Choo Thomas, best-selling author of Heaven Is So Real!, has died at 74.

Heaven Is So Real!, published by Creation House in 2003 then republished by Charisma House in 2006, has sold more than 1 million copies and has been translated into more than 40 languages. ¡Cielo es tan real!, Casa Creación's Spanish translation of the book won the Harold Kregel 2008 Book of the Year award for "most inspiring and impactful book" during the Spanish Evangelical Products Association Awards in 2009.

In the book, Thomas described in detail everything she said she experienced when visiting heaven numerous times with Jesus, beginning in 1996.

When asked if her heavenly experiences were visions or dreams, she said: "I know I've seen heaven, and I know that heaven is so real. Whether we place my experiences in the category of supernatural dreams, visions or actual experiences, I will leave to the theologians. All I can say is that they were very real to me."

Born in Fukukon, Japan, she was raised in Korea and was the only daughter of nonreligious parents.

A Korean-American, Thomas became a Christian in 1992, and two years later, she first saw Jesus' presence. In 1995, she began experiencing physical manifestations from the Holy Spirit while in church. In January 1996, a series of heavenly journeys caused Thomas to have a burden for souls, resulting in the salvation of her entire family. Thomas said the Lord told her that because of her book, at least a million people would be saved.

"When I see that people's lives are being transformed by Heaven Is So Real!, it is worth every disappointment I have gone through," Thomas once wrote. "I believe so many readers have felt that they have been with Jesus in heaven and had seen the things the Lord showed me with this book. That is why they received an anointing from this book."

She is survived by her husband, Roger; son, John Thomas; daughter, Teresa Lang; and four grandchildren.

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