Sometimes we fail to notice the most amazing messages, even when they are right in front of us. If we’re lucky, we can recall those images later and catch the miracle.

Ten years ago, while on vacation in Arizona, my wife Lucy and I visited Antelope Canyon. It is extremely narrow and twisting. As a result, only thin shafts of light can get to the bottom, and only very close to noon.

As we walked around, I noticed that one of the shafts of light was resting on the ground in the shape of heart. I knew the shape would be gone in a few moments, so I rushed to take a picture. But first, I asked Lucy to get behind the shaft so that it wouldn’t be ‘just another picture’ that I could get from any tourist book. In other words, this was personal. At the time, however, I didn’t know just how intensely personal it really was…

Looking back, I can see that the scene was, in miniature, what God was doing in my life. Here, in an instant, he whispered his plan to me. He was streaming down his light upon me from heaven, in the shape of love, through Lucy.

It is no coincidence that her name means ‘Light’.

Sometimes, we think that God won’t work a miracle in our life ‘unless our faith is strong enough’. But that simply isn’t the case. Up until four years ago, I didn’t have any faith in God, much less the kind of heroic faith that we might think is required before he will perform a miracle in our lives.

Even so, God was already giving me my most magnificent blessing.

Every day for the last 34 years, I have stared directly into the eyes of God, through Lucy’s infectious smile. I have talked with him, laughed with him, and loved him. Somehow, God loved me enough to set up a plan to capture my heart, even if that plan took decades. Even if that plan escaped my attention. Even if that plan had to endure my imperfections.

That’s the fantastic thing about certain miracles – they don’t depend on us. God’s clever. Even in a narrow, twisting canyon, he can rain down a bright shaft of light into our life. In fact, he can rain down shafts in many forms. My own blessings have been disguised as people, books, dogs, events…and one well-timed vacation photo with two beautiful subjects.

Look for your own miracles. They’re there.

Peace,
Greg