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 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

Lisa Burgess

Lauren Sparks

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