Who is Our Heavenly Father to us?

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I love thinking about the Father and His love for me. The desire for a loving father is deeply rooted in all of us, regardless of what our earthly fathers are like. I see it bubble up in myself as I read each of the scriptures that describe the Father. Many of his attributes are things I would have never chosen, but desperately need (loving disciplinarian). Others are so obvious and simple that I am surprised by the weight they hold in my life (He knows what I need).

But, let's get down to it. 

Among an endless amount of things, here is who the Father is to us…

Psalm 10:14,18; 27:10

He helps, defends, sustains, and loves the fatherless.

Psalm 103:13

He has compassion for his children.

Proverbs 1:8; 4:1; 6:20

He teaches us, gives us instruction and advice. Not a bad gig since he knows everything.

Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:7-11

He disciplines us in love. Every loving father disciplines his children, except His discipline is perfect.

Proverbs 10:1, Zephaniah 3:17

He delights in us. We bring him joy.  He rejoices over us with singing.

Isaiah 9:6

He is our Everlasting Father, so there will be no end to our relationship with Him.

Matthew 5:48

He is perfect, as in fully complete in every way. He is everything we want in a Dad…and more!

Matthew 6:8

He knows what you need before you even think to ask.

Matthew 6:4, 6

He rewards us for our prayers and good deeds done in secret. The ones where no one sees but Him. 

Psalm 139:7-12

He is always there in our secret places. We can not run or hide from Him, even when we try.

Matthew 6:26

He provides for our needs, and often in His grace, he provides for our wants too.

Matthew 7:11

He wants to give you good gifts, and He is pleased when you ask Him for them.

Matthew 10:29

Everything, even the smallest pieces of everyday life are done according to His will and under His control.

Matthew 16:17

One of His favorite pastimes is revealing truth to us.

John 5:17

He is always at work. Always moving.

John 10:28-30

He is protective of us – no one can snatch us from his hand.

Luke 12:32

He is pleased to give you the kingdom.

Unintentionally, but appropriately timed for Father's Day! 

Did I forget any attribute that you are especially fond of? 

Also, if you missed it, make sure to read yesterday’s post: Who is Jesus to us?

Tomorrow is the Holy Spirit.

My Top 10 Nuggets for Working in Ministry

Every single one of these nuggets was either taught to me through a mentor that I love or through my own miserable, horrifying, go-hide-in-a-hole-now-Ashley failures. Those are THE best.

I think they also apply to anyone trying to spiritually lead a group or individuals.

Here we go…

1. Don't make walking with Jesus any more complicated than it is for yourself or your students. At the end of the day: read the Bible; pray; surround yourself with people who know Him better than you and a few who don't know Him well and a few who don't know Him at all. Seek to plumb the depth of understanding Him -- not because you have to but because He fascinates you. And when He doesn't fascinate you -- don't worry....He isn't that put out and He's always fascinated by YOU!!!

(After I took my current college ministry job, I panicked a little and emailed a mentor and friend, Cheryl Fletcher. This is what she told me.)

2. Choose 12 or so people and focus on them. Jesus was the MESSIAH and used just 12 men to change the world. Don’t try to be everybody’s everything. It’s ok to disappoint people. Jesus did because He always had His focus on the greater goal.

3. Try something new every year. Never stop taking risks and evolving. It’s ok to fail. IT’S OK TO FAIL!

4. Trust the word of God fully. Earn the right to be heard, but never hesitate to share the Word or the Gospel. It is alive, active, and more powerful than any words we can say. I think when I get to heaven I will wish I’d taken more risks in this area.

5. Have a plan and then be willing to throw it out at any minute because the Spirit says so.

6. In discipling and leading small groups, challenge people and set expectations early. (Be on time, be prepared, memorize scripture, ect.) Then administer grace over and over. You can’t control people. We are only responsible for being faithful and then trusting the Lord. Being a control freak is either a lack of faith in God, or an identity issue of who we are in Christ. So, be faithful, but always give grace when people don’t follow your plan.

7. Your girls don’t need another friend, they need a leader. Sure, you will listen to their struggles, encourage them continuously, and hopefully become life-long friends. But, what they need is a leader. So be confident and lead them! Be an adult. Show them Jesus. Speak truth into their lives. And always believe in them when they don’t. Each year, at our very first meeting, I tell my new freshmen small group, “Look around because these people are your new best friends.” You can imagine the reactions, but the point is I am injecting them with belief.

8. Guard your marriage, friendships, and your time with Jesus.  Take your to-do list and eliminate 25% of it. You know, the “I’m never ever going to do that realistically but it sure does sound nice” things. We are loved daughters of the King, but we are tempted to act like slaves who need to produce to earn our keep.

