MIRACLES!

2007 - The Year of Miracles!

Don't wait for miracles, BE the miracle.
Change the world one miracle at a time.

IT'S BEEN AWESOME!!! Star!

This page was added to the Change Your Stars! website
at the start of 2007 as a place for readers to submit stories
of miracles they've received, witnessed in someone else's life,
or been a part of.

Change YOUR stars by letting miracles abound in your life!
A new year may be starting,
but MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Share a miracle here.

Your Miracle Can be Right Here!
Your Name

Miracles happen to us all the time, in lots of different ways.
Change Your Stars! made the year 2007 The Year of Miracles!
but miracles never cease so continue to share your wonderful stories!

Everyone loves to read stories of miracles! They're uplifting, inspirational, and make us want to turn around and do something good for someone else. Please tell us about a miracle you've received, or one you've been a witness to, or even one that you've been a part of. Together we can make this world a better place ... one miracle story at a time!

Thanks! - Jace

By The Grace Of God

Carol Mastro-Covington
California

My precious 9 year old daughter, Shannon Grace, has a learning disorder. As a mom, of course, I have been concerned about how she will do in school, and especially how she will handle other children when they are less than kind to her.

This past Sunday, Shannon went with me to my girlfriend, Alicia Ashley's, 'mini-seminar' on the 'Law of Attraction'. At one point during the seminar, Alicia asked the participants to write down a few affirmations. She then asked if anyone would like to share with the group what they had written. I was really surprised when Shannon's hand was the first one up, in a group of about 20 to 25 people, especially since she had always been rather timid about speaking up in class. My eyes welled up with tears as she said boldly; "Love surrounds me everywhere I go", and "I am one with God".

I now know beyond any doubt, that no matter what challenges my daughter may face, she is going to be just fine!

When we choose to embrace love, and know that we walk with God, we have the strength and courage to face whatever may come our way. I know God made Shannon the way He did for a reason. She may have challenges academically, but she is spiritually wise far beyond her years!

Where Did It Go?

Donna Carlton
California

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I called everyone I knew who would pray. After the Lumpectomy, my Doctor told me that the lab had determined that it hadn't all been removed, and I had a choice to make. Either he could go back in, take more tissue, and I would need Radiation and Chemotherapy, or ... he could remove my breast, and I would just need Chemotherapy. I really did not need much time to think about this. I and many others prayed for God's will. The decision was made to remove my breast and go with the Chemotherapy.

When the surgery was complete, and the lab report came back, I was told there was absolutely no cancer in the breast, and no lymph nodes were affected, meaning it had not spread anywhere. Where did it go? Where was the cancer that was left in me after the lumpectomy? Those of us who believe ... know.

Fully Rely On God

Stephanie Arnel
Pompano Beach, Florida

I had been attending my church for about two months and had opened my heart to Jesus at the same time. While browsing in the bookstore several times I noticed notebooks, pens and little novelty items with F.R.O.G. printed on them. "Wow - how great! The kids would love these!" I thought, never thoroughly realizing the significance of the slogan.

While taking a trip to the west coast of Florida to visit my parents, my sister and I decided to stop at a local fast food chain to get a bite to eat. As we were sitting in the drive-thru line my sister turned to me and asked what was wrong. I must have had a disturbing look on my face, which would make sense, for at the time I had been going through a divorce and felt as if my life resembled a raging tornado. A million things were running through my mind. "What if...," "If only..." "What am I going to ..." "What about..." "Who is going to...?" The list was endless. I turned to her and said, "Oh, nothing, just thinking."

Within a few minutes our order had arrived. We started to drive off when suddenly she realized, "They forgot the fries!" Amazingly, there was a parking space directly in front of the drive through line. I pulled in and offered to go retrieve the fries.

While approaching the door to the restaurant, I went to move my hair out of my face with a sweeping movement from my forehead to the back of my head. To my utter shock and disgust, my hand found something slimy on the top of my head. I ran back to the car screaming, "There's something in my hair! Get it out!"

