It was a clear, February day and I was making valentine cards. As a young girl, I didn’t have a care in the world. I was safe in the comfort of my home with my mom close by in the kitchen.
That’s the last thing I remember before I heard my mother’s panicked voice hollering out: “It’s a fire!”
I looked up and saw the kitchen curtains engulfed in flames. Mama tried putting the fire out, but her main concern was my safety. We ran outside to get away from the smoke. A gentleman who had seen the smoke from the post office next door ran over to our house, grabbed a hose, busted a window, and extinguished the fire.
Later that day, we went back inside to assess the damage. In a matter of minutes, the flames had completely destroyed our kitchen and the smoke had damaged most of our house.
We never stayed in that house another day. We packed up our salvageable items and moved in with my grandparents. During the next few months, we waited for a beautiful, new home to be built.
My life had been turned upside down by the rampant flames that raged through my house on that winter day. It was difficult to have my life so shaken up, but knowing a beautiful home was being built for us helped to ease the difficulties. I remember visiting the new home and seeing the progress that was being made.
I was elated the day I first saw my completed bedroom with brand new, blue carpet that Mama allowed me to choose for myself. It was breathtaking—nothing like my young heart had ever experienced. After losing my old home and the things I had been attached to, the new home was sweetness to my soul. It was amazing.
The new life offered by Christ reminds me of the new home I moved into after the fire. Before I fully surrendered myself to Christ’s plans for me, fiery trials swept through my life and destroyed many things that were important to me.
After surrendering everything to Jesus, He rebuilt my life and turned the pain of my past into a beautiful display of splendor. During the hardships, I remember wondering if I would ever have beauty in my life again. The stress of many problems all seemed impossible to repair.
As I wrestled to believe, my faith won and things began turning around for me. Christ restored all the broken things in my life. His love turned all the trials into triumphant victories. Most important of all, Christ filled my heart with never-ending peace.
When we believe things are hopeless, then we will have a hopeless life. When we teeter on the fence of disbelief, we miss out on miracles the Bible promises we will see.
Whenever a doubtful thought taunts us, we can meditate on the Scriptures that bring life to a weary soul. Doubt cannot penetrate a heart that is fixated on the truth of God’s words in the Bible.
Are you struggling to believe God for good things in your life? Do you believe God can turn things around in America?
Jesus is the Restorer. Just as a builder builds a new house, Christ builds a new life out of broken pieces. He makes beautiful things.
Things begin changing when we step away from fear, leave doubt behind, and begin believing that Christ is the author of beauty.
Choose faith, pray, and watch as He rebuilds and recreates the beautiful life He longs to give all His children.
Father,
Thank You for being the giver of new life and new beginnings. Let all the believers in this nation surrender everything to You. Let us join together and pray until we see change and beauty arise in America. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit every day and let us go out and share the good news of the gospel of grace to a world in need. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.
“Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”
Acts 5:20
“We were buried in baptism as Christ was buried in death. As Christ was raised from the dead by the great power of God, so we will have new life also.”
Romans 6:4
Enjoy Jesus!
Amy 🌻
