something new

update

Ashley — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:00:29 +0000

so i have not written in forever.

God has done so much in my life. I can’t tell you how awesome it has been! I truly love learning for the Lord and living for Him. I wish I had more time to share all the stories that I have experience but unfortunately I don’t. Hopefully I will be able to write all of them down sometime.

I do have two stories that I would like to share:

This past weekend was Pre-The Call and Birmingham Prayer Furnace at my church. It was absolutely amazing. Lou Engle spoke about many different things. But my story is what happened Saturday night during Nightwatch. I was dancing for the Lord and I got this story/vision in my head. Basically it went like this: We all get pulled in different directions and get distracted. When we say that we have had enough and come before God and ask “will you dance with me?” he will say “yes!” every time. He even says yes as you pull away again from Him and then return to Him. It’s just an amazing feeling to know that He is always there. We tend to forget that and just give up but the Lord is here with you and wants to dance with you. I don’t know if this is for anyone who reads this but it was definitely for me b/c He keeps reminding me this every time I spend just a minute or more with Him.

My second story is from last night. I am in a bible study and we are studying Song of Solomon. Let me tell you, it’s the best thing ever! We pretty much go off of Mike Bickle’s study and just analyze a few verses at a time. We started analyzing part of this verse: “Like a lily among thorns is my darling among maidens.” (sos 2:2). This is what we got out of it. Lilies do not have thorns but like a rose which does have thorns, we are willing to get cut and bleed just to get that beautiful rose. We are the rose and Jesus was willing to do anything to get to us and he chose to get cut by the thorns and bleed for us. This is more awesome… He wore a crown of thorns as he was dieing on the cross. So he basically wore our sins on the cross! I just thought this was so cool because He is the only one who would do that for any of us. Now the lily represents purity and a “lily among thorns” is us who are believers and have become pure. We are the lily among thorns b/c thorns represents sin. So we stand out among the sin of the world b/c we love the Lord and want more of him. “Darling among maidens” is pretty much the same thing. You stick out from the others b/c you are pure and precious to the Lord. He delights in you and wants more of you.

Well that’s pretty much all I had to say.

Have a wonderful day!

heart breaking

Ashley — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:11:34 +0000

I was reading cnn.com and one of the most recent articles is about a 19 year old boy who shot people in a shopping mall and then killing himself. This breaks my heart. The only reason he did this is because he wanted to be famous and he thought this was the only way. America needs to change, our media needs to change. Shooting someone just to be famous is very disturbing. This boy was depressed and the article does not mention any therapy or treatment for the boy. We need to help our children who are depressed, who are rejected. We need more Social Workers in the school systems around the country. I believe this is why God put me in this major of becoming a social worker and giving me heart for kids who just want someone to love them. We need to love our children because they are the new generation of this world. I am completely heartbroken right now.

God, show us how to love one another. Show us how to have compassion for the brokenhearted. Teach us how to accept others who are not like us because you accept us for who we are and we are not worthy of our love. Thank you Lord for loving us and being jealous for us. Make us pure Lord, because all you see is purity in us. You do do not see any flaw in us. Thank you Lord. I love you.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

All beautiful you are, my darling;
there is no flaw in you.
Song of Songs 4:7

You are beautiful. Jesus loves you.

true religion.

Ashley — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:18:54 +0000

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27

I really like this verse because it is saying that true religion is love. I never got that out of this verse. I didn’t even see that until someone at THOP read it aloud and I read it again; love is all over this verse.

I love hearing everyone’s side of verses and stories. I learn so much.

HAVE A LOVELY DAY!

story time

Ashley — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 13:18:31 +0000

So I cannot even describe how good God is. I have three short stories I want to share with you.

First one: At THOP we have been praying for three specific people that God laid on our hearts. One of mine is one of my best friends. She has been wanting more and more of God and I have been praying that God would give it to her as well as for her to put God first. Well the last couple of weeks have been amazing! She has been growing more with the Lord and wanting to talk about him more often. He is definitely growing in her life.

Second one: Last Thursday I went to see Derek Webb play at the Pour Cafe. I ran into a girl I have known since my freshman year of college. She attends First Baptist. So we got to talking and catching up. She was telling me about how she worked at this camp this past summer and how God humbled her during her loneliness. Then she starts to talking about Ezekiel and then I freak out because I am reading that on my own right now! We were just talking about how obedient he was for the Lord. We want that soo bad! But that night was so encouraging to both of us because God really wanted us bump into each other so that we could fellowship with each other and lift both of us up.

Third one: This past weekend my church went up to Lookout Mountain Camp for Boys in Mentone,AL. We go every year for the middle schoolers. It’s an amazing trip everytime we go as well. Anyways, this year was pretty amazing. God definitely broke through people and moved through them. It was the best Mentone yet. Also there were two little sixth grade boys who somehow got my anointing oil and went around anointing people and praying for them. I didn’t know this until the next day but I was so excited to hear that because God is moving in these kids lives. I was in the back of the room praying for these kids and adults to get an encounter with him. It definitely happened. I cannot express how the spirit of joy came over that even when we were singing this slow song about being still and knowing God is always there I just laughed and giggled to myself because it’s true and being reminded makes it even better.

