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Subscribe to RSSThe story of Colton Burpo, the young boy whose near-death experience inspired the best-seller "Heaven is for Real," is not just a story about religious faith. It's also a story about listening to your children.
It took several months for Colton's parents, Todd and Sonja, to hear 4-year-old Colton's story about what happened the night of his emergency appendectomy -- that he'd seen Jesus, visited heaven, met dead relatives and been sung to by angels. Eventually, his remarkable story became a best-selling book and now, a children's book. But first, his parents had to actually pay attention to what he was saying -- and that wasn't necessarily easy.
Related: Boy who 'saw heaven' says details still vivid after 8 years
"When we finally started to listen, I'm sitting there thinking, wow, what have I been missing? And I think it's not just Colton, but I think with every child, there's a lot in there, and as parents, we just need to give them time to talk," Todd Burpo told TODAY.com's Kyle Miller.
Todd Burpo tells TODAY.com that he believes his son's story brings hope and peace to many people in need.
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Airports are the proof of anything is possible. The fact we can fly to space Is another. Two sides to every story good and bad if you can believe the bad why not the good. Never stop believe it what do you have to lose nothing.
I am glad for the parents may more allow their children freedom of speech and actually trust them. As a father who has had many out of body experiences, I was elated to hear of my own son Jesse's experience after falling 10 feet onto a boulder on his head then bouncing onto his back and only receiving 7 stiches with no concussion. After the hospital visit he said Dad I'm not afraid to die, I know my body will die but I am an immortal soul the white light said so. Out of the mouths of babes is to be relied upon or at least given some serious thought. In my humble opinion if more people would pay attention to their own inner voice there would be less war and criminal activity. When you come to the realization that you are responsible for everything that happens in your life is when you will discover true freedom and if your desire is to have peace on Earth make peace with your SELF first. After all we are Human beings not Human doings. God the Good passes no judgement. It is Humans that pass judgement and the only one that can forgive you is YOU. How do I know? My son and the White light told me so! May all beings be Loved May all beings be Free!!!! Bam Bam
how come nobody except maybe Dante ever sees hell?
This just made my day. Perhaps it's because too many people have been told to fear the embrace of death and that they might not go to heaven.
As someone who an hour before my father died in 1977 in Wisconsin after six weeks in a coma witnessed the enemy trying in person to convince an 11 yr old boy to give up his soul to save his father's life, pinned to a bed with screaming in my ears, and wind blowing open the cubby hole in my room. Slamming the bedroom door shut. Trying to break out of the enemy's pinning physical and mental crush. Praying to the Virgin Mary, and finally breaking out of the crush, and devistatingly knowing what it meant to be able to respond and scream "NO!" Then the phone ringing a couple of minutes later with the Dr. letting my Mother know my father had just died. The wind dissapating, the door opening to my mother's crying screams, and that pronuouncement, I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE IT, GOD, JESUS THE VIRGIN MARY AND UNFORTUNATELY THE ENEMY. THERE IS NO DOUBT. I LOST MY DAD AND BEST FRIEND BUT HE IS WAITING FOR ME AND I WILL SEE HIM AGAIN SOON. THAT CHILD IS AN ANGEL IN THE MAKING! GOD ROCKS! THE ENEMY SUCKS! I HAVE SUFFERED MY WHOLE LIFE WITH THAT DECISION BUT IT WAS THE ONLY ONE I COULD MAKE, AND I KNOW MY DAD UNDERSTANDS, HE BROUGHT ME UP IN FAITH, AND WOULD HAVE EXPECTED NOTHING LESS FROM ME. TALK ABOUT A HAUNTED HOUSE NLOL.
What cult were you involved in and what was in that sacrificial wine they served you?
Dan Miami, ignore Augure666's comment. Remember one thing. One positive thought is 1000 times stronger than 1000 negative thoughts. Only the evil one likes negativity and doubt.
I pray that Augure666 does not have to learn the hard way, but if it is necessary, so be it. Jesus, that one is all yours.
Most of us dream and they can be vivid. Now imagine what your brain activity is like when you are between life and death. I would love to see the studies done on the human brain when a person is near death, but that would be a rather controversial project, especially when we don't really know when one is going to die unless done under control.
It's not so much that my thoughts were negative, Dan Miami didn't make any sense -- His dad was dying and the devil is on top of him at the age of 11, whispering in his ear, asking for his soul in exchange that his father will continue to live? I've found out the hard way trying to trust you fools. Believing in Jesus is one thing, it's the Christian black and white views that's a turn off. I see the beauty of grey, which is also known as realism, a concept considered sinful. I've been around born-agains, almost worse than those who were raised since birth to believe as their parents- they don't really know any better. Come to church, come to our camping trips, this play done in a junior high school... "it will change your life!" Show any scepticism or some kind of illness and they're on you like zombies. There is a fine line between being in a relationship and being in a cult. Humble me all you want, but I will not believe in miracles, creationism, Satan, God hates fags or the end of the world theology and I finally washed my hands of all religion after politely allowing them, under pressure, to baptize me after the aformentioned Become-One-Of-Us-Or-Go-To-Hell play done in a place that, constitutionally shouldn't have been allowed. Regardless, even if I wanted to be a Christian, I would not be recognized as one by all but the most liberal churches which is demonized by the more conservative ones trying to dominate our country.
