On earth, we exist as three-fold beings.  Body, mind, and spirit.  I believe this.  Our lives consist of lessons, which we may accept or deny.  And on any given day we are presented with an abundance of these lessons, large or small, which yield growth.  From growth there exists an opportunity for contribution.  And from contribution there exists an opportunity for others to grow.

So what does all of this mean?  We all, each and every one of us, have endless and eternal opportunities to contribute.  In this life…and in the afterlife.

What a benefit this is.  To think (with our minds) that we have a voice to contribute in this world.  Not necessarily an audible voice.  Helen Keller is proof of that.  A voice of legacy.  You see, we are not only able to contribute to the world–to the people, places, and life on earth–but also to our spirits.  Enter “biggest audience.”  You’ll see that I mean that quite literally in a moment.

What if we–here on earth–in our susceptible, earthly bodies could contribute to spirits in the afterlife (heaven, another realm, another dimension) as we understand it?  This was my question to God in a prayer in 2010.  I had been praying for God to use me in a way that was unique.  And my prayers had developed to bring me closer to God in recent years, so I was equipped with the faith to respond to God’s answer.

But to be honest, I was not expecting the answer I received.  Now in case you are wondering, yes I hear the voice of God but in the most subtle of ways.  It comes in thought, and I have developed the discernment between God and a grumbling tummy or a song stuck in my head.  God answered back something similar to, “You know reality TV?  It’s pretty popular there these days.  Ask me to use you in that way.”

I asked, “God, you want me to be on reality television?”

God answered, “No.  I want to use your life in Heaven.”

And as quickly as a paparazzi photo of one of the Kardashians hits the Internet, I asked God to use me in Heaven.  “God, use my life as an example to those out of the body who might consider returning to earth to live another life.”  And as ridiculous as it sounds, I prayed, “Use my life as a reality TV show in Heaven.  My life is a balanced combination of struggle and joy.  If reincarnation exists, and if spirits have the choice to return to earth, let my life be an illustration.”

Life can be brutal.  Life can be disgusting and full of sadness and devastation.  Poverty, disease, sexual victimization, and war….  I know my life does not encompass everything, and yet I prayed for God to use my life.  Life can also be full of laughter and hope, love and celebration, creativity and beauty.  And peace.

“Dear God, please use my life on earth for those in Heaven who want inspiration to return to the good and the bad of life in the body.  Enter the biggest audience.”  And with that, I was on camera in a way that I’d never dreamed, for
an audience bigger than I had ever thought possible.

The passage from Heaven to earth may be a big decision.  I don’t know.  I only know that I have faith.