A Million Little Miracles (Multnomah, 2024)
Mark Batterson titles his latest book A Million Little Miracles: Rediscover the God Who is Bigger Than Big, Closer Than Close, Gooder Than Good. Mark serves as the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. In this book, Pastor Batterson stresses the need to take miracles for gratitude — not for granted. Therefore, we need to learn to discover the miraculous in the mundane, a welcome to wonderland. Which leads to Mark’s first principle: Nothing is as simple as it seems. Everything is more miraculous than we can imagine. Hence, to live your life to its full potential, recognize life as a miracle from start to finish. God is the Eternal Here — here, there, and everywhere.
However, Mark counsels, the smaller your God, the bigger your problems. Thus, negativity bias results when we complain about what God hasn’t done. Rather than thank Him for what He has done. Because the will of God is a dangerous plan, not an insurance plan. Hence, faith adds God to every equation. A million little miracles under your feet. So, all you need do, Mark quips, is take off your shoes. God’s great joy in our enjoyment reflects His playful personality. Something we greatly underestimate. God created us with the ability to laugh. Consequently, Mark cautions, if your life lacks joy, no one wants what you have. “Pleasure,” asserts David Gibson, ” is a divine decree we ignore at our peril.”
Above all, God’s vision for you is even bigger than yours. Therefore, steward the miracle by believing God for even bigger and better miracles. Counting your blessings changes you, even if your circumstances remain the same. In addition, nuanced gratitude results in nuanced joy. And when we learn to look at God from different angles, we see new dimensions of who God is. Again, everything is more miraculous than we can imagine. You matter to God more than you can imagine. No one loves you more or knows you better than Jesus. As a result, Mark advises, don’t just doubt your faith. Doubt your doubts.
Yet, because most people sleepwalk through life, they miss out on a million little miracles. Inattentional blindness gets the best of them. Scripture, though, provides the script-cure to help us rewrite any negative emotions. As Mark exhorts, you are response-able for everything. So, do life in the context of God’s goodness. Theology must lead to doxology. Otherwise, idolatry results. God hardwired worship into the human soul. Worship creates an alternate reality called wonder. Most significantly, start with appreciating the miracles that stare you in the face.
In conclusion, Mark encourages you to keep counting stars, considering lilies, and chasing butterflies. Then, he adds these words of hope as you journey to discover a million little miracles:
“I hope you feel smaller at the end of this book, but I hope your God is bigger and closer than He was when you began. I hope you feel seen, heard, and loved by Almighty God. His thoughts toward you outnumber all the sand on all the seashores on earth.”