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Everyday Wonders: Stories of God's Providence
Popular author and speaker Archpriest Michael J. Oleksa has spent most of his life serving the Church in Alaska and advocating for the Native populations there. But he has also had many adventures in other parts of the world. The unifying thread in all his experiences is the providence of God, leading him, providing for him, and guiding him through miracles large and small. In this collection of reminiscences, Fr. Michael relates story after story of the wondrous love and mercy of God working in his life and the lives his ministry has touched. His faith and enthusiasm are contagious.
- GenresAudiobook
144 pages, Paperback
Published March 14, 2018
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42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 26, 2019
A few months ago Archpriest Michael Oleksa gave a talk at St. Vlad's entitled "The Legacy of St. Herman and the Alaskan Mission Today." I listened to it on a plane ride nearly entranced by his ability to tell a tale. His delivery mixes the careful pacing of a master storyteller, the precise recall of a historian, and the empathy of an Orthodox Christian. If you haven't listened to this talk, I encourage you to do so not only because of the impassioned delivery, but because it gives a unique voice to the Alaskan Orthodox experience that you will be hard-pressed to hear anywhere else.
As a very dedicated audiobook listener, I was heartened to see Ancient Faith Publishing delivering some of their titles on Audible and that heartening was followed by no little delight at discovering Fr. Oleksa's "Everyday Wonders: Stories of God's Providence" an available title. I downloaded it to my phone while packing on a Saturday before I got on the road to serve the Liturgy for a small rural parish to the west of me. At three and a half hours it was the right length for me to finish before I got back home.
Much of what is popularly understood about Orthodoxy in Alaska and about the early years of its founding is simply wrong. We make assumptions about who was involved and what their motivations were in order to make a tidy, pious story of the conversion of Alaska. Fr. Oleksa almost gleefully pushes a plunger to the dynamite of those pre-packaged narratives as he recounts the historical facts and quotes the men who were actually there.
Fr. Oleksa is not one to speak in grand terms with run-on sentences where one loses sight of the subject, the verb, of even both of those things. As a pastor and professor his goal is to engage and inform where others might seek to dazzle and impress. This book is not a treatise. It's a collection of stories about God's presence in our lives and how His love is manifested in both the truly miraculous and in what we might erroneously think of as just happy coincidences. He does so by way of short stories of his life in Alaska (with side trips to seminaries, Europe, etc.) that always tell you something special about the place only a person who had actually been there would know and something about how God blesses his people even in the remotest corners of civilization.
The audio quality is much more akin to a podcast than your run-of-the-mill audiobook. I am reminded of listening to Fr. Hopko's podcasts (or as he called them "stream-of-consciousness musings") where his words might be joined with that of a bird chirping in the background or a door opening or the rain. Fr. Oleksa might complete one chapter at one audio level and start another one at a completely different level. The imperfect production value doesn't detract from the stories, but if you find yourself in a car as I was, you might have to make small adjustments to the volume button.
Give this book a listen (or a read). You're going to learn something new and have something to talk about at your next parish coffee hour. St. Herman is going to be a much more three-dimensional character when his feast day comes around. Matushka Olga is going to find a place in your heart. Fr. Oleksa's articles are going to get your immediate attention when you come across them online. You might even find yourself reconsidering those advertisements for pilgrimages to Alaska that dot the calendar.
As a very dedicated audiobook listener, I was heartened to see Ancient Faith Publishing delivering some of their titles on Audible and that heartening was followed by no little delight at discovering Fr. Oleksa's "Everyday Wonders: Stories of God's Providence" an available title. I downloaded it to my phone while packing on a Saturday before I got on the road to serve the Liturgy for a small rural parish to the west of me. At three and a half hours it was the right length for me to finish before I got back home.
Much of what is popularly understood about Orthodoxy in Alaska and about the early years of its founding is simply wrong. We make assumptions about who was involved and what their motivations were in order to make a tidy, pious story of the conversion of Alaska. Fr. Oleksa almost gleefully pushes a plunger to the dynamite of those pre-packaged narratives as he recounts the historical facts and quotes the men who were actually there.
Fr. Oleksa is not one to speak in grand terms with run-on sentences where one loses sight of the subject, the verb, of even both of those things. As a pastor and professor his goal is to engage and inform where others might seek to dazzle and impress. This book is not a treatise. It's a collection of stories about God's presence in our lives and how His love is manifested in both the truly miraculous and in what we might erroneously think of as just happy coincidences. He does so by way of short stories of his life in Alaska (with side trips to seminaries, Europe, etc.) that always tell you something special about the place only a person who had actually been there would know and something about how God blesses his people even in the remotest corners of civilization.
