tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28599801296515453142024-03-05T12:53:21.406-06:00Taste and Seeto know God and to make Him knownAshley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-40200020691605971792014-04-28T19:13:00.000-05:002014-04-28T19:13:03.483-05:00Help me find my own flame Sitting on the water tower looking over the horizon. Waiting for the sun to paint the sky with pastels that please my soul. Worshipping God for the beauty that He shares with me. But as I sit I can't help but realize that He is the only thing I am sure of right now. I've been in this mindset for a while. This time of intense insecurity. At times I think it's good because it's pushing me to emptiness. An emptiness of me. Peeling away the layers I've painted on myself. Peeling away the definitions others have given for who I am. Scrapping off the ugly wallpaper I put up to hide the me I thought others would reject.<br />
<br />
I work in a place where passionate people constantly come and go. I am inspired and encouraged. But I also find myself jealous. Jealous of their passion, their confidence, the direction they seem to have. I almost always put everyone else on a pedestal. I pretend as if they don't have doubts or insecurities. It's sad. Some days I am able to rejoice with them and be glad that the Lord has equipped someone with a certain passion and that they will be used and His light will shine in this world through them. And others days I'm just plain jealous. Envious to the point of once again feeling worthless.<br />
<br />
Crying seems to be what I know how to do best right now. Crying out to the Lord asking to reveal what my passion is. Desperate to feel like I bring value to this world. Often times this brings me to a place of weeping over the true injustices in the world and feeling overwhelmed by the task ahead to being Life into the darkness. I'm not sure I'm making any sense. I just feel the need to be raw and open. As much as I devalue myself and feel worthless (which makes it hard to be vulnerable) I know that I am not alone. Sometimes the words "me too" can be powerful. So hopefully someone out there will know that you aren't alone because I'm there too.<br />
<br />
If you care to pray for me this is my current prayer. It's a song by Will Reagan.<br />
<br />
Help Me Find My Own Flame<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I don't want to ride on somebody else's passion<br />I don't want to find that I'm just dry bones<br />I want to burn with unquenchable fire<br />Deep down inside see it coming alive<br /><br />Help me find my own flame<br />Help me find my own fire<br />I want the real thing<br />I want Your burning desire<br /><br />Do what only You can do<br />In my heart tonight,<br /><br />There's no better time<br />There's no better time<br />There's no better time<br />There's no better time</span><br />
<br />Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-64892679475923275112014-04-14T14:53:00.001-05:002014-04-14T14:53:11.778-05:00Being honest about where I am <div class="MsoNormal">
When you get hurt you need help. Say you break your leg and
now you have crutches to help you walk. You may be slower than you used to be,
but the crutches actually give you strength. They allow you to do more than you
could without them. But have you ever heard of someone using crutches that
didn't need them and then became injured as a result?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Probably not physically. Sure there is probably a freak case
and you happen to know them and now I look stupid. Pretend with me that you
haven’t. Besides the little kids playing doctor and pretending to need crutches
there aren't too many adults that would opt to use crutches when they don’t
need them…physically. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Metaphorically however, people do this all the time. At
least I assume people do. I will talk about myself though seeing as how that is
the only thing I can speak accurately on. I have been using crutches for years.
I mean the majority of my life. Some I’m sure were a result of an event or
traumatic experience. But most of them I started using and I wasn't even hurt.
Just simply deceived. And now as a result I am finding myself in a place in
life where I keep asking myself and the Lord, “Who am I?” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For most of my life I would label myself as an extrovert:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Outgoing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Funny.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Popular (at least in
my head). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Loud.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life of the party.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Always with people.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was the best at making you believe that I was confident. I
did ridiculous things in acting class, I would run around in stupid outfits, throw
big birthday parties, get the crowd rolling with jokes. And what I wasn't able
to see then, or at least I ignored it, was that I only played the extreme
extrovert because I needed the approval of my peers. Everything I did needed
the confirmation of someone else that it was either cool, ok, trendy, etc. I
didn't like spending time by myself because then I had no gauge of who I was. I
mean I was pathetic. Don’t get me wrong I have wonderful memories because of
acting this way. But I've now lived in close community for the past few years
and I have become the most introverted I have ever been in my life. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With this came questions. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Am I different than I thought I was?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have I been lying to others and myself for all these years?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe I’m just in a funk?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before being where I am now I was so plugged into the church
and Christian college that I was sure I had made strides in my confidence. But
really all that happened was that I became an extroverted Christian. I no
longer minded praying in front of large groups, teaching the Word to others was
fine, making a fool of myself didn't matter, and it was all because I thought I
had truly found my confidence in Christ. And I did. At least I had let go of
some of my worldly confidence issues and replaced them with what Jesus said
about me. But I never had to do anything on my own. I went from high school
student to leading high schoolers. Going to a Christian college to leading at
the Christian college. Getting plugged into the church to helping plug others
into the church. I simply found people that thought I was cool and felt ok to be
“me” around them. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now that I’m an “adult” and I make my own choices, have a
full time job responsibility, think about what I want to do with my life, etc.
I am having to realize how much I still have these crutches. I’m limping around
trying to figure out who I am & what I have to offer my community. So I
have stepped into being a lot more introverted. Some days it’s not healthy
because it’s my insecurities that chain me there. Instead of going to see what
the community is doing or being intentional with someone I stay alone because I
assume that I am not worthy of the time of others. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I just annoy them.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“They have better things to do than listen to me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I mean they don’t really like me anyways so I won’t burden
them with my presence any more than is necessary.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thoughts like that are not healthy. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other days I step into my introvertedness for healthy
reasons. I need to discover who I am without anyone telling me it’s cool. I
need to be able to spend time with the Lord alone and hear His voice. All you guys
out there didn't create me. You don’t know who I am. And while the world might
want me to look a certain way, talk a certain way, have certain hobbies, and
react a certain way in the end they won’t get a whole person. The Father
designed me. Not you and not me. I can’t tell you who I am. I don’t get to
decide. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, I do get to <i>discover</i>
who I am. The only thing I am certain about when it comes to who I am is that I
get the privilege to know God and make Him known. But until I see myself
clearly no one will see Him clearly in my life. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will leave you with just a few sentences from Susie Larson
that I read this morning that seemed to really hit home for me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Have you ever considered that insecurity is just another
form of selfishness?”*<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And because one of my biggest insecurities has to do with
what people think of me this next quote came as an encouragement and
conviction.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“As the gap increases between God’s opinions and others’
opinions, we are able to live more freely and are more consumed with the idea
that heaven is our home and earth is the place to make Him known.”*<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
*quotes from the book <i>the
uncommon woman </i>pages 27, 24<o:p></o:p></div>
Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-24260455237353531762013-08-16T10:16:00.000-05:002013-08-16T10:16:01.431-05:00Help with my Adventures <!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life has
been an adventure for me as long as I can remember. I have been blessed to take
part in so many opportunities over the years such as short term missions,
summer camps, overseas internships, furthering my education, and my most recent
blessing: h.e.a.r.t. Institute. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the fall of 2012 I spent a
semester at h.e.a.r.t. missionary training institute in order to further my
learning about overseas missions, working as a community, sustainable
agriculture, animal husbandry, and much, much more. At the start of this year I
was offered and accepted a staff position at h.e.a.r.t. as the food
technologies manager. Through this position I have the opportunity to pour into
students going through the same program I went through. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our fall semester is about to begin
and we are excited for the new group of students we get to invest in. With this
new beginning comes more learning, sharing, and adventure. One such adventure
the students will take part in is an international field trip to Haiti for one
week in October. The purpose is to learn about the local people, their needs as
a whole, and how those committed to meeting the needs are currently doing so.
During my semester as a student we traveled to Honduras for the same purpose
and the experience was invaluable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Being a staff member I have the
incredible opportunity to participate in this week of learning with the
students if I am able to raise my own financial support to cover the expense.
