{Between the Pages: "Heaven is for Real"}

Heaven is for Real is the real life story of a little boy who came closer to death than even his family realized.  What was offered as a casual question on a family road trip turned into the initial unfolding of Colton Burpo's encounter with Heaven.

In this real life tale, Todd Burpo tells the story of his family and the events that brought them to a faith-questioning brink, their journey back, and the experiences of their young child's glorious visit with Jesus, God, the angels, and some special loved ones in the afterlife.

I was intrigued about the premise of this story when I first heard about it a few months back.  Growing up a Christian, I believe in Jesus and Heaven because it was indoctrinated into my religious education; it was what I was taught to believe.  As I have grown older and wiser, life experiences have helped shape & strengthen this belief.  For me the most powerful part of this book was hearing the story relayed through human eyes.  It isn't a story that preaches religion.  It isn't a story tries to sway belief.  It is simply the story of this family's heartbreak and heroism, and somewhere in it all a little boy gives an incredible gift of hope and peace through his brush with death.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story of hope, a story about what Heaven is really like, and/or a story of the power of love and prayer.  It is a quick and easy read that will give you faith in all the good the world has to offer.

I didn't need the book to convince me, but I'm certainly a believer that Heaven is for real!