My sister finally calmed me down enough to sift through my hair. Then she began shouting, "It's tangled! Are you wearing hair-spray? It's a lizard! Stay still!" Moments later it was revealed ..."IT'S A FROG!" A frog? How on earth could a frog get in my hair? There were no trees around, we'd been in the car for hours, and we were in the middle of nowhere at a drive-thru restaurant. Picture it! What a spectacle! People approached me afterwards to ask if my hair was on fire! The frog was removed from my hair, we got our fries and we were on our way.

In the stillness afterward, a small voice echoed in my head, "Fully Rely On God." The words came flowing out of my mouth: "FROG - Fully Rely On God!"

"What? What are you talking about?" my sister asked.

"FROG - Fully Rely On God! God knows what I'm going through, and He wants me to fully rely on Him!" I replied.

"Oh, okay," she said with a look of uneasiness. At the time, she had not asked Jesus to be Lord of her life. At that moment I felt a comfort, a peace I've never known. I knew in my heart God had spoken to me. Confirmation was sent as I drove home across Alligator Alley and looked at the most beautiful rainbow right before my eyes. "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world! (John 16:33).

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11)

There have been several circumstances since the encounter with the frog that my faith has been tested. He has been so faithful, for through the most difficult struggles, the painful trials and tribulations I've encountered, each time as I cried out in prayer, God put a frog in my path - literally! I would be walking my dog, talking to God and asking, "Lord, why is this happening?" and a frog would jump by. And in those moments where I would be sitting on my back porch, crying and reaching out to God, again, a frog appeared. Each time, a smile would come upon me, along with the peace and comfort in knowing that I can Fully Rely On God.

Home Grown Love

James Odle, Jr.
New Caney, Texas

My Mom and Dad had 3 sons, of which I am the oldest. We are all about 2 to 3 years apart in age. At the same time my Mother's brother (my Uncle) and his wife had 3 boys. All of us are around the same age in descending order.

From as far back as I can remember, all us boys and our parental units gathered to spend weekends, summers and holidays together, usually at my grandparents house. How they were elected as hosts occupied very little space in our 10, 8 and 6 year old minds. We just knew we were turned loose on their sprawling yard to hoop and holler and generally be little boys. The grown-ups, in time, figuring we couldn't do much damage to trees and rocks turned their attention to the games of grown-ups: Forty-two (a domino game) and canasta (a card game).

My grandparents took it in stride from day one and actually looked forward to our many visits and sleep-overs. Night time would find all of us six boys corralled into the small, wood frame, two bedroom house of my grandparents. We slept on blankets and pallets on the floor of the spare bedroom. Most times our make-shift bedroom spilled out into the tiny hall that connected the two bedrooms. It was no small feat (feet?) to make it to the hall bathroom (the only one in the house) in the dark without tripping on someone's legs or putting a toe upside someone's nose. I guess I should back up and say it was no lesser of a feat to get six boys to finally settle down enough to actually fall asleep with all the talking about the days adventures, the snickering and laughing coming from the dark! Not to mention those unusual and rather rude noises that no one would own up to and those that only young boys can turn into a late night celebration. But, we eventually all dropped of to sleep; one by one.

We all eventually survived our youth, as did my grandparents and their home. The house didn't fall down around us, and we managed not to burn it to the ground (as wild heathens are want to do on occasion). I do seem to remember one couch cushion succumbing to spontaneous combustion as well as the horse pasture, but those were certainly acts accredited to unknown cosmic forces; surely not 6 sweet tow headed Texas young'uns, who everyone knew had a better upbringing than to pull off a stunt like that!

All the while my grandparents stood tall in their love for us all; never wavering. That love they maintained until the day they were called Home ... a love that lasts till this day and will last in the hearts of those 6 kids for all their lives and be passed on to future generations of kids who will laugh in the dark and make funny noises after the lights have been turned off.

Maybe not the grandest of miracles on the list of miracles, but surely home grown love must be somewhere near the top.

Lily

Gail Johnson
Connecticut

Miracles happen all around us, I do believe. The miracle of birth is certainly no exception. My third little miracle happened on December 4th, 2006, with the birth of our daughter, Lily. Truly, she is a joy, a wonder, a miracle.

What A Blessing!

