Title: Heaven is for Real
Author: Todd Burpo
Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Original edition (November 2, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0849946158
Pages: 192 pages
Format: Book
About the Book:
Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn’t know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.
Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.
Told by the father, but often in Colton’s own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle.
Setting: Imperial, Nebraska
About the Author: Todd Burpo is the pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan Church in Imperial, Nebraska where his sermons are broadcast locally every Sunday via the local radio station. He volunteers at Chase County Public Schools as wrestling coach for Junior high school students, as well as serving as a member of the school board. In emergencies Todd can be found working shoulder-to-shoulder with the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department as a fire fighter. He is also the chaplain for the Nebraska State Volunteer Firefighter’s Association. To support his family, Todd also operates a company called Overhead Door Specialists. Todd graduated from Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 1991 summa cum laude with a BA in Theology. He was ordained in 1994. (from Amazon.com)
Related Media:
My Review: Heaven is for Real was the monthly selection for my Wine, Women and Words book group. Heaven is for Real is the recollections of Colton Burpo regarding his time in heaven after a near death experience associated with a burst appendix. The story is told, by Todd Burpo, Colton’s father who is also a pastor. It is not very often I can say a book gave me goose bumps, but Heaven is for Real did a few times.
It is a sweet, heartbreaking and what I believe to be an honest story. I think that the simple descriptions of Heaven by Colton are amazing. He doesn’t just come to his parents and tell them what he saw in Heaven. He slowly makes little comments that make the parents question him. The family slowly allows Colton to unravel his story over a long period of time.
One of the times I had goose bumps while reading Heaven is for Real was when Colton could tell his Dad where he was and what he was doing while Colton was in surgery. No one knew this but Todd Burpo. How could this 4 year old boy know? The last thing that I found extremely emotional and was of such comfort to me was Colton’s time with his sister. A sister, his parent’s didn’t tell him about as the mother had a miscarriage in early pregnancy. Having suffered a miscarriage, this gave me comfort to know that I may someday meet that child.
I am a Christian so I already have faith that my Father in Heaven looks after me and my family. Heaven Is For Real only makes me believe this more deeply. I adored Colton and the sweet, honest voice of this child to tell his story to the world. This is a great book for those seeking comfort from a recent lose of a loved one or miscarriage.
Heaven is for Real…………………..good to know
My Rating: 4/5 not often a book gives me goose bumps. I stayed up past my bedtime reading Heaven is For Real.
Other Bloggers Reviews:
Happy Reading!
My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing
Leave a Reply