A Million Little Miracles: Rediscover the God Who Is Bigger Than Big, Closer Than Close, and Gooder Than Good

by Mark Batterson

Think you’ve never experienced a miracle? The New York Times bestselling author of Win the Day reminds us of the millions of miracles God performs every day and inspires us to live with a clearer sense of identity and purpose.In our age of instant access to information, we are in danger of losing our grip on our most ancient emotion—childlike wonder. We need to cultivate a holy curiosity. For what? For everything! Too many of us are so wrapped up in our own worlds that we end up worshiping a god who looks like us, thinks like us, and votes like us. As a result of our impoverished view of God, most of us are only living at half capacity—we let anxiety keep us from purusing our dreams because we can't see that God is far bigger than our biggest problems and close enough to help.In response, Mark Batterson invites us to consider the miraculous work of God going on around us every day. He highlights three aspects of God that we take for granted. God Bigger than we our complex, interconnected universe speaks to God's vastness. Mark Batterson shows us how to dream bigger and live more confidently in light of God's immense power.Closer than we God is not only bigger than your biggest problems, he is close enough to help you face them. This book will help you take inventory of what's holding you back and a live with a greater awareness of God's empowering presence.Better than we can the millions of miracles all around us speak not only to God's power but also to his love which equips us to live out the dreams he has given us.A Million Little Miracles invites you reawaken your sense of wonder about God and His world.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Inspirational, Faith, Spirituality, Religion

272 pages, Hardcover

Published November 19, 2024

About the author

Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. One church in seven locations, NCC owns and operates Ebenezers Coffeehouse, The Miracle Theatre, and the DC Dream Center. NCC is currently developing a city block into The Capital Turnaround. This 100,000-square-foot space will include an event venue, child development center, mixed-use marketplace, and co-working space. Mark holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Regent University and is the New York Times best-selling author of seventeen books, including The Circle Maker, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase, Play the Man, Whisper, and, most recently, Double Blessing. Mark and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill with their three children: Parker, Summer, and Josiah.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I enjoyed this book and learned alot, I thought that the author made way too many quotes. I also felt as if he was "bouncing up and down" and "running in circles" while writing. Maybe it was his enthusiasm for his topic, I don't know. But, it seemed like scattered thoughts to me.

[Kendall Boutros · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is such a breath of fresh air! It brings the reader many new perspectives on daily activities that we take for granted (like the involuntary act of breathing) so that we can see the glory of God in every moment and movement. The more you read the book, the more encouraged you become as you realize how intentional the Creator was and still is.

This book would be a great gift for anyone going through a mental health struggle because it repetitively uses scriptures and examples to show you that you matter. It would also make a great coffee table book - whether that be to read a few sections of a chapter with your morning coffee to have a positive start to your day or to discuss a cool statistic with your kids or visitors.

I appreciate the concept of this book. Miracles are a new focus in my faith due to some unexpected life circumstances. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because I felt that there were too many examples in each chapter. It seems like this could have been made as a daily devotional rather than a chapter book. Also, there was more science throughout the whole book than I expected there to be and I became a bit overwhelmed by it. However, I love the author's enthusiasm about science!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Convergent Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[L.C. Tang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book only because I enjoyed reading previous publications by the same author.
This book is about appreciating the small things in life and remembering to look around and actually take an extra moment to see the daily miracles that people tend to often overlook.

[Thekozyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Million Little Miracles by Mark Batterson is an inspiring reminder to slow down and recognize the small, everyday ways God is at work in our lives. Instead of just focusing on big, life-changing moments, Batterson encourages us to see the divine in the little things—our relationships, nature, even the simple fact that we’re here.

I really appreciated how approachable and uplifting this book was. Batterson has a way of making faith feel both deep and practical, and his stories really drive home the idea that miracles aren’t just for the past—they’re happening all around us. Some ideas felt a bit familiar, but overall, the message was powerful and encouraging.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Dennis Stansbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched a podcast with two of my favorite authors: Mark Batterson and Noah Asher. Their conversation was so genuine and so good. Both of them honored each other in such a respectful, genuine way. They discussed this Million Little Miracles book so I knew I had to get myself a copy. Favorite part: What we dont take for gratitude we take for granted. Yes yes yes! Thank you for continuing to follow the prompts by the Holy Spirit to write, Mark Batterson! You are the very best

[Jessica Hembree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using a blend of science and history to support the existence of the Almighty in a wonderful way! This book brings a collection of amazing things that are in our lives, surrounding us everyday, and we overlook the miraculousness of them. There is also a study guide that can be used with this book and I look forward to checking it out as well.

[Nich Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Christian reflection on the wonders of Creation. Its purpose seems to be pushing readers to recognize and live in greater state of awe. The writing style is a bit scattered but many individual lines are especially memorable.

