September 29, 2011
Book Review- Heaven is for Real

"Dad, I met your dad, Pop, in Heaven," says Colton Burpo. This puts his father, Todd Burpo, the writer of Heaven is for Real, in shock. Todd Burpo is a preacher at his local church in a small town in Nebraska. Along with preaching, he is a volunteer firefighter, junior high wrestling coach, and a garage door salesman. Being a preacher, he has a strong relationship with the Lord. But like other humans he has trouble understanding some Christian things. Among these confusions is Heaven. In this eye-opening book, Todd Burpo's son, Colton, takes a trip to Heaven and back, and brings amazing, new ways and stories of Heaven.

Not yet four years old, Colton Burpo has strange symptoms of a stomach virus or the throw up bug. He keeps heaving and heaving, though, and he keeps on for almost three days straight. On vacation, Todd and Sonja rush their boy to the nearest hospital around, and await the news. Many different test showed many different illnesses and problems inside the body. The young boy is sent through stage after stage of trying to find what is wrong. After about the fourth test on their boy, the doctors tell the Burpo parents that an emergency appendectomy will have to take place. After almost a full night without Colton, they finally get to see their son the next morning. Colton, talking to his dad after the surgery, told him he saw him in a room alone at the hospital praying. Todd was confused, and asked where he'd seen him and how. Colton responds with "Jesus pointed to you and said you were praying." This statement opens up a long list of questions for Todd, but the biggest one: Did my son go to Heaven? This book tells about the remarkable story of Colton Burpo's adventure to Heaven then back.

This book made me anxious to see what Heaven is like in person, and had my trying to picture Heaven in my mind as I read. A strong, faithful, Christian book it was. It was more powerful than any other spiritual book I've read, however. This book put Heaven in perspective to me, and to do my best to have "faith like a child," like the Bible tells us.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a Christian book. There is nothing boring about the book, and will keep you turning the page again and again. With good description, and clear visuals throughout the book. This book is an easy read, and an all around enjoyable book. For believers, it is a wakeup call, but and non-believers, is proof that heaven is for real.