This is a book that I had decided I was not going to read but a friend bought me a copy and asked for my input on the book.  Several other people asked me about the book as well.  So I read it in a matter of three days or so.  

The story is about Colton Burpo who at the age of four had a near death experience from a ruptured appendix. Colton’s dad is a pastor and he tells the story.   Over time Colton’s parents discover that while he was in surgery he had an out of body experience.   Over a period of time Colton reveals things about his experience that are challenging to explain outside of accepting that he in fact went to heaven.

My take on the book is this, I don’t know whether Colton went to heaven or not but I don’t have any reason to dispute what he says.   The thing that always strikes me about this type of experience is that people are facscinated and intrigued enough to read about and some of those very people are less intrigued by the experience John had and recorded in the book of Revelation.   This is a much more trustworthy source.

I will say this, the story was captivating mainly from the standpoint of all that the family endured (months before Colton’s near death, the father shatters his leg in an accident and then finds out he has cancer) and yet their faith remained strong.   Any parent that reads the book will be moved by the emotions the Burpo’s  experienced during Colton’s ordeal – he was sick for several days before the doctors determined the cause and then struggled for his life for weeks after the surgery.

All in all I am glad I read the book and thankful for my friend that bought me a copy.

I will generally look at the discounted books in a book store because I have found some treasures that were worth far more than the price.   I got this book for $1 and trust me that was a bargain compared to what I gleaned from reading it.

The big idea of the book is that trying to live a balanced life leads to stress.  Our lives are generally not equally proportioned.  Our lives are made of time periods of intense activity and other periods that are less intense.  The key to living a stress free life is to learn to respond to the rhythm of life. 

Miller presents three strategies for responding appropriately to your current rhythm.  First he advises to release expectations.  For instance, a new parent can release the expectation that they are going to be sleeping through the night.   The second strategy is to seize opportunities.  I knew a new mom that would use the time she was up feeding her child during the night to study for a class.  The third strategy is to anticipate the next rhythm.  A good example would be a college student studying for finals can anticipate the upcoming semester break.

This book is worth the read and definitely worth more than $1.