Today, I am delighted to welcome my wise friend, Micah, to encourage us as we pray: “Lord, give me beauty for these ashes.” Her story will help you see your story is not over.

Lord, give me beauty for these ashes.

We all have a story. If you asked me to tell you mine, I might hesitate for a moment. I might even ask you if you want the short version or the long version. Sometimes life holds so much, it becomes difficult to sift through life events and find the purpose, meaning, or things worth truly sharing. While life holds many beautiful moments, there are also moments of deep heartache and ashes. Brokenness isn’t reserved for a few less than fortunate friends, somehow it reaches each of us in its own unique way.

For me, it’s the difficult circumstances of my life that tend to rise to the surface when I’m asked about where I come from. My childhood holds divorce, abandonment, and heartbreak. As a little girl, I learned trust is a valuable thing that can’t be thrown around and given away freely. Along with divorce came a blended family and distant relatives I would not meet until I grew into an adult and made my own connections. 

As time passed, I did finally get in contact with some of those family members. Some of those relationships flourished, while some famished. In it all, God gave me a priceless gift from the ashes.

I sat nervously waiting for his arrival. He knew who I was, and I knew who he was — but we had never met. We shared one thing in common – our dad. The blood that ran through our veins had a common thread. Although we had never seen each other or met before, there was a deep bond that developed over long distance messages. He walked in, and immediately I knew the walk. He strangely resembled our family. 

We shared a meal, talked about our lives, and were mesmerized over how much we looked alike. And in those moments God gave me a precious reminder of His goodness. While life might not always be perfect or pretty, God uniquely creates us and orchestrates our lives in ways we cannot always understand. While I would not have chosen to live a life that held distant relationships that would one day be uncovered, God had another plan. In His perfect time, lives came together and shared common ground. Hearts that were broken bonded.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3, ESV

You may not have a long lost relative you are waiting to connect with, or a family reunion that will pierce your heart in a good way, but you do have a story. A story that holds meaning and value. The hurt and heartache of your past has a purpose. While we might not ever truly understand every detail of our lives, what we can receive from God in our life story is God’s promise that He uses the ashes for His glory.

To grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness.

Isaiah 61:3 (ESV)

I am learning to look at the loss in my life and the brokenness of my family as an opportunity to receive God’s goodness. It does not mean every long distance relationship is good, or that I’ve reunited with every person connected to my family. It means saying yes when God opens doors for connection. It means choosing love over the pain of the past. We can choose grace over the struggles of distrust.

In that choosing, God is teaching me. He is able to mend broken lives and comfort hearts that once felt too shattered to let anyone in. 

God restores shattered lives.

No matter how messed up and broken life feels, let God in. When you do, you’ll find He takes broken things without hope and gives them fresh life. If your story feels like ashes and there’s nothing good, keep waiting and looking for God’s goodness beyond the ashes. 

Your story is not over.

Micah Maddox is a national women’s conference speaker, Bible teacher, blogger, and author of Anchored In: Experience a Power-Full Life in a Problem-Filled World. She is passionate about helping women find purpose, peace, and calm in our chaotic world. As a pastor’s wife, mother of four, and foster mom, she contributes her time to her family and local church serving as a women’s ministry leader and writer for Proverbs31 Ministries. You can view Micah’s YouTube Channel HERE or connect with her on Facebookand Instagram.

The Pray Big Sisterhood

Every morning, I wake up and lift my heart to God in prayer.

I praise Him for His glory and goodness.

I surrender my agenda and expectations to His greater kingdom purposes.

I yield my desires to do His will.

And, then I ask for Him to move a mountain.

I cry out to Him for that mountain to crumble.

I believe that God is bigger than any obstacle or stronghold.

Yet, my mountain remains — immovable and unyielding.

Do you have a mountain?   I bet you do.

Like me, you may be discouraged by the darkness that looms large in your view.

You aren’t alone. If we sat down today in my kitchen and shared our stories, I bet we would see similarities.

Together, we would ask God to move two mountains.

With worshipful hearts, let’s keep crying out to the Lord for those mountains to crumble.

Let’s pray big!

To help you get started, I’m sharing a copy of My Pray Big Prayer Calendar with you. Join the Wildfire Faith Community and  grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library. Print out your copy and start each morning inviting God to strengthen your step and breathe fresh wind into your weary spirit.  

 If you are visiting from Micah’s today,

welcome to my little space on the web!

Here you will find fuel for a wildfire faith to help you

• • LOVE DEEP: Fervently extend God’s kindness and grace to pesky people.
  • PRAY BIG: Go down fighting on your knees with fire in your bones.
  • HOPE FULL: Stay tethered to a confident anticipation that keeps your heart ablaze.
  • STAND STRONG: Rest courageously on God’s promises with red-hot resolve.

SIGN UP TO GET WEEKLY #FAITHFUEL IN YOUR INBOX.

YOU’LL RECEIVE “4 SUREFIRE WAYS TO IGNITE YOUR FAITH” AS MY GIFT TO YOU.

YOU’LL ALSO GET ACCESS TO THE PRACTICAL RESOURCES IN OUR PRIVATE FAITH FUEL LIBRARY.

Challenge: Each day this week, start your day by praying: “Lord, give me beauty for these ashes.”

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