The audio quality is much more akin to a podcast than your run-of-the-mill audiobook. I am reminded of listening to Fr. Hopko's podcasts (or as he called them "stream-of-consciousness musings") where his words might be joined with that of a bird chirping in the background or a door opening or the rain. Fr. Oleksa might complete one chapter at one audio level and start another one at a completely different level. The imperfect production value doesn't detract from the stories, but if you find yourself in a car as I was, you might have to make small adjustments to the volume button.
Give this book a listen (or a read). You're going to learn something new and have something to talk about at your next parish coffee hour. St. Herman is going to be a much more three-dimensional character when his feast day comes around. Matushka Olga is going to find a place in your heart. Fr. Oleksa's articles are going to get your immediate attention when you come across them online. You might even find yourself reconsidering those advertisements for pilgrimages to Alaska that dot the calendar.
April 30, 2019
Have you ever seen one of those photo mosaics that combine hundreds of smaller images to create a new image when viewed from a distance? If so, you are well on your way to understanding what this little book is about. Life for a person of faith is filled with happy coincidences that seem unconnected and Insignificant, like the individual photos in the mosaic. Maybe you just read an article about how to deal with a particular challenge, and then a friend approaches you with their struggle with that very thing and you feel better prepared to listen and help. Perhaps your wedding ring goes missing when you are doing the dishes, and shows up again in the most unlikely way in another room. Maybe an insurance refund check or a gift from a friend arrives just when you’ve had an unexpected expense. None of these moment rise to the exalted status of “miracle,” and, indeed, many of them could easily be dismissed as just “how life goes,” but when you take a step back and look at them all together as part of the fabric of a life oriented towards God, you can discern the hand of God in every single moment, in each “everyday wonder.”
This beautiful little memoir, written and recorded by Fr. Michael Oleksa, is a collection of moments that add up to a clear picture of God’s mercy and providence in his life, stretching across his experience as a young man with an abiding love for the native peoples of this continent and a longing to live and work among them, and later as priest in Alaska with a thriving ministry. I have had the privilege of hearing him speak in person, too, and encountering him in the book took me back to that evening, as I sat enraptured as he shared from his rich knowledge and personal history about the saints that walked Alaska and touched so many lives with their love for Christ and people, and about his experience serving there himself.
The book is worth reading if only for the account of the life of Matushka Olga Michael, whose extravagant generosity and piety have been an inspiration, and who provides so much comfort, even after her repose, to women suffering from the effects of abuse, in particular. The other stories in the book, however, are equally encouraging and hint at the miraculous intervention in the life of an unassuming priest who discovered, rather profoundly, the rewards of sacrificing his own will in service of others, and other valuable lessons, the learning of which which he retells with humor and grace.
I recommend the book as an easy read or listen. It is episodic—which makes it possible to put down for a while if need be—but also engaging and enlightnening, and rather hard to put down after all, because each story delights. I’m grateful that Fr. Michael took the time to record for us the beautiful moments of his life that can help us to see and appreciate the hand of God in our own lives.
This beautiful little memoir, written and recorded by Fr. Michael Oleksa, is a collection of moments that add up to a clear picture of God’s mercy and providence in his life, stretching across his experience as a young man with an abiding love for the native peoples of this continent and a longing to live and work among them, and later as priest in Alaska with a thriving ministry. I have had the privilege of hearing him speak in person, too, and encountering him in the book took me back to that evening, as I sat enraptured as he shared from his rich knowledge and personal history about the saints that walked Alaska and touched so many lives with their love for Christ and people, and about his experience serving there himself.
The book is worth reading if only for the account of the life of Matushka Olga Michael, whose extravagant generosity and piety have been an inspiration, and who provides so much comfort, even after her repose, to women suffering from the effects of abuse, in particular. The other stories in the book, however, are equally encouraging and hint at the miraculous intervention in the life of an unassuming priest who discovered, rather profoundly, the rewards of sacrificing his own will in service of others, and other valuable lessons, the learning of which which he retells with humor and grace.
I recommend the book as an easy read or listen. It is episodic—which makes it possible to put down for a while if need be—but also engaging and enlightnening, and rather hard to put down after all, because each story delights. I’m grateful that Fr. Michael took the time to record for us the beautiful moments of his life that can help us to see and appreciate the hand of God in our own lives.
May 1, 2019
Since becoming an American Orthodox Christian in 2012, I have been especially intrigued and inspired by the saints who braved the harsh & beautiful Alaskan wilderness to bring their ancient faith to the United States. Their resilience and dedication to me is super-heroic.
Fr. Michael Oleksa is among the ranks of those travelers called to that distant part of the United States. His book, EVERYDAY WONDERS, is a collection of stories and lessons that not only give the reader intimate and detailed glimpses into the traditional cultures of Alaskan villages, but tell of how he came to be in Alaska from ancestral roots that began across the continents. The stories Fr. Oleksa tells give the reader the sure sense that human beings are all connected and that coincidence is always more than just coincidence.
