some things i'm learning.

today, i had a crazy day. i overslept my first class (i sure did feel like i was in high school again!) so i didn't have another class until one. i'm probably didn't manage my time wisely, something i'm working on, so this morning was sort of a rush to get ready, finish some homework, and make it to class on time. (story of my life).

so, i go to statistics, and the whole time my professor teaches us about stuff that i have already learned. (i'm starting to wish i had paid more attention in AP stat senior year). anyway, i come home, change real quick so i can wear my galoshes, because apparently augusta has become the portland of the south this week, (dear rain, please go away!) and finish up a French project rather quickly. then, i log on to iChat to talk with my friends, Corey and Caroline.

we all catch each other up on life in general, and then Corey asks me what it is the Lord is teaching me in my life. i thought about DNOW and how i learned a lot that weekend. but, as i was talking, something else hit me from that weekend.

i remember standing in the back of the room during the invitation time and worshipping. songs like "Our God" and "With Everything" were being played, and i was loving every minute of it. i love those songs and they hold special memories for me from times where the Lord really worked in my life in awesome ways. but as i was singing, the Lord kept telling me, "Don't think about Panama or last semester. Those songs have words in them that still ring true today."

today, it hit me. over the past few months, instead of worshipping the Jesus that those songs talk about, i'll worship the experience. i'll let emotions and memories overwhelm me and be caught up in that instead of in our Savior! it was such a cool thing to learn!!

hopefully, i'm headed to Athens tomorrow with my friend Leah to see our friend Hannah. oh, and did i forget to mention? i'm on SPRING BREAKKKKKKK :)

i didn't think i had room in my heart for two.

i woke up this morning with a text from Casie, my old boss and older "sister", saying that Joe had arrived! i was so excited. Yet, throughout these past nine or so months that Casie's been pregnant, i have sort of been worrying about this whole thing. Jack has been a HUGE part of my world over the past two years. he's been my "nephew"; he really has. i just didn't know how i was going to handle Jack having a little brother. i know that sounds awful. i should be happy, right?!? and i was. i really was. i just didn't think i had room in my heart for two.

i went to work for a little bit, and then Casie texted me and asked me if i could come to the hospital for a little bit. i got to leave and go to the hospital and spend time with just Casie and Joe. which was pretty shocking that it was just the three of us, but it was really precious. i got to hold this little boy who was at that time only 5 hours old for about 2 hours. i got to love on him, pray for him a little bit, and be his "Aunt Ash-Ash". i loved it.

my heart definitely grew a lot today. and i found out that i did have room in my heart for this precious "nephew" of mine. i'm so thankful that the Lord has given me this awesome opportunity to be apart of their lives. it's humbling. it's a blessing.

this week...

i'm dreaming of going to Europe with one of my best friends, Leah. we're history and travel nerds, and we both have a huge desire to hit up Europe for a little while. plans for summer 2012? i think so :)

i've been spending a lot of time looking up information about this Rob Bell/Universalism situation. i found this by David Platt very encouraging and convicting. check it out!

i was also challenged in my English class the other day to know my Scriptures better. my English professor is this amazing, intelligent man. he's very interesting, and he makes class entertaining. on more than one occasion, he has mentioned how his parents are the typical people that go to church every Sunday because that's how they were raised, yet they don't really practice what they talk about. they're hypocrites, more or less. it hurts my heart every time i hear him talk about how he wants nothing to do with the faith of his parents. anyway, he knows his Scriptures very well; maybe even better than i do, i hate to admit. based on a class discussion the other day, i became encouraged to KNOW my Bible so well so that once something like this happens again, i can really "defend" my faith.

i'll end with some exciting news: nephew #2, Joe Carlisle, will be here next Tuesday or Wednesday! YAY!!

D-NOW Weekend!

Well, I just got up from a two hour nap that was much needed after this past weekend. I had the awesome and incredible opportunity to get to lead 7th Grade Girls at D-NOW this weekend! It was amazing. I absolutely fell in love with these girls, their vivacity for life, and their love for each other. They were so fun. 

One of my girls, Rachel, and me. LOVE her!!

I also got the sweet surprise to get to see one of my dear friends, Mollie Kate a.k.a. MKate. I found out she was going to be a leader last week, so I was super excited to get to see her because it's been forever! It was great because once we hugged and reunited, it was like all these past few months were gone, and we picked up right where we left off! I was grateful to catch up, get quite a few hugs in, and be loved on before she had to go back to Athens :) 

Oh, how I love me some Mollie Kate! 

