This is a long read - I know. But if you really want to know the heart behind The Spotted Sparrow, I hope you'll stay with me. This isn't just the story of how a boutique came to be. It's a story that began ten years ago, long before I ever imagined I could do such a thing. It's a story of faith, healing, second chances, and a promise I didn't understand until years later. So grab a cup of coffee, get comfortable, and let me tell you how a little sparrow became such a big part of my story.

I promise, it's worth the read.

If you had told me ten years ago that one day I would open a boutique, I probably wouldn't have believed you. The truth is, The Spotted Sparrow wasn't really an idea of mine at all. For so long, I had been sick. There were years when dreaming about something like this simply wasn't something I could do. But to understand why The Spotted Sparrow means so much to me, I have to take you back to September of 2016 - to the time when life, as my family and I knew it, suddenly stopped.

That summer had been wonderful. I was bebopping around like any other mom, taking family vacations and getting ready to send my kids back to school. We had driven all the way to Mammoth Lakes, California, and spent two weeks there. Toward the end of the summer, I started feeling unusually exhausted. I assumed all the traveling, the long drive home, and the busyness of getting Gracie and Wylie ready for school had simply caught up with me.

But I kept getting sicker.

And then one day, I became completely paralyzed. I ended up in the ICU, critically ill. My body wasn't working, but my mind wouldn't stop. I couldn't properly communicate. My family wasn't able to stay with me in the ICU, and I was terrified.

One night, lying there unable to move and afraid I was dying, I cried out to the Lord. And Jesus came. I know that's an extraordinary thing to say. But it is what happened to me, and I can't tell the story of my life - or the story of The Spotted Sparrow - without telling that part.

Jesus was in that room with me, and we visited for what seemed like a long time. 

One of my favorite things to tell people about that night is that He was funny. He made me giggle.

For the first time in days, my mind became quiet. My body, which had been through so much, rested completely in His presence. I was surrounded by a peace and a love that I don't know how to adequately put into words. Before He left, He asked me if I wanted to go home with Him.

I knew exactly what He meant by home.
And I told Him, "Not right now."

My babies were still young. Gracie was fourteen and Wylie was ten, and I wanted to see them grow up. He agreed. Then He told me to lift my arm.
I lifted it. He touched the end of my index finger. Then He told me to lift the other arm. I did, and He touched that finger too. He didn't immediately leave. He stayed with me and allowed me to continue resting in that incredible peace. And when He did leave, it felt as though He left slowly, leaving that peace behind with me.

The next thing my nurse knew, I was asking her to help me brush my teeth and get cleaned up. She was shocked. She had just called my family because I wasn't doing well, and they were already on their way to the hospital.
But I told her, "Everything is going to be okay. Jesus was here, and He healed me." And He did.

Sparrow's Works.

Healing didn't mean the years that followed were easy. There were still trials. My body was incredibly weak, and regaining my strength took years. Some days, the smallest things were enormous accomplishments. 

It was during that season that the Lord told me something I didn't understand at the time: I would serve others with Sparrow's Works. He reminded me of the sparrows - of how carefully He sees them, cares for them and provides for them, and how much more He cares for us. I remember essentially telling Him, How am I supposed to serve anybody? I can't even put on my own socks. I couldn't see what He could see. So I tucked Sparrow's Works away in my heart. And life went on.

Ten Years Later

September 8, 2026, marks ten years since the day the world stopped for me and my family. And somewhere along the way, something beautiful happened. I started living again.

Over the last couple of years, another
difficult season with my health led me
somewhere I never expected - to a little wig shop in Tyler, Texas called Reflections. I first walked through those doors because I had lost my hair and needed a wig. I discovered that I loved wigs, but what I really fell in love with was the women there and the way that little shop made people feel. It wasn't just a store. It was a place where women were cared for. I watched what it looked like to truly serve people through a business. I saw women walk through the door during vulnerable moments and be met with kindness, encouragement, laughter and love. That place and those friendships helped me regain something I hadn't realized I'd lost so much of: my confidence.

My life has changed tremendously over these last two years. For the first time in a very long time, I feel like I'm truly living again. And then, a few months ago, I started having this little thought.

I think I'd like to open a boutique.

Nothing huge or fancy. Just a special little place. And that's when the Lord brought those words back to my heart: Sparrow's Works. After all these years, I finally understood. 

Why "The Spotted Sparrow"?

I started playing around with names, and eventually The Spotted Sparrow was born. Because really - what sparrow doesn't have spots? And don't we all? None of us is perfect. We all have our spots, our scars and our stories. But "spotted" has another meaning around here too.

Leopard print.

A little sass. A little fun. A little something unexpected. That combination felt just right.

The sparrow represents something deeply personal to me: God's faithfulness and His reminder that if He cares for even the smallest sparrow, how much more does He care for His children? And the spots remind me that we don't have to be perfect to be beautiful, loved, worthy or useful.

That's The Spotted Sparrow.

More Than a Boutique

Of course, I want to sell beautiful clothes. I want women to find an outfit that makes them look in the mirror and think, Oh, I look GOOD. But if all I ever do here is sell clothes, I will have missed the entire point. My dream is for The Spotted Sparrow to be a special place. Come in and shop. Come in and visit.

Come laugh with us. Stay awhile.

I want women to walk through our doors and feel loved on. I want them to know somebody is genuinely happy to see them. I want this to be a place where friendships are made, stories are shared, confidence is built and people truly care about one another.

If you happen to leave carrying a really cute shopping bag too, well, that's pretty fun.

But the clothes aren't the most important part. You are.

A Little About Me

I'm Misty Tharp.

I married my high school sweetheart, Bobby, in 1998, and this December we'll celebrate 28 years of marriage.

We have two kiddos, although I suppose I can't really call them kiddos anymore. Gracie is 24 and Wylie is 20. They're building lives of their own now, which means Mama is finding herself in a new season too.

And one little warning before you come visit me at the shop: don't get too attached to my hair.

After losing my hair and discovering wigs, I also discovered something pretty fun—I can be whoever I feel like being that day! You might meet blonde Misty on Tuesday, brunette Misty on Wednesday, and by Saturday I may be a redhead. Short, long, curly, straight... your guess is as good as mine.

So if you walk into The Spotted Sparrow and think, Wait... is that Misty?

It probably is.

Just look for the lady in leopard print changing her hair like it's an accessory.

Maybe that's another little piece of God's timing in all of this.

My children are grown. I'm stronger. I'm living again. And after nearly ten years of carrying two little words in my heart without knowing what they meant, I'm finally getting to see Sparrow's Works come to life.

It just looks a little different than I imagined.

It has pink awnings, pretty clothes, a spotted little bird named Dottie, and hopefully a whole lot of laughter coming through the door.

Welcome to The Spotted Sparrow.

I'm so glad you're here.