The Miracle Chase: Three Women, Three Miracles, and a Ten Year Journey of Discovery and Friendship

After I read The Miracle Chase I had the opportunity to go to Barnes and Noble bookstore for a book reading and signing. The authors are three amazing women, the discussion was awe inspiring and I purchased three more books and had them signed by the authors for three of my closest friends. This year I feel like I have finally found the perfect gift. Both believers and the non-believers can find common ground and learn how discussing 'weird' happenings can give all new meaning to life experiences. In addition, academic scholars and eighth-grade readers will find the material accessible. This is a book to read for joy, inspiration and pleasure.

Joining the authors in their quest is a very rewarding experience I highly recommend. The rewards start with being fully engaged in the creation of this scrumptious `stone soup' of contemporary living and human nature, and continue well after savoring the last page.Miracles are simply the stones. The author's hearts, souls, minds and lives, peeled and added with loving care, provide the wonderful flavor and richness of this exceptional book. Their writing and chase collaboration is synergy at its finest and create a superb recipe for enriching ones life beyond public success. If this book does not prompt the reader to more wholeheartedly engage and value friends and to pursue more profound personal growth, then nothing will.DST

MIRACLE:1. A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is considered to be divine.2. A highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment.I found these two distinct definitions of "miracle" in a very cursory search of possible meanings of the word. There are probably others. But it seems clear that the authors of "The Miracle Chase" subscribe zealously to the first. I happen to subscribe more to the second, a fact that makes "The Miracle Chase" a little difficult for me to embrace. Essentially, I felt that their interpretation of "miracles" was unnecessarily narrow and may have left some readers out in the cold.Don't get me wrong. I love the idea of miracles. I believe in miracles. I rejoice when I hear about a happy miracle. And I am willing to believe others' interpretations of miracles. But, for me personally, miracles are explainable by natural & scientific laws. They just happen to fall well outside the norm of the typical, and occur on both (extreme) ends of a normal distribution curve. Some are very happy events; some are not so happy. And, in all cases, they are dependent on the miracle-recipient's own interpretation of the experience or event. An event that is interpreted as a miracle by one person may not be viewed as such by another. And I don't think that has anything to do with whether or not they believe in divine intervention.I believe that Joan, Meb, and Kate all experienced miracles. But I believe that the events they experienced are explainable by scientific laws, unaided by divine intervention. Each of the three events was extremely improbable, absolutely. But I'm equally sure that Joan's son's physician or Meb's daughter's physician would have been able to provide perfectly scientific explanations for those miraculous events. And I would also guess that these same physicians would have been willing to call those cases "miraculous".I don't think rejection of the divine definition of a miracle makes my own or anybody's experience or perception of miracles any less valid or life-changing than the authors'. I am fervently grateful and humbled by miraculous events in my life, and I too wonder "why me?" But I ask, "why, of all the people on earth, did I experience something so far out of the realm of the probable? Not, "why did God bless me in this way?"The bottom line is that I view "The Miracle Chase" as a book with a religious agenda in the guise of philosophy and popular literature. The authors were not upfront about the religious underpinnings of their topic. I wanted to like it because of my interest in the subject, and because I knew Joan well a long time ago. Surprisingly, she and I shared a similar Catholic, Jesuit-educated background. But I have to admit to feeling a little duped by the book. Like when a "book salesman" knocks on your door and you later learn he is distributing religious pamphlets.I guess I am too much of a scientist not to subscribe to miracle definition #2. But that in no way detracts from my belief in or wonder at happy miracles. Nor does it mean I don't believe in the divine.I know the authors would probably not take issue with my miracle interpretation, and would allow that miracles are a very personal phenomenon. But, for them, God is very much a part of their experience of miracles and they wanted to share that perspective. Notably, they are careful not to espouse a Christians-only message in their book. But what they did not do was allow for a non-divine interpretation of miracles. That was disappointing to me and probably to other readers as well.

This is a wonderful book which rekindled my belief in miracles and the power of friendships.All three of these women had a unique way of making me feel like I was there at the table with them; experiencing the joy, the grief and the enlightenment as they discover or rediscover their beliefs and enriched by each others friendship. I think I will miss these discussions and hope they are on to another chase soon!I highly recommend the Miracle Chase and will be gifting to the Joan, Meb and Katies in my life this Christmas.

This is a peaceful journey into the wonders of miracles, the power of friendship and three women's absolute trust in one another. First, there is their mutual recognition that events have occurred in their lives that defy explanations. Then we travel with them as they examine the very existence of miracles. We learn of events in history that are believed by many to have been miracles. We feel almost present in their conversations about the miracles in their own lives - very personal events that force them to examine religion, belief, and their own acceptance of God and His work. Most of all, we are with them as they provide unyielding support to one another as events in their lives unfold over the decade of writing the book. Read this to boost your belief in the miracle of friendship.

This is a wonderful contemporary and endearing chase for an answer to an age old question: why do miracles occur, and why, in particular, did they happen for us?The authors tell us that they need a clear answer; they need to understand. They do the research, talk to experts and travel the country to learn about miracles. Through it all, their stories of family, love and friendship describe a decade long journey that can make anyone believe in miracles, even if they cannot be fully understood. A great read and a great gift to anyone in need of faith and hope.

I believed in miracles before I read this but the history and research these women did is fantastic. Reaffirmed the fact that miracles, big and small, still happen every day.

When bad things happen we feel attacked, betrayed by life as it "should" be. Life shouldn't be this difficult. Yet amidst turmoil, hardships, surprises that confront us all, miracles do happen. This book deeply personal,describes the life changing events in three friends' lives. Events that though intensely difficult also gave way to seeing life in a miraculous way. The friendship and bond that occur during this time too is a miracle. Highly recommend!

Miracles do happen,follow your instiinct