81 years old

Hey guys. It's been awhile since I've posted, sorry about that. I have been super busy with school, but I finished today so hopefully I can post more. So today I want to tell you a story.

My best friend and roommate Kayla and I went to walmart tonight. It's about 30 degrees here and to us that's just bitter cold. Well we pull up to walmart, and for some reason I didn't want to drive around to find a close spot, instead we parked out a ways. Well I see this little elderly lady walking and as I continued to watch her, I realized she was lost. She was carrying her purse loosely and her basket was full. I knew that if she was really lost, that she was a prime suspect for some idiot to take advantage of her.

So we parked and jumped out of the car and followed her. I called out and said "ma'am, may we help you" and she said "I look lost don't I, I don't know where my car is" So Kayla and I started looking. The woman knew her first 3 digits of her licence plate number. Kayla left us to go look on the other side of the parking lot, so I asked her if she would mind if I pushed her basket, and she let me. We walked up and down every row looking for her car. As we walked she talked and shared some stuff with me.
"I turned 81 this year, I know I'm old, but since I turned 81 I feel I have aged by 10 years not just 1"
"I was praying for God to help me find my car"
"You are too sweet for doing this."
"You think someone stole my car?"
"I might need a keeper"
"Life just isn't the same as it was back in the old days."

Eventually we found her car, Kayla came back, and we loaded her grocery bags into her trunk. She asked us if we were in school and where we were from. Then thanked us numerous times.

So I tell you this story because it got me thinking. When I'm 81 and can't find my car, I pray that some one will help me. But beside that point the main think I thought was God is good. She was praying for help and it just so happened Kayla and I were her answered prayer. I have told people that they were an answered prayer, but never have I realized I was one. It was awesome. It's awesome to know that God is so good, and can work through anybody. I've been discouraged lately, and have felt pretty low, but God can still use me. Even the smallest of things can impact somebody's life. Just like helping a lady find her car.

I am not telling you this for Kayla and I to get kudos or brownie points. But to show that God can use you, even when you least expect it. We didn't just help a lady, but God showed himself to us tonight. He showed that he loves us and he wanted to use us tonight. God is always at work around us, and wants us to join him in his work. Tonight for Kayla and I, it was helping an 81 year old lady find her car in 30 degree weather.

God is good huh?! I'll post more soon! Love yall

My life so far!

Sound isn't great, but it works! have a great day!! :D

It's not about me!!

It's not about me! It's not about me! It's not about me!! Surreal right?!? Can you truly grasp that thought? That this life is not about you? It's not about me!

Last night at a college worship service I attend Josh, out university pastor, had an awesome message. He said lots of great stuff but the one thing that struck my heart and wrecked my world was this life is not about me!!

If you truly life your life with that mindset it really makes you stand in awe of the one true God. I have lived my life half way, if that, with that mindset.... I live to serve others, but at the end of the day it was still about me. So I stated to think where I struggle most about it, and I prayed about it...when I woke up this morning, I couldn't help but smile because it's not about me! I wanted to share some of my realizations.

1. Relationships:: I have had a few boyfriends but through the relationships it was always about me and him. Not us together. I realize now that I need a man of God who wants to be with me to pursue Lord together.... I want to go overseas and serve the lord with my man. And live in a godly relationship with him. Purity. I want our relationship to be focused not about us but about God and through rejoicing in who God is, we will benefit in an awesome relationship.

2. Teaching:: it has been about me. I love kids and yes I wanted to help my kids and teach them lot, but in all reality I want to show my kids Jesus through my teaching. I want to be a light for them. When I step into my classroom it's not about me. It's about serving those little hearts and loving them.

3. Friendships:: I love my friends, and I owe them an apology because so many times I make it about me. When in all reality i need to shut up and listen to them, be there, and love them.

4. School:: it's not about me but it's about every child that will walk into my classroom. Whether it be here in the state or a third world country. I need to work my hiney off in school so I can better help my children reach their full potential.

5. My future family:: it won't be about me. When I bring children into the world, I want to raise them to love Jesus. Not by pounding it in their heads but showing jesus' love to them through me and my husband. I want to make sure that as their mother and wife that it doesn't become about me!


So those are some of the major ones I thought about.... I don't know what you're going through, but is your life reflecting yourself or God?!? Because in all reality this life we live is NOT about us!!! It's not about me! Have a great day yall!!! :)

Be this woman!

The wife i want to be.



