A Personal Miracles Journey Experiences that Reveal an Amazing God
Terrence J. Hatch
With a chapter by Karen Delaporte
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This book is roughly in chronological order. To skip ahead look for symbols below to find exciting events that have inspired my own faith the most.
Introduction – Page 7
Stepping off ledges
Your testimony is important
Chapter 1 – Page 11
First steps
Early memories
Chapter 2 – Page 17
Protected in the storm
Pennies from Heaven
Chapter 3 – Page 21
Grandfathers' angels
Chapter 4 – Page 23
Dad’s war promise
Vietnam war promise
Chapter 5 – Page 27
Amazing stories
Looking for God
Proving God
Turning point
Chapter 6 – Page 33
God steps in
Coincidental invitations
Karen healed
Chapter 7 – Page 37
Voted out
Galilee House
Chapter 8 – Page 39
Premonition or protection
The Word of God
Street witnessing
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Protected in a car crash
Chapter 9 – Page 47
Girls
Buried in snow
The music group
Bible school
Chapter 10 – Page 53
Stranded
Obey your parents
I brake for squirrels
Vega troubles
Chapter 11 – Page 59
The bus flipped
Spiritual warfare
Chapter 12 – Page 63
Life lessons
Alive
Minneapolis bound
Miracle blanket
Chapter 13 – Page 71
Three fires
Lessons on I90
Pontoon boat madness
This dream is prophetic
Chapter 14 – Page 79
Divine appointment in Canada
Stranded in the cold
Chapter 15 – Page 83
A call to write
Miracle job search
Random?
Roof on the lawn
Nostradamus
Chapter 16 – Page 89
Godslist?
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A child near death
Chapter 17 – Page 93
Kids in danger
A supernatural connection
Coincidence marathon
Chapter 18 – Page 97
Three cardinal signs
Gifts received
Chapter 19 – Page 101
We hear from God
Amazing evidence
Prayer moves a U-Haul
Chapter 20 – Page 107
Did he say janitor?
A broken speedometer
Guardian angels
Chapter 21 – Page 111
God Speaks to a little girl
– by Karen Delaporte
Chapter 22 – Page 115
House judgment
A yellow blessing
Prius miracle
Brenda safe
Buying a Jeep
Trust in the name of Jesus
Chapter 23 – Page 125
A prophetic dream
Proving a dream
Chapter 24 – Page 131
A call to switch churches
Chapter 25 – Page 133
Miracle in a cornfield
Amazing God
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How deep is this ocean we call reality? Some believe it goes far deeper than the visible waves on the surface. For those who dare to have faith in God, here is a book that peels back the top layer of reality of our existence to take a deeper look.
To do this, it contains personal experiences that point to a supernatural reality. I believe testimonies of miracles can become small gifts of faith. If we embrace them, they can help put broken pieces of life together in new and amazing ways. As the cover suggests, Believing that God is supremely powerful may seem extreme to some. Yet this book contains evidence that supports such a belief.
So for those tough mornings when the car won’t start or tragedy is in the headlines, here are some little miracles that confirm God is in control. I hope you find them to be compelling evidence that God loves each one of us.
Stepping off Ledges
In a familiar movie scene, an explorer stands on a rocky ledge and stares across a deep gorge. Mustering up courage, he closes his eyes and steps forward, half expecting to plunge to his death far below. Instead, his foot lands safely on a stone bridge that has been remarkably camouflaged. The scene is from
“Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” Jones is seeking the “Holy Grail” – the cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper. Along the way, the movie connects miracles with principles of Christian faith. The result is great entertainment.
Outside Hollywood, a walk of faith has a deeper purpose than mere entertainment. In real life, we often desperately need God's intervention. In one way the movie had it right. Sometimes seeing God work requires stepping off cliffs, and that is often the path we must take if we are to learn to trust God. So this is a book about the struggle for faith, stepping off cliffs, and little miracles.
