God Never Wastes Suffering - Davalynn Spencer

ALT="cover for Christmas book" Irish Rose Orphans' Christmas

Today I welcome longtime author-friend Susan Mathis with an inspirational thought from her Christmas prequel to her next series, Irish Rose Orphans’ Christmas.

By Susan G Mathis

When suffering comes, what feels like the end of a story can become the beginning of something beautiful. For some, that transformation happens slowly—a lifetime of learning to trust again, to forgive, to believe in love. For others, it comes like sunlight breaking through storm clouds—a moment of clarity, a whisper of peace, a calling born from the very pain that once seemed unbearable.

The orphan who once felt abandoned may grow to comfort others. The child who longed for family may one day create a home of compassion. God has a way of turning wounds into wellsprings of grace.

When a child prays in the quiet of a dormitory bed, when a weary heart chooses to trust again, when love is kindled in unexpected places—God is at work. His fingerprints are found not only in miracles but in endurance, courage, and quiet faith.

The same God who walked with Joseph in slavery, Ruth in widowhood, and Esther in exile still walks with the lonely today. His promise has not changed: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18).

Every orphan’s story—whether told in Scripture, in history, or in fiction—is a testament to one truth: God redeems what the world discards.

He steps into broken stories and breathes life into them. He turns fear into faith, sorrow into song, and loneliness into belonging. In the hands of the Creator, even a child who has lost everything can find a home—not just on earth, but in His love.

For those who have lost much, there is still more to be found in Him. Because hope is not a fleeting feeling. Hope is a Person—and His name is Jesus.

In an upcoming Irish Rose Orphans book, A Thousand Islands Sisters, this truth is explored. Hope is not the denial of sorrow—it is the decision to believe that joy still exists beyond it. The orphans of history remind us that faith is not fragile—it is forged in hardship.

God never wastes suffering. Share on X

My newest Thousand Islands Gilded Age novels have a new twist with seven young women introduced in The Irish Rose Orphans’ Christmas. (Be sure to order your copy!)

About Irish Rose Orphans’ Christmas:

“Get ready to fall in love with seven girls and their unforgettable stories! This heartwarming prequel sets the stage for the upcoming Irish Rose Orphans: A Thousand Islands Gilded Age Series, where seven spirited young women serve the islands’ elite!” —author Donna Schlachter

Brooklyn, 1876
At the Irish Rose Orphan Asylum for Girls, seven young women are about to experience a Christmas that will change everything—their last one together before stepping into lives of service among strangers in the Gilded Age. United by trials and an unbreakable bond, they’ve pledged to remain “forever sisters.” But as the season of parting approaches, buried wounds rise to the surface.

Twin sisters Annie and Taryn remain divided by a silent rift. Fiona grapples with the ache of abandonment. Vivian hides her fear of being left behind beneath a cheerful façade. Cassie, ever the want-to-be teacher, tries to steady the group as Isabel and Gloria struggle with the agony of separation.

When Sister Rose invites the girls to prepare their hearts during Advent for a deeper calling, each young woman must face the truth of her past and the hope of her future. A final gift—tin lockets adorned with the Irish Rose—become tokens of hope, courage, and an everlasting sisterhood. This Christmas, seven orphans will discover that no matter where life leads them, love and faith will go with them.

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has sixteen in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Peyton’s Promise, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment, A Summer at Thousand Island House, Libby’s Lighthouse, Julia’s Joy, Emma’s Engagement, Madison’s Mission, and Irish Rose Orphans’ Christmas. She is also a winner of more than two dozen book awards, and she’s a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, a dozen stories in compilation books, and hundreds of published articles. Find out more at www.SusanGMathis.com.