5:00 AM: *alarm goes off*
5:10 AM (or so): *crawls out of bed*
5:30 AM (or so): *makes way downstairs for coffee and quiet time*
6:15 AM (on Mondays and Wednesdays): Ashlyn comes down with a soft smile, a “good morning friend,” and a whole lot of love.
••
A S H L Y N
Let me tell you about this friend* of mine.
*Friend, encourager, tough question asker, listener, Proverbs 31 type of woman.
I can’t share my story – my testimony – and not include Ashlyn; I can’t fail to include the way her servant’s heart has shifted my Spirit to see more of Jesus in the every-day.
I wrote on Instagram a couple months ago that Ashlyn fulfills the depth of my need for community, and that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the gratitude I feel for her friendship.
••
Almost two years ago, I was asked to be a student leader at Windy Gap for Young Life College at NC State.
I was stepping into a role of ‘community group leader’ – someone who has the chance to disciple and shepherd freshman girls in daily life through a small group.
Ashlyn was placed in my cabin.
For those who aren’t familiar with Young Life weekend camps, the weekend is structured in a way that brings ‘talks’ (mini sermons), ‘cabin time’ (time of processing and discussing the gospel, led by student leaders), and ‘free time’ (time to invest in and connect with friends).
Me? Leading?
I can’t really put into words the irony of this now – this friend teaches me daily. She teaches, and exhibits, the love and grace of Jesus.
The weekend was fun. We took pictures that we giggle about now.
Fast forward to the Spring of 2017 (Maybe May-ish). Ashlyn came over, and we had dinner together. We had spent a little bit of time together, digging deeper into vulnerability each time.
She was sharing her heart about a situation and was asking me for specific ways to pray for her.
We had a delicious meal, prayed together, and planned our next date.
The Lord moved and shifted so many things in a matter of two months, and we signed a lease together. I was going to live with this radical lover of Jesus (which has been a dream).
Fast forward to the early Fall of 2017 (Maybe September-ish).
Ashlyn and I were sitting in the kitchen one evening, and she says, “Hey I want to show you something.” I walked around to her side of the counter and looked at her computer.
Adventures in Missions: The World Race.
Ashlyn excitedly spilled all of the thoughts she was praying through regarding a mission trip I had never heard of, the World Race. She shared passionately about the traveling between countries, the exposure to different cultures, and the ‘backpacking with…literally everything you need…for 11 months.’
I smiled, listened, and when she asked what I thought, I said, “Wow, you would be amazing at that. I really don’t think I could do it.”
Fast forward again to November 2017.
November was a really hard month, for both of us.
We sat together in silence, cried together, sought after Jesus together.
We learned the importance of walking through the desert with someone who pushes you to the living water, and not a temporary water that won’t quench your spiritual thirst.
Jesus had been shifting my heart the whole month to thoughts about the future, the dreaded post-graduation.
I thought through it all – grad school, entry-level job, internship, moving home… but Jesus shifted my heart closer and closer to missions.
We could go through the spiritual details, but I will boil it down to this: Jesus shifted my heart towards the World Race, and, well, he’s just funny sometimes.
I remember sitting in the kitchen, sharing with Ashlyn that I was applying for the WR and was going through the interview process.
With wide eyes, some tears, and more encouragement than I could have asked for, Ashlyn told me she thought from the beginning that I would be a perfect fit for the WR, and that she was hoping I would see it and immediately apply.
Check this out…
I have a friend who is patient, understanding, and gracious enough to have felt those things, and instead of pushing me, prayed for me.
••
Ashlyn has recently decided to take a different route and is going on a different mission trip this August, to South Africa.
We will be in different continents, sharing the gospel, finding free time to share encouragement over FaceTime.
We will profess the truth to people who don’t know Jesus and watch the Holy Spirit shift their hearts.
We will come together when both trips conclude and share “only God” stories for hours, days, weeks. (The type of story you can only respond to with “wow, only God”).
We will pour out our hearts, give 100%, probably feel homesick, definitely struggle in some moments – but all for His glory.
I get to add ‘fellow missionary’ to the list*.
Friend, encourager, tough question asker, listener, Proverbs 31 type of woman, fellow missionary.
••
We sit in the living room together a lot.
I am soaking in every moment before our time is up.
Sometimes, we have quiet times beside each other.
Other times, we laugh at silly videos until our bellies hurt. All the time, we soak in the opportunity to do life beside someone who pushes the other to the Lord.
Today marks one month until we will move out of our safe haven we get to call home.
••
Ashlyn,
I know you’re reading this. Probably with a blanket, tears in your eyes, smile on your face.
Thank for being unapologetically you.
You’re on my team, and I need you.
You sat at the table when I got my acceptance call, and cried with me when I realized it was a “we want you.”
You were the first person to subscribe to my blog.
You stood in the kitchen with me when I announced it to the rest of the world, refreshing the page for likes/views, and celebrating each one. You proofread most of my blogs and send me words of life when you finish.
You send me sweet notes when I am having a stressful week.
You squeeze in time for me when both of our schedules are unimaginably busy.
I promise to absorb every bit of your love and grace until I can’t any more.
I promise to pray diligently for you and for your heart as we prepare for a life-changing year.
I promise to do my best to love like you do, like Jesus does – to listen intently, and to care for your heart only a fraction of the way you have cared for mine.
Above all, I promise to seek the Lord with you, until we are worshipping in heaven, laughing at all the days behind.
All my love,
Hannah
PS: Ashlyn was a really cute kid too.
