So... Here's the DTS promo video that I just watched yesterday. It's super neat-o, and you should show it to everyone you know so they'll come do a DTS, becuase it's the best decision ever. (:


We're leaving for Chile on Monday! SOOOO STOKED!!!! Hopefully, I'll be able to keep you all updated.

I don't really have a ton to say right now, but I want to share a little about our Hollywood outreach expereince from yesterday:
Most of my group had a lot of really positive testimonies, like always, which is super great. I was really thrilled to hear them. For me, though, everyone I talked to shoved me in to the ground spiritually. I want to clarify something- I'm not saying this to complain or to discourage you, I'm mentioning it because it's real, and it's a challenge we're all bound to face at some point. We're not called, though, to convince people into becoming Jesus lovers. We're called  to love everyone. So, when someone isn't picking up what you're trying to lay down, when people won't even let you finish your sentences, that's when you have no choice but to rely on the Holy Spirit to keep the love flowing when you're feeling so defeated. It's HARD, you guys. But, it doesn't matter. Jesus died. We have a responsibility as Christians. Also, while evangelism is super important, it's also really really vital that new believers have churches to go to where Jesus is well represented, where they don't have to be confused by the weird rules and traditions that are in place. We need to be dilligent in ensuring that in our churched we haven't taken the focus away from God.

Also, I want to let you know what possibilities are showing up for my future:
In October/November, there's going to be an eight week seminar for leadership and ministry develpment, which (as of right now) looks like something I'll be attending. From what I know, this is a shortened version of YWAM's School of Ministry Development, which is a leadership school that focuses especially on getting the students involved in youth groups and churches in the area. There's no web page for it yet, but if you're interested in what an SOMD is, check out: http://www.schoolofministrydevelopment.org/

Then, in January, there's a school here called the Chronological Bible Core Course, where the students read through the entire Bible and study in depth a few books over a 14 week period. They also offer a nine month version, but I didn't feel that God was calling me there. I've been realizing the importance of reading the Bible and of understanding the contexts and meaning of what's in there, which is what the CBCC is about. It's the Word of God, and I want to know Him, so I want to know His Word(:
http://www.csbsla.org/#/welcome

Hopefully at some point after that, I'll be coming on staff here in LA, working with the youth, possibly leading future Dicipleship Training Schools... I don't really know for certain. Those are some options, though(: I'd also be happy to go to some Christian college at some point, but God hasn't really said much about that yet.

Thanks for tuning in; I hope you're having a phenomenal day(:

Also, please keep my Daddy in prayer- he's in India right now.

God Bless.
Ash.

Oh man. God is really hard, but He LOVES to issue challenges.

First of all, Circuit Riders has already been totally radical and life-changing. We're basically talking about how the gospel is LOVE, and THAT is what people need. The LOVE of Christ. Not rules, not religion, just the simple gospel of love. It's totally elementary, but I think it's something we often forget- we like to complicate things so much in this day and age that's craving knowledge and deep understanding. It's so simple though, Christianity: God LOVES the world SO MUCH that He sacrificed what He held dearest to His heart SO THAT WE COULD BE WITH HIM FOREVER. It's that verse everybody knows by heart but that we forget to really meditate on. It's really ALL ABOUT LOVE. God JUST wants to be close to us, just wants to have a relationship with us, just wants to be with us forever. That's what it's all about.

Right, so that's basically Circuit Riders. It's the best way to kick off outreach for sure.

God has been doing really amazing things all week- I don't even think you would read through all of them if I tried to write about everything. I couldn't even begin to write everything anyway, so it's probably best that I don't even begin. Two things I want to talk about specifically just happened tonight. That LORD once again is highlighting the power of OBEDIENCE.
Number one: A group of us were at the dollar store, waiting in line to pay for some drinks, and God whispered to me that I should pay for the lady in front of us' items. I pulled out my card and handed it to the cashier, who looked annoyed and told me to wait. Both her and the lady in front of me were totally confused when I explained that I wanted to pay for her things. She asked me why, and I told her that it was because God loves her SO MUCH and that He's really proud of what she's doing. She let me pay, and I'm pretty sure she almost cried. It was really wonderful. THEN, it got BETTER, because I found out that she's actually helping with a VBS at the All-Nations church near our base, and that's what she was buying stuff for! The Lord totally knew before I did. It was perfect. We got to pray for her and bless her, and then, because God isn't a one-way God, she was prompted to bless us in return. Let's just say that Sarang got a nice bit of her outreach fee paid for(: God is AMAZING! Be praying for Grace (that's the lovely lady of God's name) and for her VBS!
Numero dos: God's been telling me that Lulu, my beloved guitar, won't be coming home with me. He's been saying this for a while. After the whole thing with Ryan's shirt, I was beginning to understand the power of obedience... Ohhhh buddy. I had no idea. My friend Owen gave his life to the Lord on Friday (WOOHOOO!!!!), and it's pretty obvious that he has a worship calling. Tonight, I was with him and a few others, and he was jamming away. As we were leaving, the Lord had me ask him if he had a guitar at home, and he said no. God told me to walk away. So. I. Did. Oh man, you guys. That was heart-wrenching for me. I felt it, literally, in my chest, hurting. But, when I called him a few minutes after we left to explain to him that the Lord wanted him to have it so that he could invest in his calling, I could hear over the phone how much God had just blessed him. It was so amazing to know that God used me to bless him so much. Seriously, that was worth so much more than what Lu meant to me. And she was like my child. Ha.

