Does God still work miracles as he did during yesteryear? As a youth, I read Bible stories, attended Mass and occasionally visited other churches with my mother. Nevertheless, I was definitely exposed to the Christian faith. As I grew up I heard and read about the miracles that God and Jesus performed, thinking that miracles were meant, primarily, for those living during the time of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. I thought of God’s parting of the Red Sea, “At night when the Israelites were blocked in by the Red Sea and the attacking Egyptians, God parted the Red Sea” (Exodus 14:10-21). The miracles gave hope to God’s people. Yet to many, such things happened only during the era before Jesus’s birth and the time when Jesus ascended into heaven. When we perceive that miracles occurred exclusively during latter times, we miss out on the wonders of God, and the joy and, feelings of peace we feel. We all experience miracles in our lives but we often fail to notice. Perhaps we have thought that for a thing to be called a miracle, it must be a large experience with an aura of impossibility, such as the parting of the Red Sea. Nowadays, we continue to see and feel all kinds of strange circumstances that can be both beneficial and catastrophic. Sometimes the phenomenon is a mystery, a solution to a problem, or the healing of a person or animal. We may take the credit for our good fortune, rather than giving it to God.

The first miracle, of which I heard, came from my grandmother’s story. According to her narrative, Grandma was cured from cancer while picking cotton. Others were praying with her and laying their hands on her and she was truly healed. Whether we believe in Jesus’s ability to do anything, or not, those around Grandma were convinced.

I see miracles every day, and the fact that I do, gives me courage, hope and confidence that God is still present and active in my life. I have the comfort of knowing that God/Jesus and the Holy Spirit are always there for me. The faith to believe and rely on the knowledge that I have a higher power watching over me instills a steadfast confidence inside. Life, itself, is a miracle. One of the greatest happenings is the birth of a baby--the tiny fingers, the formed head, and the other minute features. The recognition of an embryo going from the fetal stage into an infant, where miraculously, a family is created within a matter of moments or hours, is mind boggling.

Our weather is miraculous as it brings, cold, rain, heat and storms. It allows for the moisture that we need to flourish. Whether we think the rain, sun, drought and flooding are beneficial or horrible, we usually need the rain, drought, storms and flooding, God has a purpose for all of the conditions, as well. We are often impatient and unwilling to wait it out to see what results will come as a consequence of that which we deem as a nuisance or disaster.

Many times, our miracles are the realization of a long-held dream that bears its fruit later in life. A friend, Joyce, had gone through a divorce from her husband while the children were still in school. Her mate was abusive and condescending. Due to having to exist on one salary, Joyce was forced to work at a job that she disliked for many years. She assumed that it was her only choice. She and her children faithfully attended church throughout those years of hardship and she says, now, that God began to bring her miracle into existence as she endured. Her dream was to leave her unpleasant job and work at her church. The opportunity finally presented itself and Joyce acquired the open position and moved to the location. She shared with me that the wonderful surprise was her miracle. Although she hadn’t realized it at the time, all the struggles had equipped her for her new life. She had to move within God’s time and allow Him to prepare her for the adjustment. Yes, God still works miracles.

Ellen Shuck holds degrees in psychology, religious education and spiritual direction. She is the author of the book, “Wisdom for the Journey.”