Category: Truth

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The Throne Room

A sneak peek into my upcoming book, The Sacred Wooing (a vivid invitation to experience the bridegroom love of Jesus).

“Then I looked, and, oh!—a door open into Heaven. The trumpet-voice, the first voice in my vision, called out, “Ascend and enter…” -Revelation 4:1 MSG

The highest king sat with blinding light shining from him. Contrasting cumulonimbus clouds and radiant lightning swirled around him like a halo crafted from a tempest, subjugated by an unimaginable powerful force. His appearance was suffused with fiery amber gems. The clouds around him pillowed upward, creating vast, vaporous terrains rippling with the colors of the hemisphere. 

 Majestic flying creatures filled with spiritual power orbited the omnipotent king. Their multiple, feathery wings swayed across their celestial forms like silken curtains. The swooshing of their gargantuan wings caused the air to vibrate with tornadic winds. Their booming voices charged the atmosphere like thunder as they paid homage to the one they revered.  

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!”

Royal lords donned in flowing, priestly garments bespeckled with jewels bowed reverently as they circled the throne. Their transcendent voices harmonized into a swelling crescendo. The sound was akin to rushing waves, more resplendent than any music on earth. 

“You are worthy oh Lord to receive glory and honor and power! For you created all things! And by your will they exist, and were created!”

Seven golden lampstands flamed brilliantly, and incense rose like a sheet of fragrant mist from the scintillating floor.

The omnipotent king sat on his immaculate throne and held seven gleaming stars in his hand. They shone like fiberoptic pearls. His robe cascaded down like the clouds covering the amazon forest as a canopy. His clothes shone whiter than fresh snow and a regal, sash hung like sunlight from his shoulder to his waist. The golden floor was transparent glass, mirroring everything above it with an aureate hue.

To the left of the king sat his father. He was the creator of all. They were unified in purpose and in heart. Their resemblance in soul and features were so akin, that having seen one, you would have known the other. From the father’s mouth came the spirit of life—the most precious breath. A single exhale from this spirit could form planets.

The father and kingly son sat, watching for the son’s bride to fully prepare herself. The son had waited patiently for eons and excitedly looked forward to the celebratory day, the day of his gladness of heart. He had prepared himself in the finest apparel. The wine he would offer was the richest created, and he had earnestly desired to drink it with her in the kingdom. A feast in the heavenly  clouds surrounded by a balcony of translucent rainbows and shimmering, fiery jasper stones had been set. The table alone was lengthier than a galaxy. It would be a feast greater than all royal weddings in created history. Serving angels stood ready to attend to the king and his beloved wife. All that awaited her. 

For thousands of years, the son had sent messages to her and yet she was easily distracted and discouraged from her bridal preparations. 

Amid the heavenly jubilee resounding in the divine room, the king distinctly heard her voice in his heart. Like the minute fluting of a swallow compared with the roaring of the deep sea, many voices drowned hers out, but not to him. The spirit of life they shared connected the cry of his beloved to his being. Her true life was hidden in him, for he withheld nothing of himself from her. A crystal bottle that resembled the finest vase appeared before his fiery eyes. It was filled with the salty tears of the object of his affection.

Despite all that he had freely provided for her, she was living like a poor woman. Although the father’s Spirit breath was with her, the breath that created the universe, she lived limited to her natural strength. She was ignorant of the divine glory within her. She did not know what was hers for the taking although he had told her many times. The anguish she suffered pained him, stirring his compassion.

He peered below the heavens and saw her on earth. A spiritual adversary was oppressing her heart. He was a degenerate star, disguised in counterfeit robes to swindle the bride. He twisted the messages the king had delivered to her, causing her chronic agitation, distress, and sadness. Worse still, his cunning lies had bruised the tender places in her soul, and she had unconsciously distanced herself from her king. The more she drank the poisonous lies, the less she trusted the king. As her faith decreased, the less connected she was to the spirit of life who sought to help her. 

“Father,” the son spoke, turning to look directly at him.

The father turned to his beloved son, the seat of his delight. 

They shared such a unity that words weren’t necessary between them. Before the son uttered his name, permission was already given.

The glorious son discarded his royal apparel and humbled himself by donning mortal clothes…

Back Cover:

The Sacred Wooing explores the sacred theology of Jesus as the Church’s Bridegroom using a fictional story painted with tender intimacy. Based loosely on Ephesians 5:15: For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her.

It gently unravels the ageless waters of human desire for everlasting love while also teaching about the church’s place as the beloved bride of Christ.

Through deeply warm conversations, Jesus meets with one of his saints (Noelani). During their outing, he slowly unearths and permissively destroys each fear that has blocked her from entering a life-affirming relationship with him. Beginning at the local coffee shop, she observes as Jesus talks to the barista (Diane) and changes her whole life right there.

Then they visit a nearby lake and watch the stars and water and trees transform into phantasmagoric visions while Noelani is transported to places as beautiful and timeless as Eden, a heavenly ballroom, a glorious beach, a snowy mountaintop, and a royal palace. In the ballroom, they are surrounded by worshipping angelic saints. They talk about the meaning of true worship, dying to self, and putting on the new man in Christ. Jesus talks with her and introduces her to God as “Abba” Father.

Several flashbacks into her childhood and teenage memory add depth and revelation to Noelani’s life-story and her reason for being where she is. Jesus knows that she needs a revelation of God’s grace and love and her identity in Christ. Noelani continually receives Jesus’s truth, and it helps her realize her spiritual unity with him. This divine transaction is often seen physically through shifting clothes as Noelani’s casual attire slowly transforms into a saintly gown, which represents putting on the new man in Christ. (Eph. 4:24).

A battle shortly ensues with an adversary spirit, Akkad-Bela, who has been plaguing Noelani’s life and hindering her spiritual walk with Jesus. After conquering a battle with “the father of lies” (John 8:44) Noelani partakes of communion and falls asleep in the castle comforted by the ways Jesus has ministered truth to her.

Part two begins in Noelani’s kitchen with her friend (Angel) and Jesus as a visiting plumber who enjoys breakfast with them as he asks and answers questions of them both.

As each layer of fear is peeled away, Noelani begins to see herself through God’s eyes, she experiences inner healing and the sanctifying grace of God to walk out a godly lifestyle. Because of Jesus’ expressed love for her, she feels free to open to him about dating, relationships, and the frustrations of her generation when it comes to relationships and religion.

After a transforming discussion, Noelani invites Jesus into her love life out of trust and she is commissioned to help other women discover the blessing of virtuous living through the profound revelation of living like a beloved daughter of the King and bride of Christ.

~For a similar book on divine love, check out my novella, Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul by clicking here.

~For a spoken poem on experiencing the love of Jesus, check out my YouTube Video, I Love You by clicking the link below.

~To watch a free short story about the love of Jesus taken from my book, Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul, click the link below:

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Hearing From God (Your Inheritance)

Did you know that you can hear from God?

