God Showed Me The Value Of A Smile, Ashley Stringer's Story

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I love a good story, especially when it's a God story.

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And I'm so glad you've joined me for this episode,

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which I know will encourage and inspire you

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in your walk with the Lord.

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I'm your host, Jodie Chiricosta,

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ministry leader at Somebody Cares America and International,

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author and traveler on this journey of faith.

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If you haven't already, take a moment to like

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or follow this podcast on your favorite streaming platform

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so you won't miss the stories of any of my amazing guests.

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In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul tells a young Timothy,

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don't let anyone look down on you because you're young,

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but set an example for the believers in speech,

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in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

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My guest today is a young woman who has been doing that

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in pretty remarkable ways since she was an early teenager.

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When she was just 15 years old,

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Ashley Stringer started an anti-bullying campaign,

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releasing an EP, which is a shorter album

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of about four to six songs entitled Simple Smile

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and started performing in school assemblies,

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youth groups and to other crowds.

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She's become a positive social media influencer on YouTube

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where she posts travel vlogs, song covers, original music

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and overall creative content and is also called upon

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to help lead worship in churches, at conferences

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and in other settings.

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Now 20, Ashley is also a recording artist

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and a graphic designer, but most of all,

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she loves Jesus and desires to follow him.

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Welcome Ashley.

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Thank you so much for having me.

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It's such an honor.

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Well, Ashley, something you don't talk a whole lot about,

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but your parents divorced when you were a baby.

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So you did not have a father in the home

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during the very early years of your life,

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but your mom taught you to look to God, to meet your needs.

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How did she do that?

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And what impact has that had on you?

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You're right.

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I don't talk about it a lot, but it is a part of my story.

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Mom always involved the Lord in everything that we did.

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From a young age, I just remember

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we would never leave a grocery store

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without her just saying,

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thank you God so much for these groceries.

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Thank you that we have legs to walk into the store.

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Thank you for our food, just constantly involving God.

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And I remember early, early age,

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just her waking me up before school

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at the time I was going to a private school

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before I was homeschooled in.

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She'd wake me up before school and we would pray for hours.

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It wasn't just a five minute prayer before we go to school,

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but hours of intercession.

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And she taught me just to love prayer,

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to love Jesus, to rely on him.

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Like you mentioned,

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there wasn't a constant father growing up in the home.

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But in those moments of prayer

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where I really realized that God is my Abba,

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and he's my healer and my provider and my protector.

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And also just through mom's love,

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really just helped form a beautiful relationship

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with the Lord at such a young age.

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And I still value that and just her love for me

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and teaching me those things so young

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that I can carry on into the future.

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Well, and it's very clear, very apparent,

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having known you for a few years

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that you did pick up that attitude of thanksgiving,

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which gosh, the Lord tells us,

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be thankful in all things, right?

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For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.

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So teaching you that gratitude,

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exemplifying that gratitude at a young age

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has really taken root in you,

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which will serve you very well for the rest of your life.

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And you've had other encounters with the Lord early on too.

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Share how you actually met Jesus.

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I mean, having a Christian mom is great,

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but how did Jesus become personal to you?

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And then you received a gift from the Holy Spirit too.

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Yes, ma'am.

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The Lord has just appeared to me in dreams and visions

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since I was very little,

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my first memory of the Lord appearing to me.

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I was three years old,

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and I can just remember it so vividly

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of just Him appearing to me,

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and I was playing with the lions and the lambs in heaven.

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And He just told me,

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Ashley, I'll always be with you.

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I'll always be with you, and you're never alone.

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And I still remember that three-year-old dream I had.

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Yeah, that would make a memory for me too.

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Right?

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I mean, you can't forget those moments

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where God just got ahold of me at a young age.

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And even now as almost 21-year-old,

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the Lord constantly just appears to me in dreams and visions.

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That's how our relationship works.

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He loves to just speak to me through dreams.

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At the age of six, mom was serving on a board

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of an orphanage in India.

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While there, one night while I was worshiping

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with the orphans, the Lord just baptized me

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in the Holy Spirit.

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It wasn't anything that someone forced upon me

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or that I tried to do because I saw others doing it,

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but it just happened.

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And since then, mom also just taught me the value

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of praying in tongues and the power that's in it

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and letting the Holy Spirit just pray through you.

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And that just became almost second nature

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just to pray in tongues.

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As a six-year-old, the Lord just really touched my heart.

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And I just loved him so much.

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And I think that love was so evident to others as well.

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Yeah, so you had a little mini awakening right there

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when you were six in India.

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I'm sure as you are watching what God is doing

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in colleges across the country, it's thrilling to you

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because your generation is experiencing the love of God

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in a way that you did at a really young age.

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And I know you've been praying for that for your peers

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for many, many years as well.

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So I imagine it's thrilling for you to see God

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actually moving as it's thrilling for all of us.

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Absolutely.

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So, you know, Ashley, as any child you've mentioned,

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you know, you've yearned for a father in your daily life.

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And God answered that desire.

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Tell us how he did that.

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I think any young person or child

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longs to have a healthy relationship in their home.

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Godly parents that can love them and support them

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and be there for them, embrace them.

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And I did not have that growing up.

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Obviously, I did have a great mother who loved me,

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but I still lacked that father's embrace.

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There was so much that I could receive

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from the Holy Spirit and from the Lord

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that I long, like you said, for that earthly father.

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And in those moments of prayer, as a young girl,

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I would cry out to the Lord for an earthly, godly dad,

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and mom would cry out

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for an earthly, incredible, godly husband.

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And somehow in the midst of our prayer,

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God was working really behind the scenes

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and crafting just an incredible man to walk into our lives.

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And it wasn't until the age of seven

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that the Lord fully answered that heart's desire.

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I got a new father who just loves me and embraces me

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and is such an incredible example of Jesus in the home

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and just in life, exactly who he is outside of the home

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is who he is inside and who he is behind closed doors.

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And it's just incredible.

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I think it's a great testimony

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to just show the faith of a child and just fervent prayer

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and laying your request before the Lord,

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what he'll do when you surrender.

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Lord taught me all of this at such a young age.

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It's literally crazy just thinking about it

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and just sharing it with you is that God

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just really taught me to trust him.

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So young when it came to that desire.

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Yeah, you know, the scripture tells all of us

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to have the faith of a child.

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You know, when the children were coming to Jesus,

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the disciples were shooing him away.

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And he said, come to me,

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unless you come to me like a child, I can't work.

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He wants childlike faith.

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So of course he's gonna answer the prayers of a child

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who are calling out to her heavenly father in faith.

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And it's a reminder to all of us really,

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you know, no matter what our age is,

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to have that childlike faith when we're coming before God,

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because that's what he loves.

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He loves that.

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He loves to answer those kinds of prayers.

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So Ashley, God's also given you the amazing opportunity

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to travel to a lot of different countries.

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You mentioned India a few minutes ago,

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but how many countries have you been to and why?

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What has the Lord shown you in some of those experiences

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that maybe even impacts what you're doing today?

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I've been to, I believe between 23 or 24 nations.

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It's awesome.

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Thank you, Jesus, just for those opportunities.

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First, I started traveling, you know,

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obviously India at six.

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I think mom just had a desire for me to travel with her.

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As a young girl, she didn't, you know,

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get the experience or the privilege to travel

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until she was an adult,

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but that was her heart's desire for herself.

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And so I think as she was serving

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on different ministry trips

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or just doing missions work across the globe

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that the Lord provided for us to go together.

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And it was beautiful, you know, mother-daughter moment

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just to serve the Lord, serve others, love others.

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Even if we didn't speak the same language,

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how the love of Jesus just speaks.

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We can all understand that.

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We can all understand just an embrace or a hug

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or a meal together.

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And so it was beautiful just how the Lord provided

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those opportunities for us to travel.

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And then when dad stepped into our lives

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with him just serving the Lord for so many years

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and doing missions work or disaster relief

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that the Lord provided for us all to be a family unit

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and do it together and serve the nations

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and lead worship where I could, you know,

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eventually the Lord just brought this love of music

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into my life that I know we'll talk about in a minute,

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but where I got the opportunity just to lead orphans,

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widows, homeless in worship,

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just those that were longing for the Father's touch.