In order to do so I am participating in a Paddle of Champions canoe event on September
13-15. Myself along with my fellow staff member and more than 30 other people
will be paddling giant canoes down the St. John’s River 23 miles over two days.
This is a unique event in where I get to raise support for an organization
called “Removing the Barriers Initiative” (who is dedicated to removing the
barriers to great experiences for people with disabilities) while raising money
for the international field trip plus support for h.e.a.r.t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In order to participate I must raise
a minimum of $500, which goes towards the event cost and R.T.B.I.. Anything I
raise above and beyond will go towards the field trip, future trips, and
h.e.a.r.t. needs. My personal goal is to raise at least $1,500. Here is how you
can help:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>$1
per mile= $23<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>$5 per mile= $115<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>$10 per mile=230<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>$20 per mile= $460<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>$100 per mile= $2,300 <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>or any amount desired <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Together my staff will man a 10-person
canoe in hopes of raising $10,00 for our organization (h.e.a.r.t.) and $5,000
for R.T.B.I. The great thing is that there is no limit! You can give as little
or as much as you would like. Your help is needed for R.T.B.I., h.e.a.r.t., and
myself. The funds can be made out to h.e.a.r.t. Institute with Paddle Challenge
on the memo and mailed to 13895 Highway 27 Lake Wales, FL 33859 or you can
donate through PayPal at our website www.heartvillage.org. We will write one
big check to R.T.B.I. for their part. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I hope you’ll support myself and my
staff in this adventure just as you’ve supported me throughout my life. I pray
you feel how much I appreciate you. Please call me (405-406-4650) or email me
(Ashley.carter@heartvillage.org) if you want to know more, catch up, or just
chat! Thank you so much for everything! </span></div>
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</span><br />
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Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-90768929605293743982013-02-11T19:49:00.001-06:002013-02-11T19:49:37.142-06:00Not because, justBecause.<br />
<br />
This word is often used to justify. Justify this because of that. Before we use 'because' we are, generally, asked 'why?' But to one thing I can answer without having to say because_____.<br />
<br />
God is good.<br />
<br />
Just that. God IS good.<br />
<br />
He is not good because of what He has done.<br />
He is not good because of what He does not do.<br />
He is not good because He blesses.<br />
<br />
There is no need to justify that God is good. How incredible is that? He is God and He is good. All the other things flow out of His goodness. His goodness is not determined or defined by things. The things are deemed good because they are from Him.<br />
<br />
Just rest in that. Let your mind dwell on it. Our God is good. Without that... It wouldn't matter if He loved us, was on our side, or any other thing. If He was not good then what kind of love would it be that He poured out on us? If He was not good then what difference would it make if He was our advocate?<br />
<br />
You see? It is not the things that make God good. He, by His very nature is good. Without Him we would not even have good in our vocabulary.<br />
<br />
Now that you understand that take a moment to add on top of His goodness how He chooses to use it and lavish us with that which we have never or will ever deserve.<br />
<br />
God is good.Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-72304607812352547642013-01-14T09:16:00.000-06:002013-01-14T09:16:12.109-06:00Here's to newAs many of you know, this past fall season I went through a 15 week program at H.E.A.R.T. Institute in Florida. I lived in a community of cabins, shared kitchen, gardening together, attempting to raise animals, and all things community. Our focus was on training for a missional life geared towards developing countries.<br />
<br />
I would try and tell you how incredible it all was, but it is so hard to describe an experience like such. I found myself saying over and over again that living in such close, intentional. Christ centered community is like constantly looking into an honest mirror. You learn about yourself in every possible way. What are your strengths along with what you stink at. What encouragement you have to offer along with the ugly you bring to the group with your attitude. How great it can be to live with the same group of people all the time along with the struggles of sharing your space and time with them. Pieces get put together and the puzzle starts to make a picture. Who am I, truly?<br />
<br />
With all of this there is most definitely pain, tension, and hardship. And it makes you wonder if it is worth it. Of course it is. When I lived on my own and I split ways with all my close friends I wasn't challenged to be refined. I didn't have to change my attitude or my habits if I didn't want to. They didn't directly affect those around me in a consistent way. Yet, when the people you work with are the same people you share meals with, go to class with, hang out with, pray with, etc you and everything that comes with you affects them. So it is absolutely is worth it. The Lord gets to throw me in the fire and burn away all the ugly that doesn't glorify Him. It is a painfully beautiful process that brings about another piece of Heaven being displayed on earth.<br />
<br />
I left H.E.A.R.T. in the middle of December to return to my home and family. Without any certainty of what my next step in life would be I settled into my sister's guesthouse and resumed my duties of being a sister, daughter, aunt, and friend. I ended up only being home for 3 weeks. In those three weeks I was able to see my nephew's birth and kiss his precious head, I shared many laughs with my nieces, enjoyed meals with friends, and got plenty of rest. Where did I go when I left?<br />
<br />
Back to H.E.A.R.T.!!!<br />
<br />
Currently I am a floating intern and I am bunking up in what we like to call the "Tin Can" with 3 other girls and waiting for another to arrive. The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to return to a place where He started something huge in my life that involved alot of pain, tension, struggle, and plenty of emotions. I am excited for this season of life where I am certain that the Lord is going to challenge me in healthy ways, reveal to me what needs to be transformed by Him in my life, and be enriched by the community around me.Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-33279672121571235822012-12-11T08:51:00.000-06:002012-12-11T08:51:49.071-06:00Oh what a prayer <div style="text-align: center;">
John Piper wrote a prayer that gave me great encouragement and brought me to a place of awesome humility. I would like to share it knowing it will do something for you because it glorifies The Lord </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Yes, Lord, we do take heart </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
from Your New Covenant promises.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They are the sweetest ones of all.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And from this side of the cross we see </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
That they are all blood bought and secure.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus Christ</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
To be for us, by His blood, the yes and AMEN </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
To all Your promises. He is now the great ground</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Of our hope and joy. Don't let us despair</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In the battle of this brief life.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In Jesus' name,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Amen." </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-John Piper "Life as a Vapor" </div>
Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-68275490791981371932012-11-25T20:19:00.003-06:002012-11-25T20:19:50.605-06:00Where did the time go...I feel as though it was just yesterday that I started my 1,200 mile journey to the HEART Institute. Yet, today marks that there are only 3 weeks until I start my journey back home. What do I share? What do I say? How can I put into words the moments of laughter, vulnerability, challenge, new experiences, pain, sweat, conversations, friendships....<br />
<br />
At the start of the year I didn't even know that HEART existed. It wasn't on my map or in my head. But somehow I think it was in my heart. It was planted in a corner that I hadn't yet journeyed to. And finding that place within myself has opened up who I am in great ways. I have learned things about myself that I don't like. The more and more I find myself submerged in community I find more and more things about myself that are not healthy, productive, or furthering the Body of Christ. And I love it. Why?<br />
<br />
Say you have a bookshelf. After years of filling this bookshelf you go through it and discover books that are childish, foolish, and not worth reading, in fact if you read it over again it may take you back rather than pushing you as a human being. So you clean out your shelves. You make room. You take a step back and realize that you have more room than ever to add insightful, life-giving, challenging books. Well that is how my life has been. While there may be pain, embarrassment, or possible shame it is absolutely worth it.<br />
<br />
Community is a mirror. It reveals the beauty and the hideous secrets, bad attitudes, wrong motives, and all those areas you thought you were living into the fruits of the Spirit until they are challenged daily....<br />
<br />
We as a community have canoed down a river and camped, traveled to Honduras, participated in Urban ministry, and lead a chapel service together. But these tasks and adventures did not come for free. We each learned things about ourselves that were ugly. Oh, but when surrendered the ugliness makes room for beauty. Our brokenness together brings a better picture of the whole.<br />
<br />
I am thankful for these past months. I can't figure out how to share it all. My changes and transformations are not fully evident to me because they are my new normal in my new place. When I come home and am challenged to be as I used to be, then I will know the impact. But for now you need to know that I dread the day I leave. I love my home, but my home is becoming less and less a place I seem to be drawn to. I don't know where the Lord is or will take me. But I know that He is good and the life He leads me in will be full of adventures, deep breaths, laughter, tears, friendships, truth, joy, and more things than I can imagine.Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-40036127964651784022012-10-02T08:50:00.002-05:002012-10-02T08:50:26.628-05:00Commune-ity I have completed phase 1 of my training here at HEART.<br />
<br />
I have met and now know 8 other incredible students along with the staff and volunteers.<br />
The beginning was full of laughter as we got a feel for one another. Surface level questions of where we live, how many siblings we have, what year in school, what we like to do for fun, etc.<br />
<br />
First impressions are priceless. How often we are wrong, not because others put off a different imagethan who they really are, but instead because we carry too many assumptions based on our life and project them.<br />
<br />
The surface was broken quickly though. After the first night followed a full day of sharing testimonies and prayer. We laughed and we cried. Knowing that we would be living together, working together, going to class together, and spending free time together we felt no need to felt the initiation of vulnerability. The way I see it: if I expect others to be vulnerable and desire for the to be then I myself must be just as if not more willing to do so. And rather than building a relationship on surface level laughter only to create awkwardness when you try to open up and be serious, why not start with vulnerability to create that atmosphere and attitude?<br />