God has done so much this past week and I am so thankful to see it and be a part of it!

friendships

Ashley — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:26:53 +0000

So I’m reading my Development Through Life textbook and it is talking about middle childhood and how kids deal with friends. Here’s what I just read, “Children are not forced to accept one another’s ideas in quite the same way as they are with adults. They argue, bargain, and eventually compromise in order to maintain friendships.” As I read this, I just thought of many times when I did that when I was kid. It made me laugh because we did it when we were kids and they still do it to this day. I just thought I would share that with you.

wheaton college

Ashley — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:48:06 +0000

Is pretty awesome. I went to visit one of my best friends since third grade, Scweigy (that’s what I call her), for fall break. Oh how I miss her so. I love being with her and just talking about the Lord and listening to her wisdom. Her family is so dear to me. I got to take her to see Wicked for an early birthday present. We definitely loved it! It is a great musical/broadway and I definitely recommend seeing it.

Wheaton is a pretty cool campus. It is small but so cute and everyone there is really nice. I love her friends.. they are so random and I was entertained by them. There was a jazz music thing on the quad and that was awesome. listening to people sing was great. It was cold too. Oh, I also got spat on by a guy randomly at dinner on Thursday night. It was pretty funny and gross at the same time. Downtown Wheaton is so cute and had a really good popcorn store. We both love our gilmore girls episodes. I went to their football game on Saturday night. I felt like I was in high school again b/c there was not a stadium and just a field with bleachers. I told her friends they are going to have to come to UA for a real college game. It was a good game and Wheaton won! GO THUNDER!

it was a great weekend and sad that fall break is over but i will soon see schweigy once again! i love her!

yes you have by leeland

Ashley — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:35:28 +0000

this is how i feel right now:
Every tree and every stone
Every rushing wind that moans
They sing Your praise
My God, they sing Your praise
Every star and open sky
Tell of Your glory divine
They shout Your praise
They shout Your praise, yeah

You’ve stolen my heart
Yes, You have!
You’ve stolen my heart
Yes, You have!
You’ve wiped away the stains
And broke away the chains
Yes, You have!!

With Your love You set me free
Three nails gave me liberty
So I’ll sing Your praise
My God, I’ll sing Your praise
Oh, with Your love
You forgave my sin
Forgot my past
And brought me back again
Yes You Have Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com
So I’ll sing Your praise
I’ll sing Your praise, yeah

If I ascend into the sky
Or hide behind the night
I can not run Your love is chasing me
If I fall into the sea
Your hand will rescue me
No one will take Your place
Because

This is all for You
Yes, this is all for You
You’re the King of the world
You’re the King of the world

Jesus is so amazing! He’s restored my heart and is wanting to love on me so much. Thank you!!!! Lord, you are truly wonderful and I thank you for all you have done in my life. Make me more like you, Lord. Help me to see the world through your eyes. I love you so much.

capri

Ashley — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:20:34 +0000

Capri by Colbie Caillat

She’s got a baby inside
And holds her belly tight
All through the night
Just so she knows
She’s sleeping so
Safely to keep
Her growing
And oh when she’ll open her eyes
There’ll be no surprise
That she’ll grow to be
So beautifully
Just like her mother
That’s carrying
Oh Capri
She’s beauty
Baby inside she’s loving
Oh Capri
She’s beauty
There is and angel growin’ peacefully
Oh Capri
Sweet baby
And things will be hard at times
But I’ve learned to try
Just listening
Patiently, oh Capri
Sweet baby
Oh Capri
She’s beauty
Baby inside she’s loving
Oh Capri
Your beauty
Just like your mother
That’s carrying…Oh Capri

beautiful song and it’s in my head

Ashley — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:27:33 +0000

I feel like this week has been so crazy. Maybe it’s because I have been busy.

Last night I learned so much! I loved it. Learning about the End Times is so fascinating that I just want to learn more and more about it. I’m kind of speechless about it all. I wish I didn’t have to do school because I just want to pursue in my walk with God and devote all my time with him. He’s so good.

So I am just amazed how girls are so anxious to get their boyfriends up in their room. I work at the front desk of a dorm and visiting hours do not start until 10am and the boys have to sign in since it is an all girls dorm. Some of these people love to get here right at 10 so they can go upstairs. It just blows my mind…

Verses of the week:

My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.
~Isaiah 26:9

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
~Jeremiah 29:11

Revelations

Ashley — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 04:15:58 +0000

This week has been exhausting! But through all of this week, I really enjoy the Omega course of Revelations. It’s pretty amazing because I have never read Revelations or wanted to because I have been scared to what I was going to read. Now I’m not! I love it. Everything I have learned has been so overwhelming but amazing. I really enjoy learning all of it.

Getting to go to a Bible study almost every night of the week has been an amazing opportunity. I just do not know where to go. Everywhere I have gone to has been so good and different. THOP has definitely helped me grow with my walk in the Lord. Last year was great but now it is a little more structured and we all really feel that we have grown to new level as One. It has been wonderful.

I am loving Tuscaloosa more and more each day because God has answered my prayers after two years of being here. Having friends who love Jesus and who encourage everyone to keep going, and interceding for our friends and the lost. I couldn’t ask for anything else this year.

Going to Cleveland, TN tomorrow. I’m pretty excited. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

ROLL TIDE!