Heaven is for Real- Todd Burpo

And now for something completely different… I’m about to get religious, so if you aren’t interested in reading that, I’d stop reading now.

Maybe you’ve heard something about this book. I certainly had. Currently sitting at #6 on Amazon’s bestseller list, Heaven is for Real is the story of Colton Burpo, a four year old child who went to Heaven during a life threatening surgery.

I’m not sure exactly how to go about reviewing this book. So much of how much it will be enjoyed depends on the reader’s levels of faith and cynicism. Though my cynicism can (on occasion) be quite high, in general so is my faith. And because of that, I’m sure that anyone who has any measure of faith has also had a moment (or several) of doubt. The most challenging part of being a Christian in my opinion is the question of “what if none of this is real?” And in moments like those, it is easy to forget the miracles and complexities in life, and then to be reminded with stories like the one being told in this book.

I am sure there are those that think Todd Burpo, the author, pastor, and father of Colton could be a) making all of this up, b) using an experience in his life to get pushy about religion, or c) is essentially full of crap and deluded into thinking this is real. I don’t believe that. For me, the book rings true, and there are enough details that Colton has conveyed that line up with scripture and other things that a four year old would know nothing about that I believe he had the near death experience he says he had and saw Heaven. While reading, I found myself comforted, feeling more confident in that which I already know: when we die, it’s not over. We will see our loved ones again.

Obviously this book isn’t for everyone, and certainly this “review” is more of an endorsement for Christianity than the actual book, but it’s worth reading. I enjoyed it. I’ll give it a three, but know that I feel strange giving something a rating that deals with concepts beyond my understanding. As for the book itself, the writing was acceptable, the stories realistic and emotional, and I liked it enough to be pleased that I read it.