<br />
I have laughed with my lab group when the animals doing ridiculous things and I have shared some of my deepest insecurities with the very same people. It is so beautiful. I am learning, being challenged, and hopefully even teaching some. Last weekend we went on a two day canoe/wilderness trip. During this time I was able to be overwhelmed and calmed by God's wonderful creation all around me. I am speaking of the nature and people. There was life-giving conversation in the midst of so much life around me.<br />
<br />
A few things I've come to conclude this far in my life:<br />
<br />
-everyone has something to teach. Always. This teaching happens in two ways. 1. The Lord does something in your life, teaches, speaks, transforms, and the result of that is shared with others. You either teach the lesson, speak the words, or interact and live in a new way because of the transformation 2. You deny the Lord's doing and push your own way thus resulting in teaching others what it looks like to not live into God's desires for your life.<br />
<br />
-vulnerability is crucial so we must be willing to share, but vulnerability without ears to listen is selfish and unproductive. Growing in community occurs when you are open and you allow others to be.<br />
<br />
A reflection from my journal about living for others:<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">You created</span><br />
By Your breath I was made<br />
Out of nothingness You made life<br />
Life that is not just for life<br />
Life that was meant for lives<br />
To reach, connect, expose<br />
Your life, Your truth, Your way<br />
To be one with You<br />
Yet, You in others is what I am to pursueAshley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-50180685987589622802012-08-15T19:09:00.004-05:002012-08-15T19:13:00.965-05:00Our destiny is in...<div style="text-align: center;">
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"Our <u>destiny</u> is in a <i>relationship</i> to a person, not in a pilgrimage to a place.</div>
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Our <u>purpose</u> is <i>in communion with the living God</i>,</div>
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not in union with an impersonal idea or<strike> nameless</strike> Higher Power: Such categorization</div>
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is <b>intellectual cowardice</b>. Access to an abstract power gives</div>
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you <strike>no one</strike> to be grateful to in times of blessing and <strike>no one</strike></div>
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to question and receive comfort from in times of sorrow.</div>
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The world was made for the body. The body was made for the soul.</div>
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And the soul was made for God. Not everything is actually as it is marketed to be, </div>
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good or bad."</div>
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-Ravi Zacharias </div>
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<u>Why Jesus?</u></div>
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Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-46238375327911447372012-07-18T23:28:00.003-05:002012-07-18T23:29:41.349-05:00Heart to h.e.a.r.t.<br />
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The Lord I serve is so incredible.</div>
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He extended His mercy because of His unfailing, unwavering, all-sufficient love for me as His child. </div>
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This Mercy brought my salvation and eternal justification with Him. </div>
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His Holy Spirit was given to me for teaching, molding, stretching, bringing about His fruits, guidance, etc. And all this while I am a sinner,</div>
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yet He loves me. </div>
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not only did He save me, give me hope, change my heart, pick me and wash me pure, He said He wants to use me. </div>
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<i>What?</i></div>
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Throughout the years He has taken me to several ministries at home and around the world. He opened my eyes to see more and more of His Kingdom. All different people with different passions, desires, burdens, needs, expressions of love, struggles, joyful hearts, and cultures.</div>
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But my God is not different. He is The God of the earth and He loves every child of His.</div>
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black, </div>
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white, </div>
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yellow, </div>
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green, </div>
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dark, </div>
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light, </div>
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handicapped, </div>
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wealthy, </div>
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poor, </div>
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hungry, </div>
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full, </div>
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homeless,</div>
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business owner,</div>
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prisoner, </div>
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fugitive, </div>
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drug addict, </div>
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mocker, </div>
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prostitute,</div>
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mother,</div>
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child, </div>
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abuser,</div>
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rapist,</div>
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president, </div>
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gang member</div>
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lame</div>
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doctor</div>
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drunk</div>
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blind</div>
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soldier</div>
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hippie</div>
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runaway</div>
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actor</div>
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fill in the blank... </div>
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<i>We see the differences while He sees those He loves and wants to bring goodness to.</i></div>
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This truth has been instilled deeper and deeper in my heart over the years of following Christ.</div>
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And learning this is in different ways, different places, and through different people</div>
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has opened me up to the world. </div>
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Christ died for <i>all </i>people. and people live in <i>all</i> the places of this world. </div>
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Learning about the things that dwell in Christ's heart has transformed my heart. </div>
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before i was 100% selfish and cared only about me. </div>
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'how do i make people like me?'</div>
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'what's best for me?'</div>
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'why would i do something that doesn't benefit me?'</div>
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those filled my head.</div>
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while i am not perfect or even close to it now, i am different. </div>
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the difference did not come through good hope,</div>
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wishful thinking, lots of practice, or other habitual changes.</div>
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The Lord transformed me. He opened my eyes to what goodness truly is in this life here.</div>
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i want others to know this. for some reason the Lord has given me a heart for other nations</div>
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sharing this good news of who Jesus is and the love He reflects from the Father. </div>
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To those of you who have only known me in the recent years you know this. </div>
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you know i travel often and love to do so.</div>
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but what you don't know is that i used to be the girl who got picked up early from sleepovers</div>
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or spent the whole night being homesick. even when i was with my best friends only down the street.</div>
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i heard of people who would study abroad and travel the world. </div>
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i thought it was incredibly cool, but never thought it was for me. </div>
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so the fact that i have been on several international trips, some for months at a time with either a team of people i knew for a few months prior or a few other people, is incredible.</div>
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like i said before i can only say it is of the Lord's doing. </div>
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for my traditional college years i attended a small Bible school where i received training, teaching, hands on practice, and encouragement in the Word. </div>
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my education has benefited me in so many ways i cannot begin to count. </div>
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now that i am done with i have an incredible opportunity to do a 3 month training program at the</div>
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H.E.A.R.T. Missionary Training Institute </div>
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<u>H</u>unger <u>E</u>ducation <u>A</u>nd <u>R</u>esource <u>T</u>raining</div>
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from the September 4th to December 15th I will be living at the H.E.A.R.T. village in Lake Wales, Florida</div>
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taking classes, living in community, learning how to adapt in different cultures, being stretched in new ways, </div>
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having a blast, sweating, working in gardens and with animals, etc</div>
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this will include three phases: (read below or watch the intro video)</div>
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*Phase I, the first four weeks, emphasizes a simple lifestyle of labor-intensive activities. </div>
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Students’ hand-pump water for animal and human consumption, wash their laundry by hand, </div>
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and cook all meals outdoors using a variety of methods. All activities, including worship, Bible, </div>
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and community life are conducted within the village.</div>