Julie Harrington

Dear Jace,

I'm writing to share something our daughter recently said that touched my heart, but first I want to thank you for creating this wonderful website AND for making it "family friendly". My husband, Kent, and I enjoy reading your daily email messages and browsing through the Defining Moments pages. And your "Up Close and Personal" commentaries are ... well, they speak right from your heart to ours. Bless you, Jace!

Because your site is so family friendly we started leaving your site up on our computer when we walk away from it, hoping our children might take an interest. The Quak Trax pages were the first to catch their attention because they're so funny (and, fortunately CLEAN! Not to mention, it was because we were laughing so hard one day that first caught their attention!), but lately the older ones have also become interested in the Defining Moments and Up Close and Personal pages. I'm writing this to you for your new Miracles! page, because frankly what happened in our lives is such a blessing and a wonderful miracle!

Our 16-year-old daughter, Christie, is very popular in school and that, of course, means she attracts a lot of friends. Unfortunately, that sometimes can include some that we think aren't really the nicest to be around (fortunately Christie agrees!). We're raising our children with high standards, to value themselves, and to "choose the right". Even though they're surrounded by family, friends, and teachers (at school and at church) that support our efforts, there's still so much negative around them (sometimes hidden from our view), that if we're not careful, it can creep in and do so much damage before we can wipe it out. Pressures to get involved with smoking, drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. are all around our children. We do the best we can, and then pray.

Over the holidays Christie was invited to a party and because of the friends she was going with we agreed she could go. When she came home earlier than expected that evening, and in an unusually quiet mood, we were concerned. She's never had a problem with talking to my husband or I, and that evening was no different.

She came in and sat down on the end of our bed, paused for a moment like she was trying to find the right words, and then said, "Thanks, Mom and Dad. Thanks for being the kind of parents you are and for bringing me up right. Thanks for teaching me to choose the right. If it wasn't for you, and all you do for me and Kenny, Matt & Carly [our younger children], it would be so easy to lose our way.

"Tonight there were some kids at the party that shouldn't have been there. They were trying to get some of us to do things we didn't want to do. Linda's parents were in the other room, heard the commotion and came in to find out what was going on, and then told the bad kids to leave. They were trying to make me and my friends feel like we were losers because we wouldn't go along with them. I'm not a loser! I KNOW I'm not! You've helped me see that. You've helped me see who I really am and the potential I have for my future and I don't want to mess that up."

As she began to softly cry out of relief that this ordeal was over, my husband and I got up out of bed and sat down on each side of her and together shared a family hug. We praised her for her choices and told her how much we love her and that we'll always be here for her. Then she looked at us and said something we wanted to share with you.

"Mom? Dad? Would you do me a favor? Would you write to the Change Your Stars! website and tell them thank you, too. Hearing something from your parents is one thing, and you guys are great. I know it's unusual for a teenager to admit something like that to their parents, but I really mean it. But everything you've taught me has also been echoed on that website and I always feel so good after I've read some passages there. It's fun to browse around and pick out one of those Defining Moments pages, and several of those things I've read on the Up Close and Personal page have really touched my heart and they've helped me so much! That whole site is so ... inspiring! If I can keep following your guidance and keep reading that website I'm going to turn out just fine!"

So, Jace, there you have it. A very sweet testimony from our very "Sweet 16" daughter. We love her so much (as with all of our children, of course), and we also love you for what you do. Please keep it up. You've helped create a miracle in our family!

Bless you, and Happy New Year!

Julie Harrington
Minnesota

I Just Let Go

F.N.M.

Today I left a job that I had for 6 years. I was over qualified and under utilized in that position most days of the year and management was aware and had said that to me on several occasions. I was blessed by that because it allowed me to find a house online when we were down sizing our life style. It allowed me to successfully do some grant writing for a non-profit organization.

One summer I messaged my grandchildren so that they had adult supervision. But the time came when all the above having been accomplished while working was finished. I needed a job. Wonder of all wonders someone emailed me about an open position. I start January 8.

So I let go and your Defining Moments story today, "Let It Go", said so much to me because in the last 90 days almost every sentence had crossed my path somehow. So thanks for being in the email and thanks for being a part of my intellectual property now that I have encountered your prose. I thank you because you have put closure to so many things I was thinking and feeling and had not been able to put into words.