Beyond Ashes

“Give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness . . . that he might be glorified.” —Isaiah 61:3, KJV 

Lifting my straight wool skirt above my knees, I took off into the night. “Oh, God! Help!” I cried again and again as I ran over chuckholes on the dirt road. It seemed my feet barely touched the ground. Pitch-blackness surrounded , but up ahead, I could see the light of the McCalls’ house. Looking back, I almost fell—our house was fully engulfed in giant flames, leaping and vaulting like a huge, malevolent beast. Don’t look back—aim for the light!

Beyond Ashes is a true story of survival and triumph. It’s about resilient faith in challenging times, miraculous deliverances, and an awakening to the power of grace in our everyday lives. It’s a powerful reminder that God is a faithful Friend. He loves us and stays by our side in spite of our mistakes and failures, as we learn to trust completely in Him.

Born to Seventh-day Adventist missionaries in Mexico, Marlyn Olsen Vistaunet tells her story with honesty and clarity. From being kidnapped as a three-year-old in Mexico to losing her brother after a house fire, to being drugged and raped as an adult, the author uses the traumas and disappointments of the past as stepping–stones preparing her for a love relationship with Christ and a life of service to His cause.