Miracles A Memoir

By Mike Luchtenburg

Embark on a transformative journey through the miraculous, culminating at the deathbed of a little girl… who will never die.

Now God invites YOU to embrace a deeper calling—living in the miraculous.

This is not just one man's story—it's a living invitation to walk in wonder with God. With honesty, humor, and holy curiosity, Mike Luchtenburg walks us through moments that defy logic and explanations: a boy floating down the stairs, a burn vanishing beneath a prayer, an angel in a cornfield, and divine encounters that shake the walls of doubt and fear.

"God, are miracles for today?"

Mike Luchtenburg is a speaker and storyteller who helps people recognize God's presence in everyday life. Drawing from his passion for motivation, leadership, and connection, he shares messages that inspire hope, ignite faith, and speak to the ongoing journey of walking with God.  Having lived and worked in four countries, serving in international economic development, pastoral ministry, and executive leadership in a Wall Street firm, Mike's diverse experiences have shaped his unique perspective—one that brings depth, compassion, and clarity to his work.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mike Luchtenburg
• Release date: Aug 1, 2025
• ISBN: 9798231519576

Mike Luchtenburg

Mike Luchtenburg is a speaker and storyteller who helps people recognize God's presence in everyday life. Drawing from his passion for motivation, leadership, and connection, he shares messages that inspire hope, ignite faith, and speak to the ongoing journey of walking with God.  Over the years, he has written on subjects ranging from business leadership and ethics to practical empowerment for the poor or disenfranchised of societies.  Whether lecturing on business finance at California State University or bringing humor and challenge from the pulpits of churches across the USA and Canada, Mike has sought to empower people to "Choose Joy".      Having lived in four countries, serving in international economic development, pastoral ministry, and executive leadership in a Wall Street firm, Mike's diverse experiences have shaped his unique perspective—one that brings depth, compassion, and commonsense clarity.    Mike is a husband, father, grandfather, and a "favorite Uncle". When he gets a chance to tee it up, a good golf course is his sanctuary.

Book preview

Miracles A Memoir

Mike Luchtenburg

Published by Mike Luchtenburg, 2025.

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

MIRACLES A MEMOIR

First edition. August 1, 2025.

Copyright © 2025 Mike Luchtenburg.

Written by Mike Luchtenburg.

Miracles: A Memoir

God’s Invitation -

Your Deeper Call!

By Mike Luchtenburg

Copyright © 2025  by  Mike Luchtenburg

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transferred without written permission from the author.

ISBN    979-8-9991967-0-5

Published by TKC Press

TKCpress.com

Cover Design    Jessica Luchtenburg

Printed in the United States of America

First Edition:  August 2025

The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation.  They say that God became Man.  Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this.

— C.S. Lewis, Miracles

Acknowledgements

A special thank you to those who, for decades, listened to my stories and encouraged me to both write and bring meaning to the journey.  For their inspiration and participation, I offer heartfelt thanks to Kathy, Michelle, Danielle, David Mark, Jessica, and Andy. 

A special acknowledgement to my friend of over 50 years, Dave Findling.  What we started so long ago lives on in brotherhood.  Your vision of what this work could be made the difference. 

Table of Contents

Part I  Foundation

Miracles!

To Float with Angels

A Seat at the Table

Stanley & Oliver

Part II  Charismania

A Bizarre Journey Begins

Plantar Warts and All

The Call – An Acapulco Market

The Miracles at JoJo’s

TCU or Bust!

The Angel in the Cornfield

Part III  Skip to the End

The Engagement

Go East, Young Man!

No Going Back

Bruce and the Ray of Sunshine

Little Vicky

Now it Gets Fun!

Addendum: For the Joy of It6

Part I  Foundation

Welcome!!!

Do you realize there are people in this world who skip reading introductions? I know—inconceivable. In fact, it has been reported that some individuals read the last chapter of a mystery novel before the rest of the book. The result? What could have been an engaging thrill of a fantastic journey is reduced to a mere intellectual exercise. For such readers, time merely passes rather than being carried away into timelessness.

I know that’s not you.

So please, take a moment before the adventures begin to understand the context of all that unfolds.

I love stories of all kinds. They have the power to ignite imagination, touch the heart, motivate action, and challenge us to find purpose. Simply put, stories move us. The weaving of words to engage the heart, mind, and soul has always been dear to me—whether it was reading the Hardy Boys mystery novels in my childhood, studying the great philosophers, scientists, historians, humorists, novelists, or enjoying the standard by which all cultures can be understood: the Sunday comic strips.

The stories that comprise this book—and the miracles, as some might call them—are all true. Some names have been changed to protect privacy where I deemed appropriate. Enjoy this journey as it builds from simple, childlike experiences to the utter rapture of having glimpsed the moving of the Almighty.

