Hello my friend! I’m Ashley, but I also go by Ash! I am 23 years old (but I unfortunately look way younger) and recently graduated from Cedarville University with degrees in Christian Education and Youth Ministry. My head is full of dreams for my life, but I have zero plans right now. My heart is full of passion to please my Father God by loving others with His heart and serving as His hands and feet.
I have two wonderful, godly parents who have done nothing but love, encourage, and support me. I also have a younger sister, Jessica, who is my best friend in the whole world! I truly consider my beautiful family, both immediate and extended, to be one of my most precious treasures in this life. Let’s just say that if every day could be a family reunion, I’d be a pretty happy camper!
A little more about me…. I have loved to sing since I was very young. Leading worship and using the gift God has given me to glorify Him brings me great joy! I am also a deeply relational person, and, like, 95% extrovert. I. Love. People. If I could be around people all day every day, again, I’d be a happy camper.
More specifically, I am extremely passionate about discipleship! Man, discipleship is such a cool and beautiful gift from God. I come alive when I talk to others about Jesus; when I get to come alongside someone and speak God’s truths over them and invest in nurturing their spiritual growth.
One more thing you should know about me… I am a complete goofball. Some people tell me that I have the gift of a joyful spirit, and while I do believe that is true, I am also just wacky. I love making other people laugh and not taking myself too seriously.
So, I am sure you must be wondering, how in the world did this girl end up doing something like the World Race? Let me just go ahead and answer that for you….
It all started when I was 16 years old. (Actually, it technically started way before that, but for the sake of being concise, we’ll start here). My family had not been regularly attending a church for some time (long story). We randomly heard about New Life Assembly of God, and decided to give it a whirl.
The third Sunday that we went, I remember being caught up in the music. I loved learning and singing these new songs about God because they were really powerful. I was singing along merrily, because I love to sing, and all of a sudden, this thought slammed into my consciousness: “If you really believe what you are singing about…. If you really, truly believe that Jesus died for YOUR sins and rose again, and that believing in Him is to FOLLOW Him…. your whole life has to change.”
Woah. I had always believed in Jesus and what He had done on the cross, but I had not followed Him in the way that He called for. Until that point, my life lacked the commitment of these kinds of verses: “Take up your cross and follow me,” “Present yourself as a living sacrifice,” and “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
In that moment, I was overcome. It all finally clicked. There was so, so much more to knowing and believing in Jesus than a one-way ticket to heaven. He offered abundant life, a friendship with the most powerful and loving being to ever exist. I chose in.
As I continued to seek God and grow in my relationship with Him, He started opening my eyes. I had always believed that to be a good Christian was to not have sex before marriage, not swear, and pray before meals and bedtime. In addition to teaching me about the profound, two-way relationship He wants to have with me, He also started showing me that TRUE religion is to care for those with nothing. What I do to the least of these, I do to Jesus Himself. He identifies THAT closely with the plight of the poor, marginalized, broken, outcast people of this world.
I went on two weekend simulations during my time at Cedarville, one where I got to experience what it feels like to be a refugee, and one where I experienced what it is like to be homeless. It shook me to the core. Before going on those weekends, it was easy to turn a blind eye to these kinds of things. But afterward, I was responsible for what I knew. Around this time, I started realizing that God wants to do so much more in and through my life than help me to achieve the American Dream.
And let me tell you, I was so hungry for that.
I have felt, since high school, that God has a big call on my life. I could never put words to it, but I was PUMPED. However, as time went on, I grew more and more fearful that I had been wrong.
And then, I heard about the World Race.
I’d always been interested in missions, and I had a very romantic notion of what they entailed. I wanted to be that girl who goes to Africa, falls in love with the people, and returns saying, “A part of my heart is in Africa!” I had the opportunity to go to Haiti my junior year, and let me tell you, it was nothing like the romantic vision I had dancing in my head. It was HARD. But God did beautiful things in my heart through that trip (a story for another day).
Around the time I was preparing to go to Haiti, I had a coffee date with a friend, and she mentioned the World Race. I felt my whole world stop. It sounded absolutely amazing! So, I did what any World Race prospect does, and I stalked the website, watched videos, and read any blog I could get my hands on. I was enthralled, and knew that I had to do it.
And now, here we are. God has provided all of my funds to go on this trip, I have been so blessed and encouraged by my supporters, and I’m finally getting the opportunity to step out in faith, depend on God, and see what else there is besides the American Dream. I get to love His people and come to the end of myself so that I can be rebuilt in Christ.
I pray that through this journey, God breaks the entitled American in me, and rebuilds me to be a servant to all. I pray that I will get to experience His love and power in miraculous ways. I pray that I will preach and pray boldly, and that I will see many come to Christ this year. I pray that Jesus will use this journey to stretch, grow, and change me. Stay tuned on my blog to hear how that goes. 🙂
