A Crown of Beauty Instead of Ashes

Hey, friend, what are you wearing, a crown of beauty or ashes?

"...bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes…" Isaiah 61:3 (NIV).

Are you feeling less than beautiful?

Are you feeling overwhelmed with grief?

God wants to bestow on you a crown of beauty instead of ashes!

They say that faith is believing without seeing (Hebrews 11:1). I think, it is also believing without feeling.

It's believing in those moments when our hearts ache and our tears betray us by spilling over. When we know better but feel the pain anyway.

It's not about always being in a happy place, as much as I try to live there. It's about believing even when the happy place isn't mine to have. It's about those times when I can't see or feel the promise, but I believe in the promise anyway.

Faith isn't a feeling. It's believing despite our feelings.

It is trusting God's word...no matter what.

God's word. God's word is the Bible.

The bible tells us in Matthew 24:35 (NIV): "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away," and in 1 Peter 1:25 (NIV), "The word of the Lord endures forever..." 

Faith is trusting God's word, which never changes. 

There are many things in life that will change: Our health, friendships, jobs, homes. Kids grow and move away; loved ones pass away. Some of these changes can bring us joy, and along with joy are often feelings of loneliness, sadness, and brokenness.

Through all of these feelings, God and His word never changes.

God made you in His image. He made you beautiful in every way. God has a purpose for you, for me, and for everything that happens. We may not understand it, but there is a purpose.

If you are mourning someone or something today He wants to restore your joy and make you stronger.  In Isaiah’s day, when people would grieve, they put ashes on their heads. In Isaiah 61:3, God is saying that He wants to replace those ashes, the grief, with a crown of beauty!

Allow Him to do that for you. God knows every heartache and every tear you have cried. He wants to carry you through your grief and heal your broken and wounded heart.

I went to a celebration of life this past weekend. It was for my cousin’s 22-year-old daughter, Morgan. She was diagnosed with a rare cancer in 2022. Morgan had a deep and profound relationship with God at such a young age, and she stepped into her journey knowing that God had a purpose. He always has a purpose.

Of course, the diagnosis felt like a kick in the gut to Morgan and her family. There were times of grief and mourning of a journey they hadn’t planned. But even more important was how they allowed God to turn those ashes, their grief, into a crown of beauty.

They wholeheartedly believed in God’s promises. They trusted Him and His word, no matter what! There was a large support system of people who were praying for a miracle of healing on this side of Heaven. God’s plan was healing with Him.

The celebration was filled with praise and thanksgiving for the ways God used Morgan and her family to impact the lives of many people. Praise and thanksgiving for God’s continual presence throughout the journey. Praise and thanksgiving for His gift of salvation and everlasting life.

I witnessed each and every family member and friend wearing their crown proudly.

Sisters, if you are feeling less than beautiful, if you are feeling overwhelmed with grief, choose to let God replace your ashes with a crown of beauty.

Oh, and by the way, straighten your crown. You are the daughter of a King!

With love and joy,

Laura