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*During Phase II, six weeks in length, classroom/lab work is incorporated into the daily </div>
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routine with about half of the day spent in theoretical teaching and the other half spent in </div>
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hands-on application. Running water and electricity are restored to the kitchen and classroom, </div>
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and students are free to travel out of the village to make phone calls, etc. Phase II also includes </div>
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frequent church visitations to observe and participate in a variety of ethnic worship services. In </div>
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addition, students develop a proposal for a semester project in an area of interest in one of the </div>
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seven instructional areas.</div>
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*In Phase III, the final four weeks, students complete their semester projects as well as </div>
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assume primary leadership roles in the village. As a non-traditional college training program, </div>
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the time commitment is intense. Efficient time management is essential to accomplish learning, </div>
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classroom activities and personal needs.</div>
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(information from heart-institute.org)<br />
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my classes will include:</div>
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appropriate technologies</div>
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animal husbandry</div>
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sustainable agriculture</div>
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primary health</div>
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nutrition/food technologies</div>
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cross-cultural communication</div>
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spiritual development of missionaries</div>
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and we will also be taking a short term trip to Honduras to work along side a school. </div>
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the reason i have pursued this training:</div>
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i don't want to be an American christian girl who went to Bible college that </div>
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can't work along side the natives i want to create trust with</div>
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in order to share the gospel if Jesus.</div>
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when we suggest to them things in the areas of agriculture,animals,</div>
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nutrition, health care, etc</div>
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i want to offer something in practice not just theory.</div>
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there is so much more to be said about everything, but these are the basic details. </div>
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i am excited, curious, intrigued, ready, pumped, a little nervous, and joyful about the opportunity. </div>
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and i want everyone to be a part with me! </div>
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i need people to be praying:</div>
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that my heart would continue to be open in order to be shaped into the heart of the Father</div>
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for communication with those i will be living in community with</div>
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for the people of Honduras that we will be working with</div>
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for the instructors and fellow students</div>
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i would also love for you to be a part of my Honduras trip financially. </div>
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i <i>hate </i>asking for money, but the reality is i need it. </div>
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the trip will cost around $1,000 on top of the cost of going through training.</div>
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i know there are people who can't go but love to give so i love </div>
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being able to be an avenue to give to. </div>
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however, you are not just giving to me, you are giving to the Kingdom that God is building on earth</div>
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and to His story, not mine. </div>
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to give you can either mail a check to the institute or give online through paypal</div>
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(make a note that it is for Ashley Carter and the Honduras trip)</div>
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<a href="http://www.heart-institute.org/" target="_blank">simply click here</a> to give online and to check out everything about H.E.A.R.T.</div>
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please pray and consider supporting me in any way</div>
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pray</div>
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financial</div>
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encouragement</div>
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letters while I am there</div>
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helping with tuition </div>
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anything</div>
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div>Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-75189588676610545652012-07-09T22:40:00.000-05:002012-07-09T22:48:24.856-05:00Who can dwell in Your tent?Psalm 15 is not good. It is not a nice, sweet song of praise. It is not comforting.
Psalm 15 asks an honest question, gives an honest answer.
Honestly, we cannot do what the answer requires.
"Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things will never be shaken."
(Psalm 15:1-5 NIV)
Honestly, after reading this I was left with the initial thought
"I can't"
Immediately after that thought the Holy Spirit stepped in,
"Good. You see, if you could do it on your own you would never know Jesus. Me and you would never meet. You can't dwell in the tent of the Lord, oh, but He can dwell in you!"
This psalm points out our insufficiency and highlights His all-sufficient power.
So instead of reading Psalm 15 and being discouraged I can read it and be joyful, thankful, confident.
Even if for one day I could live up to those standards, just one day, I would be living under the Law. My relationship, standing, and justification with the Lord would be based upon my deeds. It would be dependent on me. How far off is that? How could I for one second believe that I could handle that? The creation determines how the creator sees, interacts, and values it? Not in this world.
While the requirements in Psalm 15 will never be fully achieved by me I can still hold them as standards to reach for. But in my reaching I can rest easy in the results. When, not if, I fail I do not lose the dwelling of my Lord.
Praise be to Him forever on high, even when my lips forget to bring it.Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-23112427493004132402012-06-25T22:24:00.001-05:002012-06-25T22:24:23.265-05:00please you, judged by Himi'm sure this is not an original thought at all. i am not the first to think of it or say it, but i also know that no one has been saying this to me recently. well that is except for the Holy Spirit.<br />
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and in that case, no thought is original because i, you , we are not original. we come from The Original.<br />
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here's the thought. i want it to be an encouragement for those stuck. i want it to be a reminder for those who already know. i want it to be a light for those who have not had the revelation. i want it to bring glory to the One who deserves it. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit glory to You and all that You are.<br />
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in this life you can live for others. you can please others. you can live up to the standards others put out there. you can strive for the approval of those above you, beside you, in your family, those you look up to, etc. you can try and satisfy the needs of others. you can do and not do things based on how you want others to feel about you. if you don't want others to think poorly of you, you may try to live by the standards you've made up in your mind that you think they hold. you can hold in hurt because you don't want to feel judged by others. you don't know what they will think of you after they hear that you....<br />
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but guess what?<br />
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all those people. all those lists. those standards. the rights and wrongs you lived by.<br />
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<i>you will not stand before them at the end of this life</i>.<br />
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those people and things have nothing to say about your eternity.<br />
they do not determine how your eternity is spent.<br />
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if you are not living to please and glorify the Lord then you will suffer from major whiplash at the gates.<br />
you won't even be able to remember the names of those whom you pleased on earth in the light of Jesus Christ the Savior.<br />
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so don't be stopped from doing the things you feel are going to glorify the Lord just because someone else may think less of you. and at the same time don;t discount others feelings because they aren't as high as the Lord.<br />
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balance. always find the balance of kingdom things within this world through your personality.<br />
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He is good. He has reminded me of these things. <i>they</i> are not my judge of eternity. they are those who get to experience Him trying to bring eternity here.Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-74361082751906896482012-06-16T16:02:00.000-05:002012-06-16T16:08:12.252-05:00Jesus, stand behind<span style="font-family: inherit;">last Sunday i was blessed with a reminder. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">a reminder of freedom. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">a reminder of grace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">a reminder of love.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">a reminder of new allegiance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
Romans 7:4-6 states:<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in [a]the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
