The lessons one dad learned from his precious little girl


Actions Speak Louder than Words
Mike Cope shares the lessons he learned
from his mentally disabled daughter.

Mike Cope’s best teacher was his mentally disabled daughter—Megan. In her ten years of life, she taught her father secrets more profound than anything he’d learned in college or seminary. In his moving remembrance, Megan’s Secrets: What My Mentally Disabled Daughter Taught Me about Life, Cope shares those secrets in a way that will make readers laugh, cry and find new hope.

Megan was a beautiful pint-sized girl whose only spoken words were “I’m Megan!” Although a child of few words, the best scholars in the world could not teach what she did in her brief life. Her life exposed some of the insanities of the world and revealed some life-giving secrets such as:

• We are often fascinated with things that are impressive from the outside but which may not be that important to God.

• What really matters has to do with the heart: keeping promises, seeking justice in a brutal world, learning to see those in greatest need and living with courage, joy and unconditional love.

• God uses our brokenness to His glory.

This unique inspirational book wraps these secrets and more into stories that will restore hope to those grieving. All readers who long to see modern-day examples of the “little ones” Jesus held on his lap and loved will be inspired and moved to exult in God’s incredible wisdom. What Mike discovers is that life with Megan, who slept only three hours a night, was exhausting, challenging and even disappointing but also filled with joy and truths.

The first half of the book is about the power of Megan’s life—a frail, fragile, broken life. The second half pushes further into the themes of loss, joy, doubt, faith, grief and hope. Cope explains how grief is a gift—a part of the healing process—even though it never goes away. However, there is hope and joy to be found in the process.

Max Lucado, best-selling author and minister, says, “The world would look at Megan Cope and her brief little life and see limitations. Imperfections. Inabilities. Her dad, just like her heavenly Father, saw something else entirely. Joy. Big heart. Love. Wisdom. Raising a disabled daughter, and then saying goodbye after a brief ten years of life, Mike knows the struggles, triumphs, pain, everyday miracles. . . and the secrets. Secrets God shares with those who care for the least among us. In Megan’s Secrets, my friend Mike shares the wisdom he learned from loving Megan.”

About the Author: Mike Cope is an author, blogger, professor, minister and magazine editor. He has written four books, including What Would Jesus Do Today? and One Holy Hunger. He was a minister for many years at the Highland Church in Abilene and now works with Heartbeat Ministries. He and his wife, Diane, live in Abilene, Texas, and have two surviving children: Matt, a physician practicing in Texas, and Chris, a college freshman.

Megan’s Secrets: What My Mentally Disabled Daughter Taught Me about Life
by Mike Cope
Leafwood Publishers/June 2011
ISBN: 978-0-89112-286-9/224 pages/paperback/$14.99

For review copy and interview information, contact:
Audra Jennings - 800-927-0517 x104

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