On Good Friday, the Wraight family came to Belóved Gallery for the first time — but their journey began in an emergency room. After Alan Wraight flatlined during a heart attack and found himself in the throne room of God, face to face with Jesus, his daughter Christina began researching near-death experiences and kept encountering one image: Akiane Kramarik’s Prince of Peace. In our #iam_beloved story of faith, Alan and Christina share what it was like to stand before the painting after such a life-altering event. Watch their story below, then read it in their own words.
“I was in His arms, like a toddler, counting the stars on His crown.”
— Alan Wraight
Alan Wraight was having a heart attack when he flatlined — and found himself before a bright light he knew was God the Father, then in the arms of Jesus, counting the stars on His crown before waking back in a Sugar Land emergency room. As Alan recovered, his daughter Christina began researching near-death experiences, and one image kept surfacing: Akiane Kramarik’s Prince of Peace. She vowed to go to the ends of the earth to see it, and on Good Friday she brought her parents to Belóved Gallery. Standing before the painting, Alan felt it was close to what he had seen in the throne room. The Wraights’ #iam_beloved story is a family’s witness that the resurrection is the reward — and that this image is worth the pilgrimage.
Alan: I was having a heart attack, and I flatlined. When everything went black, within a few seconds I was in front of this bright light, and I knew it was God the Father. I was in so much love and holiness, I can’t even put it into words. I was compelled to kneel because of God’s authority. I looked up, and there He was — Jesus. The next thing I remember is I was in His arms, like a toddler, counting the stars on His crown. I got up to number three or four, and then everything went dark, and I was back in the emergency room in Sugar Land.
Christina: After my father’s encounter, I started researching near-death experiences. A recurring theme that kept popping up was the Prince of Peace painting. I remember telling God I would go to the ends of the earth to see this painting. So I called my parents, and the three of us came and saw it on Good Friday. I was almost in tears when I saw it, because I felt like Jesus was looking at me again. It was very emotional.
Alan: That was pretty close to what I saw when I was in the throne room of God. It’s very humbling. Every time I walk in there, I don’t worship the image of that painting — I worship our King. I think of Him carrying that cross, the beating, how badly He suffered, and how He still made it to Calvary. When you walk in there, to me, that’s a reminder of how much pain and suffering Christ went through, and that the glorious resurrection is the reward.
Christina: In the 2,000 years since Jesus walked the earth, history has never given us such an iconic image of Christ. Whether you live far or near, I think it’s definitely worth the pilgrimage to come see this painting.
