When Snowflakes Never Cease (Crossroads Collection)
Page 74
After a while, they reclaimed their pie and ate it as they talked about the little girl they both loved, watched the storm through the windows all around them, and marveled at God’s work in their lives.
Above them, unceasing snowflakes continued to cascade from heaven, each one bringing with it the answered prayer of Christmas and the promise of even greater blessings tomorrow.
The End
I am not one to write tear-jerker stories, but sometimes reality can breathe an extraordinary life into the world of fiction. Though we tend to love our Happily Ever Afters with all of the ends tied up in beautiful bows, the real world doesn’t often allow us that satisfaction. Our moments of joy are often followed by tragedy until we get to climb back up to another peak. Sometimes our prayers go seemingly unanswered. Our problems are not solved with the lovely finality of reading “The End.” People and children get sick, and sometimes they pass away despite our most heartfelt faith and efforts. Despite our lofty dreams, our Happily Ever Afters are often tinged with sorrow.
Such is the case of this book. I really wanted to wield my mighty author pen and write in the miracle that would see Allie live and grow up, but this time, I couldn’t. Why? Because that’s not what happened to the Allie of real life.
A few years ago, a freak storm unexpectedly came through our area in April. While snow is almost unheard of that time of year, the storm unleashed a heavy blanket of white that disrupted everyone’s life. The roads were terrible, and the complaints were deafening. The next day, the local news reported that the day of the storm was the same day a family had decided to celebrate Christmas for their dying little girl. They knew she wouldn’t make it to Christmas, so they chose a day in April instead, and God had delivered His own gift.
Suddenly, the attitude of an entire area changed. The storm was no longer viewed as an enemy, but as an answered prayer for a little girl who would never see snow again.
That story inspired Allie’s story and the idea of demonstrating how something that we define as negative can actually be an answer to prayer and provide a more profound meaning beyond the happy sigh of a well-written imaginary world.
While I know that the little girl passed away from cancer not long after she got to celebrate Christmas, I do not personally know the little girl’s family. They have no idea that her story inspired my book or that my book may have, in turn, touched you. And they probably never will.
My hope and prayer is that Allie’s story touched your own. After all, maybe the breadth and depth of our experiences, the sorrows that contrast the joy, are actually what make our own stories beautiful.
Amanda Tru author of When Snowflakes Never Cease
Life is beautiful, but it is also very hard. As much as we’d like happy ever after endings in real life, the reality is that children die of cancer and our prayers often go seemingly unanswered. Allie’s story and the accompanying grief bring many questions to the table. However, Geneva has her own spiritual story about relinquishing control in her own life to God who already holds all the puzzle pieces. Finally, there are discussions of heaven and God’s blessings, and the idea that what we may interpret as bad in our life, God purposes for good.
As a Christian, it is often tempting to think of your relationship with God as a two-way game of telephone. If I just focus on God and me, then the rest doesn’t matter, right? But what if the Christian life is so much broader and deeper than that? What if there are others on the line with us? What if something that costs me can benefit someone else? What if Allie’s snowflakes disrupted the life of others in order to bring joy to the final moments of hers?
Obviously, there is a lot of spiritual depth to this book, and it would be impossible to pull out each thread with a few questions. These questions are simply meant to make you think and discuss some of the themes, but my greatest desire is that you think about what spoke to you personally. Latch onto that truth and mull it over. The best praise you can ever give any book is that you were changed by reading it. What is your takeaway from “When Snowflakes Never Cease”? What snowflakes will you view with different eyes?
1. What spiritual question or truth did you find the most inspiring or thought provoking in “When Snowflakes Never Cease”? Was there anything that challenged you or shifted your perspective? What will you remember most?
2. In the book, Geneva prays so hard for Allie and does everything she can do to save her. Have you ever put your heart and soul into a prayer that seemed to go unanswered?
1 John 5:14-15, Luke 18:1-8, Matthew 6.6, Jeremiah 33:3, Colossians 4:2
How do you think Allie’s struggle influenced Geneva personally? Was she better or worse for it?
How was/is your spiritual life affected by your trials and prayers that seem to end at the ceiling?
Romans 8:28, James 1:2-4, 2 Corinthians 4:8-10
3. A massive storm grips the nation, leaving many people stranded, thwarting plans, and eliciting much anger and frustration. How do you think people would react differently if they realized that storm was a huge answer to the prayer of a dying little girl?
Have you ever had something bad happen in your life that turned out to be for the good of someone else? What was your attitude? Did your perspective change?
Romans 8:18, Romans 5:3-5, Philippians 2:3-4
4. What do you think of this line from the book? What a life-changing idea to realize that the difficulties in your life just might be someone’s answered prayers!
