It’s day 4 of the “Miracle Chase Takeover Week”! Today, the Miracle Chasers–authors Joan, Katie and Meb–discuss what happens after a miracle occurs, aka “the ripple effect”…
As a miracle extends outward from that initial miracle moment, we can look back and see that absolute grace connects every miracle with some other good.
Like the stone cast into a still and perfect lake, a miracle is God’s connection with us that ripples outward, in ever-widening circles, to distant and uncharted shores. This ripple effect of grace exists, even when we can’t see it initially, or maybe, even ever.
Consider Dr. Alexis Carrel, a French early 20th century religious skeptic and physician, who was disturbed by reports of miraculous healing at the shrine at Lourdes.
He went to Lourdes to discredit these so-called miracles for both patriotic and scientific reasons; to prove that it was all make-believe. Yet, when a woman on the brink of death was healed before his very eyes, he had no option but to reverse his thinking.
He felt compelled to report what he had seen and when he did, reaction was swift and painful. He was shunned, criticized and his professional judgment called into question.
He found himself in an untenable position; unwilling to back down from his belief in the miraculous, he left France for the United States where the brilliance of his medical expertise subsequently earned him a Nobel Prize.
Alexis Carrel was unwittingly caught up in the ripple effect of the miracle he experienced and its ensuing waves of grace, difficult as they were. He found the courage to share what he had found and to reconsider what he thought impossible, the reality of God and miracles.
The Ripple Effect is also reflected in the heart of Meb’s story. After her baby daughter survived an unspeakable act of violence at the hands of a babysitter, Meb led the effort to legislate for childcare safety in California and the Trustline Registry was formed.
The ripple of her miracle continues to touch the lives of families across this country protecting untold numbers of children.
This knowledge that miracles unfold over time is a key ingredient to our own definition of a miracle. Join us tomorrow as we come full circle and answer the big question…just what is a miracle?
What has been the “ripple effect” of a miracle you’ve experienced? Share your story–or ask the Miracle Chasers a question–below!
You can follow the Miracle Chasers on Twitter and Facebook, or check out their book, The Miracle Chase.
