What I Did This Week

This week was crazy. It was Vacation Bible School time, and the day before VBS I got sick. Some nasty summer cold/sinus infection thing that left me with no voice for the second half of the week. And of course, because I was in my Busiest Week of the Year, I didn't take care of myself as I should have, so I am still sick.

Hence the lack of blogging this week. And the lack of productivity beyond VBS. So, here's a little glimpse into my week:

I got a little teeny-tiny bit addicted to Kiera Cass's Selection. Like, stay-up-reading-til-3am-the-night-before-VBS-prep-day addicted. I read both books in the series, the bonus e-book, the deleted scenes, and many many tumblr posts in three days. All while VBS was happening. So, yeah, I might be addicted.

What is The Selection, you ask? It's a YA novel series that is basically Hunger Games meets The Bachelor meets Princess Academy. It's awesome. And after internet stalking researching Kiera Cass, she's now on my list of Famous People I Wanna Be Best Friends With. If you decide to get into it, just be warned that the next book in the series isn't out until May 2014, and Kiera likes cliffhangers. She's like the Moffat of YA romantic fiction.

As I think I mentioned, it was VBS week here in Ashley Land! We did Group's Kingdom Rock and it was so much fun! Plus, I got to wear my princess dress, so that's always fun :) It was our eighth year of VBS, and we had 80 kids-our largest year to date! Almost everything about the way we run VBS changed this year, and it went surprisingly well! No major issues and everyone left knowing how to STAND STRONG! The Bible lessons and activities were all so engaging and exciting, even to teach!

Our decorations were pretty awesome, too. See that drawbridge I'm standing on? It actually goes up and down. How awesome is that?! (Thanks Durands!) I love having people who can make my wacky VBS plans and ideas come true. And kudos to those people for not acting like it's weird when I say things like "how do I build a working drawbridge?" or "Can we have a life-size pyramid that the kids can walk through?" or "I'm going to turn this giant wall into a spaceship." or "will this be secure if I hang a bowling ball off it and swing it towards one of my staff's heads?" Anything can happen at VBS!

VBS is a ton of work, but so fun and so worth it. Thank you soooo much to all the staff who helped make this year such a success! It was a pleasure working with all of you!

Prince of Peace

As we pulled up to the school, her face was a mask of despair. After being turned away by the teacher from attending for the day, Lily* slowly made her way towards home. A troublemaker, they say. Suspended they say. As we climbed out of the car and made our way into the courtyard, the principal called her back. She wanted her to attend this morning.

As she went to class, they gave us a little background. She was up through the night after hearing about the Boston Marathon explosions. She was afraid all night. She was saying things about her mother dying that way. They asked us to speak with her later in the day. While we were preparing the snack, the opportunity presented itself.

Lily came to the room wanting a drink of water, but God had other plans. We started talking with her about her fear. She was scared of the explosions in a place she had never been. A place so far removed from her own world. Yet the tragedy happened in the place we call home. We reminded her that God is in control, that He is bigger than anything else in the universe. That God wants us to be at peace, even in the midst of chaos. We talked and shared. Then we prayed.

We prayed against the fear. We prayed against any weapon formed against her. We prayed for her to be filled with peace. We prayed for obedience in school. At one point, I looked at her while praying and saw a bit of fear in her face. I can't blame her. At 8 years old, it's gotta be pretty scary for four grown women to surround you, lay hands on you and start intensely praying, especially when two of them are speaking a language that you don't know! So after we prayed, I hugged her and spoke to her.

I reassured her that we didn't do that to scare her, but because we love her. Because we want her to be successful and to listen to her teachers. We want her to be at peace. So I led her in a prayer, to own the process. To confess with her own mouth her need for God's peace and help. Her teacher came into the room, and Lily apologized, promising to try her best. We made a deal. She would daily ask God to help her, and we would daily pray for God to help her, then by the time we leave Friday, we would see a change.

But we saw the change starting in just that one day. The little girl who came in looking rejected, with the weight of the world on her shoulders, the one who looked apathetic and angry at the world, changed. By the end of the day, there was a big smile across her face. Her eyes were bright. Every chance she had, she came over for a hug and to say "te quiero mucho!" After school, while I was eating lunch, I was told I had a phone call. I expected the missions director back home. Instead, I heard a beautiful little voice saying, "Hola, Ashley!" She had called to talk, but with the language barrier, it didn't go much further than that.

I'm not naive enough to believe she's going to be a perfect angel from now on, in fact we saw the next day that she's not, but I believe there is a change already. I believe she's heading in the right direction. Her fear is gone, but her obedience in school needs work. I believe that the rest of our time here will help seal the work God has started in her heart.

