Seven Miracles That Saved America: Why They Matter and Why We Should Have Hope

by Chris Stewart, Ted Stewart

When the odds were stacked against us, and there have been many times when the great experiment we call America could have and should have failed, did God intervene to save us? That question, posed by authors Chris and Ted Stewart, is the foundation for this remarkable book. And the examples they cite provide compelling evidence that the hand of Providence has indeed preserved the United States of America on multiple occasions. Skillfully weaving story vignettes with historical explanations, they examine seven instances that illustrate God's protecting -The unlikely discovery of America by Christopher Columbus -How (and why) desperate English colonists were able to survive the starving time at Jamestown -The Battle of New York during the Revolutionary War -The miraculous creation of the United States Constitution -Abraham Lincoln's desperate prayer that turned the tide of the Civil War at Gettysburg -How a series of extraordinary events changed the Battle of Midway during World War II -The preservation of Ronald Reagan's life from an assassin's bullet, allowing him the time he needed to help extend freedom around the world Never, at any of these critical junctures, was a positive outcome certain or even likely. Yet America prevailed. Why? "No man is perfect," write the authors. "And neither is any nation. Yet, despite our weakness, we are still, as Abraham Lincoln said, the best nation ever given to man. Despite our faults, this nation is still the last, best hope of earth." In short, God still cares what happens here. This reassuring message is a bright light in a world that longs for such hope.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Book Club, Historical, Religion, American History, Lds

356 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Chris Stewart is a bestselling author and world-record-setting Air Force pilot whose previous military techno-thrillers have been selected by the Book of the Month Club and published in six different countries. He is the author of the highly acclaimed series The Great and Terrible, as well as A Christmas Bell for Anya, which was performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during their 2005 Christmas concert. He has also been a guest editorialist for the Detroit News, commenting on matters of military readiness and national security. He is president of The Shipley Group, a nationally recognized consulting and training company and founder of the Utah Renaissance and Leadership Center.

Reviews

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

Consider this a reader's digest version of the seven miracles. Even though I have read up on most of these events, I still learned a few nuggets:

- I had no idea the Chinese were as good at building ships as they were, and their subsequent idea to abandon it is remarkable. This is something I'll be looking to read more about.
- How incredibly close the Jamestown settlement came to being abandonded -- I never knew the severity of the situation.
- How much grief Abraham Lincoln got during his presidency and how much his cabinet was against him. We've all read about him, but apparently I need to read some more.
- Although they covered one moment of the American Revolution, you really need to read the book "1776" to understand that pretty much the whole revolution was a miracle.

I liked how the historical discussion was broken up mini-stories (basically placing people within the events that were happening, something Chris Stewart is very good at).

I don't know that this book would convice an atheist there is a God that protected America with divine guidance, but it sure should give someone pause when they realize how lucky we are and that if things went different at a couple of key moments in time that this country would be very different.

[Teri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I didn't actually read this book. In fact I didn't even make it past page 10 but I think I had just cause.
The premise of the book is, in their words, to show that the USA "is a divinely appointed nation with a special place and purpose in this world." In the intro the authors talk about how we are the best of the best, brilliant and blessed. I'm intrigued, then I hit page 6, "Parts of these stories will be told in a historically accurate context portrayed fictionally through the eyes of certain participants."
So what they are saying is, "you're the 'best' but you're too stupid to follow an actual historical narrative therefore we will employ the 'historical fiction' format to help out." Am I wrong here? On page ten they quote George Washington and follow it with, "Simply stated", and restate the quote in simpler terms for us brilliant ones. Are you feeling confident yet?
I think I am finished ranting now, thanks for listening.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a neat book! I’m grateful for America. I’m grateful for God and His miracles. I think there are many miracles that could have been written about. God will accomplish His work. I wonder if something else could have happened to preserve American in these instances had these miracles not happened, but I think these are seven very special events:
• The miracle of Christopher Columbus and the discovery of the New World – it’s a miracle the Chinese didn’t discover America first and that Columbus ended up in Portugal and was prepared and optimistic and unflinching in his quest
• The miracle at Jamestown – it’s a miracle that despite all the trials the colonists stayed
• The miracle of a summer fog – it’s a miracle that General Washington and his men (greatly outnumbered and under prepared) were hidden by an unusual August fog in 1776 while moving a great army to escape, a turning point in the Revolutionary War
• The miracle of our constitution – it’s a miracle that men with different perspectives and backgrounds came together in compromise to create a document that has stood through many years and conflicts, preserving freedom and government by the people
• The miracle of Abraham Lincoln and the Battle of Gettysburg – it’s a miracle that Abraham Lincoln had the courage and faith to lead and trust in God in desperate times to preserve the union and further establish freedom during a key turning point in the Civil War
• The miracle at Midway – it’s a miracle that again in dire circumstances a group of men in the middle of the Pacific were guided in their work to protect a small island from the Japanese that ultimately turned the fate of the war
• The miracle of a fraction of an inch – it’s a miracle that Ronald Reagan’s life was preserved so that he could use his unique talents and abilities to build the necessary relationships and courageously stand up against communism to end the Cold War

