A Miracle for Micah: Faith in Hard Times

A Miracle for Micah, by Mick and Carol Wyrick, starts with a young cripple named Reuben, who is crawling away from home in an attempt to kill himself. He feels he is a burden to his family and cannot understand why God has made him unable to walk since birth, and is ready to simply end his struggles. Exhaustion sets in before Reuben can carry out his plan, and an old priest rescues him. Soon the priest has Reuben settled by a warm fire in his home. The priest presses Reuben to explain his actions, and then tells him a story about a boy in a similar plight… a boy named Micah.

As the story progresses, we see Micah facing the same kind of despair as Reuben; people treat him with contempt, he feels like he is a burden, and he doubts God. But in the priest’s story is a young hero, a fellow villager and peer named Ariel. Ariel is a well-liked leader. Micah’s parents hope that the two can form a friendship, so they enlist Ariel to help Micah with the fishing nets. Sure enough, the two bond. Shortly after that, Ariel hears about a man named Jesus. He learns Jesus is able to heal the sick and determines to take his friend to see him.

At this point, the reader may recognize the Bible story about the friends who lower a paralyzed man through the roof to see Jesus because the crowds are so big. This, indeed, is what happens to Micah. He is lowered through the roof, encounters Jesus, and is told his sins are forgiven. Then, to prove that He has power over all things, Jesus tells Micah to get up and walk. A miracle occurs, and Micah picks up his mat and walks away.

Reuben is astounded by the story. Furthermore, he is encouraged to view his troubles in a new light when the priest says, “You have suffered from a physical disability. Others have been sick, or lost their jobs, or had a family member die, or watched their family break up, or experienced failure of some other type. Each of these causes pain, fear, anxiety, anger, loneliness, and lack of hope. It is often difficult for these individuals to find comport and support. People who haven’t experienced these things are unable to understand…”

And so Reuben sees how he can choose to be a warrior for God because his life experiences put him in a unique position to comfort and encourage others.

Soon after, Reuben’s parents arrive, crying with relief and gratitude to see their son alive and well. On the way out, they stop to thank the old priest, calling him by name. Micah.

At the end of the book, the author provides a list of inspirational Scripture passages and anywhere from four to eight discussion questions for each chapter of the book. David Miles did several line drawing illustrations. These pictures strike a nice balance with the text, using a somewhat realistic style that is appealing to the audience without being overly cartoonish. They help the reader visualize the story.

What I Like: I appreciate the Scriptures and questions the authors provide. This allows readers to make connections with the story and drives home the idea that God has a purpose for each of us.

What I Dislike: In places, the language was a little stiff for me, making parts of the story read more like a Sunday School paper than a chapter book. This also had a fairly predictable story line. However, it was still an enjoyable story. It is also a little pricey for a paperback. You may want to stick with the FREE Kindle Unlimited version, which is definitely worth a look!

Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: No age is suggested, but I think it would work for both the K-1 grade and the 8-12 age group.

Publisher Info: Trusted Books, 2015; ISBN:978-1632692658; Paperback or Kindle, 92 pgs., $11.99

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Special Info: This book won the Moonbeam Children's Book Award and Mom's Choice Award.