3.0

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.