[Jenna Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book both inspirational and confusing. It was very hard to follow at times though it contained some great tidbits of information. The author weaved God into some of my scientific knowledge which I enjoyed. Overall, I think it could’ve been half as long and had the same impact.

[Alana (AlanaLoves2Read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Never experienced a miracle? You have never not.” – Mark Batterson

In this wonderful book outlining the million little miracles all around us, the author encourages us with the understanding that there is nothing on Earth that is ordinary. No ordinary people, no ordinary days, no ordinary things. Every bit of God’s creation is ‘extra’ ordinary. Beautifully written based on the premise that miracles are happening all around us, all the time. Just stop and look – and develop that ‘holy curiosity’. I really loved the author’s ‘wonder experiment’ that he shares about going outside and taking a two-foot field trip – and experience the miracles in that tiny space. You will never look at a leaf, a butterfly, or a dandelion in the same way again. And you will definitely never look at yourself in the same way again.

This book is worth owning, and worth re-reading. I first found it in the library, and then rushed to purchase my own copy to keep for continual reference as I tabbed so many pages in this book. This book is too wonderful for too many of my words. So I will include some of my favorite quotes from the book.

“When stars explode, it’s called a supernova. Those exploding stars eject most of their mass, which is where elements on the periodic table come from. It’s also where you come from. You aren’t just dust; you are stardust, which is way cooler! Chemically speaking, you are 65 percent oxygen, 18.5 percent carbon, 9.5 percent hydrogen, and 3.3 percent nitrogen. And, I might add, 100 percent awesome!”

“Most of us spend more time gazing at screens than we do stargazing, and then we wonder why we’ve lost touch with the Creator.”

“Time is measured in minutes. Life is measured in moments.”

“A single drop of water isn’t as simple as it seems. It’s an ecosystem unto itself….There are five sextillion atoms in that one drop of water.” How awesome is that?!!! How amazing is our God?!!!

What is worship? “Worship is childlike wonder. Worship is counting stars, considering lilies, and chasing butterflies. Worship is becoming less self-conscious and more God-conscious. Worship is giving God your full attention and your full affection. Worship is waking up to a million little miracles.”

[Cameron Rebarchek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you taking the things of God for granted or with gratitude? That is the question Batterson invites us to tackle in A Million Little Miracles. And, before you immediately answer positively, you might want to consider the science-backed data and illustrations throughout this book. While reading, I quickly realized how many things I do take for granted. Sure, there are plenty others I gratefully acknowledge, but there are oh-so-many others that have become so routine, so predictable, so monotonous that we have lost our awe. Batterson wants to draw our attention to those specific things so that we can see once again the ways God is bigger than we ever thought He was, closer than we ever dream possible, and so much gooder than we imagined.

Personally, I find some of Batterson's writing style to be unnecessarily convoluted, especially if you have read any of his other books. You will notice his propensity to say things like, "It passed through my visual cortex," where "I saw something" would have sufficed. And, so, sometimes, I am a bit hesitate to dive into his works, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It is written in a such way where you could read for long stretches at a time or if you prefer bite-sized chunks, every chapter has headers with the illustrations and "proofs" for his point. The content was fascinating and exhilarating to me. And, if you are able, I encourage you to read through this as I did: that is, to take a copy out to a park or anywhere outdoors and read it surrounded by the nature Batterson is inviting us to marvel at.

The basic premise of this book is that if you feel as if you have never experienced a miracle, well, think again. Truth be told, you have never NOT experienced one! I definitely recommend this one and am deeply grateful to NetGalley and Waterbrook Multnomah for the advanced readers' copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hard for me to put down. Scientific facts about God’s beautiful creation, the intelligent design woven into nature as well as our own intricate, miraculous bodies, are used to encourage us to worship God with gratitude by training ourselves to notice the many miracles He has placed around us in the details of each day. Most of the time we just take them for granted. We can learn much about our Creator by observing the magnificence and detail of His Creation. View everything you see with a childlike wonder. I highly recommend this book!

[JD' · Rating 4 out of 5]

In A Million Little Miracles, Mark Batterson explores the wonder of a God who is "bigger than big, closer than close, and gooder than good." Blending science, history, and faith, Batterson references figures like the Elephant Man from the 1800s to illustrate divine presence in the extraordinary and ordinary. While insightful, the writing and biographical depth don’t quite match the finesse of Philip Yancey’s Rumors of Another World. A compelling read for those seeking to rediscover God’s miracles in everyday life.
(I used AI to help be write this)

[Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life changing book. I will be coming back again and again over the years. Such an incredible and delicate yet perfectly executed balance of science revealing the Great Designer behind it. Everyone should read this book. It was such a huge encouraging blessing that has already initiated a massive mindset change for me that will only continue to grow.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Batterson never disappoints. This book, like most of his, has countless nuggets of truth,in every little section, that you want to remember every day. He reminds of the God whose love is evident all around us everywhere. It incites my child-like curiosity and opens my eyes to the miracles that happen every day! Could read this many times over.

