The Joy of Miracles 2023

“Wonder encourages us to stand humbly before the unfathomable mysteries of human life, trusting that, in them, we encounter God.”—SISTER MELANNIE SVOBODA, AUTHOR “A stranger on the street or next to you on the bus may offer you a wealth of answers and insights. Healing comes from all directions because your soul pervades everything.”—DEEPAK CHOPRA, AUTHOR “All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant.”—HENRY DAVID THOREAU “Joy is the spirit of God in time…. Joy is the energy to carry on through dull days knowing that miracles can happen in the future because we have seen them in the past.”—JOAN CHITTISTER, HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE “We are visited in ways that we can understand and in ways that are beyond our…

MIRACLES COME IN all sizes, from Joshua halting the sun’s transit in his defeat of the Amorites, to the wonder of a baby’s first smile. The word miracle itself comes from the Latin miraculum, meaning “that which evokes wonder.” That wonder is all around us. In putting together this Guideposts special edition on miracles, we asked readers what most excited them about the topic. The majority said they craved guidance on how to see the miracles in their everyday lives. Their comments opened my eyes to the daily miracles in my own life. I’m not about to turn water into wine (apart from the fact that I have been sober for 27 years by the grace of God, a miracle in and of itself). Those small instances of grace as…

For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask him.—MATTHEW 6:8 (NKJV) EARLY ON A HOT SUMMER MORNING, I was on my hands and knees in the garden, pulling weeds. I stopped for a moment to wipe my brow. I’d hoped that if I started early enough that day, I’d escape some of the heat and humidity. But even at this hour, I was sweltering. Sure wish I’d remembered to grab my bandanna! It is a special one designed to cool its wearer. Simply insert a couple of ice cubes into a compartment sewn inside, tie it around your neck, and voilà!—the ice melts and drips down your back. I should go inside and get it, I thought. But then I looked down at my clothes;…

I SAT ON AN examining table in the stark white glare of a doctor’s office. I was waiting for X-ray results. I knew in my heart the results would not be good. For three months, my left knee had been the source of unbearable pain. I’d tried all the usual remedies—rest, ice, elevation, physical therapy exercises. Nothing made a difference. I needed a solution. I was 45 years old, the mother of two very active twin girls. I rarely stopped moving at home. I also was a dedicated runner. I ran five marathons the year I turned 40. A wall at home was covered with medals, race numbers and photos of me competing. I love running. It’s my stress release, my quiet time. God time. Most of all, being diagnosed…

YOU’RE SURE?” CJ asked. “You can’t come to the lake?” “Positive,” I said. A gritty breeze brushed my face. The spring winds in Wichita always seemed to carry the topsoil of western Kansas along with them. “Let’s see,” she pressed, “finals are over, so you can’t be studying. You were doing your laundry two days ago when you couldn’t go to the movies.” CJ softened her voice. “It wasn’t your fault, you know. There was nothing you could have done.” I avoided her eyes. “Thanks for thinking of me, but I have other plans.” “There’s room in my car if you change your mind,” she called as I hurried away across the college parking lot. CJ was a good friend, but even she didn’t understand. Winfield Lake was the last…

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2010, started out like the kind of lazy summer day we dream of during the long, cold winters here in Minnesota—sunny, warm, a little hazy. School was out. My 13-year-old daughter, Jessica, was at a friend’s house. My older daughter, 16-year-old Mariah, was working, life-guarding at the community pool right across the street from our house. I knew that the kids were splashing and laughing and I thought, They’ve got the right idea. Maybe I can take it easy today too. That’s one of the great things about working as an Avon representative. I can set my own hours. I’d already finished a big project, something I had been putting off for a long time. With Jessica’s help, I had spent that Monday giving my crowded…