So I was reading Proverbs 31:10-31 and I was thinking I want to be that wife.... Granted I'm quite far from becoming a wife (shoot I need a boyfriend first lol) but I know I want to be that woman. For my future husband and children.

But I like the passage for more than what then wife acted but who she was. Here's some examples:
 
-
"She is energetic and strong,

a hard worker. She extends a helping hand to the poor

and opens her arms to the needy. She is clothed with strength and dignity,

and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise,

and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household

and suffers nothing from laziness. Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;

but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised." (Proverbs 31:17, 20, 25-27, 30 NLT)

Here's what I saw... She was strong. She was independent in the fact that she took care of the household. She did business on the farm. She took care of her family. She enjoyed life, she laughed. She was smart. She was educated. She wasn't a submissive wife or someone who gets walked on all the time, instead she had two feet under her. She served Jesus, her husband, children, and neighbors. So I have a promise I'd like to make to my future husband.... I want to be like the wife in Proverbs 31. 



Here's the whole passage

"Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?

She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her,

and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life. She finds wool and flax

and busily spins it. She is like a merchant’s ship,

bringing her food from afar. She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household

and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. She goes to inspect a field and buys it;

with her earnings she plants a vineyard. She is energetic and strong,

a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable;

her lamp burns late into the night. Her hands are busy spinning thread,

her fingers twisting fiber. She extends a helping hand to the poor

and opens her arms to the needy. She has no fear of winter for her household,

for everyone has warm clothes. She makes her own bedspreads.

She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns. Her husband is well known at the city gates,

where he sits with the other civic leaders. She makes belted linen garments

and sashes to sell to the merchants. She is clothed with strength and dignity,

and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise,

and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household

and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her.

Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,

but you surpass them all!” Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;

but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done.

Let her deeds publicly declare her praise." (Proverbs 31:10-31 NLT)

Good right!??!! I'm gonna be that woman! How bout you?? You don't have to be the stereotype of a "Christian wife" making babies and cooking food. You can be so much more in your life as a Christian woman a Christian wife. So be everything you can be as a woman. Just because you are a woman doesn't mean you are worth less than a man. Embrace who you are and know you are so amazing!!! :)

You can't do it on your own!!

You cant do it on your own....

So I'm twenty coming up on twenty-one in a few months. Every paycheck I take half my check and put it in my savings account and with the other half I use it on tithe, gas, food, taco Tuesday, and maybe a little shopping. My goal was to save enough money to pay for my apartment next semester. Do it on my own. Without my parents. To be independent. 

But here's what I know.... I can do it alone. My parents will have to rescue me, send me money, loan me money, eventually because things happen. But here's another thing I know, they don't do it because they have to but because they want to take care of their baby. Even if it's not giving money it's helping me learn to mansgr it. To take care of it. Yes they want me to be independent, learn how to manage money, become my own person...but I am their child and they will always be there for me.....why? Because they love me.


So you're probably saying what's this about Ashlee?!? Well just like my money situation with my parents always being there to help me.... Thats how God is. He's always there. I cannot live my life by myself. Even if God isn't giving me everything, he is giving me the tools. Just like my parents. 

I have known many people who become very prideful with their want to make it on their own....the thing is....we can't do it on our own....ever. So how do you overcome pride?!? Well first off let people help you. Let God help you. 

So whether you struggle with earthly pride like money or spiritual pride we have to accept help. I'll be real honest, I've strived my whole life to be independent but as the years go by i realize it's stupid. I cant do it alone. First off I need Jesus. He has to be the center of my life and everything I do. Second is I need my parents. They spent eighteen years supporting me and raising me, and just because I'm out of the house I still need their support and guidance and sometimes physical help.

So my challenge for myself and you is go accept help. Help doesn't make you weak but it humbles you. It trashes your pride. Because in reality we can't do anything in this world alone. Ever! I'm not saying be dependent on your parents or earthly things but you do need to be dependent on God. And one way is letting others help you. Most likely God has put them in your life to help you, guide you, and love you. So let them...... They just want what's best for you. Let God work and stop bring so prideful with what earthly things you have yet grateful for what you have and when others want to help.

Here I am Send Me! -Isaiah 6:8

So I, as well as many of my friends, have a heart to go off for a semester, summer, years ad be a missionary over seas. If I could go now....I would. I want to be in Peru so bad, but I know God isn't ready for me to head out yet. He needs me here at ASU, in Texas, and in the States.
To be honest, knowing that he will send me on his time makes me realize that my degree and time here in the states are a tool to help prepare me to go. The problem I am facing now is not to get so caught up with getting to Peru/ Instead I need to be focus on letting God use me here, as much as he wants and needs.