In each of these instances America and all that it stood for – freedom, liberty, unity, and faith – were preserved by divine intervention. It’s wonderful to consider God’s hand in our lives and the important events in our country and world. He cares. He watches out and His works will be accomplished. I’m grateful for His watchful care and pray that we continue to be preserved as good men stand up for right and listen to and follow Him.

Here are a few neat quotes from the book:

“In the beginning of the contest G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection—Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered…I have lived, sire, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs the affairs of men (p. 7, Benjamin Franklin).”

“Almighty God: our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity….They will need Thy blessings….and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph….With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy….They will be done, Almighty God (p. 12, FDR).”

“And if God provided miracles to ensure our survival in the past, would He choose to desert us now (p. 14)?”

“I have studied all kinds of texts: cosmography, histories, chronicles, philosophy, and other disciplines. Through these writings, the hand of Our Lord opened my mind to the possibility of sailing to the Indies and gave me the will to attempt the voyage….Who could doubt that this flash of understanding was the work of the Holy Spirit…? The Holy Spirit illuminated his holy and sacred Scripture, encouraging me in a very strong and clear voice…urging me to proceed. Continually, without ceasing a moment, they insisted that I go on (p. 33, Christopher Columbus).”

“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself (p. 147, James Madison).”

“I have felt His hand upon me in great trials and submitted to His guidance, and I trust that as He shall further open the way I will be ready to walk therein, relying on His help and trusting in His goodness and wisdom (p. 180, Abraham Lincoln).”

“Never before had I prayed with so much earnestness. I wish I could repeat my prayer. I felt I must put all my trust in Almighty God. He gave our people the best country ever given to man. He alone could save it from destruction. I had tried my best to do my duty and had found myself unequal to the task. The burden was more than I could bear. I asked Him to help us and give us victory now. I was sure my prayer was answered. I had no misgivings about the result at Gettysburg (p. 190, Abraham Lincoln).”

“There is a serene Providence which rules the fate of nations….It makes its own instruments, creates the man for the time, trains him in poverty, inspires his genius, and arms him for the task (p. 263, Ralph Waldo Emerson).”

“What I am describing now is a plan and a hope for the long term—the march of freedom and democracy which will leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash heap of history as it has left other tyrannies which stifle the freedom and muzzle the self-expression of the people….I have often wondered about the shyness of some of us in the West about standing for these ideals that have done so much to ease the plight of man and the hardships of our imperfect world….Let us now begin a major effort to secure the best—a crusade for freedom that will engage the faith and fortitude of the next generation….let us move toward a world in which all people are at last free to determine their own destiny (p. 264, Ronald Reagan).”

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just could not get into this book. First off, the entire book is based on the premise that America is better than everywhere else; while I agree that America is a blessed nation, I don't feel like we're that much cooler than everyone else. The author's seem to correlate a belief in God with why those who founded and helped our country along throughout history as being exceptional. While I can buy that men like the Founder Fathers and Abraham Lincoln were helped out by God, it's hard for me to see how a belief in God made them any greater than others.

The author's also make statements like these (speaking of Christopher Columbus): "On the one hand he is afforded a national holiday. On the other, he is viewed as the raper and destroyer of a paradise. The passion with which his detractors assault Columbus often clouds an honest examination of the man."

I would like to add that the passion with which people defend Christopher Columbus (which the author's do vehemently) often clouds an honest examination. Columbus discovered great things. He also destroyed entire nations of Native Americans. You can't take that stuff lightly.

Speaking of America, the authors go through chapters on Columbus, Jamestown, and half way through a chapter about the creation of the Constitution before they even mention slavery. For something that is such a foundational part of our nation's growth and development through it's first 250 years, to mention it in passing is not really appropriate.

