There’s no doubt about it: heaven is real.
In an interview with Billy Hallowell, Colton Burpo, whose near-death experience as a child captivated the world in the bestselling book and film “Heaven Is for Real,” revisits the miraculous events that shaped his life and faith. Two decades later, Colton’s story continues to inspire and challenge believers and skeptics alike.
As a young child, Burpo underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix, which led to a near-death experience that forever altered his life. During his time in heaven, he claims to have seen angels and conversed with Jesus.
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One of the first things Burpo remembers is lifting out of his body and seeing the doctors working to save him. From above, he was able to observe his mother in one room, on the phone, praying fervently for him, and his father in another room, crying out to God in prayer. But the experience quickly shifted to something far more serene and awe-inspiring.
/**/Burpo describes sitting on Jesus’ lap, where he felt an overwhelming sense of peace and comfort. To calm him down, angels in heaven began singing to him. This calming, divine presence was a stark contrast to the fear and confusion he had felt moments earlier.
One of the most striking aspects of Burpo’s testimony was his encounter with his older sister, who he never knew existed. Before he was born, Burpo’s parents had suffered a miscarriage, and the baby was lost. In heaven, Burpo met this sister, who was described as being the age he would have been had she been born. She greeted him with a bear hug at the gates of heaven, which deeply impacted his parents when he later described the encounter.
Reflecting on his journey, Burpo shared how, during his high school years, God challenged him to not rely solely on his childhood experience of heaven. “I don’t know anything different,” he says, acknowledging that while his story is extraordinary, it does not make him immune to struggles. Burpo emphasizes that despite his encounter with the supernatural, he still faced temptations and the complexities of growing up in the public eye.
“It’s been a faith walk for me,” Burpo says. “I’ve been faithfully doing the last thing He’s told me to do and then He keeps adding things to the plate.”
Burpo’s testimony offers a powerful message of hope and eternal perspective. He encourages believers, especially those struggling with life’s difficulties, to trust in the goodness of God, knowing that what awaits in heaven far surpasses anything on earth.
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Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
