The Story of Micah: A Life Full of Miracles

By Kathleen J. Perry

The Story of Micah, journeys through the life of a boy born with Down syndrome and a life threatening heart defect. Nonetheless, he is able to bring love and hope to a world where many still believe, If its broken, throw it away. The mother, who never imagined she would be the one to birth a child with an unexpected outcome, explores the uncertainties of what lay ahead on this unfamiliar road. Micahs body is frail from battling illness throughout the first year of life, causing hope to seem unreachable, as chances for survival wane! Despair attempts to become this mothers companion, putting faith to the ultimate test. However, hope whispers to persevere. Would she direct her gaze toward the crashing waves, or resolve to move forward toward faith?

This tiny boy helps his mother realize, she did not have to be the perfect mother; she just needed to persevere, put God first, and do her best! Gods plan all along, was to dismantle expectations of human perfection, replacing it with Gods love. Through lifes battles, Micah becomes a champion, overcoming challenges of life with a steady determination, teaching us to believe the impossible. His life urges us, not to hold back, knock down restrictive walls and rise above the circumstances. Micahs extraordinary gift to us has been a life worth living!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512748352

Kathleen J. Perry

Kathleen, wife, mother of four and grandmother of five beautiful grandchildren, has been involved in Christian ministry nearly forty years. Author of, “The Road to Qua Qua Farm,” began a journey of applying practical biblical truths to everyday life. An A/G minister’s wife and Obstetrical nurse gives Kathleen clinical and practical knowledge of raising a child with Down syndrome. She and her husband minister in a church, a lighthouse for Cape Cod, bringing hope to those in darkness.

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Copyright © 2016 Kathleen J. Perry.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

Front Cover and Interior Photos by Kathleen J. Perry

Author Photo by Heather Bolinder

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-4836-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-4837-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-4835-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016910861

WestBow Press rev. date: 07/20/2016

CONTENTS

Dedication

Introduction

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Epilogue

Conclusion

Endnotes

DEDICATION

I want to thank God for His Infinite Wisdom and Grace. He taught me to persevere, even in the midst of my struggles. In my weakest moments, He is always my strength! He kept His promise to always be there, even when I became distant, even when my world around me fell apart. Thank you for helping me create this beautiful story about Micah’s life!

You have turned my mourning into dancing, I will praise You forever! Psalm 30:11

Micah, you have been the sun shine of our lives, and we will love you to infinity and beyond!

I want to dedicate this book to my entire family. My most sincere thanks to each of you for being so loving and supportive! You have always been my source of encouragement, strength and inspiration. I am blessed every day, as I watch God weave each strand of the fabric of our lives into an extraordinary family tapestry. From the very beginning, this little family choose the threads of hope. Choosing hope makes anything possible!

INTRODUCTION

Y ears ago I read a beautiful story about a young sculptor named Michelangelo. He came from an impoverished family, making it impossible to purchase the marble needed for his sculpturing. One day in the quarries of Carrara in a pile of debris, the young man found a block of aged, marred and cracked marble that had been abandoned and rejected by the other sculptors. As he studied the block of marble that stood before him, Michelangelo was able to look inside the stone to find the image he was seeking to create. He then needed only to chip away at the stone to reveal the masterpiece imprisoned within.

Day by day he set his hand to work with his patient masterful skill. The chisel and the mallet rang out steadily, until at last the captive was released. The stone that had been deemed worthless to the world, cast aside, rejected and flawed, became the most magnificent sculpture ever created. The Statue of David was sculpted out of a ruined, discarded block of marble, rejected by all of his contemporaries. Michelangelo saw something in that stone that others could not see; he recognized it had great possibility and value!

What the world often casts aside, God redeems for His glory. What the world rejects as tragic, God intends to use to confound us. Just as the master’s hand transformed that rejected piece of marble into something beautiful, so too, God can transform our lives. He can take those who have been rejected by others and use them to make a difference in this world.

We all strive to make sense of our world, especially when bad things happen. Where do we look for answers? Why does God allow such things to occur? What do we do when we think God has failed us? Does the world have the answers we seek when our life is falling apart all around us? Simply knowing God exists, seems not to be enough of an answer to these questions. Having a child born with an imperfect outcome pushes us to search for deeper answers hidden below the surface of this marble. When this occurs, the marble turns our hearts to marvel at what God has done.