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And it was just truly incredible.

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The doors that got opened and even now getting to just

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travel and minister what God's put on my heart

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and not just following in their footsteps

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and being by their side in ministry,

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but them also coming along and supporting me

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and what the Lord's doing in my life.

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Tell me, what's your favorite country

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that you've traveled to?

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I have a few of my own.

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The Lord has blessed me to be able to travel to a lot too,

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but I'm interested in what's been some of your favorites.

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Ever since I went to Israel, it was always my favorite.

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There is nothing like Israel.

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I think maybe before then I would have said India or Japan,

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just because of the missions work that we did there,

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but there's nothing like Holy Land.

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There's just nothing like it.

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It's beautiful.

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Again, like I mentioned,

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the Lord has just appeared to me so much in my life.

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And so to see where he was born,

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to see where he walked, where he walked on water,

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you know, where he fed thousands,

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where miracles were performed

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and get to be there on ground,

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there was nothing like it.

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And just, I think I have such a love for the Jewish people.

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So it was just such a beautiful experience.

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And I've only been once and I'm dying to go again.

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So Lord provide the opportunity,

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but I just have a love for Israel.

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It's probably one of my favorite place I've been to.

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Yeah, and share a memorable moment or two

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from some of your travels.

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I'll never forget, obviously being baptized

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in the Holy Spirit in India.

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There have been so many beautiful moments

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just serving in orphanages.

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And a one moment from Israel specifically

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is there's a lot of people that partner

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with the Jewish agency to make aliyah.

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They come to Israel from all different parts of the world.

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And there was an opportunity where I got to lead worship

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for kids that were with families that were making aliyah.

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And it was so beautiful because again,

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we didn't speak the same language,

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but when I would worship with them

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and just to see the smile or the love

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that was being expressed was so beautiful

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how it has just connected so many hearts.

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Worship is just such a big part of my life

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and something I do every day.

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And so getting to do that and lead others

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in other parts of the world has really ministered to my heart.

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Yeah, and you know, friends,

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there are orphans like Ashley met in India,

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all over the world, who need to experience

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the tangible expression of God's love right now.

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Many have special needs that we as a company of women

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can meet together.

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Would you consider joining us with a special gift to help?

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Just go to hergodstory.org

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and click on the widow and orphan tab

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at the top of the page.

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So Ashley, in the middle of all the wonderful things

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happening in your life,

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you have also faced some pretty significant challenges

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like some health issues.

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What was going on and how did that affect your life

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and even how did it affect your faith?

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Since I can remember,

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I struggled with severe health issues.

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My stomach was constantly hurting.

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I can't remember a day where it wasn't

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and that really affected my life and my teenage years.

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I was a dancer growing up and that made things difficult

301
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because I couldn't maybe give 110%, like the others were.

302
00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:07,600
I'd have to sit out of quite a few rehearsals.

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I'd always be on the side and you know,

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a lot of people didn't understand

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why I couldn't participate fully

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or why Ashley ate differently than us,

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why Ashley looked different.

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I struggled a lot with just my body image growing up

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because weight just never seemed to come off

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due to just the health issues that I didn't understand.

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Dealt with a lot of misdiagnosis with doctors

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and it was just really challenging,

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constantly being in pain, you know,

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having your peers somewhat shun you

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because they don't understand what's going on with you.

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You don't fully understand

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what's going on with you physically

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and having to somehow trust God through it all,

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just being in pain all the time.

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It wasn't until about a year ago

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where the Lord provided great medical professionals

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to diagnose me properly.

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And I was able to really get my life in order

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when it came to just having a very healthy diet,

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being committed to exercise,

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also just working on my mental health of knowing,

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Lord, I might be sick, but like,

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this is not how you made me.

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And just trusting Him with it.

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Health challenges are so difficult,

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no matter what they are,

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whether it just be anxiety or headaches,

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00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:20,760
whatever that looks like for you

334
00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:22,840
or if you've dealt with health challenges,

335
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they're really difficult.

336
00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:27,400
I can't imagine how hard it is also being caregivers

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00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,000
of those that are struggling with health challenges.

338
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I know that can sometimes be a reason

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my parents and I butt heads because it's hard.

340
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I can only imagine how hard it is to take care of me

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00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,080
when growing up, I felt like I just lived

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with this title of sick girl just hanging over me.

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And I rocked it, like, to be honest,

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just with our listeners.

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I rocked that title, I let it consume me.

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It was all I knew because I just became so numb

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00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:55,160
to this constant pain.

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00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:59,400
I tried to focus on dance or school or leading worship

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or serving people in kids ministry,

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00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:02,960
whatever that looked like,

351
00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,320
but I was still so consumed with my pain.

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00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:07,800
Praise the Lord, really in the last year

353
00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:09,160
I've done incredible work,

354
00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:10,640
but it's been an ongoing battle.

355
00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,160
Sometimes it still is, but I think I'm at a point

356
00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,600
where I really just trust God with the outcome.

357
00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:17,720
I'm doing so much better.

358
00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,200
I've been able to overcome so many,

359
00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:21,720
just also mental battles.

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00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:25,040
It's hard not to wanna stay stuck in some negative cycles

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00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,680
or just think this is how it's gonna be,

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00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:29,400
just being numb to the pain.

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00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,880
But praise the Lord, I was able to figure out

364
00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:35,680
I had celiac disease, IBS and some other stuff,

365
00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:36,840
but we're working through it.

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00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,240
Praise God for also great medical professionals

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00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:41,080
that can help you guide you in the right way

368
00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,760
and provide the right type of medicine as well.

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00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,880
So Ashley, you mentioned changing your mindset

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00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:48,800
about your identity.

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What has been successful for you?

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00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:51,760
How have you done that?

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00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,800
How have you changed your mindset?

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00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:55,920
I think just surrendering to the Lord.

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That's been the biggest thing for me

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00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,800
is a constant daily surrender of saying,

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00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:04,400
Lord, I belong to you, you made my body.

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You know exactly what's going on

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00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:08,800
and I surrender the pain to you.

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00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,080
I think daily also being in his word.

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His word is so encouraging and it gives us so much life.

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00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,880
It brings life, it's the word of God.

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00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:21,720
And I think being in it, not being afraid to cry over it,

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00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,760
like fully just getting in the word of God,

385
00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:26,440
praying, surrendering.

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00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:29,480
A big thing for me is listening to positive music

387
00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,680
or positive podcasts like this that can encourage me.

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00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:36,560
That way there's also just constant positivity in life,

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00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:40,840
just being input into my mind and not distracting myself

390
00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,720
or giving into maybe worldly music

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or things that could discourage me

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00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:47,400
or make me think negative thoughts.

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00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:50,600
But really surrounding myself with positive,

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00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:52,800
faith-based, hope-filled things

395
00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,160
really has helped change my mindset

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00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:57,640
to rely on Jesus and trust him.

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When you put positive in, positive will come out.

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So that's all Jesus.

399
00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:06,160
Yeah, the old adage, garbage in, garbage out

400
00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:07,960
works just the other way.

401
00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:10,840
You put good things in, good things will come out

402
00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:14,160
and start transforming who you are and how you think

403
00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,520
and how you react and everything else changes,

404
00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:19,120
changes your whole life.

405
00:17:19,120 --> 00:17:20,680
Yes, ma'am.

406
00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,760
Let's just go back into your teen years a little bit more

407
00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:24,880
and dig a little deeper.

408
00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,120
So you were having some health issues for a while

409
00:17:28,120 --> 00:17:29,640
and are just now getting,

410
00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:31,360
kind of getting some victory in that area,

411
00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:33,960
but things got worse for you

412
00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:38,960
when your dad was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma

413
00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,680
and you experienced a few years of bullying.

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00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:46,960
Explain a little about what you went through.

415
00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:49,600
I mean, what was this bullying like,

416
00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,320
how you made it through

417
00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:54,960
and what God did for you and for your family.

418
00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:58,360
You're right, I did go through quite a few years of bullying.

419
00:17:58,360 --> 00:18:01,960
It was kind of went on from the age of 10 to 13

420
00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,600
and those years are so formative.

