FIRE & ALL THE PRETTY THINGS

“Mum, if you’re ever being attacked (!!!) you should shout, ‘Fire!’ because people will actually take notice and do something.” Hmm, wise words from my city-slicker daughter… and she’s absolutely right—sometimes we presume there’s a “domestic” or a nasty argument happening in a kerfuffle, but if we hear “fire” we instinctively take action! Fire can be a source of survival or a living nightmare. Today we’re talking fire and All the Pretty Things and a giveaway with a book you will not be able to put down—unless someone actually shouts, “Fire!”…

Ever had a fire? I’ve experienced two in my lifetime. The first was back in the UK when Lyndon and I had been married for just a year— we were away for the weekend and came back to our charred apartment after some iffy electrical issues started a spark. The smoke damage was unreal, and all our shiny new wedding gifts—”all the pretty things”— were virtually toast (a huge shout-out to my mom who performed a fur graft on my favourite teddy bear!) Fires are unexpected and unsettling, to say the least.

The second was in here in Kelowna in 2003, when our city experienced the worst wildfire imaginable. It was scary watching the flames devour the mountain like some kind of deranged volcano—239 families lost their homes, many with their entire worldly goods. We were merely evacuated from our home for 5 days and that was traumatic enough. It’s sobering, and certainly makes you ponder where your treasure truly is. A fire will force a person to stop regular life and take stock. Many have had horrific encounters with fire, and I in no way want to minimize that—it’s terrifying. But as one who is easily consumed by “all the pretty things”—a fire is a poignant reminder that I need to be consumed by the love of God.

We need to be refined. It’s an ongoing process, to be made more aware of our “impurities” and take action to be more like Christ. John Piper says, “A refiner’s fire refines. It purifies. It melts down the bar of silver or gold, separates out the impurities that ruin its value, burns them up, and leaves the silver and gold intact.” God is our refiner’s fire.

None of us would choose to suffer and go through the fire, whatever that may look like. Yet in it and through it we are caused to look beyond ourselves, to trust in One who is in complete control when we realize we are not.

“Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.” 1 Peter 1:6-7 (The Message)

Lots to chew on, right? This book I want to tell you about starts and ends with the author surviving two separate fires—here is my rather enthusiastic review:

“I have just come off the emotional roller coaster that is All the Pretty Things, and I am in awe of so much, I hardly know where to land! This memoir will break your heart, have you cheering, make you gasp and leave you wrecked—yet so full of hope. Edie Wadsworth shares her story and her heart in the most beautiful, honest, and encouraging way as she navigates us through unimaginable trials on her faith journey. Determination, redemption, grace, and strength—this is a phenomenal book and most definitely worth reading!”

Yeah, I really liked it.

If you want to pick up a copy, here’s my Amazon affiliate link (full disclosure here) which means I get a tiny commission while you pay the regular price for All the Pretty Things KINDLE or PAPERBACK. Enjoy!

Here’s the exciting news, friends—you can win a copy of All the Pretty Things in my fall giveaway… bundled with a copy of my middle grade novel The Candle Maker just in time for the Christmas season! Plus, of course, you get a copy of my FREE e-book Diamond Devos 31 just for signing up. 🙂

If you’re not already a subscriber to my quarterly newsletter “Laura’s Letters”, here’s your chance to grab the goodies. (Subscribers are automatically entered.) The newsletter goes out on November 1, so if you’re anything like me, you should do it right now before you forget…

Thanks so much. Whether you are going through the fire right now or enjoying the blessings of the pretty things in life, I pray that you will trust and find rest in the unchanging, purifying love of God…