I wholeheartedly believe that God takes us through the fire – through the pain, the hurt, the heartache – to refine us, to make us more like Him. Without pain there is no need to dig in your heels and hold fast to His word. Without fear there is no reason to trust Him in the midst of the unknown. Without hurt there is no nudging to run to the Defender and Healer of our broken hearts. Without fire, there is no refinement, no changing of our souls. And what a sad, barren place to be in. If we lived and stayed in a place of comfort and ease, there would be no need for God. But in all irony, the very things that Satan tries to use to pull us away from the Father simply bring us all the more closer to Him. Oh God, bring me heartache. Bring me pain. Bring me whatever it takes to be near to Your Presence. There is nothing more beautiful in life than to sit at the feet of Jesus with nothing left. Because in the emptiness, there is healing. There is rejoicing (continually), there are hallelujahs and amens because HE is God and He is the One who Restores and Redeems us from the deepest, darkest pit. Praise Jesus for that.

I spent the past month in Washington with some of my most favorite people. My closest and dearest friends very literally experienced refinement through fire this summer. I could never write it like someone with first hand experience, but to see with my own eyes the immense devastation brought by the ravaging fire was heartbreaking. Families lost absolutely everything. I’ve seen the before and after – I know the difference. It’s horrifying and sickening to see homes, trees, and entires mountainsides of lush, green wildlife gone – without a moment’s notice. It’s painful. The loss is real and tangible. There will always be memories and grief seared within this community.

But at the same time, I’ve seen such beauty. I’ve seen tremendous growth and watched love poured out unconditionally within a community so tight knit and close because of such tragedy – and that’s such a incredible story to witness. Just like Jesus redeems our hurting hearts, He is healing their dry and broken land. He rebuilds our hearts just like these people are rebuilding their homes. Like the chartreuse shoots of new life from the blackened earth – Jesus brings beauty from our ashes as well.

// When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like seabillows roll;

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, 

It is well, it is well with my soul. //

If you would like to be apart of the rebuilding process, please head on over to www.carltoncomplexrecovery.com for more information on how to help and restore life into this sweet community!