Like Columns?

Who doesn’t hate boring reads? No one likes to read books that put them to sleep. Just like people don't like to watch movies that put them to sleep. It’s the same thing.  Columns are a different story. Columns have voice and they are relatable. Columns don’t put you to sleep. They make you want to keep reading.  Personally I would read columns out of my own will, never like a classroom book.  Heaven is for Real reminds me of columns and I read it out of my own will.   

There is so much voice in this nonfiction novel.  The author Todd Burpo does a great job making sure the readers are able to feel the same about the situations he’s put in.  You feel like you’re his other child.  Instead of just being and outsider looking in you really feel like you are a part of the Burpo family. 

The books main topic probably isn’t relatable to anyone else on the surface of this earth. You probably don’t know someone who has been to heaven and back and you yourself I doubt has been to heaven and back, I mean unless you’re Colton Burpo; but that’s another story.  Although the main topic doesn’t relate to you Todd does a great job relating and connecting to his audience.  He cannot connect through the near death experience of his son but he can relate to you with smaller journeys along the way of this experience.  Heaven is for Real reminds me of columns and I read it out of my own will.  I advise you to read it too.     

Supernatural Burpo

Imagine you're batman flying through the sky or Spider-man shooting webs or hulk throwing buildings or imagine you're just Colton Burpo.

Welcome to the world of super naturals.

Colton's not your average superhero but he is definitely considered supernatural. Trips to heaven and back? Yes, this seems pretty supernatural to me. He can't spin webs and he can't fly. He's not very strong.  Hello, he's eight years old.  Did you really think he lifts?  So he's not hulk or Spider-Man or even batman but he is Colton Burpo.

Colton's trip to heaven was a few years before anyone had even realized that he had gone to heaven and back. Colton would sometimes say things that a standard eight year old would say but no one ever thought anything of it. Although, a trip to Nebraska got everyone thinking.

Colton had said he sat in Jesus' lap and he left his body on earth. He mentioned things like Jesus has a rainbow horse.  He said in heaven everyone has wings expect Jesus, he just goes up and down like an elevator.  Colton said in heaven everyone is young and no one wears glasses.  Colton told his parents that during his surgery they were in the hospital lobby praying. He claimed the angels sung to him and that he had met Jesus' cousin. "He nodded, eyes bright.  'Did you know that Jesus has a cousin?  Jesus told me his cousin baptized him' (Burpo 1010)."

These were all remarks that Colton had to experience. He didn't get these ideas from someone at school and at church they didn't release this much information. This stopped everyone in their tracks because they believed Colton had actually been to heaven.  Below watch Colton and his parents live with the story on the Today show.   

Was this Hulk's story too? At first no one knew he was extremely strong but after a while things began to leak. People soon figured out the true powers of the Incredible Hulk. Just like Colton at first no one actually knew he had been to heaven. After a while Colton leaked some information and now the whole community knows. Do all super naturals have a hidden story like Hulk and Colton? I mean after all they are related.

 

 

Always Believe in Miracles

“I have seen miracles just happen, silent prayers get answered, broken hearts become brand new. That’s what faith can do.” 

For those of you that don’t believe in miracles, open your eyes and believe anything can happen.  A miracle has just happened to the Burpo family you could even call it a blessing from above.  Taking a turn from everything going wrong to lots of things going right. 

There was much debt from the hospital bills and surgeries that had to be performed in order to save Colton’s life.  This was more than the family could afford.  Their garage business has been put on hold while Mr. Burpo recovers.  A part time teaching career and job as a pastor isn’t enough to support the family any longer.  The bills kept coming and they seemed endless. 

In a single week the Burpo family received gifts in the mail leaving their mailbox overstuffed.  Church members, close friends, and even people who only knew the family from a distance responded to their hardships.  With all of this help and support the Burpo family was able to pay the large wave of bills. 

Anything can happen so never lose hope, and always believe in miracles.  

Heaven is For Real

Do you ever feel like nothing's going your way?

 Sometimes you may think you have a bad life but chances are, it's really not that bad.  You may have a bad day but you probably don't have a bad life.  Although, being a part of the Burpo family is different.  The father of the Burpo family just recently had a cancer scare, kidney stones, and a gruesome leg break all in the same month.  This is just one unfortunate illness gone wrong.  You may be thinking how this could get any worse, a cancer scare, kidney stones, a leg break, and three surgeries all in one month and this is just one family member.   

Well, they also have a son named Colton.  Colton just recently had gotten the stomach flu.  Colton just kept getting sick.  You might think its just the stomach flu but remember Colton is only four years old and the stomach flu is still the stomach flu no matter how old you are.  Colton's appendix ended up rupturing and he had a near death experience where he had entered heaven for a short period of time; meeting old family members and the angels. 

Your life isn't so bad after all is it?  You know what they say 'Stay strong, because things will get better.  It may be stormy now but it can't rain forever.'  For the Burpo family hopefully they will stay strong knowing things will get better.  And for you too readers stay strong because it can't rain forever.