Miracles - or just a bizarre set of random coincidences???

So what of miracles? Do you believe in them? Does God really do this amazing stuff or is it just wishful thinking?

Well, If I look back over the past 15 years I can only think that God really, really, really does speak, move, and get involved in our lives (in ways which only He can.)

I remember being 15 years old and sitting in a doctors surgery. I had been sleeping rough on the streets - a 'heavy' goth, drug using, depressed teenager who dressed all in black and not looking friendly, had no one wanting to come and sit next to her! A lady kept looking at me from across the surgery and eventually came and sat next to me, and asked; "Is your name Emma? I think I know your parents!"

Is that a miracle? Not really - until it becomes clear that she has never actually seen me before in her life, and the moments leading up to her coming and sitting with me had involved a very heated exchange with God! ("You want me to go and sit next to THAT?! No way, uh uh!").

However as a long-term follower of Jesus she eventually did what she was told. She offered me a fag and just started chatting normally. I wonder if she would have done that if God had told her what would come next? Well, approximately 2 weeks (or 2 months? It was a LONG time ago!) after that meeting it was arranged that I would move in with the lady and her family... My parents are the most lovely, amazing people but realised that I was beyond control and needed help. The lady and her family lived out on a farm in deepest darkest Sussex... Ahhhhh!

It was a "bit of a change" from my previous life, but these amazing people just lived their normal lives in front of me (a mum, a dad, 4 kids, 2 extra foster kids and me - oh and about 300 cats). They never preached or pressurised, just smoked a lot, and made endless cups of tea - I remember the plug hole always choc - a - block with tea bags!

Anyway, I had been there some time and one afternoon the lady asked me if would like to go to a Christian concert at Ashburnham Place, because a well - known blind lady was singing. I was not totally thrilled with this idea but as they had been so kind to me, I didn't want to offend so went along. Just before we left one of the daughters handed me a big, red "Winnie the pooh" jumper and said she wanted me to have it. I handed it back saying, "No thanks, I only wear black".

So we and I went to the concert and as the singing started... I quickly realised I was right and it was pretty awful. However about 15 minutes (or was it hours?!) later the blind lady suddenly stopped playing the piano and singing, and went very quiet. I will never forget her next words "There is a girl here who is always dressed in black. God wants her to know that he loves her and he's forgiven her and she is to wear the red jumper". She then just carried on playing and singing. Where as I was completely, totally, utterly gobsmaked (and terrified to be honest).

Apparently this lady does that - she has the gift of prophecy, and what she lacks in physical sight she certainly makes up for in spiritual sight. I couldn't doubt that God was real, and right there in that room - because I had heard and seen first hand that He knew me and knew really tiny details and He wanted me to be SURE that I knew!

So what of miracles? Do you believe in them? Does God really do this amazing stuff or is it just wishful thinking? I know where I stand!