i was reminded about the freedom i gained through Christ's life, sacrifice, and Resurrection. through Him i was <i>released</i> from the standards the Law called me to. if you read the first 3 verses in Romans 7 you will be shown an analogy of marriage.<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">we were once married to the Law. this husband held impossible standards for us to live by and offered no encouragement or help in attaining those standards. living under him is called legalism. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">through Christ's death we died to the Law. we were released from legalism. our new husband justifies us before the Father and offers the purist form of grace, mercy, and love. this husband is Jesus and living with Him is called freedom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">the problem comes when we try to please our new husband by turning back to our old husband's standards. this just doesn't work. what wife today would be pleasing her new husband by turning back to her old? none. and the same applies to us. Jesus is not the Law. the Law pointed to Jesus and opened our eyes to the fact that we need a savior because we can't do it on our own. but once you have chosen a life with Jesus you must stop living under the Law. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">this means when we accept our freedom we stop trying to earn it. it is a gift. one that is not earned. one that no one is worthy of. one that you can not live up to. so simply accept it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">now the only thing i could pray and think about after hearing all of this...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Jesus please stand behind me."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">it is often prayed for Jesus to stand and go before us. we want Him to be the leader, the one making the way, what we look forward to. but the reality is that we <i>do</i> look back. we turn back to legalism and trying to justify our relationship with Jesus through our works and deeds. so while i fully desire for Christ to be before me, i <i>need </i>Him to stand behind me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">for when i turn back and start thinking about having a Jesus-plus(acting as if Jesus' grace isn't enough and adding things to the list) kind of day i need Him to stand behind me and say,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"oh my bride, don't you remember. you have been released from your old husband's ways. he only offers death. i have given you life and will never stop doing so. turn around and stop trying to please death."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">so next time you start falling into old ways. next time you find yourself feeling guilty because you didn't have a quiet time that day. next time you think the Lord feels any less love towards you. next time....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">pray that Jesus would be standing behind you. </span>Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-38041403320516610342012-05-15T10:16:00.001-05:002014-05-16T10:27:10.202-05:00thirsty rootsJesus tells us that apart from Him we can do nothing. He tells us that His Father is the Gardner, He is the vine, and we are the branches. If we remain in Him we survive, we thrive, we bear fruit.<br />
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There's a saying- "I thirst for the Lord."<br />
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I never really questioned this saying much, It made sense to me. We get thirsty in our daily lives and we get a drink to quench that thirst. So using that in a spiritual sense translates well. We get thirsty spiritually and we need Jesus to quench that thirst. But I had never thought of that saying in light of Jesus' words in John 15.<br />
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He is the Vine,<br />
we are the branches...<br />
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Plants survive by being watered. A vine supplies the branches with water from its roots. The branches thirst for the nutrients that the vine gives them. A branch cannot survive on its own. A branch cannot be separated from the vine and maintain life.<br />
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Neither can we survive on our own apart from Jesus. He is our supplier of life's essential nutrients. he is the living water, the well of life. We are not just craving a sip of Jesus, although a sip of Jesus provides enough life for the whole world. We are craving to be intertwined with our one source of life.Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-1651453919707187362012-04-07T23:51:00.000-05:002012-04-07T23:51:22.379-05:00Death was simple, but getting there was an act of loveNaturally the Easter season has me thinking about Jesus: His life, death, and resurrection. I had a new thought recently. We always talk about how He died for us, His death, 'I can't believe He died for us'...but was it really a big deal that God died? Not really. He is God and He is not defeated or overcome by death. Death was not an end for Him. Dying wasn't the big deal. It had to be done, of course, to fulfill scripture, cover our Fall, and reconcile the relationship between God and man, but rising from death was a simple task for our God. <div>
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What I see as the big deal is the fact that Jesus chose to leave His heavenly dwelling and enter the human world. He submitted to what it meant to be human and deal with temptation, anger, pain, sickness, hunger, etc. All while knowing what was ahead of Him. He didn't just die. Jesus took on humiliation through a friend's betrayal, walked in chains at the mercy of soldiers, was beaten to an unrecognizable state, nailed to a cross (the Romans truly knew how to inflict the most painful forms of torture), and then hang there till death came upon Him. </div>
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Death was probably the easiest part. To leave all the pain, no longer face temptation, forget hunger, and every other human aspect that falls short of being God. Jesus was, is, and always will be a constant overflow of love from our heavenly Father. I am drawn back to this poem that somehow came from a pen I was holding one morning. Read it, soak it in, and thank the Lord for the perfect sacrifice of Jesus and the victory that came through His resurrection. </div>
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<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
In Your presence</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
there is no comprehension,</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
no way to contain.</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
The words You spoke,</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
the beating You took,</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
the blood You shed.</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
All done by the authority</div>
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in Your name.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
You promised the temple</div>
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to be destroyed.</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
to be rebuilt in just three days.</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
The mocks were made</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
with laughing loud.</div>
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But on the cross you revealed to the proud</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
that pride comes</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
before the fall.</div>
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They thought they could defeat You</div>
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by putting You to death</div>
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But after three days</div>
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You breathed new life</div>
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with just one breath.</div>
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The temple was rebuilt</div>
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not of stone, of wood, or clay.</div>
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The temple was made new</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
it was rebuilt in You.</div>
<div style="background-color: #1b1200; color: #fffedd; font-family: 'Indie Flower'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px; text-align: left;">
The stone rolled back</div>
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and from the grave You walked.</div>
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The Savior was alive!</div>
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the man that they</div>
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once mocked.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Before You walked this earth,</div>
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winning was the enemy.</div>
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But through Your blood,</div>
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the Truth and Life,</div>
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he has no victory over me.</div>
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You sent the Helper to dwell,</div>
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dwell in my heart,</div>
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my soul,</div>
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my mind.</div>
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So with all I am</div>
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and all I have<br /> please let us be intertwined.</div>
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<br />Your death and resurrection<br /> are not just a story<br />They are the proclamation of victory!<br /> Victory over the devil!<br /> Victory over the flesh!<br /> Victory each and every day!<br /><br />Thank You for reconciliation.<br /> I submit my life to be<br /> in constant admiration.<br />Though I may fail<br /> and I may slip<br />Your love will never fail<br /> and I will never be<br /> let from Your grip.<br /><br />In Your presence is where<br /> I want to be.<br />Fear and trembling, joy and singing<br />All of this I get to share<br /> with You<br />Because I am not chained<br /> or held, but in You<br /> I have been made free.<br /><br />You took my place on the cross<br /> so have Your way in me<br />On this earth let me be<br /> the lips that speak Your words.<br />In this place let every<br /> heart and saddened face<br /> be renewed in who You are<br />So that each new life<br /> may be of You<br /> a living memoir.<br /><br />Thank You for Your grace<br /> and thank You for Your love.<br />Please be my guiding light<br /> when darkness closes in<br />So that from the hands<br /> of the enemy I may<br /> ascend like a dove<br />Let me be Your living testimony<br /> to tell of all You've done.<br />To share with the world<br /> that each and every heart<br /> has already been won.<br /><br />The Lord is Holy,<br /> Pure, and Strong<br />And all my days I<br /> I will work<br />to make that<br /> my life song.<br /> </div>
</div>Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-80097665508244460232012-03-24T12:18:00.001-05:002012-03-24T12:18:42.000-05:00The beauty of engagingSo I've been reading through the old testament since the start of the year. If I were to be honest I would have to admit that with this process comes some times when I have to ask the Lord to really make it stand out. It can get dry, or so I always thought. I have never read through the entire Bible from cover to cover and I decided to do so this year. You hear the jokes about how dry the sections are with all the commandments and sacrifice rituals. But for me it has only made me appreciate Jesus more.
God and man were in perfect relationship.
The fall brought sin.
Separation entered the relationship.
No longer could man freely interact or come before the Lord.
Sacrifice after sacrifice, attempt after attempt to re-engage.
What if that were the case today?
You sinned, well go get a goat, or bird, and some grain.
Repeat daily because we all fall into sin everyday.
Praise Jesus Christ that we do not have to!
We don't have to go to one certain place or have a priest step in on our behalf.
Jesus was our sacrifice once and for all.
Through a beautiful display of selflessness stepping in and taking the best the world could throw at Him, Jesus made an eternal way for us to come before the Father.
Take a few minutes today to really soak that in and appreciate our savior. We take Him for granted too often. And the fact that we can engage with the Lord at any time, in any place, and in any situation...
Let your heart fall to its knees and be humbled in His beauty.
