Miracles Happen
This memoir ably conveys one man’s sense of a world in which miracles are more common than we think.
Miracles Happen by Terry G. Price is a faith-inspired autobiography that speaks to a life of prayer and to the personal changes that God brings.
Price’s story begins with him forwarding a simple definition of a miracle—an event that seems unexplained by the laws of nature and that is so held to be supernatural. The book then explores the events throughout the author’s life—beginning in his childhood, then through to school, his life in the military, and beyond—that fit in with that definition.
Prayer is used as an organizing factor, and the ways in which it is perceived to have changed the author’s life—from impacting how he faced challenges, to opening the path to his marriage, to leading his work life—are highlighted. The prayer events that changed his life most weave into the narrative’s inclusion of prayer texts and biblical references.
The exploration wraps up with a collection of poems and related snapshots. Poems focus on salvation and grace, and move into lyrics as well. They are a good encapsulation of the book’s larger perspective, while family photographs—shots from growing up in the Midwest and of time in the military—add an even more personal touch.
The book is organized chronologically, which works to fluidly convey the developments and changes in the narrator’s life. At times, the tone becomes rote, and the book seems more concerned with listing events comprehensively than it does with mining memories for strong context, particularly when it comes to more recent events. The author’s memories are most relatable when they are thoroughly contextualized.
The writing style is matter-of-fact, ably conveying the author’s sense that miracles happen more often than people think and that prayers are answered every day in ways both small and large.
Theologically, the book speaks most to a conservative and evangelical audience, offering a concrete, specific understanding of a God who is very active in people’s lives. Biblical passages are quoted, placing the story into a larger religious context, if the miracles explored don’t go far beyond one man’s experiences.
As much as it is a memoir, Miracles Happen is an act of testimony. Its scrapbook of specific memories speaks to a heightened religious understanding of the world as one in which miracles happen and the faithful are literally plagued by demons.
Reviewed by
Jeremiah Rood
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
