Chicago...

was so much fun!
-tried sushi for the 1st time
-rode in a taxi
-walked around magnificent mile for 3 hrs :D
-spent time w/my family
-got away for a day to forget about everything here
-got to see my mom!
-ate hospital food
-took tons of pics
-had the most amazing popcorn ever invented
-used an ipass haha
-met some random people

...i needed today to just get away. Im so glad i finally got to see my mom and hang out w/my dad and brother and sister. Just keep praying for our family and esp. my mom. She'll probably be up there another week and pray that the doctors will know what to do for her...pray that she will be comforted and not stressed.

Countries

Ok I totally blanked during this. haha. it's harder than it sounds.

33

Daily

On my way to school... Isaiah 41:10 is the verse going through my head. "Dont be afraid for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand" I pray that God will take away the fear, give me strength, and make me bold. It's amazing what God will do if ur willing to obey and listen.

Success = obedience....probably one of the biggest lessons I learned from NYGO. One of the best thing i've ever done...best week of my life. I loved NYGO and grew so much. I was stretched and changed. It was awesome. Man I'm just full of blogging today. haha. Ok that's all. I promise.

Just one of those verses that hits right on

"Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth, and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you."
-Psalm 25:4-5

U S of A

In 2m 45s

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brings back geography memories

Still...

I still feel that God wants me to go to kenya. I've been praying like crazy since summer camp and keep doubting...thinking stuff like....i have no idea what to do...everyone will think i just wanna go there cause all the kenya stuff with the church. I've learned....it really doesn't matter what people think. It's not gonna make a difference if they think that or not. lol. This is totally between me and God. I'm still not sure but still feel God really pressing this on my heart...but not for the baby center. I think that's awesome...but it's not my passion. God has given me a passion and a love for elementary age kids. I know God wants to use me. I'm so incredibly willing to go where he leads. I'm open to anything he has to use me and glorify him. This is a crazy ride and I'm trusting God to lead me exactly where he wants me....to open doors and close doors where they need to be.

On fire rallies...

have absolutely been amazing and eye-opening for me. Tonight especially hit home for me. God definitely has laid 2 people on my heart. One of which i dont get along with at all. Fear definitely has gotten in the way of talking to these people. I've kinda been in a valley with God lately...feeling distant and just needing something to jump start me again. This was it. Tonight biz told us to call a person God layed on our hearts if we needed to talk to them. I wasn't at school today so i knew i needed to call her and talk to her. Tomorrow will be....exciting....nervous....making me completely lean on and trust God. trust that he will give me the words to say. trust that he will give me so much confidence and just go for it. I have nothing to lose. I'm totally ready to jump off the edge. I'm ready now.

Something else that happened tonight just uplifted me and definitely encouraged me. I went on NYGO this summer and we wrote letters to friends back home. I wrote a letter to a girl that i was very close to and was super nervous to write to. I didn't know what she'd think or what she'd say but amy said something that was so true. She said it was more important for my friends to hear about God and risk their friendship by them rejecting what i had to say than playing it safe and saying nothing while knowing their life was going downhill. So i wrote this girl...about a week after i got home i got a letter back from her. Opening it was scary and exciting. She just said Ashley i definitely needed this and im so glad you care about me and wanted to talk to me and hang out. She's come to fanning the flame yesterday and today and said to me afterwards that because of me writing her that letter that she's at church and it changed her life. woah wow i was just like....God used me to impact one of my friends lives. I never thought i could do something that would change a life. I love that girl so much and am so glad i got past the fear of rejection and losing a friend. Instead we've grown so much closer and even more important....she is madly in love with God! I know i need to get past the fear i have right now and let God work through me to impact other people's lives. Even calling my friend tonight i had no clue what to say....i totally had to stop and pray and say God i know that i need to talk to her....give me the words to say. How great is our God. Absolutely amazing. He never fails. He's always there. Caleb has impacted my life so much throughout the last few years. I can't wait for tomorrow night.