For decades, people have encouraged me to write my story. I resisted for a couple of reasons. It struck me as pretentious to think of it as my story. Really? I have many stories, pretty good ones by some accounts, but not a life so grand as to think in expansive literary terms as my story.

Let’s be honest: we all consider our lives the norm. No, that’s not quite right. Most of us don’t think such thoughts; we assume them. They are an embedded part of our self-image. From that foundation, we move forward in society, with most people accepting us as normal.

We each have our own worldview and perspective by which we evaluate the surrounding reality. And wouldn’t you just know it? We find ourselves at the center of the norm. We define the bell curve of our reality. We grade ourselves on our own curve. We discover that all of life is basically one standard deviation to the right or left of us. We give and take in normal conversation, telling our stories, hearing theirs.

Well, no. We are often preparing to tell our next story while only half-listening to theirs.

All this to say: it’s just my life. My common daily, monthly, breath-in and breath-out reality. Please, let me be remembered for feats of bravery or kindness, for the brilliance of papers written or sermons preached, for raising amazing children, and for being a partner who understood hesed (Hebrew for steadfast love or loyal love). Okay, the kids and partner thing worked out. Still, those daily breaths of living each moment with God will make a lasting ripple in the world.

In junior high and high school, I began to differentiate myself as Mike—the individual, the athlete, the scholar, the activist, the Christian. Before that, I was simply a member of whatever tribe I found myself. If it were the neighborhood, then I was the friend and child who played his role. If it were grade school, I would probably be third out of five in the social pecking order as one of only five boys in the class.

In high school, I began to recognize that I was different, noticing that others believed about life, faith, and society differently than I did. See the subtlety of my words? They believed differently than I, not that I believed differently than they. I was the center of my world, as they were of theirs.

I chose to embrace my uniqueness, which was entwined with my faith in Jesus Christ. It was just me, Mike—a Christ-follower. Not shying away from that seemed to make a difference.

Admittedly, I was also naïve, sheltered, out of touch, and a bit prideful—but I owned it. And my classmates accepted me for that authenticity, even if it sometimes came with a roll of their eyes. These were and are really good people. And through interaction with them, I learned of my not the norm experience with living.

The grandson of Dutch immigrants—the plumber’s son—would have a life story touched by the Divine.

Idyllic

A word that both delights one’s spirit with its mere utterance and also describes my childhood. Simply speaking the word aloud brings a warmth from within, a gentle smile, a deep hope for—or memory of—a more perfect time.

Nowadays, bits and bytes run our lives, where digital and online keep us tethered, where streaming no longer holds the image of a gentle, trout-filled brook. In our chaotic, hurried pace, our souls cry for significance and purpose. And the word idyllic stands.

It stands against the swirling chaos. Oft forgotten. Not dared to be embraced, for fear of being let down. For what in our lives today could ever measure up to such a proud pedigree as being worthy of the term idyllic?

The word idyllic resides in the distant recesses of our minds, revealing a longing for peace and for security, all wrapped up in a child’s giggle. Can we remember marveling at Norman Rockwell's paintings, defining Americana for generations? Do you want to smile today? Then put those bits, bytes, and online tools to use and look up Rockwell’s paintings. Spend a few minutes with their stories, as their playful innocence captures your soul.

I remember a moment in my life—buffeted by corporate politics, attacked from without, and betrayed from within—I aimlessly wandered into a Thomas Kinkade gallery in our local mall. And there I engaged for the first time, The Painter of Light, as he was called. Kinkade’s work realigned my spirit. The paintings collectively spoke forth of something more grounded and wholesome than I was experiencing.

And finally, I stood before a large canvas entitled Light of Peace. And this hardened executive—with staff, budgets, and quarterly reports all weighing on him—simply stood there, openly, publicly, and without shame, allowing the tears to flow unimpeded. To this day, I’m sure the salesperson in the gallery is still questioning how she missed such an obvious sale to the weeping suit. But I was transfixed, transported even, to a place of an idyllic center.

This is a book of miracles. Real miracles. The actual kind that makes the room stand still with a hushed wow, and the everyday kind for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear when God breaks through time and space to be Very Present. I have found that when God is Very Present, He is also the very present—or gift—that I needed in that moment.

I invite you on a journey—one that is filled with hope. It is one that is idyllic from start to finish, because the God of redemption and miracle was acting center stage in all that is described. Enter the flow of the stories. Embrace the God who acts, sometimes leads by choosing not to act, and always brings His good into our real-life situations.

Granted, it doesn’t mean we always understand at the time.

This writing is a memoir, an autobiography with a higher purpose. As such, I feel self-conscious with the focus on me and I but that seems to come with the territory.  I trust you’ll understand and be gracious. 

