Book Review: A Chronicle of Miracles

     BookSneeze on behalf of Thomas Nelson Publishing provided a complimentary book in exchange for an honest review.  Miraculous: A Fascinating History of Signs, Wonders, and Miracles by Kevin Belmonte is a nice account of God's handiwork through the ages. People throughout time have looked for signs and guideposts to indicate that a supreme being lives, is at work in their lives and to find hope life is not in vain. Miraculous first looks at the biblical record to note the more renowned miracles for the most part. Subsequently, in Part Two wondrous accounts through extra-biblical history are noted.
    Belmonte didn't fill the pages with grandiose miracles entirely, which no doubt need to be counted. However, he also included miracles that could only be deemed as such in hindsight. Some miracles are an accumulative effect of days of work such as Moody's meetings. Yet, no one should deny God's definitive signature on the work that was accomplished. The author also provided historical context to the commonly-read miracles of the Bible, so the layman can gain a deeper appreciation for exactly what God showed to his people.
     Usually, when I review books I post my review within a day or two of completing the book. However, I allowed this book to settle and simmer a couple of weeks. I enjoyed reading Miraculous, but I wasn't jumping up and down to dive in. I appreciate the acquired knowledge. Honestly, I preferred the second half, possibly due to the novel nature of the stories included. Maybe that is why I didn't know exactly how I felt overall about the book. There was a lot of ground covered, centuries worth in fact. It was a lot to digest and every morsel was worth it.
     Reading Miraculous also led me to conclude that the awesomeness and wonder of the Bible stories I read often have lost their lustre. God is still working, but my eyes aren't always looking. Belmonte wants to instill that sense of bewilderment and amazement back into our beloved Christian heritage. It is when we lose that wonder our faith suffers. We may not even realize that. So, maybe this book isn't the whirlwind of miracles I was expecting. It brought something much deeper, profound and intimate back into my spiritual life. This book is perfect for Christians in their various walks at different points. Now, I pray that we all have our eyes wide open and hearts willing to witness the Miraculous.