421
00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:06,760
You're entering your teenage years,

422
00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:10,240
you're almost leaving the kid years behind

423
00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,360
and there's a lot of peer pressure

424
00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:15,200
and I think dealing with health issues on top of it all

425
00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:17,520
made things 10 times more difficult

426
00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:19,760
because I didn't look like everybody else

427
00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,080
and my body didn't work the same way

428
00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:23,840
and it definitely hit home.

429
00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,840
It was really hard at dance,

430
00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:27,760
was one of the primary places

431
00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:29,520
a lot of this bullying would happen.

432
00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:31,280
There was just a lot of shame, like I mentioned,

433
00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,360
because I didn't look like everyone else

434
00:18:33,360 --> 00:18:34,680
and there was just a lot of mean things

435
00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,440
that were constantly said.

436
00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,200
You can just imagine some ugly case scenarios

437
00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:41,640
that I was just experiencing constantly

438
00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,280
and it was hard too because there were leaders

439
00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:45,520
or adults in my life

440
00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:48,240
that knew the situations I was going through

441
00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:51,280
or even knew that peers were not speaking to me

442
00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:53,280
and they would act the same way.

443
00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,320
That was the hardest part is people that you would think

444
00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:58,800
are supposed to invest in you and love you

445
00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,640
and uplift you, treating you the same way

446
00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:05,120
was really difficult and definitely had some moments

447
00:19:05,120 --> 00:19:07,400
where I struggled with just trust of

448
00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:08,840
how do I be vulnerable with people

449
00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,400
when even my leaders shun me or don't wanna talk to me?

450
00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,760
And during those moments of being 12, 13

451
00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,840
and I'm being bullied and I'm really struggling

452
00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:22,280
with my health, my father gets diagnosed with cancer,

453
00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:25,800
was really hard because I didn't have very many friends

454
00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:28,640
and dad was my best friend.

455
00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:31,120
And I were very, very close, not that we are now

456
00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:34,360
but we were super close in those years

457
00:19:34,360 --> 00:19:38,400
and the possible loss of him was just heartbreaking

458
00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,480
because he was everything to me.

459
00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:44,320
He was my hero and he was my dad and he was my best friend.

460
00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:46,640
I just remember so many moments just coming home

461
00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:48,760
from these classes or where I would be around people

462
00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:50,840
that just didn't seem to like me

463
00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:53,320
and I would just cry and cry

464
00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:58,240
and my parents directed me to the word of God constantly.

465
00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:02,400
I really think that this moment is where I really came

466
00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:03,840
to know the Lord for myself.

467
00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:05,120
Not that I didn't already know him.

468
00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:07,240
Obviously I've shared earlier in this podcast

469
00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:11,960
how God has met me so many times at such a young age

470
00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:13,680
but it was during this experience

471
00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,320
of these three major things happening to me

472
00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,560
where I really had to get serious with the Lord,

473
00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:24,480
surrender all of my hurt and my shame and my doubt to him

474
00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,200
and trust that whatever happened,

475
00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:29,080
whatever the outcome was with dad,

476
00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:30,640
with the bullying, with the health issues

477
00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:32,400
that he would see me through

478
00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:36,280
and also learning not to judge a book by its cover.

479
00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:40,240
These kids had no idea what I was going through physically

480
00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,160
and emotionally when they would say mean things to me.

481
00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:44,360
They didn't realize that they weren't

482
00:20:44,360 --> 00:20:46,000
just maybe hurting my heart

483
00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:47,400
but they were hurting my body

484
00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:50,520
due to the physical challenges that I had

485
00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,520
that I had to realize to just treat them with kindness,

486
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,160
to turn the other cheek like the Bible says,

487
00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:59,880
to smile at them even if I did not want to,

488
00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:04,000
to be kind to them anyway, to pray for them.

489
00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,880
That was something my parents taught me in these moments

490
00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:09,640
to bless them and forgive them anyway

491
00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,120
and also just get in the word of God.

492
00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:16,480
Jesus really began to give me beautiful music.

493
00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:18,760
He showed me just this outlet

494
00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,400
which was music during that time.

495
00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:25,120
I began to play guitar and write songs.

496
00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:26,680
Just really express myself

497
00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:28,400
and I think that's one of the reasons I also just,

498
00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:30,880
I got through it as God gave me an outlet

499
00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,640
to glorify him and praise him through the storm.

500
00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:39,040
And one other thing I learned through this specific time

501
00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,680
was just the value of a simple smile,

502
00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:46,160
the value of life, that my life has value

503
00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:50,400
even if I feel hopeless and things are not going well,

504
00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:53,760
but my life has value that God made me for a reason.

505
00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:56,440
He made those people that are hurting me for a reason,

506
00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,120
they have destiny, they have purpose.

507
00:21:59,120 --> 00:22:00,880
Even if they don't wanna treat me kindly,

508
00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,040
they deserve to be treated with kindness

509
00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:04,520
because that's how the love of Jesus

510
00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:06,920
will eventually reach them, will touch them,

511
00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,640
will awaken their hearts to maybe what's going on

512
00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:11,240
and how they're treating me.

513
00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:13,840
And so the Lord really had to change my mindset

514
00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:17,280
to not just be focused on my circumstance,

515
00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,320
but how can I glorify him?

516
00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,160
How can I be kind to the ones that are hurting me?

517
00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:23,960
How can I smile at them?

518
00:22:24,900 --> 00:22:28,920
When I was hurting, all I longed for was a simple smile.

519
00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:31,120
I just wanted a minute of somebody acknowledge me,

520
00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:34,880
somebody see me because I felt so alone.

521
00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,400
And so from there on, I just really realized

522
00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:39,120
that I had to smile at everybody,

523
00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:41,000
even those moments where I didn't feel like it

524
00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,120
because I didn't know how it would change their life

525
00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:45,880
because I knew that smile had changed mine.

526
00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:49,120
So that's really what the Lord did during that circumstance.

527
00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:52,120
And for those who don't know what happened with your dad,

528
00:22:52,120 --> 00:22:54,040
what did God do in that situation?

529
00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:55,640
I mean, he was pretty sick.

530
00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:59,960
Yes, we were on a short window when we began chemo

531
00:22:59,960 --> 00:23:02,920
and the Lord really did an incredible work.

532
00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,320
God ended up healing dad and he's been in remission

533
00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:07,940
for a couple of years now,

534
00:23:07,940 --> 00:23:10,340
but it was definitely a hard journey.

535
00:23:10,340 --> 00:23:12,440
And both of my parents share about it

536
00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:14,720
in the different books that they've written,

537
00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,720
but it was a challenging time,

538
00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:18,660
but praise the Lord, what a testimony.

539
00:23:18,660 --> 00:23:20,320
And the dad got through that.

540
00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:21,160
Amen.

541
00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,080
He did a miraculous work.

542
00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:24,400
He did a miraculous work.

543
00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:26,520
Yeah, he is a faithful, faithful God.

544
00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:28,280
Now out of that very trying season,

545
00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:29,760
you've mentioned a little bit about it,

546
00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:31,640
but when you were 15,

547
00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:34,120
God gave you a vision to help other young people.

548
00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:36,780
I mean, you had that revelation of a simple smile

549
00:23:36,780 --> 00:23:39,560
can change someone's life, but it went further than that.

550
00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:43,160
Share what God showed you and what he's done through you.

551
00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:44,760
Like I mentioned, during that time,

552
00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:47,080
the Lord just shared this love of music.

553
00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,000
I think I always loved music.

554
00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,720
Like I mentioned, I was a dancer, but it was different.

555
00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:53,280
I was writing music.

556
00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:54,880
I'd never written songs before this.

557
00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:56,940
I taught myself how to play guitar

558
00:23:56,940 --> 00:24:00,020
and the Lord opened doors for me to record the music

559
00:24:00,020 --> 00:24:01,160
that I was writing.

560
00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:04,600
And even though I didn't necessarily feel full of hope,

561
00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,340
what was coming out of me was hope-filled music

562
00:24:07,340 --> 00:24:09,080
that was just touching people.

563
00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:13,360
And so I had the privilege to begin to record those songs

564
00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:15,920
that I was writing and put them together

565
00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:19,280
on an EP entitled, Simple Smile.