He comes from a religious family. What he saw was standard religious imagery and to be expected of a child from his background.
His pastor father started to share his son's story from the pulpit, adding his own spin to the story that he "only started to listen" to after several months of his son's version. Give me a break!
I'm no skeptic - just rational! Wishful thinking doesn't make it true.
You need to read the book and then look at the boy's face while he is talking.....He focused on the person asking the questions.....I have a boy about that age and if he is uncertain of something he would look to me.......I think you need to take another look and open up to the fact that a four year old child doesn't have those kinds of details....
It's too dramatic to believe in my opinion. This all sounds planned and well thought out by his parents.
"Heaven is for Real" is an inspiring book. There have a number of "out of body", "near death" experience books published through the years. Interestingly, some of the books record some stories of individuals who had horrific experiences. Some reported that they felt they were going to be taken by, as they said, the Evil One,and they were terrified. So, not all of these stories have a beautiful glowing light at the end of the tunnel. The some of ones who had bad experiences do not understand why they were "sent back", but they are more than grateful they were given a chance to tell their stories and have what they view as a second chance. So, there are reports of both Heaven and hell.
Just like there are a number of successful haunted house TV shows with ghost busters freaking out everytime the floor squeaks in light enhanced darkness in someplace with a bad history. Personally I like to go to someplace with such a history and see what happens over night.
It might sound off topic, but it's the same thing: exploitation of the gullible.
This was an inspiring book. We definitely need to learn to listen. God will reveal himself through anyone. In the voices of children, the elderly or loved ones. We never know. Leave your ears and heart open to HIS voice.
Ask yourself this. Do you believe in some kind of alien life?? Probly so. So if a FOUR YEAR OLD, came out and said he was abducted by aliens and brought up on their spaceship, would you believe him??
Or are you ONLY believing this kid because its about your religion, and you so badly WANT to believe, and think you SHOULD believe??
It's a nice story. At least it contradicts the moronic thesis of atheists who say that there is no Heaven.
Just like we morons don't believe in man and dinosaurs co-existing, satanic panic conspiracies theories and end of days predictions from an old fart minister that got disproven again by the uneventful passing of days. Most of us like unambiguous evidence before considering anything to be the "Truth", not the words of a child who's at the age to believe there are monsters under his bed.
Yea, the idea of someone not believing that you magically go to some eternal paradise for some reason when you die, even tho there is no evidence or reasoning for it, is so moronic!
Love has no reasoning to it either, does it? I guess you could say life it self is moronic.
This is an atrocity- what a terrible thing it is to teach a child to be a christian (or any religion) before they are old enough to make an informed choice themselves. Oh I know, it's because given the choice, there is hardly a chance they would choose belief over non-belief, or what could be described as "reality" or "evidence"- tough stuff I know. Homo sapiens are evolved to have children believe anything their parents tell them, which along with many other traits, keeps them alive. However, good ol' evolution assumes that parents' genes will always have their childrens' best interests in mind, because their children carry half the genes of the parent. It didn't prepare for parents armed with superstitious nonsense to teach, and has been caught off guard- silly evolution, what were you thinking! But then there is logic, which comes along a little to late to help the poor children who have already been indoctrinated. Four years old...sad. Good job Todd and Sonja, you have created a charlatan, and now have created a racket with your book. Make sure you give your 10% back to the church- god doesn't work for his health!
God is our creator. He gives us free will. You can choose Him or not. He won't come to you. You have to go to Him. There is nothing wrong in believing in God nor teaching your children to do the same. A person who truly believes in God and follows his commandments makes for a good citizen. When they die, they will be remembered with love and compassion. And, if there is a God will have a good chance on spending eternity with Him in heaven. If a person's choice is to not believe, he may still be a good citizen. He may still be remembered with love and compassion. But he will have to spend eternity separated from God. Forever and ever. If there is no God then both will die and rot in a grave. That would mean that we have no soul. We are no different than a cow or pig, frog or snake, fly or spider. We are here for no reason what so ever. We are here just to live and die. That's it. I for one, want to believe there is a superior being. That I am here on earth for a reason other than just rotting in a grave when I die.
We are here for a better reason then hurting and cheating people a peaceful soul is wonderful and calm. Heaven will always be peaceful and calm' Then we see so many phony people millions every day. Who will never get it unless they ruin things for others.