Lastly, the authors tell the story with a mix of historical writing (for which footnotes are barely used, I might add), and first person narrative. I felt it was very jarring to be reading from our modern day prospective, and then suddenly get thrown back into Abraham Lincoln's head. And they aren't very good at first person narration, often using modern day phrases that really puts me off when reading historical fiction.

In short, life is too short to be reading stuff like this. I wouldn't waste my time.

[Natalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I HATED this book!!!! There are very few books that fall in this category but the methodology used to prove his thesis is heavily flawed, including many fictional accounts purported to prove his point. While I love America and believe in many miracles associated with this country, which he does include (the fog rolling in just in time to save American forces during the Revolutionary War Battle of New York), many of their miracles were exaggerated to sound much more miraculous that necessary. Which I don't understand when there are so many that don't require exaggeration (The Union winning the Civil War??? Lewis and Clark traveling to the Pacific and back safely?? The 9/11 plane that went down in Pennsylvania instead of the White House or Capitol???? etc.) I could go on, but just thinking about this book is making me angry.

[Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

*Dramatizations... really? That belongs in a screen play not a history book. If you can't make your actually historical analyist compelling enough it's time to make it into a documentary on the BYU channel.

*The tone of this book really reminds me of the Rameumptom stone and the Zoramites. "We know that we are blessed and will always be blessed and we are better than everyone else."

*The authors are judging the historical persons with the standards and motivations of today. Some of their quotes are out of context, and the historical facts that they present a slightly slanted to appeal to the bias of an LDS audience.

*I want to like it, but the writing and the conclusions are subpar and it's driving me nuts. However I'm also compelled to finish this... just so that I can argue with the authors and work myself into a snit.

*America is the most generous and most religious country but don't worry because God bargained with Abraham to save Sodom if there were only 10 righteous in the city. That was the closing argument... My closing argument is that the Nephites were the chosen people in the chosen land and they still got destroyed time and again when they upped their pride and decreased their faithfulness. This book is more in keeping with the increase in pride and not righteousness.

Better books to read about the historical events portrayed here. 1776, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, and His Excellency: George Washington. There have been several Ronald Reagan biographies pushed recently. I haven't read one yet to recommend it but it's got to be better than this.

[Libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saying that I read this book, is sort of an overstatement-- I read the intro and the first 2.5 chapters (I think there are 7). I think these authors would write a much more compelling historical fiction novel, than a "persuasive" non-fiction. I felt a lot like I was being sold a used car when I read the persuasive text and felt that the arguments were very repetitive, but I found the non-fiction portions to be exciting and vivid. I was very turned off by the ethnocentric premise (perhaps they should have worded it differently so as not to sound so self-righteous?) I get the feeling that the authors are trying to convince people of the existence of God, based on some miracles that made the US what it is today, which I also find annoying. I know a lot of people find this to be inspirational, maybe I'm just too cold-hearted or government hating to be able to get much from this.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow. This was a great book. Changed how I see everything about America. And gave me so much more appreciation for those who fought for freedom and for this land that God has protected for us. Some of the context was hard for me to get through because it was more advanced than most books I read leisurely . But it was awesome. A friend mentioned that she reads the children's book version to her kids on the 4th of july and that the "adult version" (this one) is a must read too. So I got both books and thought I would give it a try. Once the book came I realized that I already owned it, because it was one of the required readings for my BYU american heritage course. I didn't read much of it then and decided that it was time. I'm so glad I did. I will be sharing these stories with my children. Such a great read. I recommend it to everyone.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved listening to this. I love how hopeful it was, and not just wishful, America-always-pulls-through hopeful. It was a very inspiring reminder that God still cares about this nation, and that there are many, many good people still in this nation.

It was very interesting to me to learn more about the history involved with each of these seven "miracles". I really enjoyed the blend of nonfiction/historical fiction that helped bring it to life more.

A very uplifting read. There is undeniably a lot that is very, very wrong in our country today. But it's important to keep hope, and to remember our extraordinary history.

[George · Rating 1 out of 5]

To me this is a fiction book posing as a nonfiction one. The author chooses seven events in world and U.S. history to support his premise that "When the odds were stacked against us - and there have been many times when the great experiment we call America could and should have failed - did God intervene to save us?" The author feels that the U.S. has developed because of Divine purpose and oversight.

I feel there is a lot of fiction to this as the authors creates conversations and character feelings that are not taken from historical record, but they are used by the authors to bolster their premise.