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. -John 10:27

It took me a long time to realize that as a child of God, a part of my familial benefits included the ability to hear his voice.

This incredible gift of hearing from our heavenly Father is not just for a select few. It is for everyone, including you. You are a beloved of your Father in Heaven. He wants to speak to you as any good father would want to communicate with his child.

I wrote about this topic in the new anthology book, The Runaway Bride of Christ.

May my testimony encourage and uplift you in your faith!

A Transforming Relationship

“Christianity that isn’t supernatural is superficial.” -Unknown

“I promised you my love and entered the covenant of marriage with you. I, God, the Master, gave my word. You became mine. I gave you a good bath, washing off all that old blood, and anointed you with aromatic oils. I dressed you in a colorful gown and put leather sandals on your feet. I gave you linen blouses and a fashionable wardrobe of expensive clothing. I adorned you with jewelry: I placed bracelets on your wrists, fitted you out with a necklace, emerald rings, sapphire earrings, and a diamond tiara.” -Ezekiel 16:9-12 (MSG)

I began to sense the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I was guided to create a spiritual mind calendar where I put down purposefully things to do every day that would help me abide in Christ. Most of these things included prayer and Bible reading. I began by studying the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5, and I limited my television watching. Please keep in mind, I felt led by the Holy Spirit to do these things. No one from the outside instructed me in this, so it wasn’t “legalistic.” 

I prayed to Jesus to wake me up early to spend time with him before I did anything else. The very next morning, I woke up at 5 am, feeling an invisible hand on my arm. I even felt the fingers of this invisible hand. I opened my eyes and discerned the message of the Lord, “It’s prayer and study time.” For the next year, I would wake up almost every morning to be alone with Jesus. I read through the entire Bible. 

The Holy Spirit led me through a process of sanctification. I began to sense what pleased God and what displeased him. I fully gave myself to Him, treasuring Him above all others. 

As I dwelt in his presence, my heart began to heal. I was supernaturally delivered from a demon of anger that was sitting on the hurt in my soul. Now that the hurt was gone, the demon had left. I’m not sure if God kicked it out or if it left on its own. I literally felt an empty space in me where the anger usually was. I gave up my old life and accepted that I was a new creation in Christ. I no longer tended to give in to sinful anger. I began to overlook offenses and become a peacemaker. I no longer gave curt answers that cut my family. I now offered gentle words that turned away wrath (see Proverbs 15:1, NIV). The insecurities that once crippled much of my life began peeling away. As I received the love of God, I began to love myself and take care of my body. Within a year, I was at a balanced weight.

Not only did I love myself, but I liked myself. As a result, I gave that gracious love to others. My mind was slowly becoming a beautiful garden. I no longer had dark thoughts. Divinely inspired images began filling my mind, and I started having “visions” of the kingdom of heaven. I journaled some of these down in my book, Visions of Celestial Love. 

“If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you. -John 14:15-16 (AMP)

The Lord began stressing the importance of my obedience. The first relationship God repaired was with my father. God taught me that no matter how I didn’t want to do what my father asked, I was commanded in the Bible to honor him. It was hard at first, but as I died to pride, I began walking in joyful obedience. My father and I developed a closer relationship. He began buying me presents at random and taking me on father- daughter dates. I went from a begrudgingly obedient child to a willfully obedient child. The Lord would inspire me to cook dinner for my family, clean the garage (although I hated doing so, especially since there were spiders), and serve them with my whole heart. 

One night my eldest sister told me to not sleep on the couch. I liked sleeping on the couch because I could see the stars through the large windows. As I was drifting off to sleep on the couch again, the Lord reminded me of Ashanti’s words. I frowned but spread a blanket on the floor and slept. In the morning Ashanti asked me why I was snoozing on the floor. I responded, “Because you told me not to sleep on the couch.” She gave me a pleased smile and then said, “You can sleep on the couch (from now on).” God was showing me what it was like to grow in, “wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man” like Jesus who willingly obeyed his parents as a teenager (see Luke 2:51-52, NIV, emphasis added).  

Miracles began happening in my life. I think it’s important to note that I didn’t chase miracles. I pursued knowing God. Miracles are a result of the presence of God. One morning after spending time with God, I proceeded to politely excuse myself., “Father, I’m hungry and I think I will watch TV.” After making breakfast I tried to watch TV on two different televisions, and nothing was working. I checked the plugs and connections, and everything was set up right. There was no reason for the televisions to be showing static. I went to the family computer and tried to watch shows on YouTube, but the internet wasn’t “working.” Then I got a small impression from the Holy Spirit to visit a ministry website by one of the ministers I enjoyed listening to. It worked immediately! It was like God was saying, “I’m enjoying your company. I want to spend more time with you.”

One day, I was taking a shower and as it was ending, I realized I had left my drying towel on the sink counter which was past the commode. I didn’t want to drip water on the floor, so I thought to lean on the towel railing and reach for my towel. I felt the Holy Spirit tell me, “Don’t do that. The railing is unstable.” I disregarded his impression, unsure if I had heard from Him and leaned on it anyway. It gave way and I began falling fast. I could have seriously gotten hurt, but I felt an invisible presence catch me and slowly lower my body down to the floor! I still don’t know it if was an angel or the Lord who caught me. I recall thanking the Lord multiple times for keeping me safe.  

One night I heard the voice of God. It was so clear, my ears picked it up, but his voice wasn’t projecting from the outside. His voice came from inside my heart! He told me, “Ashley, your rabbit is going to get sick and die.” For years I had prayed for the health of my family (spiritual, mental, emotional and physical). I would include prayers for my rabbit, Floppy’s, health as well. I patted my chest where I heard his voice and stood frozen in wonder. I had never heard God so clearly! At this point in my walk, Christ was dwelling in my heart by faith (see Ephesians 3:17, AMP). The Holy Spirit had done a beautiful job of making my heart a nice home for Jesus. At that time, Floppy was showing no signs of illness, but I began spending more time with her as I believed Jesus had spoken to me. I took her to the park a lot; I videotaped her and gave her extra kisses. 

Sometime later, she began to show symptoms of sickness. She stopped eating and would make small painful noises. We took her to the vet only to find out that cancer had spread throughout her body and there was nothing the vet could do. My mom decided it would be merciful for us to allow the vet to put her out of her misery. I was the last one to hold Floppy and I remember her licking me on my nose as I reluctantly gave her to one of the assistants. I cried loudly as I left the veterinarian. As dejected and sad as I felt, I realized Jesus had warned me ahead of time so I wouldn’t be shocked by her passing. He also did this so I could spend more purposeful time with her and have cherished times together. He cared enough about me to warn me so I wouldn’t be devastated…

~I hope you enjoyed this brief snippet of my testimony. If you’d like to purchase a physical copy of the book, The Runaway Bride of Christ, click here (please allow 2-3 weeks before delivery). You may also purchase a kindle version on amazon by clicking here.

~For a novella full of the voice of God, check out my book, Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul, by clicking here.

