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989 reviews for:
Heaven Is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back
Todd Burpo
3.66 AVERAGE
989 reviews for:
Heaven Is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back
Todd Burpo
3.66 AVERAGE
I really didnt think that I would enjoy this book but it was pleasantly surprising. It is inspiring and gives you hope. It was no like a self help book it was just a very straight forward description of the events the Burpo family went through. Granted they are a very faith involved family, the father is a pastor... so that could subliminaly influenced Colton's trip to Heaven. Who are we to say? It made my eyes water a little and I can't deny that I got excited when Colton would describe heaven. The book was a great quick read.
This book leaves me with mixed emotions. On one hand, I'm cheering for Colton's story because I believe in the supernatural, I believe in Heaven, and I even think kids can have a closer emotional understanding of Heaven than world-weary adults. When I was in 3rd or 4th grade I had this moment during one of my prayers, just a millisecond, where I had this sudden sense of eternal heavenly existence. I wasn't transported or anything but even that one moment was enough to bolster my faith. Colton's message is simple; God wants to be present with people, both in this life and the one to come.
On the other hand, there is part of me that is a little skeptical. Three-year-olds have imaginations, the story would only come out in random comments over a span of a couple years, and most of the details given could have been imprinted by Christian art/culture. After all, kids pick up on more than we realize -- whether it be the images they see or parents talking on the phone in the other room. When Colton would mention something like "Jesus had a rainbow horse," the parents would go crazy with delight and immediately assume Colton's simple description matched verses out of Scripture. It's certainly possible, hmm, I want to believe the story, hmm, but yeah, part of me is hesitant.
It'd be fun to read a book like this from a Saul/Paul type, who is well respected in his field, intelligent and rational and authoritative, then has a life-changing vision/experience of the supernatural and remains a rational/intelligent/authoritative person who proclaims the good news, that Jesus really was the Son of God and died so that we might live. And yes, truly, Heaven is for real.
On the other hand, there is part of me that is a little skeptical. Three-year-olds have imaginations, the story would only come out in random comments over a span of a couple years, and most of the details given could have been imprinted by Christian art/culture. After all, kids pick up on more than we realize -- whether it be the images they see or parents talking on the phone in the other room. When Colton would mention something like "Jesus had a rainbow horse," the parents would go crazy with delight and immediately assume Colton's simple description matched verses out of Scripture. It's certainly possible, hmm, I want to believe the story, hmm, but yeah, part of me is hesitant.
It'd be fun to read a book like this from a Saul/Paul type, who is well respected in his field, intelligent and rational and authoritative, then has a life-changing vision/experience of the supernatural and remains a rational/intelligent/authoritative person who proclaims the good news, that Jesus really was the Son of God and died so that we might live. And yes, truly, Heaven is for real.
Stories like this are always interesting. Everyone gets all excited about the idea that someone has "glimpsed the other side". Adding in the idea of it being a pastor's kid makes the whole notion seem more believable. The greatest disappointment is, he clearly puts more stock in the vague descriptions of his son's experience than he does in what God actually says. I wish I believed this was a real thing, but I don't.
Okay, so the only reason I read this book is because my dad told me it was absolutely amazing and that I should read it. I was reluctant to start reading it because the whole concept of the story. A four year old boy going to heaven just wasn't something that I wanted to read it. But I did. And it was boring. The first few chapters were just a bunch of crap about going here and there. And with the dad sharing his disease. Write your own book if you want to talk about that! To elaborate more on the boring bits. There was just too much this and that. Meeting these people and going here because it is just so fine and dandy! To say I didn't like this book is an understatement. Nothing in here was believable at all. Most of the time I felt like the dad was trying to convince what he was saying is true instead of just telling us what happened. I don't know. This story just didn't sit well with me at all. The dad rubbed me the wrong way. The little kids were pretty cool. The only part of the book I liked was when Colton was talking about meeting the angels and when they sung to him and he wanted them to sing We Will Rock you. I laughed at that part but that was about it. I know this review is kind of mean but I couldn't lie about it and say it was good. I don't know. Maybe other people liked it but I just couldn't get into it at all.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
I don't know if it all is true or not, but it did make me reflect about what I believe in.
Wow! It's a lot to take in! I'm still processing. I will definitely go see the movie.
Just like many of the other reviewers of this book, I too was given this book as a gift. As a devout Catholic, I was intrigued by the story line and was open to reading about a little boy's account of heaven and what he saw there. The basic plot is that Colton Burpo was four years old when he had to have an emergency appendectomy after his appendix burst. During his surgery he is blessed with a trip to heaven which he shares with his family months after his procedure. To be honest, I skimmed through most of the book except for when Colton gives his accounts of heaven. I found the other parts to be somewhat boring and very repetitive but Colton's accounts were uplifting and put a smile on my face. I have always believed in heaven and even though I do not think this book added to my beliefs, it was a quick read and one that I found to be most enjoyable. My favorite piece of the book was actually the picture of the Jesus. To me that picture is a perfect representation of what I always imagined the Lord to look like. Overall, I found this to be a very quick read and one that I did enjoy reading. I do not know if I would recommend it to everyone, I feel like it should be someone's choice whether or not they want to open this one up.
i liked it. his innocence and child-like faith made me cry, of course. it was a super easy and quick read.... and i get the filler parts and back stories, but sometimes i felt like the dad (author) was rambling on a lot. but im glad i read it nonetheless.