Friday, October 30, 2009
Struggle & Illness.
The devil has also, physically, been attacking me.
My husband was away last week and then on Sunday I was hospitalized with some infection. The doctors never did figure out what I had. I came home on Wednesday and finally today, Friday, am feeling better.
This scripture verse came in my email today from an online devotional I recieve. When I saw it, it made me think of how bad "physically" I have felt and also how down I have been.
Jeremiah 17:14, "Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise." (NIV)
You are the one I praise..let us not take our eyes of the prize!!!
God bless you,
Ashley
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Trials
What are we supposed to do?
I am dealing with this very thing.
James 1:1-6 (NIV)
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
Will you believe today?
Blessings,
Ashley
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Authentic YOU!
Last night our American, Cass, preached for the first time, so the translastion was reversed for at least this one time. No matter the language the sermon was touching.
I have to admit the sermon was exactly what I needed to hear. It was about being the Authentic you - or 100% who God created you to be.
The whole jist was that if we are being more than who God called us to be we are pretending and if we're being less than who we are we're hiding and that God is the way to be 100% because he accepts you at whatever stage you are at.
Reference John 14:6, what does that verse say to you?
Are you pretending or hiding?
I leave you with that.
Ashley King
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Women's Minsitry
As the weather turns to fall here in Germany I start to think. I am always thinking I guess, but the gray rainy weather has really got me thinking and then this morning after talking with several women on IM I had a thought. Well the thought actually came to me while I was loading laundry in the dryer. I was thinking about as I have grown in my Christian walk I wanted a ministry. You know, I always felt ministry was out there in maybe a class or some sort of Christian group. Then as I have grown I realized ministry can be one on one or something you say to encourage another person. It really hit me this morning as I said good night to several women back in the states. I had shared Christ in one way or another with them and shared in their lives. This is what Jesus did and does for us. Jesus was never big or flashy, he just came along side people - took them as they were and ministered to their hearts through words and actions. So, I encourage you, if you are feeling down or like you do not do much, look toward the woman that is your neighbor or whom you see at the grocery store - women like these can be your ministry with a simple smile or a kind word, remember just do what Jesus did.
Blessings,
Ashley
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Food for Thought..
Reflections:
What experiences or hardships have I experienced that I can use to help another?
Will I be bitter about my past, or use it to connect with someone else who needs Jesus?
Power Verses:
Ephesians 1:11, "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will..." (NIV)
Matthew 25:40, "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (NIV)
Take time to reflect on this.
Blessings,
Ashley
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Note to Self!
We may not have employees but we have Husbands and Children.
We may not get paid in cash, but in sweet words, hugs, and kisses.
As I was cleaning this morning I was tempted to grumble.
I tend to do that.
But then I thought to myselef, you ought to be joyful, you have it pretty good girl.
So, my thought for today is, "Are you joyful?"
Think of everything YOU HAVE and meditate on that.
And if for some reason you can't think of anything today, think upon the fact
if you know Jesus as your Lord and savior you ahve eternal life.
NOW that's soemthing to be joyful about!
Blessings,
Ashley
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Word of God Speak..
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
Blessings to you,
Ashley
Monday, September 21, 2009
Trails..
"Pleasant words [even mine] are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24
I pray that no matter what season of life you are in, that your words will be sweet and more importantly Godly.
God Bless,
Ashley
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Confession of Human-ness..
"Now this is His command: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us." 1 John 3:23
As I read those words I was convicted greatly. Let me explain why. Yesterday, Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 - showed me why I still need Jesus every day. I woke up and felt fine, I bent down to pick up some laundry off the floor and when I stood back up I was in extreme pain. My back was on fire. I delt with it, I had bible study at the Chapel to get to, snacks and drinks to set up. As Hospitality I could not wonder what had happened to my back. I did not have time to be in pain. To make an extremely long story short the back pain got worse and as I "the food person," had to deal with some "rude" women. I became sad, ready to cry even. My friends of course asked what was wrong and I was happy to tell them. (Free gossip anyone?) I was upset, and rightly so, but do you ever find when you are soo right about something you can sin? I sure did. Not because I was angry, but rather because I got a "bad" attitude, one that said I am in pain, you were rude to me, now take this. (the gossip.)I am glad to say that God is great, he corrected me in my heart this morning. And then upon reading this scripture I knew I was continuing to harbor anger toward this woman. I prayed and asked for forgiveness and now write this. Ask yourself this question.
Do I have conditions on how and when I will love someone?
I did yesterday, and my day was pretty dark and cloudy - today even though I am still in back pain, with God's love and perspective I can say I am feeling better, in my heart - the place that counts the most.
God Bless you today!
Ashley
Monday, September 14, 2009
Bible Lessons From the Bathroom (Safe I promise!)
"And it is my prayer thatyour love may abound more and more,with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ,to the glory and praise of God."
The Apostle Paul wrote those words. As I look at the word discernment I think of what I learned in the bathroom this morning. Earlier I had walked in a saw my husband shaving his head. He is a soldier in the Army and his hair has to be in regulation or he could get in trouble. Well hair cuts are expensive and his hair grows back in two or three days, so thus he shaves his head. Well this morning I did not think anything of it. Our son was next to him washing his hands and I hopped into the shower and back out to do my things before it was just Logan and I.
Later, however, as I was cleaning the front room I went to shut the bathroom door, so I would know Logan was not messing around in there. I saw clothes on the floor as well as a towel, thought to myself, "typical," and went about my other chores. When I finally entered the bathroom I was steaming mad. Not only were there clothes and a towel on the floor but the electric razor had been left out, hair was in the sink, and my dear husband had left two disposable razors, well, obviously not disposed of. Now I am not complaining and normally being a reactionary person, I might have said a few choice words, but as God has been teaching me discernment in my home I realized that this is being keeper of the home. Sure, my husband could have been thoughtful and taken care of those things I mentioned. But I was technically coming to clean the bathroom and in about ten minutes I had the job done- not too much to be upset about and in that moment I learned a lesson in the bathroom.