[Michael Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Makes you think about all the little miracles that are surrounding us every single day. Lots of insightful observations about everyday life and how it all ties into scripture. This book is a treat and has a great message on gratitude for all the little things.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first listen/read of 2025 was such a blessing, as Batterson reminded me repeatedly to have a “holy curiosity” about everything in my life. Wonderful in every way.

[Zach Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most life-Changing books that I've ever read. Genuinely flipped my perspective and opened my eyes further to the ever-growing wonder of Christ's love and all he does every day.

[Linda O'Dell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Mark Batterson has outdone himself with this book. I love all his books but A Million Little Miracles is amazing and astonishing in all the ways that he shares so many facts of our lives that most of us don't know. Which really reveals even more how BIG and amazing our God truly is.
This book is a book of praise to God in all His splendor and majestic ways.
Most of which we don't even know but live and enjoy our whole lives. Thank you Mark Batterson for showing us how big, close and good God really is.
Highly recommend this book. Must read.

[John Dembeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great compilation of quotes. But not a lot of original content.

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

One emoji could sum up my review of this book. The head exploding one.
It's awe-inspiring and was exactly what I needed after a brutal month, physically and emotionally and mentally. I needed to regain that sense of wonder in Who God is. This book will do that for you.

[Alain Raveney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Batterson does it again

Full of facts, mystery and wonder, Mark leads us in an eye-opening experience to the God all around us. Praise Him for all the miracles around us everyday!

[Christine Edwards]

I read an ARC of this, so I don't feel it would be fair of me to rate and review it before it releases when I wasn't asked to do so.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a lot of scientific info that truly teaches there is a God, a Creator. There is no way that creation can be as it is without a Creator. The things he explains about the universe, the solar systems, our solar system, the many suns, our planet, animals, birds, trees, flowers, the human body, the conception, a baby’s development, the birth is amazing. He talks about dirt, water and so many things.

I know so many that do not believe in God, but do believe in evolution. That has never been me. I am not sure that these things are miracles though. The definition of a miracle is a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural means or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be a work of God. He did give a few examples, like turning water into wine, walking on water, the sun standing still, physical healing, the dead raised, the feeding of multitudes, actually twice, with just a few fish and loaves of bread, with much more left over and other miracles I didn’t list.

I see nothing small about miracles or creation. It is all amazing, wonderful, beautiful and awesome and astounding. God, Himself isolated. He talks about light and singing, that creation may have been sung into existence. I have said for a long time that angels don’t sing, except at creation. I don’t know if that is true, but the Bible says the angels said, not sang. If they are called creatures in Revelation, then they sing with all other creatures in Heaven. Maybe the wrongs were used for said and sang in the translation of the Bible. There are occasionally mistakes made, but very few and nothing that would hinder our spiritual growth.

He talks about angels and the devil and his devils. He leaves out very little. I can’t think of any thing right now.It is a great read, just can’t remember how to explain it to someone. So much scientific truths and he refers to some famous inventors from long ago to give credence to what he shared. One thing he did not research, shooting stars. There is no such thing. They are meteors that glow when shooting through the sky. Look it up and see what causes them to appear as stars. Nobody gets everything right. Right?

He talks about Jesus being the second Adam. Then he refers to Jesus as the second Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Joseph, Joshua and Jonah. Jesus is the second Adam, but the second of anyone else. Adam was the man that lost all that God gave him and Eve. A man had to buy it back. A perfect man in nature, a sinless man, so God provided the perfect God Man, Jesus, not only to identify with us, to walk as a human, but to be our kinsman redeemer, Ruth 2:1-20, 3:10-11, 4:1-11, Deuteronomy 25:5-10, Jeremiah 32:6-15. This was necessary for Jesus to die for us. He was like us and He bought back what Adam lost when He died on the cross and was raised from the dead. One day we will see all of it come to fruition.

Our salvation is secured and nothing can separate us from the love of God. Mark talks about light, color and love, forgiveness, sickness and healing. I was in the Charismatic movement for many years. I saw people die of diseases, but few miraculously healed and it was never anything like cancer except Dodie Osteen. If we could find out how many people actually were healed out of all that claimed to be, I would stake my life on it being few and far between.

Mark is another one that loves CS Lewis. I am as sure as I can be that he wasn’t a Christian. He was Anglican and held to their beliefs. He taught that people of other faiths could be saved apart from Jesus, that most need purification after death. This is called purgatory and is not real. When we believe and are made one with Him and are said to be the righteousness of God in Christ, then we are cleansed of all sins, past, present and future. To say otherwise is to say Jesus isn’t enough. These are damning beliefs, literally.