Fr. Oleksa’s stories range from explaining traditional Alaskan fare & hunting practices, to escaping death because of a painting project, to describing the robust Ethiopian celebration of Theophany and how to transport some treasured gym shoes across the ocean. Fr. Oleksa also gives some inspiring accounts of some “everyday” saints like Matushka Olga Michael who lived a simple yet faithful life of service to others. Fr. Oleksa’s stories made me laugh out loud, or just be still and thoughtful, or even audibly exclaim “No way!”
I “read” this book by listening to the audiobook edition and often would listen during bouts of insomnia in the middle of the night. EVERYDAY WONDERS would often help me get back to sleep - not because it was uninteresting or dull - but because the stories are genuinely full of faith and hope and they were calming to my over-thinking, anxious nighttime mind. The stories are told simply and are easy to follow and I often felt as if I was sitting with Fr. Oleksa in my living room just having a chat about some of his “everyday” adventures. Sometimes the quality of the audio would change but, to me, this just added to the authenticity.
This book is a fun read (or listen!) for anyone who is intrigued by “happenstance” and enjoys good storytelling. It will help any reader remember that human beings are really just a global family and that what may seem like random coincidence is really an “everyday wonder.”
Fr. Michael Oleksa is among the ranks of those travelers called to that distant part of the United States. His book, EVERYDAY WONDERS, is a collection of stories and lessons that not only give the reader intimate and detailed glimpses into the traditional cultures of Alaskan villages, but tell of how he came to be in Alaska from ancestral roots that began across the continents. The stories Fr. Oleksa tells give the reader the sure sense that human beings are all connected and that coincidence is always more than just coincidence.
Fr. Oleksa’s stories range from explaining traditional Alaskan fare & hunting practices, to escaping death because of a painting project, to describing the robust Ethiopian celebration of Theophany and how to transport some treasured gym shoes across the ocean. Fr. Oleksa also gives some inspiring accounts of some “everyday” saints like Matushka Olga Michael who lived a simple yet faithful life of service to others. Fr. Oleksa’s stories made me laugh out loud, or just be still and thoughtful, or even audibly exclaim “No way!”
I “read” this book by listening to the audiobook edition and often would listen during bouts of insomnia in the middle of the night. EVERYDAY WONDERS would often help me get back to sleep - not because it was uninteresting or dull - but because the stories are genuinely full of faith and hope and they were calming to my over-thinking, anxious nighttime mind. The stories are told simply and are easy to follow and I often felt as if I was sitting with Fr. Oleksa in my living room just having a chat about some of his “everyday” adventures. Sometimes the quality of the audio would change but, to me, this just added to the authenticity.
This book is a fun read (or listen!) for anyone who is intrigued by “happenstance” and enjoys good storytelling. It will help any reader remember that human beings are really just a global family and that what may seem like random coincidence is really an “everyday wonder.”
March 28, 2019
This was a quiet, touching, and enjoyable read. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but still lovely. I was eager to read it, and specifically to listen to the Audible version, because I have loved a long series of lectures by the author that I once had on cassette tape in the 1990s. I was hoping for much more reflections on the native peoples of Alaska. A few of the same stories from the cassette lectures appear in this book, but I expected more stories about his work and life in Alaska. About half of this book involves stories of his travels in the former Soviet Union. Many of his stories parallel some of my experiences in that part of the world, and, for that, I really enjoyed them. The chapter on Matushka Olga Michael brought me to tears. I'll definitely share this book with my family and probably revisit it again. I couldn't give it 5 stars because there are some sound quality problems with the Audible recording and, at times, the narrative is a bit disjointed, even though I think it was intended to be that way. All in all, a subtle and contemplative read about a man's fascinating and culturally-rich life, with great appreciation for the simple miracles of life.
July 22, 2021
Overall I really enjoyed reading the collection of memories of miracles which Fr Oleksa has experienced through his life. It is a lovely reminder to see the “coincidences” and “accidents” in the world rather as divine providence. He is a very soft-spoken and gentle soul throughout his whole recollection, and I really appreciated reading his detail of each miraculous event.
My only “critique” is a personal one that does not effect the integrity of the book as a whole: I was expecting it to be more of his time in Alaska and about the Alaskan Orthodox whom he has served as priest and become a member of. The first few chapters were exactly that; then suddenly he’s in Bukovina, Russia, Bulgaria, (then a mention of Matushka Olga Michael) Colorado, Uganda. It kind of threw me off. Clearly, this is because my expectation was for it to be strictly about Alaska and the everyday wonders he’s experienced there over several decades. However, he tells of everyday wonders he’s experienced across the globe.