Fortunately, most cliffs for us are not like the one in the movie, yet there are parallels. In the movie, Indiana could have 7
played it safe had he given up on his quest, but instead he embraced a higher goal than mere survival – one with eternal aspects. In fact, staying safe might have stifled the little faith he had already mustered, so he gambled his very life on the hope there was something more.
Your testimony is important
This book relates personal experiences. In doing so it outlines a similar journey – a faith journey – with many twists and turns. I offer it to you because scripture tells us that testimonies have power on a level that the book of Revelation compares to Christ's sacrifice on the cross. In Revelation 12 we read that those who follow Christ will ultimately overcome by “the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony.”
A testimony is a personal experience that goes deeper than head knowledge, religious doctrine, or moral values. Scripture reveals tells us testimonies are meant to be told. In Philemon 1:6
we read, “That the communication of your faith may become effective by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” When we acknowledge what Christ has done we make our faith “effective.”
So one purpose of this book is to offer little gifts of faith to some who may be new to following Christ, or to those may still lack faith experiences of their own. I was once in that condition.
Also, for those who are more experienced it is hoped these stories will still impart encouragement. We can all use some of that. I believe it can do this because I have continued to benefit personally from having recorded these experiences, and also from reading and hearing testimonies of others.
Like many, if I am honest I tend to be a skeptic at heart.
Sometimes my doubt overcomes my faith, and that is when I need to remember times when God stepped in. You see, experience is the cure for skepticism.
If you don't remember experiences they can be lost forever. Many Christians tell stories of God's provision, but if 8
they are not written down they are often forgotten. That seems sad. The precedent that scripture sets is one of documenting God's miracles for future generations to read. So this book is an attempt to do just that.
Many of the stories in this book are unusual – even extraordinary. It has been said that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. For that reason, I have tried to be as transparent as possible regarding names, places, and dates so that others may confirm these things are true.
It seems the faith of many in the Church is starving for lack of a good testimony. I would rather trust the word of one who has experienced something, than to trust the word of many who have not. As a teenager I longed to know what was real. It was testimonies that helped me realize that faith matters. Some were told by pastors, others by fellow Christians, and many were found in scripture and books. Some books I have read with strong testimonies are:
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Hey God! , by Frank Foglio
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God's Smuggler, by Brother Andrew
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China Cry, by Nora Lam
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The Cross and the Switchblade, by David Wilkerson
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Journey on the Hard Side of Miracles, by Steven Stiles
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True Miracle Stories that will Increase Your Faith, by Andrew Houge.
Christian teens and their parents need to read books like these so they can understand their faith better – and books are not the only source. Today, powerful testimonies have become available on the Internet. Simply searching the word “miracles” on YouTube brings up many videos, many of which reveal spiritual truths or life-changing testimonies.
Seeing what God has done can increase expectations for what God will do. Brenda and I have certainly noticed our faith grow stronger as we reminisce about the events, miracles, and coincidences in this book – ones that have defined our very 9
Dare I say coincidences? The word simply refers to an unlikely alignment of events. I believe that such alignments, especially in answer to prayer, are often from the hand of God. I am always looking for signs of God's intervention, and sometimes coincidences can be just that. I believe God can use them to grab our attention, reveal he is with us, show us he loves us, and even point us to where he would want us to go. Let's face it, almost any answer to prayer can be called a coincidence. But when we trust God is in control, the things that skeptics call coincidences can be miracles.
Finally, out of necessity this book is written from a first person perspective. That is a particularly challenging way to write, and I ask you to be somewhat forgiving as you read. I have tried hard to keep ego at bay, and I hope you can see that. If you end up thinking this is a book about the author, then I have failed.
On the other hand, if you see this is a book about the Author of Life, then it is a success.
A journey has many steps, and a spiritual one can last a lifetime. People of faith trust it will last for eternity. So now I offer for your consideration a journey of personal experiences that illustrate how the master of the universe can participate in the lives of ordinary human beings. •
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