faith unfaded

This week #2024states invites us to pray over Nebraska. For weekly reminders to #prayforAmerica each Tuesday, text ‘2024states’ to (833) 259-8648.

My connection to Nebraska is through Colton Burpo, whose story is told in the book and movie Heaven Is For Real.

Colton slipped from consciousness during emergency surgery for a burst appendix in 2003. When he awoke, he told his parents miraculous tales of visiting Heaven and being comforted by Jesus. In 2014, Colton’s father Todd Burpo penned the biographical tale of his journey, often in Colton’s own words.

It was an enjoyable read but a picture would stop me in my tracks…

About a year before Colton’s misdiagnosed appendicitis my 11-year-old daughter and I were driving home from the car wash when she spotted a man sitting in the ditch.

“Mom, you have to stop. I think that man is blind.” I looked back and saw a man in what looked like a white robe, a cane, and huge glasses.

I was hesitant. I often picked up people on the side of the road but I had my child with me this time. My daughter insisted he needed help so I pulled over.

As he got in, I asked if I could bring him to the Salvation Army. He looked homeless and in great need. He said he just needed a ride to the apartments up the road. I shrugged; he could’ve easily walked. But we made conversation as I drove.

He asked me questions about God mostly. “Some people say I look like Jesus,” he’d said. “What do you think?”

“Well they say Jesus was a rather nondescript man, you couldn’t pick him out in a crowd.” I had the odd feeling that my answer greatly pleased him.

We continued the 1/4 mile journey with small talk, feeling at ease with the kind stranger, and he asked us to drop him off at the back of the apartments.

As he went to get out of the minivan, he turned toward us and removed his sunglasses. Light radiating from the bluest eyes flooded my entire vehicle. He stepped out of the van and vanished.

We drove home in amazement, certain we’d encountered an angel unaware.

But here it was, twelve years later, and I’m reading the chapter where Colton’s parents keep showing him renderings people had made of Jesus. He considers them thoughtfully but insists they aren’t right. Until he sees a picture drawn by another child, a young girl named Akiane Kramarik who’d also claimed to have visited Heaven.

I turned the page and THERE HE WAS! It was the man from the van all those years ago. And Colton said this was Jesus Himself?

I didn’t trust myself so I decided to show my daughter the picture next time she visited. She and some of her college friends had come over for dinner so without any pretext, I opened the book and said, “Look!”

“It’s the man from the van!” she immediately said. “What is this?”

I explained the book and we sat amazed, staring at our old friend. We shared the story with her friends, a miraculous tale of a Savior, a little girl who’d opened her eyes to someone in need, and a mom who’d opened her heart.