Month: March 2020

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Keeping Hope for the Journey

How do we accomplish big goals without becoming overwhelmed? 

By taking small daily steps. 

I know I’ve had a tendency to become paralyzed or discouraged when I dare to “dream big.” I don’t think I’m alone in this. I can recall many conversations with girlfriends and life coaching clients who have shared their hearts. I’ve seen their eyes light up with hope and their bodies become animated with life from a vibrant place as they share their secret dreams. And then a sudden dismal cloud comes and covers up their joyful expectation. Like a chilly breeze blowing out a scented candle. They look down with foggy eyes and then start naming all the obstacles in their way. “I don’t even know where to begin,” is the confession I’ve heard uttered many times in hundreds of different ways. Behind this confession is usually a deeper root. This root is often a limiting belief.

Everybody has different reasons for the limiting beliefs that they develop or take on. 

It took me about a year to lose the 60 pounds that I desired and return to the picture on the right. It seemed like a daunting task when I first began because I struggled with a limiting belief. My negative thinking made me feel like I was slugging along like a snail—always moving but never accomplishing.

Then God whispered four words to my heart and it was like I grew wings inside. It’s amazing how powerful the truth is!

God has had a special and sweet way of relaxing me with truth. 

When I’m faced with a “mountain of obstacles” He reminds me that I don’t have to tackle the whole mountain in one day. But I can walk side by side with Him and enjoy the journey of living a full life where I become grateful for every little thing. He has often uplifted me by saying, “you will win if you don’t quit.” So winning becomes an everyday celebration instead of just a one time event. Every day is winning as I keep hope and faith.

I want to encourage you that you don’t have to quit. You are already a winner. Whatever you are facing today, whatever obstacles are in your path…they are never stronger than you and Jesus together. Nothing becomes impossible for the one who believes. I pray Jesus whispers sweet things to you that sprout the seeds of godly dreams in your heart. His kind of hope does not disappoint (Romans 5:5).

~If you find yourself in need of someone to talk to and share your heart with, I am a certified Christian Life Coach and I would love to share the sacred journey of believing, hoping and accomplishing with you. I know it can often be scary to even “dare” to speak our desires out loud. I know it’s a vulnerable and brave thing to do. But I promise you, your dreams are safe with me. & they are most definitely safe with Jesus! I include prayer therapy in my coaching sessions and root level worksheets. Together we will converse and go to His Word for answers and the specific truth that you need to propel you forward. I’m confident that through His loving guidance you will see your dreams become reality. 

There has hardly been anything more sweet in my life than answered prayer (hopes being realized). I have found that prayer often leads to partnership with God. He’s no respect or of persons. He has made all of us winners (more than conquerors) through Christ. I know sometimes we just need a helping hand. If you’re looking for a hand to help, it would be an honor for me to walk with you.

“Whenever I talk to Ashley, I feel like I can finally be myself. I am free to be transparent without fear of judgment. I can share deep secrets without fear of betrayal. In doing so, I am able to let down my guard, which makes it so much easier to hear from the Lord. God has given Ashley great wisdom and insight into His character and nature, and often when I speak to her or read her writings, I learn something new about Him that changes my perspective on a grand scale. I’m so glad that she has become a certified Life Coach because this is definitely her calling. Just being friends with her, watching her live her life, inspires me to go forth and conquer!” -Adelline Darsens, Freelance Editor, Ordained Minister, Worshipper, Former Middle School Teacher 

~For information on my life coaching services, click here.

God bless you!

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A Cup of Cold Water

After an 11 hour work day (from 6:20-5:15ish), I took my daughter to the park (these long hours are my new normal). I had taken her earlier with the other daycare girls…but a disappointment in her day compelled my mother’s heart to cheer her up. As I began to walk to the park with her, holding onto her small warm hand and a big beach ball…I felt Jesus. ❤️

It wasn’t like an overflowing rush of divine bliss…rather I felt His smile, His gratitude. It was almost like He wanted to thank me for caring for Him all day. I was reminded that Jesus said, “whatsoever you do unto these little ones (least) you do unto Me.” When I take care of children, it’s like I’m pouring oil on Jesus’s skin, washing His feet and offering Him a cup of cold water. I realize He’s making me like Him through service. “For the Son of Man didn’t come to be served but to serve.” He tells me to, “lay down your life to find it.” 💐 I don’t always remember this, and I don’t do it perfectly. Sometimes I get petulant (just ask my husband or my parents 😉). But, Jesus always reminds me. And I can’t shake the beautiful feeling that I’m fulfilling a part of His purpose for me xoxo

My life has completely changed within these last 2 years because I’ve changed. Just today I relentlessly served my daycare kids for 11 hours (that encompasses so much like: praying for them, speaking life over them, protecting them, teaching them, training them, equipping them, nourishing them, playing with them, etc). I got up early to have personal time with God, did a 20 minute ab workout, bathed my daughter, fixed her hair, fed her dinner, washed the dishes, encouraged a couple of women, disinfected my daycare toys, worked on my blog, etc. I could never have imagined the change in my attitude toward life. It all started with my weight and me pushing almost 220 pounds. I was lamenting on the couch to God in prayer, with my infant daughter beside me. God responded with these 4 words, “you have self control.” Only a fool despises wisdom and at that time, I wanted to despise His words.

