved the affectionate touches to my face and head. Eventually, after many months, my head did start to flatten. I began to appear more normal

We were an affectionate family. I recall a picture of Mother and Daddy. Maurine and George in the early forty’s, expressing their intense love for one another. Dad’s mussed up hair and Mother’s hand on Daddy’s shoulder. It appears, I may not be the only one in the family, who loves the affectionate touches to the head and face! Daddy always loved us girls messing with his hair. I must admit, he did have soft, beautifully thick hair. He would let us girls cut it, when it got too long for his liking. None of us were beauticians but with the help of an electric hair cutting kit, we got to be pretty good at keeping his hair under control.

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As the years passed, I became aware one day, there was not an infant picture of me placed on the hallway wall similar to the ones of my sisters or my brother. Mother didn’t display a picture of me when I was a baby, for fear that it might bother me. My brother and sisters all had big beautiful photos of themselves as infants. I guess I was feeling a little left out and needed an answer of reassurance. Consequently, I asked my mother, Where is my picture of when I was an infant? Even though I did ask, many different times, Mother always came up with a satisfying reason, as to why there was no picture. I remember one time, I was so persistent in finding the picture, Mother, took me into her bedroom. At the time, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be reprimanded or what exactly her intentions were. When unexpectedly, she pulled out from underneath her bed a huge box. It was full of pictures! She told me You might find what you are looking for in there, if, you want to go through them! Mother, also told me, if I found a picture