Birthing the Miraculous: The Power of Personal Encounters with God to Change Your Life and the World

by Heidi Baker

God has promised us miracles. Are you willing to do what it takes to see them through? We all desire the favor of God on our lives. We eagerly pray and hope for His miracles, promises, and blessings. But carrying the promises of God often means being stretched, being inconvenienced, and being patient to nourish those promises until it is God’s time for them to be born. In Birthing the Miraculous Heidi Baker weaves true stories from her life and ministry—including personal visitations and life-changing visions—together with the biblical story of Mary’s pregnancy with Jesus to show you how to become a catalyst for God’s glory here on earth. Sometimes God’s promises seem bizarre, implausible, and even crazy. But no matter how impossible His promises seem, we can respond as Mary did, with a yielded cry of “Yes!” It is time to go into every realm of society, carrying your promise, believing for the impossible, and watching God do the miraculous through you.

Genres: Christian, Faith, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Audiobook, Christianity, Christian Non Fiction

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 7, 2014

About the author

Heidi Baker PhD is a Christian missionary and with her husband Rolland Baker are founders of Iris Global and the author of several books.

With her husband Rolland, Heidi founded IRIS Ministries in 1980, a non-profit Christian ministry dedicated to Jesus and service, especially among the poor. After twelve years ministering in Asia, they left in 1992 to do their PhD's at King's College London, UK. In 1995 they started a new ministry to the poor and homeless children in Mozambique.

Wikipedia

Reviews

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part memoir, part scripture study on the Annunciation to Mary this is a good read for those seeking God’s favor. “If we are to accomplish all He wants for us in this life, we must always desire more of Him. There is always room for more intimacy, more of His presence, and more of His glory.” However, be careful what you ask for. “Sometimes God will allow you to wait and wonder why he is not doing something exactly when you thought He would. He knows what He is doing.”

Heidi is a modern Albert Schweitzer, who went to the then-poorest nation in Africa and spent the last thirty years providing home, food, clean water and jobs to the poorest in Mozambique. She knows of what she speaks both in terms of surrender and of miraculous results.

“It takes humility to nurture something that is beyond your understanding while counting it all joy.” Much of her life isn’t what comfortable American Christians would have defined as joy. Nonetheless, she believes “now is the time for God’s promise to be supernaturally birthed in your life.”

Aside from how you receive her message, Heidi communicates both Biblical truth and the challenge of a surrendered life in gripping, easy-to-grasp prose. This book is an easy read.

[Victoria Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come . . .

[Kyle Inman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether or not you agree entirely with HB on everything is irrelevant - she is someone worth listening to just off the merit of her impact on the world. Though there are almost always bones amongst the meat of her messages, they are few and far between imo, and it’s folly to wave a hand and dismiss all the documented miracles that are happening among her community. As far as this book is concerned, I believe she has some valuable takeaways that can encourage believers in Christ to set their gaze higher even as their walking with Him takes them lower. She is a modern day Mother Teresa, and carries sobering messages that breed life and birth the miraculous. Let it be, I say! Excited to read and be formed by more of her stuff.

[Ashley McClellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admire Heidi Baker & enjoy reading the testimony of her faith. Such a beautiful book. I felt so encouraged by her words & stories throughout this book.

[Genoveva Schuster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book encouraging to live life fully dependant on God and His leading. Made me more determined to be myself, fulfilling the destiny God has for me.

[Susan Gibson]

Great book

I love this book. I read it until I couldn't stay awake at night. I hated putting it down. I hated when it was over. it stirred my heart. it is now one of my all time favorite books.

[Gary · Rating 1 out of 5]

When you begin your memoir by comparing the birth of your ministry with the birth of Christ, you may be assured you have a high view of yourself and a very low view of God. And that is what you find throughout this book. Oh, Heidi has by her own admission and promotion done much to help the poor and downtrodden. That is good for sure. She goes through 121 pages before she begins to present a clear Gospel message, although she says repeatedly through the book that she preaches the Gospel. On page 121, she said she shared "about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ." Then, on page 125, she says, "I shared how Jesus died to take away their sins and had then risen from the dead." As far as I can recall, that is her first mention of sin in the book. She recommends the Gosoel of John and actually writes out John 3:16 in her later pages. But no clear message of repentance and trust in Christ for the remission of sins but many calls to love Jesus (although she tends to turn this into a creepy romantic love) and to invite Him to live in their hearts. If this book were all one knew of Heidi Baker, one would assume she is a sweet Charismatic woman with a wonderful love for orphans and widows, and that is sweet. BUT there is another side to her ministry that involves her utter foolishness when standing before a crowd: screaming, acting drunk, rolling on the floor, laying on the floor, and "imparting" fire and spirits into people as they scream and convulse on the ground. I don't know what this latter performance is exactly, but it is neither Biblical nor Godly. In spite of her self-reported generosity to the poor, I have to label her book as #forhereticalresearchonly .

[Corey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a genuinely concerning book. The author repeatedly says things that are fundamentally untrue. Multiple times she outright admits to what is essentially human trafficking.

The way she describes her interactions with gd reads less like a genuine spiritual experience and much more like unmanaged and untreated catatonic schizophrenia. I very genuinely think she should be evaluated for it because treatment would vastly improve her relationship with her own religion.