9. Know that you will fail as much as you will succeed. You must trust the work of the Holy Spirit. There are many times when I finish leading a Bible study and I think it was an utter failure. Then someone tells me God spoke to them through it. Who are we to judge what God is doing? Be faithful in your studies, pray, trust the Holy Spirit is moving, and then don’t beat yourself up when things go south temporarily. 

10. Find other ways, outside of yourself to skin the cat. Utilize people. You don’t have to be the leader of everything. Determine what your gifts are (spiritual and natural) and then multiply yourself by equipping and training people. Let it go and allow others to take over. Even if they don’t do it just how you would have.

Are there any others you have learned through ministering to others? Let me learn from your failures! Come on, it’s only fair.  

Re-Learning #2: Feeling like a Failure

Oh Dwight. We are so much alike. Ok, not really. But, yesterday I did feel like a failure. A failure at life. This is one of those re-learning things. I have been seriously slacking by my own ridiculously high standards. Here are a few highlights…

Our fridge is embarrassingly empty.  There is a laundry pile taking on a life of its own in our hallway. I have phone calls to return that are getting to that point where I’m considering concocting an elaborate lie to explain why I’ve been MIA. I have loads of work stuff to do. I up and decided that our house is ugly and I want to change everything. My dog keeps staring at me like those Sarah Mclachlan ASPCA commercials and judging me for not walking her more. On and on….

And yesterday it just got to me. It wasn’t pretty. It felt like I was suffocating. Like I was in a tiny room and I couldn’t get out.

So, I vented to Micah (ah, the joys of being married to me) and he listened to me talk in one very long illogical run on sentence like a loving husband should. But, honestly I didn’t feel much better afterwards.

Then this morning God spoke a much needed word to me. He said this….

In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, 
and your years will never end.

 –Hebrews 1:10-12

And then more personally he said this…

Daughter,

All these things mean nothing. They are worthless and ultimately meaningless. Especially the money and possessions you are so tightly holding onto. It will all be gone one day. These things are not who you are. I AM who you are. You are in me and I am in you. I AM what you seek. Trust me to give you what you need in the deepest sense. My way is better. You are doubting that, but believe me it is better.

Fall on me.

Release.

Stop.

Breathe.

Open your heart, and let me in.

See things how I see things.

Come to me.

Relax.

I love you, daughter, and I would do anything for you.

I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. (Isaiah 49)

Love,

Your Father

Whew. I really needed that. I hope it blesses you too. 

My Health Update: The Maker's Diet

This year has been quite a journey for me. I could probably write an entire blog about all the things God has taught me through this one thing, but, for now, just a summary will do.

Starting exactly one year ago I began to have a string of unusual health problems. I have been healthy and fit my entire life, so it came as unfamiliar and scary territory for me. The worst of the symptoms has been canker sores in my mouth. At any given time I will have as many as 15 in my mouth as once! It is horrible. Especially since two of my favorite pastimes (talking and eating) involve my mouth. Often it would completely handicap me from even being able to carry on a conversation.

I also have experienced many other symptoms in addition to the canker sores, but the most prominent are stomach pain and extreme fatigue. Nothing is worse than being tired and in pain…all the time. After seeing countless doctors, taking all the tests, and trying too many remedies to count, there is still no answer. Isn’t not having an answer terrible?

At one point my doctor thought I had Crohn’s disease, and I was terrified. I stupidly went home and read about hundreds of cases of Crohn’s on the internet and convinced myself that I was on my deathbed. Thankfully I did not have Crohn’s, but I remember being so disappointed with not having an answer. The mystery was killing me.

I have had several rock bottom moments in the last year, but the most recent was at a Young Life camp in Colorado in May.  I found myself in the nurses station with a full body rash from an allergic reaction to an antibiotic I was on. I just sobbed like a little baby in front of numerous people, and side note: I absolutely hate crying in public. But, I was a leper, and I couldn’t help it. I was so defeated.

Hopped up on Benadryl and quarantined to the nurses station, I decided now was a good time to read up on a health plan I had heard about: The Maker’s Diet. Four out of six of the girls in my community group are gluten free and I live in Austin (hippies), so I am very aware of the world of clean eating. But, until now, I couldn’t have cared less about it.

The Maker’s Diet is basically based on a diet from the Old Testament on what God told the Israelites to eat and not eat. I read the entire book in only a few days, and I was reenergized to try something new. The diet is 40 days and consists of three phases. Hardest to easiest. As you go along you get to add more and more foods. If you want the details you can download them here: Maker’s Diet Phases 

Well, today is my 25^th day on the diet and I am currently canker sore and symptom free! Praise God! About a week ago I had 7 canker sores in my mouth, but as of now they are all healed. The book says often your symptoms get worse before they get better, so I am praying this is true.