Good is good- He really knows what He's doing. He really does. God blesses us so that we can bless others. He loves us so that we can love others. We are His hands and feet here on Earth. Seriously. That's why we're here as Christians. Not to live our good little Christian lives, in our little bubbles, avoiding sin as much as we can. We're here to save the lost. We're here because God loves the world so much that He doesn't want to see anyone go to Hell. Seriously, you guys. Christianity isn't about being quiet. It's about saving souls. It's about planting seeds, watering, harvesting, and shepherding. Come on, body. Let's commit to Jesus the way He committed to us- with his whole life. Yeah, I'm calling you to action. It's not about watching me do all this stuff, being happy about what God can do through me. He wants to use YOU. He gave His Spirit to EVERYONE who loves Him, not just to the missionaries. You don't have to go to another country to be saving people, either. Everywhere you go, keep in mind that you're constantly running into people who are quite possibly going to spend eternity in Hell. What are you going to do about it? You have faith so you can share it. Jesus talks about "bearing fruit", right? What tree hides its fruit so no one can see it? What tree makes fruit for its own pleasure? No way! That's ridiculous. Trees make fruit for other people to see, to enjoy. And the same goes for you. You haven't been given love, joy, peace, patience, etc for yourself. STOP BEING SELFISH. Go eagerly, and share what the Lord has given to you with those around you.

I say all this with love, because I know that your hearts are good and set on following the ways of the Lord.

God bless.
Ash.

Okay, so, here is my little spiel on obedience.

One: My school fees- which were $6,400 all together- have officially been paid for. The last $1,500 or so were all paid by the same person, who has asked me not to reveal his/her identity.God told them to pay for the rest of my outreach... Guess why. Because this person was convicted by my faith. :o What. Isn't that crazy?! Apparently, God has given me the gift of faith. Which rocks(: But, on obedience- if this person wasn't obedient, I wouldn't have my school paid for! So praise the Lord for His goodness... Sometimes obedience is hard, but it's so important. 




Two: (Bear with me on this one; it's a lot less straightforward) You guys might know about Ryan McPherson, who was one of my pretty close friends. He overdosed in 2010 and passed away. It was, and it still is, really hard for me. I could go on and on about him, but, for the purposes of this story, all you really have to know is that Ryan was super important to me, and I loved him a lot. I totally would have married him. Anyway, after he passed, I went back to visit his family in Dallas, and his parents let me keep one of his tye-dye shirts, which is one of my most prized possessions. I wouldn't consider myself to be materialistic, but his shirt was definitely something that I couldn't see myself being okay with parting with. There's a boy who  lives here on base names Simeon- he's 10, and he is super awesome. One of the guys who did his school here in LA, Carl, was one of Simeon's best best friends. He overdosed a little while ago and passed away as well... Apparently, I look a lot like Carl, and the first time Simeon saw me, he cried. Anyway, see the similarities? So, to make a long story less long, God told me to give my Ryan shirt to Simeon. I cried. I was seriously so sad, but I knew in my heart I would do it because God asked me to. *Sigh* I gave it to Simeon one day, and I explained a little of the significance of it to him. I'm pretty sure he teared up a little. He hugged me super hard, which he doesn't ever do. He came back a few minutes later with the shirt he had been wearing in his hands. He gave it to me, and he said, "Same shirt, same story." It was Carl's. It touched my heart; I cried so much. When you're obedient, especially in the hardest things, God smiles. He loves obedience, and He rewards it. If I hadn't listened to God, as much as I didn't want to that much, I wouldn't have had that incredible experience, and I might not have been able to reach into Simeon's heart like I was able to. God's amazing. The biggest thing He taught me from that experience, aside from BE OBEDIENT, is that God is bigger than any material thing we would have. He champions all, and He is totally worth giving up everything, even things we hold close to us. 

So, listen to God. He is the best Father we could ever have! 