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Beautiful Character

The Lord is [rigidly] righteous in all His ways and gracious and merciful in all His works. -Psalm 145: 17

Beautiful Character

David understood the character of God and his intimate knowledge of God helped him to trust the Lord in the worst of circumstances. This personal knowledge of the One who is trustworthy also helped David accomplish great feats, walk in integrity, make wise decisions, and establish a kingdom full of righteousness, peace, prosperity, and worship. David operated as a brave king and he was frequently filled by the Holy Spirit to even slip into priestly roles in leading worship, prophesying, and drawing hearts to the Lord.

I still remember the day I first began to understand Psalm 145:17. The term “the Lord” represents a ruler. Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. His position requires respect, honor, and willing servitude. David goes on to say that our great Lord is “rigidly righteous in all His ways.” This means that the Lord is always right. Everything thing he does is purely good, like crystal. All his judgements are perfect. Nothing he decides is wrong. Whether we know it or not, we crave a leader like this. Because his ways are true and just, we can trust him to always do what is right. He is holy.

Later, David says that our Lord is “gracious and merciful in all his works.” We are the work of his hands according to Isaiah 64:8. While God is perfect and holy, he extends grace and mercy in all that he does. This means that his holiness (rigid righteousness) has a core of love. He pours out grace. He is merciful in his dealings with you.

It is a great and beautiful mystery to have a God who is rigid in righteousness and yet gracious and merciful toward the work of his hands. God is the perfect Father. He is full of love and compassion toward you as his child, and all his decisions regarding your life can be trusted because all his decisions are right. You can trust him to lead and guide your life. He wants only good things for you! Another analogy that might be helpful is to imagine the holiness of God as the sun. While the sun is so bright we cannot touch it or look upon it without special glasses that shield our eyes, the light and warmth that pours from the sun gives light and life to everything on earth. This is an example of how beautiful God’s holiness and love are combined.

Prayer

Father God, I pray that you would open the eyes of my heart to see your righteousness as truly beautiful. I pray that you will help me trust that you only emit true goodness, mercy, grace, and righteousness in all your works. Help me to understand that I am the work of your hands and that you are my good Father. Lord, help me to know you deeply in a way that transforms my life and our relationship. May others bask in the light and warmth of your righteousness and grace that fill my life. In Jesus name, amen.

If you enjoyed this short devotional, you would likely find refreshment in my devotional book, Visions of Celestial Love (An Invitation into Healing Intimacy).

“Come, all you are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me and eat wha tis good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” – Isaiah 55:1-2 NIV

Are you ready to taste of the sweet delicacies of God in a deeply reviving and personal way? For those who want to drink, for those who want to eat and be refreshed and renewed, Visions of Celestial Love is a feast between you and the King of Heaven, who loves you more than anyone else. He invites you to dine on wholesome, good, savory food and delicious, zesty, fruitful drink. He awaits you with a sparkle in His eye. He is ready for your company. He delights to have you as a guest.

“Eat, friends, and drink; drink your fill of love.” – Song of Songs 5:1 NIV

“Ashley presents us with a true cornucopia of modern psalms, personal testimonies, and short stories. She has set out to reveal and unravel some of the most complex heart issues mankind faces in our quest of understanding what true intimacy with God really looks like. Prepare to have your soul massaged and worked on as you read Visions of Celestial Love.” — Jeremy Minard, Servant King Apparel

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Holy Fire, Holy Surrender

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.… -2 Corinthians 5:14-15

The Bible describes the eyes of Jesus like flames of fire (Revelation 19:12).

In the Old Testament, the most Holy Place was reached only after walking past the flames of sacrifice on the brazen altar. (Exodus 27)

Something had to die so something could live.

A lamb for a man.

Jesus came as the sacrificial Lamb and as the last Adam. (John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 15:45)

In my life God has presented me with the fire of his love and the purifying water of his Word.

He consumes my life with eternity.

Unconditional love is a resurrection.

Because when unconditional love is fully received it brings death to self.

God’s love is not without sacrifice.

If Jesus died, then all die. (2 Corinthians 5:14)

There is a mystery of the gospel spelled out in Romans.

It is a beautiful union with Christ.

Paul describes this as a mental, emotional, bodily and spiritual surrender through affiliation with Christ. (Romans 6)

Hallelujah!

Oh, how sweet!

How victorious!

How gloriously freeing is this death described in scripture!

I die with Him, so I live with Him!

Death to self is nothing to be feared…rather, it’s an invitation to an intimate relationship that is bound together by the greatest power!

We become inseparable!

I become just like Him! (Romans 8:29)

“If you love Me, you will obey Me.” (John 14:15)

A life laid down is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It can only be birthed by a love that’s worth it!

To walk on water is no greater miracle than to defy the selfish nature, we were all born with.

To habitually deny self is no less miraculous than to be above sickness, disease, the devil and demons.

Oh, to be above…

To be seated with Him in heavenly places above all principality and power. (Ephesians 1: 21-23)

He was so humble as a Man that He followed God in obedience even to death on the cross.

There is no resurrection without the cross.

Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. -Matthew 16:24

It’s not an invitation to despair, but to a hope that goes behind the torn veil.

Nothing says I love you, like giving up your whole life.

Marriage is such a small shadow compared to this commitment.

This covenant.

This incredible union.

I live to praise You forever!

To worship You!

To glorify You!

I adore You, Jesus.

It’s easy to surrender.

You make it easy with your love!

A man hasn’t lived until he’s found something he’s willing to die for.

I choose to die to my own human power.

For your supernatural power.

Your divine power that heals the lepers, casts out devils, raises the dead and cures the sick.

I no longer see us as two, but one.

Jesus, you said, “The Father and I are one.” (John 10:30)

Jesus, you prayed that we would be one. (John 17:21)

Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ Who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)

I am what I am by the grace of God. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

This is powerful grace.

This is the triumphant love that split hell open and bankrupted it of victory. This is the violent love that caused the grave to tremble and break.

This is the love that smashed the serpents’ skull (the oppressor of mankind).

This is the love that gave everything for YOU.

He spared no expense to save you.

His love compelled him to die even for his enemies to make them his sons.

To give them an everlasting inheritance.

This love that pounds and beats like a lover over his beloved.

This is the love that lives and breathes in my heart.

I hear Him call me daily to oneness.

I hear his sweet song that beckons me to lay down my plans for the glorious life He has prepared for me.

Surrender is harder than sacrifice.

That’s why it’s greater than sacrifice.

“Sacrifice and offerings, You have not desired but a body You have prepared for Me! I say here I Am, it is written about Me in the volume of the Book. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is written within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8)

May we know as Paul knew, as the early church knew and as Jesus knew, the glory of living a life fully and completely surrendered to God! May we allow the flame of love that burn in Jesus’s eyes to consume us so that we may truly live heavenly lives!

Inspirational Scriptures:

“For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity].” -Matthew 16:25 AMP

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.… -John 12:24-25

For similar allegoric devotionals, check out my book, Visions of Celestial Love.

