Heaven is for Real caught my attention quite a long time ago for several reasons, the first being that I don't have a whole lot of faith. In the novel, Todd Burpo explains what a person with no faith is: a doubting Thomas - "someone who refuses to believe something without physical evidence or direct experience." (Burpo 141) However, lately I have been gaining some faith through the help of a friend.
But, this dramatic novel has definitely been a guiding hand in a journey toward accepting faith over evidence. It was not my intention to make this project overly religious, but considering the theme of the story, it is the only way one can go.
In a nutshell, Heaven is for Real is based entirely on Todd Burpo's REAL life experiences with his son, Colton. It is almost a biography, except for the fact that the story isn't about just his life or just Colton's life. The story captures the lives of many, almost in a journalistic format.
In Imperial, Nebraska, 2003, Colton Burpo and his family (Todd: Dad; Sonja: Mom; Cassie: Sister) were on a vacation in Denver, Colorado. While at the Butterfly Pavilion, Todd spends several chapters explaining the family's financial state as well as describing the various misfortunes that have consumed his life for the past few months, including a shattered leg, kidney stone passings, and even a lumpectomy!
These beginning paragraphs introduce the novel's conflict. Colton's stomach had been bothering him for a couple of days, and then he and his sister began vomiting the same day they were at the Butterfly Pavilion. The parents hypothesized that it was food poisoning because Cassie was puking as well. But, the next day, Colton was still under the weather while Cassie was fine.
Eventually, after taking Colton to two hospitals, an emergency appendectomy was performed, and Colton was not expected to survive.
After the surgery, Colton begins to reveal supernatural experiences in Heaven. The course of his story provides evidence that Colton is indeed telling the truth, such as meeting his father's dead grandfather, telling Biblical 'stories' that he never had learned, and revealing a surprising fact considering a miscarried sister.
The novel is great for people with faith or those who are searching for it.
But, this dramatic novel has definitely been a guiding hand in a journey toward accepting faith over evidence. It was not my intention to make this project overly religious, but considering the theme of the story, it is the only way one can go.
In a nutshell, Heaven is for Real is based entirely on Todd Burpo's REAL life experiences with his son, Colton. It is almost a biography, except for the fact that the story isn't about just his life or just Colton's life. The story captures the lives of many, almost in a journalistic format.
In Imperial, Nebraska, 2003, Colton Burpo and his family (Todd: Dad; Sonja: Mom; Cassie: Sister) were on a vacation in Denver, Colorado. While at the Butterfly Pavilion, Todd spends several chapters explaining the family's financial state as well as describing the various misfortunes that have consumed his life for the past few months, including a shattered leg, kidney stone passings, and even a lumpectomy!
These beginning paragraphs introduce the novel's conflict. Colton's stomach had been bothering him for a couple of days, and then he and his sister began vomiting the same day they were at the Butterfly Pavilion. The parents hypothesized that it was food poisoning because Cassie was puking as well. But, the next day, Colton was still under the weather while Cassie was fine.
Eventually, after taking Colton to two hospitals, an emergency appendectomy was performed, and Colton was not expected to survive.
After the surgery, Colton begins to reveal supernatural experiences in Heaven. The course of his story provides evidence that Colton is indeed telling the truth, such as meeting his father's dead grandfather, telling Biblical 'stories' that he never had learned, and revealing a surprising fact considering a miscarried sister.
The novel is great for people with faith or those who are searching for it.