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Filed under: In The News, Religion & Spirituality
Todd and Sonja Burpo may have believed an angel was looking over their 4-year-old son, who survived a life-threatening burst appendix.
Colton Burpo, now 11, says it's true.
"A few angels, they came, picked me up and I was looking right at Jesus," Colton, from the small town of Imperial, Neb., tells "Today."
After 17 days in the hospital, the boy started to talk about things he could not have known about, "Today" reports, including a miscarriage suffered by his mother, prayers his father made during Colton's surgery and meeting "Pop," his great-grandfather.
"I was just sitting by the Holy Spirit, and then this guy comes up to me and says, 'are you Todd's son?' I said yes. He says, 'Well, I'm his grandfather," Colton tells "Today." "... Pop, he was very big, huge wings, he had curly hair, big smile and he was really nice."
The experience led Todd Burpo, a pastor, to write the New York Times best-selling nonfiction book "Heaven is for Real."
"He could tell me where I was while he was in surgery," Todd Burpo tells "Today." "The surgeons couldn't tell me that. The nurses couldn't. My wife couldn't tell me where I was praying but he could tell me."
Sonja Burpo says her son told her angels sang to him.
"There's a lot of colors, there are a lot of people and a lot of animals," Colton says, describing Heaven.
He also says everyone in Heaven has wings -- his were a bit smaller than other's, and that no one there is old.
"I like that part," Todd Burpo says.
Todd Burpo says Colton's story has inspired so many people because of "hope, healing -- they know what they have to look forward to," he tells "Today."
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ReaderComments (Page 3 of 24)
3-21-2011 @ 9:51PM
Stan said...May God Bless You and your family. As someone with young children this brought tears to my eyes. Let us hope those lost sheep who don't believe find their way. I know your beautiful daughter is with our Lord and at peace.
3-22-2011 @ 5:58AM
Lorraine said...What a beauiful story about the 7 yr. old girl seeing the sunshine and angels. My little brother died when he was almost 2 yr. and that night (I was 8) I saw a white shadow hover at my window. I knew without a doubt it was him on his way to heaven. When my mother died 4 yrs ago, I had several dreams of her in certain situations over a period of a few months. Her face was young. One dream was about my sister, like a warning, and the exact scenario came true.Then weeks later, in a dream I saw my ex-father in law, who had died the year before at 90. He was young in the dream and he was smiling and said my mother was all right, there with him. After that the dreams of my mother stopped. I feel she made it to heaven. I believe there is a journey for some before reaching heaven. In the case of my mother, she was sending me messages. I am a Christian, a Catholic, and Christ is a part of my life. Wouldn't live life without Him! And one day I will meet Him. And see my Mother and little brother again.
3-21-2011 @ 2:19PM
Jimmy said...Sounds like a well scripted response crafted by his parents or some other relative.How would angels have wings,did humans mate with an ostrich or some big bird to create this bizarre creature?The wings on angels was crafted in human minds before flying machines were invented to give the illusion that humans could have the power of flight,thus being linked to birds.Even if you could throw a set of wings on a human body,it couldnt fly.The kid either read the story in a book or was told a bible story.
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3-21-2011 @ 2:52PM
Joe said...Really, what's wrong with some of you people??? If you don't happen to believe that's fine, your choice. Honestly, do you really think that YOU can understand everything there is to understand about every subject there is??? If that answer is no, why is it so many of you who don't see how something is possible say then it can't be true??? Maybe if you searched for the answers with an opened mind, like you would on anything you really wanted to know about, then you just might surprise yourself and find the answers. If you don't want to that's fine as well, just please don't bad mouth something just becuase you don't understand it or see how it's possible when you haven't looked or searched for the answers with an opened mind and heart.
3-21-2011 @ 2:19PM
Charles said...Slayer & George I really would not want what each of you said on my heart. As Kris said, Jesus is VERY real and unless you accept Him you won't be as lucky as or as Blessed as Colton. Because his dad is a minister has nothing to do with going to Heaven - seeing Jesus or the angels. I hope you guys and any other nay sayers will rethink their thoughts and accept Jesus. He is the ONLY way.
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3-21-2011 @ 2:24PM
george said...I except Jesus, I believe in angels & heaven, but his parents put him up to this, you know it is 7-years later he is telling the story.
I die & can back, & saw things also.
