Books

Coming Soon! Publish date set for beginning of 2027.

“Tough Mother” sparked from a conversation Laurie had with God in 2004. Already two years into her health crisis, Laurie laid in the dark of her bedroom floor because it brought more comfort than her bed. She wore a neck brace, rib binders, and a hip brace trying to keep her vertebrae from dislocating. As she listened to her exhausted husband care for their two young toddlers, she cried out to God in pain and anguish. God’s response was a vision of a simple, wooden podium. It was so out of context from where Laurie’s heart and body were that she laughed out loud. She told God that if He would heal her to the point of being able to stand behind a podium, she would say anything He wanted her to say.

Over the next sixteen years, Laurie and her family rode a roller coaster of searching and suffering that ultimately did lead to a proper diagnosis and healing. Along the way, Laurie gathered battle tactics to conquer adversity which matured into unwavering hope. She provides a tender, yet raw voice to the underdog, the lonely, the Christian uncertain of God’s reality, the mom who tries to protect her children from her pain, and the desperate patient trying to navigate the medical community. Laurie’s story sheds light on all that humanity tries to keep hidden during seasons of suffering. Walk with Laurie and discover how life’s detours can actually be a compassionate God’s divine direction to foster lasting healing for your own suffering soul.

Coming Soon! Publish date set for October 2026.

The phrase “Beauty For Ashes” comes from Isaiah 61, where God speaks of giving beauty for ashes to those who have mourned. It is a promise of restoration– but not one that ignores the ashes along the way. Many faith stories skip the middle. The grief. The questions. The long, quiet rebuilding doesn’t look like a miracle yet. This anthology exists for that space. “Beauty For Ashes” is a multi-volume collection of real stories from people who have experienced loss and refused to pretend it didn’t change them. Each contributor writes honestly about what they’ve walked through and how faith, community, and hope slowly took shape again. This book doesn’t offer polished answers. It offers companionship.

This book may be for you if you’ve experienced loss and are still finding your way forward. It may also be for someone you love– a friend, family member, or neighbor who needs something gentle, honest, and rooted in hope. Some readers will see their own story reflected in these pages. Others will recognize the story of someone close to them. Either way, “Beauty For Ashes” is meant to remind readers that they’re not alone– and that restoration doesn’t require pretending that everything is fine.

Special BONUS features at www.beautyforashesanthology.com!