Happy Hour #32 is with Lindsey Wheeler. Lindsey, her husband Chris, and their daughter Eliana live in Nashville, TN. Lindsey started BOTTLE OF TEARS after she was diagnosed with lyme disease and wanted a way to spread love and hope to others that were suffering.
In this episode we talk about her journey with pain and suffering and how that led her to starting a company to help others. We recapped what happened at the end of the If:Gathering for her and how she's hoping for a miracle for her and her daughter to both have complete healing & restoration. Lindsey's story of how they were matched with their daughter will blow you away. We both have children that have come from hard places, and we want to encourage and equip parents on this path that we are, but how do do that without airing their dirty laundry is hard, and we talk about how to do that well. Lindsey shares about how God led her to her new journey in comforting the broken. I asked Lindsey what were some of the biggest things that encourage her when she feels so lonely, and it encouraged me so much in ways that I can be a better friend to those around you.
Links from the show:
- Bottle of Tears based from Psalm 56:8 “You keep track of all my sorrows, you have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”
- Show Hope – the organization that her husband, Chris, works for that gives grants to help families complete their adoptions.
- Red Bus Project
- Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty is what Lindsey is reading now
- Jesus Calling – the kids devotional that we read sometimes at dinner with our kids
Connect with Lindsey:
Facebook // Twitter // Website // Instagram // Blog
Freebies:
Lindsey is so kind to give away three bottles to you guys. I'll pick three winners and you can decide if you would like to keep the bottle for yourself, or send it to a friend. These will be such a blessing to whoever receives this in the mail. If you don't win, I would love it if you guys would check out her site, think of someone in need, and then send them a little love through the mail. To order a bottle to send to someone go HERE.
{Contest ends Monday the 9th at midnight CST – shipping to continental US only}
Share the Love:
I would love to connect with you guys on facebook, twitter and/or instagram about this episode! Feel free to share with your friends about the show! As always I love feedback from you guys on iTunes if you can. When you leave a comment and/or rating, it helps others find the show, and isn't that what we want …. more ladies at the Happy Hour with us!
Today's show is brought to you by SLUMLOVE SWEATER COMPANY. Follow them on Instagram for lots of great photos & special deals.
*As always if you are reading this via your email subscription, you can head on over to jamieivey.com to listen, or better yet, subscribe in iTunes and the podcast comes directly to you! Listen to this episode HERE!
Gorgeous bottles and I love the heart behind it all!
Just went over and read Lindsey’s story. So sad and that’s the second time I’ve read about someone being misdiagnosed when they have Lyme disease. If I won a bottle I would give it to a local teenage girl in my community that has terminal cancer.
Lindsey is a true inspiration!
Listening to you because you are chatting with Lindsey! I met her at an animal petting area after following her journey to adopt during the time we were also adopting. You know how when you meet someone you know their heart is pure? That is Lindsey. Glad to have found you!
Enjoyed listening to Lindsey. I love moms who are real. I’m from a small town where that can be hard to come by so it’s always refreshing to hear other moms being transparent. Would love to win a bottle, I know exactly who I would send it too!
Loved the podcast with Lindsay Wheeler! I purchased one of her bottles and had it sent to a friend who is bed ridden from back surgery. I would love to win one to give to another friend!
I would love to win a bottle for a friend beginning her journey with cancer. I’m praying for ways to encourage her and her family. This would be a blessing indeed.
I love the creativity and thoughtfulness behind Bottle of Tears. The world is full of pain and it is so confusing sometimes how to reach out to those in unique situations that I have no experience how to comfort. Thank God people follow their calling and create in the physical the ideas God gives them so we can comfort others with God’s Word and love in a not so sterile, personal way!
Lindsey Wheeler is our daughter-in-love and she is just as wonderful as she sounds on the podcast. We’re so proud of her and grateful for the way she loves our son, Chris , and our precious granddaughter, Eliana.
I loved Lindey’s story and her heart. I think God uses our brokenness to help see, feel and heal the brokenness of others. There were so many things that yall talked about that I so related to and felt in my spirit. Thank you both for sharing your story and heart.
What a great ministry! If I won I would give to a co-worker who lost her baby 30 hours after delivery.
I love the concept of these bottles. I found this website a few months ago, when my good friend and her husband were going through a really rough time and dealing with a significant loss. I ordered this and gave it to her and I think it really meant a lot to her. I would love to win, because I have another friend that recently lost her father and I think it would be a sweet gift for her. Thanks for highlighting this shop and talking with Lindsey the founder!