To continue being a joyful keeper of my home..
Home is where my Heart is!
(We will get what we've worked for.)
Friday, September 11, 2009
It happened on September 11, 2001 - Eight years ago, can you believe it? We all know where we were on that fateful morning when planes hit the twin towers in New York, hit the Pentagon in D.C., and fell into a Pennsylvania field because Americans overtook the hijackers on flight 93. Eight years have past, but let us not for get this day and let us remember the fallen.
With great respect,
Ashley
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Let Us Remember the Goal..
I love my HUSBAND!
I found it as I was looking around her amazing website. There is a lot of information to take in, but this statement stuck out. I found it as a good reminder to myself, about how I should be serving God and my Husband.
"God, Your Husband and You, FILL IN THE BLANK!At the end of ________'s life, will his life have been better because he married me?"
So, mine would read: "God, Your Husband and You, Ashley Rose! At the end of Lance's life, will his life have been better because he married me?"
Wow! What a question! I sure hope so, but more that hoping, I am going to remember to continuall work on this area of my life - an importnat part, my MARRIAGE!
May your husbands' be richly blessed because of you! - Ashley
Monday, September 7, 2009
Dusting..
As I continued to dust my son came to me and said, "help," which I knew to mean he wanted to help me. I smiled at him and gave him this small swiffer while I had the longer one that could reach higher places. I am short at 5'1" and need all of the help I can get. And so, together he and I dusted. It may not seem like much, but I really enjoyed the precious moments we spent together dusting this evening. I am happy that even my small child can show such a willingness to help me and try in his own way to help make my life easier. That is not his job, to make my life easier that is, but I am still greatful, that his little heart even thinks to. My prayer is that he continues to have such a giving heart as he grows, that God will show me how to continue fostering that within him, and that there is nothing with helping your Mom & Dad out - that God actually expects it and delights in you when you do it. May your heart and house be dust-free! Blessings, Ashley
Ministering to Other Women...
(English Standard Version)
John 4:1-28
"Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour when a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?" Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back." "I have no husband," she replied.
Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."
21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" They came out of the town and made their way toward him."
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Logan Gabriel, A Two Year Old's Reality..
Keeper of the Home..
Homeschool Mom-to-Be!
I found this beautiful picture on a site reffered by a woman who blogs and runs her own website. When I look at this picture it reminds me of how much I love to read. Reading is exciting to me, learning is exciting to me. I could be labled the forever student, and indeed I am currently finishing my BA degree. I am a firm believer that you never stop learning or that at least you should not. This picture also makes me think of my own schooling experience prior to college. I am not fond of it. I am a product of the military, DODDS school system, as we lived overeas for at least my 1-12th grade experience. In that experience there were teachers who should have retired and did not, drama was ever present, and really when I think about doing it over, I'd rather vomit. This is NOT what I want for my son (children,) ever! So, that coupled with the fact that I feel God is calling me (yes, already,) I will homeschool. My son maybe 2 yrs. old, but if I can and am supposed to teach him now - things like putting on his clothes, toilet-training, colors ext. why on earth would I just one day hand him over to the entity known as public school? I am not sure why I was or why others do it, but I feel that the bible leads me to one conclusion - raising and schooling my son is my calling, even a duty if you will, and my SON WILL NOT be schooled anywhere else but HOME!
Here is the scripture to back up my feeling led to homschool. It is also placed firimly in our school binder titled "King Christian Academy," (I have read it is good to name ones school, and for your information King is our last name, Christian is to make known we are followers of CHRIST and well I am not sure why academy other than I thought it flowed.) I will use these scriptures during our schooling years and when asked the question that I know will come in time, "Why do you home school?"
Refenerenced from the English Standard Version
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Teach Sound Doctrine
"But as for you, teach what accords with sounddoctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior,not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us toredeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." Titus 2:1-14
Something to round out Saturday..
Friday, April 24, 2009 (<--Our anniversary oddly enough!)
Self-Esteem vs. God-Esteem
It is bleeding from our culture into pulpits and "Christian literature" everywhere. Somehow slipping under the radar of discernment for many believers. On the surface it may seem harmless, helpful even - but is it Biblical? When you hear the term "Self-Esteem" what definition comes to your mind? I'll share the Merriam-Webster dictionary's definition and then challenge you to think on it for a moment.
self-esteem1 : a confidence and satisfaction in oneself : self-respect
2 : SELF-CONCEIT
Is this something we should be focusing on building up within ourselves and our children? Self satification ... self-conceit? Don't get me wrong, I do praise my children for a job well done and encourage them to strive to do their best. Yet, I believe trying to build up a prideful sense of self-worth is doing them a complete disservice and will be taking a step in the wrong direction in shaping a Biblical understanding of who they are and who Christ is. At any age, apart from Christ we are completely depraved and in desperate need of a Savior. As a born again Christian our focus should be drawn away from sinful pride and self-seeking desires. Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26)
Our esteem, confidence, faith and hope should never be in placed in ourselves, rather it should remain steadfast in Christ alone! "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
Posted by Brenda at Friday, April 24, 2009 2 comments
Labels: Self-Esteem vs. God-Esteem
Football Season Begins..
It is hard to be a loyal fan over here in Germany when the times are all whacked.
My husband was supposedly staying up to watch the game while I went to bed (we're FL Gator fans.)
Look at how that turned out..he's asleep and I am wide awake at 12:47 am - I am wondering now if I should wake him up when the game comes on..
Hmm choices..