Africa Update.

First of all I want to thank everyone who has given financial support towards this trip!! Thank you soooo much!!! :) This is definitely a trip that I can't do on my own. I also want to thank those who have lifted up this trip in your prayers and chosen to partner with me as a prayer covering. We will definitely need all the prayer we can get!

So this trip is still 100% happening.. however, we have pushed the dates back to January. The timing was always a little bit of an issue for everyone involved, due to my brother getting married two weeks before the trip. A lot of the family focus was on the wedding (as it should be :) and we didn't spend much time in prayer or planning. So now with the trip being scheduled in January that gives us more time for: support raising, planning, praying and getting all our shots!! That last part I'm not too thrilled about.

             (me at my brother's wedding this past weekend)

We will still have opportunities to minister in Malawi as well as Mozambique!! We are looking into connecting with Heidi Baker's ministry to the orphans in Mozambique and serving for a time there. This door is really wide open for us to go and just serve and love on people!! So I still have MORE SUPPORT to raise!!! But I am believing that by January God will have provided all the funds. I ask that you would please prayerfully consider sowing into this missions trip financially and thru prayer!!!

Also, one of my closest friends Nicole will be joining us on this trip and she is also raising support to go. This is the website for her blog. She has an amazing story and is one of the most on fire people I know:

http://herjourneyonthenarrowroad 

Hopefully, in a few weeks my parents will have their blog up and I will let you know that site as well!!! Thanks everyone for your love, support and encouragement towards this trip!!!

Many Blessings,

Ash

I've learned contentment In all things

^{Philippians 2:5-8}"Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion."

I could continue to read this scripture over and over and it still makes no sense to me. Jesus Christ, the Faithful Witness. Jesus Christ part of the Holy Trinity. He was fully God and fully man! This man who was prophesied about through out the whole old testament. Whom the Jews would know as their Messiah. Who would be the greatest teacher of all. A miracle worker. Who would come to set them free. He would not only be part of a Royal Heritage as The Father's only son but also part of the Royal line descending from King David. This one who was in the beginning. Before the foundations of the earth were laid, He was there.

And yet He came and made himself of no reputation. He came and literally went to the lowest place. He didn't claim 'special privileges'. He came to SERVE! He came to set us FREE! 

The Lord has been teaching me a lot about crucifixion. This summer has definitely been one of the hardest seasons of my life. I feel as though I've been in a pressure cooker. I've felt the death of a lot of things. But all in all, I'm realizing where my real dreams and ambitions lie. And if they are not first and foremost rooted in Him, then I don't want them. 

I'm realizing that when I said 'Lord you have my heart' And "I lay down my life for your name's sake." He took me at my word. :) He agreed to have my 'everything' in exchange for His 'everything'. I would say that's a pretty good trade. If my everything looks like laying down the American dream. Laying down a big ministry. Laying down money. Laying down friends and picking up my cross and following Him then I say yes! He never said this is going to be an easy path. "That it is through many hardships and tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22) But the word also says  "For whoever finds me finds Life, And obtains favor from the LORD" (Proverbs 8:35) Jesus didn't come to make us slaves and to create robots who have no mind or will of their own. But He came to set us free and to make the ultimate sacrifice, so we could be with Him for eternity. We were dirtied in our sin. Bound and locked in chains. 

But He came and went to the lowest place and in His humility, He died a gruesome death upon a Cross. This one that we adore! This one that we worship. He came. He came with me and you and us in mind. Knowing that He was the only one who could pave the way. In order to restore the dreams and plans in His heart. To create and make a people that He could dwell with. The ultimate dream in His heart was US!! And Jesus did whatever it would take to win us back!! 

Therefore, if Jesus Christ ".. made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7) Then I can surely take up my cross and embrace anything that He calls me to walk through. 

Jesus we remember
Your love
Jesus we remember
Your suffering

The pinnacle of love
Upon a tree
There's a Man hanging there
And He's bleeding for me

This is Your Maker
This Your Creator
This is Your Husband
Dying for His bride

You loved me
To the end.

Don't let fear kick in.