566
00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:21,120
From there, I got opportunities to speak

567
00:24:21,120 --> 00:24:24,760
to different youth groups in schools, online,

568
00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:28,480
and really share that message of a simple smile

569
00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:30,220
can change somebody's life.

570
00:24:30,220 --> 00:24:31,780
It can change a community.

571
00:24:31,780 --> 00:24:34,840
When you just encourage someone, when you spread kindness,

572
00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,800
I love to share at these different presentations

573
00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,800
that I do that if you think something positive

574
00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:43,760
about somebody, whether that be I like their hairstyle

575
00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:47,800
or I like their shoes or I love the way they smile,

576
00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,440
something positive, if you think that about somebody,

577
00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,360
that's not just for you to keep in your heart,

578
00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:56,520
but it's for something that you can share with them.

579
00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,440
Like don't keep that positive thing to yourself.

580
00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,480
Who knows how that line or that encouragement

581
00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:05,600
will minister to them, bless them and change their life,

582
00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:08,820
that act of kindness that you have to share.

583
00:25:08,820 --> 00:25:12,720
And so it's been so awesome to see how what I was going

584
00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,680
through in those teenage years of this hurt, bullying,

585
00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:19,280
the possible loss of dad, the health issues,

586
00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,320
how God really took that circumstance.

587
00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:24,740
And he used it for his glory.

588
00:25:24,740 --> 00:25:26,760
When I surrendered it to him,

589
00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:30,000
that he was able to pour out positive music,

590
00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:34,160
how he was able to use me in this anti-bullying campaign

591
00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,960
to reach my generation and remind them

592
00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,600
that their life has value,

593
00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:41,480
that their smile has so much value,

594
00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,520
that simple act can change someone's life.

595
00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:45,720
So it's been awesome.

596
00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:50,600
It's one thing to sit in your room and sing songs,

597
00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:52,040
even into a microphone,

598
00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:56,120
cause you don't have a thousand eyeballs looking at you.

599
00:25:56,120 --> 00:25:58,800
But when you get on stage at 15 years old

600
00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:02,740
and you're in front of a bunch of other 15 year olds

601
00:26:02,740 --> 00:26:05,320
around that age, it could be a little intimidating.

602
00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:07,080
How on earth did you do it?

603
00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:08,240
Just Jesus.

604
00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:10,560
I remember one time at 15,

605
00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,160
I did a show for 500 seniors.

606
00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:14,000
Wow.

607
00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:15,760
I wasn't even a senior yet.

608
00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:18,080
So I was someone younger than them coming

609
00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:20,760
and ministering to them on just the love of Jesus

610
00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:22,480
or how their life has value.

611
00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:24,440
And I definitely remember being a little nervous,

612
00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:26,820
but I knew that God had opened that door

613
00:26:26,820 --> 00:26:28,280
and I didn't know who would be in there

614
00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,000
that needed the message, needed encouragement,

615
00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,520
needed to feel the father's embrace,

616
00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:37,200
even if I couldn't necessarily mention the name of Jesus

617
00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:38,820
in the public school system,

618
00:26:38,820 --> 00:26:41,320
but just saying you're beautifully and wonderfully made

619
00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:44,640
or just encouraging them how that would change their lives.

620
00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:46,040
Definitely there was some nervous moments,

621
00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:49,120
but it was so God and he doesn't open a door

622
00:26:49,120 --> 00:26:50,640
that he doesn't prepare us for.

623
00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:52,880
He always encourages us and strengthens us

624
00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:55,520
when there's an opportunity available.

625
00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:57,680
Yeah, so even your dance experience

626
00:26:57,680 --> 00:26:59,720
and I guess you did a little music theater

627
00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:00,560
when you were growing up,

628
00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,640
that kind of helped prepare you for a much bigger stage.

629
00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:04,660
Absolutely.

630
00:27:04,660 --> 00:27:07,600
Again, I might've been going through some trials

631
00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:11,200
in those situations and in those clubs or groups,

632
00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,440
but the Lord ended up using that to prepare me

633
00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,020
to walk into my calling and not to be afraid

634
00:27:17,020 --> 00:27:20,040
to get up on a stage and dance or sing or minister

635
00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:24,080
or have a microphone in hand and to be confident in it.

636
00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,840
And so it's really beautiful to see how God

637
00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:29,360
took that circumstance to use it for his glory

638
00:27:29,360 --> 00:27:31,400
and prepare me to walk into my calling

639
00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,660
with confidence in the Lord.

640
00:27:33,660 --> 00:27:36,620
Yeah, and I know you need to obviously keep the privacy

641
00:27:36,620 --> 00:27:38,320
of the people that you've ministered to,

642
00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:42,360
but share a story or two of some people who,

643
00:27:42,360 --> 00:27:44,520
some singing young people who really,

644
00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:47,200
you saw God really work in their lives

645
00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:48,760
because of your obedience.

646
00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:50,780
I think when you're going through bullying

647
00:27:50,780 --> 00:27:52,800
or sometimes any challenge,

648
00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:55,920
you feel that overwhelming feeling of just being alone,

649
00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:58,880
that you are the only person going through this

650
00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:00,420
and no one understands.

651
00:28:00,420 --> 00:28:02,400
And it was so encouraging,

652
00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:05,860
even though it was hard to hear that others understood

653
00:28:05,860 --> 00:28:07,960
the experiences that I went through.

654
00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:10,920
It meant a lot that so many would just come up to me

655
00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:12,800
after every presentation,

656
00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:14,360
whether that would be in person

657
00:28:14,360 --> 00:28:17,440
or over direct messages on social media

658
00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:18,880
that would just say, hey, I understand

659
00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:22,340
what you're going through or the same thing happened to me

660
00:28:22,340 --> 00:28:24,840
or I'm still going through bullying.

661
00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:26,000
Can you pray for me?

662
00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,860
Can you just help me, encourage me something

663
00:28:28,860 --> 00:28:31,760
or your music has really impacted me?

664
00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,080
Or I listened to it when I walked down the hallway

665
00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,120
because I'm going through the same thing.

666
00:28:36,120 --> 00:28:38,640
One story that I think of often

667
00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:41,160
that really impacted my whole family.

668
00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:43,320
I was doing a presentation

669
00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,460
for some young kids in foster care.

670
00:28:46,460 --> 00:28:51,040
And there was maybe a middle school aged boy in the audience

671
00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,000
and you could tell he was just really having a tough time

672
00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:55,960
receiving what I had to say.

673
00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:58,400
And I can somewhat understand that.

674
00:28:58,400 --> 00:28:59,840
Someone who went through the bullying,

675
00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:02,080
if somebody was trying to tell me, be positive,

676
00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:04,040
turn their cheek, you got this,

677
00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:05,400
I'd be like, are you serious?

678
00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:07,440
Because it doesn't feel like that right now.

679
00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:09,560
It doesn't feel like I'm gonna get through it.

680
00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,760
So you could tell he was having a tough time

681
00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:14,840
and you could really see it through his facial expressions.

682
00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:17,520
And at some point he ended up walking out

683
00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,240
of the place that we were in.

684
00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:21,640
And while I was packing up to leave

685
00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:23,160
after the show had finished,

686
00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,200
he came up to me with a few other students.

687
00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:27,760
And at this point during the presentation,

688
00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:29,880
I did share the story of the bullying,

689
00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:32,560
the health issues, dad's cancer journey.

690
00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:37,080
And he said, I recently lost my mother to cancer

691
00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:40,360
and I'm also going through bullying right now.

692
00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:44,000
And I did just take a moment to just encourage him

693
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:47,280
and also understand that I couldn't take it personal

694
00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:49,920
that he needed to leave during the presentation

695
00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:51,080
because now I understood that,

696
00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:53,040
wow, that really hit home for him.

697
00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:54,240
That really ministered to him

698
00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:57,200
because that's really what he's going through in this moment.

699
00:29:57,200 --> 00:30:01,160
And mom was able just to encourage him and ask permission

700
00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:03,960
if it would be okay to give him a hug,

701
00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:07,920
just a motherly hug since he recently had lost his mother.

702
00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:09,400
And it was just a beautiful moment

703
00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,760
to see how maybe something ugly that brought us together.