I don’t want to hear quotes or teachings from ot that believe this way, I don’t care how profound they may sound. Mere Christianity reveals his beliefs and I do not care for his books or movies. I am not interested, though before I found out who he really was I saw the Chronicles of Narnia and then the next movie. He was a sneaky person or just plain lost and ignorant about some things. Thanks for reading my review. Love to all! 🌍✝️❤️♈️📖 CathyR

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

*hardback* I am blessed to attend NCC where Mark Batterson preaches, and he is so generous to gift the congregation his latest book and offer a 4-part series of this message, “nothing is as simple as it seems. Everything is more miraculous than we can imagine!”

There were so many messages I underlined in this book, I could not possibly give them justice here - highly recommend reading/listening to this message!

Key Highlights:
*Seek Beauty by noticing the everyday miracles
*The smaller your God, the bigger your problems
*Cultivate holy curiosity that keeps seeking, asking, knocking - WONDER
*Gratitude isn’t getting what you want; it’s wanting what you have
*Go outside, look up, and count the stars

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you”

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good thoughts

[Robert S. Mansell]

This is an excellent read. It provides a thought provoking and challenging discussion of the importance of becoming aware of miracles that God avails to us humans. I recommend it to Christians as well as non-believers. The author discusses the importance of allowing the awareness of God-given miracles to provide an ever-growing gratitude for our lives.

[Kenny Schwarz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In full disclosure, I’m a bit biased as the author, Mark Batterson is my pastor and has been for many years. In his latest book, A Million Little Miracles, Mark reminds us that God’s creative actions are present in the million of different things that we often take for granted and ignore the complexity of what made them possible in the first place. Only when we get older and deeper in our relationship does God seem so much bigger (in contrast to other people/places/things that seem smaller as we age). Mark’s book is a great reminder of Gods love for us and ample reason to be grateful for his many miracles!

[Rachel Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing and very informative book!

[Kathy Megaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with "A Million Little Miracles". It seemed as though I would never reach the end! I did pull a couple dozen thought provoking nuggets from the book, some of which are quotes from other men and women of wisdom. Aside from these, I thought this book was boring. Batterson belabors numerous aspects of various fields of science and nature to prove that God is bigger than big, closer than close, and gooder than good. It was too much information to hold my attention. I could not stay focused. I don't need all these facts and figures to know that God is great.

I was rewarded for persevering to the 3rd and final part, entitled "God Most Good", for this is where the meat is. The concluding chapters of the book provided me with inspiration to live a better life and connect more closely with God. A point Batterson makes more than once in his book is "Whatever you don't turn into praise turns into pride.". This was a profound remark that I will strive to remember and put into practice.

I'm likely being petty here, but one particular comment made by Batterson really bothers me. As he begins the topic of one of his family vacations, he writes that the time had come to take his children to Disney. He then jokes that it would have been a "sin of omission" not to. Most families I know could never even entertain the thought of taking their children to Disney because it is cost prohibitive. I know... the highlight of his vacation was getting caught in a rainstorm which shows that you don't need to spend a fortune to have a good time. However, it seems wrong, to me, for Batterson to imply, even jokingly, that when your children reach a certain age, the thing to do is make this extravagant trip to Disney. Trivial? I suppose. It just rubbed me the wrong way.

[Phyllis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Mark Batterson is one of the most enthusiastic writers I have come across. It seems like he is just bursting to tell you all the scientific information he has researched about our bodies, the world, outer space, nature, all the millions of miracles created by God.

Batterson shares his research and the convincing evidence of God’s presence with humor, excitement, and passion. He quotes Einstein, John Muir, Charles Darwin, the Bible, C.S. Lewis, Martin Luther King, Jr. and just about everyone who has anything amazing to say about God.

The book contains examples from Batterson’s life as well as many others who have rediscovered the mysteries that God provides in our everyday lives. He encourages readers to “quit taking things for granted and start taking them for gratitude.” I think the main point of his book is about being thankfully aware of all the good things in life.

To be honest, I would have preferred the book to be more organized. His enthusiasm often overwhelmed me – I felt bombarded by all those scientific facts and even though they were amazing, it was too much all at once, before he made his points in each chapter. And sometimes by the time he made that point, my mind was numb. Another true confession, after reading half of the book, I began to skim chunks, hoping to get to the “good part,” the part that would be an aha moment. If I was a science nerd, I probably would have liked this book more than I did.

I agree that everything in the world reflects the glory of God, but this book reminded me of an untrained, boisterous golden retriever puppy. Calm down!