Suzanne and I went to see the movie “Miracles from Heaven”. We were a little dubious, suspecting that it might be a bit preachy. It was not. Instead, it’s a movie that will restore your faith and deepen it – literally. The movie is an inspiring story of faith, mindfulness, and miracles.
The movie is adapted from the book by Christy Beam, and she is a major character (beautifully played by Jennifer Garner). Many of you have undoubtedly heard the story, so I won’t worry too much about spoilers. It concerns Christy Beam’s daughter Annabelle (Anna), who is struck by a rare degenerative disease that brings her constant pain. There is no cure.
At first, several doctors misdiagnose the condition. Finally, at Christy’s insistence, the doctors take another look and find the rare, incurable condition. The Beams live in Texas, but the best doctor for the condition is in Boston. So every six weeks, Christy and Anna fly to Boston to see the doctor. But there isn’t a lot that helps. The doctor does all he can, and he is caring and funny.
Meanwhile, back in Texas, Christy’s husband Kevin is caring for their other two girls and trying to figure out how to keep the house running financially, since he had taken all the equity in the house to start his veterinary business.
While in Boston, Christy and Anna meet a waitress named Angela who shows them around. They re-connect with Angela every time they come back to Boston. She becomes their friend and is very supportive.
Anna shares a room in the hospital with another little girl (whose name, we find out later, is Haley). Haley is dying of cancer. Anna gives Haley her cross medallion. Amidst all this, Christy is losing her faith.
Anna’s sisters try to cheer her up and make her life better any way they can. One day while climbing a hollow tree on their property, Anna falls in – the equivalent of a three-story fall. It takes three hours to pull her out. She’s rushed to the hospital and treated. It turns out that she’s bloodied and bruised, but otherwise unharmed – and her incurable condition is gone! Her doctor in Boston calls it “spontaneous remission” (the medical term for what they can’t otherwise explain).
Anna explains that while in the tree, she came out of her body and spoke with God, and she was told she would be healed. Needless to say, Anna becomes a big news story. Her mother makes a speech in church about having faith and seeing the miracles all around you. She even quotes Albert Einstein’s famous statement that you can live as if everything is a miracle or you can live as if nothing is a miracle.
The story of Anna Beam will make you cry, make you smile, and inspire you. There are many important things that we can draw from it.
First, always have faith. Jesus told us that faith “the size of a mustard seed” can move mountains. It certainly did for this little girl. The simple, quiet faith that all is well is self-fulfilling. It is an attitude that can eliminate the incurable, that can change any condition. We know that the use of the Law of Mind, in faith, can change conditions. Anna Beam serves as a reminder of that.
Second, be aware of the good around you. Angela, the waitress, is a miracle to the Beams. So many others who, as Christy Beam says, “barely touch our lives” are miracles waiting to happen.
And that brings us to the third point. A Course in Miracles says it well: “miracles are natural. If they are not occurring, something has gone wrong.” What are the miracles occurring in your life today? What miracles occurred in your life recently? Be aware of them and be thankful that miracles really are all around us. If you don’t believe it, ask Anna and Christy Beam.
This is a terrific movie that will touch your heart. It’s one of the best movies I’ve seen lately. Go see it and be inspired.
