To Make You Feel My Love

This song has been on my heart and mind for weeks now. I feel so much peace and hope when i hear this song. It is remedies of the unfailing love of our God. I pray you may feel the same peace and love.

When the rain is blowing in your face
and the whole world is on your case
i could offer you a warm embrace
to make you feel my love

When evening shadows and the stars appear
and there is no one there to dry your tears
i could hold you for a million years
to make you feel my love

i know you haven’t made your mind up yet
but i will never do you wrong
i’ve know it from the moment we met
no doubt in my mind where you belong

I’d go hungry, I’d go black and blue
I’d go crawling down the avenue
There’s nothing that i wouldn’t do
To Make you feel my love

The storms are raging on the rollin’ sea
And on the highway of regret
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
You ain’t seen nothing like me yet

I could make you happy
Make your dreams come true
No there’s nothing i would not do
Go to the ends of the earth for you
To make you feel my love

There’s nothing i wouldn’t do
To make you feel my love

Life’s Hoops

Life is full of complications! Life is full of a bunch of hoops you have to go through in order to get to where you need to go. That is how it is. Applying for school is full of a set of frustrating and difficult tasks one needs to accomplish. Like applying for  financial aid, housing, FAFSA, private loan! It is enough to drive a person away from furthering their education. In the mist of all frustration you begin to realize the simple things in life are really what you cherish. Like a smile from a co-worker, a peaceful walk, a dinner with your family, or a beautiful words of affirmation. Life is full of wonder, but it is also full of distractions!

Please try not to get caught up in the hoops of life but take time to engage yourself in the simple things in life. For they will bring you peace, motivation, meaning, and hope in your life. I struggle with finances as many of you do and I am trying to find peace in handling them. Every year when i receive that so called financial aid letter from school telling me how much the costs are going to be it is enough to bring me to tears and cause a cascade of emotions to erupt. But I am taking hold of truth! God tells all of His children not to worry about the things of this world.

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet i tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If this is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you..for pagans run after all theses things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righetousness and all these thigns will be given to you as well. ” -Matthew 6:27-30, 32-33

The simple life are filled with laughter, freedom, hope and love. But it has to be intentional. When i recieved the letter telling me how much school is costing me, and felt completely overwhelmed i allowed myself to feel pity for a couple seconds and then prayed. I prayed and i still pray whenever i feel frustrated with all the hoops this life makes us jump through. And then i allow myself to forget about it by enjoying life’s simple pleasures. I don’t want this world to define who i am but God.

God is truth. He is Love. Seek Him.

Trouble Finding Peace

This past week and a half it has been difficult finding peace. Going from a camp that was filled with spiritual people who loved God and loved others. Back to duties, struggle; the wheel of life. Each day is a new adventures and I am learning the way that i allow God to enter into my life reflects my outlook, my attitude towards myself, others and the world. He fills me with his peace that surpasses understanding. I am able to find peace within life’s struggles because i allow God in on them. He brings healing, peace, and freedom. Freedom from the struggles of this world. It doesn’t mean that i don’t have struggles nor that i don’t “deal with them,” i do! I feel the pain when those closet to me hurt me. When i see how the world is filled with injustice, violence and sufferings. I feel it. But i am learning not to allow it to control me.Because i have hope!

I love to go for runs. I run because it makes me feel alive and free. I usually run with an ipod but i have decided not to use it on my runs anymore but to focus my attention on God; pray. It is such a release of all the thoughts, struggles, pain and worries. As much as it is a release it is a restoring. Restoration of hope, and love and inspiration.

I want you to know that like you i also have a lot of struggles but i also have abundant hope and unfailing love.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you ay have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus

Inspiring People

This past week i was so blessed to be able to go to a camp with my friend Karly, her family and Emily. She was invited to speak for those who are physically disabled at the camp. Karly is one of them. She also cannot verbally speak; she has never spoken a word on this earth, but she learned to to communicate through facilitated communication. Karly is an inspiration to all. She composes music, paints, creates beautiful poems and is full of love and joy. Karly is able to do all these things because God has given her those talents and God uses them for His purposes. God is using Karly in transforming ways.

While at camp i had never felt so much peace, and genuine love. Those who have never met me would embrace me in their arms and when they talked to me they looked me straight in the eyes. Genuinely wanting to know me, to love on me. I was wrong and so are many peoples out there who have not allowed the crippled, disabled to teach us. We who are able (having healthy, working bodies) and have all these “abilities ” think we have so much to offer to them. Which in some levels we do. But many of us are distracted by the world’s concerns that we do not give God time to speak to us. To be able to offer Pure, true worship. Abandoned at the feet of Jesus Christ.

“But when you have a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and YOU WILL BE BLESSED, although they cannot repay you..”Luke 14:13

There was a man whom i had never gotten an opportunity to meet, but at the two evening worship services He inspired me. He was a light. He had a cripple arm, it held tight to left side of his body with extremely limited use because his hand’s muscles were so tight i am unsure if he could unclench it.. His one leg had a brace of some sort on it which caused him to walk lopsided so he had a clutch to help. As soon as the music would start He was drawn to the front alter to worship His Lord. Andy stood on stage, freely loving Jesus, waving his one usable arm to Praise Him. Andy, by the world’s view, may take more than he gives. We may at first glance believe that He has nothing to offer but i am here to tell you that is a lie. We need Andy. I need Andy. I need Karly.

And We need to recognize and Reach out to those who are disabled.

They have everything to offer us.

Courage, Love, Peace, Patience, True Servants, Forgiveness

The peace i found at camp has inspired me to core of my being. God is moving. My Spirit is awake. (Thanks Karly for the reminder )

With Love and Peace

Ashley

Shalom

I decided to write a blog dedicated on peace, completeness, and fullness. This blog page is going to be filled with ways that i have found peace, completeness and fullness. I cannot wait to share with you world how i have found true shalom.