This is the first time I listened to your podcast and I’m so glad it was this episode. I loved Lindsey’s heart and her story. I have a blog focused on encouraging women during infertility, so if I won a bottle I’d send it to one of my readers going through a particularly tough time. I’m unsure if commenting is how we enter the giveaway, so please let us know if there’s something else we need to do to enter. Thanks so much for sharing the opportunity and for introducing us to such a great ministry!
I loved the podcast with Lindsey Wheeler. I was so touched and inspired by her story and her ministry. I adopted my son, my first child, in January of 2013, so could relate to the comments you both made about adoption. I plan to purchase some bottles for some friends!
Don’t let me win a bottle, because well…Lindsey is my sister! 🙂 But I just wanted to thank you, Jamie, for having her on your happy hour. It has blessed our entire family to watch the Lord use other people to bring her encouragement. I loved listening to y’all chat!
What an inspiring story. I have Lyme disease, but it was caught at a much earlier time. Thank you for sharing.
Hey Jamie! I love your podcast so much – you do such a wonderful job of interviewing these amazing women and just keeping it real. So inspirational! So while listening to you and Lindsey today I just jumped right over to her site and ordered 2 different bottles for some friends of mine who are hurting. One lost her son in a car accident a year and a half ago – I know this message of God capturing every tear in a bottle will touch her. He is going to do something amazing and beautiful out of her story – I ‘m watching it unfold. And the other is for a new friend who is going through a hideous divorce, which is making her seek God for the first time. I’m so grateful to have something so lovely and meaningful to send them each as a tangible reminder of God’s love, and my love. Thanks for introducing us to Lindsey! And keep up the wonderful job Jamie – God made you for this! XO – Cathy
i just listened to this during naptime, what a beautiful story. loved your chat with Lindsay. i love all the binge t.v. watching recs on the podcast. it’s my new goal this year to make it on the happy hour someday! ps- i just started house of cards w/ my hubby!
Jamie,
I love when you have guests who are open an honest regarding adoption. My family is waiting on an adoption and is reading and listening to any good insight we can get.
Love her story! These bottles are wonderful!!
Loved this podcast. What a beautiful ministry! Lindsey is truly inspirational!
What a beautiful “businesstry”. I would love to win a bottle of tears for my sister who has been through great medical trauma this year, resulting in the amputation of both of her hands, one foot and part of her other foot. My sister Kristan talks about how the Lord was with her during her darkest moments. But I am sure she could still use the reminder!
Please be ready to fast forward a lot in season 1 of HOC. 😉
Jamie, thank you for having Lindsey on Happy Hour! She is my sister… She has been such an amazing encouragement and inspiration for all of us. To watch her step out in faith with Bottle of Tears and believing the God will heal her and our precious Eliana is amazing. Don’t include me in the giveaway- just wanted to say thanks 🙂
Lindsey’s story really touched me. In September my mom went to visit her very best friend to say goodbye-her friend was entering hospice care after a difficult battle with pancreatic cancer, with less than six months left of her life on earth. On her way home, my mom took a fall, began having curious symptoms, and suddenly found herself being diagnosed with brain cancer. She has been through two major brain surgeries since then, with many complications, and has lost much mobility, speech and some use of her hands. Any moment now, her friend that she went to say goodbye to will be going to meet Jesus. My mom is fighting hard and working on her therapies, but is devastated to be losing this precious friend, while facing the terror of her own journey-I think one of these bottles would be a precious gift- for both my mom and her friends husband-he has been so strong through it all. Oh! One more thing,my mom is not a Christian but her friend had very strong faith—my mom needs Christ for her battle-thanks Jamie, and thanks Lindsey for all you do to provide connection, inspiration and love in a sometimes heartbreaking world! Wish I could hug you both!!
With Love,
Leslie Mears
What a blessing! I remember Lindsey sharing her stone at IF. Now, I know the backstory and her tremendous heart & ministry.
Hi Jamie (and Lindsey)!
Just finished up the podcast today-powerful words. My favorite part was the discussion about Dr. Purvis + kids who have had trauma…3 of our kids were adopted from Foster Care and we have found a lot of hope in her books and teachings.
If I win a bottle, I would love to give it to a dear friend named Kathy who recently lost her twentysomething daughter unexpectedly due to unforeseen complications with her diabetes.. I have felt so helpless to encourage her (food only goes so far) and this would be the perfect way.
As always, this is the best podcast ever!! Thank you.
Lauren
So thankful for this episode. We are a bit stalled in our process to adopt from foster care because of backlog and in the waiting, I’ve become disconnected with the realities of loss and trauma that are connected with adoption. It’s such a blessing to hear you and your fellow adoptive moms share so honestly. Can you please let me know the name of that author you mentioned who writes about adoption?