After all the work God had done, He didn’t decide to take a few days off and return to His creation later to make some new modifications. He finished His work and was satisfied in every way! He is still our Creator and He is still pleased with the way He makes each one of us. No exceptions! When we come to terms with this fact, we no longer will be consumed with always asking the question why God allows the unexpected to happen.

CHAPTER ONE

O ur gift had arrived early, just a few days before Christmas; a small baby boy wrapped carefully in a very tiny and special package. At first, in all the excitement, we delighted and marveled at God’s handiwork. Yet, within the hour, life would take a turn in an unexpected direction. As I began unwrapping our gift, I had not noticed the tag that read, Down syndrome! ¹

Life is But a Weaving

My life is but a weaving between my God and me. I cannot choose the colors He weaves steadily. Oft’ times He weaves sorrow; And I in foolish pride forget He sees the upper And I the underside. Not ’til the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly Will God unroll the canvas and reveal the reason why. The dark threads are as needful in the weaver’s skillful hand as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned He knows, He loves, He cares; nothing this truth can dim. He gives the very best to those who leave the choice to Him.

B.M. Franklin

(Tapestry Poem - B.M. Franklin)¹

Micah’s life, from the very beginning of time was laid out before him. Much like the weaver, we could not see the entire design. Nevertheless, through the journey, we would discover the faith to understand the plan for his life. Only God, the skillful weaver, knew Micah’s real worth and value. At first, it was difficult to grasp until we began to appreciate the importance of those dark unattractive threads intertwined with the bright threads of silver and gold. How essential each individual thread would be to the overall magnificence of Micah’s precious life. Yet, in the very beginning, those dark threads of doubt, sorrow and fear, seemed to stand out amongst the chaos, making it challenging to see the beauty of God’s intentions.

Instead of embracing hope, despair would overcome me, as I tried to untangle those dark threads of disarray. At that moment, I did not have the eyes to see or the spiritual ears to hear, that the gift I had just received had such significance. But I would eventually come to understand, God Himself had wrapped this blessing and given him to us. I would discover, when you are surprised by a gift, look instead, with eyes of faith, look for the blessing and you will be joyfully overwhelmed!

Psalm 139:13–16 reads, You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous and how well I know it. You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!

This we had seen in our first three children. Jeremiah, our oldest, is able to envision life’s details. Sarah, our only daughter, hears from God and does what He says to help others. Joel, the engineer, with God’s discernment, directs a building project with the greatest of ease by plying the hardest of contractors. But our fourth child, Micah, God did something different. He added an extra strand to his DNA. To us, it was a mysterious extra chromosome, viewed as some loose thread that somehow had gotten mistakenly weaved into our family tapestry; but God knew otherwise!

To begin with, God knew the timing had to be right and certain. The desire needed to be in both Henry’s and my heart. That would be hard considering our youngest was already ten years old. Our first home was put up for sale, as we prepared to move closer to the new church. Packing was nothing to look forward to. But the realtor’s advice was to store our personal items away so potential buyers could see themselves living in this home. The family portrait hanging on the wall in the hallway would have to be taken down. Reaching up to take it off the wall, I laughed, remembering how the portrait itself constantly left me somewhat bewildered. Our outfits blended well together, and everyone’s hair and smile were flawless. But my eyes were immediately drawn to the empty space in the back row amidst two of my children, as if someone was missing! I wondered why the photographer hadn’t noticed this when he was positioning each one of us for the picture? Clearly he was a professional and had done this many times before. But alas, there was nothing I could do now! Perhaps in a few years we could sit for another family portrait. I loved it regardless, and wrapped it safely away looking forward to the day I could display our family portrait once again.

Working in obstetrics hadn’t satisfied the desire to have another child as hoped; instead, the yearning deepened, causing me to want to fill the empty space. The fact was, my pregnancies and deliveries were easy and posed no difficulties. Every labor became shorter in duration with each consecutive birth. I was one of those women who actually enjoyed being pregnant! Why not consider having another child? We were good parents and our children were the center of our lives! My husband would assuredly feel the same way, so I assumed!

The evening I approached the subject, Henry’s initial reaction was, No way! What are you thinking? We have all we can do to manage now.