[Amber Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I really enjoyed this. The FACTS were incredible to read and learn about and the whole premise of the book was good, uplifting and hopeful.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess I never thought about the details of our country. This book was fascinating! I love the background and allllll the details. A Great Read!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has always liked history, I particularly enjoyed the book Seven Miracles that Saved America. In this book, the authors state, “Despite our faults, [America:] is still the last, best hope of earth.”

As an title to the book suggests, the writers discuss seven separate events that were pivotal to the creation and sustaining of America. Many times the odds were against the United States of America succeeding. However, certain fortuitous events seemed to occur at the right times. Examples of these included incidents such as winds changing at the right moments, freak fogs arising during the summer, battle plans going exactly wrong (but in the order they needed to for success), and supplies showing up at the right times.

The authors argue that God does indeed care about America and wants the ideas of this nation to succeed. Below are a couple of thoughts that came to me while reading this book:

1.“By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.”

I thought about this throughout the book. None of the seven miracles mentioned in this book are of the “Daniel in the Lion’s Den” or “water to wine” variety. Instead, they are the “being at the right place at the right time,” “putting extra fuel in the airplane,” or “wind-changing” type miracles. Instead of being big production, in-your-face miracles, they consist of a series of small events that happened in the order needed for the miraculous outcome.

Most of these events discussed in the book wouldn’t even be considered miraculous at the time of the event. It is only with the benefit of the big picture that a particular miracle becomes evident. How many times does that happen in our own lives? How many times does a series of small events in our lives turn out to be miraculous and we miss it? Do we miss it because we are too close to the event or because we just don’t see that God is in our lives?

We most assuredly miss these miracles in our lives without stepping back and seeing the big picture. It means that we must find a place and time to ponder and think upon the things of God and of eternity. As Latter-day Saints, an excellent example of a place that provides us with such a time and place is inside of our holy temples.

2. Personal responsibility matters.


In the “Final Thought” part of the book, the authors relate the story in Genesis about Abraham bargaining with god over the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. In this passage, God says, “I will not destroy it for ten’s sake” (18:32).

If that is true, maybe we need not worry so much about our country and our people and whether our society has become too wicked, for surely there are a few wicked among us. Instead, maybe we need to concentrate on our own lives, our own goodness, our own families. Are we one of the fifty? One of the ten? Are we, those of us who still believe, living our lives in such a way that we could convince God to save our nation if only for the few? (294, Italics in original)

In the end, it doesn’t matter as much what everyone else is doing. Our personal decisions and actions matter most. This gives me hope, because I see good people every day. I see people doing their best, being honest and serving each other. Even with all of the wickedness in the world, there are good people all around us.

As a side note, the story I enjoyed most in the book was the Battle of Midway.

In conclusion, I agree with the authors who stated, “No man is perfect, and neither is any nation. Yet, despite our weakness, we are still, as Abraham Lincoln said, the best nation ever given to man.”

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is so nice to read something that is positive about America. I am grateful to be an American which to me means something more than just being born here. I get tired of the slam America crowd and their claims that we are only prosperous because we have taken from others or somehow cheated to prosper. We prosper because we are free to prosper. We have that freedom because of God. One of the great lessons of America is not that we should be ashamed of our success but that there is enough success for all. I believe most Americans are good, kind, caring, generous, hard-working people. We are not that way because we are forced to be,but because we choose to be. We choose to be because we believe in what our founding fathers meant when they talked about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our history is filled with examples of ordinary, everyday people making extraordinary sacrifices to protect and defend this country, our freedom and that of our friends. I loved the stories and details of the seven miracles in this book. I liked that the Stewarts could share these things without the rose-colored glasses approach or the apologize for existing approach. I don't believe that we need to apologize because we are a powerful, prosperous nation. I think we should be grateful for what we have been given and I enjoyed the examples that were shared in this book. I love the enthusiasm that moved the book along. It was a great read.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an inspiring review of key events where only divine intervention can explain how America overcame the challenge. This book examines the hand of God in the making and keeping of America. Begins with the miracle of Christopher Columbus discovering American, success of the James Town Colony, and the first fateful battle of the Revolution, then on to the Constitution and the Battle of Gettysburg. The Battle of Midway in the Pacific was all news to me, and the surprise at the end, Reagan surviving an assassination attempt, also surprised me. Overall, this book deepened my pride and gratitude for the country in which I live. Did you know that 3/4 of Americans are proud to be Americans and believe in American exceptionalism? More than any other country in the world. Conclusion: the authors convinced me that America is a land prized above any other, with a key role in the world to spread democracy and the Christian principles of the English Enlightenment, namely, the right of the individual, that a gov't exists by the choice of the people, liberty is the right of the individual, a belief in meritocracy--that we are judged by our individual efforts and not our lineage, a belief that there can be no public virtue w/o private morality, and a commitment to social integration for individuals from various racial, religious, and ethnic groups. God bless America.