Love you guys. Blessings. 
Ash

^Luke and I decided to record a vide for my daddy for Father's Day, which is tomorrow, so this is that(: Dad, I just want to tell you that I love you so so so much, and that's you're the most amazing Daddy in the WHOLE WORLD. (: I'll write you more about how amazing you are tomorrow... That was a freebie. I love you! I hope you enjoy.
Also, I hope everyone else likes it, too.

VERY BRIEFLY- it's Luke's birthday, so I'm supposed to be giving him all my attention- as soon as I can, I will be writing a blog about Obedience! So be on the look out. Just to keep you in suspense, craving more, I wanted to let you all know that God made a way for my school to be entirely paid off. ENTIRELY. IN FULL. God is incredible. If you already put a check in the mail, fear not- it will go to a fellow school-mate, or one of my leaders, who needs it. So you're still supporting Kingdom work(:


I love you all. God bless.

<3
Ash

Ohhhhey, I forgot to remind you to give your donations using the link of the right side of this page(: Thank you again!

OH MY LORD.It's been SO LONG. I apologize, seriously.

Where do I even start?

I left off in the middle of Holy Spirit week. And, unfortunately, the details are a bit fuzzy, but I know God was doing crazy rad stuff in all of our lives.

Sunday, we got to lead the service at our church, remember?! It was incredibly powerful... We have a few videos I'll try to put up here soon. If I don't, Elisabeth probably will, so check on her blog to see if she posted anything(: We're all sort of trying to catch up with our communications right now because we've been so so so busy!

Oh, so this Sunday and next Sunday Luke and I are helping to lead worship at church again! Woop! Maybe. BUT! I got to help lead worship today for the base, and it was PHENOMENAL!
Then, I was invited to lunch with a gal from Beautiful Feet, which is an awesome ministry, look it up. My two new best friends/big sisters Sam and Brittni informed me today that I'm like the third strand in their triple braided cord, which just delighted me from my head to my toes. They love me so so much(: Anyway, Sam is going to Thailand in October to help film a promo video for a new ministry this lady, Lynn, is starting for the children of the women who are working in the Red Light District. It's a learning center where the Thai kids will learn English and science and math and things, but most importantly, they'll experience the love of Jesus and their foundations will be established so that when they grow up, they won't be lost in the same world of sex trafficking as their parents. Also, during that same time period, Sam wants me to come help her lead worship for a group of about 8,000 college kids at a university in Thailand. GOD IS SO FREAKING COOL! Ah. Praying into it, obviously, but I'm super excited at the thought anyway(: Pray for finances for that, haha.


Anyway, I got a little side-tracked there. On Saturday, Sam and I dressed up like statues and arm wrestled for two hours. We sat TOTALLY STILL and kept our faces STRAIGHT, in spite of hilarious conversations about whether or not we were real people, children kicking and poking us, and all sorts of shenanigans (only by the grace of God). We had a bucket on either side, so when people put money into one side, that person started winning, and vice versa... it got really competitive, and my superfantasticallyamazing family helped rile up the crowd... in total we raised about $140!! Praise the LORD!!! And THEN, we busted out into some EPIC spontaneous worship -- right there in the middle of Burbank, still in our silver gear and all, but people were so hungry for it! It was INSANE! There were about ten of us all playing/singing/harmonising at the same time, and it was GLORIOUS! Seriously, those 9847283-part harmonies were just MIND-BLOWING! And the best part was that the people of Burbank were SO HUNGRY for it... there were so many people who just came by and stood there and listened... some joined in... some started worshiping their hearts out... this one old dude started singing these really old-school songs, which was hilariously epic... and in the end we managed to get around $50 in about an hour of worshiping. It was such a blessing in itself just to be able to worship out there and have God use us to spread His light and advance His kingdom into the dark places of this world, but it was so amazing that God even blessed us with financial support for Chile through it! God is GOOOOOOD!(:

For the next two weeks, we'll be participating in Circuit Riders here in LA (Google that!) so I'll probably be super intensely busy AGAIN, then we'll be in Chile!

I need 70 people to give me $20 for Chile, so if you feel like giving, now is a great time to do that(:

Also, in Chile, I'm not sure what the communication to the outside world will look like so be very patient with me pleaseeeee and thank you a bajillion.

Also, thank you SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH to all of you who have been supporting me so far. If I had to go home today, I would be super super sad, but my life is definitely changed for the best and I'm totally down to just live for Jesus for the rest of my days(: PRAISE THE LORD.


Love,
Ashley the sunflower(:



PS: Thank you so much to my dear brother Luke who helped me write this blog even though I'm totally exhausted and not always motivated to write so many words(:
--You're welcome(: