Strangely warped containers and melted relics of what had been lay bent and twisted among cinder blocks stained by purple tongues of angry fire. Only the brick fireplace stood tall and unchanged, a lonely reminder of what had transpired there.
Like the remains of the house, my grief lay in an ashen heap and I wondered how people survive circumstances that devour every hope.
Just fifteen, I’d experienced the loss of a home that represented comfort and stability. A home that my grandparents had built on the eastern Montana plains. A symbol of two people forging a good life in a land of harsh winters and summers with days as deep and wide as the blue sky.
Over time, the prairie took back what had once belonged to it and nature unfurled life from the midst of what seemed dead. Stalks of tall grass and wildflowers dotted the landscape; the gnarled willow tree that stood at the corner of the driveway loosed its branches and grew ever larger.
Beauty from ashes.
While few of us have experienced the loss of a home to fire, all of us live with loss. I don’t know what loss you may be facing, but I know you hurt. I know the doubt you feel. I understand the suffering of letting go of a dream when you’d believed God had more for you than this.
Perhaps your a mama who’d dreamed big things for your child, but now the one you’d crooned to and prayed over has cut all ties or lives a prodigal life. Maybe the man you’d vowed to love for life has forgotten his promise to love only you. It could be your hopes for restored relationships with your mother or father have only fostered the false truths that your aren’t worth loving.
There are no easy answers to pain and suffering. No get-fixed-quick self-help plans that erase the ache of a broken heart. But, there is a God who refashions broken lives. Share on XThere is a God who renews our hope because He is also the one who revives what was dead. There is a God who accepted a life of loss and suffering in order for us to experience resurrected living now and into eternity.
Wherever these words find you today and whatever situation, take heart. Be encouraged. Your Father will grow beauty from the ashes.
Father,
Would you whisper tender words of renewed hope to your Daughter today? You know her pain. You know her loss. None of her tears have escaped your notice and you long to wrap her in holy arms of strength and peace. Be her rock when faith is shaken, her fortress when she needs shelter, and her hiding place when she is overwhelmed. We trust you to restore the years that have been stolen; to guide her on straight paths and along quiet waters until, one day, she’ll look back and see the way you worked faithfully to give her beauty for ashes.
In Jesus’ powerful name,
Amen
Peace and grace,
Tammy
I often link up with the following wonderful bloggers:
Mondays Mandy and Michele/ Inspire Me Monday/Anita Ojeda
Tuesdays InstaEncouragements
Wednesdays Recharge Wednesday / Tell His Story/Sitting Among Friends Linkup/Let’s Have Coffee
Thursdays Heart Encouragement / Tune In Thursday /Salt and Light
Friday Blogger Voices Network /
This week’s featured post is “6 Time-Saving Cleaning Hacks for Chronic Illness” by Ashley at HisSparrow Blog. While the pointers are great if you struggle with chronic illness, everyone will discover something they can apply in this helpful read. Be sure to drop by Ashley’s website and then drop your link below.
We hope this link-up will be a source of encouragement each week. If you are a Christian blogger, we invite you to link up and meet new friends within the Christian blogging community. If you’re a reader, we encourage you to visit new bloggers and discover women who love Jesus as much as you do. For a weekly reminder and access to the resource library, subscribe to [email protected].
Maree Dee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Embracingtheunexpected/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mareedee_/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/embracing.the.unexpected/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/embracingtheune/
Lisa Burgess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaNotes1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaNotes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_notes/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lisanotes/
Lauren Sparks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauren.k.sparks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenRSparks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparksbefit/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sparksfit/
Tammy Kennington
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tammylkennington
Twitter https://twitter.com/TammyKennington
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tammylkennington
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/tammykennington
- Following your hosts via their blog and social media channels is not mandatory, but appreciated!
- Leave 1-2 of your most recent Christian Living posts. Please do not link DIY, Crafts, Recipes, etc. We will delete these links. We also reserve the right to remove articles that don’t align with the theme or are deemed by the hostesses to be inappropriate.
- Visit 1-2 other links and leave a meaningful comment! We want to encourage community among us, so please don’t link and run!
- We sort all links randomly—feel free to link as early or as late as you’d like. The playing field is even!
Featured Post Requirements
- Please grab a button and link it back to one of our hosts to encourage new linkers. It is not mandatory to participate but is required to be featured.
- Tammy will choose one blog post every other week to emphasize and promote via her website and social media channels. Be sure to visit our others hosts weekly to see what they have chosen.
Grace & Truth Badge
It isn’t mandatory to participate but greatly appreciated if you add our badge to your post or sidebar and link back to one of our hosts.
Were you featured by one of our hosts? Congratulations, and thank you for linking up with Grace & Truth. Here is a graphic you can save and display on your website so your readers can celebrate with you!
Join us for the Grace and Truth Link-Up. #graceandtruth #bloglinkup #christianbloggers Share on XJoin us each Friday for the Grace & Truth Link-Up!
Thank you for reminding us to hold onto God’s promises as this life tries its best to swallow us up Ms. Tammy. God’s blessings young lady.
It’s a reminder to me, too, dear friend. Blessings to you, too!