Turning Ashes Into BeautySýnishorn

I had been through a challenging time.The world around me seemed to shudder and then shake in a blink of an eye. And when all the rocking and rolling stopped, it felt like I had been turned upside down. What was once up was down, and what was down was up. I looked around, wondering what had happened. How in the world had things gotten here?

I remember talking to a pastor friend sometime later, and he said, “I know you already know this, Anne, but God uses our brokenness. Your brokenness will become an asset as God infuses you with His strength. God is the God Who turns ashes into beauty.”

I had heard that before, and I had probably even taught it to other women, but to listen to those words and apply them to my life was hard, especially since my heart was raw. Rawness is a hard place to be. It would take some time to let that glorious healing truth settle in. But I want to skip quickly to the end of my story to give you hope. The rawness has long since healed, and God has done what only God can do. He, indeed, has turned ashes into beauty in my life. And I know He can bring you healing as well. So, temporarily borrow my confidence in God’s goodness as we spend time together over the next five days, be patient, and see what He will do.

You and I know with certainty that no one always gets the easy road! Yes, life can be fantastic sometimes, but it can also be exceedingly challenging. Not many of us escape the difficult roads life puts us on. I am thankful daily for the many roads of ease God has allowed me to travel. And today, I can finally say I am even grateful for the hard ones.

As I write these words this morning, I am thinking about you, dear reader, and the hardships you have had on your path. Since you chose this reading plan, I imagine you are in a messy life situation, wondering which end is up and if God can make this okay again. Can He work to make something good out of something this hard?

My heart aches for you, and my purpose as we journey together is to infuse your world with a bit of hope. To remind you that God can take the broken and make beauty. My word to you in this short time together is that God is faithful to His promises and does what He says He will do. He is the God Who brings beauty from ashes. No matter what you are going through, your loving Abba Father is on the throne, and the Holy Spirit is working inside of you to bring about good. As the sweet children’s song of the past reminds us so sweetly and simply, “Jesus loves me [YOU]; this I know!”

Come along with me as we discover that God makes beauty from ashes.