“I have wondered at different times how changed my life might have been if Tracy hadn’t been born with congenital defects that would eventually take her life. Dwelling on them never lasted for long, because the beauties of her life always overshadowed everything else.”
– an excerpt from the book
ARPress is honored to publish “Turtletoes: Following the Steps of an Angel” by Michael Steven Purles.This book is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the ARPress website.
Turtletoes: Following the Steps of an Angel” by Michael Steven Purles is a deeply moving spiritual memoir that tells the story of a father transformed by the life and legacy of his special-needs daughter, Tracy. Written with tenderness, humility, and profound faith, the book recounts a family’s journey through joy, uncertainty, sacrifice, and grief, while revealing how God’s greatest lessons often come through the most fragile vessels.
Michael Steven Purles is an author who has served as a business skills trainer, as well as a business manager throughout much of his adult life. His writing opportunities have followed two parallel but different pathways, one for business and the other for personal life experiences. You will recognize in his writing a specific focus on finding strength for and helping to lift burdens that are a part of each person’s life. A special focus is on our personal relationship with Jesus Christ and becoming one of His true disciples.
Rather than positioning himself as the hero of the story, the author makes it clear that this book is a testimony of learning—of a child who became a teacher and a parent who learned to see life, suffering, and divine purpose through new eyes. Turtletoes: Following the Steps of An Angel is not simply a remembrance of a daughter’s life; it is a meditation on love, covenant, and eternal perspective.
The memoir begins by establishing the spiritual framework through which the author views his family’s experiences, emphasizing the belief that families are divinely assembled and that life’s challenges are not random. The early chapters introduce Tracy, a child born with congenital defects that would ultimately shorten her life, yet whose spirit, intelligence, and emotional depth far exceeded outward appearances. Through intimate moments—quiet conversations, family interactions, and shared experiences—the author illustrates how Tracy’s presence reshaped the emotional and spiritual landscape of their home. Despite physical limitations, she possessed a remarkable ability to communicate love, sensitivity, and peace, often serving as the emotional anchor of the family.
As the narrative unfolds, the book traces Tracy’s birth, medical challenges, surgeries, and ongoing health struggles, alongside the family’s efforts to provide her with a full and joyful life. The author candidly shares moments of fear, exhaustion, and heartbreak, but these are consistently balanced by faith, prayer, and an enduring sense of divine purpose. The later chapters move toward reflection and acceptance, focusing on Tracy’s passing and the lasting spiritual influence she continues to have on her family. Rather than ending in despair, the book closes with hope—affirming the belief in eternal relationships, heavenly design, and the quiet miracles that shape lives long after loss.
This book is a compelling read because it speaks honestly to the human experience of loving deeply in the face of inevitable loss. The author’s vulnerability invites readers into moments of raw emotion while offering reassurance rooted in faith and hope. Families navigating disability, illness, or grief will find resonance in its pages, as will readers seeking spiritual insight and encouragement. Rather than offering easy answers, the book provides gentle wisdom, reminding readers that God’s purposes often unfold in unexpected ways.
“Turtletoes: Following the Steps of An Angel” is ultimately a story of transformation—a testament to how one life, no matter how brief or fragile, can leave an eternal imprint.
“Turtletoes: Following the Steps of An Angel” by Michael Steven Purles is now available for purchase via ARPress Bookstore: