Trading Ashes for Beauty

What a promise to hold onto today: God specializes in exchanges. He takes the ashes — what's left after something in your life turned to dust — and gives back beauty. He takes the weeping and gives back the oil of joy. He takes the heavy, dragging spirit and clothes it with praise. Notice He doesn't throw your ashes away as if they were worthless; He transforms them. What looks like leftovers, total loss, a dead end, becomes raw material for something new and beautiful in God's hands. You might be looking right now only at the ashes of what was — and they're real, I won't pretend otherwise. But they're not the last word. Hand your ashes over to God. It may take time, but He hasn't forgotten the exchange He promised. From your pain, He will still bring beauty.