Imagine Heaven Podcast with John Burke
Episode: Your Guardian Angels at Christmas: What Near-Death Experiences Reveal
Date: December 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special Christmas episode, John Burke explores the fascinating topic of guardian angels through the lens of near-death experiences (NDEs). Drawing from decades of research, firsthand interviews, and biblical scriptures, John unpacks how the testimony of those who have died and returned aligns with biblical descriptions of angels and the afterlife. The discussion offers hope, insight, and inspiration about God's care, the reality of angels, and what this means for us today.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Reality of Guardian Angels (01:18 – 05:30)

• John Burke opens by sharing his initial skepticism about angels and how his perspective shifted through studying NDEs.
• Scriptural foundation for angels: Luke’s Christmas account, Hebrews 1:14, and Jesus speaking about children’s angels.
• Emphasizes that while angels are real and involved in our lives, they shouldn’t be worshipped or sought for guidance over God.

"You have a guardian angel, maybe two, and maybe many, many more working on your behalf. But I'll tell you, for years I didn't believe any of that." (John Burke, 02:30)

Personal Journey from Skepticism to Belief (05:15 – 07:00)

• John recounts his agnostic roots, initial doubts about God and Jesus, and the turning point when his dying father received a book on NDEs.
• Reading the book led him to consider the evidence for God, Jesus, and heaven, setting him on a path from engineering to pastoral work.
• Over 40 years, he’s studied over 1,500 cases of NDEs globally.

"I see it on my dad's bedside table and I pick it up and I start reading it because he's dying. And I read the whole thing in one night. And at the end I said, wow, maybe this is the evidence I've been looking for." (John Burke, 06:10)

Angelic Encounters in NDEs—Key Testimonies

Megan’s Story: Childlike Joy with Angels (07:15 – 09:40)

• Megan, a childhood member of John’s church, recalls two angels taking her to heaven at age 6 during a bout of sleep apnea.
• The angels materialized a game of Candyland, played and laughed with her—a deeply joyful experience.
• They explained her absence would sadden her loved ones and reassured her of their continual presence.
• Emphasis on the love and joy angels feel in being with those they watch over.

"One of the greatest gifts I received from my time with my two angels was experiencing their joy in being with me, like there was nothing better in the universe than that." (Megan, as quoted by John, 09:30)

Jim Woodford’s Story: Warrior Angels and the Power of Prayer (09:55 – 13:15)

• Jim, a commercial pilot who’d never prayed, overdosed on opioids and died in his truck. In his NDE:
  • Initially has a hellish experience but is rescued by three imposing angels.
  • Describes their towering stature, luminescent faces, and especially their “magnificent shade of violet” eyes.
  • The smallest, a 10-ft tall angel, reveals he’d been Jim’s guardian since conception and comforts him with a winged embrace.
  • Jim witnesses “shooting stars” in the heavenly sky—explained by the angel as prayers of his family, specifically referencing six relatives who prayed for him at that moment.
• The guardian angel laments mankind’s loss of the will to pray and explains the enduring impact and documentation of every prayer and thought in heaven.

"The first one was about 10ft tall, the next one about 13ft tall. And the third was wearing the garb of a warrior and was 15ft tall with this incredible luminescent face... And what I remember most was their eyes. Their eyes were huge, but the most magnificent shade of violet." (Jim Woodford, as retold by John, 11:00)

"Those, James, are the prayers of your family for your soul going to the throne of heaven." (Guardian Angel to Jim, 12:00)

Randy K’s Story: Heaven’s Angelic Orders and Purpose (13:20 – 15:35)

• Randy, a CEO, died for 30 minutes from pulmonary embolism and later described:
  • Seeing thousands of angels, each with unique features.
  • Angels worshiping with voices strong as “ten human voices.”
  • Some angels descend to earth as “warrior angels” responding swiftly to God’s command—directly connecting angelic missions to prayers.
  • Jesus explains their hierarchical roles: some are guardians, some are warriors, others ministers.

"Jesus explained them as warrior angels. He impressed upon me that these warrior angels respond instantly to commands from God's throne. Commands issued in response to prayers that work in combination with God's appointments." (Randy K, as related by John, 14:40)

Steve Boyles’ Story: A Named Guardian Angel and Continuous Protection (15:40 – 17:10)

• Steve, a software engineer, was on a ventilator for 45 days; during a coma, he met his guardian angel, Marzuka.
• The angel introduced himself by spelling his name and explained he had saved Steve’s life “more times than you could imagine.”

"Hello, Steve. My name is Marzuka. You spell that M A R Z U K A and I'm here to take you to heaven for a little bit while your body heals." (Steve’s Angel, Marzuka, as quoted by John, 16:00)

• The experience highlights how intimately angels know and care for those they guard—down to individual quirks and habits.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the joy angels experience in their charge:
  "It's amazing to think that you have angels who find great joy in you as well, because they're God's servants assigned to you." (John Burke, 09:36)

• On angelic intervention and the spiritual dimension of prayer:
  "Every prayer you've ever issued, every thought ever contemplated is recorded in heaven... it's to help you see how God answered your every prayer so that it really did work for your good and the good of all involved." (Guardian Angel speaking to Jim, 12:40)

• On the diversity and purposes of heavenly angels:
  "Indeed, thousands of angels of different varieties and forms circled about heaven. Their appearances varied by the color of their sashes or by their faces." (Randy K, 14:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 01:18 | Introduction: Are angels real and what are their roles?| | 05:15 | John’s agnostic background and search for evidence | | 07:15 | Megan’s childhood NDE with her two angels | | 09:55 | Jim Woodford’s encounter with warrior angels and prayer| | 13:20 | Randy K’s experience: angelic orders and prayer | | 15:40 | Steve Boyles meets his lifelong guardian angel, Marzuka| | 17:10 | Episode wrap-up before adverts |

Episode Tone and Language

• John Burke’s narration is sincere, compassionate, and inviting—bridging skepticism with thoughtful faith.
• Stories are relayed with awe, humility, and emphasis on the human longing for connection, belonging, and reassurance.

Conclusion

John Burke’s Christmas episode weaves together scripture, personal journey, and moving NDE testimonies to offer a compelling picture of God’s care through angels. Listeners are left with reassurance: angels walk with us through life, prayers matter more than we realize, and heaven is both wondrous and nearer than we might think.

"So take great hope, because God is a wonderful father who, through his son Jesus... has angels watching over you. So fear not." (John Burke, 17:10)