Beauty from Ashes

"When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel your Savior." Isaiah 43:2b-3a


The Fire

About 1:40 a.m. Ed was awakened by Jackson (the amazing Jack Russell) panting and pacing. Once awake, he immediately smelled smoke and ran upstairs (I'll explain later). He saw the flames on the outside of the house shooting across the back door. At 1:44 a.m. he called 9-1-1 and tried to call me.


We were having new carpet installed. They came and put the padding down Wednesday and all of the bedroom furniture was in the living room and kitchen. We were frustrated that some things had happened with the carpet being special ordered and delayed and the original plan was that the carpet would have been completed Thursday and all furniture should have been moved back that night. As it turned out, it was going to take several more days to complete. But that frustration now proves to be a BLESSING! Ed was sleeping downstairs in the family room with the dog and Elijah and I were at my parents because the house was in disarray from that process. NO ONE was asleep in the upstairs bedrooms. SUCH a praise!


Ed managed to wake the neighbor (Thank you, Art!) and they made 3 trips back and forth grabbing things and throwing it on the front lawn. Some clothes and electronics made it out (although not sure if the big screen survived the water from the firetrucks).


My dad drove me over within minutes of Ed calling. All we knew was his frantic call said the house was on fire and to come quickly. I will never forget the sight I saw as we passed Brentwood on English Tavern and I looked into the neighborhood to see the sky lit up with flames and black smoke. I had no idea how bad it would be until I saw it. I started to scream and cry, now realizing the sudden reality we were facing.The firetrucks pulled into the neighborhood just in front of us. By the time we were on the scene, dozens and dozens of people were out. First responders, EMT, rescue crew, neighbors... We had to park several houses away. I remember flying out of the car and taking off running down the street, losing my shoes in the process. I had to find Ed. Was he ok? Did Jackson make it out? Once knowing both of them were safe, I turned in disbelief. By this time it was a little after 2 a.m. and within 20 minutes the entire top of the house was engulfed in flames and caving in. It was gone.

Ed was being treated for smoke inhalation as he and Art had made 3 trips back in grabbing as much as they could. He was in total shock and they refused to let him leave the ambulance. I remember running back and forth, checking on him, watching the house, talking to the fire marshall, running interference with neighbors. I just remember running.

It's important (to me) to share that we put on offer on that house the same day we found out we couldn't conceive our own children. I left the doctor's office after leaving the realtor and sat in the driveway and cried and prayed...staring at the windows of the bedrooms that I just knew would one day be a room for my child(ren). As you all know, God blessed us with Elijah a year and a month after we moved in. God gave us that house and He gave us the promise that one day there would be the pitter patter of little feet running through.

It's also important to share that things haven't always been easy. The past year has probably been the toughest. But we serve a faithful God and He knew exactly what He was doing the whole time.

Looking at the structure that we once called home seems overwhelming and devastating. As we've now sifted through soot and ash and sorted through belongings, we've been blessed to find personal belongings and things we never thought would be recovered. Sitting down and processing everything has yet to happen. Every so often I'll think of something that I know is gone.

And then there are all the miracles. On Friday morning when we came back to the house for the first time I was in tears thinking about the album Elijah's birthmother made for him. Most of our pictures are digital and can be reprinted but the album from her was irreplaceable. Within a few hours, it was recovered - in tact - and nearly unharmed! Something so precious and so memorable and I'm so thankful.

I cried on the phone talking to my Poppy thinking about all the things I had inherited from my Nanny when she passed. Because we had packed up my curio cabinet all those items were wrapped up and in a storage container - NOT in the living room where they'd normally be (which was destroyed) but in the kitchen. Many of them were recovered and are being restored!

The people. Oh the people. The support. The love. From Spirit FM announcing it to their entire listening audience, to WSET putting us on the 11 o'clock news to Hyland Heights and TRBC church members coming together to demonstrate the beautiful body of Christ at work. Truly, you have seen a need and you have reached deeply into your hearts and your cupboards and your pockets and you have BLESSED US! We simply cannot say thank you enough. I've been trying to keep track of everyone who's given and donated and shown up and my list has filled up the front and back of an entire page! I want to send thank you notes but I just don't think I can get to you all. So often we've returned to my mom's and found donations on her porch or have had neighbors drive by and hand us something - and we don't even know your name! Oh, how deep the Father's love for us. He has LAVISHED it on us through you!!!

The crew. I tried to thank you all that night, but to the firefighters, rescue workers, EMT and responders on the scene, THANK YOU! God bless you and your WORK and SERVICE! I know two things: 1-We could not make it without you and 2-You have a special calling on your life that I utterly respect. Many of them have stopped back by to check on us. A simple story but I went back into the kitchen to find a stack of papers - I was searching for a very special document that had Elijah's footprints stamped from his 2nd birthday. (PRAISE THE LORD I FOUND IT!) But on the TOP of the stack was an unopened/slightly charred envelope that was from the Lyn Dan Heights Fire Department. I can tell you I WILL be sending you my support. And every time I hear a siren, I will be saying a prayer for you!

We're so thankful to Neil Wilson and the ServPro crew - even though you "work for us" you've been on the scene by our sides helping us uncover and restore our personal belongings. Even one of the volunteer firefighters who was on the scene of our home, showed up the next day working for ServPro.

Our church, work, friends, neighbors and family have rallied around, digging through ash and helping us uncover belongings. We're so thankful for you. To my wonderful parents whose world and house has been turned upside down, thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know you would never have it any other way, but we couldn't do it without you!!! I LOVE YOU!


The requests to help have been overwhelming, so let me add here that we appreciate all you're ALL doing. Right now our immediate and basic needs are taken care of. We can assure you as we figure out where to go from here, we'll need further and continued support. We don't yet know about living arrangements and such. But the future for us starts Monday meeting the insurance adjuster who will determine and assess if it's a total loss (which is what ServPro and others have initially said).

What's next? We don't really know. We're taking one day at a time right now. Trying to rebuild our lives.

What now? I need you to know something, from the bottom of my heart, God is Sovereign and He is in control. What I need you to hear and see is that this does not shake my faith. On the contrary. It makes me all the more realize that our lives - this life - is temporary and our reward and our HOME is in eternity.

2 Corinthians 1
1 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

You are comforting us in our troubles, sharing in our distress, and so I pray you, too, are comforted in our comfort. I pray what you see is for your salvation. If that is not understood, then we lost our house in vain.

Some people wonder "why." Please know, I've never wondered why. This entire time, praise choruses and verses have been running through my mind. I'm so thankful for the godly upbringing that is now all coming to mind and heart. Continue to read 2 Corinthians 1:


9 But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God...10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.


Did you hear that?! This happened so that we might not rely on ourselves but on HIM! You have helped us by your prayers! And MANY will give thanks on behalf of the gracious favor we've received in answer to YOUR prayers! PRAISE HIM!!!


I've never really been good at accepting favors or handouts. Even now I am conscientious of wanting to respond to every text, phone call, facebook message, email...wanting to make sure everyone is taken care of. That's what I do. I take care of things - and others. So having people hand us things and take care of us is a new experience, but we know that your generosity and your outpouring is the way you are serving Him. Your prayers are exactly what we need and exactly what He intended for the body to come together. To see this in action and to see that work is humbling and a blessing all wrapped into one.

Many more thoughts and feelings to come. For now, I say thanks. We covet your continued prayers.