Beauty for my Ashes

Written By Nina Collier

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.  

Isaiah 61: 3-4

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Six and a half years ago I was going through the initial treatment phase for cancer. One thing I know for sure is if you pay attention, you will find wisdom everywhere you look. I read this quote on the chalkboard of a local seafood restaurant. "God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless He has a specific plan by which great blessings can come out of the difficulty" by Peter Marshall. I still remember the peace I felt reading that and connecting it to the scripture from Isaiah.

The past 6 and a half years have been filled with beauty for my ashes and dark nights of my soul. Each one has transformed my life and my way of being in the world. Truth be told there were many times when I said, okay God, I am ready for my beauty! Now I know I had to prepare to be receptive and awake to the beauty that already surrounds me.

I am made in the image and likeness of my Creator. I am love, beauty, abundance, peace, joy, creativity and much more. As Reverend Dr. Cheryl Ward teaches, I have a silent partner that has already gone before me to draw every desire, sired by God, into my experience. Gratitude is like a magnet, so I always begin there. I stay steeped in my practice of prayer, meditation, study, and being in sacred service. I have given God a blanket yes and ask that it unfold with ease, grace and joy. My former boss, Dorothy Ham used to say, “ask not, get not” so I ask and affirm.

 Most recently, I have been on the receiving end of beauty for my ashes in ways that are miraculous. Just three weeks after a Judas kiss, I received a nice chunk of abundance that I was not expecting. This allowed me to give to Agape and other people who have supported me on my journey. It allowed me to build a new website, record an album and do some repairs on my home.

I got to travel to Reverend Victoria Thomas’s Prayer Warrior workshop. It changed my prayer life tremendously! I also met someone who loved one of the songs from my album and offered to pitch it to a friend making a movie!!  Shortly after that, I went on a plant medicine retreat where I met amazing women and had a miraculous experience with plant medicine. I met a fabulous clothes designer there who is designing a shirt for my album cover! I have friends donating their gifts and talents on the creation of this record. I am learning so much through it all.  I am grateful to be grateful. For this I was kept.


Affirmation

 I am grateful for everything that led me to this moment. I say yes, yes and thank you! Who I am is the beauty for my ashes. Who I get to be in every area of life is beauty for my ashes. I would not trade a thing for my journey…any of it.

- Debora Varn

Nina Collier

HELLO, MY NAME IS NINA.


I am a proud graduate of California Polytechnic State University with a degree in Graphic Communication and concentration in Design Reproduction Technology. I'm skilled in the creation, production, management, and distribution of marketing, websites, and publications.

My design style revolves around bold and clean concepts that communicate the key messages effectively to the target audience. I have experience in the world of freelance graphic design and designing at The North Face. My style comes from my passion for the arts, fashion, nature, and the drive to always be different. I specialize in print production, typography, hand-lettering, apparel graphics, branding, and layouts for websites and publications.

https://www.ninacollier.com
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A Judas Kiss