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need a hug. History hurts my brain with all its dates and details. Some reviewers complained about the switching from non-fiction to fiction, but I'm not sure I didn't like it. Some of the stories came when my mind needed a break from the numbers.



The book answered a lot of questions, and raised a few. Very thought provoking. It explained why the Constitution stated that all men are created equal, yet didn't abolish the practice of slavery. It did not answer why Washington didn't free his slaves until after his death, and I still want a reasonable explanation. I've seen the slave quarters at Mt. Vernon. Yes, they're nice, but the folks were still his purchased property.



My favorite miracle was the war at Gettysburg. I now want to read everything on Abraham Lincoln. He seemed as much like an apostle as he was a president.



All in all, I recommend it. Throughout, I had an urge to run to the nearest mountain top and belt Lee Greenwood's "I'm Proud to Be a American." I wouldn't buy the book, but now I'll have to because I spilled a ginormous cup of water and soaked the life out of it.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad put me onto this one. A great book with several exceptional stories from American history that made me feel great to be an American. I feel like I had decent history teachers in public school, but just hearing the facts without any stories didn't let them stick very well. I won't be forgetting these stories any time soon.

You could complain that all of these stories are highly biased toward pro-American values. The only way to really know would be to read more histories and even then we can't truly know everything that happened in the past beyond a shadow of a doubt. I like these stories though because they inspire me to make a difference for good in the world during my short time on Earth. I would ask, does a book leave you wanted to make a change in your life for the better. It seems to me that that is the best measure of a good book.

[Sherrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do believe in these miracles. I believe that heavenly father cares about our country and he made things happen so that America could exist. The thing that has troubled me is whether we are still worthy of that concern. My favorite chapter was the last one where they addressed this thought. I look at the moral decay and the choices the voters make. Are we saying abortion is fine? Do we believe marriage is no longer between a man and a woman? Still they point out that like when Abraham petitioned God that if there were save 50 good people in the land would he still destroy it, that there are still so many good people in this land. It still is the promised land and there is still a spirit in America that is worth God's intervention.

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely outstanding. This should be required reading in every high school and college since far too many young people are totally ignorant of these events and of American history, in general. Liberals have taken over public education and are dumbing down our kids with Common Core and Liberal revisionist "history." That's exactly why our family switched to homeschool this year. My kids listened to the audio book of this with me and it was the first time they'd heard about any of these events. Altogether one of the best books I've ever read.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lately the political situation in this country has caused a lot of depression and discouragement. This book is a breath of fresh air and brings hope and gratitude for our wonderful country. As Abraham Lincoln declared, America is the "last, best hope of earth." This book is a great mini-review of American history, reminding me of great events in our country's history as well as the fact that God cares about us. I highly recommend this book!

[Julenew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed this book. I savored it. I took my time with it, because I knew there were only so many chapters and then it would be over. So when the news of the day was particularly distressing, and I couldn't see anything to continue to fight for, I'd get out this little volume and treat myself to another miracle. I invariably came away with my sense of calm and inner peace restored, and a new faith in tomorrow.

[Susan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because I believe in the same premise as the authors (that America is the best country on earth and established and preserved by God), I enjoyed this book. One thing that kept me from giving it five stars is that I thought there was too much historical fiction. They should have stuck with facts, or at least reduced the amount of historical fiction.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It gave me hope that everything that is currently going on in our country will get better. It may take a while and it might get harder, but I am convinced our Heavenly Father wants this country to succeed. The constitution may someday hang by a thread, but it will not go away. There is still hope.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Full of historical facts that I did not know before about our history, and the Lord's hand in it. I love Chris Stewart's writing style and knowledge. If you like history, this is a good choice.

[Trudy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book and hugged it when I finished it! It reminded me of God's miracles in our history and how blessed I am to live in this great country! I think every American should read it!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books about America, and this one was wonderful! sometimes non-fiction is slow to get through but this book was so interesting and that I breezed right through it. Great book!

