7/6/2011

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent.

A month ago my mom recommended this book to me. I checked it out from the local library and read it through in one sitting.

This is the true story of a 4-year-old boy, Colton, who was hospitalized with serious illness, basically on his deathbed. Weeks after recovering Colton started sharing details of the trip to heaven he enjoyed while he was hospitalized. This young boy talks of things he could never have known unless he truly did go to heaven and experience what he describes.

While in heaven, Colton talks about meeting the sister he never knew he had. His parents had miscarried a baby years prior. They had never told Colton or his older sister about the miscarriage. Yet, after his "trip to heaven" he told his parents that he had a sister. Not only that, but she remained nameless in heaven because her parents had never named her on earth.

Colton also said over and over that Jesus loves children. And not only does Jesus love children but He wants everyone to know it. Jesus loves children... a lot!

There are many other parts of this book that touched my heart. It's an easy-to-read heart-warming, hope-filled story. For me, it helped me to picture heaven in a clearer, realer way than the theoretical, far-off place I usually consider it to be.

Now, after having experienced a miscarriage of my own, heaven has moved closer still. My child is in heaven, just as that miscarried little girl is. My child isn't a tiny baby, though. He's a child. A little boy, running around in heaven. Meeting people like my Grandma Nellie, who is undoubtedly feeding him heaven's best homemade applesauce. And he is able to know Jesus as his big brother.

Someday when I get to heaven, Jesus will introduce me to my son. How wonderful it will be to know him then, for him to show me around the only home he's ever known - heaven.

I'd recommend this book to anyone, but especially to others who have gone through miscarriage or lost a child. God can use the experiences of others, like Colton in this book, to encourage us in our faith and bring healing during grief. I read this book a few weeks before suffering a miscarriage. God used the images that were fresh in my mind from reading this book to bring peace to me during my time of loss.