What if your adversity is for someone’s else’s good? Do you view sacrificing yourself as worth it? What is your view of how Christianity works? Is it all rainbows, sunshine, and prosperity if we are serving God well? Or will “good” sometimes come at a cost? What if it’s not about you?
Mark 10:45, 1 John 4:7, Philippians 2:3-17. Luke 6:38
5. Every character introduced in this book struggled with something. Both Geneva and Carter struggled emotionally and spiritually, but even minor characters, like Arlene and Jimmy, had issues. Choose a character or two and talk about their struggles. What made you love them, or love to hate them? Who could or couldn’t you relate to?
Matthew 5:45
6. How did Geneva change in the book? She was already a Christian, and yet she struggled with allowing God control in her life. Can you relate? How did Geneva change and what caused that change?
Philippians 1:6, John 3:30, Job 12:10
7. Geneva tells Allie, “Each one of the snowflakes tonight was an answer to your prayer—a blessing to show you how very much God loves you. Heaven is filled with God’s snowflakes, and the best part is that they never, ever stop.” So, let’s count our snowflakes. What prayers has God answered for you? Have they all been answered the way you expected?
James 1:17, Ephesians 3:20, Philippians 4:19, Proverbs 3:5-6, 1 Corinthians 13:12
8. What was your favorite part of the book? What made you laugh or cry? What did you find the most touching or meaningful
9. What snowflakes are you currently praying for?
Philippians 4:6-7
Find the latest information and connect with Amanda
on her website: www.amandatru.com
Amanda Tru loves to write exciting books with plenty of unexpected twists. She figures she loses so much sleep writing the things, it’s only fair she makes readers lose sleep with books they can’t put down!
Amanda has always loved reading, and writing books has been a lifelong dream. A vivid imagination helps her write captivating stories in a wide variety of genres. Her current book list includes everything from historical, to action-packed suspense, to inspirational romance, to a Christian time travel/romance series. Amanda is also the author and organizer behind the unique, multi-author Crossroads collections.
Amanda is a former elementary school teacher who now spends her days being a mommy to her four young children and her nights furiously writing. Amanda and her family live in a small Idaho town where the number of cows outnumbers the number of people.
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by Amanda Tru
The Christmas Card Series:
The Christmas Card
A Cinderella Christmas
Yesterday Series:
Yesterday
The Locket
Today
The Choice
Tomorrow
The Promise
Forever (coming soon)
Tru Exceptions Series:
Baggage Claim
Mirage
Point of Origin
Rogue
Brides by Mail Series:
(Written with Cami Wesley)
Bride of Pretense
Bride by Request
Bride of Regret
Dear Reader,
Thank you for spending time with us in Crossroads! We hope you enjoyed each individual story as well as seeing how they all connected to the larger story. Now you’ve solved the mystery of how all five stories meet at a crossroads. Isn’t it amazing to witness all the havoc the massive storm played in each of the books, and to now recognize that storm as a direct answer to Allie’s prayer? As Geneva ponders at the end of the story, “What a life-changing idea to realize that the difficulties in your life just might be someone’s answered prayers!”
One of the blessings of fiction is that you get to clearly see something that in real life we may only get to view through faith. You may never know the why of your difficulties, or you may feel like your prayers go unanswered. Yet, we hope our books encourage you to acknowledge that you don’t know your full story. God does, and you can have faith that He has plenty of snowflakes planned just for you. In fact, those snowflakes just might be of the unceasing variety.
This is a unique set of books, with each story fitting together like a puzzle piece with the final book. There is nothing else like it on the market today! If you love the premise of this set and are eager for more, please check out the other Crossroads Collections. There are currently a total of six collections that, due to their popularity, have become almost their own brand. Out of the Blue Bouquet, Yesterday’s Mail, Under the Christmas Star, Betwixt Two Hearts, and The Second Yes are all available at the following links! In each of them, you will find five new books tied together once again with a crossroads to the last book in the set.
We also have more “Crossroads Collections” in the works! If you would like to be notified of new and upcoming collections in this series, please sign up to receive Amanda Tru’s email newsletter. She is organizing more of multi-author sets of this type, and she notifies subscribers when new collections are released.
Finally, if you enjoyed this collection, please help spread the word, write a review, ask your library to stock that hardback, and recommend it to your friends! This collection, like the others, will only be available for a limited time, so be sure to help spread the word and also snag the paperback version that will last long after the ebook collection disappears.
The other unique aspect of Crossroads Collections is that they are only ever meant to be temporary, and some of the limited-time runs are nearing the end. Eventually, each set will be disbanded and the books published individually. So, read them as complete sets while you can!