704
00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:15,680
We had both had this shared experience

705
00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:17,920
but how we were both able to overcome

706
00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:21,720
or realize that we just need Jesus to just surrender to him.

707
00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:24,480
And also to see how mom was able just to give him

708
00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:27,040
that motherly hug in that moment

709
00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:28,720
and just share love with him

710
00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:32,240
and just speak into his life as a mother.

711
00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:33,880
I just always think about that story

712
00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:36,360
of how maybe in the moment there might be some people

713
00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:39,400
that don't receive what you have to say

714
00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:41,040
but God will always tug on their heart

715
00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:42,760
and he knows what he's doing behind the scenes

716
00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:44,680
that you may never realize

717
00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:47,240
that your story will impact people.

718
00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:50,600
You just gotta not be afraid to speak up and share it.

719
00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:54,000
And Ashley, when you were going through this bullying,

720
00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:56,920
you mentioned that your parents pointed you to scripture

721
00:30:56,920 --> 00:30:58,400
and they prayed with you.

722
00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:00,720
There might be some other people out there

723
00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,200
who have kids that are experiencing something similar.

724
00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:05,400
What are some of the other practical things

725
00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:06,800
that your parents did

726
00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:09,480
that really helped you through that time?

727
00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:11,920
I mean, obviously they were your primary support

728
00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:14,800
and of course praying is good

729
00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:17,800
but what are some of those practical,

730
00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:21,080
tangible things that they did that helped you?

731
00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:24,160
First, let's obviously go back to just directing your kids

732
00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:25,720
to the word of the Lord.

733
00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:27,520
And I would say more than just saying,

734
00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:29,960
oh, honey, you know, I know you're going through this.

735
00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:32,120
Here's the Bible, read it.

736
00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:34,480
Like sit down and read with them,

737
00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:36,680
point them to the scripture.

738
00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:38,280
My parents brought me to Job.

739
00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:39,920
We would read the story of Job

740
00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:41,720
quite often during that season

741
00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:45,280
of how Job was tried and tested.

742
00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:50,280
He lost everything but God still was faithful in his life

743
00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:54,120
and brought everything tenfold.

744
00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:56,440
Like the Lord returned everything to him

745
00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:58,840
and brought Job so much joy in the end

746
00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:02,640
even though for a while he was in the valley.

747
00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:07,080
And that story encouraged me so much during that time.

748
00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:08,520
And so I think it's so important

749
00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:12,120
not just to recommend that your children,

750
00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:14,520
worship the Lord, no pray to Jesus that you're hurting

751
00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:17,640
but pray with them, do it with them, read with them.

752
00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,040
Again, for me, music was big.

753
00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:24,760
So I so encourage having positive music in the home

754
00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:28,680
or for us with everybody nowadays, we have Alexa

755
00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:31,440
and I apologize if your Alexa goes off everyone.

756
00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:33,920
You know, having scripture read in the home,

757
00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:35,400
you can have the Bible playing

758
00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:37,800
but having positive music,

759
00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:39,600
something positive just in the home like that

760
00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:44,040
where that be a podcast, scripture, music to just uplift us.

761
00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:45,000
Like we mentioned earlier,

762
00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:47,200
when you put good in, good comes out.

763
00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:51,960
And so not being afraid to just let your child cry,

764
00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:55,200
like just holding them and be a listening ear.

765
00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,400
The best things sometimes we need is just for someone

766
00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,720
to listen to us and to acknowledge our feelings.

767
00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:05,720
And there could be time for correction or embrace or advice

768
00:33:06,260 --> 00:33:09,880
but sometimes we just need a hug or a listening ear.

769
00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:13,720
So take the time to do that if a child or a loved one

770
00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:17,560
comes with a situation or a problem

771
00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:20,360
to just sit with them and hear them out

772
00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:23,560
and eventually lead them to the word of God and just pray.

773
00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:27,840
You know, so much can change with a simple prayer

774
00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:30,600
when you just surrender that situation to the Lord.

775
00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:32,760
And probably, you know, there were some times

776
00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:34,760
when you were a little prickly as a teenager

777
00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:36,120
when you were struggling.

778
00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:38,320
As parents know, you know, sometimes your teens

779
00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,560
can be a little prickly and you just wanna leave them alone

780
00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:44,280
when they really need you not to leave them alone.

781
00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:46,080
What are some of those signs Ashley

782
00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:48,120
that even when you're saying no, no, no,

783
00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:51,560
you're really meaning yes, yes, yes to your parents?

784
00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:54,840
I just encourage everyone to use the Holy Spirit

785
00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:56,640
discernment that's inside of you.

786
00:33:56,640 --> 00:33:59,300
Invite the Lord into the conversation

787
00:33:59,300 --> 00:34:01,540
and ask Him to lead you.

788
00:34:01,540 --> 00:34:04,880
If it's maybe not apparent what's fully going on,

789
00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:08,080
ask God to lead you and show you

790
00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:10,360
if it's maybe a serious moment.

791
00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:12,520
Some of the emotions or things that are being expressed

792
00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:15,320
to you from your child or loved one,

793
00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:17,060
I would definitely recommend if somebody needs

794
00:34:17,060 --> 00:34:18,600
a little bit of space, I think you can definitely

795
00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:19,720
give that to them.

796
00:34:19,720 --> 00:34:22,320
But when it does come to the bullying,

797
00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:25,440
or I know a lot of people that struggle with health issues,

798
00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:27,760
sometimes struggle with mental health issues.

799
00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:30,400
It kind of goes hand in hand when you feel alone

800
00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:33,180
in your sickness, you feel just alone in general,

801
00:34:33,180 --> 00:34:35,340
like you have no one to talk to.

802
00:34:35,340 --> 00:34:37,900
So just don't be afraid to not overstep,

803
00:34:37,900 --> 00:34:41,800
but definitely be present and love them where they're at

804
00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:44,740
and never stop praying for your loved ones

805
00:34:44,740 --> 00:34:46,920
and just reciting scripture over them.

806
00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:49,280
The word never comes back void.

807
00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,880
So just be present with them, be that listening ear

808
00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:54,320
and ask the Holy Spirit for discernment

809
00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:57,120
because I definitely understand that some of these situations

810
00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:00,860
can go farther where you need a little bit of extra help.

811
00:35:00,860 --> 00:35:02,900
So just ask the Holy Spirit.

812
00:35:02,900 --> 00:35:07,040
And Ashley, you yearned and prayed for friends

813
00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:09,440
during that time, real friends,

814
00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:12,480
not fake friends, but real ones.

815
00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:15,440
And God has answered you, just to give hope

816
00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:18,040
for maybe some people who are going through

817
00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:20,440
a period of challenge.

818
00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:22,520
What has God done for you in that regard?

819
00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:25,800
I will say that challenge lasted for a while.

820
00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:29,240
Just to be very real and honest with our listeners,

821
00:35:29,240 --> 00:35:32,280
I didn't have friends for quite a long period.

822
00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:34,640
It wasn't just a quick prayer of saying,

823
00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:36,560
Lord, I would love to have friends.

824
00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:38,240
And he didn't just bring them overnight.

825
00:35:38,240 --> 00:35:40,420
It was me being patient.

826
00:35:40,420 --> 00:35:42,600
There was a lot of late night prayers

827
00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:44,380
or tears that were being shed

828
00:35:44,380 --> 00:35:47,720
of asking God to bring righteous,

829
00:35:47,720 --> 00:35:49,720
godly friends into my life.

830
00:35:49,720 --> 00:35:52,360
And another thing too is as the Lord was starting

831
00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:55,360
to slowly bring those people into my life,

832
00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:58,840
I think I also had to learn how to be a godly friend

833
00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,040
with so many years of hurt

834
00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:02,920
and not wanting to trust people

835
00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:05,360
due to past circumstances with friends

836
00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:08,920
or leadership within church or even outside

837
00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:11,240
that I had to learn how to be a friend,

838
00:36:11,240 --> 00:36:13,960
how to love people, how to be a listening ear,

839
00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:16,560
how to sometimes give people space, you know?

840
00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:19,280
But how to love someone the way that Jesus does

841
00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:20,880
when it comes to our friends.