So today I finished reading a book called 'Dreaming with God' by Bill Johnson. This book has been exactly what I needed to hear. (or read rather) But I realized that this is actually the first book I've  finished reading in a long time. That's kinda sad I know but I have a tendency of reading 4 books at the same time. I start one.. get interested in another.. and so on! :)

Anyways, here I am Day #2 of Support Raising for this Missions trip to Africa!! I talked to my friend Nicole today (who is also raising the funds to go on this trip) and she's already over $800!!! I am SO proud of her and it's just awesome to see the Lord actively moving in her life. I know it's stirring up her faith. And that in turn, stirs up my faith.

However, that all too familiar creeping shadow of fear starts to set in. And my mind starts swirling of questions like.. 'What if I am $500 short and can't go??' 'What happens if I have to return the money?!?' 'What if I get malaria and die over there??' Okay okay.. Anyways, I think this is going to be a real faith builder in my life.

Since living an intercessory missionary lifestyle for almost a year now.. I have story after story of God's faithfulness in always providing for my needs. Most of the time I have NO idea where my rent money is going to come from. Or gas money. But it always seems to come through. The Lord truly meets ALL my needs!

Now, I'm stepping out of the boat a little bit more!! And as of right now.. I have $100 towards this trip. So I am going to start rejoicing in that!! Rejoice that someone is choosing to sow into this trip and believes in what the Lord is going to do in it. I pray that this is the first fruits of much more to come!!!

A quote from 'Dreaming with God' by Bill Johnson

" The Spirit of the resurrected Christ living in me has disqualified me from the mundane and ordinary. I am qualified for the impossible, because I'm a believing believer. Faith qualifies me for the impossible."

I am going to Africa and I need YOUR HELP!!!!

Hi Friends and Family,

So as many of you know, I am planning a missions trip to Africa this October!!! This will actually be my first missions trip. :) A couple years ago the Lord opened the doors for me to live in England for a period of 9 months and during that time He gave me such a heart for the Nations! I've always known that I had a traveling bug but as I've gotten older, it's gotten worse!! :) I have been itching for an opportunity to travel. Right now I am an intercessory missionary at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri. God is teaching me how to sit at His feet and just receive. Easier said than done for me!

A couple years ago my dad had the opportunity to travel to Africa and minister with lots of different people groups! He was able to go into orphanages and love on the Fatherless. Speak and pray into leaders lives! And go to prisons and minister to the forgotten! It was a trip that absolutely changed him. As he came back and shared pictures and stories of his trip, it was obvious that Africa had stolen a piece of his heart! It was awesome to see my dad touched by such an experience. He has been praying and looking for opportunities to go back. And this year God opened just that door! He was invited (along with my mom) to go to Malawi and speak at a pastors/leaders conference! This is such an honor and an opportunity that couldn't be passed up! So though the funds weren't all in (and still are not completely in) they both stepped out in faith and said YES!! And I know that God always honors that yes in our hearts. 

As I started hearing about this trip, something got stirred up in my heart! When I think of Africa I think of the children!! The children who are fatherless and sometimes forgotten!! They live a life that I can't even fathom. Being an American, I know that I am incredibly spoiled. My 'bummer' days are because I don't have enough gas money to drive somewhere.. or enough money for this or that! But I have always had a roof over my head, food to eat and friends and family in my life!!! This past year at Ihop, I have been taken to some low and lonely places! But all in all, I need a reality check of still how good I have it.

I am currently singing on a worship team here and every Friday we sing and pray for OJC (orphan justice center) We are interceding on behalf of the fatherless and praying for an adoption movement in the church!! This stirs my heart so much. I have always had a big heart for children!! Hoping that one day I can have a big family of my own and adopt several children! This opportunity to go to Africa with my parents seems like something I just can't pass up!!! God is expanding my heart thru intercession and prayer and now I feel READY to pour that love out onto others!!! I feel God all over this trip and know that for my parents, Nicole (my friend who is also raising support to come) and me.. it will be LIFE CHANGING!!!!

I am asking YOU to please prayerfully consider partnering with me in this missions trip!! I don't have the funds in and of myself to go! I live on support from my partners to be at the house of prayer. So I am not rolling in the dough, so to speak! I am living off of what God gives me on a month to month basis!! This trip is me stepping out in faith. Saying yes to God and his heart for Africa!! Believing that ALL the funds will come in!!!!!

I will use this blog as a journey leading up to the trip! My thoughts, fears, concerns etc... As well as showing the process of raising support. I will post pictures of Africa and share testimonies and stories of what happens!!!!

I truly can't do this without the help of YOU!!!!!!! Please help send me to Africa!!!!!!

Love,

Ashley