“When I read Visions of Celestial Love, it is as if I am brought down to my knees to worship. What the Holy Spirit has done in and through Ashley, He is doing also in me. What a wonderful experience. It is very rich. Thank you for sharing the treasure.”—Riko Suci Alam, CEO of Ligar Jaya and owner of Clove Garden hotel in Bandung Indonesia. 

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Jesus Weeps with You Healing Through Loss

.-This snippet is from the revised version of my book, Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul. In this chapter, I lovingly engage the narrative behind the “sovereignty of God” teaching that once crippled my faith by incriminating the goodness of God when it came to healing. I hope this snippet helps build your faith, comforts the hurting places in your heart and helps you trust in your heavenly Father’s heart toward you. Jesus came to heal, and it is God’s will that we have abundant life.

Chapter 8: The Accuser

..Jesus smiled with pleasure at my decision to trust his word. He explained, “My love, the adversary has no grounds to accuse you before our Father, because my blood has purified the heavenly holy of holies. I forever sit as your High Priest in heaven. Your right standing with our Father is as secure as mine as long as you never reject me.

“Wow,” I breathed, feeling as if I were inhaling air fragrant with grace.

“As well, Father is not displeased with you. He is not angry with you in the slightest. He has promised never to be incensed against you. He has promised never to rebuke you.[i] This is the Gospel of Peace Isaiah prophesied about. Our Father delights in you and he rejoices over you. You are his well-beloved child.”

I smiled without knowing, “amen” I whispered, feeling at a loss of anything more to say. All I wanted to do was continue to listen to Jesus and be healed by his words.

“Even though the Accuser cannot slander you before our Father, he can still whisper lies to you about Him. He has falsely accused the Father to you for months now. He’s used almost every hardship that you’ve experienced as an opportunity to blaspheme God in your ears. The incorrect way that you see the Father now has not just been a result of your own conclusions.”

***

Without warning, my emotions were thrust back to eight months prior when one of my dearest childhood friends, Cassie, passed away forty-eight hours after a terrible car accident. I had rushed to the ECU to see her, praying hard the whole way in the car. I remember struggling to see through my tears as I drove and cried out for God to heal her.

I was let into the hospital room with her family and together we prayed, hugged, sobbed, and anxiously waited, hoping she would wake up. When the heart monitor flat lined, I felt like my own heart had stopped. We all watched with held breath as more doctors rushed in after a small emergency alarm rang. They tried and failed to revive her. When the head doctor finally dropped the defibrillator and turned toward us with sad eyes, I broke down. A flood of wails erupted in the room as Cassie’s family cried loudly.

In that moment of hopelessness and heartbreak, I remembered hearing an evil being whispering in my mind. It told me that God wanted my friend to die and that’s why my prayers hadn’t been answered. It told me, God needed another, “flower in his garden in heaven,” so he took her. It told me that perhaps if I was a better Christian, God would have reconsidered and healed Cassie. A chilly sensation had run through my heart that day. The words of the enemy successfully broke a tender place in my soul and formed a bleeding rift in the area of my trust in God’s goodness.

***

The memory opened up my hidden wound afresh and I bowed my head as heavy sorrow weighed on me.

Jesus read my thoughts and asked, “do you think it was God’s will that Cassie died by a drunk driver?”

I shut my eyes tightly as the fresh inner wound of Cassie’s tragic death opened. Fast tears formed before slipping down my cheeks, “I don’t know,” I said brokenly even though I knew I believed it had been God’s will.

“It wasn’t,” Jesus said, his eyes flooding with pained compassion.

“But how can that be? I thought God’s will was always done?” I said with a small frown of confusion.

“Sadly, not always. The Word of God says, God wills that none should perish but that all should come to repentance.[ii] Tragically, people perish every day even though God paid the ultimate price for everyone to be saved. When my disciples asked me to teach them how to pray, I told them to pray for God’s kingdom to come and for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.[iii] The fact that I told them to pray for God’s will to be done on earth implies that his will is not always done.”

Jesus continued, “My dear if our Father’s will was always done, earth would look just like Eden, and everyone would have a life-giving relationship with God. My earthly ministry alleviated human suffering by destroying the works of the devil through preaching the truth of the Gospel to the poor, through healing the sick, binding up the broken hearted, casting out devils, raising the dead, and ministering to the needs of people.[iv] God’s will came to earth from heaven in every miracle his Holy Spirit performed through me. For the Spirit of the Lord was upon me to do all those things.[v] With every blind eye opened, with every hungry belly filled, with every crippled man leaping for joy, with every truth spoken, and every disease healed, people saw God and often praised him afterward. I only did what I saw my Father doing.[vi]

“This is beautiful news,” I said as a cleansing flow of cool tears spilled from my eyes and slipped down my cheeks. Jesus smiled tenderly at me and softly held my chin with his thumb and pointer finger. For a moment, he watched my tears fall as if they were precious gemstones. I remembered the scripture that said God collected the tears of his children in a bottle and that he recorded each one in his book.[vii]

After a few seconds of only our eyes speaking, he gently released his hand from my chin and continued sharing the good news. “My ministry on earth is the clearest picture mankind has of the heart of God. His heart is good. He does not delight in human suffering. I always obeyed his command to love and to declare truth. If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.[viii] I and my Father are one.[ix] And no one who denies me truly knows God for I was with God in the beginning.[x] I am Truth, I am the Word made flesh.[xi] My dear, God is love.[xii] He so loved the world that he sent me.[xiii] All true goodness originates with him.”

His healing words broke through a dam of religious lies and self-protection in my heart releasing a fresh pool of tears. My eyes welled before the assembling tears began dripping down my chin and wetting my sleeves.

Moved by great love, Jesus gently wiped them away even as his eyes misted with deep consoling compassion. He inched his face closer to mine until all I could see was his radiant face. His visage was pouring with beautiful love. “Noelani, God wanted to heal Cassie and comfort you and her family, like I did at Lazarus’s tomb when I came as the resurrection and raised him from the dead.[xiv] God wept with you as I wept with Mary and Martha. He felt your pain, as well as his own.”

I shut my eyes to flush them of the tears that began blinding my vision. When I began to turn to look away, Jesus softly cupped my face still and I allowed my face to rest in his hands. As I did, I felt peace behind the surface of his fingertips. Jesus tenderly stroked my eyelids with his thumbs and to my surprise, I didn’t flinch away. Normally, I had a natural reaction to protect my eyes from anything that would touch them because of how sensitive and crucial they were to body and well-being. But when Jesus touched my eyelids, I felt no need to self-protect. This soothing motion of his thumbs melted me. It was like he was blessing me with clearer spiritual vision. He spoke again and I felt his balmy breath on my nose. His words washed over me like a warm mineral pool.

“Healing is my Father’s will for his kids, it is part of the atonement. Healing is the children’s bread.”[xv]

I felt a stony weight lift from my chest and my breathing became more relaxed as the truth came in. A place in my mind felt disencumbered.

Jesus released his hands from my face, and I looked upon him like someone who woke up to see sunshine for the first time after hibernating through the winter.

For the first time in a year, I felt a sense of peace come into the pained place that ached for Cassie’s presence. I smiled without effort at Jesus.

-To delve more deeply, check out the unrevised version of Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul, by clicking here.

“Ashley depicts such a level of intimacy with Jesus so poignantly that I believe it will arouse others’ hearts with passion to pursue a new depth and commitment in their relationship with Him. I pray with all my heart that through her insights seamlessly woven into the stories, the church (men and women) would recognize their one true identity as brides and not servants. The author helps us learn to allow ourselves be loved and healed and no longer driven to meet unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others. I believe that Ashley’s book will facilitate cultivating a fulfilling relationship with Jesus and abandoning religion once and for all! Ashley gives hope to those of us who feel or have felt they have sunk too low in their depravity. She demonstrates and enables us to believe that, no matter how vile our pasts, we can be washed white as snow by the blood of the Lamb and made beautiful new creations. She conveys with a refreshing rawness that nothing is beyond His power and (most reassuringly) His desire to redeem and restore. She illustrates the amazing grace of God with its power to enable us to live holy lives by His spirit and not the letter of the law and religion.
Possibly the most pertinent lesson that Ashley wisely shares in some of her stories is the most painful yet wonderful journey we go through if we choose to face the surrender of our lives and desires to God. Through her writing she gently urges us to come to this place of trust with the Father who loves us beyond our comprehension. The stories are heartwarmingly honest. Ashley has a beautiful gift of using descriptive language which instantly creates pictures in your minds as she relates her stories and makes them so real and alive.
May it lead you into your own passionate journey deeper into the heart of Jesus and to experience wonderful encounters with Him, our eternally faithful and true love.” ~Celina Haywood, Licensed Minister, Former Missionary to Thailand, Beautiful Encourager 💗

Scripture references from this snippet:

[i] Isaiah 54:9

[ii] 2 Peter 3:9

[iii] Matthew 6:10

[iv] Acts 10:38

[v] Luke 4:18

[vi] John 5:19

[vii] Psalm 56:8

[viii] John 14:9

[ix] John 10:30

[x] 1 John 2:23, John 1:2

[xi] John 1:14, John 14:6

[xii] 1 John 4:8

[xiii] John 3:16

[xiv] John 11:25

[xv] Matthew 15:22-28, John 6:32-35

-For an amazing Biblical teaching on the Sovereignty of God by Andrew Wommack, click here.

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Upcoming Book: His Beauty for My Ashes

I’m very excited to share this chapter in the book, His Beauty for My Ashes!

God showed me a vision of Heaven and how He created me… and it’s my honest belief that He wants to show you your priceless value, acceptance, purpose and divine uniqueness so you can shine on the earth because the DNA of Heaven is inside of you…

❤

HIS BEAUTY FOR MY ASHES Anthology with Visionary DrSherley Lefevre.

This book is a dedication to the resilient kings and queens transitioning from weeping to reaping. Crafted by fearless women who’ve conquered adversity, it’s your manual for empowerment, filled with testimonies, revelations, and biblical insights to deepen your faith. Get ready to rise above, triumph, and thrive!

🙌🏽

Promo Video:

The expected publishing month is November 2023! Be on the lookout for more details soon.

To check out my previously published books, click on the books tab. I pray you are blessed by God as you read!

Reviews:

“Ashley Thompson’s book, Visions of Celestial Love is just that; a visionary work of epic proportions. It is glimpses into a loving and remarkable relationship with the creator of the universe. You are invited to Dive into stories of love and compassion, healing and provision, loss and recovery, profound grace and faith. Ashley draws us in with her descriptive prose and unique style of writing. There are so many stories to relate to in this book and I’m sure you will find your own story among the many that are told here. So, find your favorite spot, your favorite beverage, and curl up with, Visions of Celestial Love.” -Amazon reviewer

“Romantic Rendezvous is a beautiful invitation into intimacy with Jesus! Ashley has done a masterful job of creating stories that depict the heart of the Father. I have truly been blessed by this book! As I read each story, I felt the closeness of Jesus and had continual reminders of how deep the Fathers love is for me. From the very first chapter, I felt the flame of my heart be rekindled with God’s goodness and love. This book is a must read!” -Jessica Leon

My review is biased but Fallen Coins really reminded me of my childhood growing up with the author(My Sister) she would tell me many stories before bed but this one i remember i asked to repeat several different times. The characters brought back many memories of us playing and enjoying each others company as well as the situations we’d find ourselves in often due to our impulsive curiosities the settings paints beautiful scenery of a wonderful small village our protagonists find themselves in. This short story is a wonderful read driving the importance of obedience especially to our parents.” -Amazon Reviewer

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Deep Worship

“For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.” -Isaiah 54:5

This allegorical love sonnet of worship/adoration, may be uncomfortable for some as it messes with limiting beliefs about nearness in relationship with Jesus. I wrote this poem, when I was unmarried and living out my single years in purity, faith and growing connection with Jesus. This sonnet is a shadow of the mystery Paul wrote about when he symbolically described the relationship between husband and wife with the relationship between Christ and the church. During my single years, Jesus showed me what it was like to be naked and unashamed and to enter into the “dark” holy of holies (in the deepest part of the temple) where no outside light was able to pierce through the thick veil. Only the light from the ark of the covenant (which represented his presence) illuminated the private chambers where man could touch God and God could touch man. In my imagination, the sound of the wings of the seraphim flying is terrifying wind music to my ears as they circle the glorious throne where the worthy One sits as King of kings and Lord of lords (Isaiah 6:3). Jesus is coming back for a bride without spot or wrinkle. (Ephesians 5:27) He is thrilled and excited to see his bride at the altar of Revelation, clothed in holiness with fiery singlehearted devotion for Him.

He Took Me Away

He took me away.

And I drank from the deep waters.

My heart’s desires equate to him. Every longing that pulses through my blood cries for him.

My heart is a bottomless well, a creation that was made for the rivers of life to flow through by his Holy Spirit.

He took me away.

And I worshipped!

I worshiped in his deep Presence!

Clouds of dark purple and blue surrounded me. I was in a place in his Spirit. And He was alive! He was in the air. He was within the floor, He was in the landscape.

My entire soul attached herself to him and I gave him everything. All of me was attached to him, and strings from Heaven bound my soul to his heart, and I drank from the deep waters. I gave him everything fiercely and with holy devotion.

I married this Man, this God of all gods, this King of all kings, the ruler of all the universes, the Maker of the heavens and earth.

The place where I walked dripped water as I took my first few steps. I reached out and felt the fog, and crystal clear water gushed out, flowing down and then disappearing into the bioluminescent mist.

White banners, like glinting snow were put in my hands and I flowed with them like liquid. I waved, spun, jumped, jerked, fell prostrate, rose up again, and became entranced by his Presence.

The energy from his throne was incredible, overwhelming, and heavy with holiness and power. I felt like a battery being overcharged, being shocked by waves of electric spiritual energy.

My body could do nothing but submit and move to flow of the bioelectric-spiritual signals in his Presence. My soul could do nothing but weep and rejoice at the same time. My spirit came alive, and she returned his love song.

He pulled me with his music. He called to me in his fierce and holy love. He whispered my name in longing affection. And He declared, breaking every idol, breaking all claims anyone had over me (including mother, father, and friend), “I Am her God!”

I exploded, and my flags were turned into swords that I wielded like an expert swordsman. They gleamed like silver in firelight and the sheen of them, like ember flames, were seen in the smoke of his Shekinah cloud where I praised, and gloried in his presence.

The swords became an extension of my arms, an instrument of worship. For love is as strong as death, this jealousy as consuming as the grave (Song of Songs 8:6) . And love is both tenderness and toughness. Love is both supple and hard. Love is both embracing and ferocious.

Love is a Lion, love is a Lamb.

I pictured Jesus/Yeshua. He took me to the mountaintops. I held his hand, completely romanced by his great love. I joined myself with him. And his blood became my own. His heartbeat became the rhythm in my body. His breath became my oxygen and wind.

Once atop the mountain, He showed me a beautiful part of his kingdom. Waterfalls poured forth water so clear, they burned with the gold of the sunset, and became light.

Rainforests sent forth sweet incense as dewy fog into the sky that glittered with billions upon billions of stars. Space dust colored the sky, painting it with hues of royalty and mystery. Flaming stars with streaks behind them moved like sea creatures. The sky was alive, the cosmos were living, and I could see them more clearly than I ever have. Yet, at the same time the sun shone, streaking part of the horizon with aureate light, like spilled golden paint.

Animals moved upon the land, from the great elephant to the small perched bird. Everything was alive! A river flowed through the land, a great heartbeat was in the soil echoing into the heart of eternity, kissing the air with love worship. Creation groaned no more but sang the song it had waited centuries to sing! (Romans 8:22)

Then I tasted in my understanding a piece of John the Baptist’s joy. He, who was friend to the Bridegroom, rejoiced in the Bridegroom’s joy at the sight of his Beloved (John 3:29). I felt in my heart this was the celebratory song of creation.

Yeshua extended his hand showing me this. As fascinating and breathtaking as it was, my eyes fell and stayed upon his scared wrists. Wrists that bled holy, princely, royal blood for me. These were the scars that healed me, yet my heart was torn from seeing them, from knowing He suffered great pain, and cried anguished tears from his pain.

He saw me. Eyes that knew everything about me, my every thought and attitude both past, present, and future saw me.

He pulled me to Himself. His arms wrapped around me and I pressed my head against his chest. I was so close, but it wasn’t enough, it didn’t satisfy.

“Let me enter You,” I silently pleaded. “Let me into your heart. I want to taste from the deep, deep water. The water without price. Simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing. I want to eat of the bread, and bind myself to You forever (Isaiah 55:1-2). I want to become yours forever. And I want to be connected to your church, Your bride forever. Connect my soul with Your Spirit. For You said in your Word, ‘unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you.” (John 6:54)

He let me in and I sunk into his eternal heart. I dissolved into his being, and it was there that I worshiped.

Above me I caught a glimpse of the living creatures, covering their eyes and feet, and flying at the same time as they cried, “Holy, holy, holy.” (Revelation 4:8)

Worthy are You King! Worthy are You to be praised! There is no other like You! No one worthy of worship!

I want to live in Your romance. I was made for no other atmosphere, made to enjoy sweet intimacy with my King in the bedchamber of worship.

I feel the woman’s heart when she says, “Take me away with You—let us hurry! Let the King take me into His chambers! We rejoice and delight in you; we will savor your loving more than wine. How right they are to adore You!” (Song of Songs 1:4 NIV).

Her desire is my own. Rightly do I love You!

He took me away with him. I took from the well of His Spirit and prayed, “Let this water cause everything in me to long for and desire You.”

When I dipped my cupped hands in the diamond water and drank, a deep place in me desired to go down into the well. To find the beginning of this great love, to partake of the first note in the eternal love song. I dove in, knowing there was no end.

There are no words to describe the thirst.

This is what man was made for.

This is the reason a man should leave his father and mother and be joined together with his wife…and the two shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)

This is worship.

Union with I Am.

Marriage, in all its beauty, is only a foreshadow of how He created us to know (be in relationship) Him.

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, but I am speaking about Christ and the church. – the apostle Paul in his Ephesian epistle 5:31-32 (emphasis mine)

For more exploration of the Bridegroom love of Jesus, check out my book, Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul by clicking here.

“As I read, I quickly became enthralled with this book, so beautifully written in the language of love. Each of these short stories so accurately reflects the romantic and wooing heart of the Bridegroom which draws you to Himself into a deeper place of love and intimacy. If you have not yet experienced romantic intimacy with God, I’m confident that this book will set you on course. It’s bound to warm your soul and whet your desire for your own heart-to-heart conversations and experiences with God. The author creatively ministers to the soul, bringing truth to light in the most tangible ways; you will feel that God is speaking directly to you, and He most certainly is! Some stories caused me to be drawn away into remembrance of my own experiences and conversations with God that have freed my soul; others caused me to reevaluate my heart’s commitment to my first Husband and cry out for forgiveness; and yet others simply took me on a delightful and exciting adventure of what the beginning of a holy, unadulterated love looks like – so refreshing to the soul! I commend the author for using her creative gifting to share personal reflections and heart intimacies which I know could only come from the deep well of Father’s heart. I highly recommend this book as a must read!” -Marina Garcia

For a breathtaking worship song on intimacy with Christ, listen below (I don’t own any rights to this beautiful, holy song):

Copyright 2011 Catherine Mullins Music

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Medicine for the Soul

“And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.” -Isaiah 58:11

I think it’s so easy to neglect the deep care our souls need. 

In the busyness of life, in the deceit that other things are more important, and the constant distraction and to to-do lists, our heart connection with Jesus can be pushed to the side. 

But Jesus is everything we need and our relationship with Him is the most precious relationship in all the world. 

We need Him. He is our Life. He is our Truth. He is our Healer. He is our Savior. He is our Lord. He is our Counselor. He is the medicine our hearts need. 

He is, I Am. 

This has not been an easy year for me so far. Before the end of February, Stephen and I had 4 deaths of people we have known, cared for, and loved. And I haven’t made time to truly stop and grieve properly.

In the same breath, I saw revival break forth in a part of our nation that was beautiful. More personally, several of my Bible students had encounters with God in class that were healing, amazing and personally comforting. I saw students crying, embracing one another, bowing their heads in prayer, and reaching out to touch Jesus. One girl student described seeing Jesus as a majestic lion with a mane of fire, warm golden eyes and big, white, comforting wings. As she shared her vision of Jesus, my husband, who was in a different state, broke out in tears because the anointing of God was so strongly felt by him. That day of worship and prayer was so special. 

