The 'Craziest,' God-Ordained Real-Life Miracles That This Author Says Will 'Blow Peoples' Minds

Author Eric Metaxas says that his new book features stories that will "blow peoples' minds," while inspiring and encouraging readers "to be more open to the miraculous."

Metaxas, a New York Times bestselling author, public speaker, TV personality and founder of the Socrates in the City forum, recently released his latest book, "Miracles: What They Are, Why They Happen, and How They Can Change Your Life."

He described some of the awe-inspiring, real-life miracles he covers in the text in an appearance on the Freefall podcast this week.

"I want this idea to break into the mainstream. This is not a Christian idea, it's not a religious idea," he said of miracles. "We're talking about the nature of reality."

Listening to the fascinating interview below:

Metaxas, who noted that "one person's miracle is another person's coincidence," specifically defined miracles as being large-scale events and occurrences that are, by all accounts, unexplainable.

"When I'm talking about the miracle, I'm talking about something like the parting of the Red Sea, when you don't say, 'Well, it could have been a coincidence,'" Metaxas said. "A real miracle is when something outside of time and space — outside of the world and nature … comes into the material world and does something."

Other examples would be the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead four days after he perished — a story recounted in the Book of John — or a person who is blind praying and miraculously regaining his or her sight.

Metaxas added that the existence of the universe, in itself, is also quite miraculous.

"My conclusion is that the existence of the universe — this is based on science, not based on theology not based on my feelings — the existence of the universe is a miracle that makes the parting of the Red Sea look like a joke," he said. "Physicists have had their atheism deeply shaken when they start looking at how incredibly fine-tuned things had to be for the universe to come into existence."

Metaxas added that, contrary to what some claim, science and religion are entirely compatible, telling TheBlaze that "we should laugh at people" who claim otherwise.

The author explained that he spends the second part of "Miracles" sharing real-life stories from people he knows and respects — seemingly inexplicable events and phenomena.

The "craziest" story in the book, he said, is from a friend who recounted a dangerous situation that she found herself in as a young teenager.

While on a walk with some friends, she reached an overpass that was blocked by construction. Her friends said that they simply needed to hop a fence to get across the highway, so they catapulted Metaxas' friend into the air over the barrier.

But there was one major problem: the group didn't realize that traffic was raging on the other side of the fence.

"They throw her over the fence … she says … as she came over the top of the fence, she saw there was nothing between her and the highway and roaring trucks … as she is falling, she screams 'Jesus,'" he said. "Within a millisecond, she felt two arms pick her up, carry her over the fence and put her down like she landed with a parachute."

Her friends, who were standing nearby where she landed, were terrified; their faces turned white and they screamed before running away. To this day, the woman believes that she was miraculously saved.

In addition to stories like this, Metaxas also touched upon atheist activists like Richard Dawkins, claiming that he believes there is a "lack of open-mindedness" and a level of intolerance among them.

"What I say is that people who are skeptics like Dawkins — to be as skeptical as he is — I find there's a real intolerance and a lack of open-mindedness," Metaxas said. "If you have to put that much emotion and nastiness into it, it tells me the arguments are not on your side, the evidence is not on your side."

The author called upon people with all theological perspectives to remain open to listening and having respectful dialogue.

As for "Miracles," he said the book is for two key audiences: those who are on the fence and have many questions, but who remain open to the notion of miracles and the Almighty — and those who sometimes too loosely assume that everything they encounter is a miracle.

Metaxas said that the latter group needs to "ask some of the questions that the skeptics are asking" to ensure that they are truly embracing miraculous events and not sloppily including every benign occurrence in the fold.