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Known for giving language to what many women feel but struggle to name, Laura Wifler’s debut poetry collection is as riveting as it is relatable.
Written with her signature timbre of startling honesty and unfaltering hope, Laura offers readers a new way to witness life in This Side of The Sky. Through poetry that is remarkably specific yet wildly universal, Laura explores what it means to grow older in a fallen body, tangles with complicated feelings about grief and suffering this side of Heaven, and examines the aches of living in a world that feels both heavy and holy.
In these poems and Scriptures, you will find:
A trusted voice for modern Christian women, Laura's poems grapple with the parts of us that know God is real but need reminders that He is moving in our lives, even now.
In these poems and Scriptures, you will find:
- Permission to be honest about the pain of life, without losing faith.
- A tender awareness of God’s nearness, even when life feels chaotic.
- Encouragement in your pursuit of Christ, fortifying your faith even in trials.
- A reminder that Heaven is real, and it holds hope for you today.
A trusted voice for modern Christian women, Laura's poems grapple with the parts of us that know God is real but need reminders that He is moving in our lives, even now.
Snuggle up with a young girl you love and share this beautifully illustrated picture book woven with messages on true beauty, identity, and God's unending love. As a primer for first conversations about body image, this book will instill deep truths while weaving in fun facts about nature and God’s creation.
Journey with a diverse group of mothers and daughters as they explore the wonders of creation from colossal canyons to boisterous beehives. Each illustration celebrates God's handiwork from nature to his design of people, showing women and girls with different skin tones, body shapes, hair types, and abilities. On each page, a child learns fun facts about creation and that the same God who made tigers, snowflakes, sunsets, and stars, is the God who fearfully and wonderfully created each person perfectly in his image.
This book is a catalyst for conversation between young readers and their loved ones about body image, identity, and God's unending love. By teaching girls the source of their worth and value, they’ll have foundational truths to lean on when doubts arrive, reminding them that they are beloved by God and declared beautiful. His love is all around them; all they must do is look.
"God is a poet, and so is Laura Wifler. Her poems do not merely move us; they disciple us into confession, worship, hope, and the interplay between the mundane and the transcendent that we so often miss."
-jen wilkin
who is this book for?
This book is for you if you want honest words and steady hope—without a lot of fuss.
- You don’t usually read poetry (but you want something beautiful and true)
- You’re in a season of grief, change, or overwhelm
- You want language for feelings you can’t quite name
- You’re drawn to faith—but tired of inspirational fluff
- You need something you can open anywhere and read in five minutes
- You want a book that leaves you steadier than it found you
Like a hand beckoning, these poems invite you to notice the holy mystery woven through your ordinary days and trust that, even here on this side of the sky, you are held by a God who is both tender and present.
No writer describes the feeling of motherhood and the unbearable
joy and grief of change as our children grow up the way Laura Wifler does. I closed this book feeling understood, as if she spoke for me too.
ERIN NAPIER
Star of HGTV’s Home Town and New York Times bestselling author of "Heirloom Rooms" and "The Lantern House"
God is a poet, and so is Laura Wifler. With theological steadiness and lyrical beauty, Laura’s words remind us that poetry speaks most profoundly when it is anchored in what is true. Her poems do not merely move us; they disciple us into confession, worship, hope, and the interplay between the mundane and the transcendent that we so often miss. In a world parched for poetry, here is water for the thirsty.
jen wilkin
Author and Bible teacher
I came to poetry later in my life because, in all honesty, I was intimidated by it... I discovered lots of wonderful poetry on social media—of all places—and I found myself following poets I wanted to read more from. That’s how I found Laura Wifler’s poetry, and I am thrilled for this collection in book form. Read it not just for the insightful poetry she offers but for the familiarity her words will cultivate in you for the larger, necessary world of poetry itself.
RUSS RAMSEY
Author of "Van Gogh Has a Broken Heart: What Art Teaches Us About the Wonder and Struggle of Being Alive"
Reading This Side of the Sky feels like a pause with a dear friend. It’s a hug, a reset in the middle of a chaotic day, a deeply needed sigh. The short reflections carry weighty truth, reaching straight to the soul, like marrow to the bones you didn’t realize were aching. And you know it’s a wonderful read when you’re sad it’s over.
GWEN HEFNER
The Makerista
Laura’s poetry startles the slumbering soul awake... More than poetry or prose, this book is a beautiful weaving of longing, lament, and praise. Laura invites you to pull up a chair, pour a cup of coffee, and as she says, “unbutton your heart” to the faithful, freeing life before you—this side of the sky.
GRETCHEN SAFFLES
Author of "Van Gogh Has a Broken Heart: What Art Teaches Us About the Wonder and Struggle of Being Alive"
Laura is a noticer and a wonderer, and her poems invite us into that same sacred attentiveness. This Side of the Sky awakens us to God’s presence in the present moment, even when our lives feel small or ordinary. The poems on these pages help us name both the ache and the joy of being human as we move through life’s winding seasons. In a weary world that often prizes tidy answers over honest connection and reflection, I’m so grateful for faithful art like this—words rooted in tenderness and anchored in Christ-centered hope.
KAYLA CRAIG
Author of "Our Daily Breath," "To Light Their Way," and "Every Season Sacred;" creator of Liturgies for Parents
Poetry is paying attention to the griefs, glories, grit, and gifts of this beautiful, broken world. In this collection, Laura helps us do just that: pay attention. Few things are harder to do; few things more important to practice.
KYLE WORLEY
Pastor and author of "Home with God: Our Union with Christ"
These are words to tape onto mirrors, tuck into Bibles, send to friends in crisis, and save for days when life feels like too much.