842
00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:22,960
So I would even start, you know,

843
00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:26,440
if you're in that place of you long for godly friendships,

844
00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:30,240
ask the Lord to teach you how to be a godly friend

845
00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:33,440
and then ask him to direct you on where to go,

846
00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:36,720
how to be a light and who are those people.

847
00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:40,680
And I would ask the Lord to help you pray for those people.

848
00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:44,040
He already knows who your friends will be.

849
00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:45,640
He already knows who those people are

850
00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:47,000
and what they're going through right now,

851
00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:49,280
even if you haven't met them yet.

852
00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:51,040
So I would encourage you just to pray

853
00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:52,880
over your future friends.

854
00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:55,680
Ask that God protect them and walk with them.

855
00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:58,560
Know that his timing is perfect.

856
00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:01,600
And sometimes things don't happen the way we want

857
00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:03,720
because he's trying to refine us.

858
00:37:03,720 --> 00:37:07,040
And so as much as that is very hard to hear,

859
00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:08,680
Ashley walked through it.

860
00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:11,520
And I think now I have a little bit more patience

861
00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:13,160
with the Lord of understanding,

862
00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:15,680
okay, Lord, it might be that I need to do some work,

863
00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:18,640
but know that, like I said, God's timing is perfect

864
00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:20,000
and just trust him.

865
00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,800
I know it's not easy, but trust the Lord.

866
00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:26,400
Surrender that heart's desire of friends or healing

867
00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:30,440
or whatever that is to him and see what he'll do.

868
00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:31,680
Just see what he'll do.

869
00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:33,720
Imagine what God can do

870
00:37:33,720 --> 00:37:36,680
when you surrender your heart's desires to him.

871
00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:41,000
Yeah, and that desire for friends, that's at every age.

872
00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:42,600
I mean, it doesn't matter how old you are,

873
00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:43,760
how young you are.

874
00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:47,120
When you are alone, you want friends.

875
00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:50,720
And God answers that prayer no matter what your age.

876
00:37:50,720 --> 00:37:54,200
So if you're a senior, you're retired

877
00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:58,640
and you're just alone, you can do that too.

878
00:37:58,640 --> 00:38:00,640
You can ask the Lord to pray.

879
00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:04,120
Pray for them before you even know them

880
00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:05,880
and ask the Lord to direct your steps

881
00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:07,360
because he sure has done it for Ashley.

882
00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:09,720
She has a beautiful tribe of friends now

883
00:38:09,720 --> 00:38:13,000
and they're very encouraging and have a lot of fun together.

884
00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:13,840
Yes, ma'am.

885
00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:18,000
I think the Lord doesn't desire for us to do life alone.

886
00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:21,400
He will always be there, but he wants us to have community.

887
00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:23,480
And I think when the timing's right, when you're ready

888
00:38:23,480 --> 00:38:25,960
and you've learned how to also be a Godly friend,

889
00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:28,720
that he will provide that beautiful community

890
00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:30,480
that will love you, will cheer you on.

891
00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:33,640
They'll be your biggest cheerleaders, will pray with you.

892
00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:37,800
It's so important to have friends that also love Jesus

893
00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:40,200
and that can guide you in his ways

894
00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:43,040
and will not be a distraction, will not harm you,

895
00:38:43,040 --> 00:38:44,560
but will refine you.

896
00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:49,160
So Ashley, you're 20 now and God has gifted you to write

897
00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:54,160
and to sing and even produce music to reach this generation.

898
00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:55,520
How has that come about

899
00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:57,800
and where do you get your inspiration for writing?

900
00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:00,920
So like I mentioned earlier, always had a love for music,

901
00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:03,720
but it really wasn't until that trying season

902
00:39:03,720 --> 00:39:06,080
that the Lord started pouring out.

903
00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:09,040
And since then, I've loved playing guitar.

904
00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:11,680
I could continue to song write.

905
00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:14,840
The Lord has continued to open the doors for me

906
00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:17,640
to record the music that I've been writing.

907
00:39:17,640 --> 00:39:21,040
And recently he's opened some really incredible doors

908
00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:23,680
just to work with some people in the music industry.

909
00:39:23,680 --> 00:39:28,080
It's so Jesus how he's taken these challenging situations

910
00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:31,160
and use them to glorify his name.

911
00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:35,240
Even recently, I released a song called Adoration

912
00:39:35,240 --> 00:39:38,240
and it just sings over and over again in the chorus

913
00:39:38,240 --> 00:39:41,960
about how our soul longs to worship the Lord.

914
00:39:41,960 --> 00:39:45,120
We all have a desire to adore something,

915
00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:47,520
to give something our love.

916
00:39:47,520 --> 00:39:51,080
And for those who don't know Jesus,

917
00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:54,200
they confuse this love or this longing to adore something

918
00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:55,440
with things of the world.

919
00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:59,360
We can think of things where that be relationships

920
00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:04,080
or to get serious, maybe that be drugs or alcohol,

921
00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:06,760
whatever that is that you might put first as an idol.

922
00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,520
Maybe for some of us, it could be as silly as a TV show

923
00:40:09,520 --> 00:40:12,560
that we would rather watch this for hours

924
00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:14,600
than spend time in the word of God.

925
00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:16,920
And we have these idols in our lives,

926
00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:20,440
but the truth is that our soul, number one,

927
00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:23,200
longs to worship Jesus.

928
00:40:23,200 --> 00:40:25,240
Worship is for God alone.

929
00:40:25,240 --> 00:40:26,720
Adoration is for God alone.

930
00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:29,000
It's great to like and love things,

931
00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:31,000
but adoration belongs to the Lord.

932
00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:33,280
And it's what we were created for.

933
00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:36,240
And that's exactly what the song sings.

934
00:40:36,240 --> 00:40:38,120
If it's all right, Jodi, I'm gonna share just quickly

935
00:40:38,120 --> 00:40:41,720
the dream of how God gave me this song.

936
00:40:41,720 --> 00:40:44,640
As I've mentioned, the Lord just constantly appears to me

937
00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:46,080
in dreams and visions.

938
00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:48,640
And there was one night in the midst of my battle

939
00:40:48,640 --> 00:40:52,320
with physical pain, it hasn't come to an end.

940
00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:54,880
I know that the Lord will bring healing to me.

941
00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:57,800
One day on earth, even though we are promised healing

942
00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:00,160
in heaven, and there was just a night

943
00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:03,120
where I was struggling with physical pain.

944
00:41:03,120 --> 00:41:05,840
And I asked the Lord to appear to me.

945
00:41:05,840 --> 00:41:08,240
That is literally how my worship of the Lord works

946
00:41:08,240 --> 00:41:10,080
where I just simply ask him for a hug.

947
00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:13,240
And the next thing I know is I see him on a beach.

948
00:41:13,240 --> 00:41:17,200
So I see Jesus this one night on a beach.

949
00:41:17,200 --> 00:41:21,200
He's standing by the shoreline and I run over to him.

950
00:41:21,200 --> 00:41:26,200
And I say, Jesus, Jesus, my backpack is so heavy.

951
00:41:27,440 --> 00:41:31,400
Now listeners, I don't understand why I had a backpack on.

952
00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:33,680
I don't know why we were at a beach at all places.

953
00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:37,120
And why the first thing I do when I see Jesus is complain.

954
00:41:37,120 --> 00:41:39,160
But that's how this story goes.

955
00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:42,000
And so I'm complaining to him.

956
00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:46,440
And he looks at me with these loving eyes of a father

957
00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:51,440
and says, Ashley, it doesn't have to be heavy.

958
00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:54,280
But I continue in my fleshly ways

959
00:41:54,280 --> 00:41:56,960
of just complaining to the King and just saying,

960
00:41:56,960 --> 00:41:58,960
Jesus, you don't understand.

961
00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:01,260
My backpack is so heavy.

962
00:42:01,260 --> 00:42:04,740
And he looks at me again and says, it doesn't have to be.

963
00:42:04,740 --> 00:42:06,480
And he tells me at this point,

964
00:42:06,480 --> 00:42:09,720
Ashley, every time that your backpack is heavy

965
00:42:09,720 --> 00:42:13,040
and you're overwhelmed with self doubt, anxiety,

966
00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:15,320
whatever it is, I want you to come

967
00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:18,800
and meet me here at the water, at the edge, at the shoreline.

