Heaven is for Real

After hearing several people talk about the book Heaven is for Real  by Todd Burpo, I had to go read it. It is a book about a 4 year old who goes to heaven during surgery for a ruptured appendix. I admit, anytime I read any personal account of people who have claimed to go to heaven (or hell, for that matter) I tend to take it with a grain of salt and skepticism. I don't need people's accounts of heaven to convince me that it exists. However, I am not God and I am not going to claim that these accounts didn't happen either. We know through Scripture that children are very precious to God and that we are to have a child-like faith in him, so who is to say that God didn't use little 4 year-old Colton to reveal to us on Earth what awaits us when we die and that Jesus is truly the only way to get to heaven? God can do whatever he wants to do. And there are several accounts in the Bible of people going to heaven and coming back to Earth: John in the book of Revelation, and the man that Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians

"I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses."

And on a different note I have to add one of my favorite passages in Scripture that comes right after this account in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 that I couldn't help but put in here because it makes you appreciate the Lord and His strength in times of struggle and hardships.
"I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Ok, back to the book. There were some moments in the book that I just sobbed and sobbed. And I'm sure I'm not the only woman who did when reading it. One of the things that Colton revealed to his mother a few months after his experience was that he told his mom that he had two sisters. His mother corrected him and told him that he only had one sister, Cassie. And he corrected his mother and said, no I have two sisters. He preceded to ask his mother about the baby that died in her womb. His mother was shocked because they had never mentioned the fact that they had a miscarriage in between having their oldest, Cassie and Colton. Colton told his mom that he had met his sister in heaven and that she was so excited to see him. That the girl had been adopted by God and didn't have a name because her parents never named her. Colton told his parents that the girl was waiting patiently until the day that her parents would join her in heaven. Any woman who has experienced the painful, heart wrenching experience of losing a baby would appreciate Colton's testimony that he indeed had met his unborn sister. After reading that, I hit my knees and just prayed to God about it through sobs.  I talked to God about the fact that I never got to hold that precious child here on Earth, but that I may get the opportunity to spend eternity with that child was something that just blew my mind. That our baby could be in heaven right now waiting for Joseph and I to get there to hold her. (I always thought the baby was a girl) The Bible tells us that God knows us in the womb. Jeremiah 1:5 speaks to that fact.

 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

God creates everyone and knows everything about that person when he creates them in the womb. Would it be that far of a stretch to imagine that if He calls that child home before they are born, that He takes care of them and that they are called into Heaven to be with Him? He created them, so why not? It does give me something to hope for and look forward to one day when I am called home. That our precious child has been anxiously awaiting for me to come to her. It brings tears to my eyes right now just thinking about it.

Colton says that Jesus was just wonderful. The first thing he described about Jesus was His "markers" which is how Colton described the nail holes in His palms and feet. How significant? Because it was Christ's sacrifice and His love for us that is permanently etched on His body in the form of scars. It just gives me chill bumps. Colton goes on to describe angels, talking with his great-grandfather, the Holy Spirit (that shoots down power to believers, no less. and I could use a good dose right about now!), the wonderful colors he saw, the animals, John the Baptist, Satan, and other things. It was a good book. Like I said, nothing to put all your faith in, but something that may bring the fact that our life here on Earth is but momentary. We were all created for God's purpose, for God's glory, and for His pleasure. I'm sure there are many times when I disappoint God, don't live my life in pursuit of the purpose He has for me, or do things that don't glorify Him. But it is times like now, just reading a simple book about a child's faith, that really puts life into perspective. I have been going through a very difficult season in my life the last few months, but through those struggles and heartache, I have had my eyes open to just who God is and what He can do. I have fallen more and more in love with Him each and every day. I just hate that it took something like a divorce to bring me to that point in my life to fully depend on Him and live a life for Him, on His terms and not my own. A child-like belief is all that is needed, which is good, because there are lots of things in this life that I truly don't understand, and probably won't understand this side of heaven. Why I had a miscarriage. Why my husband divorced me. Why several young, vibrant friends were taken at a young age. The beauty is that I don't have to know. God works all things for His purpose and He always works things to the good for those that are faithful to Him. That's a promise. And if you don't believe me, here is the proof:

Romans 8:28

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Ephesians 2:10
"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Philippians 2:13
"for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

It just helps to put things in perspective. What are we living for? Are we living for this life or the next? Because we will spend a whole lot more time in the next than in this one! It has helped me realize that I want to fulfill God's purpose He has for my life. I don't want to get to heaven and tell Him "sorry, I did what I wanted to do. I didn't fulfill my task you assigned me to do while on Earth." I want to hear, "well done, my good and faithful servant." Can I get an amen?

Oh and one more thing, a little girl, Akiane Kramarik claims that she has had visions of Heaven and Jesus. She started painting when she was about three. She painted a picture of Jesus. Colton for years would see pictures and paintings of Jesus that he always said were wrong and didn't look like Jesus. But this girl's painting looked more like Jesus than anyone he had ever seen. So question, is this what Christ sorta looks like, for real?

Can't wait until I find out for real with my own eyes!