A Phoenix is a bird in Greek mythology that symbolizes rebirth. A phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes.

We see this glorious imagine in our mind of this beautiful bird arising from the ashes, glowing, bright in color and elegance. Rising, rising, rising, higher and higher. Alive. Powerful. Strong. Determined. But don’t forget it was the FIRE it went through that caused the ashes it now rises from.

Everyone loves the thought of rising up from the ashes. Oh look at me with a comeback surprising everyone. Look at me still here when you counted me out. Look at me powerful and strong, dusting off those ashes. But remember, those ashes are the result of a fire. You don’t get ashes without the fire. You don’t rise up without first being down. It was the fire you went through, the fire your survived, the fire that burned and hurt and tormented that has brought you to today. You now have a strength within you that only comes from experience. You now have a passion within you to thrive that only comes after a time of just trying to survive.

Now you RISE. This is your year of the Phoenix. It’s your time now, can you feel it. Come on and rise!

Isaiah 43:2 – When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Now this scripture didn’t say you would never go through fire. No, it pretty much guarantees you will. It says WHEN you walk through fire. When. Not if. Not maybe. Not for a select few unlucky ones. WHEN YOU. In other words, it’s gonna happen. There will be a struggle. There will be heartache. Life won’t be fair. You will be attacked. You will be at a loss. Fire will be all around you, and you’re going to walk right through it. Walk. That means MOVE. Keep moving.

If you’re in the fire, maybe it’s because you pitched a tent and you decided to stay there. Sometimes the fire, the drama, the turmoil is so familiar to us that it becomes our comfort zone. We tend to stick with that which we know, and if we know chaos intimately, we remain in chaos because it is familiar and it is now our normal. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY. What a miserable way to endure life. Just sitting in a fire you were never meant to stay in. It says “When you WALK through fire.” Walk on out of that. Keep moving. Now is not the time to stop.

Let’s go back to that verse “When you walk through the fire you will not be burned.” So we know there will be fire and we know we’re supposed to keep moving through it. Now we have a promise. You will not be burned.

Will you feel the heat? Oh heck yes you will. But it will not consume you. Here’s what the fire will do – it will motivate you. Sometimes God has to let that fire touch us and refine us to motivate us to live up to our true potential. You only grow during the struggle my friend.

My friend, you don’t have to be a new you, you just have to be the REAL you. The woman God created you to be. That woman has been refined by the fire. That woman may smell like smoke because you were surrounded by the flames, but you will not be consumed. You will be motivated by the fire. You will keep moving. You will walk right through it, and then you will rise from the ashes.

Isaiah 61:3 says God wants to give you a crown of beauty for your ashes. All that was lost in the fire. All the damage that was done … those are your ashes. Won’t you give those ashes to God so he can give you something beautiful? Come on Phoenix … let’s rise. Rise up above all that has happened to you. Rise up above the disappointment. Rise up above all they said. Rise up above those failures. Rise up above, dust off the ashes. Receive your crown of beauty and take flight.

(Song “Phoenix” by Olivia Holt)