Two a long time after a medical emergency nearly took his life, Colton Burpo — the boy whose near-death experience inspired the bestselling book and 2014 film Heaven Is for Real — is speaking out about how that event shaped his life and faith, and where he stands today.
In 2003, at just three years old, Colton underwent emergency surgery after a ruptured appendix.
Following the operation, he described an out-of-body experience by which he recalled seeing his parents praying in separate hospital rooms, doctors working frantically, after which — the moment every little thing modified — being comforted by Jesus as angels sang to him.
One of essentially the most poignant parts of his story is his visit to Heaven where he met his unborn sister — a miscarried child his parents, Sonja and Todd, had never spoken about.
He recounted: “This little girl got here running out and just gave me this giant old bear hug.
“Eventually, she told me who she was. She was my sister and she or he was so excited someone from her family was finally in heaven.”
This story left his family in awe, but as more details surfaced, they grew convinced it was real. It has also captivated tens of millions of individuals worldwide, bringing comfort for those grieving the lack of a toddler or feeling uncertain about what happens after we die.Now 25,
Today Colton is a husband, father, electrician and worship pastor, and he and his wife recently welcomed their first child — a milestone that has deepened his perspective on faith and the aim of life.
“I’m about able to be a first-time dad,” he shared in a recent interview with CBN News, reflecting on how far he’s come since his childhood brush with death.
Though he continues to share his Heaven experience at speaking events, Colton emphasises that his faith isn’t any longer anchored in only one extraordinary event.
He recalls a turning point during his teenage years when he felt called to deepen his relationship with God and live out his faith in day by day life: “I remember in highschool, that’s across the time that God really began difficult me like — ‘Hey, you don’t need to depend on this one experience with me. I need to do life with you. I need to be an element of your life today.’
“And it took me some time to get to that time. But, as you see now, I take my faith very seriously.”
Despite the celebrity that followed the discharge of Heaven Is for Real, Colton stays grounded, often speaking in regards to the importance of humility and spiritual authenticity: “Faith has been something very core to me, because, obviously, if I’m not living my life to present glory and honour to Jesus in whatever I’m doing, then it’s not likely price it.”
Reflecting on the journey, Colton acknowledges that faith is a continuous process, not a destination and that God’s guidance has been instrumental in forming the person he has grow to be: “It has been interesting to wrestle with and work out because, simply because I went to Heaven and got here back doesn’t mean I’m this angelic individual that is free from temptation and free from sin.
“I’m removed from it … And God has thankfully been faithful and patient with me.”
Now, as he steps into fatherhood and continues his ministry, Burpo stays committed to sharing not only what happened to him at age three, but how that moment set the muse for a lifetime of growing faith.
 along with his wife and fogeys. (Photo: Instagram/Colton Burpo) Two a long time after a medical emergency nearly took his life, Colton Burpo...){kind=link}