Please continue to pray with us for Lily. During our last two days here, we will continue to work with her to help her with obedience, and with her teacher to best control and teach Lily, so that everyone involved can be happy and grow in wisdom.

*Name has changed to protect my sweet new friend.

Will You Be My Partner?

In less than two weeks I will be back in this beautiful country:

The Dominican Republic! Though this photo is from my last trip to Nagua, we will be working exclusively in Santo Domingo this time around.

I can't wait! This week-long trip will focus heavily on Children's Ministry and be jam-packed. It's a "small" trip, meaning there's only two of us going this time, myself and the lovely Brenda.

Brenda and I have done a lot of Children's Ministry together here at home, so I know this will be a wonderful trip! Our traveling team may be small this time, but the work load is not! We be working in almost every area of CM that you can imagine.

Our mornings will be spent in a local school run by our friend Pastor Forchue, organizing activities, providing snacks, and building relationships with students and teachers.

Once the children go home for the day, the fun will continue with just the grown ups! We'll host teacher's workshops to strengthen the skills of the teachers in this city. By partnering together, we plan to increase the resources and effectiveness of the local schools to give the children the best possible education.

Our evenings will be spent working with our friend Pastor Sergio and his Children's Ministry, running services specially for the kids. Last time we did this, expecting 50 children, more than 200 showed up!

As you can see, we will be BUSY this whole trip! It's going to be a lot of work, but it's going to be so worth it! Not just for the impact the Word of God will have in the lives of those we minister to, but for the relationships that will be formed and strengthened through our visit.

But before I go, I need your help! Will you be part of my team? Now before you answer, let me explain what that means. Being an Aspiring Ashley Partner means you agree to support me in prayer, encouragement, and/or funding. Some of you may want to partner with me, but can only offer one form of support. That's perfectly okay! I'll take all the support I can get :) But if you can support me in all three, that's extra awesome.

Missions trips are a lot of work, a lot of fun, and a lot of blessing for everyone involved, and I'd be foolish to hog all that! I would love for you to partner with me in the work and funding so you can also partner in the fun and blessing.

I ask that you give as you are able, whether money or time. This trip will cost $1200 USD to cover the transportation, lodging, and materials for outreach, so I need your help. While I ask for your financial help, please know that for every missions trip I take, I also pay for part of my trip out of my own bank account. In asking for funds, I ask that we truly partner together to make an impact on the lives of people around the world.

In return for partnering with me, I will say a huge THANK YOU! and you will get a follow-up letter so you know exactly how your support made a difference.

To join the team, please comment below, or email me at ashleyweb7@hotmail.com. Details of how to donate are available via email. I look forward to being partners with you!

Verse of the Year: 2013

Finally had a chance to pick my verse of the year from church! And it's only February 6th...go me! I'm so happy with my verse(s); they couldn't be more perfect!

Background before I share the verses: Just today I was thinking about where my life is heading (and liking it!). That my ministry life has been shifting to a stronger focus on Children's Ministry and Missions (no big surprise). Just today I signed up as a blogger for an organization working to end human trafficking (more on that later), worked on a program for the kids, and did some work for the missions department. So I'm loving life and where I'm heading, excited for what God's got in store and what the vision of my leaders is.

So when I closed my eyes and picked a card from the bin after the first major staff meeting of the year, I picked the perfect one. Not only is it pink(ish), but the two verses are perfect for where my life is headed. The first one I read was Acts 10:35

In every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of the ol' KJV. The "-eth"s always throw me off. I got the basic gist, and liked it right away, though. How much more perfect does it get for someone in missions?! But I wanted wording I could relate to, so I headed to BibleGateway. (If you don't know about BibleGateway, check it out! They have every version you can imagine, plus Bible studies and commentaries/concordances. They rock!) The easiest-to-understand was the NKJV, but I really like the Amplified.

But in every nation he who venerates and has a reverential fear for God, treating Him with worshipful obedience and living uprightly, is acceptable to Him and sure of being received and welcomed [by Him].

Yes!! Now the other half of my "background info" is that the major thing holding me back in a lot of ways is finances. I make enough to pay my bills, though it sometimes gets tight because I get cancelled for shifts on occasion. Added to this, I am not longer under my dad's insurance, so I need to buy my own, the lowest cost I'm eligible for is nearly $300 a month! Not cool. So when I flipped my card over, I was glad to see Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Two verses, two perfect words for my life this year! Can't wait to see everything that's in store, and to share with you as it comes to pass! Do you have a verse (or two) for your year? What is it?

Closing the Biggest Chapter of my Life (Thus Far)

Today was a bittersweet day. It's the day I closed the largest chapter in the Book of Ashley. It's the longest chapter, the most impacting chapter. It's the chapter that sets the foundation for the rest of the book. As with any good book, it's a chapter I'll revisit frequently, but it's over.

