Chapter 1

A New Way to See the World

You were born to expect a miracle today

What if I told you I'm certain you missed a miracle yesterday? And not just any miracle but one that Heaven wanted to do through you to significantly change someone's life for the better--maybe your own?

I would understand if you were doubtful.

But right alongside that doubt, most of us can identify a nearly universal experience. Almost everyone in the world--whatever their religious belief--can point to an event in their lives that seemed directly orchestrated by Heaven, that seemed impossible to explain without using words like "I can't believe what just happened! That was a miracle!" We call these experiences divine coincidences, miracle moments, supernatural provisions.

Whatever we call them, we tend to value such events so highly that we recount them over and over, often for years. "I'll never forget the time...," we say, or "Sooner or later my daughter is going to tell you about..."
Why do we remember such events so clearly? I think it's because we feel that we have been touched by Heaven. It's as if God Himself stepped through the curtain that separates the seen from the unseen to make something wonderful happen for us, something only He could do.

But here's the best part. In the experience we hear a personal and unforgettable message from God. Something like, I'm here. I care about you. I can do for you what you cannot do for yourself. Beginning with this near-universal experience, this book asks a few simple but intriguing questions:

• Why are these experiences of the miraculous so rare for most people?
• What if Heaven actually wanted you to experience them on a regular basis?
• What if ordinary people like you and me are invited to partner with God to deliver miracles to others?

If these questions put a picture in your mind of people everywhere walking around expecting to be a part of miracle moments on a regular basis, you're not far wrong.

A mysterious encounter
Let me tell you about a mysterious encounter I had in a restaurant outside Denver with a waiter named Jack. I call it mysterious because on the surface everything looked so ordinary. Five friends at a table for six, waiters coming and going, voices, clatter--just what you'd expect in a busy restaurant. But by the time dinner was over, we all knew beyond a doubt that we'd been present for a divine appointment.
It was as if God Himself had walked up and said, "Thank you for saving Me a place. I've been wanting to do something for Jack."

Here's what happened.

During the course of the meal, Jack had served us well. But apart from the usual exchanges about the menu and our orders, we hadn't spoken much. Around the table, meanwhile, the conversation revolved around some of Jesus'more extreme teachings--ones like "Ask, and you will receive" and "It is more blessed to give than to receive." During the conversation I felt unexpectedly nudged by Heaven to try something I'd never done before. At the same time I sensed it was meant to involve Jack.

My experiment involved putting three hundred dollars "at risk." Now, don't let the amount throw you. The money wasn't mine, and believe it or not, the person who was letting me carry it around was expecting me to give it away. (But more about that in a later chapter.)

When Jack came by to refill the water glasses, I posed a question. "Have you ever heard the saying 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'?"

"Yes, I have," he said.

"Do you believe that?"

"Sure, I guess I do," he said, looking...