To watch a video of two students sharing about their visions of Jesus, click here.

I’ve recently dealt with bouts of fear, one of them being job loss because of lack of finances in my school.

Then there’s been the familiar nagging of the spirit of the enemy coming against my own tender and sacred dreams. He has sought to sow seeds of doubt, hopelessness, and depression that the dreams I believe God has promised me will never come true. There’s been the excitement of hearing from my literary agent that a Christian publisher requested two samples of my work…only to have weeks of silence after. 

This season has been full of paradoxes: joy, revelation, fear, doubt, brokenness, blessings, grief, breakthrough, and chronic struggles. 

Through it all, Jesus has come after my heart. Through it all, He’s invited me to trust in Him. Sometimes I find myself running so fast, that it feels like Jesus must run up to me and tap me on the shoulder to get my attention. 

A week ago, I searched inside myself and finally asked Jesus for help. When I slowed down enough, I realized what the underlining source of my running is:

I’m running to keep up a façade of perfection. I’m running from the broken places of wounding that have been buried for years in my soul (which is a real detriment because the enemy has used these hidden aching places to keep me in perpetual pain). I’m running from secret insecurities and fears that I just don’t want to deal with because it feels too hard for me to fix. And I haven’t wanted to be vulnerable and share these things with the Body of Christ (the church) because I feel too unsafe and for some reason, I think sharing my weaknesses and needs with others might be an unwelcome burden to them. It just feels too messy. 

So, I’ve been running. 

But Jesus is called our Forerunner (Hebrews 6:20).

He already has run the ultimate race for us. He ran and won the prize of eternal life. And He frequently reminds me that eternal life isn’t just for Heaven. It’s the life of God He provided for us through His death and resurrection (which many believers will more closely observe this April for Easter/Passover). He gave His life not just so we may go to Heaven, but so that we can have the kingdom of Heaven on earth which the Bible describes as righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). 

Running to me represents striving. I never want to be in a place of striving because Jesus is our Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). If I am striving, it means there’s an undercurrent of doubt or fear lodged in my soul that keeps me from trusting in God’s ability for my own ability. I don’t want to put my trust in this world.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” -John 14:27

Are you striving in any area of your life?

Are there any places of unrest in your soul?

Are you experiencing the beautiful, wholesome, healing, and powerful peace of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis?

If not, then I pray Jesus will tap you on the shoulder and draw you ever deeper into His heart until his peace becomes as common as your breathing. I pray you will experience the love of the Father in a way that fills your life with fullness, joy, blessings, comfort, hope, and everything good Jesus paid for you to have. His heart toward you is so good and He has a special place in His heart for you. Along with that, is a special plan for your life.

Lastly dear friend, as I have prayed for you, may you say a prayer for me? That I may receive the deep and sweet inner healing Jesus wants me to receive and that I may release my need for control for His amazing and loving Lordship? I don’t want to have an idol of control in my heart where His throne should be (James 5:16). 

There is a place of rest He has promised us, and it is sweeter and grander than the Promise Land He gave to Israel (Hebrews 4). I’ve been in that secret spiritual place before. I’ve tasted the wonder and beauty of His kingdom on earth before and it is to this place that I constantly want to abide. 

Just this morning a student in my class told me she was in a lot of pain. She confessed she didn’t go to bed until 3am because of how bad it was. I noticed she was quieter in class than normal, and she didn’t look very well. She told me her chest felt constricted, it was hard for her to breathe and that she was sick. I felt prompted to pray for her. Even though I was having an emotional morning and some doubt flared up, I pushed my insecurity away and offered her prayer. She said yes to receiving prayer and so I laid my hands on her and prayed for Jesus to touch her, I asked the Holy Spirit to minister healing to her body and spoke life over her body and peace and love over her soul. At recess she told me, “Mrs. Thompson, as soon as I went into my other class after you prayed for me, I felt completely better. All I needed was prayer.” I noticed her mask was off now, and later, I watched as she ran across the parking lot and played around with other students. She wasn’t short of breath anymore, instead she was full of energy.

A miracle had taken place. Jesus touched her body. This just happened today. And through this instant God reminded me that He is with me. That He loves people. That He never wants any of us to suffer whether it’s emotional, physical, or spiritual because Jesus paid for our healing through His death and resurrection (Isaiah 53). Even as I sit, in some emotional pain, the healing of this student brings me hope for my own healing. 

Our Jesus is amazing. We have His life inside of us. We are born again from above (John 1). 

~If you would like a prayer partner and life coach in helping you to reach your God-dreams, I would love to be that for you. Click here to learn more about my services as a life coach.

I would love to share this refreshing song with you about Jesus being the restorer of your soul by Sarah Hart Pearsons:

(I do not own any rights to this lovely song)

-For more words of counsel, and the grace of God, check out my book, Visions of Celestial Love, by clicking here:

An Invitation into Healing Intimacy with God

“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

Bless you dear one reading this. Until next time, may the peace of God guard your heart and mind and may you grow in your trust of Him. 

Warm Sincerity from Your Sister in Christ,

Ashley

xoxo

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A Biblical Poem for Children

Can You Find a Safe Place for My Seed?

By: Ashley Thompson

Can you find a safe place for my seed?

I’ve heard it comes with all I need.

(Matthew 13:1-23)

A warm cup of hot coco and a coat.

Some jewelry and a boat. My favorite rainbow and the sky.

A thousand kisses and a lullaby.

This seed comes with good things from heaven that never say goodbye.

 (2 Peter 1:2-3)

A wise man gave it to me, He pulled it from some weeds.

He tucked it in my pocket and said it was all I would ever need.

With a kiss that left my cheek tingling with warmth, He tipped his hat and buttoned his petite coat.

(Matthew 13:37, 2 Corinthians 9:10)

Snow dusted his tall hat and lashes; his white hair was alight with flashes.

His eyes were like fire burning bright, in Him I saw everlasting light.

(Revelation 1:14)

He was unlike any man I had ever seen.

He was like God in the flesh and there was nothing mean.

(John 1:14)

He spoke the words that breathed life into this seed.

He spoke the words that were all I would ever need.

(John 6:63)

The seed in my pocket was hot like the sun. It glowed in every tunnel and had darkness on the run. 

I tried to grow it on books, on tables and desks, it didn’t like these places, it wanted a heart of flesh.

I tried to put it in pots of dirt, but it wanted to be inside my heart and warm me like a hearth.

(James 1:17, Jeremiah 31:33)

I lifted the seed that sparkled like a star, it seemed to come from some place that was very far.

It drew my attention to the heavens above, it wanted to shower down for it was a gift of love. 

I opened my mouth with bated breath, I swallowed the seed, and it grew in my heart of flesh. It took root in my soul and its truth gave me the very best.