[CynthyB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book revealing the hand of Providence in the miraculous circumstances and events that helped insure the creation and preservation of the land of America as a chosen land--a land of liberty.

[Preston Kramer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extreme manifest destiny fantasy. Demonization of native Americans. The whole thing is problematic to say the least

[KC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Following my reading of 1776, where I noted several instances where the people of the time ascribed their good fortune in the war to divine providence, I thought I would dive right in with a book that makes no bones about claiming the United States—particularly American exceptionalism—is squarely God’s doing.

In this book, seven main episodes are told, each one highlighting the highly improbable sequence of events and conditions that enabled the outcomes to come forth as they did, with a discussion of the influence that each of these outcomes eventually had not only on the US but on the world. The episodes are (1) Christopher Columbus launching from the Spanish-held canary islands as a key factor in having the Americas colonized by Christians (2) The Jamestown colony serendipity running into their supply ships on the open ocean while they were literally giving up and going home, saving a British presence in America, (3) A heavy fog that enabled George Washington's troops to successfully retreat at the Battle of Brooklyn, keeping the revolution alive, (4) the United States Constitution, ratified against all odds, that set up a new model of governing liberty, (5) Abraham Lincoln’s prayerfulness prior to the pivotal battle of Gettysburg, (6) the odds-defying factors that lead to a victory at the WWII battle of Midway, tipping the scales of the war, and (7) Ronald Reagan narrowly surviving an assassination attempt, leading him to bring a close to the saga of soviet communism.

Each one does, in fact, involve very unlikely scenarios, and each was influential in bringing out American geopolitical dominance and cultural prominence. The themes of freedom and liberty continually emerge, and are captured in this quote:

“God cares about liberty. He cares that men have free will and be allowed to exercise self-determination. And he desires this for all of His children, not just for those in this nation. It has always been so and will always be so.”

It follows then, the authors would have us believe, that the improbable events that produced the outcomes of American-driven liberty MUST, therefore, be the product of God's work. It is an appealing thought, but unfortunately, this book makes no effort to discuss the fact that God “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matt 5:45)
Improbable things happen all the time. It is problematic to ascribe to God those that lead to desirable outcomes while dismissing all the rest. Take, for example, Adolf Hitler, who at four years old, fell into the icy River Passau, and nearly drown. He was saved by a courageous passer-by, and his spared life was critical in the rise of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party. Was this a miracle that saved the Third Reich? If the criteria are simply (1) improbability and (2) ultimate influence, then yes. Was it a miracle at all? That an (at the time) innocent 4-year-old life was spared, it could reasonably be argued yes. But no one in their right mind is going to ascribe Hitler's rise as the ordained will of God.

I do believe that the hand of God was present in the founding and progress of America, but I cannot say in what ways. The authors here are much more confident than me in this regard, but I believe this book could have benefited from a far more rigorous framework for determining the qualifications for a miracle. Especially when emphasizing the importance of free-will, it would seem that the hand of God must be stayed on occasions where the actions of the relevant agents determine various outcomes. Otherwise, the freedom and liberty celebrated in this book is merely an illusion.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating 4.5
This is a deep dive into history with a focus on events that occurred that had a large effect on American history. Many seemed miraculous or as if a Greater Power was exerting an influence to save America when its' destiny seemed compromised. The book has a lot of detail of history and I enjoyed reviewing it and the sequence of events that occurred to create the "miracles." I found the book comforting in that perhaps there is someone watching over my country with a plan I don't always understand. I found this made a good bookclub book and AI will even help you generate some discussion questions.

Summary:
When the odds were stacked against us, and there have been many times when the great experiment we call America could have and should have failed, did God intervene to save us?That question, posed by authors Chris and Ted Stewart, is the foundation for this remarkable book. And the examples they cite provide compelling evidence that the hand of Providence has indeed preserved the United States of America on multiple occasions. Skillfully weaving story vignettes with historical explanations, they examine seven instances that illustrate God's protecting care. Never, at any of these critical junctures, was a positive outcome certain or even likely. Yet America prevailed. Why? No man is perfect, write the authors. And neither is any nation. Yet, despite our weakness, we are still, as Abraham Lincoln said, the best nation ever given to man. Despite our faults, this nation is still the last, best hope of earth. In short, God still cares what happens here. This reassuring message is a bright light in a world that longs for such hope