"A barrier had been broken. Beneath the hard, painful surface of her recollection were layers of healing truth. God had never left her side, not even for a moment."
Max Lucado is the author of dozens of books that have gone to become major bestsellers. With over 92 million copies sold and having penned close to 100 books, the prolific author also ministers at the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. His gift for storytelling is so apparent on each and every mission he sets out to do, it's no wonder in 2005, the Reader's Digest dubbed him "The Best Preacher in America."
My first Max Lucado book was given to me just before leaving the States for good after finishing my studies there. It was on the very last day, right when I was carrying my luggages to the taxi. You'd never guess who it was from - my landlord. I suspect she's a clairvoyant, but anywho, she gave me the thin, 64-page book, "He Did This Just For You" that so many have found life-changing. I think I only got around to it a couple of years or so later, and I remember on the night that I binged on it, I cried helplessly in my room. It was the day I realized I have a father I never had. Had I not receive this seemingly random gift from my landlord, I'd never really see the biblical God as that personal. Fast forward some time toward the end of 2016, I was in the local bookstore as usual and I found this Max Lucado fiction. I grabbed it impulsively because I know there's a higher chance I'd finish a fiction than a nonfiction book, and also because the preamble caught my instant attention at the time I bought it:
"What if you could ask God anything? What would you ask? And how would He answer?"
"Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe" (from hereon "Miracle") is the story of Chelsea Chambers who, having just separated from her NFL superstar husband, is attempting to make it in life on her own while bringing along her two children with her. She decided to reopen her grandma's old coffee shop in the neighborhood she grew up in. But even when she's equipped with her guts, expert planning and cupcake-making skills, serving awesome cappuccinos still failed to pay the bills. She was desperate. Until a stranger comes along, marking the start of a string of curious events to follow. Bigger and bigger crowds start showing up now with the "God Blog" exclusively stored in her premises, and all these people come out of the shop with their life's big questions answered. Though connection to the divine is within her immediate reach, Chelsea has no interest of asking God about her own life puzzles, and when her ex comes calling, she begins to wonder whether she will ever be able to make it on her own.
What I love about "Miracle" most was the whole idea of the "God Blog". It's so relevant to our times. I'm so grateful for its conception in this book, as it helped my prayer life tremendously. My main love language is Words of Affirmation, and I've heard many pastors preach about making prayers specific in order to truly connect with God. Simpler said than done. I know I communicate better in writing than in speech, so I started a private Word document dedicated to making my own God Blog and, for the first week or so into the book, I made it a habit every single morning to pray on the Blog before doing anything else - before washing my face, before brushing my teeth, before breakfast. It was freeing to give him every bit of my anxiety to him. It also helped me articulate my thoughts and led me to discover the deeper roots of big hassles. While these days I don't write on the Blog as much, I have learned to talk more openly with God in the moment. Because you know what? He always knows what's best and what to do next. Although things seem right in our eyes, prayer is ultimately "asking God to do what's right" and not "asking God to do what we want." The part of this book that convinced me God meant it for me to buy this book was this particular Q&A:
Question: I have trouble sleeping at night. I can't get my mind off of all the challenges I will face the next day. Why can't I sleep?
Answer: Your nights are long because you carry too much fear. I've been watching you. Why don't you give those fears to me? Stop trying to fix everyone and figure everything out. And I haven't heard you laugh in quite a while. Lighten up. I love it when you are happy. Remember, come to me when you are weary and tired. I can help you. (page 58-59)I've had trouble sleeping for the longest time. And what do I do whenever I can't sleep? Read my horoscopes. That's been my secret problem since God knows how long. Only my husband knows about it. And what do you know, the couple of chapters ahead from this trouble-sleeping Q&A incidentally touched upon astrology, which has been proven scientifically that it's complete BS (listen to this for starters) and has an amazing ability to lead you to self-deception.
There was also another conversation in"Miracle" that I love between Chelsea and her son, Hancock. Still on the topic of love languages here, Lucado painted a decent illustration of how communicating effectively is vital to keep relationships alive. In this case, Hancock's eyes immediately lit up when Chelsea promised to carve out some time just for them so that it's not "all about the cafe all the time." It's clear that he's a Quality Time boy whereas Chelsea's an Acts of Service.
I also like how each supporting character has a story you can relate with as much as Chelsea's. Like, they actually have their own lives, but at the same time their life stories are ingeniously interconnected to the other's. Okay not ingenious per se, but Lucado made a point: God is. Lucado succeeded at bringing the spotlight and glories back to the Lord. Just goes to show that Mother Teresa was right when she said that everyone you meet is Jesus in disguise. Every person you come across is a test of your character. For me, the only thing that's off was just magnitude of the "God Blog" miracle. Even as a believer, I'm quite incredulous about the fact that the Creator of the universe, who has plenty to do and just the whole universe's population to oversee, would take his time just to pay that much focused attention on an individual. I know he's omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, but still, it's next to impossible for the tiny human brain to believe at first blush, especially for the secular audience.
In the same vein, though I like the relatability the supporting characters, they're inherently stereotypes. And I understand that you have to make it digestible for the mass so the big-picture story is clear, but for a fiction piece, "Miracle" was far from substantial.
Overall, I found the message of this book ultimately profound, yet it's modestly packaged in a small, easy-to-read 192-page novel. I'm forever grateful for the landlord who introduced me to Lucado, which led me to a deeper understanding of Christ, and now this book that's helped me pray more effectively on a blank, humble Word document. Thanks to the whole concept of the "God Blog", I am affirmed through faith that at best, I only control 10% of my life, which used to bother me so much during my earliest years walking with Christ. But now, it's the total opposite: Because everything in my life is for him and his story, I can easily resign as the general manager of the universe and let him take care of the rest. Recommend this book for any believer who wants to fall in love with God all over again.
Ending this review with yet another vignette I love from "Miracle":
"Manny's mind was racing. Not with doubts, but questions, for the two are not the same. Even the deepest, darkest questions can lead to a deeper faith. But still, there was so much he couldn't see. So much he didn't know. But one thing he did. Even in the darkest of nights, he could always look up."
Love, Stace
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