968
00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:20,580
We're gonna take off your backpack.

969
00:42:20,580 --> 00:42:23,000
We're gonna release it into the water.

970
00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:26,560
And we're gonna fully watch it float away together.

971
00:42:26,560 --> 00:42:28,960
And so in that moment, that's exactly what we did.

972
00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:30,600
I took my backpack off.

973
00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:33,380
The Lord held me and we released it into the water

974
00:42:33,380 --> 00:42:35,400
and we fully watched it float away.

975
00:42:35,400 --> 00:42:38,320
It wasn't just a backpack that partially just leave us,

976
00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:40,200
but fully watched it float away

977
00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:43,040
until it was no longer in view.

978
00:42:43,040 --> 00:42:45,400
After I woke up from that dream was when the Lord

979
00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:47,520
poured out that song of adoration.

980
00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:50,160
And it's beautiful how in the bridge it sings,

981
00:42:50,160 --> 00:42:52,400
how your throne is an ocean, God.

982
00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:54,960
And I watch my fears float away.

983
00:42:54,960 --> 00:42:58,200
And it really comes from that dream of just reminding us

984
00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:01,620
that every heavy burden just needs to be released

985
00:43:01,620 --> 00:43:03,160
at the throne of God.

986
00:43:03,160 --> 00:43:06,080
It's not for us to carry every heavy burden.

987
00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:08,920
It's for us to release and to let go.

988
00:43:08,920 --> 00:43:11,680
And there's so much power and strength

989
00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:14,680
in letting go and giving our burdens

990
00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:16,860
or giving our worries to God.

991
00:43:16,860 --> 00:43:19,120
And the song is just so encouraging to me.

992
00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:22,480
I told mom recently I changed my phone background

993
00:43:22,480 --> 00:43:25,960
to ocean water, because sometimes I just need a reminder,

994
00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:28,040
even after experiencing that dream,

995
00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:29,960
that I just need to think of the backpack.

996
00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:34,040
I need to think of the water and remember every day

997
00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:35,560
when I feel overwhelmed,

998
00:43:35,560 --> 00:43:37,380
because those moments come every day.

999
00:43:37,380 --> 00:43:39,660
It's not just a once a week battle,

1000
00:43:39,660 --> 00:43:42,080
but sometimes it's an everyday thing of just saying,

1001
00:43:42,080 --> 00:43:43,760
God, I give you my backpack today.

1002
00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:45,600
Like, you know what's on my heart.

1003
00:43:45,600 --> 00:43:48,760
You know what worries, what anxiety I might be facing.

1004
00:43:48,760 --> 00:43:50,280
I'm just gonna put it all in there.

1005
00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:51,920
I'm gonna give it to you.

1006
00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:55,220
And so that was just, I knew I needed to do for myself

1007
00:43:55,220 --> 00:43:57,680
to remind myself of that story,

1008
00:43:57,680 --> 00:44:00,000
to just release everything to Jesus.

1009
00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:01,800
And the Lord just continues to inspire me

1010
00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:03,420
in incredible ways.

1011
00:44:03,420 --> 00:44:05,120
There's so much just to look at,

1012
00:44:05,120 --> 00:44:09,500
even just God's nature of how he's constantly speaking to us.

1013
00:44:09,500 --> 00:44:12,840
And if people want to hear some of your music,

1014
00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:14,520
where would they find it?

1015
00:44:14,520 --> 00:44:18,400
All of my music is available on all music streaming platforms

1016
00:44:18,400 --> 00:44:22,420
from Apple to Spotify, Amazon, SoundCloud.

1017
00:44:22,420 --> 00:44:23,520
It's on everything.

1018
00:44:23,520 --> 00:44:26,480
And I still encourage you just to worship the Lord

1019
00:44:26,480 --> 00:44:28,460
to the songs that he's given to me.

1020
00:44:28,460 --> 00:44:29,880
They're all from him.

1021
00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:32,160
And their words that are going to just bring you

1022
00:44:32,160 --> 00:44:34,200
so much life and encouragement.

1023
00:44:34,200 --> 00:44:35,380
And you have a YouTube channel.

1024
00:44:35,380 --> 00:44:36,960
Is that just your name?

1025
00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:37,800
Yes.

1026
00:44:37,800 --> 00:44:40,200
You can look up Ashley Stringer or Ashley Stringer Music

1027
00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:43,040
and you should be able to find everything.

1028
00:44:43,040 --> 00:44:44,820
You are well represented online.

1029
00:44:45,880 --> 00:44:48,600
Yes, we're on every platform.

1030
00:44:48,600 --> 00:44:50,340
So through it all, Ashley,

1031
00:44:50,340 --> 00:44:52,300
what has really kept your faith in God

1032
00:44:52,300 --> 00:44:54,320
and your relationship with him alive?

1033
00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:57,840
The Lord is everything to me and more.

1034
00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:00,240
You know, he's just a constant in my life

1035
00:45:00,240 --> 00:45:03,140
and he's been so faithful to me.

1036
00:45:03,140 --> 00:45:06,720
And I think that's really what helps me continue

1037
00:45:06,720 --> 00:45:10,120
to believe in him, to trust him, keeps my faith alive

1038
00:45:10,120 --> 00:45:13,720
is knowing God, you have been so faithful.

1039
00:45:13,720 --> 00:45:17,200
And every season you have just shown your goodness

1040
00:45:17,200 --> 00:45:19,760
in my life, your love for me.

1041
00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:20,820
You're everywhere.

1042
00:45:20,820 --> 00:45:23,020
You're constantly speaking

1043
00:45:23,020 --> 00:45:25,840
and just keeping my eyes on the Lord, I think through it all,

1044
00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:29,180
even in challenging moments of just looking to him

1045
00:45:29,180 --> 00:45:30,800
for direction and for embrace

1046
00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:34,280
and knowing that he satisfies my soul.

1047
00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:35,520
But he's just everything and more.

1048
00:45:35,520 --> 00:45:37,920
And I think just never forgetting that

1049
00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:40,440
really keeps my faith alive.

1050
00:45:40,440 --> 00:45:42,640
It's just knowing that he saved me.

1051
00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:45,040
Yeah, and I hear in all of that,

1052
00:45:45,040 --> 00:45:47,440
your attitude of gratitude

1053
00:45:47,440 --> 00:45:49,160
that we talked about right at the beginning,

1054
00:45:49,160 --> 00:45:51,960
that you truly are grateful

1055
00:45:51,960 --> 00:45:55,400
for every encounter with the Lord,

1056
00:45:55,400 --> 00:45:58,920
everything that he's done for you, and you recognize it,

1057
00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:01,360
which does keep that relationship fresh.

1058
00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:02,920
So Ashley, as we close,

1059
00:46:02,920 --> 00:46:05,000
would you share about a woman in the Bible

1060
00:46:05,000 --> 00:46:08,360
who's inspired or encouraged or taught you something?

1061
00:46:08,360 --> 00:46:11,160
Yes, so reflecting on this,

1062
00:46:11,160 --> 00:46:15,160
the story of Samuel has really impacted me in my life,

1063
00:46:15,160 --> 00:46:20,160
but Samuel couldn't be who he was without Hannah

1064
00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:24,700
and his mother's fervent prayer and faith

1065
00:46:24,700 --> 00:46:28,880
and how she just, she longed for Samuel.

1066
00:46:28,880 --> 00:46:31,800
And because of her prayer and her faith

1067
00:46:31,800 --> 00:46:35,640
and reminding God of his promise to her

1068
00:46:35,640 --> 00:46:40,400
ended up just showing how the Lord was just so faithful to her.

1069
00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:42,200
Lord was so faithful to Hannah

1070
00:46:42,200 --> 00:46:45,340
because she was faithful to him and she prayed.

1071
00:46:45,340 --> 00:46:49,120
And I can only imagine what it was like as a parent,

1072
00:46:49,120 --> 00:46:51,400
when you pray and you ask God for something

1073
00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:53,500
and then the Lord brought Samuel to her,

1074
00:46:53,500 --> 00:46:56,360
but then her having to then release Samuel

1075
00:46:56,360 --> 00:46:58,000
back to the church and saying,

1076
00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:02,400
Lord, I'm giving you my son and for him to just serve you

1077
00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:03,480
all the days of his life,

1078
00:47:03,480 --> 00:47:05,720
I can only imagine what that was like for her.