(Ezekiel 36:26)

Inside my heart the seed showed me a Man.

A Man who loved me before time began.

Within this Man is life at its grandest.

As I walk with Him, I become robed in heaven’s finest.

(John 3:16, John 14,26, John 10:10)

Now this seed is living and active.

Within me Jesus Christ is protected.

Together we walk through life completely connected.

(Hebrews 4:12)

He is in me, and my life is hidden in Him.

This is the mystery of the Gospel.

This is a love that always wins.

(Colossians 3:2-3, 1 Corinthians 13:8)

Dear parents,

As a parent, I know how important it is for us to plant the Word of God in our children’s hearts. There is hardly anything dearer in life than personally knowing Jesus Christ in truth and rightly dividing the Word. Jesus is the Word made flesh and He said man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (John 1:14, Matthew 4:4).

This small poetic story was inspired by the parable of the Sower and the seed told by Jesus in the Gospels. Jesus is called the “seed of Abraham” in Galatians 3:16.

Jesus compares the power and functioning of God’s kingdom in our lives to how well we plant and grow God’s Word in our hearts by faith (Romans 1:16, James, 1:21, 1 Corinthians 1:18). When we consider that Jesus (Salvation) is the Word of God, it becomes easy to understand why knowing God’s precious Word is life to us. Not only is knowledge of the written word important to our children, but personal relationship with Jesus (the Word made flesh) is important. In this short rhyming children’s tale, I tried to combine both aspects of relationship with God’s Word.

My greatest prayer for my children and yours is that they will know the One who is life, salvation, wisdom from God, Healer, Prince of Peace, and the Way personally for the rest of their lives. I pray our children will walk with Jesus and know Him as He is. There is no safer or more blessed place for our children to be, than in the warm arms of Jesus Christ.

“The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” -Jesus in John 6:63 (NLT)

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Finding Security in Christ

"You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” - St. Augustine

When I was fifteen years old, I found myself in a place where I had no real sustaining joy in my life. Sure, I had fun and laughed here and there but I knew there was something missing in my life. Even though my outside circumstances weren’t bad and I seemed to be carrying on as a regular teenager, I was crying out for reality. I was seeking an unshakable place of solace to rest in. I knew everything in the world was changeable and thus unreliable and so I felt unable to ever truly relax on the inside.

I wanted a permanent resting place of peace. I wanted something to believe in that was bigger than any government. I wanted something that was truly good, faultless and pure. I didn’t know it at the time…but I was looking for someone holy.

I had grown up in church and I knew about God…but I didn’t turn to him to transform me into a new person (2 Corinthians 5:17). I didn’t realize it until later, but the reason I didn’t seriously consider turning to God was because I felt too sinful to approach him. I allowed shame to keep me away.

I continued to search for a place of refuge in the world. Inevitably, I discovered the world couldn’t offer me what I really needed. Because I couldn’t find this place of surety, I began to comfort myself with food addiction. As a result, I pushed the scale past 200 pounds before I turned sixteen. I began to experience minor depression. I felt ugly and as a result I wore dark colored clothes from the men’s department. I masked my insecurity behind anger and hiddenness.

Then one faithful morning, after years of ignoring God’s obvious pursuit, I moseyed on youtube to watch videos. In the side panel, was a video by a woman I had never seen before. Her name was Joyce Meyer and the title of the video was, Your Self Image and Your Future. Something about the video sparked my interest and I clicked on it. As Joyce began to talk, the power of the Holy Spirit became tangible in the room. Joyce quoted many scriptures about the love of God and how He created everyone special and beautiful on purpose.

What baffled me and brought me to my knees in His presence in true repentance for the first time, was when she said that He thought better of me than I did myself. The thought of God placing that much value on my life astounded me. Tears welled my eyes and I threw my hands up in true surrender. “God, I’m sorry I’ve been ignoring you for all these years,” I sobbed, “please forgive me! Jesus, please come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior.” I finally threw my life on His shoulders that morning. Abandoning myself completely to Him.

What happened next is a little bit unbelievable to some. I saw what looked like white translucent rain falling through the ceiling into the room. It was as if I wasn’t alone. Then I felt a cloud expanding in my chest. As it expanded I felt peace. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was filled with the Holy Spirit that very second. From that day on, a voice, in the form of inner promptings, started speaking from within me and leading me into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

I discovered that Jesus wasn’t man made philosophy, He wasn’t prideful intellectual reasonings, He wasn’t trapped in a book or a church building He wasn’t reserved for only the “elect.” He wasn’t locked in the grave (thus being unreachable and untouchable by those who called for Him in the present) like every other deceased man or renown.

No, He is living. He is alive. He is personal. He is real life. He is reality. He is the greatest display of the love of God that ever existed and will ever exist. He is the benevolence of grace, the light by which we can see the heavens more clearly than the sun’s rising against a blackened earth after nightfall.

I soon discovered after that fateful encounter, I had new desires (proof that I was born again and had received the new nature) and unspeakable joy. After that, I read through the entire Bible, I had several angelic encounters, visions, I experienced inner healing and was even delivered from an unclean spirit of anger without any deliberate effort on my part. The Lord began to encourage me to buy bright colored skirts (purple was by far my new favorite color). Before, I had hated the idea of wearing skirts because somewhere deep inside I hated myself and didn’t think I deserved to be donned in anything lovely.

I listened to Jesus and soon my entire wardrobe changed. My mannerisms were transformed and eventually my brother started calling me a, “girly girl.” God filled with me such self-love that I began to exercise and eat healthy without anyone coaxing me to. My grades in school went up and for the first time, I was on the honor roll. Within a year I was at a balanced weight. I then became less self-centered and started helping others on purpose. I dove into ministries of all kinds and began a homeless ministry of my own. I began to live at church and soon my entire family was going with me…

~To read my full testimony visit: https://nourishmentthroughwords.com/2020/05/04/created-in-heaven-born-on-earth/

~To read my devotional book full of testimonies, poems and inspirational teachings, click here

“Come, all you are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me and eat wha tis good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” – Isaiah 55:1-2 NIV

Are you ready to taste of the sweet delicacies of God in a deeply reviving and personal way? For those who want to drink, for those who want to eat and be refreshed and renewed, Visions of Celestial Love is a feast between you and the King of Heaven, who loves you more than anyone else. He invites you to dine on wholesome, good, savory food and delicious, zesty, fruitful drink. He awaits you with a sparkle in His eye. He is ready for your company. He delights to have you as a guest.

“Eat, friends, and drink; drink your fill of love.” – Song of Songs 5:1 NIV

“Ashley presents us with a true cornucopia of modern psalms, personal testimonies, and short stories. She has set out to reveal and unravel some of the most complex heart issues mankind faces in our quest of understanding what true intimacy with God really looks like. Prepare to have your soul massaged and worked on as you read Visions of Celestial Love.” — Jeremy Minard, Servant King Apparel