Colton Burpo stunned his family when he claimed to have visited heaven during a near-death medical crisis, with his stunning story forming the basis of the hit book, “Heaven Is For Real.”
WANT MORE MIRACLE STORIES? STREAM CBN’S NEW FILM, “INVESTIGATING THE SUPERNATURAL: MIRACLES”
Burpo, whose family’s story was also shared in the eponymous 2014 film, was just 3 years old in 2003 when his appendix ruptured, and later claimed to have experienced something otherworldly — a heavenly encounter that has inspired millions.
Today, Burpo is 25 years old and his life has taken many powerful turns. He’s a married man, an electrician, and a worship pastor — and his wife gave birth to the couple’s first child last month.
“[I’ve] been married for … three years in July,” he told CBN News. “I’m about ready to be a first-time dad.”
Burpo also still shares his “Heaven Is For Real” journey, traveling and speaking to audiences who are intrigued by his claims of visiting heaven and meeting Jesus. It’s a process he’s been going through for quite some time after he began sharing alongside his parents as a young person.
Watch Burpo share his story:
Over time, he felt God calling him to go deeper in his faith beyond his heaven story, including in vocation. As a pastor’s kid, Burpo never envisioned he’d be working at a church, but that’s exactly where God has taken him today.
“I remember in high school, that’s around the time that God really started challenging me like — ‘Hey, you don’t have to rely on this one experience with me. I want to do life with you. I want to be a part of your life today,'” he recalled. “And it took me a while to get to that point. But, as you see now, I take my faith very seriously.”
Burpo seems remarkably unfazed by the glitz and glamour that came from a book and movie about his story, explaining how faith remains at the core of all he does.
“Faith has been something very core to me, because, obviously, if I’m not living my life to give glory and honor to Jesus in whatever I’m doing, then it’s not really worth it,” he said.
Burpo revisited the harrowing experience he had at age 3 when a ruptured appendix nearly took his life after a misdiagnosis and a subsequent emergency surgery.
“During that first surgery, that’s when I had my near-death experience, where I remember lifting out of my body,” he said. “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.”
Burpo continued, “And, at the moment, I was freaking out. I had no idea what was going on. Then, I was sitting on Jesus’ lap and he had some angels sing to me to calm me down.”
From there, Burpo said he visited heaven — an experience he has continued to share with people over the past two decades. As one can imagine, the story shocked his parents, Todd and Sonja, and left them intrigued. As details emerged, they came to believe their son’s story.
One of the most compelling narratives surrounding Burpo’s heaven claims was the notion he encountered a little girl in heaven who had died in his mother’s womb — something the little boy knew nothing about but later conveyed to his parents.
“Basically, I met my sister who was a miscarriage before I was born,” he said. “And she’s actually one of the first people that I met in heaven. … This little girl came running out and just gave me this giant old bear hug.”
He continued, “Eventually, she told me who she was. She was my sister and she was so excited someone from her family was finally in heaven.”
Burpo said this story has given hope to many who have lost children and experienced profound grief.
“To know that they’re in heaven and waiting for you — it’s a real comfort,” he said.
As for Burpo’s own journey, he said his heaven story “set the foundation” of his faith.
“It has been interesting to wrestle with and figure out because, just because I went to heaven and came back doesn’t mean I’m this angelic person that is free from temptation and free from sin,” he said. “I’m far from it. … And God has thankfully been faithful and patient with me.”
Burpo said he believes the Lord has helped shape him into who he is today. Watch his story above for more. And want more miracles like this? Stream “Investigating the Supernatural: Miracles,” a new documentary from CBN about powerful medical miracles. We’ll leave you with the trailer:
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