I didn't really think that I would grow this weekend; I just thought that I would teach. But, the Lord sure proved me wrong. He showed up in my life in so many cool ways. One in particular was on Saturday night, our church was having a rally and all the leaders had been asked to go in the back of the room so that if anyone had a decision that needed to be made, they could come back and talk to their leader. There were about twenty or thirty of us, and we all spread out, and just worshipped. We moved and sang and cried out to God. 

As I was standing there, in the very back of the room, praising Jesus, I begged for Him to move. I was watching as students came and grabbed their leaders to talk, and I just kept begging. And then the Lord said to me, "Ashton, what if I'm going to move, but it won't be through you? What if I show up to your girls, but you won't be the one they go to talk to? Will you still give me the glory then?" I was a little shocked at first, but it was such a cool thing to learn. That even as I'm PRAYING for something like God to move, I can still make it about me. 

So, I'm thankful for such an incredible weekend with friends and awesome girls, and I'm thankful for what the Lord is teaching me! 

busy, busy!

for some reason, this week has started off to be one of the busiest ones of this year so far! i'm grateful that i had an excellent weekend with some of my best friends to start me off on this crazy busy week. maybe that whole "spring forward" has got me going at a ridiculously fast pace :)

today, i bought my first "set" of furniture. well, my parents bought it, but i picked it out! i'm in the process of moving out to my grandma's house. (note: this process has and will be a long one! like 6 months or so!) but, i need office furniture, and a facebook friend was selling some for a killer deal so i got it! nothing like buying furniture to make you FEEL old!!

there's the normal routine of classes this week, but i also have THREE friends home on Spring Break! YAY :) i'm trying to determine the right time to hang out with all of them and get good quality time in. i'm just SO happy they are home!!

D-NOW, the youth group's discipleship weekend retreat, is this weekend. i'm a leader for 7th grade girls, and i'm so PUMPED! the Lord's been planning this out just right for a while now, so i'm super excited to see what He does.

next Sunday is also my good friend Casie's baby shower for baby #2, Joe! i cannot believe that this boy is going to be here in less than 3 weeks!! nor can i believe that Jack is going to be 2 in less than a month. ahh, i love to be "Aunt Ash-Ash" :)

i'll leave you with these verses:

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 
Ephesians 5:15-17

worship.

i just got back from Atlanta, where i went to a Hillsong United concert. my mind is racing too much to go to bed, even though i have a class in less than 8 hours! 


by far, tonight was one of the best nights of worship of my entire life! if it was just a GLIMPSE of what Heaven is going to be like, i'm SO PUMPED! i cannot begin to express how awesome it is to worship the Lord with thousands of other people being led by a band from across the world. Let's just say GOD ROCKS! 


to top it off, i came home and the Passion 2011 CD: Here For You was on my bed. so, i'm listening to that while writing this and catching up on some fb before hitting the hay. i'm so thankful for these opportunities that God has given me to worship Him, yet i'm more excited about worshipping Him on a daily basis, not just on these mountaintop experiences. i'll leave you with a few lyrics from my favorite song of the night, "With Everything". 


Let hope rise and darkness tremble
In Your holy light that every eye will see
Jesus our God, great and mighty to be praised.

With everything, with everything

We will shout for Your glory.

With everything, with everything

We will shout forth Your praise. 

overwhelmed.

today was one of those days. those days when all you want to do is crawl back in bed and sleep all your worries away. but obviously that wasn't going to happen. despite my first three classes not going so well, i had an appointment with my mom's boss's wife. she happens to be the department chair of the teacher education program at ASU. the meeting was overwhelming yet encouraging. the next three years of my college life are going to be intense. very, very intense. but i'm encouraged because so many people have been encouraging me that this is what i should do. i know it's the right thing, but it's one of those hard life decisions. 


i've also come to the conclusion that i'm probably going to spend the rest of my college career at ASU. and for that, i'm not upset. i think if i could have gone back and changed some things, i probably would have. but, i'm not going to live in the "what ifs" of life. i'm honestly content in where it is God has me. i've been able to minister in lots of cool ways, and i'm ready to see where God takes me these next few years.

side note: i've lost five pounds since the cruise and for that i'm super happy! :)