_^Some stories are born in silence—then roar. Outcast with God’s Miracles by Joseph Therance is exactly that kind of memoir. It begins on the banks of False River in 1937 and pulls you into a lifetime marked by racial injustice, spiritual awakening, government persecution, and unshakable resilience. This is not a “sit back and relax” kind of book. It’s one that makes you flinch, nod, curse under your breath, then pause and think, “This really happened.”

Therance doesn’t soften anything. From near-death experiences and hospital stays, to building a business only to be taken down by the IRS, every chapter is a piece of his survival—spiritually, emotionally, politically. There are miracles here, yes. But they’re not tidy or dressed in white light. They’re raw. They’re sweaty. They arrive in the form of forgiveness, a roof fixed by a 12-year-old boy, or a job that pays just enough to keep a dream breathing.

Joseph Therance is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he lives with his wife, Eddie Jewel Therance. A retired pipefitter at Exxon, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Art Education and is also the author of Signs of Life and Horse Racing: Plotting Winners. Therance has also written lyrics, crafted portraits, and tinkered with inventions in his spare time. Whether woodworking, fishing, or absorbing the structure of classical music, he’s a man who sees design and struggle as partners in life’s blueprint.