Behold, I make all things new

The fires devastated Southern California around us in Simi and all the way to Malibu. The scenes afterwards were of complete devastation, holding out no hope - all blackened hills, burned out trees and shrubs, the very definition of bleak.

But with the rains of December and January, new life emerges - beauty from ashes. Where there was no hope, there is now new life emerging from utter devastation. Certainly it will take time, and probably will never be the same - but this seems like a good metaphor for much of life. Faith, hope and love emerging from death when seemingly nothing to hope for nor live for. But God had another plan - played out in simpler terms with watching the greenery re-emerge from death and destruction.