Amy Newmark - Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles Can Happen: 20 Stories to Help You See the Miracles in Your Life - from Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels and Miracles

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles Can Happen

20 Stories to Help You See the Miracles In Your Life from Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels and Miracles

Amy Newmark

Published by Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC www.chickensoup.com

Copyright 2020 by Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

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The publisher gratefully acknowledges the many publishers and individuals who granted Chicken Soup for the Soul permission to reprint the cited material.

Front cover illustration courtesy of iStockphoto.com/IgorZhuravlov (Igor Zhuravlov)

Photo of Amy Newmark courtesy of Susan Morrow at SwickPix

Cover and Interior by Daniel Zaccari

Distributed to the booktrade by Simon & Schuster. SAN: 200-2442

ISBN: 978-1-61159-308-2

Changing your world one story at a time

www.chickensoup.com

The Voice

When you get to your wits end, you will find, God lives there.

~Author Unknown

M y husband had been out of work for months. Wed borrowed money from family members for groceries, gas and utilities. Bill collectors were calling every day and treating us as if we were criminals. Stress was eating away at our family.

One day, as I was driving to work, enjoying the silence and the beautiful Vermont spring scenery, I heard a voice. It said, Turn on the radio. Weird, but I did it. Then I listened as the voice on the radio told listeners about a contest the local shoe store was having. This was the last day to enter. They were also giving away free pieces of pizza. All you had to do was fill out an entry form and you could win a cruise to Bermuda and $25,000.

I decided to stop at the shoe store on my way home. My son would enjoy the pizza and I would enter the contest.

It was a busy day at work and I ended up forgetting about the shoe store. Then I heard that voice again: Turn on the radio. I did, and I heard the same announcement about the contest. I had one hour to get there.

What were the chances that I would hear a voice twice in one day telling me to listen to the radio so that I could hear the same pitch twice? I actually said out loud, Thank you, God, for the reminder. Then I drove to pick up my son. He was hot, tired and a bit cranky. He just wanted to go home, but he gave in when I told him about the pizza.

A storm was coming in when we got to the shoe store, and the radio personality who was conducting the contest outside the shoe store was packing up his equipment when we got there. I quickly filled out the form he handed me. Then I drew a cross in the upper right hand corner of the small white square of paper and said a silent prayer.

By that time, the pizza was all gone, my son was disappointed and it had started to rain. We drove home.

That night, as we were all catching up on how our days went, I mentioned what I had done on the way home. My husband was a bit perplexed, as I didnt normally participate in contests.

I explained about the voice and my family looked at me like I had two heads. I warned them, directing my comment to my husband: When my name is called tomorrow, I wont be able to hear it as I will be walking across the street to my job. Would you be able to listen for me and let me know? He had a funny look on his face and said, When your name is called?

I laughed, stunned that I had said that and used the Angels in the Outfield movie quote, It could happen, in my defense. I didnt think any more of it.

My husband didnt call me the next morning, but a coworker excitedly ran over to me when she got to work and said, Kris, the radio station just called your name you won the cruise to Bermuda!

I was floored. I dont win things. My life had been hard lately. I get seasick on boats. I didnt know what I was going to do with the trip. I didnt know if I was on a timer to call back, so I called the radio station to confirm they actually called my name and sure enough, I won the trip! Because I won for my local station, the station was entering my name into the second contest nationally to win a gift card for $25,000.

I didnt think any more of it. I didnt hear any more voices.

Two weeks later I was sitting in a meeting with someone I supervise and the phone rang. During meetings, I typically ignore the phone but I had the sudden urge to pick it up. I apologized. It was the DJ from the radio station. I had won the $25,000 gift card!

My coworker sitting across from me looked at my face and was worried. All I could say over and over was, Oh my God, Oh my God! My supervisee was worried something bad had happened and I gave her a thumbs up assuring her it was a good Oh my God.

We were able to pay back my family and get the bill collectors off our backs. Stranger things have happened to others, I am sure, but I listened to the voice and was rewarded. I still get goose bumps when I think about this.

Kristine Benevento

An Interruption for a Miracle

Miracles come in moments. Be ready and willing.

~Dr. Wayne Dyer

I pinched myself to make sure I wasnt dreaming as Christy and I sped down the road with the Just Married sign flapping behind us. Who would have believed that our wedding day would end like this, I thought, as I glanced at my beautiful bride still dressed in her wedding gown.

As the miles faded behind us, I relived that initial moment of shock when I saw the police car coming up the long driveway of my uncles estate where we were holding our outdoor wedding and reception. At first, Id thought it was a joke that my brother, our best man, was playing on me, but I soon realized this was no joke. The officer was looking for me.

Leaving my place at the table, where Christy and I were enjoying the savory barbecued meat and other delicacies, Id gone to find out what the officer wanted. He handed me a piece of paper with a womans name and phone number on it. Youre supposed to call this number as soon as possible.

The womans name meant nothing to me and I wondered again whether this was a joke. But I dont know this woman, I protested. Why should I call her? Were in the middle of our wedding reception!

The message is from your dialysis unit. They asked us to deliver it because the phone number here is unlisted.

The only message important enough to interrupt our wedding would be that the hospital had a kidney for me. Id been waiting for a kidney transplant for five years.

As we walked into the house to make the call, I couldnt help but think of all the times the hospital had called me with good news, only to find out later that for some reason or other, the surgery could not take place. I didnt want to interrupt our wedding for another false alarm.