Many of us dream of witnessing a real miracle, an awe-inspiring divine intervention that changes the course of our lives and heightens our belief in a personal and loving God. Yet, we are often so fixated on the idea of an awesome event that we somehow overlook the quiet little miracles that happen to each of us every day.

The miracles collected by veteran author William G. Borchert in Spiritual Awakenings come in all shapes and forms, as unexpected phone calls, chance meetings, and missed plane reservations. They are small enough to simply produce a warm glow and dramatic enough to create awe and wonder.

A young father of five witnesses his burning home being saved by bearded strangers with fire extinguishers who put out the fire and then disappear. A diamond miner in South Africa thinly avoids a deadly crash when the doors to a packed elevator shut before he can cram in. A chance meeting with a young girl leads a woman to the apartment of her closest childhood friend, now dying of AIDS. She helps her friend regain spiritual strength and becomes a surrogate mother to the child.

If we allow ourselves to look beyond the glow and focus on the wonder, we will recognize that, in moments such as these, we are in the presence of God.