Regardless of my misplaced expectations, there is still much to glean from what he shares!
My only “critique” is a personal one that does not effect the integrity of the book as a whole: I was expecting it to be more of his time in Alaska and about the Alaskan Orthodox whom he has served as priest and become a member of. The first few chapters were exactly that; then suddenly he’s in Bukovina, Russia, Bulgaria, (then a mention of Matushka Olga Michael) Colorado, Uganda. It kind of threw me off. Clearly, this is because my expectation was for it to be strictly about Alaska and the everyday wonders he’s experienced there over several decades. However, he tells of everyday wonders he’s experienced across the globe.
Regardless of my misplaced expectations, there is still much to glean from what he shares!
November 6, 2020
I enjoyed this book so much! It enriches both the mind and the heart. I felt as if Fr Oleska was sitting in my living room telling stories by the fire. These stories demonstrate a life in Christ, a life where God’s work is palpable.
The book is also fascinating from a cultural perspective. Hearing stories about how the Alaskan people view time and food was fascinating and thought provoking. Fr. Oleska’s attitude toward learning new things was beautiful, an example of Christian love. He also shares the shining example of Mother Olga who is venerated by some as a saint (yet to be confirmed by the Orthodox Church.)
This book is entirely appropriate for the whole family. I think I could happily listen at least twice if not more, as it’s full of beautiful lessons as well as warm and cozy feelings. Glory to God for His abundant mercy!
The book is also fascinating from a cultural perspective. Hearing stories about how the Alaskan people view time and food was fascinating and thought provoking. Fr. Oleska’s attitude toward learning new things was beautiful, an example of Christian love. He also shares the shining example of Mother Olga who is venerated by some as a saint (yet to be confirmed by the Orthodox Church.)
This book is entirely appropriate for the whole family. I think I could happily listen at least twice if not more, as it’s full of beautiful lessons as well as warm and cozy feelings. Glory to God for His abundant mercy!
April 5, 2019
This was more of an autobiographical story than I expected, but it was thoroughly enjoyable! I loved the audiobook listen, as it was read by Fr. Michael himself and there were a few times when he laughed and another time when he got chocked up from tears.... it made the stories more real. It was like we were sitting at an Orthodox event and chatting. The stories of Alaska and his trips around the world were fascinating. And, of course, the constant reminders that there are no coincidences because God is making all things work out for good was uplifting. I made my kids listen to the story about why one should always listen to Matushki! :)
December 18, 2020
This book is a blessing! Getting to hear the Reverend's story about his own experiences in Alaska, about the everyday saints he meets, and to see how God works in miraculous ways every day touched my heart... and it will yours too! It really was beautiful to see how Orthodoxy flourished amongst the native community in Alaska. It is a sweet reminder of the universality of the true faith and the power of our traditions in any day and age.
The book is very warm and personal. As you listen in wonder, to Rev., you will feel as if you are sitting across from him at a table, enjoying his tales and a good cup of coffee! A great listen for all.
The book is very warm and personal. As you listen in wonder, to Rev., you will feel as if you are sitting across from him at a table, enjoying his tales and a good cup of coffee! A great listen for all.
November 6, 2018
Fr Oleksa is a wonderful story teller who teaches you about the native Alaskans and their Russian Orthodox faith. Being married to a Yupik (Eskimo), he has a great love for the native people of the state. He also has adventures in Russia, Bulgaria and other Orthodox countries. Uplifting!
November 19, 2018
Small miracles happen every day in the lives of those who seek to know God's will. See how wonders happened in the life of such an Orthodox priest, Fr. Olelsa, committed to serve God's people in Alaska and throughout the world
June 1, 2019
This is a simple book, not pretending to be more than it is, just noticing the everyday wonders, which we all encounter. Fr Michael shared s beautiful lifetime of cross cultural everyday wonders, and his lifetime of wisdom, immersed in this cross cultural life. A simple, beautiful read.
January 3, 2021
A beautiful read on God's peovidence
Fr. Michael J Oleska weaves a wonderful narrative around every day occurences as influenced by the hand of God. He encourages one to open his eyes and see God's beauty in the seemingly mundane.
Fr. Michael J Oleska weaves a wonderful narrative around every day occurences as influenced by the hand of God. He encourages one to open his eyes and see God's beauty in the seemingly mundane.
January 16, 2025
A light read but well worth it. The stories are all from Fr. Michael Oleksa and his fascinating life, showcasing incidences and “coincidences” that were surely the Hand of God Himself. Very cute but also very informative, interesting, and edifying.
November 21, 2023
A truly inspiring account of Fr. Michael Oleska's experiences as an Orthodox Christian and later priest.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews