Our Purpose
Bringing the Hope of Jesus Christ
The purpose of Beauty from Ashes Ministries is to provide Christ centered support to widows in their grieving process, secondary losses, and beyond into empowering widows in the process of re-engaging in life. Beauty from Ashes Ministries meets every widow right where they are in their grief journey. We do this by offering a safe place for widows of all ages to connect with one another as they begin to discover what God can do with a heart that is His.
He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. ~Isaiah 61:3
Programs for Widows
Guiding Widows from Surviving to Thriving
As a widow myself, I know how much courage it takes to reach out. I want to welcome you here and tell you that you are not alone. The heart of Beauty from Ashes Ministries is kindness, encouragement, lifting each other up, support, acceptance, and love for one another. We invite you to our community.
Beauty From Ashes Ministries provides hope for widows using these 6 components:
Monthly Widow Support Groups
The Beauty from Ashes curriculum includes discussion on a topic relevant to widows.
Share Circle
A special time where widows help widows. Lend an ear to listen, share, and are about life.
Courage to Grieve
A 7-week program designed by Beauty from Ashes for widows in the early stages of their grief.
Empowerment Workshops
Workshops offered to help widows gain essential skills, empower women, and build confidence.
Socials and Events
We offer socials and events for widows to connect. We also offer connection via our private WhatsApp group Facebook page, as well as a public Facebook and Instagram page.
Community Outreach
Widows come together to volunteer to serve the needs of the community.
Making Connections
Offering a safe place for widows of all ages to connect with one another is only one way that Beauty From Ashes Ministries helps widows discover what God can do with a heart that is His.
Find Your Community
Beauty from Ashes Ministries’ communities exist to create a safe environment for widows to heal, connect, and thrive. Through unwavering support, heartfelt guidance, and the hope of Jesus Christ, we empower widows to find healing, renewed purpose, and the assurance that they are never alone.
Find your Community
Help Us Grow Our Ministry!
Your support of the ministry allows us to reach more widows in need. We appreciate you generosity and kindness.
DonateStart a Beauty from Ashes Ministry
If you are interested in starting your own Beauty from Ashes ministry, we can help you. You can start one at your church or in your community. All you need to do is schedule an appointment and you will be taking the first step to bringing support to widows.
Learn About starting a ministry
Sign up to receive our newsletter!
This is where you will find out all the events and social goings on. We send out emails about support groups, socials, important information that is widow applicable, reminder emails, workshops, and an occasional brief questionnaire to best improve how we serve widows.
The Reading Room
A place to pause, reflect, and find encouragement. Here you’ll discover writings from our team that speak to life, loss, hope, and faith.
Love You
I was not familiar with it until the day after Mitch passed away. Even then, it was only for one night, because the family arrived that afternoon. My daughter stayed with me for a month while I was packing up
Continue ReadingDating
I haven’t exactly dated, to be honest with you. I never advanced anyone in school, other then maybe a look, that went further then I realized at the time. I had girl friends as in, those I spoke to or shared a laugh with or met through another girl but,I only had one true girlfriend.
Continue ReadingLiving Alone
I could have stayed with my daughter where I felt safe, but I wanted to stay independent. The first step to that is having a home of your own.
Continue ReadingStruggling with Sleep
This is an issue you will struggle with in the very beginning of your grief journey, but this is very common, due to the circumstance we are under. Meaning, shock,denial, stress, anger ,and so on.
Continue ReadingWhat is Time?
Did you feel this way in the midst of it all? I did! More than once, I would pray that it would all go away or wish a year would disappear, just to get past it all. That first year
Continue ReadingThe Present
It is almost a bit of relief that the holidays are over. Don’t get me wrong, it is a favorite time of year for me, albeit not like it once was when the kids were young, or even when the
Continue ReadingAnother One Come And Gone
It took time putting up the Christmas tree, even as small as it is. I did a white three footer with the lights included as most are nowadays. I used pink bulbs, little blue birds, and some garland. On top,
Continue ReadingFriends and Fellowship
Wasn’t that a really nice Beauty from Ashes Christmas party we had? The tables were decked out in red, with lights illuminating the entire room. We had Christmas music softly playing in the background and a sweet little spot set
Continue ReadingHeading Into December
I wanted to share my Thanksgiving Day with you, and I hope you might share yours with me. Sharing has been something I’ve really enjoyed doing a lot of lately, whether with a friend or family. Of course, it depends
Continue ReadingLet’s Give Thanks!
Thanksgiving! Have you ever noticed how it always seems to get stuck between Halloween and Christmas? Well, that’s because it is! And in more ways than one. It’s squeezed so tightly between them that it’s almost overlooked, especially in retail.
Continue ReadingBack to the UNpacking
The small break was nice, and I appreciated the food I would not have eaten at these restaurants otherwise. I was on a pretty strict budget, seeing as my husband left no Will. This is a story for another day.
Continue ReadingI Am Single
I was going back and forth between the Creekside area, my daughter’s house, and my new home at T Bar M. It took me a good twenty minutes each way at that time, but that was okay. I was on
Continue ReadingFounder’s Blog
The Founder’s Blog is written by the founder of Beauty from Ashes Ministries, Lori Bohning. Lori shares monthly reflections and encouragement for widows on their journey.
Grief and Watermelon Baskets
When you’re living through grief, or in the long road that leads up to it, the world doesn’t stop. It just keeps moving like nothing happened. I remember when Rob was sick and walking through Target with the weight of another surgery coming up, and fear sat like a stone
Read MoreBeauty from Ashes
In the ashes, God does His most tender work. He doesn’t rush us or tell us to “get over it.” He kneels down with us in the sorrow, and little by little, He begins to bring beauty we could never have imagined.
Read MoreWhen Motivation Feels Different After Loss
I’ve been thinking about this topic for a while: what does motivation have to do with widowhood? I still take care of what needs to be done, but I don’t feel the same motivation I once had when I was married. Back then, everything carried the weight of shared purpose
Read MoreWhat the Hills Teach Me
by Lori Bohning Sometimes I forget how many ways God speaks to us. I expect His voice to come in the big moments, but more often I have found His voice in the quieter places; in the hills, the waves, and in the breeze. I have always found peace in
Read MoreAching Hearts for the Kerrville Community
Our hearts are aching for the Kerrville community after the devastating flood. The sorrow is still unfolding. The grief is still raw. And many are still waiting for answers—search crews still working, families still holding their breath, prayers still rising. This isn’t just a tragedy that touched one group of
Read MorePaula’s Journey Journal
Follow Paula, a BFA facilitator, along on her walk through widowhood as she helps other widows on their journey with heartfelt insights and hope from her personal experience.
Love You
I was not familiar with it until the day after Mitch passed away. Even then, it was only for one night, because the family arrived that afternoon. My daughter stayed with me for a month while I was packing up to move to New Braunfels. She worked, and I packed.
Read MoreDating
I haven’t exactly dated, to be honest with you. I never advanced anyone in school, other then maybe a look, that went further then I realized at the time. I had girl friends as in, those I spoke to or shared a laugh with or met through another girl but,I only had one true girlfriend.
Read MoreLiving Alone
I could have stayed with my daughter where I felt safe, but I wanted to stay independent. The first step to that is having a home of your own.
Read MoreStruggling with Sleep
This is an issue you will struggle with in the very beginning of your grief journey, but this is very common, due to the circumstance we are under. Meaning, shock,denial, stress, anger ,and so on.
Read MoreWhat is Time?
Did you feel this way in the midst of it all? I did! More than once, I would pray that it would all go away or wish a year would disappear, just to get past it all. That first year was a challenge, for sure. It was hard to muster
Read More
