Life is full of seasons.
Some are warm and exciting and filled with joy. A time when everything feels like a carefree, bare-footed summer.
Some, though, are cold and barren and lifeless. A time everything feels like a gray-skied winter.
You ready for something cool about nature?
The snowiest winters produce the most wildflowers in the springtime.
God reveals truth through nature all the time.
And this is truth.
He can use those winter seasons in our lives to bring about beauty.
This is one of the themes in my debut novel, Wildflowers from Winter, which hits shelves on Tuesday, May 8th.
This is the common theme in the real-life stories people are sharing today. Every single one involves a winter season. Every single one ends with hope. And hope is an incredibly beautiful thing.
What if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
-Laura Story from “Blessings”
The Wildflowers from Winter Blog Tour
Amber Mauldin: according to her friends, she is passionate, courageous and committed
- Wildflowers from Winter: From Victim to Warrior
- Wildflowers from Winter: An entire family is restored. A prodigal story of epic proportions.
Camille Eide: inspirational writer, church secretary, bass guitarist, passably devoted fan of classic rock, muscle cars and Jane Austen
- Wildflowers from Winter: She confesses. She would’ve liked to be called somebody’s “Princess.”
Cara Putman: author, homeschool mom, university lecturer and attorney:
- Wildflowers from Winter: Hope after Miscarriage, Letting God Use Our Pain (plus a giveaway of my debut)
Cheryl McKay: screen-writer of The Ultimate Gift, award-winning author, newlywed, Facebook-junkie, and avid scrapbooker
- Wildflowers from Winter: God Works Through Trials (plus a giveaway of my debut)’
- Wildflowers from Winter: Hope after Losing a Loved One to Cancer
- Wildflowers from Winter: A painful experience after the birth of her daughter led to panic, fear and doubt, but Christ entered her heart and brought forth a bountiful harvest from the darkest of winters. (plus a giveaway of my debut)
- Wildflowers from Winter: A Move of Obedience
- Wildflowers from Winter: Hope after Infertility (she didn’t have time to write a post, but her entire blog is one giant Wildflowers from Winter story)
- Wildflowers from Winter: Falsely accused. Reputation ruined. Yet God used it for good.
- Wildflowers from Winter: Hope after Secondary Infertility
Jessica R. Patch: loves laughing, coffee, and naps
- Wildflowers from Winter: Doctors said, “No.” God said, “Yes!” (plus a giveaway of my debut)
Julia Reffner: homeschooling mom, passionate Jesus-lover, writer of redemption stories
- Wildflowers from Winter: Hope after Death
- Wildflowers from Winter: Hope Renewed, Disability Through a God Lens (plus a giveaway of my debut)
- Wildflowers from Winter: Hope after Divorce
- Wildflowers from Winter: The Journey to Making a Half-heart Whole (plus a giveaway of my debut)
Lindsay Harrel: writer, editor, and joy-filled Jesus follower
- Wildflowers from Winter: When she was 19 years old, her mom died after a long battle with cancer. Thankfully, that’s not where the story ends.
Lindsey Bell: stay-at-home mother of two, nonfiction author, and follower of Jesus
- Wildflowers from Winter: Hope after Miscarriage (plus a giveaway of my debut)
Meadow Merrill: wife, mother of five fabulous kids, journalist in Maine, and aspiring author
- Wildflowers from Winter: The Love Between Sisters, holding onto what remains after the loss of a child
- Wildflowers from Winter: A Literal Winter, Hope after the Blizzard (plus a giveaway of my debut)
Michelle Delp: avid reader, gardener, and nurse
- Wildflowers from Winter: The Grass is Always Greener, Life Lessons from the Dog (plus a giveaway of my debut)
- Wildflowers from Winter: With Mother’s Day coming up, here is a special story about a mother and how God turned a sad time into rejoicing.
- Wildflowers from Winter: Hope after Failure (plus a giveaway of my debut)
Wendy Paine Miller: deep thinker, conversation starter, laughs from gut
- Wildflowers from Winter: God in Daffodils, Hope after Repeated Loss (plus a giveaway of my debut)
You can read all the blog posts on Twitter by following the #WildflowersfromWinter hashtag.
