Miracles Are For Real by Garlow & Wall

Is God alive, well, and interested in your life?  Do miracles happen today? Should we believe that a miracle could happen at any moment?  The authors of this book would answer with a resounding "YES!"  The text goes back and forth between sharing modern day accounts of miracles to answering common questions and doubts about miracles that people have today.  The authors have "gone to great lengths to verify the stories presented in this book", which are simply amazing.  They make it clear that there is no formula to follow for a miracle to occur, but they come by God's choosing, for His purposes.  James Garlow also shares a personal glimpse into his own life as his wife is battling with cancer.  While they fully believe that God can perform a miracle in her life, they also understand that it may not be part of His plan, in which case they will choose to love Him anyway.

Since I tend to err on the side of skepticism, I really enjoyed this book.  I have never known anyone to experience a miracle such as those described in this book, but it strengthens my faith to know that they occur.  Some of these stories I would be tempted to doubt if it weren't for medical data and numerous witnesses to back them up.   The authors also did a great job using scripture to answer common questions people have about miracles.

While this book is focused on extraordinary experiences that have no logical or scientific explanation, I really liked a point the authors brought up near the end of the book.  They say "We tend to become so focused on the big thing we're waiting for that we overlook the smaller wonders along the way.  We may get so consumed by our pressing need - often justifiably so - that we miss the miracles around us, surrounding us, every day.  Most of us are prone to dwelling on what we don't have, and frequently that means we fail to savor and celebrate what we do have....Evidence of God's miracles is all around us, if we'll have the eyes to see."

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.