Story Time:: Last fall semester I was trying to get a trip together for Kim and I to go to Kenya on a mission trip. I have always wanted to do work in Africa...I had got the whole trip together and yet I wasn't feeling that's where God wanted/needed me. I kept pushing on because I really wanted to go to Kenya and work. By the time spring rolled around our parents were not at ease with our trip to Kenya, but all of a sudden a ten day trip to Peru opened up. Once we heard of it, a total peace came to our families and we knew that was God's plan for us. We got to go to Peru with some amazing friends and do some amazing work for God. I also got my calling while in Peru.

So why do I share that story? Because I know how easy it is to want to go off, and even though we have intentions of going for God if it's not what God wants, it's not right. For my friends and I we are here because God is using us here, but when God calls us we'll be ready.

I know I am suppose to be in Peru, but not quite yet. I am suppose to get my degree and stay here at least two more years and serve my God here before I move to Peru for awhile. So my prayer for those who are dealing with wanting to go off and serve.... make sure it's God's plan. My plan was to serve in Africa, and although I still want to go there eventually, I know God needs me in Peru. So be patient and wait on the Lord. He'll call you and then it'll be your time! :)

A Disease.....Racism

Racism. The cold hard truth


Before I start this blog I would like to express my feelings on racism… I was raised not to see color, I was taught that whether a person was white, black, brown, red, purple, or hot pink; skin color does NOT make one person better than another. I see racism as a very SICK disease.

So let’s begin with a story, shall we? This is a true story. I’m not gonna give names or the name of places to protect people…

This past Friday night I am sitting in a high school gym watching my sister play volleyball, but let me explain to you exactly where I am. I am in Fort Worth in a school that isn’t inner-city but close. We walk through the doors to the school and are greeted by three fully armed police officers. You walk in a tiny gym, it was very crowded, we are mixed in with their fans and let me just say their fans had spirit. You see the only white people in the gym, with the exception of maybe five, were all from Mineral Wells.
((here are the results I found when looking at the cultural diversity between the school we were at and MWHS… The other school:: is 60% black 20% white 20% brown….Mineral Wells High School:: 60%white 35% brown 5% black okay so you see the difference? Now the reason I say colors and not African American, Mexican American, and Caucasian is to make a point…))
Now back to the story. The team we were playing took us to town and back. We played 4 games and they beat us badly. In the final game there were some very bad calls made, and the fans were getting into it, yelling at the refs. Especially a well known man from MW, he started yelling at the refs but then moved to the kids of the other team. This particular man is very active in his local church and claims to follow Jesus. Here’s where the night went sour. He started yelling at the girls from the other team, calling them trash, idiots, and my worst nightmare the “n word”. I couldn’t take it, I broke down in tears. How could anybody have the guts to do that? The kid didn’t do anything wrong but do what was she was told.

How can anybody claim to be a follower of Jesus, yet bash somebody because their skin color isn’t “right”? The saddest part of it, is this man is one of thousands maybe millions who believe like this. They see a color and not a person. They see a reputation of skin color and not the person. It baffles me. They serve Jesus Christ, and worship him, but I wonder if they ever really think about what Christ looks like. Jesus was born and lived in the Middle East, so in my personal opinion, Jesus didn’t have blonde hair, pale white skin, blue eyes, and was considered white. I bet he looked like all the other middle easterners. If the God they serve wasn’t their “right” skin color, how do they worship him?

It breaks my heart to see people act differently towards someone because of their skin color or ethnicity. God made EVERYBODY, ALL, TODOS! He made everybody so why in the world would we claim a “right” skin color. I have had friends who were Indian, Mexican, African, Asian, and White. I have dated White guys, Brown guys, and Black guys. I was raised not to see color, because God loves us all and he made us all in HIS image. We are all people who are no different from each other, except God just gave some people a better tan than others. That’s all.

In my opinion racism is a very serious disease that needs to be put to an end. It is a sickness that takes control of the mindset and is there because of years of brainwashing sent down by generations. We have to STOP! God made us ALL. So why don’t we start acting like God and love everybody regardless of what they look like!

Here are some verses.
- So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

- But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. James 2:9

-For God does not show favoritism. Romans 2:11

-Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sistertis still in the darkness. 1 John 2:9

-Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly." John 7:24

-There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28