[…] Recently, I’ve been so gripped by God’s redemption. How He can take all our scars and hurts and ugly spots and produce something beautiful. It’s as if He’s pressing that powerful truth against my heart, whispering, “This is so important, Katie. For so many.” If this is a message that speaks to your heart or makes your soul thirst, consider checking out the first three chapters of Wildflowers from Winter, or take a look at the amazing real-life stories of redemption in the Wildflowers from Winter blog tour. […]
[…] He can redeem what is hideous. He can shine light in the darkness. He can renew hope for the hopeless. He can breathe purpose into the seemingly senseless pain we sometimes endure. He can bring wildflowers from winter. […]
[…] and Joel are a living testimony that God can bring wildflowers from winter. Reminds me of all the real-life “wildflowers from winter” stories so many of you shared a few months ago. Reading them never gets […]
[…] I pray that God can take the senseless hate in the world and bring beauty from the pain. […]
[…] Be encouraged. Read our Bibles and other messages of hope. […]
What encouraging and beautiful testimonies! I’ll spread the word!
Life happened here in Maryland, and I didn’t get a chance to get in on the original list (I SO wanted to), but God has worked in my brokenness. Please let me give God the glory as well!
My blog is called Marred and Reformed–It’s a journal from my life in the Potter’s hands, from being broken to being made whole, the laughter and the tears along the way, and my becoming content with who He’s made me.
http://www.marredandreformed.blogspot.com
Katie – this was a great way to open up discussion and point people to the very personalized theme from your book. I hope it reaches people in a big way. Love you!
Thanks so much for hosting this blog hop. It’s an honor to be able to share my story. And I’ve loved the other stories I’ve read. Can’t wait to read them all!
Great blogs, Katie. I’ve bounced back and forth to my computer all day enjoying every one!Thanks for hosting this.
Thank you so much for being obedient the the Spirit and encouraging others to share their stories. To God be the glory, I think he will really bless others through every single story.
So many God-awesome stories! His mercies are new every morning!
Have read a few and already feeling this…I dunno…just deep peace and sense of God’s awesomeness and power. He is great. He is great.
You and your book are doing powerful things already, and pointing and leading others to the One who is ultimately in control. Love you, Katie, and what you’re doing. God is using you, friend. He is using you.
Loved these stories! Awesome blog hop!
Katie, what powerful, inspiring stories, and what an wonderful idea to invite them to be shared. Hope from pain is possible! Thank you for facilitating these. Bless you!
What a great idea for a blog hop! What a testimony to the Lord’s grace in our lives! I’m looking forward to reading your book – been hearing so many wonderful things from others who’ve already read it!
Thanks so much, Katie. I look forward to visiting the above blogs after my exercises (cause the back is hurting and in need of them). I think you are amazing, by the way!!!
I am loving reading all these stories. Thanks so much for pulling us all together for such an inspiring purpose, Katie. I loved the “beauty from pain” theme in your book…and I love seeing how God is bringing beauty from pain in so many lives today!
You should re-name this whole collection to “Cry Like The Spanish Princess In Ever After When She Begs Not To Marry Henry”. I got through one. I’ll read the rest later when my heartless teenage boys aren’t playing Halo.
Bawling like a baby. Surrender & still healing. I just pray God uses it.
Looking forward to going around to encourage the other folks. Thanks for pushing me out of myself.
~ Wendy
I love hearing how God can turn our darkest moment into our brightest hope. My blog is all about Genesis 50:20. I am slowly sharing the story of what God did in my marriage and life. What the enemy intended to harm me God is using for His glory.
Thanks for sharing all these wonderful posts Katie!
Thanks, Katie, for so many resources of hope. I look forward to meeting you in Minnesota in a couple weeks.
Thank you for inviting us to participate in this remarkable experience, Katie. I pray the words written here today will bring help and healing to those in need.
This is the first time I’ve shared my story publicly. When I hit “Publish” yesterday, I was filled with a sense of freedom I didn’t expect. I feel like all of us are reaching out and offering a bouquet of our wildflowers to each person who reads our stories.
I read every single one! What a great way to end the week 🙂