It has been SUPER challenging for me. Mostly because I love cheese, bread, sugar, and lard. At first, eliminating all these things made me feel like a drug addict going cold turkey. (“Must have queso!!!”) And I will spare you the details of the “Raisinette incident” where I yelled at Micah for bringing my favorite candy into our house. But things have gotten easier as my taste buds are changing and I don’t loathe every person I see eating a cheeseburger.

For those of you that stumbled upon this blog by Googling “canker sores” because you suffer from them and have tried all the basic remedies (rinsing with salt water, ect.). Here are a few things that have helped me tremendously:

1. Praying healing scriptures over myself

This has absolutely been the most healing thing I have done. Spiritually and physically healing. I try to read them as often and as faithfully as I would take a healing medicine. My personal favs are listed here. 

And when I’m really feeling low this is my go to:

Jeremiah 17:14-15

 Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; 
save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. 
They keep saying to me, “Where is the word of the LORD? Let it now be fulfilled!”

2. Cleansing Smoothie every day

This is my own adaptation from the Maker’s Diet. It has been fabulous for my sores and stomach pain. I make it and drink half in the morning and half at night. It includes mixing:

·      1 Scoop of Super Seed (whole food fiber blend)

·       1 Scoop of Perfect Food (green superfood blend with HSOs)

·      1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

·      1 tbsp flaxseed oil

·      1 tbsp Apple Cider Vineger

·      1 cup organic frozen fruit

·      8 oz filtered water

Optional Additions:

o   1 egg

o   1 Tbs honey

o   spinach leaves

o   yogurt or almond butter for texture

3.  Daily Whole Food Multi-Vitamin

Must be a “whole food” multi-vitamin to be most effective. I use Vitamin Code Women.

Garden of Life's Super Seed, Perfect Food, and Vitamin Code Women Multi-Vitamin

4. Oral B Amosan

This is an oral wound cleanser in the form of a powder that you mix with warm water. Use it when you have sores in your mouth and they will heal faster and feel better. 

5. Debacterol

This is the serious stuff. I only use it when I am really desperate. It is prescription only and will heal any canker sore. The  downside is it burns like the fires of hell. Seriously, we’re talking tears streaming down your face. It is a small acidic swab that you hold on the sore for a few second. It will heal over immediately.

I hope this helps someone out there!

And for the rest of you, thank you for your prayers! 

No Shortcuts

I don’t know a ton about God. In fact, the more I learn about Him the bigger He seems to become. I like it that way though. I don’t want to serve a God who is small and fits in my little ideas and assumptions about Him.

One false idea I’ve often believed about God and the Holy Spirit living inside of me is that there are shortcuts. If I can just master these 3, 5, 10 things, then I’ll find healing, joy, fulfillment, forgiveness, life, friendship…it never works. I usually get 15 minutes into the first thing I’m trying to master and decide I’d rather watch a Law & Order marathon or something. For example, I’ve tried to read the Bible on a 1 year reading plan at least 3 times. And when I start I usually think, “Psshh I can totally do this. In fact, I could probably read this in 6 months. Biblical genius here I come!”

FAIL. Genesis is long, people. I’m not disciplined enough for shortcuts.

But, on the other hand, I have friends who are much more disciplined than I am, and even when they complete the shortcut sometimes they don’t feel God’s presence at all. I think one reason that happens is because God doesn’t always work in formulas. He doesn’t just swoop in on a cloud once our little imaginary boxes are checked. He wants to be involved in the process. He wants us to get our hands dirty. He doesn’t want me to just memorize a verse. He wants it to sink down into the deepest parts of me and set up camp. And the funny thing is that most of the time “getting my hands dirty” looks a lot like opening them up and releasing the grip of what I’m holding onto.  It looks like me not putting totally unrealistic expectations on myself. 


He just wants us to wake up and say, “I trust you today, Lord.” It sounds so simple, but what I usually wake up and say is: “I trust you today, Lord. But, I’m going to need some details…preferably before I get out of bed.”

Instead of short cuts, He wants to take the long way with us – the scenic route.

And He just keeps asking me to take one more step of faith…

”that was great, Ashley. Can you do it again?”

one more step…

”wow! I’m so proud of you. Would you be willing to take another?”

one more step…

And on and on it goes. And pretty soon I look back and I’ve walked a mile with the Lord. And it was way better than the shortcut.