I absolutely love the fruit of self-control now! It’s my second favorite fruit of the Holy Spirit (love is the first). Although God’s answer wasn’t what my flesh (lazy/selfish side) wanted to hear, His answer empowered me from within. I used to have such a victim mentality and such a small way of looking at myself and life. But I realize now that self-control is the ability/grace to harness yourself. It’s the ability to be a victor, an overcomes, a master of…well, yourself. This “mastery” for me came with a sense of completeness and then an understanding of personal responsibility. Later a holy love to serve others. Self-control transformed me from being self-centered to Jesus centered. From this place, I’ve become others-centered. Because being Jesus-centered will always, always, ALWAYS encompass sacrificial love toward others 🌈. Jesus was never out of control. He never sinned in His actions by “losing Himself” or blaming others. He was a master of Himself and completely yielded to the Father. Paul said that the love of God both “compelled” him and “restrained” him.

I realize that without the painful stretching that took place in these last two years of my marriage, I would not be able to live in the freedom that I’m experiencing. I wouldn’t have been able to begin to reign in life, like I’m experiencing now. Without harnessing self-control, I would have never been able to be the blessing that I am today in the lives of the families that I’m serving. I’m coming to grips with the fact that real freedom is not laying on a couch with no bills to pay, no demands in life and no obligations to others. No, real freedom is a life that yields to God from intimacy with Jesus. Real freedom is the ability to own up to yourself. It’s the ability to stop pointing fingers for where you are in life. Real freedom is realizing nothing is impossible for those who believe. I’m starting to understand it…💗💗💗

I encourage you to live in the fullness of the freedom Christ lived, died and rose again for you to have. Your destiny is vital to everyone around you. Your purpose is divine and the impact you make with your life is eternal. As Dr.Myles Monroe said, “find your gift and serve the world with it.” And believe me, if you belong to Jesus (which you do) then you have a powerful grace gift in you! You have self-control. You might not believe it…but God never lies. He gave you His Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit has planted in you every good fruit and gift and ability for a good life. YOU are complete in Christ! YOU are completely and eternally loved and valued by God! ❤️❤️❤️

If you have a God-dream but you’re struggling with mental blockages that seem to deter you, I am a certified Christian Life Coach and would love to partner with you💗! I promise you, nothing is impossible with God! He’s equipped you with everything you need. And the world is not the same without you! You light up the world in a special way. 💡

~For information on my life coaching services, click here.

~For a beautiful song about seeing Jesus in the eyes of each child, click here.

My daughter Eden and I.

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I Am is Everything

~This devotional was taken from my book, Visions of Celestial Love.

For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; it is he who will save us. —Isaiah 33:22 NIV

Trusting God to be everything in our lives is truly an opening to the kind of peace we can only try to fathom. Many times in life we look to God for certain things, but not all things.

We have to understand that: He is our doctor, He is our pastor, He is our husband, He is our best friend, He is our keeper of finances, He is I Am. Just make Him I Am, and there shall be nothing that you lack…nothing of great importance anyway. To me, God is the One to whom I go in order to really vent. He’s become a safe place for me and like the shepherd-king David, I have found that I can release the passions in my soul before Him. He’s the kind of friend that sees my torment inside, and grabs a punching bag, holds it in front of Him and says, “Lay a few on Me.”

Sometimes I feel guilty and His Holy Spirit will coax me on, “Come on. Come at Me! Who else will you turn to? I don’t want you to go anywhere else but here.” So, I’ll start punching away my anger, my resentment, my fits of rage, my bitterness, my unforgiveness, my envy. It’s important to note that I’m not screaming at God during this gym prayer time. My anger is not toward Him (although I’d be lying if I said I’ve never been angry with Him).

My energy is spent in moaning, sometimes sobbing, or just really long conversations about the turmoil I feel inside and how I can’t seem to discern where it’s coming from.

Sometimes my prayers are as simple as, “God help me. God help me. I don’t even know how to pray right now, just help me.”

They might take a turn like this every now and again, “Oh God I’m so angry. I’m so depressed. I need You to give me the wisdom and strength to walk in the grace You’ve provided, in order that I may forgive. I know You’re not upset with me, but give me more of Your heart that I may be able to love and forgive like You.”

And amazingly, just like a punching bag absorbs the blows of fists—all of the junk in my system is released and absorbed in His divine punching bag. After it is done I have gained spiritual muscles, been cleansed inside, and He has thrown away the old bag in the sea of forgetfulness. He dusts His hands free and then gives me a spiritual shower, for by this time I am soaking in the sweat of my soul.

We are never too much for a God who is everything. We must trust Him to be just this—all. Whatever your need ask Him to come in and take total control. It will be much easier for you if you just ask Him to be everything now rather than later. Invite Him to come into all the areas in your life and pray for a heart that always has an open invitation to the Holy Spirit.

“A delightful book that reflects the praises from a heart that desires to abide closely with our Heavenly Father. Written in a style that summons us to experience a journey of deeper intimacy with a loving God. Ashley covers the foundation of the Christian faith that brings encouragement and assurance of God’s promises when faced with life’s challenges. Embracing our uniqueness and the safety of transparency before our Maker who cares about the most intricate details of our life. Yes, an invitation indeed from the One and only who can fill what are heart’s ache for.” — Jocelyn Reyna, Entrepreneur

Top photo by Nathan Cowley from Pexels