What is this chapter? It's the Youth Group chapter. Tonight was my last night as a youth leader.  I have been a Firewalker for exactly half of my life (thirteen entire years). Every Friday night since just before I turned 13, I've been at youth group. It's the place that has shaped me more than anything else. I would not be who I am, doing what I do, if it hadn't been for youth group. It's where I built a true relationship with God, where I learned about Him and His Word, how to live for Him. It's how I took my first missions trip that started my love of missions. It's the place that took me outside of myself and my family, to build relationships with people different than me, yet united for one thing. It's where I learned how to do ministry. It's been the single biggest, longest running part of my life, and it's ended. While I will always be a Firewalker at heart, I am no longer a youth leader (formally, anyways. I hope they still see me as a leader in their lives). It's a sad night.

(I got my own CakeWreck!! yay!)

But the next chapter is starting. It's a time of transition, of rediscovery, of feeling just a bit lost. What does the rest of the world do on Friday nights?! I don't even know. To give you a little perspective, the last time I had Friday nights free, Boy Meets World was airing new episodes on TGIF every Friday night. Seriously.  I've decided to take the next several weeks to rest and do things that make me happy or build me up- I'm not allowing myself to just sit on the couch with Pinterest and TV! I'm going to DO stuff that is good for me and see what God reveals. Because while I plan to pray and read the Word during this time, I also believe that God speaks to us in many other ways. I'm excited to see what He has for me in this next chapter. If the last chapter was the one that sets the stage for the rest of the story, this chapter coming will be the one where everything changes and gets rearranged. It's exciting and a bit scary. But then, plot twists always are!

I know that some of you who weren't at youth group tonight are probably wondering why I'm leaving, so let me share :) Watching other leaders say their goodbyes always made me think "that'll never be me...until I have babies or something...maybe", so this is seems a little anticlimactic!

About two months ago, our Youth Minister told the team that we were going to take a month to step back and seek God, make sure that we weren't just doing things because we've always been doing them. He told us to really pray and make sure that God still wanted us to be there. Almost immediately, I felt like it was time for me to leave, but I ignored it. I love youth ministry and couldn't imagine not being in youth group (I still can't fully comprehend it). So I did pray about it, but usually while I was doing something else. I was sorta running from God. One thing I've learned from the Bible is that if God wants you to do something, He will get your attention! I mean, Saul/Paul was blinded, Jacob wrestled with God, and Jonah was eaten by a freakin' fish! Thankfully, He didn't go to such extremes to make sure I went where He wanted. Instead, He used a call from my Pastor to confirm everything I'd been struggling with in making this decision.

So I'm leaving youth group.  I still love these teens like crazy, and still want to be a part of their lives, that hasn't changed. But I believe God has something else for me. Something He's designed me for, something that is going to stretch and grow and change me (and others) for the better. I'm not completely sure what it is yet, but I know I can't find it if my time is consumed with other things. So as I mentioned, the next several weeks will be Ashley-time, and then I don't know what's coming. I will be focusing my ministry time on the Children's Ministry and on the Missions Ministry, and really seeking God about what comes next.

This next chapter of my life is going to involve lots of change and hopefully growth, both of which can be disturbing and painful at times, but I'm excited. Without some disturbance, we can't grow, and without growth, we die. I want to live the exciting, vibrant life God imagined for me, that's better than the best story I can write on my own. So I'm going with His plot and we'll see where it ends up! The best stories are always the ones where you don't see the ending coming, and it's better than anything you could dream up on your own.

So to end this long post, let me say a humongous THANK YOU for all the love and messages you Firewalkers sent me tonight. I loved them and I love you guys. I am always here for you. Thank you to the awesome people I've served with these many many years. Its been a blessing serving with you, and I'm just down the hall if you need anything. And thank you to all the leaders who came before me, who led me, who spoke into my life and helped me become who I am today. This has been a great chapter and while it's over, there's still an entire book left to live!

Leaving My Toys

I was in service yesterday with my kiddos and witnessed the perfect analogy for what worship is, so I had to share!

I don't remember if I've mentioned before, but in an effort to teach the kids of our church a) that they can worship God at any age and b) how to worship, I meet them up front at the alter every week and we worship together.  Occasionally parents join us. Sometimes, with the younger kids especially, it's a time of them dancing and clapping during the fast songs, then me telling them to stop playing during the slower songs. But as long as they're not being disruptive to the other people, I don't mind if they just stand there looking around. The way I see it, they're learning about worship, learning that worship time is not play time, that it's something they can participate in. And, my favorite reason for having them up front is because it brings them to a position to have an encounter with the Lord that will change their lives like nothing else will.

