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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Sonja left work early and took Colton to the doctor, where he wa diagnosed with what?

2. What did their new friend, Phil, suggest?

3. Todd was bothered that he had done what?

4. Colton was unusually quiet and he complained that his tummy hurt. Why did they think this was because he ate something that did not agree with him?

5. After an hour of trying to persuade the child, what did the technician suggest?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Colton react after surgery? Why?

2. What had happened on the last Burpo family vacation in March? How was this affecting their preparations for their current trip?

3. What challenges occurred prior to the ordering of a CT scan?

4. Why did the flu or food poisoning seem to be likely causes for Colton's illness?

5. How was Todd's mastectomy a miracle? Do you agree that this is a miracle? Why or why not?

6. How is the story about Rosie the Spider significant?

7. How was the burst appendix a dire situation? Could this have been prevented? Why or why not?

8. How was Colton's recovery miraculous? Do you believe the prayers helped? Why or why not?

9. Why did Colton yell for his father? How is this important?

10. What was significant about the donations that came in?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Heaven is filled with children.

Part 1) Describe this child-filled heaven. Why might heaven be filled with children? How does the author prove that Colton's story about heaven is true? What information does he provide to back this claim that heaven is filled with children?

Part 2) How does this new information about heaven affect the Burpo family? How does their view of children change? How might this book change others views of children?

Part 3) What do you see as the importance of children? What role do they play in society? How can adults learn from them?

Essay Topic 2

Between Todd's medical problems and Colton's near death, the family's finances are depleted.

Part 1) How have these events depleted their finances? How do they deal with this debt? Why do they deal with it in this way? What does this reveal about them and about Colton?

Part 2) What is surprising about the way in which they are able to pay their bills? How might this have happened? Is it merely good luck, or is there a higher being involved? Why do you believe this? Use information from the book to support your response.

Part 3) What miracles have you witnessed in your own life? How have you explained these miracles? How have these miracles affected your own life? How were the Burpos affected by the miracles in their lives?

Essay Topic 3

Colton panics at a funeral.

Part 1) Describe Colton's behavior at a funeral after his trip to heaven. Why might he act this way? What does this say about God and heaven?

Part 2) How might this part of the book affect a non-believer? Why? How does it affect your beliefs about heaven and who goes to heaven?

Part 3) What other details of Colton's story tell what one must do to get to heaven? What does this say about those of other faiths? Do you agree with this? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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