1079
00:47:05,720 --> 00:47:08,140
Because of Samuel and his impact in my life

1080
00:47:08,140 --> 00:47:12,360
of just saying, yes, Lord, I just reflect so much on Hannah

1081
00:47:12,360 --> 00:47:15,840
and just her yes, so that Samuel could say yes.

1082
00:47:15,840 --> 00:47:17,720
And just her love and her faith

1083
00:47:17,720 --> 00:47:20,060
and her constant prayer and her passion,

1084
00:47:20,060 --> 00:47:22,040
I think about her often.

1085
00:47:22,040 --> 00:47:24,760
Yeah, I hadn't really thought of her story

1086
00:47:24,760 --> 00:47:29,560
in the way that she really did open that doorway

1087
00:47:29,560 --> 00:47:32,280
for Samuel to reach his destiny.

1088
00:47:33,320 --> 00:47:36,400
Proverbs 3, 5 and 6 in the NIV says,

1089
00:47:36,400 --> 00:47:38,400
trust in the Lord with all your heart

1090
00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:40,600
and lean not on your own understanding.

1091
00:47:40,600 --> 00:47:42,600
In all your ways submit to him

1092
00:47:42,600 --> 00:47:45,100
and he will make your path straight.

1093
00:47:45,100 --> 00:47:46,660
Ashley has learned to trust the Lord

1094
00:47:46,660 --> 00:47:48,720
and he has led her to some pretty interesting

1095
00:47:48,720 --> 00:47:50,680
and exciting paths.

1096
00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:54,400
And in Jeremiah 29, 11- 13 in the NIV,

1097
00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:56,520
it says, for I know the plans I have for you,

1098
00:47:56,520 --> 00:48:00,320
declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

1099
00:48:00,320 --> 00:48:02,820
plans to give you a hope and a future.

1100
00:48:02,820 --> 00:48:06,040
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me

1101
00:48:06,040 --> 00:48:08,100
and I will listen to you.

1102
00:48:08,100 --> 00:48:10,940
You will seek me and find me

1103
00:48:10,940 --> 00:48:13,600
when you seek me with all your heart.

1104
00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:15,840
You know, God has good plans for Ashley

1105
00:48:15,840 --> 00:48:17,100
and they're unfolding in her life

1106
00:48:17,100 --> 00:48:20,280
because she seeks the Lord.

1107
00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:22,040
And you know, God has good plans for you too,

1108
00:48:22,040 --> 00:48:23,780
no matter what your age is.

1109
00:48:23,780 --> 00:48:26,200
It just requires you to seek him.

1110
00:48:26,200 --> 00:48:30,020
He promises you that you will find him

1111
00:48:30,020 --> 00:48:34,500
and his plans for you are also very, very good.

1112
00:48:34,500 --> 00:48:36,000
Ashley, would you take a moment

1113
00:48:36,000 --> 00:48:38,780
and pray for everyone who listens to your amazing story?

1114
00:48:38,780 --> 00:48:41,480
Lord, we just thank you so much for this day

1115
00:48:41,480 --> 00:48:44,940
that you know, every woman, every listener

1116
00:48:44,940 --> 00:48:47,340
that is hearing this message, Lord,

1117
00:48:47,340 --> 00:48:49,200
you made them for a purpose.

1118
00:48:49,200 --> 00:48:53,280
Would you remind them today that their life has value,

1119
00:48:53,280 --> 00:48:55,240
that they were made for a reason,

1120
00:48:55,240 --> 00:48:57,580
that they have so much destiny,

1121
00:48:57,580 --> 00:49:00,220
that they are loved by you, King Jesus.

1122
00:49:00,220 --> 00:49:01,480
Would you visit them?

1123
00:49:01,480 --> 00:49:03,840
Would you give them a wink from heaven today?

1124
00:49:03,840 --> 00:49:06,060
Would you remind them that they are not made

1125
00:49:06,060 --> 00:49:09,060
to do life alone, that there is a community for them,

1126
00:49:09,060 --> 00:49:11,840
that there is healing in your name, in your word,

1127
00:49:11,840 --> 00:49:14,280
that you give life, Father.

1128
00:49:14,280 --> 00:49:16,040
Would you give them a Father's embrace

1129
00:49:16,040 --> 00:49:19,240
for those that may be still in the same circumstance

1130
00:49:19,240 --> 00:49:21,920
that I was when I was young, feeling fatherless,

1131
00:49:21,920 --> 00:49:24,440
but just needing the Abba's embrace.

1132
00:49:24,440 --> 00:49:26,360
Would you do that today, God?

1133
00:49:26,360 --> 00:49:28,900
Would you remind them of who you are in scripture?

1134
00:49:28,900 --> 00:49:31,960
Would you remind them of their identity in Christ, Lord?

1135
00:49:31,960 --> 00:49:34,840
If they're struggling with physical illness, God,

1136
00:49:34,840 --> 00:49:37,560
heal them, do what only you can do.

1137
00:49:37,560 --> 00:49:39,920
But I speak blessings over every sister,

1138
00:49:39,920 --> 00:49:42,280
every brother, every listener, Lord.

1139
00:49:42,280 --> 00:49:45,240
I pray that you would touch their lives, God,

1140
00:49:45,240 --> 00:49:49,460
and help them to walk in confidence in their calling

1141
00:49:49,460 --> 00:49:51,240
and everything that you have for them.

1142
00:49:51,240 --> 00:49:53,000
In Jesus' name, amen.

1143
00:49:53,000 --> 00:49:54,200
Amen.

1144
00:49:54,200 --> 00:49:55,720
Well, thank you for tuning in.

1145
00:49:55,720 --> 00:49:58,160
In our show notes at hergodstory.org,

1146
00:49:58,160 --> 00:50:01,080
you'll find scriptures and other information we talked about,

1147
00:50:01,080 --> 00:50:04,320
as well as links to some of Ashley's social media accounts.

1148
00:50:04,320 --> 00:50:06,560
Don't forget to sign up for our emails

1149
00:50:06,560 --> 00:50:09,200
and get a six week devotional on Women of the Bible

1150
00:50:09,200 --> 00:50:10,900
that you can download for free.

1151
00:50:10,900 --> 00:50:13,960
Or you may wanna purchase the 12 week devotional

1152
00:50:13,960 --> 00:50:16,840
for just $12, knowing that all the proceeds

1153
00:50:16,840 --> 00:50:18,840
will go to our Widow and Orphan Fund.

1154
00:50:18,840 --> 00:50:21,560
We'd love to pray with you at our 24 seven prayer

1155
00:50:21,560 --> 00:50:25,760
and text line, so give us a call anytime at 855-459-CARE,

1156
00:50:25,760 --> 00:50:28,680
or email us at prayer@somebodycares.org.

1157
00:50:28,680 --> 00:50:30,440
And now, dear friends, I bless you

1158
00:50:30,440 --> 00:50:32,880
from portions of Psalm 121.

1159
00:50:32,880 --> 00:50:36,400
May you look up and see that your help comes from the Lord

1160
00:50:36,400 --> 00:50:37,800
who made heaven and earth.

1161
00:50:37,800 --> 00:50:39,800
He will not let you stumble,

1162
00:50:39,800 --> 00:50:44,000
because he who watches over you will never slumber or sleep.

1163
00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:48,320
May the Lord himself watch over you and stand beside you

1164
00:50:48,320 --> 00:50:51,120
as your protective shade day and night.

1165
00:50:51,120 --> 00:50:53,120
May the Lord keep you from all harm

1166
00:50:53,120 --> 00:50:55,120
and watch over your life.

1167
00:50:55,120 --> 00:50:59,340
May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go,

1168
00:50:59,340 --> 00:51:02,120
both now and forever.

1169
00:51:02,120 --> 00:51:03,720
Her God Story is a ministry

1170
00:51:03,720 --> 00:51:06,160
of Somebody Cares America and International.

1171
00:51:06,160 --> 00:51:08,660
To find out more about or support the ministry,

1172
00:51:08,660 --> 00:51:18,660
go to somebodycares.org.