The way I see it, He took our place on the cross so we ought to take His place here.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." -Romans 12:1Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-63175716882511898852012-02-20T14:23:00.002-06:002014-05-16T10:21:00.988-05:00salty conversation<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Let your conversation be always full of grace, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>seasoned with salt,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">so that you may know how to answer everyone."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">-Colossians 4:6</span></div>
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everytime I read through this verse I am intrigued by the idea of seasoning my conversation with salt. what exactly does that mean? while I have always been intrigued I never really looked into it. I simply read over it and gave it importance in my mind, but i didn't know why. well as I read through the letter of Colossians today I gave more effort to the whole process. I pulled one of my New Testament Survey books off my shelf to see what was said about the letter. there were several things I learned and some old things were just buried deeper into my mind. and of course, the last thing that is said about this letter has to do with 4:6. the author wrote, "since salt retards corruption, speech 'seasoned with salt' probably means speech that is not corrupt or obscene." (Robert H. Gundry) </div>
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salt is always associated with food. </div>
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salt brings flavor.</div>
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salt turns the ordinary into the sensational.</div>
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Christ calls us to be salt to this world. well, not ourselves exactly, but to use ourselves to be a medium which He uses to season the ordinary things of the world with the salt of His truth, beauty, and grace. with our mouths we have the opportunity to speak what is not ordinary. we can bring flavor to the conversation. </div>
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through our speech the lost may taste and see that the Lord is good. when we hear something that is corruption of His truth we can throw some salt on it and preserve His goodness throughout the earth.</div>
Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-28623493197666365062012-01-22T02:37:00.001-06:002012-01-22T02:37:26.019-06:00pride&humility:ordinary friendship<div style="text-align: center;">
prid<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">e: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">humility: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">while these two characteristics may seem to be opposite i am convinced that they are better friends than we would like to admit, well at least in the christian circle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">we say that those who are proud know not how to be humble and those who live in humility are practically allergic to pride. and because of this very reason the enemy loves to bring a friendship about between the two. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">i believe that when the Lord is constantly acknowledged and submitted to in one's life then true humility will arise in a beautiful way. when the Lord is absent, not acknowledged, or not even known at all pride makes sense. when you aren't living for Christ it makes sense that you should be living for self. but what about when Christ is known and the Lord is acknowledged, but not every day? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">the friendship between pride and humility begins to develop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">the knowledge of Christ will keep us from being full of pride because we know better, yet because we are not acknowledging Him every day we will do things that aren't glorifying to the Lord. when that happens our pride steps in tells us to keep putting on a good face. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">our pride brings us to a place of false humility. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">we want to be humble. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">we want to be selfless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">we want to glorify the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">but we have things that we are ashamed of. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">things we want to keep hush-hush.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">things that might make others look at us differently.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">we have weakness that we don't want to admit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">but if we were truly humble wouldn't we step into a place of vulnerability?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">admit our faults, reveal our weakness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">you would think. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">however, i think i have been living in a place of prideful humility. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">my pride has built me up in my own mind to think that i have some sort of reputation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">that others see me as someone who has it together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">how prideful? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">i mean yes, i do desire to be someone that could be looked up to by younger Christians, but that should not take the place of being a truly honest, vulnerable, humble Christ follower who can admit faults, mistakes, and self pleasing acts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">so as much as it truly truly brings me to nerves thinking about sharing i feel as though i must. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">i am human. i struggle. i am not perfect. yet Christ loves me with all the mistakes and scars that i bear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">seeing as how He is my only true judge,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">the One i will take things up with in the end,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">the only opinion that is worth living for,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">i should be able to allow others to see me the same way that He does. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">while i know this is impossible because He sees what even i can not see of myself, i shall attempt to open the door to my humanness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">maybe it will inspire others to step out as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">i don't know, but i do know that i don't want to be fake. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">here is a little list of things that i know about me that many don't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">a list of things that i know others deal with, but that my pride has tried to convince me that i am alone in...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">-on a daily basis i live into laziness. i am a creature of habit and my habit for 14 years of life was not to step into the presence of God through His Word, prayer, and worship. i struggle with fighting the laziness in order to step into spiritual disciplines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">-something that is not spoken of by girls in general is the topic of lust. before i came to know Christ i allowed myself to be in situations that weren't healthy. i had my average teenage relationships which led to the idea of sex. while i never went to that extreme my mind was open to the idea in a real way. if i don't avoid suggestive things within my day i have to give over to the Lord lustful thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">-self-doubt is something i live into on a pretty regular basis. while the majority of my days are filled with ease and a strong personality that may give off confidence i easily find myself comparing to others and making a list of ways that i fall short. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">i'm sure that this is not a complete list of all my faults and shortcomings, but they are some of the major things i deal with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">i'm not sure why i shared these things or if anyone will even read this, but there it is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">whether you see me different in a good or bad way it doesn't matter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">the ashley carter you know comes along with these things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">i am learning that in order for me to fight the battle of allowing pride and humility to become friends i need to acknowledge these things so i know what to fight. this is part of that. by exposing it i cannot let them live in the darkness that is provided by the shadow of pride. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Lord, thank You for drowning me in grave and love. I know that I was not, am not, nor ever will I be worthy of the sacrifice that covers me, but You still covered me and called me Your child. I am sorry that I live for myself sometimes. I am sorry that I use gifts and talents You have given me for me and not You. I am sorry that I allow myself to live into lies. I want to give these things to You and ask for Your power and truth to triumph over the death that these things bring. You made a way for me to live life to the full and I intend on taking You up on that deal. Thank You for exposing me for the person I am. I should have no response but humility when I stand in acknowledgement of who You are and who I am not. Please take my life and have Your way. I want to taste and see Your goodness. You are worthy of more than I can give. I don't want to waste my life living for something so insignificant as myself. I want to know You and make You known, but I can't do it without Your mercy and grace. Thank You for always being there for me even when I speak empty promises. You are Lord and You are worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Amen</i></span></div>Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-65205604660715736582012-01-18T18:16:00.001-06:002012-01-18T18:16:32.183-06:00truth: God is goodat this moment in my life i don't feel as though i know too much. <div>
-i don't know where i am going next.</div>
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-i don't know what to do with all this new free time i have.</div>
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-i don't know what full time job i want to pursue.</div>
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-i don't know what each day will have in store. </div>
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the list continues and it seems as though there will always and forever be an on going list of "i don't knows"</div>
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but there is another list. there is a list that i like to title "God is good." what's on the list? exactly that. an on going list where each line reads,</div>
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-God is good</div>
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-when i can't see the path in front of me, God is good</div>
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-when i feel as though i am an arrow with no direction to point, God is good</div>
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-when confusion tries to take over, God is good</div>
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-when i don't give God my best, God is good</div>
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God is good. it may be an overused phrase, it may be something that is said without thinking, it may be a statement that some choose not to believe, it may be a weekly church saying</div>
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but it is not false because our God is not false. He is ever living, breathing, moving, loving, and working for the good of those who love Him. so at the end of the day i get to proclaim the God is good. whether it be for the reason of overflowing joy, encouragement at the end of a hard day, sharing the good news of who God is to a searching soul.....at the beginning of the day, throughout each moment, and at the end of each day God is good. </div>Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-64899042764426433282012-01-01T22:39:00.003-06:002012-01-01T22:39:44.598-06:00Brokenness Aside<div style="text-align: center;">
the last season of 2011 was one of brokenness for me. </div>
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not the brokenness you may be thinking. the brokenness i am speaking of is that of living into the broken state of humanity. no matter how many scriptures i have read, how many prayers i pleaded, all the conversations about God's goodness and holiness, community worship, participating in ministry...at the end of the day i am human and i have a disease called brokenness. i was, i am, and i will always be in a broken relationship with my Creator God and Father. </div>
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this disease seems to come in waves. days with no affects, so it seems. living in joy. telling stories of God's mercy. worshiping with an open heart. proclaiming the power of the Savior. speaking truth. living in love. and there are days where the brokenness seems to be the only option. waking to start the day, yet not intentionally speaking with Christ once throughout it. acting selfishly. doing things that Jesus would be ashamed of. not carrying His name with care, but instead dragging it through the dirt of life behind you. feeling hate towards yourself. </div>
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but this disease will not defeat me. it can be beaten. of course, there will always be effects of it. there will be good days and bad days. there will be moments of pure brokenness. </div>
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i recently purchased a new album put together by a group called <i>All Sons & Daughters</i>. the title song is <u>Brokenness Aside</u>. it has been speaking to me. through the entire album i have been encouraged, raw, and renewed. please take the time to listen to this song. soak it in. receive it and accept it.
