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.
[bbctt tweet="I understand the suffering of letting go of a dream when you'd believed God had more for you than this.#hoperestored#dreamnewdreams"]
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.
[bbctt tweet="There are no easy answers to pain and suffering.But,there is a God who refashions broken lives.#hoperestored#beautyforashes"]
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. 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: LMMLinkup, Porch Stories, Tea and Word Tuesday, Blogger Voices Network, Tea and Word Tuesdays, Worth Beyond Rubies Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee, Soaring With Him, Purposeful Faith, Encouraging Word Wednesday, Sitting Among Friends, Imparting Grace, Destination Inspiration, Tune in Thursday, Heart Encouragement, Faith and Friends, Faith on Fire, anitaojeda, Dance with Jesushttps://www.rachelmarielee.com/ https://www.instaencouragements.com
Amen, Tammy. Thank you for sharing what must have been a very painful experience with us to help us grow in our faith. Blessings to you!
Hi Laurie. It was painful, but God is faithful! Peace and grace, Tammy
I just told my mother we needed to speak life not death and beauty not ashes over our lives.
Isn’t it amazing how God will put words in our hearts our mouths and then reaffirm the message? Blessings, Tammy
Yes, and I love the whole beauty for ashes idea, you know I’m from Atlanta, and to know the whole city burned down in the Civil War, it is amazing what comes from ashes.
Hey Tammy, the beauty for ashes scripture is one of my favorite. What a great reminder that God is able to take that which is broken and even dead, and breath life into it. Hallelujah!
Hi Tiffiney. It’s one of my favorites, too, and is such a rich promise. Thanks for commenting! Peace and grace, Tammy
Thank you for sharing your heart here, and for offering such a beautiful prayer! My heart was so stirred. Blessings to you!
Hi Bettie. I’m so glad the prayer spoke to your heart! Peace and grace, Tammy
I am so sorry for your lost. Nothing is worse than losing a family member or memories. The legacy of those memories live on through you and am so glad God is in the business of making beauty from ashes.
I couldn’t agree more, Heather. He makes all things new!
Blessings,
Tammy
Wow! Thanks for sharing your story! You have been blogging a LONG time 🙂 Thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements! Scheduled with my Tailwind app.
Good morning, Patsy. Thanks for hosting the Linkup! I look forward to getting to know you. 🙂
I’m so sorry you experienced that traumatic loss, Tammy! But I’m glad that God brought beauty from the ashes in your life! He is so good about doing that in all of our lives. Thank you for sharing this message of hope in our Lord who redeems the pain and suffering we experience in life!
Hi, Beth. I’m grateful for His faithfulness, as well. In Him all things are possible!
Peace and grace,
Tammy
Admitting that something was painful and HARD is a good way to begin growing through it. Thanks for leading us in the practice of lament which leads to praise.
It’s important to grieve and give a voice to loss, but our hope is never lost if we cling to our faith. Peace and grace, Tammy
Tammy, I am so sorry for this traumatic experience and loss. But thank you for reminding me today of the beauty that is yet to come! Blessings!
“He is the one who revives what was dead.:” What a good reminder. laurensparks.net
Thank you for sharing your story and for the reminder that God can bring beauty from even the worst situations. There is great hope in that!
There is hope even in the bleakest situation. We serve a great God! 🙂
Tammy, a fire is a terrible loss. Your description of your family’s loss made that verse so much more real. Thank you for the hope that no matter how complete and ugly the loss is, our Redeemer is greater.
Hi Deb. It was a horrible loss, but there are so many losses that are more devastating. My perspective about what was most important shifted and I learned a lot through the experience. He is faithful!
I can certainly testify to those truths!
I needed to read this today. Thank you for sharing your story and reminding me of encouraging Truth.
It’s my privilege, Jana. I’m grateful you were encouraged. Peace and grace, Tammy