He continued, I just became Senior Pastor at our church, and you finally secured a full time day position in Obstetrics. After all, he was right, I even had apprehensions of becoming a Pastor’s wife. The responsibility of a large congregation, combined with the expectations of fitting into a certain Pastor’s wife mold, was overwhelming enough. Could I juggle all of those duties, as well as working as a nurse, caring for our young family, and have another baby?

And so it continued, my feelings wavered back and forth, until the time was ideal, for Micah’s extra strand to be put into place. Soon the empty space amidst the family portrait would be complete. Eventually, I would begin to recognize that something more valuable was being created to replace the old family portrait that had adorned the hallway wall; a beautiful and wondrous family tapestry with that mysterious extra strand.

For as long as I can remember, tapestries fascinated me because of the beauty, workmanship and symbolism of these rare and priceless creations. History reveals, tapestries were created to tell a story. Producing one requires time, and a great deal of skill and patience. The weaver is challenged from the very beginning, determined to craft something of beauty from nothing more than colored threads. His expectations are similar to any artist; create a masterpiece! Rarely are tapestries used solely for decoration because they are inspired by life, often recounting a sequence of extraordinary events. They were designed to be displayed during great celebrations, lending beauty and richness to any occasion. Each tapestry, when completed, had a character and quality of being intricate, rich and complex!

Life is often referred to as a tapestry; a tapestry you can feel and see, but impossible to touch and hold! It also can be thought of as a beautiful metaphor for many of life’s episodes. Man’s life has been laid out before him from the very beginning of time. Much like the tapestry, we cannot see what lies ahead, but we know, God surely orchestrates the pattern. One day His intentions will be revealed for all to see. He is the skillful weaver, and only He knows its value and worth. The dark unattractive threads intertwined with those bright threads of silver and gold are essential to the overall magnificence of the finished piece. Likewise, He weaves the strands of our life into a perfect tapestry. Our lives too, can be great works of art, rich in love and harmony, woven together with threads of joy and sorrow, darkness and light. The layers of life’s experiences weave themselves into our memorable story, chronicling our lives, as we become part of His grand design!

The weaver in real life understands this metaphor because of the work and expertise spent fashioning a tapestry. She begins the tedious task of choosing and planning where each threat will be interlaced. Unlike our Creator, she can only see a small portion of the work at a time. As each weave is completed, it is wound around a beam and not seen again until it is finished. She must trust her skills because only a small part of her weave can be seen whenever she is working. Each colored thread is meticulously selected by a skillful master and placed with care into the shuttle over and over again.

When the tapestry is complete, and the shuttle ceases to fly, the piece is unrolled and the story revealed. The beauty is astounding, with its rich vibrant colors so intentionally designed. Yet if you look at the obscured underside of this tapestry, the chaos can distract from the beauty of the finished piece. It is not hidden! Yet these darker threads of confusion and disorder are not meaningless. There is a reason they are weaved in and out throughout the entire work. They are as necessary as the ornate silver and gold threads. The darker threads somehow bring out a hidden beauty that had never yet been seen when they laid alone. How fundamental and significant they are to the entire design. The bright colors are illuminated against the darker areas. When the tapestry is finished, and the chaos no longer is overwhelming, the exquisiteness of the pattern appears neat and organized. At last, the intention of the Master’s hand is revealed!

When this new journey began, I would discover there are no easy answers to life’s struggles. The question I faced the day Micah was born was, how do I move forward without feeling hopeless and shattered? These unfamiliar emotions flooding my soul, devastated me. How could I, especially being a mother, struggle with such disturbing thoughts of despair? Though I was disappointed in myself for allowing sorrow to engulf me, I continued to lose my grip on reality, letting the world around me unravel.

It too was difficult to acknowledge that everyone experiences overwhelming challenges along life’s journey. After all, this unexpected outcome was happening to me, catching me off guard. I had always convinced myself that such things only happened to other people, not me. But I realized now, there are no exceptions! Life happens, the rain falls and the sun shines on all of us regardless. Sorrows will come, but we know God’s mercies are new every morning. Why? Because He knows, He loves, and He cares. Nothing can dim this truth! While you’re in the center of the turmoil, be careful not to be distracted by the chaos or you will miss the exquisiteness of your life tapestry while it is being fashioned. Of course, there will be imperfections, the journey by no means is flawless.