Thank you again for reading. We hope you enjoyed our stories and that they sparked your imagination, touched your heart, blessed you in some way, and made your Christmas even more special. We wish you the best and hope that you experience the many blessings God has in store for you. May each one of your prayers be answered with snowflakes.
Sincerely,
&
The When Snowflakes Never Cease authors
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The Crossroads Collections
Out of the Blue Bouquet, a Crossroads Collection
Floral folly fables from Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, Carol Moncado, Chautona Havig, & Amanda Tru
(www.amazon.com/dp/B077MWTWGC)
Yesterday’s Mail, a Crossroads Collection
Misdelivered mail tales from Alana Terry, Cynthia Hickey, Hallee Bridgeman, Chautona Havig, & Amanda Tru
(www.amazon.com/dp/B07G81ZGQZ)
Under the Christmas Star, a Crossroads Collection
Ornamental yarns from Lesley Ann McDaniel, April Hayman, Chautona Havig, Alana Terry, & Amanda Tru
(www.amazon.com/dp/B07J9ZF7VY)
Betwixt Two Hearts, a Crossroads Collection
Dating site stories from Amanda Tru, Cathe Swanson, Kari Trumbo, Alana Terry, Carol Moncado, & Chautona Havig
(www.amazon.com/dp/B07MCBFY8N)
The Wedding Dress Yes, a Crossroads Collection
Wedding dress dramas Alexa Verde, Chautona Havig, Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, & Amanda Tru
(www.amazon.com/dp/B07QPL85L9)
When Snowflakes Never Cease, a Crossroads Collection
Heartwarming wintery accounts from Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, Chautona Havig, Jaycee Weaver, & Amanda Tru
(www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZX3PR5T)
Did you miss Out of the Blue Bouquet, a Crossroads Collection?
Out of the Blue Bouquet
a Crossroads Collection
Some of today's Best-selling Christian Authors weave five unique yet connected stories together in this collection where misdirected floral deliveries lead to lives changed.
Courting Calla, by Hallee Bridgeman.
Ian knows Calla is the woman God has chosen for him, but Calla is hiding something big. Can Calla trust Ian with her secret, or will she let it destroy any possible hope they may have for a future?
Seoul in Love, by Alana Terry.
Love was lost a long time ago. A chance meeting in Seoul might change all that forever.
A Kærasti for Clari, by Carol Moncado.
Her job as social media manager for Eyjania's Queen Mother keeps Clari Sørenson busy. An unexpected treasure hunt with Joel Christiansen might just be the vacation she needs.
Premeditated Serendipity, by Chautona Havig.
A floral fiasco sparks a plan to play matchmaker. Reid has his reasons for not pursuing Kelsey… yet, and outside interference only makes an already difficult situation even more awkward.
Out of the Blue Bouquet, by Amanda Tru.
When Brooke is left in charge of Crossroads Floral, she accidentally sends the flower deliveries to the wrong people. Unfortunately, some of those wrong people include all of the ex-girlfriends of the most eligible bachelor in town. Are Brooke's mistakes a complete disaster, or can there be something beautiful in an out-of-the-blue bouquet?
Did you miss Yesterday’s Mail, a Crossroads Collection?
Yesterday’s Mail
a Crossroads Collection
Some of today's Best-selling Christian Authors weave five unique, connected stories where lost mail finds unexpected purpose.
Sleepless in Seoul, by Alana Terry
When Derek leads his church on a short-term mission trip to South Korea, he's definitely not expecting to find out the woman working with him is the same woman who broke his heart over twenty years ago.
Like Ships Passing, by Cynthia Hickey
One transposed number threatens to sink love before it gets started.
Chasing Pearl, by Hallee Bridgeman
A package lost in the mail since 1940 brings a modern couple together in a miraculous way.
Operation Posthaste, by Chautona Havig
A nine-year-old boy finds a bag of mail from WWII in the attic of their new house and makes it his personal mission to deliver every piece before his mom finds out.
Yesterday's Mail, by Amanda Tru
A Christian post office clerk uses her police officer background to investigate lost mail and solve a mystery that has plagued her sm
all town for years.
Did you miss Under the Christmas Star, a Crossroads Collection?
Under the Christmas Star
a Crossroads Collection
Some of today's Best-selling Christian Authors weave five unique, connected stories where handmade Christmas ornaments lead to miraculous answers to prayer.
Comfort and Joy, by Lesley Ann McDaniel
Recently divorced from her cheating, narcissistic ex-husband, Joy Bennet has set a firm boundary against dating until her kids are grown. But when Kyle Montgomery brings his dog to her clinic for emergency surgery, her resolve is put to the test.
Brushed with Love, by April Hayman