Heaven Is For Real

About the Author

Todd Burpo, a pastor from Imperial, Nebraska, is an ordinary man who found himself at the center of an extraordinary story. His book, Heaven is for Real, is a heart-wrenching and heartwarming account of his family's journey through faith, doubt, and ultimately, profound belief. Todd's experience is deeply rooted in his role as a pastor, where he has spent years guiding others through their spiritual journeys. However, nothing could have prepared him for the spiritual revelation that would come through his young son, Colton.

Todd's narrative voice in the book is marked by a blend of pastoral care and paternal love. He approaches his son's story with the skepticism of a man who has seen many people grapple with their faith, yet he is also open to the possibility that what his son experienced was real. His willingness to share this deeply personal journey with the world speaks to his courage and his commitment to spreading the message of hope and faith.

The success of Heaven is for Real can be attributed to Todd's ability to weave together a story that is both deeply personal and universally relatable. He taps into the shared human experience of fear, love, and the quest for understanding what lies beyond this life. Through his storytelling, Todd invites readers to consider the possibility that there is more to life than what we can see, and that heaven might indeed be real.

Main Idea

At the heart of Heaven is for Real is the astonishing claim of Colton Burpo, a four-year-old boy who, after a life-threatening medical emergency, began to share vivid details of a visit to heaven. Colton’s descriptions of heaven, Jesus, and angels are not just imaginative tales spun by a child, but are presented with such specificity and consistency that they challenge the reader to consider their truth. The book delves into the Burpo family's initial skepticism, their subsequent grappling with these revelations, and ultimately, their acceptance and affirmation of Colton's experiences as genuine encounters with the divine.

The book is more than just a recount of Colton’s story; it is a spiritual exploration. It asks deep questions about faith, the afterlife, and the nature of divine experiences. Through Colton's eyes, heaven is not a distant, ethereal place but a vibrant, living reality that intersects with our own in ways we may not always perceive. The story invites readers to open their hearts to the possibility that heaven is closer than they might think, and that faith can reveal truths that are invisible to the eye but undeniable to the soul.

Table of Contents

1. Prologue
2. The Surgeon
3. Seeing the Angels
4. The Throne of God
5. Jesus Loves the Children
6. Rainbow Horse
7. Jesus and the Angels
8. The Hidden Sister
9. Armageddon
10. Final Thoughts

The Surgeon

The book opens with a crisis—young Colton Burpo's sudden and severe illness that leaves his parents, Todd and Sonja, fearing for his life. This chapter is more than just a recount of medical events; it is a deep dive into the emotions of a family on the brink of loss. Todd's role as both a father and a pastor adds a unique dimension to the narrative. As he prays for his son’s recovery, Todd finds himself in a conflict between his role as a spiritual leader and his vulnerability as a parent. He writes, “In that moment, I wasn't a pastor; I was a terrified father.”

This moment is crucial because it sets the stage for the spiritual journey that follows. The reader is invited to experience the intensity of Todd's prayers, not just as religious acts, but as desperate pleas from a father to a higher power. The narrative does not shy away from the reality of suffering, but instead uses it as a backdrop to explore deeper themes of faith and divine intervention. The surgery is not just a medical procedure; it becomes a spiritual battle where the stakes are the life of a child and the faith of a father.

The aftermath of the surgery brings a sense of relief, but it also marks the beginning of Colton’s revelations. His parents are initially too relieved to question his first mention of angels, but this casual remark would soon unravel into a series of extraordinary claims that would challenge their understanding of reality.