In March 2003, a crisis unfolded in Imperial, Nebraska, when young Colton Burpo fell gravely ill. Just shy of four years old, Colton was rushed to the hospital with a ruptured appendix. As his parents, Todd and Sonja Burpo, faced the fear of losing their son, they turned to prayer, seeking divine intervention.
Colton's Near Death Experience
During the emergency surgery, something extraordinary happened. Colton later recounted leaving his body and experiencing heaven. He described seeing his father praying fervently in one room and his mother in another, speaking on the phone and praying for him. Colton shared, "During that first surgery, that's when I had my near-death experience, where I remember lifting out of my body. I looked down. I saw the doctors. They were working on me. My mom, I saw her in one room; she was like on the phone talking with people, praying. My dad, he was in another room and he was praying very loudly at God."
Encountering Jesus in Heaven
In heaven, Colton said he sat on Jesus's lap, where Jesus comforted him with angelic singing. Colton depicted heaven as a place of beauty and joy, without pain. "The angels were singing, and I was with them," Colton recounted. He also described Jesus, saying, "He was smiling," and noted that Jesus moved differently, "like an elevator."
Transformed Faith and Ministry
Upon his recovery, Colton began sharing his experience. His father, initially skeptical, struggled with doubts but eventually embraced his son's account. This experience profoundly impacted the Burpo family, strengthening their faith and transforming their ministry approach. Todd Burpo, a pastor, found renewed boldness and peace as he accepted the reality of his son's experience.
Colton's story, captured in the book 'Heaven is for Real,' has touched countless lives, offering a glimpse of heaven's reality through the eyes of a child. Today, Colton, a worship pastor, continues to share his story, affirming, "Heaven is beautiful," and reminding us of the hope and promise found in faith.