I also have to walk a fine line in handling the subject matter, lest it be misunderstood.  The Lord Almighty is above all things and can in no way be manipulated.  There is a purity, a simplicity, when God does a miracle.  It is filled with love. That said, God is looking for you, your participation, your deeper call in His miraculous doings.

Within the pages of this writing, I’ll encourage you to take action or become quiet so that you might become engaged with what God is already doing.  He is already moving.  The Holy Spirit is changing lives and is involved in your world.  This isn’t a self-help book: follow these seven steps to your miracles, your way.  I did have one person in Mexico ask me, Señor Miguel, how do I get God to do what I want?  Got to give him credit, he was upfront and honest about it!  What the Heavenly Father does instruct us to do: Don’t be anxious about anything…but with thanksgiving present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

What I seek to convey in Miracles: A Memoir is the deep, unshakable hope and peace that come from a relationship with Jesus Christ. Throughout your reading, you’ll learn that miracles are not just extraordinary events—they are the presence and power of God in our lives, transforming us. Faith, however small, opens the door to God's miraculous work in your life.  His peace surpasses all understanding, even in the face of life's most significant challenges.

This message of hope, faith, and the ever-present love of God is for you, the foundation for all the miraculous moments in YOUR story.

An added note of context: these stories start small, fun, and child-focused. This is because I started as a small, fun child. It seems that as I matured and grew, the need for greater miracles grew with me. Keep on reading and grow with me! Allow the stories—and perhaps God Himself—to offer application to your own journey.

Jesus called a little child to his side and set him on his feet in the middle of them all. Believe me, he said, unless you change your whole outlook and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. It is the one who can be as humble as this little child who is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 18:2–4

Chapter 1

Miracles!

Miracles… we humans have long marveled at, prayed for, and debated the ifs and hows of the miraculous. This book is about such events, although, as they occurred, I never thought of them as such. A miracle, by way of the dictionary, is:

A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.

Biblically, a miracle might be described as God breaking forth in time and space, whether in response to prayer or His own design, to impact the flow of events in the natural world. The impact of such God-events is usually cause for awe and wonder, sometimes fear and confusion, and always to further God’s purpose for an individual, God’s family, or all of humanity.

When I studied New Testament Theology at the university, C.S. Lewis’ book, Miracles, was assigned reading. This was some of my first applied theology, for it brilliantly described a topic I experientially understood. I had never organized my experiences around a structured theology of the miraculous.

Nothing can seem extraordinary until you have discovered what is ordinary. Belief in miracles, far from depending on an ignorance of the laws of nature, is only possible in so far as those laws are known. C.S. Lewis, Miracles

Usually in reading an insightful book, it opens our minds to new thoughts. It opens our hearts for new experiences. It helps to order our understanding of life and how we might live moving forward. In this case, for me, Lewis was describing what was, what had been, what was normal. I marveled at how eloquently he put words to mystery, thus removing some mystery without diminishing God’s majesty.

From my youth, I wondered why adults complicated faith, miracles, and theology. Jesus didn’t seem to think it should be so.

From the Bible version The Message:

Jesus was matter-of-fact: Yes—and if you embrace this kingdom life and don’t doubt God, you’ll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you’ll tell, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it will jump. Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold to God. Matthew 21:21-22

I discovered that trusting God and taking action opens the door for God to do miracles. More often than not, we choose not to act. We can say we believe, but without action, without risking being embarrassed by taking bold action or making a bold statement, there’s no God-infused faith igniting the miraculous.

On the other hand, I have gone out on a limb, made bold statements or taken action, then AFTER said, Oh, God, I’ve already gone in this direction. You want to catch up? Don’t leave me hanging here. A lot of times, I crashed and burned. I had to learn not to blame God when my ego or enthusiasm ran ahead of His plan. I had to learn to talk with God first. Get a sense of His will, His direction.

The Be still, and know that I am God was a hard lesson for a fast-paced A-type personality. The key was to keep doing, asking, risking, and always listening to God first. The more you do, the more you learn to hear, to sense His desire. Your spirit becomes trained to be in tune with the Holy Spirit.

Child-like faith is both fragile and resilient. A child’s world can get rocked by misguided or mean-spirited adults. Yet, there is innocence and hope within a child to get back into the game of life, of living childhood.

When I was eight years old, I rode my shiny new red Schwinn bike with the banana seat. It was the height of cool for the 1960s. The neighborhood boys, all friends and a little older than me, were hanging out on the front porch of the Carter family. New bike… an audience of my peers… a perfect time to pop a wheelie and ride it down the street in a show of cycling mastery. At just the right time, when I knew all eyes were on me, I pulled up on the handlebars as I accelerated on the pedals. Up rose the front of the bike, the wheelie was in progress as I looked over at my impressed friends.

But there was something wrong. They weren’t looking impressed, and the front of the bike was feeling very light. Registering their puzzled faces, I turned my attention to the front of the bike and saw