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if you have the time or desire please continue to listen to this song <u>Your Glory</u> from the same album. i was proclaiming the goodness and power of God's glory versus living into the brokenness. it is truth. it is a prayer. it is beautiful. </div>
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<br />Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-28290289237022955092011-12-23T12:47:00.003-06:002011-12-23T12:47:55.773-06:00relaTional reFreshmentrelationality is a word that i think i might have just made up. i like saying it better than "being relational" more like it's a qualitiy. i want to have relationality: to be intentionally relational. <div>
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but why? why is it something to be desired? </div>
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well today i have had one of those moments. i went to coffee with let's say a new <i>real </i>friend and we talked about the value of being relational. we talked about our lives. we were relational. we didn't have an agenda or task to be accomplished. we shared stories, ideas, and ended with prayer. it was refreshing. that is something i always walk away with from those moments: feeling refreshed. that is one huge reason i want to have relationality. </div>
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you see God is creative. He created us and He did so in a way that makes us all different when it comes to ideas, experiences, mindsets, knowledge, attitudes, dreams, etc. so when we begin to be relational and dive a little deeper, below the surface, we get to see something different. we aren't looking into a mirror. we aren't talking to ourselves. we are diving into a pool of new, different refreshment. through their stories, thoughts, laughs, struggles, passions, and prayers we get to see a new piece of God's creativity. and that is refreshing. </div>
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fresh. it's a word that brings life. it's like a breath of new air. </div>
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if i don't step outside of myself then i will become the opposite of fresh. i will be stagnant, old, the same thing. when i am all that i know, when my thoughts are the only one going through my mind, when my stories are the only ones i hear i become stuck. i become a pond with stagnant water. no one likes that. you want a fresh river with new water flowing through, full of life. </div>
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so when we become relational and dive into new waters, we walk away refreshed because we experienced new life. we saw a new side of God's working in this world. a new perspective. new stories. new dreams. it's beautiful. </div>
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my challenge is for you. don't be afraid to go below the surface. don't just be at the same place doing the same thing and call it bonding or friendship. have that <i>plus</i> getting to know people for who they are. what is the dna of their story? what brought them to the place they are now? how has God changed their life? what are their passions? what do they struggle with? what do they love? and then be willing to share the same things with them. take a dive together and come up refreshed. </div>Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-12190787931587478192011-12-20T01:56:00.000-06:002011-12-20T01:56:19.884-06:00it's unbelievably beautifulif you know me well then you know that i don't exactly come from a Christian family. this was something that presented as a challenge to my faith in the beginning. i was discouraged. i used to separate my faith from my family and avoid the topic with them. i didn't like them making fun of me. i didn't like defending my faith because i didn't know how to then. <div>
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alot has changed since then. </div>
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two of my older sisters and mother regularly go to church. through the Spirit's prompting we started meeting as a small group. this has helped strengthen our relationships as a family of believers not just blood. we dig into God's love. we take in His grace. we share and we pray. oh how the Lord has bee moving! </div>
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when i started going to church i had to sit with my friend's family and other kids from youth. i now get to sit with my family. i get to worship next to my mother and sisters. i get to hear them praise Jesus. that was a vision that was far from my imagination in the beginning. it is reality now. somehow, someway the Lord has made sure to shine through my life so that my family does not see my actions without seeing Him. that is beautiful. i used to be intimidated because i was younger than them. now the Lord teaches me in order to share the knowledge with them. </div>
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i have two little sisters as well. i honestly didn't know how to be a big sister that influenced them for Jesus. but the Lord works in our weakness, that's for sure. one sister went to summer camp this year and has started going to youth. she is shy and we haven't had deep conversations about Jesus, but the door has been opened. </div>
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my youngest sister. well i have never really had much of an opportunity to share with her about Jesus. see, she is 7. the gap means that we haven't lived in the same house together much. she has been so young and not thinking about anything dealing with God. oh but on saturday things were different. Caroline wanted me to take her and her friend to see the Christmas lights at the Down's house. i was a little reluctant, but decided to be a cool big sister and take them. </div>
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we parked and watched the lights. at one point there was a picture of the cross in lights. i asked them if they knew what it meant (Caroline's friend goes to church so i figured i'd get an answer) and they answered "Jesus." that question, the one that i didn't know was coming out of my mouth when it did turned into the gospel. in a grass field parked in my dad's truck i shared the gospel with my sister. we talked about everything and continued to do so as we drove home. when we got home i explained why we celebrated Christmas. we went into the house, i grabbed my Bible, we sat together on the couch, and i read her the story of Jesus' birth. the next morning as i walked out of my room i found her reading the Bible i left out. she picked up where we left off. she then joined me for church as we celebrated with our Christmas spectacular. at the end of the service Caroline raised her hand representing that she wanted to submit to Christ. she repeated the prayer the pastor lead everyone in. you see the night before i had told her that you had to make the choice and pray to Jesus. she told me that she couldn't remember everything you needed to say so i told her i could lead her through it if she wanted. well at church when she raised her hand, i looked at her and said that the pastor was going to lead her in prayer just like i said i could do . she said ok and proceeded to pray. </div>
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i can't say that caroline understands it all. i can't say what really happened in her heart or what is going on now. but i can say that the glory goes to God. He is moving in my family. these beautiful moments are not your average moments. they have eternal fruit. and boy are they beautiful. i am blown away by the fact that the Lord chose me. He chose me to follow Him in a family that was not. and through His power, truth, grace, mercy, and love He is making Himself known among their hearts. He is strengthening me everyday. why He chooses to use me i will never figure out or understand. but i am so glad that i get to be a part of it. </div>
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<br /></div>Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-13345615860381692172011-12-15T18:49:00.000-06:002011-12-15T18:49:23.103-06:00Stupidity brought PurposeEvery now and then I am prompted to write things in my journal and the way I write them it is as if I am writing for someone else to read. When I go back and read these types of entries I feel like I should share them. Maybe someone needs to read it, maybe several need to, or maybe the Lord just wants me to be willing to share things that aren't so warm and fuzzy all the time. Whatever the reason I feel as though these next few thoughts are to be shared. There aren't too many people that I have shared these things with as I am sharing them now. Take it or leave it, but it is my life.<br />
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Journal Entry from October 25, 2011: The Purpose of Life<br />
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"Everyone thinks that question is the hardest one. What am I meant for? Why am I here? What is my life supposed to mean? Everyone has their own answer. People think everyone is here for something different. People either take the question incredibly serious or blow it off. Those who take it seriously may worry and fear if they are left without an answer-What's going to happen to me? Those who pass it off with a shrug of the shoulders do so because they don't want the burden. They want to live the way they want to live.<br />
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I used to worry. You see, we as humans want to feel important. We don't want to come and pass as if we never existed. We want to be wanted. We want to be needed. If we don't have any of that then why even come into existence? This is a big world filled with many people. If I don't stand out then why be here?<br />
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Before I knew who Jesus was I was afraid to die. I had heard of Heaven and Hell. I had heard of different people giving different explanations of what would happen after death. I didn't know what to believe. And because of that I was so fearful of death. Where would I go? What would happen? What if there is a Heaven and I don't get in? I was a good person right? Sure I would make it to Heaven. The only thing I was certain of was that I was not certain about life after death. I didn't know if there was a God out there and if there was, what was he like?<br />
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Because a good friend practically bugged me into going to church when I was 14 I was told things that completely changed my life. I heard about God. Story after story of all these things He had done with humanity. He created us and continued to interact with us. He loves us. No matter who we are or what we've done, He loves us. Then I heard something new to me: Jesus. Jess came and lives a sinless life only to be beaten and hung on a cross. But why? Because between us and God was a sin that kept a Holy God from an unholy people. By Jesus living a perfect life without blemish He qualified as a sacrifice that could cover it all. What needed to be taken out on each person through God's Holy judgment was all laid on Jesus. His blood covered my sin and washed me clean. And that stands for all. The wall was broken and we were promised eternity with God. From the day we acknowledge Jesus as savior and submit to His authority until the days after physical death. Those days are all promised to be spent with the Creator of this universe. That includes a home in Heaven.<br />
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After hearing these things. After coming to know Jesus as real and true, not a character from a book. After being confronted with the Truth. I knew Jesus as my savior and bridge to the Father. After that I was no longer afraid of death. I was secure. I had no more reason to worry, question, doubt, or fear.<br />
