(In Answer to the following question - That these elements of the NT are possibly a mix of exaggeration and lies are, I'd imagine, risks that you'd want to consider carefully before accepting miracle claims - so how did you do this? )

Went to Church, from which the tradition has been passed down (as opposed to secular scholars who are biased). Spoke to people about the Bible, saw how their lives were changed, and found it to be trustworthy and make sense of life.