Ashes in Full Bloom: A Story of Ruin, Redemption, and Raising My Brother’s Son Paperback – April 15, 2026

What if your greatest loss was not the end of your story…but the place where something new began?In Ashes in Full Bloom, CJ Rae shares a deeply personal journey through abandonment, miscarriage, trauma, and sudden loss—including the devastating death of her brother, Cody, who was also her best friend.In a single moment, everything she believed about life, safety, and even faith was shaken.What follows is not a neat story of healing.It is raw.It is honest.It is the slow, painful process of learning how to live again when the life you knew is gone.As CJ and her husband step in to raise Cody’s young son, she is forced to face questions many are afraid to ask:Where is God when everything falls apart?Why doesn’t faith prevent loss?How do you keep going when your heart is shattered?This memoir does not offer easy answers.Instead, it offers something far more real—the story of our God who does not abandon us in the ashes, but meets us there.With vulnerability and unwavering honesty, CJ Rae invites you into the sacred spaces of grief, faith, and rebuilding.Because sometimes what looks like ruin…is actually the soil where something beautiful begins to grow.If you are walking through loss, questioning your faith, or learning how to live again after everything has changed —this book is for you.Ashes in Full Bloom is a powerful testimony of grief, resilience, and the redeeming presence of God.Because in His hands, even ashes can bloom.Perfect for readers of faith-based memoirs, grief and healing books, and stories of redemption after loss. Read more