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Yet, just because I knew my end was secure didn't actually mean I knew why I was living. My ending was much bigger than I ever knew, but I couldn't help but fall into thinking that I, and my life, was so small. I still didn't know my purpose. I went through life with more satisfaction after giving my life to Jesus. However, I never let go of the idea that I was insignificant in this world. I didn't know my purpose. And that left my mind open for many different thoughts:<br />
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"There is no reason for me to be here."</div>
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"No one would care if I was gone."</div>
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"I'm not even sure people actually like me."</div>
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"If I died I doubt anyone would go to my funeral."</div>
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I allowed those thoughts to cycle through my head for a long time. I didn't think it was odd. At that time I thought everyone thought like me. I would get distracted from those thoughts time and time again. But they never left. I allowed them to stay in my mind. They made a home in my thoughts. When things would get frustrating or I felt insignificant to other people they would yell at me. </div>
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One day I allowed those thoughts to be the only ones I heard. I believed that I had no purpose and that the world would be no different, maybe even better, without me in it. Over and over these thought went round and round to the point of leading me to the kitchen. I opened the silverware drawer, grabbed a knife, and placed it against my flesh. At that moment I heard something different: "Ashley What are you thinking? You are significant to me and I created you with a purpose. Don't do it. Let go and come to me." The Lord broke through and showed me something outside myself. </div>
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I had been ignoring the thoughts and truths of the very One that created me. I had been listening to every other thing about what my life meant. But they did not create me. They didn't draw my design. How could they know what I was meant for? Just as no one but the creator of an invention can state its purpose, no person can tell me mine that is not God. </div>
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"What is the purpose of life?" is no longer a tough question. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He came to build a bridge that offered reconciliation between us and our Father. And while Jesus founded the bridge, added to it is every person who chooses it. Those who acknowledge Jesus' gift get to play a part in it. When my life was made new in Jesus I was given a purpose. I am to glorify God in all I do in order to point others to Him and the bridge that connects them. When I gained new life in Jesus my life became part of something so much bigger. While my life may seem small compared to this world and just an instant in time, it plays a part in the very thing that created time itself. Jesus is above all. My life is in Him. His purpose is now my purpose. So my life doesn't just come and go. My life contributes to something eternal.<br />
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I am not here to wander through life. I was not an accident. My life is not meaningless. My life is being used by Jesus in a worldwide epidemic of souls being saved and reconciled with the Father. Talk about purpose. Talk about significance. I get to be a tool through which Jesus speaks, acts, and reveals truth. When I let go of my life that was limited to my ideas and abilities I was able to live into the life designed for me.<br />
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So don't be like me when I was young. Don't let outsiders define your life for you. People change their minds and sway with emotions. They get confused and deceived. You are going to let that determine who you are? Don't do it!<br />
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The purpose of life- to know God and to make Him known.<br />
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Live into that. Until you seek that first and do so with your whole heart, you will never know what the looks like in immediate details. Your purpose for the day will not be revealed or accomplished until you know the purpose of your life. So don't worry about today. When you know what all is supposed to be lived for you will know how to live today. Let every small thing point to and align with your ultimate purpose and you will see it all amount to the greatest of all things. Each small act of life that lines up with knowing God and making Him known is actually not small at all; they become eternal. Knowing the big picture brings significance to all.<br />
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Seek to know God- He is eternal so you will never grow bored, but placed in a stance of awe continuously. Seek Him and you will find Him.<br />
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Make Him known to all- this will overflow out of knowing Him. His heart is for every heart. When that is what you know that is what you will see to do. He is so incredible that you won't be able to stand knowing there are people who don't know Him.Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-68815784521136009632011-11-30T14:00:00.001-06:002011-11-30T14:02:23.827-06:00Put In Me<div style="text-align: center;">
I have been listening to one album in my car for the past 3 weeks.</div>
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this song is so deep and such a prayer. </div>
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i just felt the need to share it:</div>
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Oh, Mercy, fall on me<br />Like a warm blanket <br />On my cold, cold heart<br />Clean me with Your blood <br />That turns me white...on the inside<br />I'm on my knees again...<br />'cause I'm breaking Your heart<br /><br />Put in me what I cannot buy with gold<br />Put in me, oh God, come restore my broken soul<br />Put in me what I cannot give myself<br />Put in me...a clean heart<br /><br />I know all my broken places<br />Like the back of my hand<br />That slapped your face again<br />Wash me with your love <br />And hold me tight like a baby <br />'Till I have no memory <br />Of ever breaking Your heart<br /><br />And in the joy when you restore me <br />I will stand and walk again<br />I will run into this world I will call them to come in<br />But I will not point my finger or grow that wicked skin<br />That cannot remember what I will not forget<br />I how I broke you, or how I'm broken</div>
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-"Put In Me" by Enter the Worship Circle on First Cirlce album</div>Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859980129651545314.post-15918475816375542082011-11-18T23:14:00.001-06:002011-11-18T23:36:56.942-06:00numb to home<div align="center">
so i entered the states monday night, practically tuesday morning</div>
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this was a early return, but it was what needed to happen.</div>
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i won't get into details because what matters is that God gave me a peace about coming home even though every ounce of self wanted more than anything to stay longer.</div>
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since being back i have being experiencing something new to me</div>
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i have traveled and returned a few different times and there are some things that seem to regularly occur each time such as:</div>
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little desire to return home</div>
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lots of tears at some point between time of departure and the first 2 days of being back</div>
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weird feeling of being home</div>
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and usually summertime to adjust in ease</div>
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well this time around has been very different.</div>
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the overall experience was unlike any other overseas experience i have had thus far</div>
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not only was there a totally different relational ministry mindset</div>
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but i also gained an actual family that i lived with</div>
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the culture was much more relaxed and not dictated by the clock</div>
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so adjusting from that is super weird</div>
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i came back in the middle of a semester full of people who are full of schedules</div>
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i have no schedule and no place so it feels</div>
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welcome back to America</div>
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it hasn't even been a week and i feel obligated to be thinking and deciding about my immediate future</div>
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but what has been the weirdest thing has been this numbness that i feel</div>
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a fog over my emotions</div>
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i can't seem to be fully excited, no tears,</div>
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no comprehension,</div>
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and no release of the whirlwind i feel caught in</div>
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sometimes it feels like i am on the outside watching myself it and talk with others</div>
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it takes me longer to respond and sometimes i wonder how much time actually passed before i spoke.</div>
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my senses have been overloaded</div>
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and i haven't been able to release it</div>
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i want it, i feel it, the release is on the edge but when i have to time i can't</div>
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when i was in the Ukraine i was obviously separated from the American culture so it wasn't too weird, i noticed it and every now and then i missed being a part of what was going on</div>
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but now i am home, i am back, i am here in it</div>
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yet, i feel so far away from it</div>
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it's the weird numbness that i have</div>
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i don't understand it and i don't get it</div>
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i don't really like it</div>
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however, there is something that i do know.</div>
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while i am in such a place of uncertainty there is something i am certain of:</div>
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God is sovereign. when i have no idea what is going on He sits on His throne of authority with pure sovereignty and certainty over everything.</div>
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I know that He is good and powerful and incredible.</div>
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He deserves all glory all the time</div>
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no matter how numb i am to my surroundings right now i am not numb to God's awesomeness.</div>
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He truly is my solid rock to stand on when all around me is so unclear and uncertain.</div>
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</div>Ashley Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11134701634790240109noreply@blogger.com