So yesterday. One of my little boys has had a habit lately of bringing toys to church, and bringing them up to the alter with him to play, which of course I tell him not to. I sometimes feel like I'm constantly reminding kids why worshiping at the front is special! Anyways. This little four year old boy came up with his two cars, left them on the alter near the pulpit, and came to stand next to me. This was big for a few reasons. First, it's hard to come between a boy and his cars (this is true for big boys with big cars, as well). Second, he came to the front without his big sister, all by himself.

Watching this little boy worship God, literally leaving his most precious items at the alter, was amazing. It's such a picture of what we need to do. When we come to God in worship, it's not for us. It's for Him. It's a time to lay down our "toy cars", whatever our precious things may be: our worries, our emotions, our loved ones, everything we hold dear to worship the God of the Universe. There's no better picture in my mind for this than this little boy leaving his toys at the alter. May we all be able to serve the Lord with this kind of abandon.

Matthew 18:3 "And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'"

Eric Trap Giveaway!!

This just in! I have two copies of The Eric Trap to give away! 

The Eric Trap is a modern-day fable that highlights the top 5 mistakes kidmin leaders (really, any church leaders) tend to make. You can read my full review here.

If you'd like a chance to win, simply leave a comment with your best leadership tip. I'll pick two winners at random at the end of the day on May 4th. If you're a leader, you want to read this book!

"The Eric Trap: A Leadership Fable"

The Eric Trap: A Leadership Fable

By Jim Wideman, Kenny Conley, Sam Luce, with the Infuse Team

Eric Newman is having a bad week. His ministry, his family, and his pride are crumbling around him, and he's not sure what went wrong or how to stop it. But the most gripping part of his story is that it's our story. Mine and yours. If you are in leadership, at least one of Eric's predicaments has stumped you, too. 

Part story, part instructional, this book is unlike any other on leadership! You'll go from chuckling at Eric's thoughts to being convicted of the same mistakes. Wideman, Conley, Luce, and the rest of the team have interwoven Eric's story with their own experiences and tips to help all of us avoid the top 5 most common pitfalls of leadership. 

I can't recommend this book enough! It's a very easy read in a unique style that can be read in a day.  The team has included thought-provoking questions to help put action behind the ideas. And perhaps the best news, it's not just for kidmin leaders! Any church leader will benefit from the lessons contained in this book. Add this to your list and you won't be disappointed! This is a book I'll definitely be revisiting.

Rated 5/5

Highly Recommended

Teaching Kids to Worship

Just saw this while Googling to find a new ministry work bag:

"Quiet Sacs" used by young children during worship

For many years, we have had "Children's Quiet Sacs" (also known as "Activity Sacks" or by other names) for children to use during worship. Since Summer 2009 new beautiful cloth bags have been used by these children, thanks to the Quilt Ministry.

These activity bags contain crayons, colored pencils, scratch paper, few short story books, activity sheets for the kids to stay busy and "quiet" during worship.

Originally made by Norma Pence about 10 years ago. Pastor Gary liked them and asked her to make some additional ones a few years ago. Norma purchased the fabric to make them, but moved before she could complete the project, so the fabric was given to Quilt Ministry to complete. In early 2009, there were 20 additional sacks completed and the 6th grade Sunday School class decorated them.

Thank you to both groups for these wonderful additions to our worship ministry!

Just curious...what do you think about this? Personally, I don't like it. One of the best things I've read lately is that "they're disciples in training, not disciples in waiting". How can we expect children to grow into people who love, serve, and worship God if we don't actually teach them how to?

At the start of the summer, I started encouraging daring the kids to participate in worship. In our case, to come up front during the praise and worship service. It has been so amazing to worship with my kiddos! I have a core group of 4 older kids who faithfully come worship and who encourage others to do the same.

Now, I know that we can't expect all kids, especially the younger ones, to know how to truly worship. But they can sing and dance, which are both forms of worship! If we don't encourage them to interact with worship, they get the idea that "church is boring, and I won't understand it, so I shouldn't even try. I'll just color." I believe this is one reason we see teens getting bored during service. They were never taught to enjoy and participate in worship. We need to encourage kids to own their faith! Kids need to know that they can worship, too! The same Holy Spirit that was in the disciples, that's in the pastor, that's in mom and dad, is in our kids! It's not a Junior Holy Spirit. Its the same Spirit. So let's help them learn how to listen to Him!

The only thing that will radically change the hearts and lives of our kids is an encounter with the only true God. By encouraging our kids to worship, we are bringing them to a position to encounter God. It's so much easier to meet God while worshiping than while staring into space in a pew (that's true for kids and adults!).

So let's stop teaching kids that worship is something they can't do. Let's help them develop their faith and their relationship with God. Let's see a generation rise up that is passionate about serving the Lord!