THE ONE WITH Johanna Vann

This week on The Collected Podcast, we are excited to welcome award-winning author Johanna Rojas Vann for a heartfelt conversation about faith, grief, hope, and the surprising ways God works in our lives. Johanna shares her journey from journalism to fiction writing, the remarkable story behind publishing her first book, and the deeply personal inspiration behind her newest novel, Where Wilted Flowers Bloom. Together, we explore how God met her with gentleness after the heartbreak of miscarriage, what it looks like to trust His goodness in seasons of loss, and how His provision shows up in both extraordinary and everyday moments. Whether you are walking through grief, waiting on God’s timing, navigating an unexpected calling, or simply needing a reminder that hope can bloom even in difficult places, this episode offers encouragement, honesty, and a beautiful invitation to look for God’s faithfulness in the midst of your story.

ABOUT THE BOOK

[Press Release] The novel follows Sandra and her husband, Aaron, as they move from New York City to Nashville for a fresh start after the sudden loss of their infant daughter, Rose. Sandra hopes a new home in a new city might offer some distance from her grief, but sorrow still follows her. When she meets her next-door neighbor, Mark, a widowed, retired pastor with a quiet wit and a hard-won love of gardening, an unlikely friendship takes root. Through time together, unexpected honesty and a garden bench, Sandra and Mark help each other face grief, find healing and discover what it means to be fully known.

“From the moment I started working on this book, my prayer has been that it would be a story that brings hope to anyone walking through a challenging season ... I pray that if you’ve read this book, it would leave you with a longing to offer your heavy burdens, your baggage, all your tears, and your broken heart to the only One who is willing and able to both carry them for you and exchange them for a crown of beauty,” Rojas Vann writes.

Rojas Vann draws from her own experience of motherhood and grief to write a story she hopes will serve as both comfort and companionship for women walking through similar heartbreak. Where Wilted Flowers Bloom is a story about learning to love again in the middle of grief, not after it’s gone. Peering into what it looks like to be a mother walking through heartbreak, Rojas Vann has crafted a story that bares it all: relearning to love your spouse, your children and yourself when your world feels broken.

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SHOW NOTES

Johanna's Faith and Writing Journey

Johanna shared how she came to know the Lord during college through a friend who discipled her and helped her understand the significance of Jesus's sacrifice. Johanna explained her unexpected transition from studying broadcast journalism to becoming a fiction writer, starting with copywriting in the nonprofit sector and eventually writing a book about her immigrant parents' experiences.

Johanna shared her journey of having a book published after a dramatic career change from copywriting to fiction writing. She encouraged others to have courage when God leads them in a different direction, emphasizing that giving God a chance to surprise them can lead to unexpected opportunities and learning experiences. Johanna specifically highlighted how getting her first book published was entirely through divine intervention, as she had no connections in the publishing industry and achieved it through cold emails to literary agents.

Johanna shared her journey of writing her first book about her mother, which was published in 2023 and won the Christie Award for Best First Book. She discussed her inspiration for her new book Where Wilted Flowers Bloom, which follows a young stay-at-home mom who befriends her elderly widower neighbor, a retired Baptist preacher. Johanna explained how she initially felt pressure to write and publish her next book quickly, but her publisher suggested delaying the release to July 2025, which would better align with her personal timeline.

God's Gentleness Through Loss

Johanna discussed how the timing of writing her book about a mother who loses a child coincided with her own personal experience of miscarriage in November 2025, shortly after completing the manuscript. She explained that she had dedicated the book to mothers who have lost children, and the timing of her own loss made those words personally meaningful. Johanna reflected on how the experience deepened her understanding of the grief described in her book and reinforced the message of hope she had written about.

Johanna shared her experience of learning about God's gentleness during a difficult time after a miscarriage. She described how God gently guided her to attend a planned trip to visit her sister, where she experienced worship songs about God's goodness and a sermon about David's response to loss.

Johanna explained how this reinforced her understanding of God's gentle character and helped her see her children as precious gifts, leading her to take them to the aquarium and frame a photo as a reminder to look for God's goodness in everyday life.

Johanna's Grief and Faith Journey

Jes and Johanna discussed Johanna's experience with grief following a miscarriage and how she found hope through faith. Johanna shared how she learned to look for goodness in daily life and trusted that God would heal her while accepting that some grief might remain. She also discussed writing a novel during a challenging time with young children, emphasizing how God provided unexpected help through practical arrangements and inspiration.

The conversation concluded with Jes inviting listeners to share their own stories of how God had surprised them, which she planned to feature in future podcast episodes.

“Give God a chance to surprise you”

NEXT STEPS

Let’s Dig a little deeper together!

Email jes@collectedministries.org and share a “God Surprise Moment” for the podcast.
For the next seven days, write down one way you see God's goodness each day, no matter how small. It could be an encouraging conversation, a moment of peace, a beautiful sunset, or an answered prayer. Like Joanna's framed aquarium photo, create tangible reminders of God's faithfulness in everyday life.

Thank you, as always, for listening! Please remember that everything we do is funded by those who benefit from our ministry. Our ministry a 501(c)3, so your contribution is tax-deductible.

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The Collected Podcast is a production of Collected Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping disciples of Jesus discover and live from their true identity in Christ, recognize and walk in their divine purpose within the Kingdom of God, and experience growth in their capacity for mature, healthy relationships.
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The Collected Podcast is produced by Jes French and edited by Jacob Early. Cover art designed by Ben Biondo.

S9 Episode #6- The Gentle Goodness of God with Johanna Rojas Vann