(Review) Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

Title: Heaven is for Real
Author: Todd Burop with Lynn Vincent
Format: Paperback
Pages: 163

Description:

A young boy emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven. 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.

 5 Stars

*****

When I first started this book, I had no idea what I was in store for. I was thinking that this little boy Colton would confirm the stories I had grown up with and learned since I was a child. As I started reading Colton's journey and learning more about him, I came to care for him and the outcome of his situation. I found myself crying when he needed to go back into the hospital or more tests needed done.

I completely enjoyed reading this story. I'm a strong believer in Jesus Christ, so any book which one recommends for me to read, is put down on my to be read list. I recently (May 2013) experienced a loss of my own. I gave birth to my forever sleeping (stillborn) daughter. My world turned upside down and my faith became the stronger than it had ever been. I turned to Jesus, faith, and love for healing. That's when I sat down and prayed for my way of healing. I wrote my journey in a book "Saying Goodbye Without Saying Hello" and started my healing through pouring out my soul and hope within this book. Even ten months after her loss and my finding peace, I still question if she's sitting on Jesus' lap.

As I read through Todd Burpo's book and his son's story, I came up to one spot that put me in tears. The moment I found out the Burpo's had also lost a baby and Colton had seen her in Heaven. That made me think, if the unborn child they lost made it to Heaven and was with Jesus, what made my daughter Dakota any different? I had to stop reading briefly while I cried at this realization. My baby is in fact with Jesus and Heaven is for Real confirmed it for me. This little boy and his extraordinary trip helped me to fully see that Jesus loves the children, including mine.

This is by far one of the best books I have read this year and I even have an extra copy to giveaway. As I am an author myself, I can't wait to add this into one of the giveaways. If you're looking for a book that will have you thinking differently after and feeling the strong hope that I have now, you NEED to read this book!!