Resurrections are all around us this month as the seemingly dead arise to life again.

First, the three Christian Peacemaker Teams hostages were rescued, alive. In November 2005, Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Sooden, 33, and Briton Norm Kember, 74, along with American Tom Fox, 54, were kidnapped in Baghdad. Fox was found shot and killed March 9, but coalition forces successfully rescued the three others, March 23.

Then, Afghan Abdul Rahman escaped death for his conversion to Christianity and was instead granted asylum in Italy, March 30.

Add to that today’s announcement that American journalist Jill Carroll was released by her Iraqi captors.

A final story about a physical resurrection came in today’s news of West Virginia miner Randal McCloy Jr.’s release from the hospital after three months. The Associated Press reported that McCloy’s doctors can't explain why McCloy, who was trapped underground for more than 40 hours after the Jan. 2 Sago mine explosion, survived the carbon monoxide exposure while all 12 other miners with him died.

"It's basically almost like he was resurrected," said Dr. Russell Biundo, medical director at HealthSouth Mountainview Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, speaking at the news conference today.

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin named McCloy’s life a miracle, too, and created a name for the previously unnamed street where the family’s home is. It will now be called, "Miracle Road."

The dead have risen.

Add to all of that the news that the sun went dark yesterday in many parts of the world, and we have most of the illustrations for a Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday sermon.

Ghana observed the total solar eclipse along with several other countries. But in Ghana, the morning event stopped the usual politicking, according to one reporter, and instead brought faith to at least one student, Priscilla Owusu Afriyie, who said, "This is part of the wonders of Jesus Christ. This is happening for all to see that there is truly a God, who we all need to worship and serve."

Most people saw the eclipse as a good omen.

Good news is always welcome, but especially after years of catastrophe, disaster, terrorism and war dominating the headlines, I find it refreshing, especially leading up to Easter, to contemplate new life. Even more, it is compelling to find evidence of it all around me.