He gave me…

“… beauty for ashes.” (Isaiah 61:3 KJV)

My life was burning to the ground.

The relationship I considered the great love of my life had crumbled. My dream of being an artist was slapped in the face by the art school I’d set my desire on. Spiritually I was shipwrecked. In my confusion I figured there must be more, a way out, an avenue to meaning.

I thought I would find it through smorgasbord spirituality and a cocktail of hallucinogens.

Into my mess stepped majesty.

Onto the ash heap walked an unexpected guest.

Jesus visited. The Holy Ghost burst in. Everything changed.

From my shivering frame he stripped the ugly scars, the filthy rags, and beauty clothed my humbled soul with righteousness.

Sin had left my life in ashes with little else to burn.

Only divinity can turn ashes back to fire.

My heart awakened to a new creation. Old things gone, new things come. The past pinned to the savage tree on Calvary, and a clean road of forgiveness stretching before me.

… and so my grateful adventure began.