Very often we focus on the weaknesses and challenges life brings our way instead of looking to a brighter tomorrow. It is never easy! We make plans, have great expectations, and suddenly life takes a turn in an unforeseen direction! Yet I am reminded, when we need to ask for help, God willingly responds. But remember, as we pursue answers from God, our prayers need to align with His will, and then and only then, we will never be disappointed.

His anger lasts a moment; his favor lasts for life! Weeping may go on all night, but in the morning there is joy. Psalm 30:5

Thankfully, we are given tools along the way to face these insurmountable obstacles when we encounter distress. It is then, if we are willing to use these tools to reevaluate and redefine the circumstance, that changes begin to occur in our attitudes. An inner peace will surpass all of our understanding. Subsequently, we will begin to see the miracles; supernatural acts beyond any of our human capabilities!

"There is one ray of Hope in all the sorrow that surrounds us, God’s compassion never ends. It is only the Lord’s Mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is His Faithfulness: His loving Kindness begins afresh each day. My soul claims the Lord as my inheritance; therefore I will hope in Him. It is good both to hope and wait quietly for the Salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3:21–26

Throughout the journey, different situations would still baffle me, infuriate me, and crush me. But eventually it would not only change me, but it would change our entire family tapestry. Little did I know, this was the beginning of a life full of miracles!

Albert Einstein wrote "There are two ways to live your life; you can chose to live as if nothing is a miracle, or you can chose to live as if everything is a miracle."² This is the secret of living a life of gratitude!

We all strive to make sense of our world, especially when bad things happen. Where do we look for answers? What happens when we think God has failed us? Does the world have the answers we seek? Simply knowing God exists is never enough. Simple knowledge apart from God is useless! Throughout my life journey, God has revealed Himself to me, over and over again. I thought I knew God because I went to church, read the bible, and studied scripture. This was important for a solid foundation, but when real life happened, mental acceptance was not enough. When the Spirit of Truth came along side me, my head knowledge became heart knowledge, and I found the grace and mercy I would need to be a conqueror and overcomer in Christ.

This is a story of the beauty and sanctity of life. We would learn to cultivate seeds of faith and acceptance through endurance, determination, hope and love. But most of all, we would choose to live in the miracle.

CHAPTER TWO

O ur days are full of planning, from insignificant everyday decisions, to ambitious expectations for the future. Life comes with no guarantees, because as we know, it just happens. Sometimes things occur that are not part of our plan, and our journey changes direction. Everyday life is not simple, but full of unexpected twists and turns. Like a tapestry, it too is double sided, with both happiness and sorrow. When circumstances occur beyond our capability and we are faced with adversity, we learn somethings are beyond our control. Sometimes we find ourselves just trying to survive. Then there are those times when it feels like we’re drowning and it becomes too difficult to breathe! Everyday living is much like the ebb and flow of the seas. The tides gradually increase and decrease, day after day. It is good to know, the highs and lows come and go, and that this part of nature is to be expected.

Just like the seasons, winter brings the promise and miracle of spring. And with these changes came the confirmation of my fourth pregnancy. Like the changeable weather of spring, my reaction to the news was unpredictable; crying one minute and excitement the next!

My initial reaction was foreseeable; whenever I had become pregnant, blame Henry! For some odd reason it made me feel better that somehow it was his fault. The tides of emotions tossing and turning inside my hormonal brain were all part of the process. The confirmation of the pregnancy also brought the reality of the responsibility and the truth that we would be starting all over again. As our other children would be starting high school, this child would be beginning kindergarten. What were we thinking?

Before long, we were excited about sharing our news with everyone! Regrettably, the responses were not supportive in anyway. After all I was thirty four, and already had three children. Why would you consider bringing another life into this world? Aren’t there enough people here already? Why didn’t you adopt? Aren’t you too old? You just started a new career, what are going to do with a new baby? My mom was afraid for me because of my age, and the risk of complications, and avoided talking about it for the next few months. Needless to say, I was disappointed but determined not to let anyone quench the joy of our expectancy! I would calm myself with the scripture found in Jeremiah 29:11,

For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, "They are