There was an extremely funny bit where she overheard some ladies in a bathroom complaining that she was probably just going to lay on the floor during her time to speak at a conference and she was upset about it and then proceeded to become catatonic and lay on the floor for the entire time she was meant to speak at the conference.

[Bridget Paredes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was difficult to rate because there was so much I LOVED... and so much I didn't. I think I would still recommend it with caveats to certain people. What she really gets right is the primacy of the intimate connection with Jesus - that we need to just BE with him instead of trying to do all the things on our own. I loved the image of the chicken vs the eagle on the last pages. What I didn't love was the "white savior"-y overtones and the heavy-handed Protestant-ese. Writing style could definitely be improved. But I still finished the book inspired to draw closer to Jesus and in awe of the good he is doing in the world!

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just wow! If you are looking for more in your Christian walk, read this book. Heidi Baker is honest, real and totally in love with our Lord. She shares her experiences around the world and ministering/loving in her "favorite" places, the trash heaps (dumps) and slums where the poor and abused live.

Even through attacks and tribulations, she shares love and the message in love to gun toting rebels, rapists, abusers as well as those who've been their victims.

Truly - the miraculous is a part of her daily life. Inspired!

[Joanna Bair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how she uses the story of Mary at the beginning of the chapters. Heidi tells more of her story that wasn’t in other books of hers. She talks about other countries besides Mozambique in this one. The stories all point to living a life radically laid down for Jesus Christ and it shows what God can do with you if you stay open. I listened to the audiobook of it from my library and it had me in tears while driving multiple times. I was very touched. This book is so worth reading if you have any interest in following Jesus.

[Shana D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is REAL and happening in our world!!!! We can't convince people that Jesus is real and loves you and gave His life for you but listening to books like this by amazing believers like Heidi Baker, gives me such hope that Jesus is active and touching hearts and is alive!! This is the way Christianity should be lived out. We can't all be Heidi Baker but we all can love Jesus the way she does and surrender our comfort and conveniences and be poured out the way she does. This is a phenomenal book and testimony.

[Brandon H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirational! This was one of those books that made me thirsty for more of God. It also left me in tears when I look at my spiritual walk with God and the condition of many churches in America today. How different we are from the believers seen in the early church. May God have mercy on us! I pray that He would raise up many more like Mrs. Baker who will seek His face and demonstrate His love and power with an apostolic flavor that is so needed today!

[Kiera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the Audiobook and the there are some very powerful stories. Heidi has unshakable faith that is just contagious! The ONLY reason I am giving 4 stars is because I was not feeling the narrator at all. Her voice was just so breathy and kinda sensual. Her voice did not fit what she was reading and it was just very distracting and took away from it. Authors should definitely check the narrators when they do audiobooks because they really can make or break it.

[Caleb Fast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing book!

I highly recommend this to everyone who feels called to missions, the church, and even if you are called to the marketplace. This is a great book to show you what can come about if you live your life for God. Totally inspiring.

Completely anointed--expect a Holy Spirit encounter as you read this!

[Consuelo Brehme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Qué libro tan hermoso! Totalmente recomendado si estás buscando crecer en amor en todas sus dimensiones. Tiene un fuerte y maracado énfasis en el lugar secreto como la base para todo el fruto que podemos llevar. Impulsa a amar más a Dios, valorar los tiempos de intimidad mucho más y luego salir a amar a los que tenemos al rededor. Buenísimo!!

[Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without knowing anything about Baker before reading this book, the book is an interesting combination of incredible personal experiences, sound christian exhortation, and reflections on the life of Virgin Mary. A valuable and encouraging read, although I personally had to remind myself to stay open for her personal experiences

[Max Colley III · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book that really challenged me to really ask how deep do I want to go? To have such a vivid example of the Bakers live what that looks like out, is so inspiring and a little scary! So glad I read it! A must for anyone that wants more!!

[Leandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow extremely intense! Heidi Baker lives the life we are called to in our daily lives. Her love of Jesus is palpable. Her obedience to call of Jesus is extraordinary. I am encouraged by her scripture and life-changing stories.

[Allie Silvernale · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING. INCREDIBLE. I honestly have no words to truly describe this book!!! It. Is. Simply. AMAZING!!! One of the very best books I’ve ever read. It spoke to my heart in a way I cannot even explain! God is all over Heidi Baker

[Daniel G Keohane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sp, so so good. I listen to iris global's podcast The Green Room and with so much talk of founder Heidi baker, along with having seen a film once about her work around the world this seemed like a good audiobook to pick up. Amazing stories, both grounded and supernatural. Highly recommend.

[Martine Kiwan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an amazing book that influenced my heart deeply!

[Elle Lees · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read. If you want to learn more about who God is and what you mean to him, read this book.

[Megan Royals · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so inspiring! The testimonies of miracles kept bringing me to tears!

[Rosie Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every believer needs to read this book. Life changing!!

[Henry]

This comes close to being a Protestant Marian book. But even with that aside I really enjoyed this.

[Chelsea Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book with my mouth wide open and constantly saying, “Wow!” If you want to be blown away by God moving today and hearing of miracles, signs and wonders - read this book and be encouraged!

[Will Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encouraging and inspiring. Heidi takes you on an adventure and reminds you God has much planned for you when you follow his leading.

[Karīna Liepiņa · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buckle up! Challenging!