3-21-2011 @ 6:29PM
k said...You can see his dad trying to make sure everything he says is right. What a loud of bs.
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3-21-2011 @ 2:20PM
Carrie-Lee said...I'm not usually a believer as such. But 2 weeks ago my grandmother died and we were very close. My 4 year old daughter came up to all of us while we were all folding laundry, thinking of old memories and generally mourning our loss, she picked up her play telephone and said, "Mommy! Moo's on the phone. She says she feels SO much better and heaven in Beauuuutiful!" I have no doubt those words came straight from my grandmother. :')
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3-21-2011 @ 2:20PM
Charles said...After several, often heated, arguments on the existence of GOD ... the only definitive conclusion I can draw iw this:
T
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3-21-2011 @ 2:22PM
Charles said...Wow.....I cannot believe the negative comments! Where are you people from....no better question.....where do you hope to go? If it is to life with Christ then what you are saying here isn't going to work.
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3-21-2011 @ 2:24PM
Charles said...(oops ... hit send before completed)
To the NON-BELIEVER ... no proof will suffice ... yet to the BELIEVER ... no proof is needed.
I wholeheartedly believe in ANGELS and their purpose for being around us.
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3-21-2011 @ 2:27PM
mountainman said...Read the book before you pass judgement. It was quite an eye opener.
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3-21-2011 @ 2:58PM
T said...Morality has nothing to do with God. Most people "play by the rules" because that is how society/humanity has learned to grow. If Jesus is God's son, is Muhammad also God's prophet? Is Buddha real? Is Zeus responsible for the lightning storm I saw last night? Why is your God the real one and everyone else's the fake ones(s)? Doesn't that seem selfish? Did this now 11 yr-old kid see angels and know things that are impossible to know when he was just 4 yrs-old? Or did his pastor father subtly coach him into believing this story in order to legitimize his own religious beliefs (and sell a book)?
3-21-2011 @ 5:01PM
stirfry said...Well T the reason is because Jesus the son of God said so, the bible is not just a book it IS the word of GOD..Jesus said you shall not idol false gods, if u believe in Jesus then u believe the word of God...its simple yet we make it complicated.
3-21-2011 @ 2:28PM
BoKvale said...Any chance he was looking at his father because he was a little nervous. It never ceases to amaze me how many fools don't believe in God. If no God or consequences just do whatever you want, why play by the rules, why love or even care for another human being. Just go for the gold, milk the system and what that doesn't give you, take. But, if you don't do that, there must be a little doubt about what the outcome will be.
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3-21-2011 @ 2:38PM
Tony said...What a load of christian bull crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3-21-2011 @ 11:06PM
CC said...We believe in a God, we just don't believe in your God.
Blessed Be :D
3-21-2011 @ 2:29PM
wingsandaprayer said...And God said, "let us make man in our image"... and he did.
He looked down and said, "what is their problem? It can't be that hard!"
So,HE CAME TO EARTH, as HIS OWN SON!
And he lived... and he learned... and he was human.
The Old Testament God, the Lord of Heaven's Armies was a fearsome and jealous GOD.
He became human as Christ, and became our Savior.
"FOLLOW ME! I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIGHT! No one gets to the Father except through me!"
And he sent the Holy Spirit to indwell within us...
WE HAVE ONLY TO BELIEVE.
GOD GAVE US CHOICE.
We can CHOOSE to believe and have eternal life WITH HIM.
We can CHOOSE NOT to believe and have eternal life WITHOUT HIM.
It's that simple.
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3-22-2011 @ 2:12AM
Ken Hedgecock said...Just to clarify. God the Father and Jesus Christ and 2 entirely different personages. God sent His Son to Earth to atone for our sins. This is an everlasting atonement. God can not look upon sin with the least degree. Thus the Savior acts our mediator. If we believe IN Christ and if we believe what Christ says (following the commandments) then His atonement will wash away our sins so we can be with God the Father again. But God and Jesus are clearly 2 separate people.
3-21-2011 @ 2:30PM
CherAz said...I have always believed in Angels. When i was a child about 50 years I was spending the weekend with my grandparents. That is when all of us lived pretty close in Takoma Park, Md. Well, that evening I was sound asleep out on the sofa in their living room and the whole entire ceiling caved in. Nobody in the house, myself, or my grandparents in their bedroom - even woke up. My grandma was so awesome the next morning. They had a little prayer by me, thanking my guardian angel:-)
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