BTW, how sweet to see Lindsay’s sisters’ comments! I have four myself;)
Thanks again. Love. This. Podcast.
This podcast really hit home. I’ve been struggling lately with how so many people have some who has died or cancer etc. and this podcast was so encouraging how Lindsey is reaching out to others and loving others so well in the midst of her struggle. It encouraged me to see others around me no matter what. Thank you so much for y’all’s vulnerability!
ps. Jamie, YOU MUST WATCH GILMORE GIRLS. I have rewatched it maybe 20 times? Like, the ultimate girl show. And, with your humor, you’ll just die. Get ready to be HOOKED!
I’ve heard I should watch GILMORE GIRLS a hundred times. I might need to just try this out!
Loved this podcast! I have a friend with preeclampsia who is suck in the hospital for the remaining 15 weeks of her pregnancy. She would totally love a bottle of tears.
Thanks for the podcasts, Jamie! I love listening while doing housework. You make the time pass quickly.
I loved Lindsey’s heart in sharing her story! She has found her calling and is gracing people with an amazing gift of knowing they are loved even through hard times. Can’t wait to gift these bottles when friends are going through hard seasons and trials in life. What a great reminder that He holds our tears and keeps track of our sorrows, we are not alone!
I’m a new listener to the podcast, but a longtime reader! I LOVE the idea behind the bottles and have so many friends I can think of that would love to be blessed with one.
Oh, I just loved this episode! Lindsey is precious and I’m so encouraged by the hope she uncovers in the midst of suffering. I’m telling everyone I know about Bottle of Tears! This is just such a sweet thing in our world. Thanks to both of you for sharing your stories and your struggles with transparency and giving light to the hope found there.
I love the concept of these bottles and the beautiful heart behind them. There are so many people in my life right now that I want to give one to!
As an adoptive mother and having been recently diagnosed with Lyme disease, this podcast was very special to me! My little guy also still struggles with issues as a result of his loss through adoption, so it is encouraging to hear other adoptive mommas speak freely about the “issues” that pop up with our kids!
Hey Jamie! This has been my favorite episode of “The Happy Hour”. I was so encouraged by Linsey’s story of adoption as we too have struggled with our daughter who was born an NAS baby. While is has been very difficult at times, we could not be more fortunate to call this amazing little girl our daughter. Thank you both for your honesty, it’s so encouraging and refreshing. I also loved hearing about Bottle of Tears. I am so excited thinking about the loved ones in my life who could be blessed from this businesstry 🙂 thanks again for all you do!
I first heard about Bottle of Tears a few months ago, but in the midst of Christmas and all the things, had forgotten about it. Thank you for bringing Lindsey and her ministry back onto my radar!
My sweet friend is battling Lyme disease, so this would be such a wonderful gift to give her!!
I loved hearing you guys talk about the reality of adoption, because adoption is something we are praying about….so it’s really helpful to hear all perspectives! Thank you!
Lindsey, I hope you know what a precious encourager you are. Jamie, thanks so much for hosting this conversation. As an adoptive mom, dealing with chronic pain, who also watched last year’s IF : Gathering alone at home on a small screen, I was touched by so much of this podcast. I’m especially encouraged by Lindsey’s swift obedience to the Lord’s prompting to establish Bottle of Tears. Thanks so much for saying yes to that, Lindsey! Great interview, Jamie!
Congrats you won!
You won!
Congrats! You won!
I would love to send the bottle to my Mom suffering with chronic back pain.
Hi Jamie and Lindsey,
I love your podcast, Jamie. It touches my heart every time I listen. Forgive me for this, but I would like a bottle for myself. I am trying to know Jesus. I have a strong faith in God but I don’t know Jesus. I am trying to read the Bible and I am praying that Jesus reveals himself to me during the reading. Lindsey, I will pray for full recovery for you and your daughter. Bless you, Jamie, and your family. –Paula
Hi Jamie,
I don’t know you but I feel like i do. I have listened to every Happy Hour since Day 1 and look forward to each new one! I love listening while I’m folding laundry or cleaning the house. The one with Lindsey Wheeler was especially meaningful to me and I cried and laughed through the whole episode. We are in the process of adopting two teenagers from Africa and I’m struggling right now with all the “what-ifs” surrounding possible trauma and other issues. We are going to get them in one month and while we are filled with excitement, it is also so totally mixed with fear. It was so reassuring to hear both of you talk about your experiences with loving your children and always remembering that it is not their fault. I needed that reminder today. Thank you so much for what you do – it is making a difference. Please don’t stop making podcasts! Much love, Katie